Quillette Cetera – Details, episodes & analysis

Dr. Mike Israetel is a well-known figure in the fitness and bodybuilding community, recognized for his expertise in sports science, particularly in the areas of hypertrophy (muscle growth), strength training, and nutrition. He holds a PhD in Sport Physiology and has a background in competitive bodybuilding, powerlifting, and Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu. As someone with a keen interest in bodybuilding, I've been following Dr. Mike for a while and appreciate how he blends his expertise in sports science with witty humor and quips on "woke" ideology. Bodybuilders aren't often known for their intelligence, but Dr. Mike is an exception. His interest in philosophy, politics, and free-market economics led him to discover Quillette. When I saw that he started following Quillette's Instagram page, I invited him on the podcast to talk, not about protein, squats, and bench-presses, but about the Enlightenment, religion, war, and anti-semitism. For those of you who know Dr. Mike, I hope you enjoy seeing his more philosophical, political side. For those of you who don't know him, I hope this conversation inspires you to not only train your brain (by reading Quillette) but also train your body. As Dr. Mike says in this conversation, "I think challenging yourself in the gym can become something that teaches you a little bit more about the deeper wisdom in life," something that Ancient Greek philosophers such as Socrates would probably agree with. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Dr. Warren Farrell discusses his latest book, 'From Rolemate to Soulmate,' which draws on his decades of counseling couples. He highlights the importance of effectively handling criticism in relationships and the consequences of not feeling heard. Dr. Farrell also explores the different forms of violence in relationships and challenges the notion that men are the sole perpetrators. He emphasizes the need for couples to create a conflict-free zone and learn to understand and appreciate each other's perspectives. Additionally, he discusses the importance of compatibility in relationships and the role of communication in bridging ideological differences. The conversation covers topics such as monogamy vs. non-monogamy, the challenges of polyamory and open relationships, the impact of children on relationships, the importance of communication, the struggles faced by men in modern society, and the concept of consent. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

David Limbrick is a Libertarian Member of Parliament in Victoria's upper house. He has been a Quillette reader since its inception in 2015 and came along to our Quillette Social in Melbourne in September 2023. Zoe asks David about the work he's done in pushing for a "watchful waiting" approach to treating children with gender-dysphoria in Victoria, his attendance at the Let Women Speak rally, the decriminalisation of marijuana, nuclear power, and the recent election of Javier Milei. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Quillette contributor and author of Woke Antisemitism: How a Progressive Ideology Harms Jews, David Bernstein, joins Zoe to discuss the ways antisemitism manifests on the Left and Right, and to explore how universities should promote free speech on campus. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Social scientist, Quillette contributor and Heterodox Academy member, Andrew Glover, joined me in September to talk about the current issues facing Australian universities when it comes to viewpoint diversity. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Julian McBride is a former US Marine who served in Afghanistan and then saw active warfare in Yemen while working for the United Nations. Now trained as a forensic anthropologist, he has taught Middle Eastern History at NYU and works as a military consultant and independent journalist. After suffering PTSD, Julian found solace in art-therapy, which lead him to found a not-for-profit called the Reflections of War Initiative (ROW). Julian joins me on the podcast to debunk some of the myths that Israel's detractors level at it, and tells me about his experiences seeing true genocides and war-crimes up close. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Just how much cronyism exists in Australia? Is it true that younger generations are worse off economically than baby boomers? Is home-ownership good metric for economic success? Is there a perfect number of immigrants that Australia should allow in? Why is Sydney's property market so expensive? All these questions and more are answered in this episode with Dr. Cameron Murray, an economist specialising in property and urban development, environmental economics, rent-seeking and corruption. His latest book is "Rigged: How networks of powerful mates rip off everyday Australians" and is available for purchase on Amazon. His website: http://www.fresheconomicthinking.com His Twitter: @drcameronmurray Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Rob Brooks is an evolutionary biologist who focuses on the evolutionary consequences of sexual reproduction. His areas of interest include the evolution of mate choice, the costs of being attractive, sexual conflict, the reasons animals age, and the interconnectedness of sex, diet, obesity, and mortality.  Leading a dynamic research group known as the SEX LAB, Rob collaborates with other researchers to explore the evolutionary and ecological implications of sexual reproduction. His work is primarily curiosity-driven and often funded by fundamental research programs like the ARC's Discovery program. Rob is motivated to study evolution because of its power to illuminate both nature and the human condition. Currently, he is especially interested in the interplay between evolution and economics, human life histories, sex differences in aging and longevity, the escalating obesity crisis, the relationship between evolution and equity feminism, the evolution of human physiques, the cultural role of Rock 'n' Roll, and the limitations of drawing moral conclusions from the natural world. Rob's first book, "Sex, Genes & Rock 'n' Roll: How Evolution has Shaped the Modern World," received the 2012 Queensland Literary Award for Science Writing. He also writes a regular column for The Conversation called "Natural History of the Present," which explores how an evolutionary view can enrich our understanding of the modern world and the human experience. In recognition of his contributions to science communication, Rob was awarded the 2013 Eureka Prize for Communicating Science & Research. His research primarily involves model organisms like guppies, field crickets, and mice, although he also has ongoing projects involving human subjects. Rob currently holds the position of Professor of Evolution and Director of the Evolution & Ecology Research Centre at the University of New South Wales in Sydney, Australia. The public is invited to participate in various studies led by his team. Check out Rob Brooks' writing for Quillette here: https://quillette.com/author/rob/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Zoe interviews Virginia Tapscott, a freelance journalist and mother of four from rural New South Wales, Australia. They discuss the concept of care feminism, which emphasizes the value and importance of women's care work, whether it is paid or unpaid. Care feminism is contrasted with dominant feminist rhetoric that sometimes aims to minimize or avoid care work altogether. Additionally, they discuss Virginia's podcast, My Sister's Secrets, which explores the stories of Virginia and her late sister, Alex. Both were sexually abused by a family member during their infancy. They examine whether this abuse influenced Virginia's perception of men and her desire to have a family. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode of Quillette Cetera, Zoe sits down with Christopher HF Mitchell and Jayan Nandagopan, two Australia-based artists whose show, The Marvellous Elephant Man Musical, is now showing at the Sydney Fringe Festival. The absurdist dark comedy is a crowd favourite and the winner of the Adelaide Fringe 2023 Critics' Circle Award. However, its carefree gags have ruffled many feathers in politically correct circles, so much so that one activist asked that the public boycott the show or demand refunds for tickets already purchased. We discuss cancel culture in the arts, the story of Joseph Merrick (the Elephant Man), the ethics of casting people with different abilities, identity politics, and much more Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices