PODCAST · society
The General Eclectic
by The American Conservative
A new podcast from The American Conservative, presented by Kale Zelden and bestselling author Rod Dreher, exploring faith, culture, and public affairs.
Episodes
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"Reality Bites Back" The General Eclectic #3.6
Rod and Kale discuss the seemingly chronic breakdown of infrastructure in a variety of fronts, from churches and schools, to literal infrastructure, namely, the derailment in Palestine, Ohio. Our leadership class is more concerned about addressing historical injustices than dealing with chemical...
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Strange Magic: The General Eclectic #3.4 with Rod Dreher
Rod and Kale discuss the retreat of Christianity and its replacement with Neo-paganism, which is really just old Paganism in a slightly different register. Too often people dabble in alternate spiritualisms, yet fail to account for the non-benign. Christianity's ascent was based on the power of...
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"Cardinal Screwtape is Not Obsessed with Sex": The General Eclectic with Rod Dreher #3.3
Rod and Kale meet up to talk about two topics: Cardinal McIlroy's call for changes in the sexual teachings of the Catholic Church, and the horrific tragedy of a young woman killed after a night of drinking and debauchery. This is a two part show, but connected with our culture's continuing...
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The General Eclectic #3.2 "The Disintegration Machine"
Rod and Kale record a conversation about the prophetic vision of Lewis' That Hideous Strength as a way into the notion of the Experience Machine, and the allure of the blue-pill versus the red-pill. See the links below for all the titles they discuss. Connecting Lewis with Iain McGhilchrist, they...
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The General Eclectic #3.1 "The Death and Life of Benedict"
Kale and Rod kick off season 3 to discuss liminal thinkers and the breaking up of old frames to see through, and the emergence of new ones. Standing inside and outside affords new perspectives.They go on to discuss Rod's attendance at the funeral for Pope Benedict XVI, what he saw, and how to…
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The General Eclectic #2.25 "Hope in the Darkness"
Rod and Kale sit down for a discussion looking forward to the coming year. The first half revolves around the war in Ukraine, the circus of Trumpland and his wobbling strength, the ongoing masque of the groomer clown shows and the "friend-enemy distinction" enchanting the Right.In part two, Rod…
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The General Eclectic #2.24 "Knowing What Time It Is"
Rod and Kale pick up their discussion from last week about the ancient substructure of Christendom, and how an understanding of the transformation from pagan to christion sexual morality altered the very concept of free will and the imago dei. Figuring out "what time it is" has become paramount....
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The General Eclectic #2.23 "Real Apocalypse and the Land of Revelations"
Rod is fresh off a trip to Turkey, visiting the Seven Churches of the Book of Revelation. Walking the places of the early church helps bring home the "realness" of these ancient lands. Topics: -Turkey and the Seven Churches -the early church as the challenge to the established order -touching…
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The General Eclectic #2.21 "We Don't Talk About Our Dark Hearts"
Rod and Kale engage in a conversation about the manifestations of the dark hearts of our culture. They discuss the repugnant ideas that result from a curated discussion about real things. The demons of white supremacy reemerge in the wake of the race essentialism ideology these past few years,...
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The General Eclectic #2.20 "The Hunger & Thirst for Story"
Rod and Kale meet up for their weekly check in to discuss the aftermath of the red-wave-that-wasn't. They focus their discussion on the sex and age delta and the strange case of abortion politics, post Roe. The truly post-Christian landscape emerges more clearly as the under 30 cohort show deep...
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Season 2 Election Special—Midterm Election Preview
Rod and Kale preview the midterm elections.
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The General Eclectic #2.18: How Much Ruin Is There Left in a Nation?
Rod and Kale talk about the shifting conversations about culture, authority, costs, and ruin. Rod learns how to read through an enchanted lens, and also gives up caring about being called a fascist. Topics covered: Live Not By Lies on Paperback; Communism's invisible crimes; uncounted costs;...
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The General Eclectic with Rod Dreher #2.17 "Our Metaphysical Catastrophe and the Darkness Underneath."
Rod and Kale kick off their weekly show with a discussion about the darkness hovering just below the surface. FBI chaplains, covering abuse, the compelling nature of the trans narrative and cultural boredom. We move on to discuss Hanby's Metaphysical Catastrophe and the need for real authority....
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The General Eclectic #2.16 "Culture Interrupted"
Rod and Kale return to discuss the latest in the ongoing ferment of cultural churn. Rod is settling into his new digs in Budapest and they discuss notions of exile and disrupted homecomings. Taking Dante as a jumping off point, they go on to discuss Rod's departure from Louisiana and the tragic...
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The Faith and Wonder That Build
Rod and Kale return after a hiatus to discuss: war continues in Ukraine, and a dark and cold winter awaits potential breakup of the European Union? do the elites truly believe that they "create their own reality"? institutions continue to lie and burn through cultural capital; what is left to...
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Searching in the Dark Wood
Rod and Kale meetup to discuss all things TGE after Rod's travel sagas land him back in England and then Budapest. Topics covered, in order: - Oxford and Cambridge adventures; no more atheists - WEIRD folks are the outliers who must contend with the robustness of belief - insufficiency of pure...
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Being Human in the Shadows of the Machine
Kale sits down with Tara Ann Thieke to discuss The Machine, Spirits, Technology and the struggle to be human. In the first half of the show they talk about what it could mean to be in a "post-Christian" world and the limits of the liberal order, and in particular what the implications are for...
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Eclipse of Authority, Myth of Control
The guys discuss the aftermath of yet another mass shooting, the rush to assign blame and score it, and the need to create a sense of control in the face of American nihilism. They move on to talk about the world given to us by our elites, and the loss of the wisdom of "how to live." In the…
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Matt Walsh: The Body Doesn't Lie
Rod and Kale are joined by filmmaker, podcaster, and best-selling children's author Matt Walsh of DailyWire.com to discuss his new hit movie "What is a Woman?" The interview is the first half, followed by a debrief between Rod and Kale in the second.
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Yoram Hazony & The Next Conservatism
Rod and Kale have Yoram Hazony on to talk about his just released book "Conservatism: A Rediscovery." They discuss: - Can Conservatives learn to Conserve? - Post-fusionism and Cultural Transmission - Public and Personal realms - No real "Neutrality" - Honor creates a world - Freedom above all and...
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The Return of the Eclectic
Rod and Kale return after a 6 week sabbatical to cover what has been going on politically, culturally, and personally in the past six weeks. The talk: -Jerusulem -Russia and Ukraine -Orban -Media Class Blindness -Enemies as Parasites -our New Media Disinformation Tsar -Roe v. Wade -Spanish Civil...
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Waiting for the Barbarians
In their warm up, Kale and Rod talk about the Slap Heard 'Round the World at this year's Oscars and the snoozefest it has become. They move into a discussion of the deeper implications of the question: "what is a woman?" Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson professed her inability to answer the question…
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Confusion Induced Complacency
In this episode of The General Eclectic, Rod and Kale talk about the spreading and manufacture of cultural confusion on several fronts: gender ideology and the culture war, surrogacy and the gaming of procreation, the corruption of institutional churches, and the confusion over the war in…
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Her Name Is Helena
Kale and Rod are joined by Helena, a young woman who has gone through a harrowing personal journey. Her testimony takes us into the world of Tumblr and the alternate reality of fandom, social justice ideology, and transgenderism. At 15 she begins the process of becoming a trans person online and...
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Is Twitter a Spirit and Will it Become Flesh?
Rod and Kale talk about the war in the context of the Anglo and Chinese polarity and the West's demand to be moral versus the Chinese demand to be obeyed. Why does the West have Billionaires, but Russia has Oligarchs? They go on to discuss the fragility of civilizational networks and the…
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People Are Strange, but God Is Stranger
Rod and Kale are joined by Paul Vanderklay, pastor and YouTuber, to discuss Rod's latest project on Enchantment. Rod starts off with his story of Saint Galgano and the sword in the stone as a way of laying out his new project. These fantastic stories are the living testimony of the very strange…
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Teach Not By Lies with Paul Rossi
Kale is joined by Paul Rossi, independent school teacher turned activist. They discuss what is going on in our nation's most elite schools, and their radical transformation through critical race theory praxis. What is "religious" about the DEI training? Paul offers an insight from the inside out....
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Fog of War, Fog of Kink
In this episode, Rod and Kale discuss the underlying issue of "telos"—the end or purpose of a thing—as a necessary guide for action, whether in the context of the military or schools or any institution. What can you ground a culture or civilization upon? Is self-definition enough? Is desire...
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Won't Get Fooled Again
In this episode of the podcast, Kale and Rod have a conversation in three parts: Russia and Ukraine, the use and abuse of Dialogue in Church and culture matters, and Rod's work on Enchantment. The first section is a discussion of the escalation of war rhetoric surrounding Russia and Ukraine, and...
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Scripts, Myths, and Public Liturgy
Rod and Kale sit down to discuss the conspicuous displays of the anniversary of January 6th, and the power of political liturgies to manufacture consensus. Should January 6th be mentioned in the same breath as Pearl Harbor and 9/11? What motivates the public displays of our media class? What…
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Porn Is Eating the World, with Sean Clifford
Rod and Kale are joined by Sean Clifford, proud husband, father of four, and an anti-pornography advocate. He is CEO of Canopy, a company dedicated to the safety of families and children amidst the scourge of online pornography. We discuss why many parents and leaders are not equipped to deal…
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What Happened to Tradition? with Tim Stanley
Rod and Kale bring on writer and social critic Tim Stanley to discuss his book on Tradition. Tim argues for the dynamism of Tradition versus the bone-sifting endemic to various forms of "Traditionalism". They go on to discuss the notion that conservatism is more an instinct rather than a series…
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Pilgrimage Through the Meaning-Desert
We open with this podcast with a discussion about good books, and why we read what we read, and in particular, how fiction can draw you in, grab you, and give experience. Reading fiction is no mere escapist cope, but rather an invitation into other worlds and broadened horizons, a kind of...
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Mary, Mary: Reactionary
Mary Harrington, contributing editor at Unherd, writer and self-professed "Reactionary Feminist", joins Rod and Kale today to discuss both her speech at NatCon 2 as well as her "conservatives in the mist" reportage of the scene in Orlando. Mary has coined several terms that are useful in the...
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The Trueman Doctrine
Rod and Kale are joined by Carl Trueman, professor and author of The Rise and Triumph of the Modern Self. Carl gives a big picture overview of the book, particularly as regards the loss of the sense of a Sacred Order. Carl makes the claim that the battle for our time is one over the imagination,...
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Liquid Modernity Is Civilizational Acid
In this episode Rod and Kale discuss Liquid Modernity as the acidic solvent upon the foundations of civilization. We are witnessing the pulling apart of the patterns of life, the ties that bind, the warp and woof of communities, all in the name of liberation. The implicit nihilism at the core of...
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A Momentary Stay Against Woke-Confusion?
In this episode Rod and Kale discuss the surprising Republican victory in Virginia and his recent trip to the National Conservatism Conference in Orlando. In the aftermath, the questions arise as to what will a conservative coalition look like in the future. What kind of tent can be built to...
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Into the Deep with Ross Douthat
Rod and Kale are joined by New York Times columnist (and friend) Ross Douthat to discuss his new book The Deep Places: A Memoir of Illness & Recovery. His harrowing account opens up spaces for rethinking what we think we know, the limitations of official accounts, and the deep mysteries of the...
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Are We Heretics?
Rod and Kale talk about Elizabeth Zerofsky's piece in the New York Times about the postliberal American Right. In the conversation, they wonder out loud if the "normie" reaction from center-right and center-left stems from a disgust-reaction to the Heretic. Rod and other writers like TAC's Sohrab...
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The Trap House of Horrors & Slouching Towards Civil War
Rod joins Kale to discuss several new eruptions of the ongoing culture wars: the latest kerfuffle at Yale and another sign that a Civil War (of sorts) is closer than we may want to believe. Our fragile infrastructure as a potential flash point, showing our vulnerabilities are all too available,...
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The Experience Machine and the Crisis of the Real
Rod and Kale talk about Robert Nozick's Experience Machine thought experiment. A longtime teacher tweeted out her shock that after years of teaching this to the class, a majority of her students decided that they would prefer the simulacrum to the real thing—they would prefer the pleasant lie to...
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Is it Time for a Catechism of the Underground Church?
What happens when you put an Anglican, an Eastern Orthodox, and a Catholic in a zoom room? Kale and Rod are joined by Fr. Daniel French, Anglican priest and podcaster at Irreverend. They discuss the possible Green Passports, church shutdowns, and the specter of having to take the church...
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Will Hungary Become a Conservative Retreat?
Kale hosts a conversation with Rod and Michael Brendan Dougherty, senior writer at National Review. They discuss: Orban, Fidesz, and the "conservative fascination with Hungary." Is corruption a form of statecraft? The Fog Machine of the Culture War What will be left for posterity? Progressives...
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Hurricanes, Popes, Overton Windows, and Inner Rings
Rod and Kale catch up after Rod's return from Italy and his meeting with Pope Francis. They talk about: The aftermath of Hurricane Ida's destruction of Louisiana Meeting Pope Francis during his trip to Rome The Ruling class's conflation of Nazi liberation with LGBTQ+ initiatives Do members of...
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From Reluctant Trump Watcher to Administration Appointee
Kale is joined today by his brother Mark Zelden, a long-time Capitol Hill guy, to discuss the Trump administration from the inside. Mark talks about the differences between Trump and the so-called Republican Establishment, and his own journey from skeptic to supporter. They discuss the unintended...
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Broken Windows and (Non)Binary Wiggles
Rod and Kale discuss Rod's upcoming trip to Italy to promote Live Not By Lies as well as a trip to San Galgano and the strange story that has been part of Rod's life for the last few years. They move on to discuss an impending hostage crisis in Afghanistan, and the deep resonances with the Iran...
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Catastrophe and the Revelation of The Real
Rod and Kale discuss the immediate aftermath of the United States' withdrawal from Afghanistan and the 20 years in the making debacle. How did this happen, and who is to be held accountable? They discuss the resonances between this disgraceful exit and the exit from Vietnam. Will there be a…
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Mid-Century Madness and the Roots of our Discontents
Rod and Kale discuss: 1. The sad phenomenon of a culture that has lost hope--why don't we want kids? 2. Mid-century Madness and the failures of the post-Christian cultural elites 3. The Pillar story fall-out and the need for full disclosure Links: Rod on Helmut Kentler: The Second Coming Of…
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Who Guards the Guards?
Rod is back and joins Kale to discuss two main topics: the revelation of government surveillance using the Pegasus software and Pope Francis' latest Motu Proprio undermining the Traditional Latin Mass. Institutional rot continues to make itself visible, both with governments and with churches....
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Frequently Asked Questions
How many episodes does The General Eclectic have?
The General Eclectic currently has 70 episodes available on PodParley. New episodes are automatically indexed when they're published to the podcast feed.
What is The General Eclectic about?
A new podcast from The American Conservative, presented by Kale Zelden and bestselling author Rod Dreher, exploring faith, culture, and public affairs.
How often does The General Eclectic release new episodes?
The General Eclectic has 70 episodes. Check the episode list to see recent publication dates and frequency.
Where can I listen to The General Eclectic?
You can listen to The General Eclectic on PodParley by clicking any episode. We provide an embedded audio player for direct listening, and you can also subscribe via your preferred podcast app using the RSS feed.
Who hosts The General Eclectic?
The General Eclectic is created and hosted by The American Conservative.
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