Podcast Summary: The Glenn Beck Program

Episode 270: How to Make Men DANGEROUS Again
Date: October 18, 2025
Host: Glenn Beck
Guests: Matt Smith and Maxim Smith

Overview

This episode centers on redefining what it means for young men to become competent, confident, and "dangerous" in a positive sense—effectively prepared for the real world. Glenn Beck speaks with Matt Smith and his son Maxim Smith about an alternative to traditional college: a structured, skill-based, adventure-driven education program designed to cultivate Renaissance men. The conversation challenges the prevailing wisdom of higher education, lays out a new pathway for personal growth, and discusses the practical steps, philosophy, and outcomes of the "Preparation" program Matt created for Maxim.

Key Discussion Points

1. The Problem with the Traditional College Path (00:34–07:06)

• Glenn Beck opens with concerns about young men spending formative years accumulating debt and being ill-prepared for a changing world.
  • "Young men are making a terrible mistake. They are taking four of what should be the most adventurous, life changing years..." (00:34)
• Maxim Smith shares personal doubts on college relevance:
  • "You're going to go to college to get a degree that maybe gets you something, maybe gets you a job, maybe you get good money, but, you know, what else do you have from there?" (03:51)
• Matt and Glenn discuss how their own non-traditional educational paths shaped their outlook and built independence.

2. Origin and Philosophy of the Alternative Program (“Preparation”) (07:06–13:24)

• Inspired by Doug Casey’s “Renaissance Man” concept: Grow into a person of many skills, not just a specialist.
  • "A Renaissance man is somebody who... can do lots of things, engaging with the real world. We're not limited to specialization." —Matt Smith (08:22)
• Program Structure based on three verbs: BE, DO, and HAVE.
  • BE: Who do you want to become?
  • DO: Power lies in action, not just accumulating possessions or credentials.
  • HAVE: What you possess is a byproduct of who you are and what you do.

3. Building a Personal Code: Identity Before Action (12:19–16:36)

• First Step: Every participant develops a personal code, which is foundational to the program.
  • Structure:
    • Moral Code: Rules you set for yourself (what you will or will not do).
    • Virtues: Select 5–7 classical virtues to aspire to.
    • Competencies: Build and update a living list of your skills.
  • "This is the beginning of real self-esteem because it's the first time they are deciding who they are and what is acceptable to them..." —Matt Smith (15:38)

4. Program Mechanics: “Cycles” of Action and Learning (20:13–29:35)

• 80% of the program is doing—action-based learning.
• Structure: Four years, divided into 16 cycles (“quarters”), each with a theme and “anchor activity.”
• Anchor Activities: Real adventures or skill-building experiences that can stand alone as employable assets.
  • Example cycles:
    • Muay Thai in Thailand (“fighter cycle”)
    • Heavy equipment operation in Florida
    • EMT certification
    • Entrepreneur/investor cycles
    • Welding, building houses, cooking school in Italy (36:02)
  • "Each cycle includes an anchor activity... doing something challenging, but where you walk away in most cases with a skill of real economic value." —Matt Smith (20:13)
• Daily Routine: 40 productive hours per week, combining classes, reading, reflection, and breadth activities (drawing, scuba diving, chess, etc.) (25:31)

5. Growth Through Adventure and Challenge (29:35–37:48)

• Maxim’s Real-world Stories:
  • Sailed around the Falkland Islands (starting with zero sailing experience).
    • "When you got on the boat, I knew absolutely nothing about sailing... I think I know a lot more about the basics of sailing..." —Maxim Smith (30:27–30:34)
  • Grunt work for a mining exploration crew in Nevada; adversity leads to unexpected resilience and skill development (31:14).
  • Working as a wildland EMT, earning $600/day after a $1,500 course.

6. Cost, Work, and Funding the Experience (38:14–40:37)

• Cost Estimate: ~$72,000 for four years (less than or similar to university), but can be reduced by working throughout.
  • "Today he has more money than he did when he started two years ago..." —Matt Smith (39:17)
• Emphasis on Avoiding Debt and Liabilities.
• Resourcefulness: Living with friends/family, finding side jobs, and publishing experiences for networking opportunities.

7. Economic and Academic Elements (42:04–47:03)

• Investment and Economic Education:
  • Reading, online university courses, and real-world trading simulations.
  • Focus on financial independence, Austrian economics, and skepticism toward traditional advice.
  • "We explain how economics really works...the value of savings, they understand the dollar...core fundamentals..." —Matt Smith (20:25)
• Living situations: Encouragement to avoid unnecessary expenses and instead maximize freedom and agency in young adulthood.

8. Overcoming the Mainstream: Independence and “Dangerousness” (47:03–54:18)

• Competence breeds confidence:
  • Beck: "You have to be a chick magnet to some degree...so well rounded...not just the typical boy that never seems to grow up. You're a pilot, you're a heavy construction worker, you're a thinker..." (46:25)
• "To be somebody, you have to do something worthy of being somebody, and that there's nothing presented...that can show them the way." —Matt Smith (45:10)
• Future-proofing against AI:
  • Embracing adaptability, using tools like Fab Labs, and continually acquiring new, practical skills.

9. Accountability and Lifelong Learning (54:18–59:07)

• Weekly self-reporting via Substack ensures public accountability.
  • "That public accountability, that process of writing it down every week..." —Matt Smith (54:20)
  • "You're the judge." —Glenn Beck (56:11)
• No grades, no diploma in the traditional sense, but heavy emphasis on personal standards and integrity.

10. Comparison to College and Concluding Thoughts (57:12–62:55)

• When is college necessary?
  • Indispensable only for highly regulated fields (medicine, law, STEM).
• Shaping vs. Finding Yourself:
  • Personal agency and responsibility at the program’s core.
  • "I don't think you'll ever find yourself—suddenly peek around the corner, there I am...I'm number one major into personal responsibility..." —Matt Smith (59:20)
• Example Cycle: Regenerative farming with Joel Salatin (61:17).
  • Learning self-sufficiency, environmental stewardship, and economic resilience.
• Transformation:
  • Matt: "Somewhere along the line, in almost every way, he went from being a boy to being a man. ... It's awesome to see." (63:12)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Alternative Paths:

  • "This is the first real answer for: what do you do with a young man that is lost?" —Glenn Beck (02:50)

• On Being:

  • "The virtues are an aspiration. Courage, for instance...constant pursuit of these, a virtuous conduct." —Matt Smith (18:56)

• On Doing:

  • "Doing is where your power is...it's the operative. But 'BE' is the only thing that matters." —Matt Smith (11:01)

• On Accountability:

  • "Ultimately we are the only ones that can hold ourselves accountable." —Matt Smith (54:20)

• On Broader Impact:

  • "The point is to be completely rounded." —Glenn Beck (28:16)
  • "All these things stacked on top of each other...remove the mystery of the world and how it works..." —Matt Smith (62:17)

Important Timestamps

| Segment | Timestamp | |---------------------------------------------|-------------------| | Opening and Problem with College | 00:34–07:06 | | “Preparation” Concept and Philosophy | 07:06–13:24 | | Personal Code Creation | 12:19–16:36 | | Cycle and Program Mechanics | 20:13–29:35 | | Real Stories: Sailing, Mining, EMT | 29:35–37:48 | | Cost and Resourcefulness | 38:14–40:37 | | Economic Education | 42:04–47:03 | | Dangerousness, Adaptability, AI | 47:03–54:18 | | Accountability Mechanisms | 54:18–59:07 | | College Comparison and Concluding Stories | 57:12–62:55 | | Final Reflections | 63:12-end |

Final Thoughts

Glenn Beck closes the episode both inspired and convinced, eager to apply these principles with his own son. The takeaway is clear: to prepare young men for the unpredictable, rapidly-changing world, the best investment isn't necessarily college, but a deliberate, adventurous, skill-stacking journey that forges both capability and character.

Resources:

• [Substack: Maxim Smith, public accountability journal]
• [The Preparation - Matt Smith’s program/book]
• [Fab Labs: fablabs.io]
• [WTF Happened in 1971: wtfhappenedin1971.com]