The Meaning of War
Context with Brad Harris
Is it possible that war, for all its horror, once played a vital role in human flourishing—and that its disappearance has left a cultural and spiritual void? In this episode, we explore the provocative thesis that war has historically served not only as an engine of destruction, but as a forge for meaning and social cohesion. Drawing on J. Glenn Gray’s The Warriors, with insight from William James, Nietzsche, and Durkheim, we examine what modern society loses when it loses war—not just as a military phenomenon, but as a psychological and cultural one. What happens to masculinity...
info_outline
The Decline of the West: Oswald Spengler’s Prophetic Vision
Context with Brad Harris
A century ago, Oswald Spengler warned that Western civilization was entering its final phase—not from war or catastrophe, but from cultural exhaustion. In The Decline of the West, he argued that every great society passes through organic stages of growth and decay—and the West, he claimed, had already entered winter. In this episode of Context, we revisit Spengler’s audacious and unsettling vision. We explore the patterns he identified—technocracy, Caesarism, the erosion of civic virtue—and ask whether Spengler’s predictions still hold up. Are we watching a great civilization...
info_outline
Narrative Warfare: How National Stories Shape Geopolitics
Context with Brad Harris
We often think global power is all about armies and technology. But what if the most decisive battles are fought through stories? In this episode of Context, we explore the concept of narrative warfare—the battle over how nations interpret their past, define their identity, and imagine their future. From Manifest Destiny to the 1619 Project, from China’s “Century of Humiliation” to Russia’s myth of the “Third Rome,” we examine how national stories shape the world order—and what happens when a superpower like America stops believing in its own. Support the show and access...
info_outline
PREVIEW: The Ghost in the Machine – Why We Believe in Robots
Context with Brad Harris
This is a short preview of a supporter-only bonus episode. In this episode, I explore the psychological and philosophical reasons we keep projecting something human into our machines. From ancient automata to Boston Dynamics, from Descartes to modern AI, we’ve been building mechanical reflections of ourselves for centuries. But why? What does it say about us that we want our machines to seem alive—even when we know they aren’t? 🎧 To hear the full episode, head to:
info_outline
The Lost Virtue of Boredom: What We Lose When We’re Never Still
Context with Brad Harris
We didn’t cure boredom—we erased it. And in doing so, we may have lost one of the most quietly powerful forces in human development. In this episode of Context, I explore boredom as a lost human experience—not a problem to eliminate, but a signal for reflection, imagination, and growth. From ancient philosophers to Enlightenment thinkers, boredom once played a vital role in the human condition. But today, it’s nearly extinct. Our lives are saturated with stimulation, leaving little space for silence, solitude, or introspection. What happens when we’re never bored—never still,...
info_outline
The Bureaucracy vs. the Future: How the SEC Is Undermining American Innovation
Context with Brad Harris
The SEC was created to protect investors—but is it now protecting incumbents instead? In this episode of Context, we explore the rise of unelected bureaucracies and their hostility to innovation, using crypto regulation as a lens into a larger democratic dysfunction. From the roots of the administrative state to today’s battle between blockchain pioneers and entrenched financial regulators, we explore how bureaucratic overreach can derail progress—and what it would take for America to rediscover its courage to build. Topics include: • SEC vs. Ripple Labs and Coinbase • Regulatory...
info_outline
Sliding Into Serfdom - 10 Minutes on Hayek
Context with Brad Harris
In this episode, we examine Friedrich Hayek’s The Road to Serfdom, a chilling warning about how societies drift into tyranny—not through force, but through the seductive promise of central planning. Written in the shadow of fascism and communism, Hayek’s argument is more relevant than ever: when the state takes control of the economy, it inevitably takes control of our lives. What begins as progress can end in oppression. This is the road to serfdom.
info_outline
Into the Trenches Once More
Context with Brad Harris
If you like this stuff and you'd like to hear more, please support my work on patreon: https://www.patreon.com/bradcoleharris
info_outline
Urban Versus Rural
Context with Brad Harris
There’s a lot that’s dividing Americans right now - lots of divisive narratives that have captivated lots of people. One of those narratives features the apparent widening political divide between urban and rural culture. But, the truth is that the evolution of America’s urban and rural communities has always been symbiotic.
info_outline
Notes On Tribalism
Context with Brad Harris
"Notes on Nationalism" was an essay written by George Orwell in 1945, just as World War II was ending. It caused quite a stir at the time, but most people these days have never heard of it. Nonetheless, "Notes on Nationalism" remains one of the most powerful examples of Orwell's timeless insight into human nature; in this case, focused on our instinct to gang up on each other, our instinct for tribalism.
info_outlineIs it possible that war, for all its horror, once played a vital role in human flourishing—and that its disappearance has left a cultural and spiritual void?
In this episode, we explore the provocative thesis that war has historically served not only as an engine of destruction, but as a forge for meaning and social cohesion. Drawing on J. Glenn Gray’s The Warriors, with insight from William James, Nietzsche, and Durkheim, we examine what modern society loses when it loses war—not just as a military phenomenon, but as a psychological and cultural one.
What happens to masculinity when its most historically sanctioned outlet evaporates? What fills the vacuum when existential struggle is no longer a shared reality? And could space exploration become the next great crucible that gives our civilization meaning without violence?
This is not an argument for militarism—but a call to confront what war once offered, and to ask what might replace it in a civilization that seeks to remain vital.
To support the show and unlock *supporter-only episodes, join me on Patreon or subscribe in Apple Podcasts or Spotify.