Episodios

  • What People Get Wrong About Evil and the Iran War

    What People Get Wrong About Evil and the Iran War
    Apr 16 2026
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zjHQq-bGX5w Podcast audio: In this episode of the Ayn Rand Institute podcast, Elan Journo and Onkar Ghate discuss Ayn Rand’s view of evil as fundamentally impotent, and what it reveals about Soviet Russia, Iran, and the failures of American foreign policy. The standard view of evil Evil as impotent Paradox of Soviet danger Illusion of Soviet technology Overstating Iran’s power Altruism empowering evil Resources: Ayn Rand, Lexicon entry on Evil and Sanction of the Victim Ayn Rand, “Galt’s Speech” in For the New Intellectual Ayn Rand, “Altruism as Appeasement” in The Voice of Reason Ayn Rand, “The Anatomy of Compromise” in Capitalism: The Unknown Ideal Onkar Ghate and Elan Journo’s, Failing to Confront Islamic Totalitarianism: What Went Wrong After 9/11 Elan Journo, Winning the Unwinnable War: America’s Self-Crippled Response to Islamic Totalitarianism This episode was recorded on 04/10/2026.
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    36 m
  • Why Is Israel Blamed for the Iran War?

    Why Is Israel Blamed for the Iran War?
    Apr 10 2026
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mU5EJxVtork Podcast audio: In this episode of the Ayn Rand Institute podcast, Ben Bayer and Elan Journo discuss recent conspiracism about Israel’s role in the Iran war.Topics include: Facts conspiracists distort Facts conspiracists evade The conspiracist mentality An anti-conceptual culture Decades of unprincipled foreign policy Tribalism and conspiracism Evading America’s deadly morality Resources: Ayn Rand Lexicon entries on the anti-conceptual mentality, the arbitrary, and tribalism Ayn Rand, “For the New Intellectual” in For the New Intellectual This episode was recorded on April 8, 2026.
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    47 m
  • The Humiliating Iran Ceasefire Deal

    The Humiliating Iran Ceasefire Deal
    Apr 9 2026
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=opUGimR5nr0 Podcast audio: In this episode of the Ayn Rand Institute podcast, Ben Bayer and Elan Journo discuss recent conspiracism about Israel’s role in the Iran war. Facts conspiracists distort Facts conspiracists evade The conspiracist mentality An anti-conceptual culture Decades of unprincipled foreign policy Tribalism and conspiracism Evading America’s deadly morality Resources: Ayn Rand Lexicon entries on the anti-conceptual mentality, the arbitrary, and tribalism Ayn Rand, “For the New Intellectual” in For the New Intellectual This episode was recorded on April 8, 2026 Image credit: STR / AFP / via Getty Images
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    28 m
  • Artemis II Is Inspiring – but NASA Is Holding Back Space Exploration

    Artemis II Is Inspiring – but NASA Is Holding Back Space Exploration
    Apr 3 2026
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N8snaqpmo24 Podcast audio: In this episode of the Ayn Rand Institute podcast, Agustina Vergara Cid and Mike Mazza discuss the launch of Artemis II and the future of space exploration. Topics covered: The cultural reaction the launch of Artemis II Why it took 50 years to go back to lunar space The reactions to the achievements of private space companies How NASA is slowing down progress in space Mentioned in the discussion were Mike Mazza’s articles “Freedom to Launch: How Deregulation Created a Space Renaissance,” “Space Renaissance: How Freedom Created Progress in the Space Industry,” and “NASA’s Plan to Impede Space Commercialization.” This episode was recorded on April 2, 2026. Image credit: Chip Somodevilla / via Getty Images
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    27 m
  • Why Billionaires Don’t Owe California Anything

    Why Billionaires Don’t Owe California Anything
    Mar 26 2026
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3T3Zekd7xfE Podcast audio: In this episode of the Ayn Rand Institute podcast, Robertas Bakula and Onkar Ghate discuss California’s Billionaire Wealth Tax proposal. California’s budget and welfare crisis Challenging the "fair share" narrative Injustice of retroactive taxation Productive ability vs. the welfare state The role of business visionaries This episode was recorded on March 19, 2026. Image credit: Patrick T. Fallon / AFP / via Getty Images
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    1 h y 4 m
  • Trump Is Fighting for American Freedom Overseas While Killing It at Home

    Trump Is Fighting for American Freedom Overseas While Killing It at Home
    Mar 21 2026
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CKAe7rMPwjE Podcast audio: In this episode of the Ayn Rand Institute podcast, Elan Journo and Onkar Ghate discuss recent developments in the Iran war. Topics covered: Intro Moral vs. stated reasons for the war The Trump administration’s arbitrariness The government’s attacks on freedom at home The risks in leaving the war early The reaction of Trump’s base to the war Our un-American foreign policy This episode was recorded on March 20, 2026. Image credit: PeterPencil / DigitalVision Vectors / via Getty Images
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    45 m
  • Rubio’s Mystical and Racist View of the West is Anti-Civilization

    Rubio’s Mystical and Racist View of the West is Anti-Civilization
    Mar 19 2026
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yUha6pLRumY Podcast audio: In this episode of the Ayn Rand Institute podcast, Don Watkins and Sam Weaver discuss Secretary of State Marco Rubio’s recent speech at the Munich Security Conference and the tribal conception of Western civilization that he advocates. Civilization as a project Rubio’s superficial view Christianity vs. civilization Racist undertones Nationalist false alternative Resources: Ayn Rand, “Man’s Rights” Ayn Rand, “Racism” Elan Journo, “The Virulent Pull of Tribalism” Onkar Ghate, “Finding Morality and Happiness Without God” This episode was recorded on March 12, 2026. Image credit: Alex Brandon / POOL / AFP via Getty Images
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    53 m
  • Anthropic vs. Trump: The Moral Responsibility of Tech Companies

    Anthropic vs. Trump: The Moral Responsibility of Tech Companies
    Mar 12 2026
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vh7hO-q_gb4 Podcast audio: In this episode of the Ayn Rand Institute podcast, Ben Bayer and Mike Mazza discuss the recent standoff between Anthropic and the Defense Department over military use of AI technology, and the moral questions faced by those creating weapons of war. Anthropic’s reasoning Authoritarian threats Ayn Rand’s “To Young Scientists” Moral sanction Resources: Ayn Rand, “To Young Scientists” Ayn Rand Lexicon entry on the sanction of the Victim Ben Bayer, “Effective Altruism’s Faith-Based Sacrifice for the Future” This episode was recorded on March 6, 2026. Image credit: Pavlo Gonchar / SOPA Images / LightRocket / via Getty Images
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    47 m