Had some good conversations with friends over breakfast yesterday about the Carlson/Cruz interview and Israel being God's chosen people. In reviewing resources I found Vanema's article and shared with them.
To be sure, I'm just the messenger (or more accurately, the consolidator). Glad it was helpful in the context of your conversation. Thanks for the encouragement, Bill!
"The result is millions of young men who may look like adults on the outside but are still boys internally"
I agree and sadly I feel the same way about "Christians" in America...
Ryan Holiday and David Brooks have expressed similar sentiments in their books The Obstacle Is the Way, and The Road to Character. We seem to be "depth deficient" in almost every area of our existence EXCEPT quick access to media and entertainment.
Haven't read Holiday but I read The Road to Character (as well as all of Brooks' other books) and enjoyed it. I think the pace of our culture, cities, and (sadly) churches works against depth and what it requires to develop. We don't just "sit" with things anymore and think about them; people multi-task everything and with increasing inputs.
I’m in that season of life where my interaction with male friends consists almost exclusively of texting each other politically incorrect memes or posting on their blogs. I honestly can’t recall the last time I sat in the room with a bro and watched a ballgame.
For me, the loneliness “epidemic” is not an epidemic, but rather is just endemic. It’s no longer something to fix. It’s just part of the air now.
. . .
The Democrats' successes or failures with men seem less indicative of their failures with men as much as it is an apparent fixation with doubling down on the "20" aspect of the 80-20 rule. Say what you want about Trump, the guy understands the power of the wedge issue and when to avoid third rails in his constituency.
Until the DNC stops appealing to the fringe and embraces its base, they'll continue to step on rakes.
. . .
And maybe this says more about how aggressively I’ve curated my various feeds, but I had almost completely forgotten the existence of Ted Cruz and Tucker Carlson.
Your point about “Israel” and “Israel” landed, though. As a Reformed Baptist in an SBC congregation, the Dispensationalism is real, yo.
. . .
P.S. I loved the new Oliver Anthony track. The second it dropped, I sent it to the two or three divorced dad bros I know who, years later, are *still* trying to rebuild their lives after the ravages of one-sided divorce and custody battles.
Appreciate all your perspectives here, Matthew. I'm very much in the same boat in terms of the online versions of engagement (for which I thank you, since you're one of my play buddies here). Megan says that I'm my own best friend, but I'm pretty sure that's not a compliment.
I thought about adding a mini-review on Anthony's new song as I share your appreciation for it, musically at least - it's pretty raw and wonderful, which is when Anthony is at his best. I didn't get into it lyrically, though, because I don't know all that happened between him and his wife, and there's always two sides to every story. But yes, as a tune, it's pretty gritty.
Had some good conversations with friends over breakfast yesterday about the Carlson/Cruz interview and Israel being God's chosen people. In reviewing resources I found Vanema's article and shared with them.
Thanks for your good work.
To be sure, I'm just the messenger (or more accurately, the consolidator). Glad it was helpful in the context of your conversation. Thanks for the encouragement, Bill!
"The result is millions of young men who may look like adults on the outside but are still boys internally"
I agree and sadly I feel the same way about "Christians" in America...
Ryan Holiday and David Brooks have expressed similar sentiments in their books The Obstacle Is the Way, and The Road to Character. We seem to be "depth deficient" in almost every area of our existence EXCEPT quick access to media and entertainment.
Haven't read Holiday but I read The Road to Character (as well as all of Brooks' other books) and enjoyed it. I think the pace of our culture, cities, and (sadly) churches works against depth and what it requires to develop. We don't just "sit" with things anymore and think about them; people multi-task everything and with increasing inputs.
I’m in that season of life where my interaction with male friends consists almost exclusively of texting each other politically incorrect memes or posting on their blogs. I honestly can’t recall the last time I sat in the room with a bro and watched a ballgame.
For me, the loneliness “epidemic” is not an epidemic, but rather is just endemic. It’s no longer something to fix. It’s just part of the air now.
. . .
The Democrats' successes or failures with men seem less indicative of their failures with men as much as it is an apparent fixation with doubling down on the "20" aspect of the 80-20 rule. Say what you want about Trump, the guy understands the power of the wedge issue and when to avoid third rails in his constituency.
Until the DNC stops appealing to the fringe and embraces its base, they'll continue to step on rakes.
. . .
And maybe this says more about how aggressively I’ve curated my various feeds, but I had almost completely forgotten the existence of Ted Cruz and Tucker Carlson.
Your point about “Israel” and “Israel” landed, though. As a Reformed Baptist in an SBC congregation, the Dispensationalism is real, yo.
. . .
P.S. I loved the new Oliver Anthony track. The second it dropped, I sent it to the two or three divorced dad bros I know who, years later, are *still* trying to rebuild their lives after the ravages of one-sided divorce and custody battles.
Appreciate all your perspectives here, Matthew. I'm very much in the same boat in terms of the online versions of engagement (for which I thank you, since you're one of my play buddies here). Megan says that I'm my own best friend, but I'm pretty sure that's not a compliment.
I thought about adding a mini-review on Anthony's new song as I share your appreciation for it, musically at least - it's pretty raw and wonderful, which is when Anthony is at his best. I didn't get into it lyrically, though, because I don't know all that happened between him and his wife, and there's always two sides to every story. But yes, as a tune, it's pretty gritty.