In a world that often feels dominated by technology and constant change, it’s easy to forget that some people are still living by the rhythms of ancient traditions. James Rebanks, an author and shepherd, is one of them, and in today's episode, he shares what following a way of life that has endured for thousands of years can teach us about modern life and the things that matter.

James offers a glimpse at the often ignored and misunderstood world of pastoral life in England's Lake District, which isn't just about working with sheep and cattle but maintaining a deep connection to past generations, a commitment to community, and a sense of purpose. He takes us through the life of a fell shepherd, where the timeless values of hard work, seasonality, stewardship, and stillness still get lived out day to day.

Resources Related to the Podcast

• James' books
• Grazing School
• The Poetics of Manhood by Michael Herzfeld
• Braiding Sweetgrass by Robin Wall Kimmerer
• Dying Breed article: 5 Things Farmers Have Taught Me About Work, Life, and Legacy
• Wendell Berry's books
• Regeneratist Allen Williams
• Regeneratist Greg Judy

Connect With James Rebanks

• James on X
• James on IG

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You're on an airplane that crash lands. Smoke fills the cabin, and you've got only seconds to react. How would you respond? Would you immediately take action — or freeze in place?

While you might think you know how a scene like this would play out from watching movies, the reality of what occurs in the aftermath of a disaster is quite a bit different. And that knowledge gap could prove deadly.

My guest, Amanda Ripley, spent years researching how humans actually respond in emergencies, interviewing their survivors, as well leading researchers. In her book, The Unthinkable: Who Survives When Disaster Strikes—and Why, she uncovers the myths and realities of survival psychology and explores the individual and structural factors that shape people's outcomes in unexpected crises. Today, Amanda explains why the biggest threat during an emergency isn't panic but passivity — and how to overcome the tendency to be overly complacent and compliant. We discuss why you might actually want to read the airplane safety card, what we can learn from the surprising calm that prevailed in the World Trade Center towers on 9/11, how to improve your risk assessment, what influences if you'll act heroically in an emergency, and much more. This episode will give you plenty to think about — and could even make the difference in how you respond if you're ever faced with the unthinkable.

• AoM article on how to develop situational awareness
• AoM article on why people respond passively to emergencies
• Box breathing
• Beverly Hills Supper Club fire
• Rick Rescorla

• Amanda's website

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The British just seem like a classier bunch. Part of it is that winning accent. But it's also because English culture has long been steeped in the tradition of learning and practicing etiquette.

Here to share some of the essentials of modern etiquette that are important no matter which side of the pond you live on is William Hanson, a British etiquette expert and the author of Just Good Manners. William shares the difference between manners and etiquette, and why young people are especially interested in both. He then takes us through how to introduce yourself and others, the history behind the "no elbows on the table" mantra, the rules of small talk, some overlooked guidelines for table manners, how to enter a conversational circle at a party, considerations for elevator etiquette, and much more. Whether you're dining at a fancy restaurant or just want to navigate social situations with more confidence, William's insights will help you present yourself with the panache of a proper English gentleman.

• AoM Podcast #897: Answers to the FAQ of Modern Etiquette
• AoM Podcast #422: Men & Manners — Tipping, Emojis, and Much More
• AoM Article: The Importance of Good Manners
• AoM Article: How to Acquire Good Manners
• AoM Article: A Man’s Guide to Dining Etiquette and Proper Table Manners
• AoM Article: How to Make Introductions Like a Gentleman
• AoM Article: How to Make Small Talk
• AoM's Complete Guide to Giving a Great Handshake

• William's website
• William on TikTok
• William on IG

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Jim VandeHei didn’t have an auspicious start in life. His high school guidance counselor told him he wasn’t cut out for college, and he went on to confirm her assessment, getting a 1.4 GPA at the University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh and spending more time drinking beer than planning his career.

Eventually, though, Jim turned things around for himself, going on to co-found two of the biggest modern media outlets, Politico and Axios.

Jim shares how he started moving up the rungs of success and building a better life for himself in his new book Just the Good Stuff: No-BS Secrets to Success (No Matter What Life Throws at You). Today on the show, Jim shares the real-world lessons he’s learned in his career. We discuss the importance of matching passion to opportunity, making your own luck, surrounding yourself with the right people, keeping the buckets of your happiness matrix filled, understanding the difference between wartime and peacetime leadership, harnessing the energy of healthy revenge, and more.

• Jim at Axios

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Today I talk to business owner, author, and public speaker Rory Vaden about his two books, Take the Stairs and Procrastinate on Purpose. Rory and I talk about the principles that will help instill self-discipline in you and how you can be more effective with your time to leave a lasting legacy. Get out your pen and notebook. You'll want to take notes during this episode. Lots of great takeaways you can apply today.

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Eric Frohardt is the CEO of StrongFirst, a company dedicated to helping individuals becoming stronger physically and mentally. It was founded by Pavel Tsatsouline, the Father of Kettlebell training here in the U.S. Today in the podcast, Eric and I discuss why strength is skill, the benefits of kettlebell training, and greasing the groove every day to get stronger.

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A sunken pirate ship is one of the hardest things to find in the world. But two treasure hunters risked their lives and fortune to find one. In the process, the uncovered the story of one of the greatest pirates to ever live during the Golden Age of Piracy. My guest today wrote a book about the search of this pirate ship. His name is Robert Kurson and he's the author of the book Pirate Hunters: Treasure, Obsession, and the Search for a Legendary Pirate Ship. In today's show Robert and I discuss why pirates are so appealing, why two guys would risk millions of dollar to find a pirate ship, and the legendary story of the pirate who captained this sunken ship. You're not going to want to miss this.

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Tom Ruby served 26 years in the U.S Air Force and held positions as Squadron Intelligence Officer and Chief of Doctrine for Air Force Intelligence. Mr. Ruby served on a General Petraeus' Joint Strategic Assesment Team during the Iraq and Afghanistan wars. Today, Mr. Ruby spends his civilian life consulting companies on how to better think critically and strategically. Today on the show, Tom and I discuss how the Average Joe can improve his critical thinking and be better strategists. Lots of great takeaways from this show.

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Alastair Humphreys is a real-life adventurer. He's biked around the world and has even been named Adventurer of the Year by National Geographic. But Alastair wanted to show people that you didn't need to travel halfway across the world or spend a lot of money or time to find adventure. So for a year, he did what he called "Microadventures" in his native England. They're small things he could do in an evening after work or on a weekend. He cataloged all of his adventures in a book called "Microadventures" and today on the podcast Alastair and I discuss how the average Joe can find more adventure in his life by going on microadventures.

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Until fairly recently, most of the scientific research about parental influence on children usually left out dads. But recent studies have shown that fathers have an important role in the development of children-- from conception into adulthood. Award-winning science writer Paul Raeburn highlights all this new research in his book "Do Fathers Matter?" In today's podcast, Paul and I discuss what we can learn about fatherhood from a hunter-gatherer tribe in South America, how dads can help make their kids more social and verbose, and why every dad should roughhouse with their kids. If you're a dad or plan on being one someday, this is a must listen.

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In this episode I talk with the legendary wrestler and wrestling coach Dan Gable. He won the 1972 gold medal in Munich without giving up a single point, and won 15 championships as a coach at the University of Iowa between 1976 and 1997. His new book is called "A Wrestling Life: The Inspiring Stories of Dan Gable."

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What is it about making things with our hands that provides so much satisfaction? Why are we so drawn to the archetype of the craftsman? In his insightful book, Why We Make Things and Why it Matters, furniture builder and woodworking instructor Peter Korn explores the philosophy of craftsmanship. In the podcast today I talk to Peter about the ethos of craftsmanship, what craft can teach us about living the good life, and why you should get out in the garage and try building something with your hands.

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If you've read the site for awhile, than you're likely familiar with Matt Moore-- AoM's resident chef. Matt recently published a book with Southern Living magazine entitled The Southern Gentleman's Kitchen. Today on the podcast I talk to Matt about cooking, chivalry, boar hunting, entreprenuership, and how to cook the perfect steak.

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We often take for granted society's current sleep schedule. If you're like most people, you sleep about 8 hours a day in one chunk between the hours 10 PM and 8AM or there abouts. But our guest today reminds us that sleep always wasn't like that. In fact, it wasn't until the middle of the 19th century that that idea of sleep became the norm. In his book The Slumbering Masses, Dr. Michael J. Wolf-Meyer takes a look at the anthropology of sleep and explores how modern conceptions of sleep drives an entire sleep industry as well as stimulant industry-- coffee and energy drinks. A fascinating discussion.

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There are different philosophies one can have when it comes to money. Jared Dillian’s is built around eliminating as much anxiety around it as possible, so you hardly think about money at all.

Jared is a former trader for Lehman Brothers, the editor of The Daily Dirtnap, a market newsletter for investment professionals, and the author of No Worries: How to Live a Stress-Free Financial Life. Today on the show, Jared talks about the two biggest sources of financial stress — debt and risk — and how you can eliminate the stress they can cause. We discuss how three big financial decisions — buying a car, buying a house, and managing student loans — ultimately determine your financial health, and how to approach each of them in a stress-eliminating way. We also talk about how to minimize risk by creating what he calls an “awesome portfolio,” a mix of assets that has nearly the return of the stock market with half its risk. And Jared shares whether cryptocurrency fits into his “no worries” financial philosophy.

• AoM Article: Why and How to Start an Emergency Fund
• AoM Article: Start a Debt Reduction Plan
• AoM Article: What Every Young Man Should Know About Student Loans
• AoM Article: How to Buy a Used Car
• AoM Article: How to Negotiate the Best Deal on a New or Used Car
• AoM Podcast #536: How to Achieve a “Rich Life” With Your Finances
• AoM Podcast #963: Launch a Million-Dollar Business This Weekend

• Jared’s finance website
• Jared’s personal website
• Jared on X

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World record setting powerlifter Chris Duffin embodies what Teddy Roosevelt called the "strenuous life." Not only has he trained hard to lift superhuman amounts of weight, but he's strived to be the best man he can be in his family and professional life. His story of grit and drive to overcome obstacles and become a success is truly an inspiration. Chris and I discuss strength training and why men should be physically strong, but we also discuss how he has managed his time to balance family, work, and competitive powerlifting.

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Today we refer to depression as a mental illness that needs to be cured as quickly as possible. But our guest today makes the nuanced case that human beings may have evolved to be depressed and that at one time in our prehistoric past it served an adaptive purpose. The problem is that our brain isn't made for this hectic and stressful modern world that we live in. Dr. Jonathan Rottenberg is psychologist specializing in moods and today we discuss the research from his book The Depths: The Evolutionary Origins of the Depression Epidemic. Dr. Rottenberg's nuanced view of depression brings some much-needed balance and humanity to the discussion about depression.

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How do we make decisions in complex environments? Can we trust our gut? How do we gain insights? In today's podcast I talk to Gary Klein to answer these questions. Dr. Klein pioneered the field of naturalistic decision-making and is an expert on the science of insights. If you've enjoyed our content on the OODA Loop or situational awareness, you're really going to enjoy this episode.

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Jonathan Gottschall was an associate professor of English whose career had stalled in mid-life. Then one day he looked out his office and saw an MMA gym and he decided he was going to train to become a fighter to prove something to himself and to write a book about the biology, anthropology, and sociology of male violence. In the process, many of his assumptions about violence and masculinity changed. What he once saw as something terrible and despicable, came to be seen with some nuance. Part memoir, part anthropologic treatise, Gotschall's book The Professor in the Cage is a fascinating look at the role of violence in masculinity. In this episode I talk to Gottschall about violence and masculinity and why getting in a fight may be the best thing a man can do for himself.

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David Levien is a screenwriter, movie producer, novelist, and amateur boxer. He's worked with his writing partner Brian Koppelman on Rounders, Ocean's 13, and The Illusionist. On his own, he's published several novels, including the Frank Behr detective series. In this episode, I talk to David about writing, why detectives are an American archetype of masculinity, and boxing. This was a really fun and engaging conversation.

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For the past year or so I've had AoM readers emailing and tweeting me about a book called Underground Strength. Finally had a chance to check it out and I had to have the author on. Zach Even-Esh is a strength and conditioning coach and author. His philosophy towards fitness really resonates with me: tire flipping, sledgehammers, squats, and deadlifts-- among other things. In today's show, I ask Zach about the Underground Strength Philosophy, why you should strive to be an athlete, and what a guy can start doing today to get stronger.

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You can't go anywhere these days without running into an article or a book on how to be more positive and upbeat. Pessimism and anger are seen as traits we should do all we can to avoid. But my guest today says that view might be a little too short-sighted. His name is Dr. Todd Kashdan and he's the co-author fo the book, The Upside of Your Darkside. Today on the podcast we talk about the benefits of getting in touch with your pessimism and anger and the potential downsides of too much positivity. And we also discuss what Teddy Roosevelt can teach about the benefits of narcisssim and pychopathy. A fascinating discussion.

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Is success a skill that can be learned? Why are some people afraid of success? And what blind spots cause the successful to crash and burn? Well, my guest today has some ideas about these questions. His name is Dr. Jeff Spencer and he's spent his career helping top-performers-- athletes, CEOs, government leaders-- perform at their very best. We discuss his "Champion's Blueprint" and how the average Joe can apply it in his own life. Lots of great actionable steps in this podcast. Take notes!

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Robert Nickelsberg was a contract photographer for TIME magazine for 25 years. During that time he documented conflicts in Kashmir, Iraq, Sri Lanka, India and Afghanistan. His most recent book Afghanistan highlights his work from the Soviet retreat in Afghanistan in the 80s to the American conflict post 9-11.
On the podcast Robert and I discuss what it's like working in such hostile environments, the importance of situational awareness, and what he learned about Afghan manhood. If you've thought about becoming a freelance photographer, you'll get a lot of great insights from this podcast. Even if you don't want to be a photographer, you'll still find Robert's career fascinating.

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Eric Greitens is a Rhodes Scholar that started out his career as a humanitarian but then became a Navy SEAL. His book The Heart and the Fist makes that case that in order to be a good man, you have to be strong enough to fight for those you’re trying to do good for. His book Resilience is based around a series of letters between him and a SEAL buddy that was going through a rough time in his life with alcoholism, job loss, and PTSD. Greitens calls upon his background in philosophy to provide insights and advice for his struggling friend on how to develop resilience in the face of adversity. Eric and discuss what resilience is and how one develops it. We also talk about "uneven courage" the "morality of intentions" and how action proceeds feeling. An illuminating conversation. One of my favorites.

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Have you ever noticed the guy in a fighting stance on the Art of Manliness logo? That’s not just some random symbol; it’s an actual dude: John L. Sullivan, the greatest bare-knuckle boxer of the 19th century.

While most people think bare-knuckle boxing came to an end during Sullivan’s era, in fact, it never entirely went away. In his new book, Bare Knuckle: Bobby Gunn, 73–0 Undefeated. A Dad. A Dream. A Fight Like You’ve Never Seen, Stayton Bonner charts bare-knuckle boxing’s rise, fall, and resurgence, as well as the improbable story of its modern chapter’s winningest champion. Today on the show, Stayton describes bare-knuckle boxing’s incredible popularity a century ago, and why gloved boxing took its place while bare-knuckle got pushed into a shadowy, illicit underground. Stayton takes us into that secret circuit which still exists today, revealing the dark, sweaty basements and bars where modern bare-knuckle fights take place and the ancient code of honor that structures them. And Stayton introduces us to a dominant figure in that world, Bobby Gunn, an undefeated bare-knuckle fighter who combines a love of faith, family, and fighting and has helped turn bare-knuckle boxing into what is now the world’s fastest-growing combat sport.

• AoM series on honor
• AoM Podcast #41: Honor in the Civil War — The Gentlemen & The Roughs
• Podcast #54: The Life of John L. Sullivan
• AoM Podcast #111: Why Men Fight & Why We Like to Watch 
• AoM Article: America’s First Popular Men’s Magazine — The National Police Gazette
• Videos of Bobby Gunnfighting and talking about bare-knuckle boxing
• Tom Molineaux
• John L. Sullivan
• The Sullivan-Kilrain fight
• William “Bill the Butcher” Poole
• Gangs of New York bare-knuckle fight scene
• Far and Away bare-knuckle fight scene

• Stayton on X
• Stayton on LinkedIn

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I've quoted Dr. Waller Newell several times in my writing about masculinity on the Art of Manliness, and his approach towards manhood is very similar to the one that I take. So it was a pleasure to finally get to speak to him and have him on the podcast. Dr. Newell is a professor of political science at Carleton University and has written several books on manhood and honor including The Code of Man: Love, Courage, Pride, Family, Country and What Is a Man? 3,000 Years of Wisdom on the Art of Manly Virtue.

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What do women find attractive in men? What should you be looking for in a partner if you want a long lasting relationship? Are there any red flags to be looking for in a relationship? Are married men miserable or happy? My guest today has spent her career researching these questions. Her name is Dr. Duana Welch and in her book "Love Factually" she highlights the research that's out there about dating and relationships. Whether you're single or married, you're definitely going to find some great takeaways from this discussion.

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I talk to Antonio Centeno, owner of Real Men Real Style and our style writer at Art of Manliness, about the science and history of men's style. We discuss the martial origins of most menswear including the suit, tie, tench coat, and even t-shirt. We also discuss what science has to say about the effects a man's style and appearance has on their career and love life. For example, did you know that men with higher testosterone levels are on average more vain than men with lower testosterone levels? A great discussion with some practical takeaways on improving how you look.

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John Boyd is one of the greatest military strategists that hardly anyone knows about. Unmatched in the cockpit during the Korean War, his mind was also without rival. He was not simply a warrior of combat, but a warrior-engineer and warrior-philosopher.
When he was 33, he wrote “Aerial Attack Study,” which codified the best dogfighting tactics for the first time, became the “bible of air combat,” and revolutionized the methods of every air force in the world.
His Energy-Maneuverability (E-M) Theory helped give birth to the legendary F-15, F-16, and A-10 aircraft.
A briefing he developed, “Patterns of Conflict,” changed combat strategy for both airmen and ground troops, introduced the oft-cited, and typically misunderstood OODA loop, and “made him the most influential military thinker since Sun Tzu wrote The Art of War 2,400 years ago.”
All in all, John Boyd served in the United States Air Force for twenty-four years and through three wars.
But he was never promoted above colonel.
All because Boyd stubbornly refused to compromise his principles and ideals for advancement.
In today's podcast I talk to John Boyd biographer Robert Coram about the life and career of this fascinating warrior-philosopher and what we can learn from him on how to be better men.

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What does it mean to kill for your country? How do you learn how to do it? What does it feel like in the moment? Once the killing starts, how do you control it? And what happens when you kill the wrong person, or don’t kill someone you wish you had, or look back, years later, at the people you killed?
In this jarring and thought provoking book, journalist Phil Zabriskie interviews combat veterans the Afghanistan and Iraq wars and asks them what it's like to kill and what it has done to them and their families after they returned home.
It's an interesting discussion about something that hardly anyone talks about.

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You've probably heard about mud and obstacle races like Tough Mudder or Spartan Race, but did you know there are small local and regional obstacle races going on all over the country? In today's podcast I talk to David and Stephen Mainprize, founders and owners of Conquer the Gauntlet, a regional obstacle race that takes place in Oklahoma. I did the race last year and as someone who's done a few of the big mud run, Conquer the Gauntlet is by far my favorite. I talk to the Mainprizes why they started a local mud run, what's involved with organizing an obstacle race, and what's the best way to train for these types of races.

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West Point's graduating class of 1915 produced some of America's greatest military leaders including Eisenhower and Omar Bradley. Author and historian Michael Haskew calls it "the class the stars fell on". In today's podcast I talk to Michael about his book West Point 1915 and the men who made up this class and what made them so special.

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I talk to the CEO of Sorinex, Bert Sorin about his family's strength training equipment company and they're mission to help people become physically cultured. We discuss why a man should be strong, the strength benchmarks every man should master and why grip strength should play an important role in your strength training.

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Our brains have a built-in negativity bias. While this bias served us well in our caveman days, in our soft and cooshy world it causes us to confuse daily stress with actual dangers leaving us feeling angry, agitated, and even depressed.
But our guest today says we can overcome our brain's natural bias with a practice that just takes a few seconds each day. His name is Dr. Rick Hanson and he's the author of the book, Hardwiring Happiness: The New Brain Science of Contentment, Calm, and Confidence.
We discuss why our brain's negativity bias isn't made for the 21st century and what we can do to hardwire our brain for happiness and resilience.

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Brian Koppelman is a man of many hats- music executive, screenwriter, and now podcast host. I talk with Brian about career trajectories in the modern economy and how having a set career path at the beginning of your career just doesn't work very well. Instead of having a rigid plan, Brian argues that we should instead tenaciously follow our curiosity while developing skills that will open up new doors. Brian gives concrete examples from his own career of following his curiosity. We also discuss the importance of hard work, learning to deal with failure and rejections, and what Brian has learned about men from writing films.

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Do you sometimes walk to another room in your house to get something, but then can’t remember what it was you wanted? Do you sometimes forget about an appointment or struggle to remember someone’s name?

You may have chalked these lapses in memory up to getting older. And age can indeed play a role in the diminishing power of memory. But as my guest will tell us, there are other factors at play as well.

Charan Ranganath is a neuroscientist, a psychologist, and the author of Why We Remember: Unlocking Memory’s Power to Hold on to What Matters. Today on the show, Charan explains how factors like how we direct our attention, take photos, and move through something called “event boundaries” all affect our memory, and how our current context in life impacts which memories we’re able to recall from the past. We also talk about how to reverse engineer these factors to improve your memory.

• AoM Article: 10 Ways to Improve Your Memory
• AoM Podcast #546: How to Get a Memory Like a Steel Trap
• AoM Podcast #750: The Surprising Benefits of Forgetting
• Reminiscence bump

• Charan’s website
• Charan on IG
• Charan’s faculty page

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On December 20, 1943 a badly damaged American bomber was flying over German airspace. Piloting the plane was a 21 year old on his first mission. Half his crew lay wounded or dead. Suddenly a German fighter flew in and lined up right behind the bomber. Flying that fighter was on the German air forces top aces. With just a pull of the trigger the German fighter could have sent the American bomber crashing to the ground. But he didn't do that. Instead he did something absolutely incredible. In today's podcast we talk about what happened in the sky in Germany over 70 years ago between two enemies and how it would lead to friendship. Our guest to day is Adam Makos. He's the author of the book A Higher Call which re-counts this event.

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I talk to the founder and CEO of Onnit Aubrey Marcus about what it means to strive for "total human optimization." We discuss cognitive boosters like nootropics, why we should look to the past for fitness inspiration, and what he's learned about masculinity working with the top MMA fighters in the world. Plus much more.

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When many people hear the word "networking" images of hotel conference rooms filled with strangers pressing flesh and handing out business cards while giving one minute elevator pitches come to mind. It's like a white collar purgatory. But according to my podcast guest, networking doesn't have to be like that. In fact, it can actually be pleasant and even fun. In today's show I talk to attorney, networking expert, and AoM contributor John Cororan about how to network like a pro.

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We all are familiar with Adam Smith's book, The Wealth of Nations. It gave us the "invisible hand" and basically created the field of economics. But did you know he wrote a book before the Wealth of Nations on how to live a virtuous and good life? It's called the Theory of Moral Sentiments and the insights Smith makes in it can change your life for the better. I talk to economist Russ Roberts, author of the book, How Adam Smith Can Change Your Life, about what we can learn from the Father of Economics on living the "good life." We discuss what Smith thinks we need to do to be truly happy, how the "impartial observers" in all of us can guide to us be better, why fame isn't all that great, and why we continue to buy new iPhones even though we know the excitement of owning it will wear off in about week.

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I talk to famous motivational speaker Tony Robbins about his new book "Money: Master the Game." Tony and I talk about what he learned after interviewing the world's most successful investors and how average Joes can apply it in their own life. We discuss the myths that are preventing people from saving enough from retirement, why you should avoid actively managed mutual funds, why NOT losing money is one of the most important investment strategies, and how to create a portfolio that can withstand the sometimes violent ebbs and flows of the stock market.

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I talk with Vietnam veteran and Medal of Honor recipient Paul Bucha about his military career, what Vietnam was like, the intense love he has for his fellow soldiers, and what it's like to receive the citation for the Medal of Honor. A fascinating discussion with a fascinating man.

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Do you feel stuck in behaviors or mindsets that hold you back from the man you want to be? In today's podcast we're going to introduce you to a technique scientifically proven to help bring lasting change in people's lives. It's called "story editing" and our guest today wrote a book on the subject. His name is Dr. Tim Wilson and he's the author of the book, Redirect: The Surprising New Science of Psychological Change. Tim and I discuss how we can edit our stories to become better men and what George Bailey can teach us about changing our story.

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I talk to boyhood psychology expert, Dr. Michael Gurian about his book, The Wonder of Boys. We discuss how biological differences between boys and girls affect the neurology and consequently the psychology of boys as well as how schools and therapists have overlooked these differences to the detriment of boys. Gurian provides insights into what boys need in order to grow into strong, mentally and emotionally healthy men, and what parents can do to provide that environment to boys. If you're a dad, this is a definite must-listen. Lots of great actionable information here to help your son to become a good, strong man.

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Why are men (generally) more violent then women? Why are men (generally) drawn to competition? Is the idea that masculinity means having courage and strength just a complete cultural construct or is their a biological underpinning to it? Well, our guest today makes the case that we can look to our closest animal relatives, the great apes, to find answers to these questions. His name is Dr. Richard Wrangham and he is a professor of biological anthropology at Harvard University. He's the co-author of the book, Demonic Males: Apes and Origins of Human Violence. In today's podcast, Dr. Wrangham and I look at what we can learn about human masculinity from chimpanzees and other apes. We discuss the biological underpinnings of masculinity as well as patriarchy and what insights we can gleam from that. It's a super fascinating show.

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The Marine Combat Hunter Program was developed during the Iraq and Afghanistan wars to give soldiers tools on how to detect threats before they happen. The goal is to make Marines as situationally aware as possible so they can not just survive, but also win lethal encounters. In Left of Bang, Patrick Van Horne presents the skills and mindsets that are taught in the Marine Combat Hunter program for a civilian audience. We talk about situational awareness and how these skills can be used beyond the battlefield.

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If you read most first aid guides, the last step in treating someone who’s gotten injured or sick is always: get the victim to professional medical help.

But what if you found yourself in a situation where hospitals were overcrowded, inaccessible, or non-functional? What if you found yourself in a grid-down, long-term disaster, and you were the highest medical resource available?

Dr. Joe Alton is an expert in what would come after the step where most first aid guides leave off. He’s a retired surgeon and the co-author of The Survival Medicine Handbook: The Essential Guide for When Help is NOT on the Way. Today on the show, Joe argues that every family should have a medical asset and how to prepare to be a civilian medic. We discuss the different levels of first aid kits to consider creating, from an individual kit all the way up to a community field hospital. And we talk about the health-related skills you might need in a long-term grid-down disaster, from burying a dead body, to closing a wound with super glue, to making an improvised dental filling, to even protecting yourself from the radiation of nuclear fallout.

• AoM Article: How to Use a Tourniquet to Control Major Bleeding
• AoM Article: The Complete Guide to Making a DIY First Aid Kit
• AoM Article: How to Suture a Wound
• AoM Article: What Every Man Should Keep in His Car
• AoM Article: Improvised Ways to Close a Wound
• AoM Podcast #869: The Survival Myths That Can Get You Killed With Alone Winner Jim Baird

• Doom and Bloom website
• Doom and Bloom on YouTube
• Doom and Bloom on FB

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Maneesh Sethi is the creator of Pavlok. It's a wearable device that connects to your smartphone and helps you make and break habits. One of the things Pavlok does is shock you if you do something you're not supposed to be doing, like visiting a time wasting site like Facebook, or when you don't do what you should be doing, like going to the gym. I talk to Maneesh about habits and the power of punishment in getting us to do what we should be doing. We also discuss the ways men and women differ in forming habits. Lots of great, practical info in this podcast. If you're looking for more info about Pavlok visit aom.is/pavlok.

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In this episode I talk to writer J. C. Herz about her book, Learning to Breathe Fire: The Rise of CrossFit and the Primal Future of Fitness. Unless you've been living under a rock, you've probably heard about CrossFit. I'll admit that before I read Learning to Breathe Fire, I had just a vague idea of how CrossFit worked, and was honestly pretty skeptical of it. My only interaction with the program has been giving the CrossFitters (or "fire breathers" as they sometimes call themselves) at my gym the stink eye for taking all the barbells from the squat racks so they could do their hang cleans. So it was interesting to read a book that goes into the history, philosophy, and even anthropology of CrossFit, and why it has become so popular so quickly. While the book didn't turn me into a full-on convert, it did really broaden my perspective of the program, and I even tried my first CrossFit workout after reading it.

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