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Civility is not politeness, compromise, or “finding common ground.” In a polarized country—where fights over immigration, gender, public meetings, and online pile-ons feel existential—Aaron Renn talks with Carmel, Indiana city councilor and civic leader Jeff Worrell about what it actually takes to disagree hard without destroying the relationship. Worrell, founder of Project Civility, argues that it's possible to "bring the heat," but not burn the house down. They cover internal posture (goodwill, humility, compassion), seeking the larger story in the other person, “do no harm,” civil departure when a relationship is toxic, why institutions so often avoid real dissent, and how leaders can give people permission to disagree without becoming enemies. Visit Project Civility: https://www.projectcivility.com CHAPTERS: (00:00 Introduction) (01:52 What civility looks like when the country is deeply divided) (04:01 “How can you talk civility when the stakes are existential?”) (07:02 Does incivility work—and how do you avoid being a beautiful loser?) (11:30 How to respond when you’re personally attacked) (17:53 Disagreement gets a bad rap) (22:12 The principles: internal posture, the larger story, do no harm) (30:27 Advice for leaders—and staying positive about your community) CONNECT & FOLLOW AARON RENN: 🐦 Twitter/X: https://x.com/aaron_renn 🌐 Newsletter - In-depth cultural analysis: https://www.aaronrenn.com/

Aaron Renn talks with technology and media writer James Poulos about Human Forever — and why the real digital disaster is not a future AI apocalypse, but a transformation that has already happened. Poulos argues that the print-and-television age ran on imagination (“if you can dream it, you can do it”). Computational technology flipped that. Machine memory now dominates: infinite archives, permanent records, surveillance, and a culture of searching and scrolling instead of dreaming. That shift, he says, is why so much of American life feels like fallout — and why older, memory-based forms of life, including traditional Christianity, are suddenly making sense again. They discuss Marshall McLuhan’s “flip,” the return of the medieval, literacy’s collapse, accelerationism and transhumanism, why Christianity and America are the two things Poulos thinks can still stand, father-to-son rites of passage, practical politics around data centers, and why he published the book on the Bitcoin blockchain. James Poulos is the author of Human Forever and the forthcoming Golden Age Problems. He is editorial director of Frontier at Blaze Media and a non-resident senior fellow at the Foundation for American Innovation. CHAPTERS: (0:00 Introduction) (1:20 The digital catastrophe already happened) (9:07 From imagination to memory) (12:08 Why the digital age retrieves the medieval) (15:24 Ancient liturgy and the search for spiritual authority) (24:18 Accelerationism, cyborgs, and running from responsibility) (32:31 What if AI outdoes every human faculty?) (41:39 Why Christianity and America still stand) (47:39 How to remain human: space, politics, and attainable goals) (54:38 Father-to-son rites of passage) (58:28 Why the book is on the Bitcoin blockchain) JAMES POULOS LINKS: 📖 Buy Human Forever: https://canonic.xyz/p/1YV9yExbmJ9mgBXNM81TouJuDtqxH2PpL 🌐 Frontier Magazine: https://www.blazeunlimited.com/frontier CONNECT & FOLLOW AARON RENN: 🐦 Twitter/X: https://x.com/aaron_renn 🌐 Newsletter - In-depth cultural analysis: https://www.aaronrenn.com/

Is local leadership declining, even in America’s fastest-growing cities? Aaron Renn sits down with Mark Barbash, a longtime economic development professional in Columbus, Ohio, to examine the quiet crisis of civic and corporate leadership.  They discuss how generational change, corporate consolidation, shifting philanthropy, and a K-shaped economy are weakening the institutions that once held cities together—while headline growth continues. Using Columbus, Ohio as a case study, they explore what it will take to rebuild commitment to the common good.  Topics include the decline of place-based corporate leaders, the rise of donor-advised funds, workforce and housing constraints, the limits of economic development incentives, and whether there’s still a “burning platform” for meaningful change.  CHAPTERS: (00:00 Introduction: The Leadership Crisis in American Cities) (02:05 How Civic and Corporate Leadership Has Changed Over the Decades) (08:15 Generational Shifts and the Decline of Place-Based Leadership) (15:00 Economic Development in a Globalized, Industry-Focused World) (17:00 The K-Shaped Economy, Workforce Shortages & Housing Stress) (24:00 The Transformation of Local Philanthropy and Community Foundations) (31:40 Is There a Burning Platform for Change in Booming Cities?) (37:00 What Should We Do? Rebuilding Consensus and Engagement) ARTICLES DISCUSSED: 🌐 From Titans to Technocrats: https://www.aaronrenn.com/p/from-titans-to-technocrats 🌐 'The Columbus Way' is failing as community, problems grow: https://www.aol.com/articles/columbus-way-failing-community-problems-082827000.html 🌐 Instability at Columbus Partnership sign of broken Columbus Way: https://www.aol.com/articles/instability-columbus-partnership-sign-broken-081533000.html CONNECT & FOLLOW AARON RENN: 🐦 Twitter/X: https://x.com/aaron_renn 🌐 Newsletter - In-depth cultural analysis: https://www.aaronrenn.com/

In this week's episode, I'm sharing an appearance I made on Faithful Discourse with Chris Henry, the senior pastor of Second Presbyterian Church in Indianapolis. For more about this church and our conversation, you can see the write up I did on my web site: https://www.aaronrenn.com/p/the-reckoning-is-here

Economist Arpit Gupta joins Aaron to break down the future of American cities after remote work, office real estate collapse, and the rise of AI. From the “Urban Doom Loop” — where falling commercial property values crush city tax revenue and trigger a vicious spiral — to surging suburban housing prices, office-to-residential conversions, and the transformative potential of autonomous vehicles, this conversation covers the biggest forces reshaping urban America. Will AI supercharge white-collar job growth and rescue downtowns, or accelerate the displacement of routine office work? Are superstar cities like New York and San Francisco pulling ahead while second-tier cities struggle? And how will self-driving cars radically expand commuting patterns and city sprawl? CHAPTERS: (00:00 – Introduction & The Urban Doom Loop Explained) (03:20 – Post-COVID Office Market Recovery (or Lack Thereof)) (07:45 – Why Housing Prices Are Soaring While Offices Collapse) (12:10 – Remote Work’s Lasting Impact on City Centers) (15:30 – AI’s Dual Effect on White-Collar Jobs & Office Demand) (22:40 – Can Tourism or “Playground Cities” Replace Commerce?) (26:15 – Agglomeration Effects in the Age of Zoom & AI) (31:40 – Advice for Young People Entering the Job Market) (36:50 – The Game-Changer: Autonomous Vehicles & the Future of Sprawl) (43:20 – Will Most Cities Decline or Adapt?) ARPIT GUPTA LINKS: 🐦 Twitter/X: https://x.com/arpitrage 🌐 Arpit Gupta's NYU Homepage: https://www.stern.nyu.edu/faculty/bio/arpit-gupta CONNECT & FOLLOW AARON RENN: 🐦 Twitter/X: https://x.com/aaron_renn 🌐 Newsletter - In-depth cultural analysis: https://www.aaronrenn.com/

In this powerful conversation, Delano Squires, Director of the Richard and Helen DeVos Center for Human Flourishing at The Heritage Foundation and author of The Vanishing Black Family, breaks down the dramatic collapse of the Black family — from stable two-parent homes in the 1940s-1950s to today’s 70% out-of-wedlock birth rate. Delano explains how slavery deformed but did not destroy the Black family, but how the combination of 1960s welfare policies and new ideologies worked to undermine it. CHAPTERS: (00:00 Introduction) (01:45 The 1986 Bill Moyers Documentary) (04:20 Why Delano Wrote This Book Now) (08:10 The Black Family Before the 1960s – Surprisingly Stable) (13:40 Slavery’s Real Impact vs. Welfare & Feminism) (19:55 The Economic Argument – Jobs vs. Culture) (26:40 Why the “Marriageable Men” Theory Falls Short) (32:15 Restoring the Black Family – The Multi-Generational Plan (Church, HBCUs & More)) (42:50 Final Thoughts) DELANO SQUIRES LINKS: 📖 Buy The Vanishing Black Family: How Welfare and Feminism Made Marriage Optional and Children Vulnerable: https://www.amazon.com/Vanishing-Black-Family-Feminism-Vulnerable-ebook/dp/B0FRFLFVLH/?&_encoding=UTF8&tag=theurban-20 🐦 Twitter/X: https://x.com/DelanoSquires CONNECT & FOLLOW AARON RENN: 🐦 Twitter/X: https://x.com/aaron_renn 🌐 Newsletter - In-depth cultural analysis: https://www.aaronrenn.com/

How did “disinformation” become the all-purpose explanation for American politics? In this eye-opening conversation, journalist Jacob Siegel reveals how a century-old progressive vision of expert rule evolved into today’s censorship-industrial complex — from Woodrow Wilson’s propaganda machine to the Hunter Biden laptop suppression and beyond. Siegel, author of the new book The Information State, traces the hidden history of information control and explains how governments and tech platforms now shape what we see, say, and believe. CHAPTERS: (00:00 Introduction) (00:48 Discovering Disinformation Everywhere in 2016) (04:00 Misinformation, Disinformation & Malinformation Explained) (08:23 The Hamilton 68 Censorship Scandal) (12:15 The Hunter Biden Laptop Suppression) (18:45 The Progressive Origins: Woodrow Wilson to the Creel Committee) (35:00 What Should Replace the Information State?) (41:10 Rebuilding Borders on the Internet) (45:59 Is the Censorship Apparatus Still a Threat?) JACOB SIEGEL LINKS: 🐦 Twitter/X: https://x.com/Jacob__Siegel 📖 Buy The Information State: Politics in the Age of Total Control:  https://www.amazon.com/Information-State-Politics-Total-Control/dp/1250363128/?&_encoding=UTF8&tag=theurban-20 CONNECT & FOLLOW AARON RENN: 🐦 Twitter/X: https://x.com/aaron_renn 🌐 Newsletter - In-depth cultural analysis: https://www.aaronrenn.com/

Is AI the next great labor shock — and are we about to repeat the mistakes of NAFTA? Aaron Renn talks with Brent Orrell, Senior Fellow at the American Enterprise Institute, about what AI is already doing to the workforce, why this time the disruption is hitting knowledge workers first, and why human formation may be the most valuable asset in an AI-infused world. Brent Orrell studies the future of work and AI at AEI and previously served for years at the U.S. Department of Labor. He is launching a National Commission on AI and the Future of the American Workforce. CHAPTERS: (00:00 Introduction) (00:55 Why AI Is the New NAFTA) (04:30 A National Commission on AI and Work) (07:30 The Labor Effects Already Happening) (12:20 How "Learn to Code" Became a Trap) (17:00 Adaptation: The Core Skill for the AI Era) (24:00 Why Human Formation Matters More Than Ever) (40:00 The Coming White-Collar Political Disruption) BRENT ORELL LINKS: 🌐 Brent Orell's AEI Home Page and Articles: https://www.aei.org/profile/brent-orrell/ CONNECT & FOLLOW AARON RENN: 🐦 Twitter/X: https://x.com/aaron_renn 🌐 Newsletter - In-depth cultural analysis: https://www.aaronrenn.com/

Aaron Renn sits down with Seth Barron, Associate Editorial Page Editor at the New York Post and author of Weaponized: The Left's Capture and Destruction of America's Sacred Institutions. They discuss how cherished American myths have been twisted to weaponize key institutions — policing, borders, public safety, housing, education, and civic life itself. From “defund the police” and anarcho-tyranny in New York City to open borders, the erosion of assimilation, and the battle over American identity, this conversation reveals how the left uses institutions as tools of political power. CHAPTERS: (00:00 - Introduction) (01:36 - What "Weaponized" Really Means) (03:45 - The Left's War on Policing & Public Safety)  (09:20 - Anarcho-Tyranny in NYC Under Mamdani) (15:10 - Police Brutality Myths vs Reality) (18:40 - Why the Right Lacks a Competing Moral Vision) (22:15 - Think Globally vs Think Locally) (28:50 - Immigration, Borders & the Attack on Citizenship) (36:55 - American Identity & the End of Assimilation) (43:20 - Israel, Palestine & the Left's Broader Agenda) GUEST LINKS: 📖 Weaponized: The Left's Capture and Destruction of America's Sacred Institutions: https://www.amazon.com/Weaponized-Lefts-Seizure-State-Power/dp/1630062693/?&_encoding=UTF8&tag=theurban-20 🐦 Twitter/X: https://x.com/sethbarronnyc CONNECT & FOLLOW AARON RENN: 🐦 Twitter/X: https://x.com/aaron_renn 🌐 Newsletter - In-depth cultural analysis: https://www.aaronrenn.com/

In this wide-ranging conversation, Georgetown Professor Joshua Mitchell explains why America remains a deeply Hebraic, covenantal nation — and why the current culture war is best understood as a distorted continuation of the Reformation. From the Plato-Aristotle divide to Luther’s turn to history, from Tocqueville’s warnings to the spiritual economy of stain and redemption, Mitchell offers a profound diagnosis of where American Christianity stands today. Watch until the end for a hopeful (yet challenging) path forward. CHAPTERS (00:00 Introduction & The Article That Sparked a National Conversation) (04:20 The Great Schism: Plato vs Aristotle & East vs West) (11:45 Why the Catholic Church Chose Aristotle — And Its Consequences) (18:50 The Reformation: Luther’s Historical Dialectic vs Calvin’s Covenantal Path) (27:15 America as a New Israel — The Hebraic Soul of the Nation) (35:40 Identity Politics as Deformed Puritanism) (44:10 Evangelicals, Conservatives & the Path Forward for Reformation Christians)  JOSHUA MITCHELL LINKS: 🌐 Whither the Reformation in America: https://americanreformer.org/2026/03/whither-the-reformation-in-america/ MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE: 📖 The Cave and the Light: Plato Versus Aristotle, and the Struggle for the Soul of Western Civilization by Arthur Herman: https://www.amazon.com/Cave-Light-Aristotle-Struggle-Civilization/dp/0553385666/?&_encoding=UTF8&tag=theurban-20 CONNECT & FOLLOW AARON RENN: 🐦 Twitter/X: https://x.com/aaron_renn 🌐 Newsletter - In-depth cultural analysis: https://www.aaronrenn.com/

Why do people think conservatives are boring? Sociologist and cultural thinker Margarita Mooney Clayton joins me to challenge the stereotype that artists must be transgressive and that conservatives lack creativity. Drawing on the philosophy of Jacques Maritain, we explore the true vocation of the artist: cooperating with divine inspiration to create beautiful works that point toward the good, the true, and God Himself. We discuss romanticism vs. ordered creativity, abundance vs. desecration in culture, and how conservatives can reclaim beauty, joy, and cultural renewal. Margarita shares insights from her work at Princeton Theological Seminary, Blackfriars Hall Oxford, and as founder of the Scala Foundation. CHAPTERS: (00:00 Introduction) (01:51 How a sociologist became interested in beauty and the arts) (04:28 Why people think conservatives are boring) (09:02 Art as transgressive? The panel discussion) (10:28 Jacques Maritain and the vocation of the artist) (19:13 Romanticism, reason, and the role of intellect in art) (26:35 Can modern art be beautiful? Tradition vs. modernism) (33:58 The place of transgression, paradox, and truth in art) MARGARITA MOONEY CLAYTON LINKS: 🌐 Are Artists Transgressive, Conservative, or Neither?: https://www.gracedimagination.com/p/does-an-artist-steal-fire-from-the 🌐 The Vocation of the Artist in Jacques Maritain’s Life and Work: https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/new-blackfriars/article/from-strangers-to-friends-of-god-the-vocation-of-the-artist-in-jacques-maritains-life-and-work/00BBA2972BD500A5D831835CF8C5BE8D 🌐 Scala Foundation: https://scalafoundation.org/ CONNECT & FOLLOW AARON RENN: 🐦 Twitter/X: https://x.com/aaron_renn 🌐 Newsletter - In-depth cultural analysis: https://www.aaronrenn.com/

Emma Waters is a Policy Analyst at the Heritage Foundation's Center for Technology and the Human Person, wife, mother of two, and author of the new book Lead Like Jael: 7 Timeless Principles for Today's Women of Faith (Regnery Publishing, March 2026). In this episode of The Aaron Renn Show, Emma joins Aaron to discuss biblical womanhood in a post-pandemic world. Drawing from the story of Jael in Judges 4–5, she outlines a nuanced vision that rejects both "girl boss" feminism (even when dressed in evangelical clothes) and overly romanticized trad-wife ideals. Instead, she advocates prioritizing marriage and motherhood as primary callings while strategically using God-given gifts and modern opportunities like remote work.They cover personal stories (including Emma dumping her now-husband during college), the real trade-offs of career vs. family, research on childcare impacts, the "tent peg strategy" for women fighting evil from the home, and why putting first things first often leads to unexpected blessings. CHAPTERS: (00:00 Introduction) (03:20 The Freak-Out Over Kids & Career in College) (09:45 Critiquing Girl Boss Feminism & Trad Wife Romanticism) (17:30 Remote Work, Home Economy, & Childcare Research) (25:00 The Breakup & Choosing Family Over a Dream Opportunity) (32:40 The Tent Peg Strategy – Jael's Story & Fighting Evil as Women) (40:15 The 7 Principles: Discernment, Shrewdness, Motherhood as Warfare & More) (50:00 Finding Wise Mentors & Counsel in Today) EMMA WATERS LINKS: 📖 Lead Like Jael: 7 Timeless Principles for Today's Women of Faith: https://www.amazon.com/dp/1510783539/?&_encoding=UTF8&tag=theurban-20 🐦 Twitter/X: https://x.com/emlwaters CONNECT & FOLLOW AARON RENN: 🐦 Twitter/X: https://x.com/aaron_renn 🌐 Newsletter - In-depth cultural analysis: https://www.aaronrenn.com/

In this episode, Aaron Renn interviews T.C. Schmidt, associate professor at Fairfield University and author of the groundbreaking Oxford University Press book Josephus and Jesus: New Evidence for the One Called Christ. Schmidt, with a PhD from Yale, uses new linguistic analysis, computer databases, and ancient Greek studies to argue that the Testimonium Flavianum—Josephus's famous passage about Jesus—is substantially authentic. This challenges a century of scholarly consensus that it was heavily interpolated by Christians. Schmidt shares his journey as an evangelical scholar, the book's warm reception (including praise from top Josephus expert Steve Mason), and why Christians should pursue excellence in secular academia. CHAPTERS: (00:00 - Introduction) (02:30 - Who Was Josephus? Background & Importance) (07:45 - The Controversial Testimonium Flavianum) (12:20 - New Methods: Databases, Style Analysis & Word Studies) (18:50 - Reinterpreting "Appeared Alive Again" – Resurrection Insight) (25:10 - Scholarly Reception & Challenges to Consensus) (32:40 - Evangelical Scholarship in Secular Academia) (40:15 - Advice for Aspiring Christian Scholars) TC SCHMIDT LINKS: 📖 Josephus and Jesus: New Evidence for the One Called Christ (free download): https://josephusandjesus.com/ 🌐 Institute for Christian Reflection: https://instituteforchristianreflection.org/ CONNECT & FOLLOW AARON RENN: 🐦 Twitter/X: https://x.com/aaron_renn 🌐 Newsletter - In-depth cultural analysis: https://www.aaronrenn.com/

AI isn't just answering questions anymore—it's doing real work that used to take humans hours, days, or even weeks. In this wide-ranging conversation, returning guest Dean Ball, Senior Fellow at the Foundation for American Innovation, breaks down the massive leaps in AI since mid-2024: smarter models with true reasoning, web-searching research agents, and revolutionary coding agents that control your computer via command line to automate complex tasks. We cover: - Why AI has gone from "toy" to essential tool for professionals - The rise of coding agents (Claude Code, OpenAI tools) and real-world examples - Why so many skeptics—especially on the American right—are still skeptical (and why they're likely to get left behind) - Data center backlash, NIMBYism, energy/water concerns, and how AI companies could win more community support - Dean's experience drafting the Trump administration's AI action plan at the White House OSTP - Practical tips: Go "AI-first" in your workflow (skip Google, use Claude/Grok, integrate agents) Whether you're an AI user, skeptic, policymaker, or just curious about where this tech is headed in 2026, this episode is a reality check on what's actually working today. CHAPTERS (00:00 Introduction) (00:44 How Far AI Has Come Since 2024) (02:35 Smarter Models + Better Reasoning) (03:14 From Google Search to Real Research Reports) (03:56 Coding Agents: The New Form Factor Revolution) (05:49 Aaron's AI-First Workflow (Claude, Grok, Voice Prompting)) (07:46 Real Example: Building a Manosphere Podcast Transcription Tool) (10:15 AI for Work vs. Chat/Fun – Doing Useful Stuff) (12:20 Feedback on Writing, Refining Ideas, Not Great at Pure Idea Gen) (13:45 Addressing AI Skepticism (Right & Left)) (16:40 Ignorance, Cultural Animosity, & Boycotts) (18:30 Josh Hawley Example & Early Impressions) (23:00 Data Centers: NIMBY Fights, Energy, Taxes, & Community Buy-In) (30:00 Trump's AI Action Plan – What It Covers & Why) (35:00 National Security, Cyber Risks, & Prudent Steps) (42:00 Dean's White House Experience & Using AI to Help Draft) (51:00 AI Is Like a Piano – Easy to Start, Hard to Master) DEAN BALL LINKS: 🐦 Twitter/X: https://x.com/deanwball 🌐 Dean Ball's Substack: https://www.hyperdimensional.co/ CONNECT & FOLLOW AARON RENN: 🐦 Twitter/X: https://x.com/aaron_renn 🌐 Newsletter - In-depth cultural analysis: https://www.aaronrenn.com/

In this episode, historian Dr. Albert Thompson joins Aaron Renn for a deep, honest discussion on race in America—from its English colonial roots through slavery, the Civil War, Jim Crow, civil rights victories, and today's challenges. They explore how history shapes identity, why progress has been real yet uneven, the impact of WWII on black human capital, post-1960s cultural shifts, talent migration, networks, and why national unity is essential for America's future in a competitive world. CHAPTERS: 0:00 - Introduction 4:10 - America's English Origins and the Slow Establishment of Slavery 9:50 - Founding Fathers, Contradictions, and the Devil's Bargain of Race Over Religion 14:30 - The Civil War: Nationalism, Union, and the Destruction of Slavery 20:45 - Post-Civil War Reinvention: Republican Dominance, Jim Crow, and Northern/Southern Divide 28:00 - 20th Century Shifts: Great Migration, Depression, and WWII as a Turning Point 35:15 - Civil Rights in the 1960s: Successes Amid Cultural Upheaval and the "Great Awokening" 42:20 - Talent, Networks, Migration, and Building Human Capital in Black Communities 50:30 - Rethinking DEI, Seeking Untapped Talent, and Why Unity Matters to Compete Globally 55:00 - Addressing Real Problems as Fellow Citizens DR. ALBERT THOMPSON LINKS: 🐦 Twitter/X: https://x.com/IronProfessor 🌐 Dr. Thompson's Substack: https://www.albertrussellthompson.com/ CONNECT & FOLLOW AARON RENN: 🐦 Twitter/X: https://x.com/aaron_renn 🌐 Newsletter - In-depth cultural analysis: https://www.aaronrenn.com/