Lead Balloons: The Alchemy of Unpopular Opinions

Hating on the Roman Empire

Joel and Trent respond to the viral meme in which women ask their boyfriends and husbands: "How often do you think about the Roman Empire?"  Joel continues to flesh out his views on medicinal masculinity.  They also discuss moments when their manhood was initiated and formed, and some promising models of masculinity that men can aspire to.

Joe Rogan Controversies

Your two favorite lead balloons, Joel and Trent, size up Joe Rogan.  They discuss his background in comedy, acting, and MMA; how he became so popular; and his unique appeal as an interviewer and social commentator.  They touch on his role in society, as well as how some criticism directed towards him is unfair and misguided.  Does a podcaster with a following as enormous as Rogan's have some special responsibility to the culture?  This is an intriguing question Joel and Trent explore.  

Xmas: Sending the Rich Away Empty

Trent and Joel give you their takes on Christmas.  They discuss their favorite and least favorite aspects of Christmas, the evolution of the holiday, and Christian and pagan influences.  They also cover gift-giving, the importance of the Virgin Birth story, and what we gloss over from the biblical "Christmas" story.  Trent and Joel are unashamed in loving Christmas and critiquing Christmas.

Favorite Books Series: LOTR

Ratcheting up their nerd game, Joel and Trent discuss Trent's favorite novel, The Lord of The Rings.  Topics covered include their favorite characters, favorite quotes, Tolkien's disdain for allegory, the appeal of the hobbits, differences between the book and the films, and why the book has meant so much to Trent.  This is one podcast episode to rule them all!

Favorite Books: The Four Agreements

Joel and Trent kick off the Favorite Books Series with one of Joel's beloved volumes, The Four Agreements.  Joel explains how and why this book has meant so much to him.  Trent discovers that "always do your best" is actually a surprisingly liberating agreement.  They discuss how humans are domesticated, how to find your authentic self, and the power of taking responsibility for your life.

Not Giving a Damn About Hell

Trent and Joel discuss the Christian doctrine of hell.  They explore the terms Sheol, Hades, and Gehenna.  They share their experiences learning about hell, including Christian haunted houses and scary youth group skits.  Are there good reasons to believe in hell?  What might become of our society if we dropped the idea of hell?  These and other questions are pursued in this episode of Lead Balloons.

Uncaptured by the Rapture

Two men walking up a hill; one disappears...  Joel and Trent take on the Rapture and apocalyptic paranoia in this installment of Lead Balloons.  They talk about Rapture theology, alternative ways of reading these apocalyptic texts, as well as productive and plausible ways of interpreting Scripture along with any literary text.  

The Limitations of Jordan Peterson

The phenomenon that is Jordan Peterson warrants a lead-balloony discussion.  Why is Jordan Peterson so popular?  What kind of effect is he having on Western culture?  Joel and Trent discuss how he has become a public intellectual, what he gets right, and what he gets wrong.  In particular, Trent and Joel home in on Peterson's peculiar answers whenever he's asked about his religious beliefs.  

Psych-OWE: The Cost of Psychotherapy

A riveting discussion about the ups and downs of psychotherapy.  Joel and Trent talk about their experiences in therapy.  They highlight differences between Christian counseling and secular therapy.  Joel critiques what he calls "suburban psychology".  Trent wonders how much good therapy can do when the culture is basically sick.  They end with some suggestions for viable therapeutic paths forward.  

Maintain Monogamy or Practice Promiscuity

What swamp are Joel and Trent wading into this time?  They discuss human evolutionary programming in the realm of sex.  Are humans wired for monogamy or non-monogamy, or is that the wrong way to even construe it?  Joel and Trent, respectively, make a case for monogamy and non-monogamy.  They also discuss the anomaly of the Mosuo people and the problems with the standard, transactional narrative of human sexuality.