5/6/2026: IBW welcome Domenic Scarcella, author of "Good Neighbor, Bad Citizen"

Mark and Jake are back! This week’s episode is the conversational equivalent of kicking a hornet’s nest with a philosopher holding the stick. They’re joined by Dominic Scarcella, author of Good Neighbor, Bad Citizen. It's a book that politely (and then not-so-politely) asks: What if being a “good citizen” is exactly how things go wrong? Yeah… we go there. This episode dives into the uncomfortable idea that history’s most famous execution wasn’t carried out by cartoon villains, but by rule-followers, system-loyalists, and people doing exactly what they were trained to do. As the book bluntly puts it: “Good cops kill Jesus.” Not corrupt ones. Not rogue ones. The good ones. The ones who follow orders, trust the system, and go home at the end of the day thinking they did the right thing. Totally normal, easy, relaxing conversation. But it’s not all existential dread. The guys also dig into the quieter, almost-missed moments that flip the whole story: A random act of compassion (just wiping someone’s face) becomes “more than almost anyone else contributes” A definition of courage that has nothing to do with force, and everything to do with integrity: acting “in accordance with one’s best self, in spite of risks and danger” And a radical claim that might make both sides of the political aisle equally uncomfortable: “There are zero examples… of Jesus teaching coercive, invasive acts to keep social order.” Which raises a fun little question: If the system demands harm… and you comply… are you still the good guy? From mob mentality to moral outsourcing, from “just doing your job” to the nature of real courage, this episode doesn’t hand you answers. It hands you a mirror. Also discussed: Why “strength in numbers” might not actually be strength Whether love and hate are feelings, or choices And why small acts of mercy might matter more than grand displays of righteousness It’s thoughtful. It’s provocative. It might step on your toes a little. But hey—if it doesn’t make you question something… are you even listening? 🎙️ New to streaming or looking to level up? Check out StreamYard and get $10 discount! 😍 https://streamyard.com/pal/d/5888413371072512