PODCAST · society
The Junto Podcast
by edgarmills
A venue for mutual improvement. Advancing critical thought and bold creativity and their practical application. Trumpeting the virtues of individual liberty and personal accountability. Providing a platform for open and honest expression. Promoting the ideals of Classical Liberalism and laissez-faire attitudes.
Episodes
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E83: Rape - Accountability Across Demographics
In this episode Edgar Mills examines a recent Cornell sexual-assault case to explore how rape is handled across different settings; from elite campuses and corporate power to immigration and homelessness. He outlines common traits of perpetrators, institutional failures, and the role of politics...
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E82: Two Years Later
Edgar Mills marks the two-year anniversary of the Junto podcast, tracing its roots to Ben Franklin's 1727 Junto Club and explaining the show's mission to promote practical critical thinking and bold creativity. The episode outlines recurring themes, guest conversations, listener participation...
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Bonus: Liar - Can You Fix It? Do You Care? Can You Care?
Host Edgar Mills examines how lying is learned and becomes a repeating pattern that damages families, relationships, work and health. He describes how children copy parental deception, how lying connects to personality issues like narcissism and antisocial behavior, and how repeated deceit…
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E81: Cancelled - Modern Mob Rule and Its Roots
Edgar Mills explores the rise and mechanics of modern cancel culture, tracing its tactics from historical propaganda to social media mobs. He explains how targeted accusations, viral labels, and media amplification silence dissent and punish individuals and institutions. The episode uses…
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E80: The Spark of Life - Abortion, Science, and Responsibility
Host Edgar Mills explores abortion through history, science, and culture, tracing the issue from Margaret Sanger and early laws to Roe v. Wade and recent policy changes. The episode examines embryology (the “zinc spark” and fertilization), statistical patterns and racial disparities, common…
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E79: Reserve 'Hate' for What Deserves It - Words Matter
Host Edgar Mills examines the weight of the word “hate,” contrasting it with anger through Aristotle and modern psychology and warning against casual use that fuels dehumanization. He distinguishes hating systems or ideologies from hating individuals, cites violent examples where reduction of...
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Bonus Episode: LARPing Is Not Preparedness - Risk Assessment For Daily Life
Host Edgar Mills answers a stir caused by a clip from his guest spot on A Better Way 2A podcast. He challenges the idea that civilians need military-style kit and "truck guns" in their vehicles, arguing many are preparing for a fantasy fight instead of real risk. He challenges tired cliches:...
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E78: Atomic Habits - Build Systems, Not Just Goals
In this episode Edgar Mills shares thoughts on James Clear's book 'Atomic Habits' and connects its ideas to the Junto Club, tactical training method, and improving everyday life. He explains how small, consistent actions and systems matter more than will power alone or big goals. The episode…
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E76: Stop Saying "I Forgot" - Young Parents Guide To Decision Making
Host Edgar Mills explores how poor decision-making and chaotic routines impact young parents, marriages, and children, and why decisions are never truly private. He offers a simple, actionable system: a nightly 10-minute recap, a morning look-ahead, a top-three priorities rule, impact checks, and…
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E77: Search and Rescue on Mount Yonah - Training for Real Life
Host Edgar Mills recounts a recent mountain rescue on Mount Yonah where a stranded hiker was located by drone and safely recovered by a White County firefighter in 42 minutes. The episode highlights the efficient technical rescue, the value of cell coverage, and why staying on marked trails and...
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E75: Be a Good Homie - Friendship, Faith, and Politics
Host Edgar Mills sits down with Will Stephens for a wide-ranging conversation about intentional friendship and faith. They share personal stories from the range, the military, and family life while exploring how empathy, loyalty, and conviction shape meaningful relationships. The episode also...
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E74: From Spectacle to Strategy - Rethinking ICE and Border Enforcement
Edgar Mills examines ICE, immigration law, and the controversy over militarized raids, arguing the issue is not whether to enforce immigration but how to do it legally, effectively, and with respect for human dignity. He offers practical alternatives: prioritize high-risk targets, use...
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E73: Followership - The Other Half of the Equation
Edgar Mills draws on 25 years of military experience and leadership experts like John C. Maxwell and Chris Schmitt to explain how trust, individual accountability, and mission buy-in create effective teams in both high-risk and business environments. He offers practical advice for entry-level...
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E72: Family and Workplace Resentment - Holding Grudges Steals Your Freedom
Host Edgar Mills explores how long‑held resentment toward parents, siblings, coworkers, and others, slowly damages your health, relationships, and ability to be present. He explains how resentment becomes part of identity, amplifies negativity, and shrinks your world. The episode offers practical...
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E71: Damaged Emotions Dominate
This episode supports and supplements E70. Edgar further examines the corrosive effects of resentment within the immediate family, especially after unplanned or early parenthood, and how emotional immaturity, unmet expectations, and transactional affection erode bonds between partners and…
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E70: Respect or Resentment - Rebuild Your Marriage, Protect Your Children
Host Edgar Mills examines why marriages collapse, lack of respect, selfishness, addiction, infidelity and emotional neglect, and explores through three different lenses: hedonistic, faith-based, and psychological approaches. The episode emphasizes individual responsibility, soft communication,...
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E69: Republican Contradictions - Liberty Talk, Power Grabs
Host Edgar Mills dissects conservative contradictions between stated principles of limited government, fiscal responsibility, and free markets and real-world actions on surveillance, foreign policy, and economic protectionism. The episode examines examples like FISA reauthorizations, 2024…
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E68: Gender Contradiction - Pageboy, Identity, and Mental State
In episode 68 Edgar Mills continues his series on contradictions by examining today’s gender discourse. Using Ellen/Elliot Page’s recent documentary as a springboard, he questions tensions between calls for unconditional acceptance and the choice to medically alter the body, discusses…
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E67: Epic Contradictions - A Look at Double Standards
Episode 67 explores major contradictions within modern progressive movements, examining how positions on LGBTQ rights, Islam, immigration, race-based spaces, free speech, and public policy often clash in practice. Edgar Mills breaks down examples from global events, college campuses, and…
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E66: American Character and the Influences That Shaped It
This episode explores the American spirit by tracing practical ideas of self-reliance, character-building, plain speech, and humor through the lives of Ralph Waldo Emerson, Benjamin Franklin, Booker T. Washington, Frederick Douglass, Mark Twain, and Will Rogers. He stresses that America does not...
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E65: Small Talk and Genuine Connection
Host Edgar Mills explores why small talk matters in both personal and professional life and argues for authenticity over performance. Drawing on military stories, references to Will Rogers and Benjamin Franklin, and social media critique, he offers practical tips for building rapport: default to...
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E64: Sex After 50 - Love Is A Verb
Edgar discusses the often-overlooked realities of vibrant sexual connection well beyond midlife. Drawing from a thoughtful mix of biblical wisdom, scientific research, and down-to-earth guidance, he reassures listeners that aging does not have to be the end of sexual intimacy. Instead, Edgar...
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E63: Manners Matter
In episode 63 Edgar Mills explores the decline of basic politeness and good manners across generations, tracing causes from 60's political activism, social media, and identity politics to changing work habits. He shares practical, low-effort habits like holding doors, remembering names, making…
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E62: Rebranding Communism
Hello America. Edgar Mills tackles the debate over communism, socialism, and democratic socialism. In this episode he argues the three share core goals: state control of the economy and the end of private ownership, traces the history from Marx to modern U.S. politics, summarizes the Communist...
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E61: The (not so) Hidden Costs of "Equality" - Why Communism Fails
In episode 61, Edgar Mills examines communism and democratic socialism from a classical liberal perspective, comparing central planning to free markets and explaining why these doctrines repeatedly fail. He reviews historical evidence and human costs under regimes like Stalin, Mao, and Pol Pot,...
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E60: Separate Soldier from Politics - A Memorial Day Reflection
Host Edgar Mills reflects on Memorial Day, urging listeners to honor and thank individual service members while separating their sacrifice from the political decisions that send them to war. He discusses the dangers of partisan social media, recalls lessons from wars like Vietnam, Iraq, and...
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E59: White Plight - DUI is Still a Problem
Host Edgar Mills examines data showing drunk driving is disproportionately reported among white men and compares roughly 12,000 annual DUI deaths to about 15,000 firearm homicides, arguing DUI is an under-discussed public health crisis. He explores cultural and geographic drivers (social…
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E58: Clash of Values - European and American Importation of Islam?
Host Edgar Mills examines crime and assimilation data from European countries with large Muslim immigrant populations and discusses how similar immigration patterns could affect the United States. The episode explores differences in values, policy responses, potential strains on welfare systems…
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E57: Command the Room with Trey Johnson - Leadership, Imagination, and Authenticity
Edgar Mills sits down with Battalion Fire Chief Trey Johnson to explore practical leadership lessons from firefighting and military experience. They discuss podcast authenticity versus AI polish, the power of imagination and PACE planning, the difference between vigilance and paranoia, and the...
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E56: The Mask of Modesty - Narcissism and False Humility in Leaders
Edgar Mills explores how narcissism and false humility hide behind charm and modesty to manipulate followers, undermine teams, and destroy relationships. He explains tactics like humble-bragging, fishing for praise, two-faced behavior, and lack of empathy, showing how these traits play out in...
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E55: "Gun Violence" - What is the Root Problem?
Host Edgar Mills challenges the term "gun violence," arguing guns are tools and that violence stems from cultural decay, broken families, and failed policies. He reviews Atlanta and Georgia crime statistics, highlights black-on-black violence, and rejects collectivist explanations that deflect...
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E54: Guerrilla Startups - Unconventional Warfare Doctrine Shaping Small Business
In episode 54, Edgar Mills draws parallels between the seven phases of unconventional warfare and the journey of a small business, using lessons from T.E. Lawrence, Mao Zedong, and guerrilla doctrine. The episode explains each phase: preparation, initial contact, infiltration, organization,...
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E53: From Spec-Ops to Business - 6 Principles of Success
In this episode, Edgar Mills explains Admiral William McRaven’s "relative superiority" framework, six principles drawn from special operations (simplicity, security, repetition, surprise, speed, purpose), and maps them onto John C. Maxwell’s leadership laws. He shows how small, focused teams…
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E52: AI vs Mid-Management: Who Will Survive the Great Flattening?
Edgar Mills examines how AI is accelerating change across industries, threatening mid-level managerial roles while creating new demands for AI-literate leaders. He highlights sectors likely to be disrupted, jobs that remain human‑centric, and urges leaders to adapt by mastering AI tools and...
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E51: 2TG - Building Formidable Leaders and Indispensable Teammates
Hello, America. Edgar Mills introduces 2 Team Guys (2TG) hands-on, scenario-based courses that build individual resilience, leadership skills, and team cohesion through immersive, time-tested training. From land navigation and search-and-rescue mountaineering to situational awareness, long-range...
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E50: When Compassion Becomes Control - Canada's MAiD and the Slippery Slope
Host Edgar Mills examines Canada’s medical assistance in dying (MAiD) program, tracing its expansion from terminal cases to chronic conditions and potential inclusion of mental illness. He argues that state involvement in death risks coercion, devalues human life, and creates a dangerous…
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E49: Climb On - The Goodness Of Rock Climbing
Host Edgar Mills explores rock climbing as both a sport and a lifestyle, covering disciplines like bouldering, sport climbing, trad, and ice climbing. He highlights the physical, mental, and spiritual benefits, the basics of gear and safety, and the strong, supportive climbing community. The...
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E48: Who Decides What Art Is? Taxpayer Funding, NEA, and Free Expression
This episode, Edgar Mills explores the role of government funding for the arts, tracing constitutional roots, controversies (like Mapplethorpe and "Piss Christ"), and arguments for and against National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) subsidies from a libertarian perspective. Edgar weighs economic,...
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E47: Shoresy, Grit, and Glory - Hockey Lessons in Leadership
Edgar Mills welcomes listeners reflect on Team USA's recent Olympic hockey triumphs and the surge of national pride they inspired. He then dives into the Canadian series "Shoresy," showing how its crude humor conceals deep themes of loyalty, accountability, mentorship, and authentic masculinity...
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E46: 'The Law' vs. Big Government - Legal Plunder
Host Edgar Mills compares Frederick Bastiat’s 1850 pamphlet 'The Law' to modern U.S. politics, arguing that government coercion and endless spending have turned modern law into "legal plunder." He explains Bastiat’s principles on natural rights, critiques federal overreach (taxes, the Fed, Social...
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E45: When Booze Breaks the Family - Confronting Alcohol’s Damage
Edgar Mills tackles the realities of alcoholism—its causes, its effects on young families and first responders, and his own experiences with alcohol-related harm. He outlines how to spot problems, practical steps for intervention, and why honesty, empathy, and asking for help are essential to...
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E44: Art and Rebellion - Guarding Creativity in a Modern Dystopia
In episode 44, Edgar Mills examines classic dystopian stories and their parallels with today’s surveillance culture and social media, arguing that suppressing creativity crushes individuality and the soul. He explains how literature, music, and fine art stir personal emotion and free thought,...
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E43: Non‑Aggression Principle - From Philosophy to Practice
Edgar Mills breaks down the non-aggression principle—its historical roots, connections to libertarian thought, and how it shapes views on taxes, law enforcement, privatized policing, and protests. He emphasizes individual responsibility, consistent ethical standards for both citizens and...
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E42: Harmonious Dissent - De-escalation, ICE, and the Cost of Extremes
Host Edgar Mills examines today’s polarized public discourse and urges a return to critical thinking, empathy, and de‑escalation. He analyzes recent ICE operations in Minneapolis and two shootings (Renee Nicole Good and Alex Pretti), discusses legal and tactical complexities, and evaluates...
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E41: Liberals With Guns? Why the Left Is Arming Up
Edgar Mills explores the rising trend of gun ownership among liberals and what it reveals about universal needs for safety, autonomy, and self-defense. He examines NPR interviews, personal anecdotes, and a libertarian perspective to argue the Second Amendment transcends partisan lines as a…
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E40: Don't Expect Hard Things Not To Be Hard
Edgar Mills explores the idea "don't expect hard things not to be hard," sharing personal stories from Special Forces Selection, Stoic wisdom, and the difference between motivation and discipline. He applies those lessons to entrepreneurship—planning a firearms training range—covering realistic...
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E39: 'The Rape of the Mind' A Look at Psychological Control
In episode 39 Edgar Mills examines the book by Joost Meerloo, The Rape of the Mind, explaining menticide, interrogation and re‑education techniques, and how they scale from individual torture to mass propaganda. He connects historical brainwashing methods to modern tools like media, technology…
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E38: All In - A Conversation with Nathan Hicks
Edgar Mills and Nathan Hicks sit down for an unscripted conversation about what it means to be "all in." They explore commitment, family priorities, career demands, faith, and the myths of social-media success. The episode ends with practical guidance — four simple questions to test big decisions…
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E37: Navigating the Wild - Map, Compass & Self-Discovery
Hello America—Edgar Mills walks listeners through his recent 2 Team Guys 3-Day Land Navigation course drawn from military method. He explains the intensive classroom training, the 24‑hour overnighter in Talladega National Forest, and the mix of technical skill-building and personal growth that...
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E36: Punk, Politics, and the Ethos of Nonconformity
Host Edgar Mills explores whether punk rock’s rebellious spirit can coexist with conservative and libertarian politics. He defines conservatism as common-sense values—personal responsibility, free markets, and individual liberty—and argues that modern leftist conformity often contradicts punk’s...
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ABOUT THIS SHOW
A venue for mutual improvement. Advancing critical thought and bold creativity and their practical application. Trumpeting the virtues of individual liberty and personal accountability. Providing a platform for open and honest expression. Promoting the ideals of Classical Liberalism and laissez-faire attitudes.
HOSTED BY
edgarmills
CATEGORIES
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Frequently Asked Questions
How many episodes does The Junto Podcast have?
The Junto Podcast currently has 87 episodes available on PodParley. New episodes are automatically indexed when they're published to the podcast feed.
What is The Junto Podcast about?
A venue for mutual improvement. Advancing critical thought and bold creativity and their practical application. Trumpeting the virtues of individual liberty and personal accountability. Providing a platform for open and honest expression. Promoting the ideals of Classical Liberalism and...
How often does The Junto Podcast release new episodes?
The Junto Podcast has 87 episodes. Check the episode list to see recent publication dates and frequency.
Where can I listen to The Junto Podcast?
You can listen to The Junto Podcast 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 Junto Podcast?
The Junto Podcast is created and hosted by edgarmills.
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