Month: June 2022

What is causing the political divisions in our country today?

The boys review Otto’s Orchard Raspberry from Antietam Brewing, then discuss political polarization.

Polarization can be divided into ideological (differences on issues) and affective (where you don’t like or trust the other side). We seem to be plagued with both.

Is the political center defined as halfway between the extremes of both sides? And which side has moved further recently, the radical left or the radical right?

We seem to be losing the middle. People are moving to the left or the right, but the middle is emptying out. Why is this? The boys discuss several possible causes.

Finally, political polarization might be the result of a changed view of man. Is man a malleable creature that can be molded into the ideal citizen, or is there a human nature that we have to learn to deal with?

Where did we get the idea of Hell, and how has it developed over time?

Pigweed and Crowhill drink and review a Hefeweizen from 1623 Brewing, then discuss Hell and Satan.

We often read later understandings of Hell and Satan back into old texts, so we see the serpent in the garden of Eden as Satan, and Sheol in the Hebrew Bible as Hell. But it wasn’t always that way. The notion of Hell and the role of Satan wasn’t as clear in older texts as they became later.

Hell is much more clearly described in the New Testament, as is Satan, but the concepts continued to develop past that through art. Our modern notions of Hell might have more to do with Dante and Hieronymus Bosch than they do with the Bible.

Also, P&C were surprised to learn that Hell is not an exclusively western idea. There are notions of Hell in Buddhism, Hinduism, etc.

The boys review changes from Covid, from technology, and things they don’t like about restaurants

P&C drink and review Key Brewing Company’s Bail Money IPA, then discuss changes in restaurants.

We’ve lost more than 100,000 restaurants because of Covid. What will happen next? Will they come back, or will they be replaced?

What about food trucks, and Door Dash? How are they affecting the industry?

How will restaurants respond to customer expectations of “right now” efficiency? How has social media affected food service, and what’s the future of waiters in an era when you can order on a touch-screen device and have a robot deliver your food?

Walsh is standing against the looney left saying “stop.” P&C love it.

The boys drink and review Oliver Brewing’s Box Turtle Kolsch, then discuss that best-selling LGBT author, Matt Walsh.

P&C discuss their general impressions of Matt Walsh, then review some of his recent works, starting with Johnny the Walrus.

In this wonderful children’s book, little Johnny likes to pretend he’s a walrus. His woke mother felt she had to affirm Johnny as a walrus but eventually learns to be a responsible parent.

P&C both bought the book because they want to affirm sensible people who say no to the insane elements of the woke left. This is a great book to read to your kids. They’ll get it. All your woke friends won’t.

If this was all Matt Walsh did to save the culture, that would be enough. But he also produced a fantastic documentary called “What is a woman?” in which he interviews some truly frightening people saying incredibly scary things. It’s the kind of nonsense that’s so insane you’re not sure whether to laugh or cry.

His technique was simple. He asked simple questions and let these idiots speak for themselves. There’s no need to refute them. They’re self-evidently crazy.

Some history of climate control and how it changed America

Pigweed and Crowhill drink and review a homebrewed no-alcohol porter, then discuss the history and significance of air conditioning.

Special guest Longinus joins P&C to contribute his knowledge of history and the development of cities.

Refrigeration started with ice houses, ice boxes and ice-cooled freight cars, but eventually moved on to refrigeration, which relies on the laws of physics to create a cool environment. These amazing devices allowed modern refrigerators and air conditioning.

Longinus gives some history on how air conditioning slowly worked its way into industry and homes.

Air conditioning also had a big effect on the development of the South. Before air conditioning, businesses had to close down for the summer.

The boys review F. Scott Fitzgerald’s famous classic work

Pigweed and Crowhill drink and review Vulpulin Tropical Pale Ale from Sly Fox Brewing, then review The Great Gatsby.

With special guest Longinus, P&C continue their “shortcut to the classics” series, picking a short work by F. Scott Fitzgerald.

Following a quick biography of the man, the boys review the plot and discuss the meaning of the text.

The book is often considered a classic treatment of the roaring 20s. The writing is top-notch, and the story is interesting, but the characters are less than admirable.

Themes in the book include issues of class, old money vs. new money, the east vs. the midwest, family, faithfulness, and the American Dream.

P&C review the failures of the system and discuss alternatives

The boys drink and review Flying Dog’s Hop Electric hazy IPA, then discuss public education.

The extreme dysfunction of America’s public schools came to the attention of parents during Covid lockdowns. They were able to peer into the classroom and see and hear the nonsense their children have been taught.

The sensible among them were outraged, and the responsible among them are making other arrangements.

But it’s worse than that. Interest groups prevent schools from kicking out disruptive kids, and many parents don’t prepare their kids to be ready to learn.

P&C discuss local vs. top-down “public” education and ask whether the government be in charge of it.

And how does education fit in with having a shared, common culture?

What does cultural literacy mean in a multi-cultural society?

P&C drink and review Thirst Monster Kolsch from Union Brewing, then discuss cultural literacy. 

Is it just about “dead white males”? Is there some benefit to reading the Bible and the western canon? 

We say yes, for three reasons. It helps everyone understand the world they live in; it helps bind the culture together with common stories; and it allows people to enjoy our shared culture more.