Podcast Club ONLINE: Reflections on Mortality, Meaning, Politics - Ben Sasse

Ben Sasse is a former US Senator representing Nebraska from 2015 - 2023. A Republican, he was an outspoken critic of Donald Trump and was among seven Republican Senators to vote to convict Trump for incitement of insurrection in his second impeachment trial. Sasse resigned from the Senate to become president of the University of Florida. Now, at age 53 in what should be the prime of his life, Sasse has a diagnosis of terminal pancreatic cancer.

This week's podcast episode is an interview between Sasse and Peter Robinson, his friend and host of the podcast Uncommon Knowledge. The topics discussed span broadly, including Sasse's reflections on life and its end, what truly matters when time is short, ambition, meaning, family and friends, He also gives his thoughts on politics, including the failures of Congress; the dangers of a fragmented, attention-starved republic; the crisis of higher education; and the moral challenges of technological abundance. Sasse speaks candidly and movingly about regret, forgiveness, prayer, and suffering — believing that while death is a real enemy, it does not get the final word.

PLEASE NOTE: We require that attendees listen to the podcast below before attending the meeting to optimize discussion.

ALSO, it's possible that either of the below links have changed between the time of this posting and when you click on it. Please double-check that you're listening to the correct episode of Uncommon Knowledge, which is entitled: Basketball in the Last 60 Seconds: Ben Sasse on Mortality, Meaning, and the Future of America.

https://uncommonknowledgehoover.podbean.com/e/basketball-in-the-last-60-seconds-ben-sasse-on-mortality-meaning-and-the-future-of-america-peter-robinson-hoover-institution/

or

https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/uncommon-knowledge/id1378389941?i=1000750173300

(1 hr)

What's a podcast club?
It's like a book club for podcasts. Each week we discuss an interesting and currently-relevant episode from podcasters like Ezra Klein, Michael Shermer, or Russ Roberts. We start off as a large group and spend most of the time talking in small break-out groups, which we remix 3 times during the course of the evening. Our conversations are casual and open. We ask that everyone speak respectfully at all times, and we encourage free and concise discussion relevant to the week's podcast topic. To do this, we try to adhere to Grice's Maxims: https://bit.ly/2p4uSQm

Ultimately, the idea is to help each other think a little differently, learn a thing or two and have some fun.