PODCAST · society
The Last Question
by Lazarus
Christian...husband, father, writer...in that order? Yes, I think that's right. I don't know much but have a lot of questions and can't understand when people talk out of both sides of their mouth.
Episodes
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S3E4: Professor Matt Estes | The Japanese-American Internment, Part II
The conclusion to Matt's and my conversation about the Internment during WWII and what it means for Americans and the world today. Not only what happened but why we should care and continue to study this period, even eighty years later... are we really so far removed from the country that...
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S3E3: Professor Matt Estes | The Japanese-American Internment, Part I
Mark Twain once quipped that history doesn't "repeat...but if often rhymes." This week on The Last Question I talk with history professor Matt Estes about a period in U.S. history that I think is often overlooked but could be remarkably instructive in our present day. Professor Estes teaches...
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S3E2: A Monk, a Senator, and a Real Hard Look in the Mirror
I recorded this one sort of on a whim, though as much to maintain my self-imposed weekly rhythm as to keep a previous plan to share some words of wisdom from St. Porphyrios of Kavsokalyvia. I think my encountering the experience and recent trials of Ben Sasse and his family only add urgency to…
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S3E1: Whom Shall We Hate Tomorrow?
Simple enough question, isn't it? When all we seem good at is hating one another, then why not lean into it? But we also don't seem to hate the same folks all the time; we move and adjust and adapt to our surroundings (and fears). So I figured I'd ask, who's it gonna be tomorrow? The Last…
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St. Gherasim Iscu - The Story Everyone Needs to Hear
This is the story I had to share; this is the story that brought TLQ back. Abbot Fr. Gherasim Iscu will be glorified as saint by the Romanian Church in 2025. Forgive me for referring to him as a saint in the interim; it's hard to find another example quite like him. Christian or not, "spiritual"…
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TLQ...is Back!
More than two years since I've recorded an episode...and oh how things have changed. This is take three of what was supposed to be a short teaser of things to come. I'm back to the podcast, and to writing and publishing online, but for very different reasons than where I was this time two or…
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Devolve, Flex, Fail...Lest We Lose the Next War
For leaders in uniform, or not. Doesn't matter where you work or what you do...if you want to "succeed" in an uncertain future...or, you might say, win the future war no one's imagined yet, think about these three things: devolve, flex, and fail. Thanks, as always, for your support and listening....
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When Connection Becomes Performance (Part II)
Concluding the two-parter, back to talk about our subconscious narratives and how I fell afoul of mine and into the trap of "personal branding," "social media," and the performance art of today's digital discourse. Click here to listen to Bari Weiss interviewing Jonathan Haidt on her podcast,...
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When Connection Becomes Performance (Part I)
You and me this week, talking about career transition...and the story embedded deep within us. Does it drive our decisions, or do our decisions fulfill its outcomes? Aren't those the same question? Didn't plan a two-part episode, but we went farther down the rabbit hole that I thought. That's…
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You Might (Not) Be a Leader If...and I'm F*cking Exhausted
It's you and me this week! Missed recording for last week, back today talking about where I was and what's coming up for 2022.
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Another Perspective in a Conversation Long Overdue
This week, Jim Warner joins me on the podcast. An ICBM and GLCM veteran, Mr. Warner today serves as the Executive Director of the Association of Air Force Missileers. It was through his letter to members that I found Cole Smith's Guardian editorial. We cover his career spanning more than 40…
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Yes, You CAN Hold Two Positions at the Same Time
That's how we can have mature conversations, in my opinion. This week on TLQ, a solo episode--why I think it's critical we have a conversation about what the world can look like in the future. And why we should start talking about it now. Humans are naturally irrational and can hold two seemingly...
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A Conversation Long Overdue
I'm excited to share this week's episode, a conversation with writer, filmmaker, and nuclear ops veteran Cole Smith. Though we were stationed together, I don't know Cole well...but knew I should talk with him after coming across an article he wrote recently for The Guardian based on his…
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"We're Emotional Beings That Sometimes Think."
It's been a rough-and-tumble couple weeks. High stress, a lot of change, tons of questions. We've emerged looking skyward and genuinely excited about what's to come, and I've emerged determined to keep this train on the tracks and rolling forward. I missed the boat on last week's episode, which...
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Tonight's the Night. This Time, It's Just Me.
Enough with the "Arun talks with" third-person thing. It's me and just me...so I'm back, with "Season 2" of The Last Question. I've been putting off this project and don't know why. But I know I want (and perhaps need) to return. So that's what I'm doing. Here. Now. As me. And only me. Season 2,...
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What COVID-19 Gave Me (Part V): Working Not From Work
We continue the COVID-19 mini-series this week, asking a critical question: What Positive(s) Did COVID-19 Give Me? Ask this question for yourself to find key lessons you can leverage as the world wrestles with the "Delta" variant. This week, an important idea that helps break down the otherwise...
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Ep. 16: Integrity. Loyalty. Endurance.
Core values matter. If you don't have an anchor or guidepost against which to judge your actions, how do you know if you're the best version of yourself you can be? Arun shares his three core values, three words he's focused on for the better part of 20 years. What are YOURS? Email us at...
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What COVID-19 Gave Me (Part IV): I Can't Control Anyone
This week, a critical reminder in how hard ... rather, IMPOSSIBLE ... it is to control what anyone else thinks or does. We can attempt to influence others, but it all starts with understanding where the other's starting point is and what concerns them. "It's not about thinking less of yourself…
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Ep. 15: How Much Time Are You Wasting?
Stop wasting time. We don't have enough to be playing around with this gift. Email us at [email protected].
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What COVID-19 Gave Me (Part III): Distance from the Unimportant
We overcome struggle only after we can see the good in them. Arun continues his mini-series on what good he received from COVID-19. This week, a discussion about what he found "important" and not in the work environment and how the pandemic oriented his mind different toward those tasks that…
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Ep 14: Where Are You Unstoppable? | "Relentless" by Tim Grover
Arun pulls out a couple key lessons from Tim Grover's book "Relentless." Grover was a long-time coach and confidant to the likes of Michael Jordan, Kobe Bryant, and Dwayne Wade (and many more). The book's description of "Coolers, Closers, and Cleaners" provides a backdrop to how we should think...
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What COVID-19 Gave Me (Part II): The Time and Space to Work On Myself
There must be positive lessons from our worst tragedies. If there is no positive impact, no "silver lining," then all of our effort to build a better future is for naught. This week, Part II of Arun's series that asks, What Did COVID-19 Give You? His answer this week focuses on his own…
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Ep. 13: We're Each Unique ... And All The Same | Joey Utah
Arun welcomes fellow veteran, colleague, and friend Joey Utah to TLQ. Joey served on active duty as a security forces member at several locations in North America and Korea. Listen and learn as they exchange stories, experiences, and ideas about what leadership is and isn't. Email us your...
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What COVID-19 Gave Me (Part I): My Life
We push our crises into history books too quickly. We don't talk enough about what we've learned, what we've gained, what good has come ... from crisis. From disaster. From the worst tragedies in our lives. This mini-series asks, "What Did COVID-19 Give You?" To start the conversation, Arun…
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Lead Your Week: What is Your Leadership "Philosophy?"
I used to hate this question, but no matter how you phrase it, asking it matters. Interrogating your response matters, too, if you're serious about evolving as a leader and getting better. This week, ponder what your leadership philosophy is ... what matters most to you in terms of HOW and WHY…
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Lead Your Week: Because You WANT To ... Or Because You HAVE To?
Are you doing "too much?" Worried about too many things, wrangling a never-ending task list, chasing everyone else's expectations? Ask yourself this question and, most importantly, WRITE the answers down. Be honest with yourself to be more honest with the world around you. Email us! Questions,...
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Ep. 12: Leadership is a Family Affair | Maggie Chittur
This week, Arun welcomes Maggie to the show! We've been trying to make this one happen since the show's launch in March. We spend a few minutes on Maggie's background, then talk about how she leads and what "taking care of your people" really means. Question, comments, feedback--please send it…
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Lead Your Week: What Are You Doing With the Gift You've Been Given?
Consider the gifts--the opportunities--you've received. What are you doing with them? What positive impact can you have with them? We're each endowed with a unique set of gifts, and the opportunity to live every morning we wake up ... so ... what are you gonna do about it? [email protected]
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Lead Your Week: Leaders Own The Problems They Find
Have you inherited a problem or two at work? Replaced someone who wasn't a good supervisor, manager, technician, leader? Leaders don't walk away from the problems they find; they take ownership of those problems as if they were of their own making. Inherited problems are your problems. Own them…
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The Closest Thing to Paradise | Krishnan Chittur ... Yep, My Dad
Arun welcomes his dad to the show. Krishnan Chittur retired from academia after nearly 30 years as a professor of chemical engineering and has been Chief Technology Officer of GeneCapture, Inc. since 2010. Krishnan's story starts thousands of miles away in India, a boy strong in school with an...
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Lead Your Week: Are You the Best Version of YOU?
Memorial Day 2021, ask yourself: Are you the best version of YOU? It's okay if the answer is 'no,' but then ask ... are you working toward that best self? You ARE capable of taking the next step forward and ARE able to make that choice today. Becoming our best selves is the best way to honor not...
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Try Curiosity Before Gratitude
With Memorial Day on the horizon, Arun offers an alternative to the easy "Thank You" and 10% off. Invest in a relationship with a service member--ask them why they joined, and why they stayed. You'll learn a ton and connect in a meaningful way.
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Lead Your Week: Who Would You Follow to Hell and Back?
Leadership requires individual effort and learning. But we're missing a key component in our own development if we're not looking at the leaders who came before us. For better and for worse. This week, picture that leader ... that person you worked with, studied with, traveled with, confided in…
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Yes, It's Okay To Have a Bad Day. Show Up Anyway.
Consistency matters. After telling students and young airmen, "Never let your people see you have a bad day," Arun tackles the flaw in his own advice. Showing up every day, in the good and bad, not only demonstrates your humanity, it gives permission to your team to show up too--even on their bad...
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Lead Your Week: Are You Building Your Replacement?
This week's meditation digs into your ONE job as a leader: to build your replacement and develop them into a better version of you, someone better prepared for your job than you were. Building better futures starts with building better leaders. One person at a time. People matter, their families...
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Wait! Is That the Right Fire Extinguisher?!
TLQ's back this week and we're talking about ... fire extinguishers? Arun's talking about prioritizing and providing our teammates the freedom to operate and make the best decisions they can. Plus! Learn more about EW's first digital product, an e-book titled, "Our Team's Essential Skills," on…
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Lead Your Week: Lead, Serve, and Live in a Manner Consistent With Your Values
After a week off working on other projects, Arun's back with a question important not only to you, but your family and your teams. What would it look like for YOU to lead, serve, and live in a manner that's consistent with your values? To lead in a manner consistent with what you say is most...
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Lead Your Week: Is Self-Identification a Waste of Time?
This week, consider all the effort you've put into answering this question: "Who Am I?" In the last few days, Arun has been reading the story of NFL player-turned-Army Ranger Pat Tillman and learning more about those who have eschewed society's pressure to define ourselves by one label, or a…
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Day One Off-Duty ... What Did I Learn?
Today is Day One ... after 12 years, 11 months, and however many hours and minutes, Arun is a civilian. While that creates both feelings of excitement and confusion, no experience is worthwhile if we haven't gotten something out of it. So follow Arun this week as he outlines five lessons from his...
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Lead Your Week: How Do You Feel When Others Succeed?
This week, ask yourself: How Do I Feel When Others Succeed? Leadership is about investing in others, and building our replacements. Doing so requires an investment in others that ensures their success ahead of our own. But if you struggle to find fulfillment in others' wins, ask yourself why.
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Can You Train Ethical Leadership? | Chelsea Ragland
Chelsea Ragland is an Air Force intelligence officer who started her career as an ICBM crewmember. Rising to become a mission commander and senior instructor for a team of 65 operators, Chelsea developed multiple programs--including a comprehensive upgrade program for crew commanders--and was a…
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Lead Your Week: 5 Steps to Take Responsibility
Two weeks ago, Arun asked himself: How Will I Take Responsibility? This week, push your answer forward by considering these 5 Steps. No matter where you're coming from, no matter where you're going, to take responsibility is to contribute to a better future for all of us. Subscribe to Arun's...
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Create Your Opportunity to Lead and Serve | Dr. Allie Butler
Dr. Allie Butler is an Air Force veteran and former meteorologist now serving patients as a practicing pharmacist and owner of a diabetes consultancy in the Seattle-Tacoma metro area. This week, Arun welcomes Allies to TLQ to discuss her path from the military to healthcare, how she's created her...
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Lead Your Week: Are You Prepared to Take the "Bullet"?
Some days, a leader's only task is to take the "bullets" on their team's behalf. If you're responsible for the performance of other people, or are soon stepping into such a role, are you prepared to take ownership of their performance? Are you prepared to tell anyone who asks--especially your...
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"Everyone Has a Plan Until They Get Punched In the Mouth"
This week, Arun explores difficult conversations. Why do we avoid them? Why do we avoid asking tough questions? Even if it's the most important way to prepare for the future?
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Lead Your Week: How Will I Take Responsibility?
It's easy to act off emotion, to say or share the first thing that comes to mind. What's better? Taking responsibility for your response AND what you can do that provides value to others around you. This week, ask yourself: How Will I Take Responsibility?
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Introducing Our Coaching Programs
This week, Arun walks through the genesis of our new coaching programs--Enabled Leader and Leaders of Influence. Both open for enrollment April 1, 2021!
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Lead Your Week: Ask WHY
Welcome to our first Monday "Meditation," a question to lead your week and get you thinking about what matters most. This week, asking "why" is one of the most powerful things you can do to focus on what's important and shine light on the tasks, ideas, and assumptions holding you and your team…
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Joining the Military and Hanging Onto Your Old Self | Lucas Rider
Arun talks to friend and former squadron mate, Lucas Rider, about what led to his joining the Air Force at age 24 and how he's stayed connected with his pre-military self.
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Perfection, Cynicism, Resistance
Thank you for joining us for our first episode! Arun talks about Enabled Word's history ... and his own evolution ... from 2018 until now. Then digs into perfection, cynicism, and the all-powerful, quite evil, RESISTANCE.
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ABOUT THIS SHOW
Christian...husband, father, writer...in that order? Yes, I think that's right. I don't know much but have a lot of questions and can't understand when people talk out of both sides of their mouth.
HOSTED BY
Lazarus
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Frequently Asked Questions
How many episodes does The Last Question have?
The Last Question currently has 50 episodes available on PodParley. New episodes are automatically indexed when they're published to the podcast feed.
What is The Last Question about?
Christian...husband, father, writer...in that order? Yes, I think that's right. I don't know much but have a lot of questions and can't understand when people talk out of both sides of their mouth.
How often does The Last Question release new episodes?
The Last Question has 50 episodes. Check the episode list to see recent publication dates and frequency.
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You can listen to The Last Question 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 Last Question?
The Last Question is created and hosted by Lazarus.
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