The Strong Stoic Podcast
The Strong Stoic Podcast is a raw, honest, and unapologetically deep podcast about philosophy and self-improvement. Join your host, Brandon Tumblin, as he breaks down a wide variety of complex and difficult topics while bringing together different philosophies, sciences, and perspectives.
Episodes
390 episodes
#389 - The Stoic Heart of Star Wars
The Jedi sought to control their emotions. Luke Skywalker mastered them through compassion. In this episode, I explore how Star Wars reflects the core tension in Stoicism — the balance between discipline and humanity. We’ll ex...
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Episode 389
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21:39
#388 - Confronting Darkness: A Stoic Look at Ed Gein
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
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Episode 388
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21:40
#387 - Unfinished Sentences: On Dying, Fear, and Truth
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 Hi...
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Episode 387
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21:12
#386 - Don't Trade Your Problems for Other Problems
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...
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Episode 386
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18:21
#385 - Red Pill vs. Stoicism: Facts, Values, and Virtue in Relationships
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 scienti...
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Episode 385
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27:13
#384 - Travel, Stoicism, and the Cosmopolis
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 op...
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Episode 384
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13:55
#383 - Epictetus on Wealth and Detachment
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 posses...
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Episode 383
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14:33
#382 - Tim Ash: Primal Dating & Evolutionary Psychology
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...
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Episode 382
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1:08:59
#381 - The World's Not Out to Get You
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...
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Episode 381
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18:46
#380 - The Power to Change with Chuck Chakrapani
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 appli...
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Episode 380
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32:02
#379 - Justice Without a Gavel: Living Fairness the Stoic Way
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...
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Episode 379
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16:43
#378 - Recovery Is Not a Weakness — It’s the Foundation of Strength
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 th...
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Episode 378
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14:27
#377 - Joshua W. Bertolotti | Cultivating Calm: Stoicism, Self-Awareness, and Emotional Presence
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...
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Episode 377
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26:15
#376 - What Squid Game Gets Right About Human Nature
Each game strips away the veneer of civilization, exposing what lies beneath—fear, desire, ambition, and the will to survive. But true strength is not found in surviving by any means necessary. It is found in choosing virtue, even when the price i...
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Episode 376
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20:33
#375 - Tanner Campbell | How Stoicism Shapes Our Health, Fitness, and Daily Responsibilities
If there are no sages, what are we even aiming for?That was the quiet undercurrent flowing through my second conversation with Tanner Campbell, host of the Practical Stoicism podcast. We sat down not just to revisit Stoic ethics, but t...
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Episode 375
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1:06:12
#374 - The Hidden Cause Behind Your Pain
You may find yourself struggling with certain emotions or having poor reactions to things – anger, for example. You can treat the symptom. Meditation, anger management techniques, deep breathing. Marcus Aurelius had a long list of anger management...
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Episode 374
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14:12
#373 - Creating Beauty as a Stoic
This summer has been, for me, the summer of beauty.What I mean by that is, this summer in my household, we have focused on making our home beautiful. Painting. Lawn care. Home decorations. Feng shui, if you will. It’s not that we were ...
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Episode 373
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11:19
#372 - Strength Starts Where You Are
In this episode, we dive into the uncomfortable but necessary truth behind personal growth: you are not where you used to be, and you’re not yet where you want to be—you’re exactly where you are. Drawing on Stoic philosophy, Jungian psychology, an...
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Episode 372
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11:51
#371 - False Progress & Stoic Luck
“Show me that you have your principles in order, not that fortune is currently favoring you.”— EpictetusAs we get older, life tends to get better in some ways—at least materially. One of the most obvious examples is wealth...
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Episode 371
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10:34
#370 - The Necessity of an Inner Circle
“Associate with people who are likely to improve you.” - Seneca In this simple yet powerful statement, Seneca offers a foundational truth of Stoic living. The idea isn’t just about socializing with the right crowd — it’s about de...
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Episode 370
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20:12
#369 - Would You Live Forever If You Could?
The Stoic tradition teaches that death is not to be feared but rather meditated on, accepted, and used as a tool for living virtuously. But what happens when death, once seen as inevitable and natural, becomes optional—perhaps even solvable? As sc...
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Episode 369
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19:54
#368 - Pleasure vs. Purpose: Finding Balance in Modern Life
Viktor Frankl once wrote, “Those who cannot find a deep sense of meaning distract themselves with pleasure.” It’s a quote that resonates deeply within the Stoic tradition. The Stoics, much like Frankl, warned against the unmoderated pursuit...
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Episode 368
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21:49
#367 - Excuses vs. Truth: Owning Failure in a Stoic Life
As Stoics, we are called to play many roles in life, each with its own set of duties and responsibilities. These roles—whether as professionals, parents, partners, community members, or homeowners—shape our lives and define how we engage with the ...
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Episode 367
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21:30
#366 - Embracing Life's Trials - A Stoic Perspective
“You know what, from my experience, what I found out? That God tests you to see how much of this you can take before you say, ‘Let’s just be finished with this.’ He wants to show you something. He wants to see how much you can take, how much you c...
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Episode 366
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17:56
#365 - How Stoicism Helped Me Handle a Car Accident
It was a typical Saturday night. The kind where you’re winding down after a fun outing, and you’re almost home. That was me a few weeks ago. It was around 11 PM, and as I turned right at an intersection, I noticed another car turning left… directl...
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Episode 365
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18:22
