Podcast
The Aaron Renn Show
Hosted by Aaron Renn · EN
Aaron Renn's commentary and insights on our 21st century world, along with his conversations with some of the world's leading thinkers on the issues of today. Covering culture, media, economics, politics, Christianity and men's issues.
23episodes
Episodes
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SPECIAL: My Appearance on Faithful Discourse with Chris Henry
1w ago00:56:28Tap to summarizeIn this week's episode, I'm sharing an appearance I made on Faithful Discourse with Chris Henry, the senior pastor of Second Presbyterian Church in Indianapolis. For more about this church and our conversation, you can see the write up I did on my web site:https://www.aaronrenn.com/p/the-reckoning-is-here
Transcribe →Can AI Save Cities From the Urban Doom Loop? | Arpit Gupta
3w ago00:47:52Tap to summarizeEconomist Arpit Gupta joins Aaron to break down the future of American cities after remote work, office real estate collapse, and the rise of AI.From the “Urban Doom Loop” — where falling commercial property values crush city tax revenue and trigger a vicious spiral — to surging suburban housing prices, office-to-residential conversions, and the transformative potential of autonomous vehicles, this conversation covers the biggest forces reshaping urban America.Will AI supercharge white-collar job growth and rescue downtowns, or accelerate the displacement of routine office work? Are superstar cities like New York and San Francisco pulling ahead while second-tier cities struggle? And how will self-driving cars radically expand commuting patterns and city sprawl?CHAPTERS:(00:00 – Introduction & The Urban Doom Loop Explained)(03:20 – Post-COVID Office Market Recovery (or Lack Thereof))(07:45 – Why Housing Prices Are Soaring While Offices Collapse)(12:10 – Remote Work’s Lasting Impact on City Centers)(15:30 – AI’s Dual Effect on White-Collar Jobs & Office Demand)(22:40 – Can Tourism or “Playground Cities” Replace Commerce?)(26:15 – Agglomeration Effects in the Age of Zoom & AI)(31:40 – Advice for Young People Entering the Job Market)(36:50 – The Game-Changer: Autonomous Vehicles & the Future of Sprawl)(43:20 – Will Most Cities Decline or Adapt?)ARPIT GUPTA LINKS:🐦 Twitter/X: https://x.com/arpitrage🌐 Arpit Gupta's NYU Homepage: https://www.stern.nyu.edu/faculty/bio/arpit-guptaCONNECT & FOLLOW AARON RENN:🐦 Twitter/X: https://x.com/aaron_renn🌐 Newsletter - In-depth cultural analysis: https://www.aaronrenn.com/
Transcribe →The Vanishing Black Family | Delano Squires
Jun 2200:43:09Tap to summarizeIn this powerful conversation, Delano Squires, Director of the Richard and Helen DeVos Center for Human Flourishing at The Heritage Foundation and author of The Vanishing Black Family, breaks down the dramatic collapse of the Black family — from stable two-parent homes in the 1940s-1950s to today’s 70% out-of-wedlock birth rate. Delano explains how slavery deformed but did not destroy the Black family, but how the combination of 1960s welfare policies and new ideologies worked to undermine it.CHAPTERS:(00:00 Introduction)(01:45 The 1986 Bill Moyers Documentary)(04:20 Why Delano Wrote This Book Now)(08:10 The Black Family Before the 1960s – Surprisingly Stable)(13:40 Slavery’s Real Impact vs. Welfare & Feminism)(19:55 The Economic Argument – Jobs vs. Culture)(26:40 Why the “Marriageable Men” Theory Falls Short)(32:15 Restoring the Black Family – The Multi-Generational Plan (Church, HBCUs & More))(42:50 Final Thoughts)DELANO SQUIRES LINKS:📖 Buy The Vanishing Black Family: How Welfare and Feminism Made Marriage Optional and Children Vulnerable: https://www.amazon.com/Vanishing-Black-Family-Feminism-Vulnerable-ebook/dp/B0FRFLFVLH/?&_encoding=UTF8&tag=theurban-20🐦 Twitter/X: https://x.com/DelanoSquiresCONNECT & FOLLOW AARON RENN:🐦 Twitter/X: https://x.com/aaron_renn🌐 Newsletter - In-depth cultural analysis: https://www.aaronrenn.com/
Transcribe →The 100-Year Rise of the Information Control State | Jacob Siegel
Jun 800:49:47Tap to summarizeHow did “disinformation” become the all-purpose explanation for American politics? In this eye-opening conversation, journalist Jacob Siegel reveals how a century-old progressive vision of expert rule evolved into today’s censorship-industrial complex — from Woodrow Wilson’s propaganda machine to the Hunter Biden laptop suppression and beyond. Siegel, author of the new book The Information State, traces the hidden history of information control and explains how governments and tech platforms now shape what we see, say, and believe.CHAPTERS:(00:00 Introduction)(00:48 Discovering Disinformation Everywhere in 2016)(04:00 Misinformation, Disinformation & Malinformation Explained)(08:23 The Hamilton 68 Censorship Scandal)(12:15 The Hunter Biden Laptop Suppression)(18:45 The Progressive Origins: Woodrow Wilson to the Creel Committee)(35:00 What Should Replace the Information State?)(41:10 Rebuilding Borders on the Internet)(45:59 Is the Censorship Apparatus Still a Threat?)JACOB SIEGEL LINKS:🐦 Twitter/X: https://x.com/Jacob__Siegel📖 Buy The Information State: Politics in the Age of Total Control: https://www.amazon.com/Information-State-Politics-Total-Control/dp/1250363128/?&_encoding=UTF8&tag=theurban-20CONNECT & FOLLOW AARON RENN:🐦 Twitter/X: https://x.com/aaron_renn🌐 Newsletter - In-depth cultural analysis: https://www.aaronrenn.com/
Transcribe →AI Is the New NAFTA | Brent Orell
Jun 100:46:53Tap to summarizeIs AI the next great labor shock — and are we about to repeat the mistakes of NAFTA? Aaron Renn talks with Brent Orrell, Senior Fellow at the American Enterprise Institute, about what AI is already doing to the workforce, why this time the disruption is hitting knowledge workers first, and why human formation may be the most valuable asset in an AI-infused world.Brent Orrell studies the future of work and AI at AEI and previously served for years at the U.S. Department of Labor. He is launching a National Commission on AI and the Future of the American Workforce.CHAPTERS:(00:00 Introduction)(00:55 Why AI Is the New NAFTA)(04:30 A National Commission on AI and Work)(07:30 The Labor Effects Already Happening)(12:20 How "Learn to Code" Became a Trap)(17:00 Adaptation: The Core Skill for the AI Era)(24:00 Why Human Formation Matters More Than Ever)(40:00 The Coming White-Collar Political Disruption)BRENT ORELL LINKS:🌐 Brent Orell's AEI Home Page and Articles: https://www.aei.org/profile/brent-orrell/CONNECT & FOLLOW AARON RENN:🐦 Twitter/X: https://x.com/aaron_renn🌐 Newsletter - In-depth cultural analysis: https://www.aaronrenn.com/
Transcribe →Inside the Left's Institutional Capture | Seth Barron
May 1800:51:46Tap to summarizeAaron Renn sits down with Seth Barron, Associate Editorial Page Editor at the New York Post and author of Weaponized: The Left's Capture and Destruction of America's Sacred Institutions. They discuss how cherished American myths have been twisted to weaponize key institutions — policing, borders, public safety, housing, education, and civic life itself.From “defund the police” and anarcho-tyranny in New York City to open borders, the erosion of assimilation, and the battle over American identity, this conversation reveals how the left uses institutions as tools of political power.CHAPTERS:(00:00 - Introduction)(01:36 - What "Weaponized" Really Means) (03:45 - The Left's War on Policing & Public Safety) (09:20 - Anarcho-Tyranny in NYC Under Mamdani) (15:10 - Police Brutality Myths vs Reality) (18:40 - Why the Right Lacks a Competing Moral Vision) (22:15 - Think Globally vs Think Locally) (28:50 - Immigration, Borders & the Attack on Citizenship) (36:55 - American Identity & the End of Assimilation) (43:20 - Israel, Palestine & the Left's Broader Agenda) GUEST LINKS:📖 Weaponized: The Left's Capture and Destruction of America's Sacred Institutions: https://www.amazon.com/Weaponized-Lefts-Seizure-State-Power/dp/1630062693/?&_encoding=UTF8&tag=theurban-20🐦 Twitter/X: https://x.com/sethbarronnycCONNECT & FOLLOW AARON RENN:🐦 Twitter/X: https://x.com/aaron_renn🌐 Newsletter - In-depth cultural analysis: https://www.aaronrenn.com/
Transcribe →America's "Hebraic Christianity" Culture | Joshua Mitchell
Apr 2700:52:57Tap to summarizeIn this wide-ranging conversation, Georgetown Professor Joshua Mitchell explains why America remains a deeply Hebraic, covenantal nation — and why the current culture war is best understood as a distorted continuation of the Reformation.From the Plato-Aristotle divide to Luther’s turn to history, from Tocqueville’s warnings to the spiritual economy of stain and redemption, Mitchell offers a profound diagnosis of where American Christianity stands today. Watch until the end for a hopeful (yet challenging) path forward.CHAPTERS(00:00 Introduction & The Article That Sparked a National Conversation)(04:20 The Great Schism: Plato vs Aristotle & East vs West)(11:45 Why the Catholic Church Chose Aristotle — And Its Consequences)(18:50 The Reformation: Luther’s Historical Dialectic vs Calvin’s Covenantal Path)(27:15 America as a New Israel — The Hebraic Soul of the Nation)(35:40 Identity Politics as Deformed Puritanism)(44:10 Evangelicals, Conservatives & the Path Forward for Reformation Christians) JOSHUA MITCHELL LINKS:🌐 Whither the Reformation in America: https://americanreformer.org/2026/03/whither-the-reformation-in-america/MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE:📖 The Cave and the Light: Plato Versus Aristotle, and the Struggle for the Soul of Western Civilization by Arthur Herman: https://www.amazon.com/Cave-Light-Aristotle-Struggle-Civilization/dp/0553385666/?&_encoding=UTF8&tag=theurban-20CONNECT & FOLLOW AARON RENN:🐦 Twitter/X: https://x.com/aaron_renn🌐 Newsletter - In-depth cultural analysis: https://www.aaronrenn.com/
Transcribe →Art, Beauty, and Human Creativity | Margarita Mooney Clayton
Apr 2000:43:19Tap to summarizeWhy do people think conservatives are boring? Sociologist and cultural thinker Margarita Mooney Clayton joins me to challenge the stereotype that artists must be transgressive and that conservatives lack creativity.Drawing on the philosophy of Jacques Maritain, we explore the true vocation of the artist: cooperating with divine inspiration to create beautiful works that point toward the good, the true, and God Himself. We discuss romanticism vs. ordered creativity, abundance vs. desecration in culture, and how conservatives can reclaim beauty, joy, and cultural renewal.Margarita shares insights from her work at Princeton Theological Seminary, Blackfriars Hall Oxford, and as founder of the Scala Foundation.CHAPTERS: (00:00 Introduction)(01:51 How a sociologist became interested in beauty and the arts)(04:28 Why people think conservatives are boring)(09:02 Art as transgressive? The panel discussion)(10:28 Jacques Maritain and the vocation of the artist)(19:13 Romanticism, reason, and the role of intellect in art)(26:35 Can modern art be beautiful? Tradition vs. modernism)(33:58 The place of transgression, paradox, and truth in art)MARGARITA MOONEY CLAYTON LINKS:🌐 Are Artists Transgressive, Conservative, or Neither?: https://www.gracedimagination.com/p/does-an-artist-steal-fire-from-the🌐 The Vocation of the Artist in Jacques Maritain’s Life and Work: https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/new-blackfriars/article/from-strangers-to-friends-of-god-the-vocation-of-the-artist-in-jacques-maritains-life-and-work/00BBA2972BD500A5D831835CF8C5BE8D🌐 Scala Foundation: https://scalafoundation.org/CONNECT & FOLLOW AARON RENN:🐦 Twitter/X: https://x.com/aaron_renn🌐 Newsletter - In-depth cultural analysis: https://www.aaronrenn.com/
Transcribe →Modern Christian Womanhood | Emma Waters
Mar 2300:40:15Tap to summarizeEmma Waters is a Policy Analyst at the Heritage Foundation's Center for Technology and the Human Person, wife, mother of two, and author of the new book Lead Like Jael: 7 Timeless Principles for Today's Women of Faith (Regnery Publishing, March 2026).In this episode of The Aaron Renn Show, Emma joins Aaron to discuss biblical womanhood in a post-pandemic world. Drawing from the story of Jael in Judges 4–5, she outlines a nuanced vision that rejects both "girl boss" feminism (even when dressed in evangelical clothes) and overly romanticized trad-wife ideals. Instead, she advocates prioritizing marriage and motherhood as primary callings while strategically using God-given gifts and modern opportunities like remote work.They cover personal stories (including Emma dumping her now-husband during college), the real trade-offs of career vs. family, research on childcare impacts, the "tent peg strategy" for women fighting evil from the home, and why putting first things first often leads to unexpected blessings.CHAPTERS: (00:00 Introduction)(03:20 The Freak-Out Over Kids & Career in College)(09:45 Critiquing Girl Boss Feminism & Trad Wife Romanticism)(17:30 Remote Work, Home Economy, & Childcare Research)(25:00 The Breakup & Choosing Family Over a Dream Opportunity)(32:40 The Tent Peg Strategy – Jael's Story & Fighting Evil as Women)(40:15 The 7 Principles: Discernment, Shrewdness, Motherhood as Warfare & More)(50:00 Finding Wise Mentors & Counsel in Today)EMMA WATERS LINKS:📖 Lead Like Jael: 7 Timeless Principles for Today's Women of Faith: https://www.amazon.com/dp/1510783539/?&_encoding=UTF8&tag=theurban-20🐦 Twitter/X: https://x.com/emlwatersCONNECT & FOLLOW AARON RENN:🐦 Twitter/X: https://x.com/aaron_renn🌐 Newsletter - In-depth cultural analysis: https://www.aaronrenn.com/
Transcribe →Shaking Up Jesus History | TC Schmidt
Mar 1600:39:32Tap to summarizeIn this episode, Aaron Renn interviews T.C. Schmidt, associate professor at Fairfield University and author of the groundbreaking Oxford University Press book Josephus and Jesus: New Evidence for the One Called Christ. Schmidt, with a PhD from Yale, uses new linguistic analysis, computer databases, and ancient Greek studies to argue that the Testimonium Flavianum—Josephus's famous passage about Jesus—is substantially authentic. This challenges a century of scholarly consensus that it was heavily interpolated by Christians. Schmidt shares his journey as an evangelical scholar, the book's warm reception (including praise from top Josephus expert Steve Mason), and why Christians should pursue excellence in secular academia.CHAPTERS: (00:00 - Introduction)(02:30 - Who Was Josephus? Background & Importance)(07:45 - The Controversial Testimonium Flavianum)(12:20 - New Methods: Databases, Style Analysis & Word Studies)(18:50 - Reinterpreting "Appeared Alive Again" – Resurrection Insight)(25:10 - Scholarly Reception & Challenges to Consensus)(32:40 - Evangelical Scholarship in Secular Academia)(40:15 - Advice for Aspiring Christian Scholars)TC SCHMIDT LINKS:📖 Josephus and Jesus: New Evidence for the One Called Christ (free download): https://josephusandjesus.com/🌐 Institute for Christian Reflection: https://instituteforchristianreflection.org/CONNECT & FOLLOW AARON RENN:🐦 Twitter/X: https://x.com/aaron_renn🌐 Newsletter - In-depth cultural analysis: https://www.aaronrenn.com/
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