In this thoughtful and wide-ranging episode of Better Questions, Kevin Hohe sits down once again with his longtime friend Matt for an honest exploration of curiosity, intellect, and the cultural divide between academics and everyday thinkers. What begins as a simple question, what does it mean to be an academic?, unfolds into a conversation about how we learn, what we believe, and the role of critical thinking in an age of information overload.

Matt reflects on his journey from youthful rebellion to intellectual discipline, examining the difference between true understanding and the illusion of knowledge. Together, he and Kevin unpack how figures like Tucker Carlson, Joe Rogan, and Jordan Peterson have shaped public discourse (sometimes for better, often for worse) and what their popularity reveals about modern culture’s hunger for meaning.

The dialogue dives deep into the roots of Western civilization, the dangers of radical individualism, and why curiosity without grounding can become as dangerous as conviction without compassion. Kevin brings a practitioner’s lens, how to live freely and build wisely, while Matt challenges listeners to slow down, read deeply, and rediscover beauty, art, and truth beyond algorithms and talking heads.

In this episode

• What it truly means to be “academic” in today’s culture

• The tension between curiosity and conviction

• Why critical thinking must be taught before it can be practiced

• How social media and mass media shape belief systems

• The decline of shared cultural literacy and why it matters

• Why reading great literature might be the most radical act left

• How to build a richer inner life in a world obsessed with wealth

An episode that invites listeners to rethink what learning really means, and why the pursuit of wisdom may be the last act of rebellion in a distracted world.

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• Kevin Hohe | LinkedIn

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Produced by Pineapple Audio Production.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this powerful and provocative lecture-style episode of Better Questions, Kevin Hohe is joined by his longtime friend and intellectual sparring partner Matt for a conversation that blurs the lines between theology, philosophy, and moral reckoning. What begins as a deep-dive into three literary texts: Dostoevsky’s The Brothers Karamazov, Camus’ The Plague, and Le Guin’s The Ones Who Walk Away from Omelas, evolves into a sweeping exploration of God, suffering, and the true meaning of sacrifice.

Matt challenges long-held religious assumptions, asking whether suffering is a necessary part of divine order, or a moral contradiction we’ve mistaken for faith. Together, he and Kevin trace humanity’s obsession with redemption through pain, from Abraham and Isaac to the crucifixion, and ask whether Jesus’ true message was not the sanctity of sacrifice, but its rejection.

In this episode

• Why Ivan Karamazov’s “rebellion” still confronts modern faith

• The moral cost of salvation and the question of innocent suffering

• How Camus and Le Guin echo the problem of necessary pain

• The difference between believing in God and agreeing with His plan

• What Jesus’ death might truly reveal about sacrifice and love

• Why love, not logic, might be the only real answer to despair

An episode that dares to ask whether we’ve misunderstood the message at the heart of Christianity. Thought-provoking, uncomfortable, and deeply human, this conversation invites listeners to wrestle with the hardest question of all: What do we owe the suffering, and what does faith owe to love?

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• Kevin Hohe | LinkedIn

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Produced by Pineapple Audio Production.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this mind-bending episode of Better Questions, host Kevin Hohe sits down with friends Travis and Bryan for a raw, unscripted conversation that starts with the definition of conspiracy and quickly spirals into a deep discussion about free thinking, power, faith, and the search for truth in a world full of noise.

What begins as a conversation about how the term “conspiracy theorist” came to be turns into a wider exploration of questioning mainstream narratives, from government influence and global politics to faith, family, and the future of America. The trio wrestles with how to stay curious without getting consumed, how to separate truth from fiction in the age of AI, and what it really means to live a good, grounded life when certainty feels impossible.

This episode explores politically and emotionally charged topics, including Israel, the Holocaust, and historical interpretation, which some listeners may find controversial or offensive. The views expressed are those of the guests, and we share them within Better Questions’ commitment to inquiry and understanding.

In this episode

• The origins of the term “conspiracy theorist” and how it shapes public perception

• Why critical thinking is often mistaken for cynicism

• How technology and media blur the line between truth and illusion

• The tension between curiosity, faith, and fear

• What’s worth questioning, and what’s worth letting go

• Why human connection and purpose may be the only real antidote to confusion

A thought-provoking and unfiltered exploration of how we think, what we believe, and why asking better questions still matters.

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• Kevin Hohe | LinkedIn

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Produced by Pineapple Audio Production.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Kevin Hohe sits down with leadership coach and entrepreneur Darin Newbold for a raw, redemptive conversation about failure, faith, and the long road to self-awareness. From losing jobs and facing divorce to nearly moving back in with his parents, Darin’s journey isn’t just a story of survival—it’s a testimony to humility, grace, and starting over with purpose.

Kevin and Darin explore what it means to lead with self-awareness, how ego and pride can hold us back, and why faith and failure are often the same teachers in disguise. Together they unpack the power of tools like the Enneagram and Purpose Factor, and how knowing yourself deeply can make you a better leader, partner, and parent.

In this episode

• Why leadership starts with self-awareness, not authority

• How failure can be the foundation for purpose

• The connection between humility, healing, and faith

• Building resilience through personal and spiritual honesty

• What it means to lead others when you’re still learning yourself

• The quiet strength in surrendering control and trusting God’s timing

Stay connected:

• Kevin Hohe | LinkedIn

And let us know what you think with our feedback form.

Produced by Pineapple Audio Production.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

On this episode of Better Questions, Kevin Hohe sits down with Matthew for a candid breakdown of AI hype, viral misinformation, and how convenience can quietly erode human judgment.

Using a bogus “forever battery” video as a jumping off point, they trace how slick AI content blurs truth and fiction, why our hope makes us vulnerable to clickbait, and how markets don’t just serve our tastes, they shape them.

The conversation pushes past fact checking into philosophy, exploring where to draw the line on tools that save time versus systems that think for us, and what it means to “starve the machine” by refusing engagement.

In this episode:

• How AI generated videos manufacture credibility and harvest engagement

• Markets that don’t just meet demand but mold it toward sameness

• The difference between tools that speed us up and tools that supplant our thinking

• Why hope is a feature misinformers exploit, not a bug

• A practical test for your feed: trust your BS meter first, research second

• What starving the machine looks like in daily life without going off the grid

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• Kevin Hohe | LinkedIn

And let us know what you think with our feedback form.

Produced by Pineapple Audio Production.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this rich and thought-provoking conversation, Kevin Hohe sits down with scholar and author Dr Tony Burke to explore the tension between belief, evidence, and the search for truth. What begins as a simple question about apocryphal texts unfolds into a deeper exploration of faith, doubt, and the human need to understand what lies beyond the accepted canon.

Dr Burke shares how his early fascination with biblical literature led him to study the Apocrypha, the hidden or “forbidden” books left outside the Bible, and how that journey reshaped his views on faith, history, and the nature of God. Together, Kevin and Tony trace the evolution of Christianity, from the Council of Nicaea to the rise of Gnosticism, uncovering how power, politics, and fear of difference have shaped the modern church.

This episode doesn’t seek to convert or convince, instead, it invites listeners to approach faith with fresh eyes, curiosity, and courage.

In this episode

• What the Apocrypha reveals about early Christian belief

• Why some texts were excluded from the Bible

• How the Council of Nicaea defined “orthodox” faith

• The difference between Gnostic and traditional Christianity

• What it means to question belief without abandoning it

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• Kevin Hohe | LinkedIn

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Produced by Pineapple Audio Production.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Kevin Hohe sits down with Matthew Mascoli to explore the tension between faith, curiosity, and coexistence in a world divided by ideology. What begins as a reflection on church culture and questioning belief expands into a wider dialogue about tolerance, truth, and the limits of understanding across worldviews.

Together, Kevin and Matt unpack what it means to stay curious inside communities that resist exploration, how ideology can capture even the well-intentioned, and whether harmony is truly possible between conviction and open inquiry. Their exchange moves between faith and philosophy, touching on the pull to retreat into like-minded circles, the dangers of self-righteousness, and the courage it takes to stay in relationship with those who disagree.

In this episode

• How to stay curious when others fear your questions

• The fine line between conviction and ideological capture

• What it means to build safe spaces for honest dialogue

• The role of tolerance in faith and human coexistence

• Why harmony may depend on learning to love across difference

Stay connected:

• Kevin Hohe | LinkedIn

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Produced by Pineapple Audio Production.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Kevin Hohe reconnects with Matthew Mascoli to unpack one of the most complex questions of modern life: whether capitalism liberates us or quietly enslaves us. What begins as a follow-up to an earlier manifesto discussion unfolds into a candid, philosophical debate about meaning, morality, and the systems we’ve built to sustain our lives.

Matthew argues that capitalism has evolved beyond a mere economic model into a self-sustaining machine, one that prioritises efficiency over humanity and turns even its top earners into servants of capital. Kevin pushes back, exploring whether the problem lies not in markets themselves but in how we’ve surrendered moral agency to them. Together they dissect the roots of free-market ideology, the myths of meritocracy, and the uneasy tension between freedom, comfort, and conscience.

In this episode

• The difference between markets and capitalism

• Why efficiency isn’t always good for people

• How globalisation reshaped power, work, and worth

• What it means to “opt out” of the capitalist system

• The role of faith and morality in reimagining economics

Stay connected:

• Kevin Hohe | LinkedIn

And let us know what you think with our feedback form.

Produced by Pineapple Audio Production.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.