Rhetoric in Retrospect

Rhetoric In Retrospect

Rhetoric in Retrospect is a podcast that examines works of art and rhetoric from a Christian perspective. Join the mischievous trio of Ben, Max, and David as they explore their minds in an effort to satisfy your desire to hear a lively conversation, an amazing story, a heated debate, etc. A new episode will release on Saturday at 7 whenever their schedule permits. All questions, quandaries, comments, or corrections are coveted at rhetoricinretrospect@gmail.com.

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20 episodes
Avg 50 min
English

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#32
Jan 14, 2023 · 1 hr
32. Work-Life Balance
In this highly belated episode, the three circumlocutors contemplate the finding of a satisfactory balance of work in one's life. With examples ranging from modern memes to the ancient Diogenes, and from to Andrew Tate to urban pastors, David, Max, and Ben strive to pinpoint the importance of reflection and prioritization in the lives of the everyman. Listen to (hopefully) discern some degree of the proper balance of life, accompanied by numerous humorous asides and more in this latest publication of David, Max, and Ben!
#31
Jul 23, 2022 · 1 hr 19 min
31. Apologetics
In one of their best (and longest) episodes to date, the ponderous podcasters puzzle over some interesting theological questions, and perform their usual prerogative in falling prey to innumerable rabbit holes. Listen to discover the ethics of planned obsolescence, how we should broadcast what we believe, and an analysis of Kanye West's music and convictions. Enjoy this latest from David, Max, and Ben!
#30
Apr 30, 2022 · 52 min
30. Sleep
Welcome to episode 30! We're official podcasters now, having hit the coveted 30-episode mark which statistically few achieve. In this episode Ben leads a discussion (or rather spouts facts) on the subject of slumber, using Matthew Walker's book Why We Sleep as a resource. Ever wondered the purpose of sleep? How and when should you sleep? Is it over-rated or vital? How can it assist you in acing your next test? Learn all this and more in the latest episode of Rhetoric in Retrospect with David, Max, and Ben!
#29
Apr 16, 2022 · 44 min
29. The Secret
In this, our latest foray into the confusing countryside of "modern literature," Max leads us through the popular book by Rhonda Byrne, The Secret. We discuss what few kernels of truth the book might conceal, as well as its fundamental failings concerning the nature of God and the nature of man, and by contrast highlight where we should turn to in need. Just remember, always check the dates of pennies you find on the ground! Enjoy this latest episode from David, Max, and Ben.
#28
Apr 2, 2022 · 57 min
28. Planet Narnia
We're back! In this long-overdue episode, David leads us through a delightful discussion on Michael Ward's expository work Planet Narnia. We learn all about the secret literary machinations of C. S. Lewis, age-old beliefs concerning celestial bodies, and how we can apply the seemingly esoteric wisdom of these symbols in Narnia to our everyday lives. If you are longtime Narnia fans, prepare to be astounded by new meanings we shall uncover for you (and please pardon the bits of Narnia canon we misconstrue). If you have never read Narnia, ready your mind and ears to be persuaded to add this wondrous series and Dr. Ward's charming companion to your reading pile post-haste. Enjoy!
#27
Feb 5, 2022 · 56 min
27. Harry Potter Part 2
In this episode, we expound further upon the many attributes and hidden meanings secreted within the popular series, Harry Potter. We examine the Christian aspects, alchemical signposts, name significance, and authorial intent behind the bestselling books, with the intent of making your next reading of the saga more enriching than ever before. Enjoy all this, plus the usual hilarity, in the latest installment on the Boy Who Lived.
#26
Jan 15, 2022 · 50 min
26. Harry Potter
At long last! Ben finally screwed up his courage to talk about his favorite topic: J. K. Rowling's bestselling series about a young wizard. Listen to this first foray into the topic for an overview of why we love books (and Barbie), mulling over magic, heralding the Hero's Journey, and what we will do to you if you don't read the series. Stay tuned for Part II! Enjoy!
#25
Jan 1, 2022 · 1 hr 1 min
25. The Christmas Collection
Aaaand we're back!! Celebrating a year since the release of our first episode, here are our musings on the Christmas season from a perspective you might not be familiar with. From Santa's eating habits to the harmful psychology of Elf on the Shelf to putting the Christ in Christmas, this episode will be sure to make you think a little deeper about commonly accepted holiday habits while making you giggle. We're glad to be back, and look forward to delivering more quality content in the coming weeks! A Merry Christmas and Happy New Year from David, Max, and Ben.
#24
Sep 25, 2021 · 42 min
24. Integration
In this episode, we expand upon our previous episode and discuss the importance of integration in classical education, as well as our lives more broadly. We present numerous examples we hope are helpful to you listeners!
#23
Sep 18, 2021 · 46 min
23. Education
In this episode, we all discuss our experiences with education. What is it? Is it good? Bad? What is classical education? We answer all these questions and more, and give you listeners useful tools to apply to your lives.
#22
Sep 11, 2021 · 50 min
22. Round Table #2
We're back! In this episode we have another unstructured discussion, where we talk about driving, parenting, music, and other things that are on our minds. We hope you enjoy, and we're looking forward to getting back into providing you with content! (The unsilenced link will go here, but the software is currently buggy, so I'll get it up when I can.)
#21
Jul 31, 2021 · 42 min
21. The Problem of Pain
In this episode, Ben guides us on a discussion loosely structured around C. S. Lewis's book The Problem of Pain. We discuss how a good and omnipotent God could allow the existence of pain, suffering, and evil. We come to a satisfactory conclusion, and hope that we gave you listeners some food for thought. Unsilenced version: https://tinyurl.com/z9jbxtsx
#20
Jul 24, 2021 · 1 hr 5 min
20. Round Table
In this impromptu episode, we discuss a bunch of random things! We simply go around asking general questions, and we proceed to go down plenty of rabbit trails. Listen to learn about Dinosaurs, UFOs, music, work, dragons, money, and more! Unsilenced version: https://tinyurl.com/mtvcdd2v.
#19
Jul 18, 2021 · 58 min
19. The Aeneid
We're back! In this episode, David leads us through the first part of Virgil's (or Vergil's?) Aeneid. We discuss whether or not Aeneas himself is heroic and virtuous by those standards, and what we can learn from the work as a whole. David convincingly displays how the Aeneid is one of the cornerstones of modern literature, and how without this amazing work the world wouldn't be what it is today. To listen to the experimental, unsilenced version of this episode, go to this link: https://tinyurl.com/2eh323xt and let us know what you think!
#18
Jun 20, 2021 · 42 min
18. Can't Hurt Me
Max leads us in a discussion of the psychology and philosophy of David Goggins's book Can't Hurt Me. Is success luck or hard work? Are shortcuts good? Is the only path to success just to "suck it up" and power through? We answer these questions and more in this latest episode of Rhetoric in Retrospect! (P. S. We apologize for the lack of episode last week, and there won't be one next week, as we've been traveling. Thanks for your understanding!)
#17
Jun 5, 2021 · 46 min
17. Atomic Habits
In this episode, Ben leads us through the book Atomic Habits by James Clear. We discuss why habits are important, and how we can shape them to benefit us. And we laugh a lot.
#16
May 30, 2021 · 51 min
16. The Benefits of Studying Shakespeare
Have you ever wondered what work of non-sacred literature is the most edifying? Well, even if you haven't, we'll answer this valuable question in this episode! David leads us through his Senior Thesis in an entertaining way, and we uncover many benefits of studying Shakespeare and conclude that it is, in fact, the best.
#15
May 22, 2021 · 57 min
15. Creation
In this episode Ben leads us through Genesis 1-11 using the book Navigating Genesis as a guide. We answer many questions including the age of the earth, the existence of dragons and dinosaurs, whether the flood was global or local, the change in human lifespan, and many more. Join us in sifting through the interpretations of this beautiful account of the incredible creation by our Creator.
#8
May 16, 2021 · 45 min
14. Can You Learn to be Lucky?
In this fortunate episode, Max leads us through Karla Starr's fascinating book Can You Learn to Be Lucky? We discuss how to "rip the system," the moral repercussions of such a thing and some applications to take into our everyday lives.
May 8, 2021 · 1 min
Schedule Update 2.0
Alas, we apologize that we have no episode today, and didn't yesterday. However, we're going to be back to weekly releases, so hurrah! Till next week!

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