The Strong Stoic Podcast

In this episode of The Strong Stoic, I’m joined by classicist and author Inger Kuin to dive deep into the wild, hilarious, and surprisingly practical life of Diogenes—the original Cynic and, in many ways, the “stress test” for Stoic ideas.

We explore:

Who Diogenes was and why his life still matters

• Why he chose to live in a jar, throw away his cup, and embrace radical simplicity
• How his ideas flowed through Crates to Zeno, mak...

In this episode, Brandon discusses the journey of personal growth and self-improvement, emphasizing the importance of learning from past experiences and embracing change. He highlights how incremental improvements can lead to greater wisdom and the challenges of overcoming feelings of shame associated with past actions.


Takeaways

• As you develop and learn, you become wiser.
• Incremental improvements lead to better dec...

After nearly two years away from the Stoic world, author and researcher Kai Whiting returns to share—candidly—what happened: sudden metabolic illness, becoming a father, career upheaval, a public rift, and rebuilding meaning from first principles. We talk attachment, grief, diet experiments, masculinity, work identity, and how to live the virtues when theory isn’t enough.

In this episode:

• Breaking the silence: why Kai disappeared...

We often think of monsters as creatures hiding under our beds. But real monsters walk among us — and sometimes, they are born of sickness, isolation, and the collapse of reason.

In this episode, Brandon explores the story of Ed Gein, the real-life inspiration behind Psycho, The Texas Chainsaw Massacre, and The Silence of the Lambs. Through a Stoic lens, we look at what happens when a human being is cut off from the cosmos, when rati...

An 18-year-old boy lies dying. When asked if he’s afraid, he simply says, “Yeah.”

In this episode, I explore what that single word reveals about mortality, honesty, and the limits of Stoicism. From family stories of loss to Christopher Hitchens’ final writings, we look at the stark truth that no philosophy can soften: we will all die, and that’s okay to admit.

Listen for a reflection on death, courage, and the quiet strength of facin...

In this episode, I explore the idea that life is not about escaping problems but learning how to face them. We often think the grass is greener on the other side—that a new job, relationship, or lifestyle will free us from the struggles we face today. But in reality, every path comes with its own weeds.

Drawing from Stoic philosophy, I break down why problems aren’t curses but gifts—opportunities to grow stronger, more competent, an...

In this episode, I revisit my recent conversation with Tim Ash on evolutionary psychology and take a deeper dive into its most cited facts. From sex differences in mate preferences to jealousy, pair bonding, and courtship rituals, these scientific findings describe human nature as shaped by our evolutionary past. But facts alone don’t tell us how to live. That’s where the Red Pill movement often goes wrong — by adding value judgmen...

In this episode of The Strong Stoic Podcast, I share reflections from my recent two-week trip to Vietnam—my first time in Asia. Travel today is often portrayed as a flex on social media, but beneath the highlight reels lies a deeper opportunity: stepping outside your cultural bubble and immersing yourself in another way of life.

I talk about how travel challenges assumptions we take for granted—whether it’s family expressions of aff...

In this episode, I explore Epictetus’ challenge: 

Can you gain wealth and possessions without losing your dignity, self-respect, and character? Drawing from 

Enchiridion 24, I unpack the Stoic idea of detachment—why possessions so easily ensnare us, how loss reveals our attachments, and what it really means to see everything in life as borrowed, not owned. From backyard saunas to daily conveniences, I share how to enjoy externals wit...

Dating has never been more complicated. Between the rise of online apps, shifting cultural expectations, and the pull of red pill and feminist extremes, many people are left frustrated—or giving up altogether.

In this episode, I sit down with Tim Ash, co-author of 

Primal Dating, to uncover the evolutionary psychology beneath our modern mating struggles. We explore why men and women play by different rules when it comes to ...

In this episode, I dive deep into one of Epictetus’s striking passages: 

“As a target is not set up for the archer to miss it, so there is no intrinsic evil that exists in the world.” At first glance, it’s an odd way to phrase things—but hidden within is a Stoic lesson on victimhood, agency, and what it truly means to be free.

We live in a culture that often glorifies the victim mentality, and while injustices undeniably ex...

In this episode of 

The Strong Stoic Podcast, I sit down once again with Chuck Chakrapani, author of 

The Power to Change: Stoic Strategies to Transform Your Life. Chuck shares practical wisdom on how Stoicism can be applied to modern problems—overthinking, fear, indecision, and the messy complexity of life.

We discuss:

• Why most people struggle to change despite good intentions.
• The role of inner dialogue in shaping our experie...

From the outside, my decision at work didn’t make much sense — it cost more time, more money, and even confused a few people. But it was the right call for the people involved. That’s justice in the Stoic sense — not just what’s legal, not just what looks efficient on paper, but what’s fair. In this episode, we explore justice as one of the four Stoic cardinal virtues, why it’s inseparable from wisdom, courage, and temperance, and ...

In this episode, I dive into something I’ve recently experienced firsthand—what some might call overtraining, but what I’ve come to see as something deeper. Yes, I was pushing hard in the gym, but I wasn’t just tired—I had adapted so well to the constant pressure that I didn’t even notice the damage building up underneath.

That got me thinking about how we do the same thing in life. When things get tough, our bodies, our m...

In this episode, I’m joined by longtime friend and fellow philosopher Joshua Bertolotti—writer, father, and host of 

Dying Every Day. We dive into what it really means to 

know yourself, why emotional presence matters more than emotional distance, and how even rest can unearth hidden tension.

Joshua opens up about decompressing after years in the military, the subtle art of relaxing 

with intention, and how practicing Stoicis...