by Alex Leff
Human Nature Odyssey: a podcast about humanity, civilization, and the fate of the world. You are living the latest chapter in a 10,000 year story. Join storyteller Alex Leff on a search for better ways to understand and more clearly experience the incredible, terrifying, and ridiculous world we live in. The first stop on our quest through a landscape of ideas and stories is the 1992 novel Ishmael by Daniel Quinn about a telepathic gorilla with great hope for humanity.
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Publishing Since
4/13/2023
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April 17, 2025
<p>You are listening to a bonus episode of Human Nature Odyssey. This is a conversation with bible teacher and author J Snodgrass about his book "Genesis and the Rise of Civilization."</p> <p>You may remember from Episode 5 "Adam, Eve, and the Agricultural Revolution" that author Daniel Quinn theorized that the story of the Garden of Eden and Cain and Abel were originally told by hunter gatherers as a way to mythologically explaining the agricultural revolution they were witnessing around them. J Snodgrass, as you’ll hear, was struck by this idea as well, exploring this theory further. It's a wealth of research, interpretation, and insights.</p> <p>This is a bonus episode that will exist for one month and one monthly only before returning to its Patreon home. The next feature episode of Human Nature Odyssey will be released in May.</p> <p>You can find John's work at: <a href= "https://www.j-snodgrass.com/">j-snodgrass.com</a> </p>
March 20, 2025
<p>You are listening to a bonus episode of Human Nature Odyssey. This is a conversation I had a little bit ago with D. Firth Griffith: farmer, author, and host of the <a href= "https://danielfirthgriffith.substack.com/p/the-tower-of-babel-as-metaphor-myth"> Unshod podcast</a>. Together we talk about the Tower of Babel as a metaphor for civilization, our relationship with technology, and whether humanity is the hero, victims, or villain of our global story.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></p> <p><span class="Apple-converted-space">As Daniel wrote for the episode description:</span></p> <p><span class="Apple-converted-space">"The metaphor of the Tower of Babel serves as a philosophical lens through which we examine civilization's complexities and our relationship with technology. Are we building a society without understanding its true purpose, and how does this impact our local engagements? Alex and I also reimagine classic narratives, pondering if true heroism lies not in saving the world, but in developing a reciprocal relationship with nature and ourselves. This is a candid exploration of humanity's environmental role, challenging the notion that we're merely defenders of a world in peril."<br /> <br /> "Inspired by Daniel Quinn’s “Ishmael,” our conversation turns to humanity’s impact on Earth, from ancient health paradigms to modern civilization's paradoxes. The conversation dives into embracing diverse worldviews, especially indigenous perspectives, and exploring the cultural narratives shaping our interactions with nature."</span></p> <p><span class="Apple-converted-space">Daniel's new book <a href= "https://danielfirthgriffith.com/products/the-plain-of-pillars-a-celtic-story-retold"> The Plain of Pillars: A Celtic Story</a> is available now.</span></p> <p> </p>
February 20, 2025
<p>If you are reading this that means you are about to listen to a special and temporary episode that in a month will only exist on the HNO Patreon.</p> <p>On our odyssey, we're going to need friends to help us along the way. Jake and Maren are exactly that - as well as hosts of their own podcast <a href="https://www.deathinthegarden.org/">Death in the Garden.</a> All you have to do is visit their website and you'll immediately know why I wanted to talk with them. In their own words, DITG is a "quest for ecological & cultural regeneration." In it they "question the direction of industrial civilization." </p> <p>Here's their origin story:</p> <p>"Feeling dislocated and helpless to make the world a better place, despair took over. Jake and Maren met each other at just the right time, and emboldened within each other a shared passion to do somethingabout the wrongness they had always felt. They began with a hypothesis of how to solve the problems of the world, and found themselves on a quest that shocked and surprised them as they began to untangle the web of interconnected problems that we face as a species. Instead of coming to a conclusion about what can be done to solve the problems of the world, their path follows the questions and quandaries they faced in making this film, and instead have arrived at a thesis as to how we got here, and what we do about it, well, that remains to be seen."</p> <p>This was a fun conversation. You'll certainly learn a lot about them and their story - and you'll also learn more about mine.</p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p>Join us on Patreon and get exclusive access to audio extras, writings, and notes.</p>
Nate Hagens
Rachel Donald
Post Carbon Institute: Sustainability, Climate, Collapse, and Dark Humor
Douglas Rushkoff
Accidental Gods
Paris Marx
Critical Frequency
Emergence Magazine
Joanna Macy & Jessica Serrante
The Lever
Ralph Nader
Vox
Climate One from The Commonwealth Club
Upstream
Persephonica and Global Optimism
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