Doomer Optimism

Mar 04 2025 257 ep. 81 mins 248
Doomer Optimism Podcast artwork

Doomer Optimism is a podcast dedicated to discovering regenerative paths forward, highlighting the people working for a better world, and connecting seekers to doers. Beyond that, it's pretty much a $hitshow. Enjoy!

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DO 258 - Enchantment, Magic, & Supernatural technologies w/ Historian Dr. Francis Young

Mar 04 2025 57 mins  
Enchantment, Magic, & Supernatural Technologies w/ Historian Dr. Francis Young"Is magic real? Does magic work?""It's a question that is worth asking.""The world is full of spirits."Enchantment is fast entering the mainstream conversation. More people doubt mechanical materialism; there is something out there. Scholars, however, have hesitated. Stories of flying friars and encou

DO 257 - Building the Benedict Option w/ Leah Sargeant and Ashley

Feb 25 2025 56 mins  
Community in a Fragmented WorldIn this episode of the Doomer Optimism podcast, host Ashley and guest Leah Sargent discuss the importance of building community in today's world. Leah shares insights from her book, 'Building the Benedict Option,' emphasizing practical steps individuals can take to foster deeper connections with others. They explore the challenges of hosti

DO 256 - Political Agency with Marie Gluesenkamp Perez and James

Feb 18 2025 57 mins  
Rep. Marie Gluesenkamp Perez joins DO to discuss her unique perspective as a Congresswoman from a rural background, covering environmentalism, localism, and the importance of agency in politics. She critiques the disconnect between policymakers and the communities they represent, emphasizing the need for a more inclusive and grounded approach to policy-making. The discussion also d

DO 255 - Post Woke Synthesis

Feb 11 2025 85 mins  
Ashley, Gabe (@VividVoid) and Rich (@RichDecibels) discuss what an integrated, post-woke synthesis might look like. In this episode, we all discuss times and places where we have seen a functional pluralistic social environment – from public school to the Marines to Occupy. We discuss how you might take lessons from those examples into the present divisive social and political mo

DO 254 - The Spiritual Side of Childbirth w/ Leah @TallSnail and Ashley

Feb 04 2025 74 mins  
How does modern society shape our perceptions of childbirth, and are we missing a deeper, more primal experience? Ashley sits down with Leah, a software engineer and mother, to explore childbirth's deeply personal and often overlooked spiritual dimensions. Together, they unpack the ways modern society frames birth—medicalized, blissful, or terrifying—and contrast these nar

DO 253 - Plough Magazine and the Bruderhof w/ Alan Koppschall

Jan 28 2025 78 mins  
How has the Bruderhof community balanced individual autonomy with collective decision-making to maintain harmony and functionality? Ashley sits down with Alan Kopschel, editor at Plough Magazine and a member of the Bruderhof community. Together, they explore the unique history and philosophy of the Bruderhof community, a Christian community founded on values of pacifism, shared re

DO 252 - Brick and Mortar Localism w/ Ben, Lucy, Longstory Farms and Ashley

Jan 21 2025 73 mins  
In this episode, Ashley interviews husband and wife team Ben and Lucy about their eco-market in upstate New York, and Geoffrey from Longstory Farms about his planned local farm story in South Carolina. We discuss the importance of local commerce, challenges, and nuts and bolts approaches to competing in the market. Ben and Lucy Janssen both grew up in upstate NY and met at the loca

DO 251 - LA Fires w/ Leighton Woodhouse and James Pogue

Jan 15 2025 83 mins  
How have urban development patterns in California, particularly in LA, exacerbated wildfire risks? James Pogue and Leighton Woodhouse discuss the LA fires following Leighton’s piece in the Free Press “LA Was Built to Burn.” The conversation explores the ecological, political, and cultural factors contributing to the wildfire crises across Los Angeles and beyond. We shed lig

DO 250 - Civics at a Human Scale w/ Wally Chamberlain aka Anarchocontrarian and Ashley

Jan 14 2025 102 mins  
How can localism serve as an alternative to large-scale governance and globalized economies? Ashley and Wally discuss small-scale, secular models for civic and economic organizing, and compare/contrast them with their Catholic equivalents (subsidiarity and distribution). We discuss practical ways to build community agency, neighborliness, and autonomy at the smallest scale, explor

DO 249 - NEPA babies w/ Jimmy Tobias, James Pogue and Ashley

Jan 07 2025 70 mins  
How will the overturning of Chevron deference reshape the regulatory landscape for environmental policy? Special guest investigative journalist Jimmy Tobias joins Ashley and James to discuss the complexities of environmental policy and regulation. They explore how the Chevron decision will reshape the regulatory landscape and what it means for NEPA, the Endangered Species Act, and