logo
episode-header-image
Oct 2023
41m 8s

Zombies, Minecraft, and Dealing with Unc...

THE ART OF MANLINESS
About this episode

In order to thrive in a world that’s constantly in flux, you have to learn to overcome your fear of the unknown and adapt yourself to whatever circumstance you find yourself in. Zombies and Minecraft can teach how to do both.

Today on the show, I talk to Max Brooks, son of famed filmmaker Mel Brooks, who is the author of books that include World War Z and a series of Minecraft novels for kids. Max and I discuss how he’s used his fiction to explore learning to be resilient in the face of change and how his work writing about the zombie apocalypse led to a gig at the Modern War Institute at West Point. Along the way, Max offers insights on overcoming your fear of the unknown and how Minecraft can help your kids learn how to thrive in a world where becoming a creative problem solver is the name of the game.

Resources Related to the Podcast

Connect With Max Brooks

Up next
Jul 1
Books, Routines, and Habits: The Founders’ Guide to Self-Improvement
Note: This is a rebroadcast.A lot of self-improvement advice and content feels empty. And there’s a reason for that. It often offers routines and habits to practice, but doesn’t offer a strong, overarching reason to practice them.That’s why the self-improvement advice of the Foun ... Show More
45m 7s
Jun 24
Ancient Buddhist Principles for Modern Life’s Dilemmas
When you’re feeling stressed, burnt out, and anxious — when you’re striving and achieving but still finding yourself persistently dissatisfied with life — you might start looking for answers beyond what’s offered by contemporary self-help.One ancient philosophy that can cast ligh ... Show More
51m 29s
Jun 17
How to Turn Vices Into Career-Advancing Virtues
What if the traits you’ve been taught to suppress your entire career are actually the very qualities that separate those who get what they want from those who stay stuck waiting for recognition that never comes?Today on the show, Jenny Wood argues that most of us are living in wh ... Show More
54m 26s
Recommended Episodes
Mar 2024
Zombies
Who’s afraid of zombification? Apparently not analytic philosophers. In episode 99 of Overthink, Ellie and David talk all about zombies and their unfortunate legacy in the thought experiments of academic philosophy. Their portrait as brain-eating and consciousness-lacking mobs is ... Show More
59m 47s
Feb 2023
Patricia Saldarriaga and Emy Manini, "Infected Empires: Decolonizing Zombies" (Rutgers UP, 2022)
Let’s talk about zombies! Scholars Patricia Saldarriaga and Emy Manini have produced an engaging and important analysis of the idea of zombies, and how and why these particular monsters are omnipresent in American popular culture, especially these days. Zombies both represent and ... Show More
51m 28s
Jan 2022
Zombies
The second in a three-part series on monsters in philosophy. We trace the cultural history of zombies from voodoo folklore, George Romero films, and the zombies used in philosophical thought experiments. Folklore, film and philosophy seem to converge on the idea that consciousnes ... Show More
37m 18s
May 2020
Apocalypse Survival Skill #5: Tactical Hope
What behaviors and choices make the difference between life and death in a disaster? What are the skills that will matter most in a crisis, and how do we learn them? Autumn interviews the brilliant founders of Queer Nature, who lead workshops and immersions teaching survival skil ... Show More
1h 16m
Sep 2018
Minecraft
Holden and Jake discuss the history, development and drama behind Swedish sandbox video game "Minecraft". Get a 4 week trial at http://stamps.com with promo code: WIZARD. Fill out our listener survey here! Want even more WizBru? Support us on Patreon today for bonus content! Zazi ... Show More
1h 11m
Dec 2021
48: Lost And (Almost Never) Found. Madidi National Park.
As a young man in the early 1980’s, Yossi Ghinsberg, was drawn to South America with dreams and desires of exploring and experiencing lands untouched by the hand of the developed world. His adventure filled trip took a turn as he struggled alone, clinging to life in the depths of ... Show More
1h 30m
Aug 2023
The Last of Us, Vampires + the Writer’s Strike
Jason and Peter are huge fans of the HBO series The Last of Us, featuring Pedro Pascal and Bella Ramsey in the adaptation of the award-winning Sony video game. In the show, the world is suffering from a fictional brain infection that hijacks humanity, turning most of the world in ... Show More
51m 32s
Oct 2023
268. History of Zombies: From Haiti and Voodoo to the Night of the Living Dead! (English Vocabulary Lesson)
What is a zombie? You might be thinking of the flesh-eating, undead monsters common in Hollywood, but the origin of zombies is much more fascinating than the stories in film and TV. From the brutal slave plantations of Haiti to the development of voodoo legends and traditions, to ... Show More
26m 6s