Deeper Dive - DSU's podcast

"I have longer to please the dead than please the living here." (Sophocles, Antigone). With these chilling words, Antigone sets in motion a Theologico-Political Crisis that will devour the Royal Family of Thebes and shatter the city. The Theologico-Political crisis that constitutes the drama of Sophocles' famous tragedy is a defining condition of Western Civilization, the emergence of Platonic and Metaphysical political philosophy, and the driving force behind the emergence of Modern political philosophy and Liberal Political Philosophy. Indeed, the Theologico-Political crisis is driving force behind the creation of American Liberal Democracy. Now it is back. The recent law banning abortions in Texas, and the silence of the Supreme Court, has initiated a new Theologico-Political crisis that threatens to devour what is left of the American Democratic political experiment. A straight line runs from ancient Thebes to contemporary Texas.

Direct download: Ep2__22I_have_longer_to_please_the_dead_than_please_the_living_here22.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 6:58pm PDT

After an extended break, Walker and Professor Dungey return!  In this, "we are back," episode we examine where we are, and identify three main ideas to contextualize what is happening and where we are going.  First, we must always remember that democracies are inherently fragile, and sometimes dangerous.  Second, we discuss the idea that the legal and political institutions and processes of American Democracy are human inventions that are hard to build and hold, but easy to lose.  Third, we discuss the crisis of legitimacy that threatens to dissolve the American political experiment.  We are living in and through the most dangerous times in our economic, social, and political history.  Can a culture without a "center" keep the center from dissolving.

Direct download: Deeper_Dive_090921_were_back.mp3
Category: -- posted at: 12:07am PDT

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