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Secret Third Thing

Germán S. Díaz del Castillo, Virginia Aabram

This is a show about contemporary culture. First Things editors Virginia Aabram and Germán S. Díaz del Castillo discuss modern, online trends. Are they good, bad, or a secret third thing?

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  • 7 episodes
  • monthly
  • Avg 1 hr 24 min
  • English

Episodes 7

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  • #7
    September 9 · 1 hr 30 min

    Pope Leo's Unified Church (ft. Fr. James Martin)

    On today's episode, writer Fr. James Martin joins Virginia and Germán. As a Catholic, growing up online meant that the dividing line between “conservative” and “liberal” Catholics was an ever-present reality. Name-calling, accusations of schism, and moral grandstanding were—and still are—common. The general presumption was that the opposite side was arguing in bad faith, and sometimes, some of them were. The factions seemed to be embedded in Catholic culture, dividing themselves among parishes a

  • #6
    August 14 · 1 hr 19 min

    Christianity Is Not a Tool (ft. Kelly Chapman)

    On today's episode, writer Kelly Chapman joins Virginia and Germán. According to the discourse, it's fashionable to be religious. There’s also a lot of talk about returning to traditional modes of life–emphasis on getting married, having kids, and going to church. All of this is transgressive according to the liberal default of our wider society, but there’s something lost in all of this talk. Love, romance, family, religion, art—these things are seen as means to an end, a way to save the West o

  • #5
    June 17 · 1 hr 2 min

    The Church of Claude (ft. Dan Hitchens)

    In this episode, First Things senior editor Dan Hitchens joins Virginia and Germán to discuss Magnifica Humanitas. Is it a disappointment or a triumph? Is it really a Boomer document? Why hasn't Leo XIV declared a Butlerian Jihad? Will artificial intelligence kill us all? Is worry about computer consciousness overwrought?

  • #4
    May 6 · 1 hr 38 min

    Conservative Culture Isn’t Real (ft. Dave Greene)

    In this episode, essayist and YouTuber Dave Greene joins Virginia and Germán to discuss "conservative art." Can it be made at all? They also discuss the death of discourse, BreadTube, Warhammer 40K, horror, and why most movies are bad now, Dune, and Distributism.

  • #3
    April 1 · 1 hr 22 min

    Timothée Chalamet Is Right About Art (ft. Suzy Weiss)

    In this episode, co-founder and reporter for The Free Press, Suzy Weiss, joins Virginia and Germán to discuss the most recent battle between artistic merit and popularity, brought about by Hollywood's favorite new superstar: Timothée Chalamet. Is he right about opera, ballet, and film? What does taste look like in the twenty-first century? Does Alysa Liu make real art? How do we justify pop-culture commentary? Do Anthony Bourdain haters have a point?

  • #2
    February 26 · 1 hr 33 min

    Dimes Square: An Oral History (ft. Nick Allen)

    In this first episode, Sovereign House and Reign founder Nick Allen joins Virginia and Germán to discuss Dimes Square, the New York City downtown cultural scene. What is its history? Who are the major players? What was Sovereign House? Why is everyone there becoming Catholic? What is its impact and its future?

  • #1
    January 28 · 1 hr 23 min

    The Fanfiction Reckoning (ft. Veronica Clarke)

    In this episode, First Things deputy editor Veronica Clarke joins Virginia and Germán to discuss fanfiction, its history, its impact, its infiltration of the publishing industry, whether it should be classified as pornography, and what its popularity says about Gen Z.

Showing 1–7 of 7 episodes