James Pogue describes his experience in Africa with Chris Mott and Ashley, including his experience getting detained in the Central African Republic, the role of empire and the United States in a deglobalizing world, and what this means for preparing for the future. James Pogue: I’m a Contributing Editor at Harper’s, and write about national politi…

Simon @‌simoningall, Kara @‌karakara98, and Anarcho-Contrarian 2.0 @‌waysyoucanstay sit down to discuss building a local community. They work through the challenges of returning home again, new ways to build a community for the future, and different scenarios of how to build a community dependent on your neighborhood.…

In this episode, Brendan (@brendangrahamd1)and Jason talk about the meaning of metamodernism and how it relates to permaculture, the interplay of various forms of meaning-making, and how it translates into a theory of change and pragmatic action. Brendan also talks about his work at the Sky Meadow Institute, a retreat center and permaculture homest…

Ashley, Jason, Nate, and Josh host a panel and audience discussion as part of Limicon, a month long event bringing together different strands of the ‘Liminal Web’. Main themes include the sensibility and meaning of doomer optimism and the recent trend towards traditional religion as a response to the meaning and civilizational crisis…

Andy and Keturah are exploring the possibilities of where to raise their future family. Ashley and Patrick, on the far side of 7 years in Uruguay, discuss the pros and cons, where to live, and why.

James Poulos joins Donald to talk about Tocqueville, McLuhan, Orthodoxy, and "the digital politics of spiritual war." James Poulos helps advance enterprises impacting American life in technological, spiritual, and political ways. He is the co-founder and editor of The American Mind at the Claremont Institute, the founder and editorial director of R…

In this episode Jonathan and Jason talk about Jonathan’s relationship to the South, his Orthodox faith and Interest in Islamic history, anarcho-agrarianism, the commons, and his current efforts helping to catalyze urban community food forests in Chattanooga, Tennessee Food Forest Organization: chattanoogafoodforests.org Substack: https://jonathanpa…

Donald asked Ashley to sit down to think out loud about the pros and cons of continuing to devote time to podcasts, as both a creator and as a listener. Please feel free to weigh in on this topic in the YouTube comments!

A panel discussion talking about the brilliant book Anna Karenina by Leo Tolstoy - how it relates to DO themes of agrarianism, relationship, religion, and much more

Gord and the two Ashleys discuss the modern state of leftism: what remains of it, and how to navigate the upside-down world where the professional-managerial elites have hijacked the conversation.

Ashley invites Tim and Jordan to both share stories about their recent conversions to Christianity. We discuss the limits to rationality and the importance of relationship, place and people.

Nate and Jeffrey Bilbro of Front Porch Republic sit down and discuss agrarianism. Rather than simply a general term for rural life, they discuss the economic, philosophical and moral aspects of agrarianism that make it a holistic approach to human individual and social life, distinct from the overly ideological -isms of capitalism and communism tha…

This is a syndicated episode where Grin and Jackson invited Ashley on their podcast, Campfire, to talk about Doomer Optimism and where it intersects with their project, Cabin, building a network of modern villages. https://campfire-by-cabin.simplecast.com/episodes/37-homesteading-homeschooling-and-home-economics-with-ashley-colby-fitzgerald-and-gri…

We speak with founder and editor-in-chief of Low Tech Magazine, Kris de Decker, about his work since 2007 highlighting technologies of yesteryear, developing simple and low-cost energy systems to run his apartment and publishing, building un-hackable websites powered completely off of solar, and advocating demand-side management as a superior appro…

Living Energy Farm is a pioneering off-grid project in central Virginia. They have developed relatively low-cost methods for taking advantage of solar energy in the form of passive solar-thermal systems for space heating and water heating as well as DC electricity. Their “DC microgrids” systems power household appliances and computers/phones, in ad…

Tessa Carman and Ashley reminisce about their time at the Front Porch Republic Conference before moving on to discuss the educational and life philosophy of Charlotte Mason.Tessa Carman writes and teaches in Maryland. With J.C. Scharl in 2022, she translated the Old English vision poem The Dream of the Rood. Her writing can be found at tessacarman.…

Welcome to a special roundtable milestone episode of Doomer Optimism. Ashley, Jason, Donald, Josh, Simon, Nate, and Tres get together to reflect on the journey of the podcast, where it is at now, and where they and the podcast are headed next.

Join us in this episode as Ashley and Nate delve into reforming agriculture with Greg Gunthorp. Greg reflects on the evolution of agriculture and his dedication to reforming the industry alongside Ashley and Nate.Greg Gunthorp is a proud independent family farmer at Gunthorp Farms. With a deep-rooted commitment to sustainable and high-quality farmi…

Ashley, Donald and Josh discuss what would happen in the case of a digital apocalypse and how to embrace lower technologies from landline phones to family poetry readings.

Tres Crow and Sim Gooder talk with Kevin Espiritu about Epic Gardening, food production maxing, inspiring your neighbours, critical mass of small-scale food production, and running a seed business in the age of the internet. Kevin Espiritu is the founder and CEO of Epic Gardening, the world’s most-followed gardening brand and online garden store. A…

In this episode Ashley and Jason have a conversation with Neal Gorenflo (@gorenflo ) and Daniel London (@dlondonwortel ) on the theme of solidarity and bioregional economies. Specifically, where the solidarity and bioregonalist movements intersect, blind spots of each, and where they can compliment each other to create a viable vision for sustainab…

In this episode Jason and Josh talk with Tom Murphy, author of the blog Do The Math, about the inherently unsustainable nature of modernity and the delusion of infinite growth on a finite planet. As part of this they discuss his early retirement from academia as a successful astrophysicist at the University of California, his growing interest in in…

Nate is joined by Sam Knowlton to explore agroforestry and sustainable agriculture practices. In this episode, Nate and Sam challenge the conventional narrative that advocates for high-tech, high-input agriculture to feed the world. Sam is an agronomist and the founder of SoilSymbiotics, a regenerative agronomy company, as well as the forthcoming v…

DO podcast alumnus Chris Smaje (@csmaje) returns to deflect eco-modernist criticisms of his agrarian vision laid out in “A Small Farm Future” and most recent book “Saying NO to a Farm-Free Future.” Specifically, we examine evidence for the claim that traditional/territorial food webs supply 70-80% of the nutrition people intake globally, and discus…

painkillersTending Our Dead Ourselves with Joe Orso and Susan Nesbit Joe Orso talks to death doula Susan Nesbit about the many gifts that come with tending the bodies of our deceased loved ones at home. Their conversation covers home vigils, home burials, home funerals, washing the body after death, and how these practices have historically been do…

East Tennessee farmer Brian Miller discusses his new book “Kayaking with Lambs” with Jason and Josh. The book, published by Front Porch Republic, features a panoply of sensorial and spiritual experiences observed over 25 years of farming and animal husbandry. Our conversation slaloms around Brian’s roots in anarchism and how these led him to an agr…

Sally Thomas joins Donald for another installment of the Doomer Optimism Literary Hour. They discuss her novel Works of Mercy, American poetry past and present, homeschooling, and family life. Sally Thomas is a poet and fiction writer, and author of two poetry collections, Motherland and the forthcoming Among the Living, both from Able Muse Press. …

Jason speaks with Evan Welkin (@ewelkin ) about the general theme of displacement and dispossession, and what permaculture (permanent culture) means in contexts of people increasingly being uprooted from their homes for political, climate, financial, ideological, or other reasons and having to move. They discuss his growing up in a rural Oregon tow…

Jason and Roxanne (@happyholistichs ) speak with Andrew Millison (@andrewmillison ), who runs the permaculture design course for Oregon State, and who produces a serious of remarkable educational videos on permaculture concepts and on projects all over the world. They talk about the importance of water in landscapes, his journey towards permacultur…

In this episode Jason speaks with Scott Miller (@thrivingtthefut) about his podcast and newsletter Thriving the Future, building up his homestead, growing community, holding skills workshops, starting a tree nursery side hustle, and more Scott lives on 10 acres in NE Kansas with gardens, (relatively) new food forests, and a tree nursery. Thriving T…

Nathaniel Marshall sits down to chat with Going Godward on vocation, the good purpose of work, and rejecting ease as a means of becoming a more integrated person. Explore meaning, work ethic, and optimism in this warm and enlightening episode Nathaniel Marshall: Twitter handle: @‌oblatenate Editor: thebluescholar.substack.com, @‌bluescholarwork Goi…

Tres and Sim interview Zach Loeks, and talk about the problems and opportunities around growing food in sub/urban spaces. Zach debunks many of the myths around maintaining food production in urban landscapes, and we dig into the secrets of lesser-known city fruits. Zach is an educator, author, artist, and farmer based in Canada. Zach Loeks (@zachlo…

In this episode Jason speaks with Steven Stoll, the author of the excellent book Ramp Hollow: The Ordeal of Appalachia, about the history of land dispossession in Appalachia and the rise of industrial capitalism, manufactured dependency on wage labor due to land degradation or dispossession, The Whisky Rebellion, absentee land ownership and the ini…

Donald and Joey talk to writer Jordan Castro about his new novel, the history of the Alt Lit literary movement, punk rock, and the Midwest. Jordan bio: Jordan Casto is the author of The Novelist (Soft Skull, 2022) and two poetry books. He is from Cleveland, Ohio.

Brian Fink chats with Going Godward, offering a unique perspective on finding meaning in the chaos of life. Explore existentialism, spirituality, and optimism in this enlightening episode of Doomer Optimism.

The Weird Wild Wonderful World of Biochar – with Tom Miles, Kelpie Wilson, Myles Gray, and Josh What is biochar and why should we care about it? A roundtable discussion with veterans of the biochar world. Tom Miles – TR Miles Consultants (ag and bioenergy) and US Biochar Initiative Kelpie Wilson – Wilson Biochar Myles Gray – US Biochar Initiative J…

In this episode, Ashley and Jason talk with Michel Bauwens about his work developing ideas for a ‘cosmo-local’ society through the power of horizontal P2P networks, a reimagining of the commons, and crypto. Along the way they talk about ascending and descending civilizations, why he thinks we’re in a descending one, and what that potentiates in ter…

For decades, indigenous communities in the Amazonian region of Ecuador have been impacted by petrochemical exploitation and monocultural ag for export. They have suffered from pollution and associated ill health effects, economic insecurity, and encroachment on their traditional territories from roads, oil wells, pipelines, and industrial ag planta…

Ashley speaks with Geoffrey, @‌longstoryfarms, about his adventures away from home, including time spent in Chile, and his moving back home to be a productive member of his community.

Ashley and Feidhlim Harty of Ireland talk about ecological approaches to water, sewage treatment, constructed wetlands, and more. Feidhlim runs FH Wetland Systems - Creating Spaces for Nature. Find more info at: https://www.wetlandsystems.ie

Join our book club community as Ashley, Donald, AC, Tiffani, and Joel gather to discuss the timeless wisdom of Wendell Berry. Delve into the captivating world of his works, exploring profound insights, reflections, and engaging conversations that promise to leave you inspired and enlightened.

Tres and Simon delve into the urgent question: What are we going to do with the suburbs? As they discuss the repercussions of unrestrained suburban expansion and its impact on the environment, you'll gain insights into the challenges of unchecked growth, from encroaching wildlife to insurance woes. Join the conversation to explore alternative appro…

Ashley sits down with Andy and Keturah to talk about a future-oriented nomadic culture, drawing from the best of the past and the present. They also drop some exciting news at the beginning of the chat! Follow Andy and Keturah on twitter: https://twitter.com/shagbark_hick https://twitter.com/KeturahAbigail Read Andy’s substack at: https://shagbark.…

Ashley and Roland talk with Jonathan Rawles, son of famous survivalist James Wesley Rawles about religion, localism in the inner mountain west, the state of the redoubt movement and our thoughts on white nationalism.

Ashley and Jason speak with Ed Bourgeois about his long history in the regenerative agriculture movement, the importance of holistic science, good soil management as the foundation, and his work now building peer to peer networks among farmers working towards a regenerative transition

Nate helps Ashley think through the idea of returning home from Uruguay to Chicago by reflecting on his own story of homecoming.

Will, GG, and Jason discuss Will’s eclectic background researching ‘urban renewal’, the cyclic nature of society, urban decline and polarization, as well as his ‘escape’ to the exurbs to become a low-tech, permacultural, self-sufficient homesteader and the reality checks he’s received in terms of producing enough food and battling invasive species.…

Drake, Nate, and Jason talk about Silvopasture, Drake’s experience with it, and Nate’s plans for it. What it is, why it has so much potential for both food production and ecological restoration, the central role of water management, keyline design, carbon myopia, ecological prefiguration, and the numerous beings that are supporting our efforts.…

Description: Tessa Carman and JC Scharl join Donald and Going Godward to talk about poetry, translation, and motherhood in the first-ever Doomer Optimism Literary Hour. Bios: Tessa Carman is a writer and teacher. You can find more of her work at TessaCarman.wordpress.com. Jane Clark Scharl is an American poet, playwright, and critic. Her poetry has…

Over the past several months Josh Kearns has been remote mentoring a small group of Stanford students working on biochar water treatment (mostly though one student contact). Two students just wrapped up a 10-week implementation trip in Malawi. He recorded the conversation the night before they were flying out to come back to Western Civilization. H…