Lead Balloons: The Alchemy of Unpopular Opinions

Season 2 Recap

Trent and Joel recap an illustrious season two of Lead Balloons Podcast, and they tease a couple topics and new features for the upcoming season three.

An Epidemic of Being Offended

Joel goes on a rant about why so many people are knee deep in taking offense.  He argues that "offended" is not a feeling; anger, sadness, fear: these are feelings.  Joel and Trent talk about how to handle moments when you are offended.  Identify the emotion, be honest about the emotion, and see where and why you disagree.  

Joseph and His Technicolor Story

Trent and Joel discuss the story of Joseph from the OT book of Genesis.  This is the one story in the Bible that never fails to move Trent emotionally.  It's a story of betrayal and forgiveness, growth through failure, and the collusion of Joseph with Pharaoh to enrich a kingdom.  
As Joel and Trent do some biblical interpretation, Joel highlights some modern-day analogues to biblical genres.  They also discuss how this fourteen-chapter story works at different levels, including the not-often-told truth that Joseph's collusion with Pharaoh resulted in the slavery of the Hebrews in Egypt.

Jesus's Got Talent

Joel and Trent revisit what was once a common task in their lives: interpreting and applying a biblical text.  This episode features these two guys discussing the Parable of the Talents in Matthew 25.  Trent compares the parable to its parallel in Luke 19, while Joel shows how Jesus uses the parable in Matthew 25 to challenge his audience to take risks and be productive.  Trent asks Joel about his process as a former pastor of studying the text and finding relevant application for his congregation.  

Unscripted: About Prayer

Trent and Joel dive into a discussion about prayer that's freewheeling and unscripted.  They tell stories of what prayer was like in a Pentecostal church, including the strange experience of speaking in tongues.  Joel recounts his morning prayer ritual during college.  They discuss how one's views on God's providence affect the way one prays and thinks about prayer.  Trent wonders what proxies for prayer might exist for those who aren't part of the faithful anymore.  

Cities Sans Souls

Joel and Trent discuss urban planning, with a particular focus on the work of Jane Jacobs, who wrote The Death and Life of Great American Cities.  These two Lead Balloons share their respective experiences of city life and what makes for flourishing cities.  They talk about Jacobs' critique of utopian city planning.  Joel makes a case for the critical contribution of design aesthetics and urban planning for a city's culture.

Movie Review: Parasite

Trent and Joel talk about one of Trent's favorite movies, Academy-Award winning Parasite. They discuss the Korean cultural context, give a rundown of the main themes and plot, and talk about the clever social commentary the film contains.  Joel explores some key symbolism, while Trent identifies some of the scarier moments of the movie.  

Prison Sucks Balls and Chains

In this episode, Joel and Trent discuss the need for new ways of thinking about the justice system in America.  Portugal and Norway feature as examples of innovation regarding drug decriminalization and more intelligent prison systems, respectively.  Trent shares how he was personally affected by the justice system when a family member was arrested and imprisoned.  Trent and Joel both call for greater opportunities for reparation and genuine rehabilitation, as they question the extent of punitive justice.

Sadism 101

Joel and Trent discuss the human capacity for inflicting and enjoying violence.  Joel's recent trip to the Museum of Medieval Torture Devices in Chicago is recalled.  Trent asks why the Christian fixation on punitive justice more than restorative justice?  Trent and Joel explore biblical currents that counter the proclivity toward violence, and they anticipate future podcast topics on justice by asking how we might approximate greater restorative justice in our society.

Movie Review: The Perfection

Joel and Trent discuss the movie The Perfection in this installment of Lead Balloons Podcast.  The movie tells the story of two musicians whose drive for perfection comes from a dark, traumatic past.  The film explores the grim realities of sexual assault, perfectionism, and revenge.  Trent and Joel inquire as to the origins of perfectionism, as well as the visceral need for revenge.