Beth - I was somewhat surprised when you said you were supportive of capitalism and people being able to become wealthy in our country. My surprise is rooted in curiosity, not judgment or even disagreement.
If you’re willing to share, I would love to hear more about how your faith as a Christian coexists with your support of capitalism and the pursuit of wealth/getting rich. I’ve always understood Christianity as a faith that warns against pursuing wealth and riches while encouraging simple living and valuing poverty. I know this gets complex quickly, and there are many interpretations.
My own spiritual beliefs, my concern for the climate crisis, and my concern about growing wealth disparity and authoritarianism globally, have me rethinking my understanding of and relationships with money, wealth building, and capitalism.
If there is ever space in the premium episodes to discuss this topic more, I’d love to hear it. I always value hearing how you and Sarah think about your faith and personal values, and particularly how those beliefs and values influence and coexist alongside your political positions.
And if this isn’t the space for it, totally understand. Thanks for a great episode! 😊
I don't find it difficult to reconcile my faith with capitalism because I don't equate all capitalism with unbridled greed. Almost all of us live in a higher standard than nearly all people who came before us, and I believe our stewardship of the earth is both compromised and aided by the innovation that capitalism incentivizes. When I talk about the pursuit of wealth, I don't mean hoarding dollars. But I do think it's good to be part of a system where there's room for risk-taking and material changes in both our pursuits and our circumstances. Like all economic systems, capitalism is imperfect and can be corrupted. But it can more readily be corrected, too--it's not static in any way. It gives us a lot of room to live our values, and in a country as diverse as ours, it feels like the absolute best way for different values to coexist.
Thank you for sharing. It seems I often hear capitalism being beat up on, and I can see why, but I really appreciate what you’re sharing here. You’ve given me lots to think about!
I actually squealed in the car on my own when Beth announced the Louise Penny trip. I’m on the waiting list. Couldn’t actually commit on Saturday as I don’t know my schedule for October yet. It just sounds like the best thing ever!
Thank you for this and here‘s my two cents about AI as a younger millennial that seems to have missed out on ALL opportunities to „get rich“ that the early 2000s apparently gave everyone but I somehow missed it? Here it goes -
Wouldn’t it be nice not to always feel like you are trying to catch up going at neck-breaking speed - only to get there and realize everyone has already moved on to the next thing that is making them rich, but you just wasted all your time and resources to try to get rich by doing the foolproof method that someone sold you of how they got rich, but that method is actually now obsolete so you have to pay for the new method that once again makes everyone else rich but you because by the time you catch-up it too will be obsolete?
Yep, that run-on sentence is exactly what is it is like being a millennial today who was born in the 90s. I feel like by the time I catch up to AI - I will be so behind, I might as well stop and rest for now. Cheers.
Thanks to my Dad, i learned the fundamentals of personal finance in college. I started retirement investing when I was 20! So I’m no stranger to market ups and downs, but I’ve never felt as queasy as I do right now. Re: books, i’m excited for both of your projects. I’ve been back into fiction reading in a big way these last couple years, and it has been a true beacon and solace. And lastly…thank you for the pointer to my newsletter. Im so grateful to share space with you here.
Can you imagine an off grid commune with its very own nuclear power generator??? (I feel like this question reveals that I know nothing about nuclear power 😂)
I feel like I am living the trends spoken about in this episode. Sitting at home because I don’t have work after 13 years of steady projects as a public health consultant. But then I check my investment portfolio and it is weirdly growing. WHAT IS HAPPENING?
I love Stephen King! He was the first "grown-up" author I read that wasn't assigned in school, and The Stand really showcases the highs and lows of King as a writer. Very excited to join the slow read.
The constant merging of companies troubles me. I know how unhealthy a monoculture is or how destructive an out-of-control invasive species can be. I can't help but see the similarities in these mergers. How much does Disney need to own!!? And don't get me started on the dang food system!
Our economy is too dependent on a few huge businesses. If one thing goes wrong, everything will collapse and there will be nothing that can fill the gaps in services or supplies because we've effectively destroyed everything else. It will be that "too big to fail" nonsense all over again.
I listened to the podcast today with my husband, who is a retired retirement actuary, and his comment was that perhaps you need to invite a certified financial investment professional to discuss this. Perhaps they will offer some much needed insight, or of course they could just say all is well--which I don't think any of us believe. But this podcast certainly spooked me!
That's it. I'm pulling everything out, buying a plot of land, and living off grid. I'll be fine as long as I can access YouTube for the first year or two, just to be sure I've set up all my water retention and filters and solar correctly. I can eat nothing but home grown tomatoes. It's fine. I'm fine. Everything is fine. (Anyone want to join me?)
Yes, please!!! I'm pretty handy with tools, love to cook and am great at it, and I know a lot about nature. I also have army first aid and self defense training! 😁
I already have my list of friends ready and notified to start our commune...they include a forager, a lawyer, a structural engineer, a boy scout troup leader, a teacher, and a few creative types for entertainment and making things aesthetically pleasing. A nurse or doctor would be nice.....
That was a hard listen 😖 important and needed but stressful. And I keep thinking about the contrast of The Economist publishing that the American economy is “the envy of the world” on October 19th, 2024 and this current moment- where I feel and fear all the things in this episode. I realize this question doesn’t really have a concrete answer, BUT do you feel like this episode is a standalone for the current moment, deeply connected just to AI, or are there real influences from this administration that wouldn’t exist if say “the Biden economy” kept trucking along??
The Stand! I read it this summer. My husband loves Stephen King. I having grown up seeing him regularly in the local store, where everyone else hand to put on shirt & shoes, but he went barefoot, had developed a stiff & unbending childhood grudge against him. I refused to read any of his books despite being an avid reader. This summer my husband, whose favorite book is The Stand, said why don’t you just try it - isn’t it time to get over a grudge from 1980? And so, I read it. I’m not going to say I’m sorry I did, but to me it was a long slog (& I read Russian novels & enjoy them). I’ll save specific reasons for that description, so I don’t reveal & ruin pieces of the plot. I hope you all enjoy it much more than I did!!
I read it with my son a couple years ago because he was really into Stephen King and neither of us really liked it. I’ve tried King several times and he’s never landed with me. I’m considering reading 11/22/63 though.
I also have the Stephen King fan husband. I have read some, but not all. The Stand is also not my fave. Carrie and Misery are his best IMO. And I read On Writing, which was fascinating. You may be interested in that one since he's a local for you.
The line in reference to bitcoin saying that investors were flocking to its “perceived safety” was a whole episode. If that’s not what it feels like everything is about in the year 2025, I don’t know what is. There’s a straight line from social media to the National Guard in American cities to a 300 million dollar ballroom. Perception is king.
Does anyone see the disconnect between Republicans trying to attach work requirements to receiving government benefits and this perceived ideal that no one should have to work?
Also, I just finished reading Careless People, the memoir of someone who used to work fairly high up at Facebook. Kept thinking about the memoir in connection with the discussion on AI and the haphazardness of everything.
I’d love to quit Facebook, my account was recently hacked deleted, but I had to make a new one because my kids school and scout troop use it for communication.
Side stepping off of the original comment, but does anyone have a community that isn’t primarily sharing community events on Facebook? I’ve curated my instagram feed to be mostly delightful posts, but I can’t seem to get out of the doom loop on Facebook. I like to support my local organizations and businesses and their events, which they typically ONLY post on Facebook. I’d love to try to push for other options, but I don’t know what they are. Back to newspapers/newsletters?
I got invited to the FB group for our son's 8th grade formal this year and I just want to be like, can't we just set up a Slack channel or something???
The orgs I try to support also send emails so I find out about things there. Sometimes I actively seek it out (like the kids events through the library). I also feel like things just bubble up when it comes to the places/causes I care about most. But maybe I'm missing things and just don't know it, lol. I haven't had Facebook or IG for years and I feel plenty busy and connected without it.
Beth - I was somewhat surprised when you said you were supportive of capitalism and people being able to become wealthy in our country. My surprise is rooted in curiosity, not judgment or even disagreement.
If you’re willing to share, I would love to hear more about how your faith as a Christian coexists with your support of capitalism and the pursuit of wealth/getting rich. I’ve always understood Christianity as a faith that warns against pursuing wealth and riches while encouraging simple living and valuing poverty. I know this gets complex quickly, and there are many interpretations.
My own spiritual beliefs, my concern for the climate crisis, and my concern about growing wealth disparity and authoritarianism globally, have me rethinking my understanding of and relationships with money, wealth building, and capitalism.
If there is ever space in the premium episodes to discuss this topic more, I’d love to hear it. I always value hearing how you and Sarah think about your faith and personal values, and particularly how those beliefs and values influence and coexist alongside your political positions.
And if this isn’t the space for it, totally understand. Thanks for a great episode! 😊
I don't find it difficult to reconcile my faith with capitalism because I don't equate all capitalism with unbridled greed. Almost all of us live in a higher standard than nearly all people who came before us, and I believe our stewardship of the earth is both compromised and aided by the innovation that capitalism incentivizes. When I talk about the pursuit of wealth, I don't mean hoarding dollars. But I do think it's good to be part of a system where there's room for risk-taking and material changes in both our pursuits and our circumstances. Like all economic systems, capitalism is imperfect and can be corrupted. But it can more readily be corrected, too--it's not static in any way. It gives us a lot of room to live our values, and in a country as diverse as ours, it feels like the absolute best way for different values to coexist.
Thank you for sharing. It seems I often hear capitalism being beat up on, and I can see why, but I really appreciate what you’re sharing here. You’ve given me lots to think about!
I actually squealed in the car on my own when Beth announced the Louise Penny trip. I’m on the waiting list. Couldn’t actually commit on Saturday as I don’t know my schedule for October yet. It just sounds like the best thing ever!
Thank you for this and here‘s my two cents about AI as a younger millennial that seems to have missed out on ALL opportunities to „get rich“ that the early 2000s apparently gave everyone but I somehow missed it? Here it goes -
Wouldn’t it be nice not to always feel like you are trying to catch up going at neck-breaking speed - only to get there and realize everyone has already moved on to the next thing that is making them rich, but you just wasted all your time and resources to try to get rich by doing the foolproof method that someone sold you of how they got rich, but that method is actually now obsolete so you have to pay for the new method that once again makes everyone else rich but you because by the time you catch-up it too will be obsolete?
Yep, that run-on sentence is exactly what is it is like being a millennial today who was born in the 90s. I feel like by the time I catch up to AI - I will be so behind, I might as well stop and rest for now. Cheers.
I don't think that feeling is appreciably different from any other generation. Everyone definitely didn't get rich in any decade.
Thanks to my Dad, i learned the fundamentals of personal finance in college. I started retirement investing when I was 20! So I’m no stranger to market ups and downs, but I’ve never felt as queasy as I do right now. Re: books, i’m excited for both of your projects. I’ve been back into fiction reading in a big way these last couple years, and it has been a true beacon and solace. And lastly…thank you for the pointer to my newsletter. Im so grateful to share space with you here.
Can you imagine an off grid commune with its very own nuclear power generator??? (I feel like this question reveals that I know nothing about nuclear power 😂)
I feel like I am living the trends spoken about in this episode. Sitting at home because I don’t have work after 13 years of steady projects as a public health consultant. But then I check my investment portfolio and it is weirdly growing. WHAT IS HAPPENING?
I love Stephen King! He was the first "grown-up" author I read that wasn't assigned in school, and The Stand really showcases the highs and lows of King as a writer. Very excited to join the slow read.
The constant merging of companies troubles me. I know how unhealthy a monoculture is or how destructive an out-of-control invasive species can be. I can't help but see the similarities in these mergers. How much does Disney need to own!!? And don't get me started on the dang food system!
Behind-the-brands-illusion-of-choice-graphic-2048x1351.jpg (2048×1351) https://share.google/djlOxs2iLQ8O6RX6k
Our economy is too dependent on a few huge businesses. If one thing goes wrong, everything will collapse and there will be nothing that can fill the gaps in services or supplies because we've effectively destroyed everything else. It will be that "too big to fail" nonsense all over again.
Well that’s one of the more depressing graphics I’ve seen.
Would it be an accurate metaphor to say that AI is the Private Equity Firm and we are Joann Fabrics or Cracker Barrell?
Fighting about logo changes as the world burns around us. That’s about right!
I listened to the podcast today with my husband, who is a retired retirement actuary, and his comment was that perhaps you need to invite a certified financial investment professional to discuss this. Perhaps they will offer some much needed insight, or of course they could just say all is well--which I don't think any of us believe. But this podcast certainly spooked me!
That's it. I'm pulling everything out, buying a plot of land, and living off grid. I'll be fine as long as I can access YouTube for the first year or two, just to be sure I've set up all my water retention and filters and solar correctly. I can eat nothing but home grown tomatoes. It's fine. I'm fine. Everything is fine. (Anyone want to join me?)
I want to join but I have no actual survival skills. I only know how to write software and operate a nuclear reactor.
Yes, please!!! I'm pretty handy with tools, love to cook and am great at it, and I know a lot about nature. I also have army first aid and self defense training! 😁
I read about this woman who started a community of tiny houses in Texas (called the Bird's Nest). Sounds awesome to me. https://www.nytimes.com/2025/08/07/well/eleven-women-nine-dogs-not-much-drama-and-no-guys.html?smid=nytcore-android-share
I love the idea of a community of tiny houses with a centralized area for cmmunity meals or general socializing.
I already have my list of friends ready and notified to start our commune...they include a forager, a lawyer, a structural engineer, a boy scout troup leader, a teacher, and a few creative types for entertainment and making things aesthetically pleasing. A nurse or doctor would be nice.....
I'm a medic and have 3 years of midwifery training, so I know just enough to be stupid 😂
If you are anywhere in New England, you can join our commune. 🤩
*googled solar powered long johns* 😂😂
Need any teachers on this commune??? Like Maggie, I kill plants. I cannot be trusted with the garden.
Education is vital for communes - especially since children will be welcome!
I had the same thought!
I can provide the music/music instruction for the commune
Yes please! The arts will be of great importance in the commune.
I think we have a Sara(h) commune to start.
🙋🏻♀️ except that I am very very very good at killing plants. So, I need to be in charge of something not essential to survival.
Listen, it's all trial and error. Can you cook? Keep a sourdough starter alive? We can figure it out as we go.
I have also killed a couple of sour dough starters, but I think if cooking and sourdough were ALL I had to do, I could probably figure it out.
That was a hard listen 😖 important and needed but stressful. And I keep thinking about the contrast of The Economist publishing that the American economy is “the envy of the world” on October 19th, 2024 and this current moment- where I feel and fear all the things in this episode. I realize this question doesn’t really have a concrete answer, BUT do you feel like this episode is a standalone for the current moment, deeply connected just to AI, or are there real influences from this administration that wouldn’t exist if say “the Biden economy” kept trucking along??
The Stand! I read it this summer. My husband loves Stephen King. I having grown up seeing him regularly in the local store, where everyone else hand to put on shirt & shoes, but he went barefoot, had developed a stiff & unbending childhood grudge against him. I refused to read any of his books despite being an avid reader. This summer my husband, whose favorite book is The Stand, said why don’t you just try it - isn’t it time to get over a grudge from 1980? And so, I read it. I’m not going to say I’m sorry I did, but to me it was a long slog (& I read Russian novels & enjoy them). I’ll save specific reasons for that description, so I don’t reveal & ruin pieces of the plot. I hope you all enjoy it much more than I did!!
I read it with my son a couple years ago because he was really into Stephen King and neither of us really liked it. I’ve tried King several times and he’s never landed with me. I’m considering reading 11/22/63 though.
I also have the Stephen King fan husband. I have read some, but not all. The Stand is also not my fave. Carrie and Misery are his best IMO. And I read On Writing, which was fascinating. You may be interested in that one since he's a local for you.
The line in reference to bitcoin saying that investors were flocking to its “perceived safety” was a whole episode. If that’s not what it feels like everything is about in the year 2025, I don’t know what is. There’s a straight line from social media to the National Guard in American cities to a 300 million dollar ballroom. Perception is king.
Does anyone see the disconnect between Republicans trying to attach work requirements to receiving government benefits and this perceived ideal that no one should have to work?
SAY IT LOUDER FOR THE PEOPLE IN THE BACK. There are no jobs, but you must work to get benefits! 😱
If only Republicans required themselves to work
🤯
Also, I just finished reading Careless People, the memoir of someone who used to work fairly high up at Facebook. Kept thinking about the memoir in connection with the discussion on AI and the haphazardness of everything.
I mostly quit Instagram after reading that. I try to avoid FB as much as possible now.
I’d love to quit Facebook, my account was recently hacked deleted, but I had to make a new one because my kids school and scout troop use it for communication.
Ugh. We need to figure out a way to get people away from FB for these things.
Side stepping off of the original comment, but does anyone have a community that isn’t primarily sharing community events on Facebook? I’ve curated my instagram feed to be mostly delightful posts, but I can’t seem to get out of the doom loop on Facebook. I like to support my local organizations and businesses and their events, which they typically ONLY post on Facebook. I’d love to try to push for other options, but I don’t know what they are. Back to newspapers/newsletters?
I got invited to the FB group for our son's 8th grade formal this year and I just want to be like, can't we just set up a Slack channel or something???
The orgs I try to support also send emails so I find out about things there. Sometimes I actively seek it out (like the kids events through the library). I also feel like things just bubble up when it comes to the places/causes I care about most. But maybe I'm missing things and just don't know it, lol. I haven't had Facebook or IG for years and I feel plenty busy and connected without it.
That book shook me. It started out feeling like we were getting the hot goss and left me feeling like all is lost. Quite the journey. 😅
I'm so curious and also don't know if I want to know. :|