The Orthodox Cure for Broken Young Men | Fr. Hans Jacobse

Find this episode on YouTube: Father Hans has spent years reaching young men on the edge — men who are economically stuck, spiritually fragmented, and slow to trust. In this conversation, he names what’s really going on: a generation that woke up inside a world already infected with “narcissistic spiritual cancer,” and a culture that gave them consumer identity instead of a soul.They go deep on:* What “boomerism” actually means — and whether the criticism is fair* Why resentment and resignation will hold young men back no matter how justified they feel* The difference between ethnos and race, and why it matters for how we form community* Why politics can’t answer the questions that only the purification of the heart can* The “black-pilled” trap — and how to actually fight evil (hint: it’s not screaming at the machine)* What it looks like to pull someone back from the cliff — Fr. Hans has done it, literally“I’m a recovering materialist. That’s what I am.” — Fr. Hans JacobseThis is Heavy Things Lightly — conversations about faith, culture, and the lives of real men trying to live with integrity. If this hit, share it with someone who needs it.0:00 Cold Open — Fr. Hans on Orthodoxy Flourishing0:47 Intro & Sponsor (Conrad’s Jerky)2:31 Meet Father Hans Jacobse3:38 What Is “Boomerism”? Defining the Young Men’s Critique5:46 The Anger Parallel: Young Men Today vs. Black Men in the ‘80s9:20 The Orthodox Response to Resentment and Anxiety12:00 Healing Through Adversity — Men Must Lift the Weight15:47 Why Fr. Hans Left the Culture Wars17:14 “Open Your Eyes” — The Call That Launched St. Paisios Brotherhood20:00 Fear of Becoming a Compliant Consumer: The Identity Trap21:30 What “Black-Pilled” Really Means — and Why It Fails23:50 How Orthodoxy Actually Heals: Purification, Not Critique26:40 What Breaks Through the Granite Wall: The Love of a Brother31:45 No Politics Rule — Why Politics Is a Lagging Indicator36:50 Nationalism, Ethnos, and Living Where You Are43:45 What Held America Together — and When It Collapsed45:35 Young Men Born Into the “Narcissistic Spiritual Cancer”48:00 Why Fr. Hans Was Drawn to This Work (His Own Story)53:00 When Government Can’t Answer What Only the Heart Can54:55 Fr. Hans’s Closing Vision: Orthodoxy Flourishing57:45 Outro — First Things Foundation & the Tamada Network__🏷️ Sponsored by Conrad’s Beef Jerky — loyalty not guaranteed.Conrad’s Deli - The best jerky you’ll ever have ➜ https://conradsdeli.com/ ⭐ Use promo code “FIRST THINGS” for 10% off.🔥 Support First Things Foundation field workers: https://first-things.org✈ Become a Field Worker with FTF: https://first-things.org/opportunities📢 First Things Telegram: https://t.me/firstthingsfoundation🍷The best dinner party you’ve ever experienced - Supra Dinner Society: https://supradinner.com/🥂 Keipi Restaurant: https://keipirestaurant.org✒ Substack: ⓧ https://x.com/johnfromftf🏖️ Tailormade tours that give back: https://www.gratitude-travels.com/hom__Credits Music: Intro / Outro Provided by Greg Gilbertson & Band This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit johnheersftf.substack.com/subscribe