Virtue Vibes with Jarrod Blair
What you know you can’t explain, but you feel it. You felt it your entire life, that there’s something wrong with the world. You don’t know what it is, but it’s there, like a splinter in your mind, driving you mad. -Morpheus There is indeed something wrong with the world, and it's going to take honesty and clear reasoning to figure out how to improve it. Welcome to Virtue Vibes, the podcast where we think hard about how to be good. Connect with me ;) Twitter: https://twitter.com/VirtueVibes Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jarrodblair/ Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@VirtueVibes Email: virtuevibespodcast@gmail.com
Episodes
In this episode, I discuss the reasons why I left Christianity. Topics include how I became comfortable disagreeing with the Bible, being pressured to speak in tongues as a child, my thoughts on religious experiences, basing beliefs on evidence rather than moral pressure, God’s immoral actions and commandments in the Old Testament, why typical Christian responses to these passages are unconvincing, and why Christians often dismiss ...
I'm no longer a Christian, but Christianity will always hold a special place in my heart. I'll explain why I left Christianity in part 2, but in this episode, I share all the things I love about the Christian faith.
Outro music: "Voices of Eternity (Church Cathedral Choir)" by lucafrancini on Pixabay
Like my work? Support me directly: CLICK HERE
Connect with me ;)
X: https:/...
Detransitioner Chloe Cole shares her story and critiques transgender ideology. We then reflect on some kernels of truth in the movement.
Video version of this interview: CLICK HERE
Like my work? Support me directly: CLICK HERE
Connect with me ;)
X: https://x.com/VirtueVibes
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jarrodblair/
Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@VirtueVibe...
In this episode, I talk about some ways that self-expression can be a force for good in the world, and I put on full display my sick acapella skills.
Mr. Rogers interview segment:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BDojoOiKLuc&ab_channel=HaqueCentreofActing%26Creativity%28HCAC%29
Longer version of Mr. Rogers interview:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=djoyd46TVVc&ab_channel=CharlieRose
In this episode, I discuss the ways that the terms "homophobic", "transphobic," and "fatphobic" often misconstrue what’s really going on in another person's mind.
Outro music: "Modern Chillout (Future Calm)" by penguinmusic on Pixabay
Like my work? Support me directly: CLICK HERE
Connect with me ;)
X: https://x.com/VirtueVibes
Instagram...
Is it wrong to watch depictions of evil in our entertainment? Can watching evil actions ever be beneficial? Can entertainment morally corrupt us?
In this episode, I analyze some ways in which depictions of evil in our entertainment (books, movies, music, etc.) can be both valuable in some cases and morally corrupting in others.
Outro music: ""Embrace" by ItsWatR on Pixabay
People often say things like "you shouldn't judge" or "don't be so judgmental," but what exactly does this criticism mean? Is it really immoral to form a belief about whether someone's actions were right or wrong? I think not. So in this episode, I will try to convince you that judging is actually a valuable tool for leading a virtuous life, and I'll also address some important worries people...
In this final episode of 2023, I share some reflections on the year as well as my appreciation for the Virtue Vibes podcast.
Afterwards, I discuss how the philosophic spirit gets crushed by certain bad practices in conversations, like when we make people feel like they’re walking on eggshells, or when modern day antiracists throw loose accusations of “racist!” around, causing white people to withhold their honest thoughts...
Christmas and New Year's Eve are just around the corner, so today, we're going to be doing a holiday special of sorts. In particular, we’re going to talk about the ways that holiday traditions can help us to become better people.
I’m going to try and flesh out why these traditions are so helpful, and to give some practical recommendations for how to get the most out of your holidays. This will be done in a cross-...
This episode is going to be pretty spicy in a variety of ways. That’s because we’re going to think about the role that physical attraction plays in romantic relationships. In particular, were going to zoom in on three related topics:
Firstly, what exactly does it mean to be “shallow,” and why is it even bad to be shallow?
Secondly, even if we ourselves aren’t shallow, society at large is. People are told in variou...
How can we make our elderly parents miserable? Yup, you read that right. In their last few years here on earth, what can we say and do to our parents that will really make them feel lonely, helpless, and depressed. How can we talk in a way that leaves them feeling isolated, even in a room full of people? What can we do to make them feel completely useless and disconnected? And how can we leave them to face one of life’s hardest cha...
Japan is a beautiful country with a very unique culture. In this episode, I reflect on my time living in Japan by discussing some cultural norms that I admire, as well as some that were quite frustrating. I also discuss how experiencing cultures different than your own can help you to promote goodness in the world.
Outro music: "Breath of Asia" by Raspberrymusic on Pixabay
Is an action right because the gods command it, or do the gods command it because it is right?
This was the question posed by Socrates to a priest named Euthyphro over 2000 years ago, and it has become one of the most famous questions in all of philosophy. In this episode, I talk about how either of these options are a tough pill to swallow, because one implies that God's commands are arbitrary, and the other implie...
Should we ghost people? Or should we explain why we're breaking up with them? We'll probably never see them again, so why not just disappear? Why go through the hassle of explaining? In this episode, we think through the ethics of ghosting, and try to develop good rules of thumb to help us know how to ethically dump people.
Outro music: "Good Night" by FASSounds on Pixabay
Why do we restrict some people from participating in certain cultures because of their race? Why do we restrict some people from wearing certain clothes because of their sex? In this episode, we cover some controversial questions about the relationship between bodily characteristics, like race and sex, with certain forms of expression, like culture and clothing.
Outro music: "Mr Pleasure" by BurnishedBronze on P...
How much attention should you pay to the news and political controversies? This question is more pressing than ever before. Many of us have electronic devices that grant us near-instant access to the never-ending dramas that are unfolding between over 8 billion people on this planet, but paying attention to everything is a sure-fire path to burnout. In this episode, I talk about a principle derived from Stoic philosophy that can he...
The slogan, "facts don't care about your feelings," which has been popularized by conservative political commentator Ben Shapiro, has gained a lot of traction in recent years. In this episode, I discuss what I take to be the underlying truth behind it, as well as the ways in which it is quite misleading. I then use these observations as a springboard to dive into a broader discussion about the proper relationship bet...
What should you do when you see a homeless person? Should you just avert your eyes and pretend they aren't there? Or should you give them money? Will they just waste it on drugs?
In this episode, TJ Reed and I think about various ethical questions raised when encountering homelessness. TJ has worked on homelessness and related issues in Phoenix, Arizona for over a decade, and he has a wealth of insight and a heartfel...
When you're having a disagreement with someone about some ethical question, emotions like anger and disgust can flare up and completely hijack the conversation. In this episode, I’m going to make some observations that can help to calm these emotional flare ups, and perhaps even inspire a sense of compassion towards those we so strongly disagree with.
Outro music: "Sunset Vibes" by user 23843807 on Pixabay
Who the heck is Jarrod Blair? And why in the world would anyone listen to what he has to say about being a good person?
I made this episode for listeners who may be curious about my background and credentials. I discuss the ways in which my credentials help me to tackle ethical questions, but I also explain why I don't want listeners to simply defer to me as a moral expert. Instead, I want listeners to engage with me...
Popular Podcasts
If you've ever wanted to know about champagne, satanism, the Stonewall Uprising, chaos theory, LSD, El Nino, true crime and Rosa Parks, then look no further. Josh and Chuck have you covered.
Current and classic episodes, featuring compelling true-crime mysteries, powerful documentaries and in-depth investigations. Follow now to get the latest episodes of Dateline NBC completely free, or subscribe to Dateline Premium for ad-free listening and exclusive bonus content: DatelinePremium.com
The Burden is a documentary series that takes listeners into the hidden places where justice is done (and undone). It dives deep into the lives of heroes and villains. And it focuses a spotlight on those who triumph even when the odds are against them. Season 5 - The Burden: Death & Deceit in Alliance On April Fools Day 1999, 26-year-old Yvonne Layne was found murdered in her Alliance, Ohio home. David Thorne, her ex-boyfriend and father of one of her children, was instantly a suspect. Another young man admitted to the murder, and David breathed a sigh of relief, until the confessed murderer fingered David; “He paid me to do it.” David was sentenced to life without parole. Two decades later, Pulitzer winner and podcast host, Maggie Freleng (Bone Valley Season 3: Graves County, Wrongful Conviction, Suave) launched a “live” investigation into David's conviction alongside Jason Baldwin (himself wrongfully convicted as a member of the West Memphis Three). Maggie had come to believe that the entire investigation of David was botched by the tiny local police department, or worse, covered up the real killer. Was Maggie correct? Was David’s claim of innocence credible? In Death and Deceit in Alliance, Maggie recounts the case that launched her career, and ultimately, “broke” her.” The results will shock the listener and reduce Maggie to tears and self-doubt. This is not your typical wrongful conviction story. In fact, it turns the genre on its head. It asks the question: What if our champions are foolish? Season 4 - The Burden: Get the Money and Run “Trying to murder my father, this was the thing that put me on the path.” That’s Joe Loya and that path was bank robbery. Bank, bank, bank, bank, bank. In season 4 of The Burden: Get the Money and Run, we hear from Joe who was once the most prolific bank robber in Southern California, and beyond. He used disguises, body doubles, proxies. He leaped over counters, grabbed the money and ran. Even as the FBI was closing in. It was a showdown between a daring bank robber, and a patient FBI agent. Joe was no ordinary bank robber. He was bright, articulate, charismatic, and driven by a dark rage that he summoned up at will. In seven episodes, Joe tells all: the what, the how… and the why. Including why he tried to murder his father. Season 3 - The Burden: Avenger Miriam Lewin is one of Argentina’s leading journalists today. At 19 years old, she was kidnapped off the streets of Buenos Aires for her political activism and thrown into a concentration camp. Thousands of her fellow inmates were executed, tossed alive from a cargo plane into the ocean. Miriam, along with a handful of others, will survive the camp. Then as a journalist, she will wage a decades long campaign to bring her tormentors to justice. Avenger is about one woman’s triumphant battle against unbelievable odds to survive torture, claim justice for the crimes done against her and others like her, and change the future of her country. Season 2 - The Burden: Empire on Blood Empire on Blood is set in the Bronx, NY, in the early 90s, when two young drug dealers ruled an intersection known as “The Corner on Blood.” The boss, Calvin Buari, lived large. He and a protege swore they would build an empire on blood. Then the relationship frayed and the protege accused Calvin of a double homicide which he claimed he didn’t do. But did he? Award-winning journalist Steve Fishman spent seven years to answer that question. This is the story of one man’s last chance to overturn his life sentence. He may prevail, but someone’s gotta pay. The Burden: Empire on Blood is the director’s cut of the true crime classic which reached #1 on the charts when it was first released half a dozen years ago. Season 1 - The Burden In the 1990s, Detective Louis N. Scarcella was legendary. In a city overrun by violent crime, he cracked the toughest cases and put away the worst criminals. “The Hulk” was his nickname. Then the story changed. Scarcella ran into a group of convicted murderers who all say they are innocent. They turned themselves into jailhouse-lawyers and in prison founded a lway firm. When they realized Scarcella helped put many of them away, they set their sights on taking him down. And with the help of a NY Times reporter they have a chance. For years, Scarcella insisted he did nothing wrong. But that’s all he’d say. Until we tracked Scarcella to a sauna in a Russian bathhouse, where he started to talk..and talk and talk. “The guilty have gone free,” he whispered. And then agreed to take us into the belly of the beast. Welcome to The Burden.
"SmartLess" with Jason Bateman, Sean Hayes, & Will Arnett is a podcast that connects and unites people from all walks of life to learn about shared experiences through thoughtful dialogue and organic hilarity. A nice surprise: in each episode of SmartLess, one of the hosts reveals his mystery guest to the other two. What ensues is a genuinely improvised and authentic conversation filled with laughter and newfound knowledge to feed the SmartLess mind. Subscribe to SiriusXM Podcasts+ to listen to new episodes of SmartLess ad-free and a whole week early. Start a free trial now on Apple Podcasts or by visiting siriusxm.com/podcastsplus.
The World's Most Dangerous Morning Show, The Breakfast Club, With DJ Envy, Jess Hilarious, And Charlamagne Tha God!