Homeward Bound

Here is a short list of what I have been reading and listening to of late: The Ball and the Cross – G. K. Chesterton When I find myself stuck in the morass of modernity I return to Chesterton. This fictional work tells of a hardened atheist confronted by a pious Roman Catholic as he emerges from his childhood bubble. The two clash violently as both swear to either kill the other or die trying in a duel, both identifying as symbolic representatives of their creeds. Society does not agree, and the book follows a comedic pace as the two try to kill each other, get interrupted by the police, run away together, and try once more to kill each other. The book is thus far an indictment, not of the atheist, but of the dull masses who do not consider these eternal dogmas worth dying for. In one exchange, an objector to the violence says, "Well, we won't quarrel about a word." To which the young Catholic responds in a most Chestertonian fashion: "Why on earth no...

I remember being very influenced by Ben Sasse's book The Vanishing American Adult which discusses the phenomenon of "adolescence" as we have come to know it today. Adolescence is a very novel thing, being birthed out of modern affluence and business marketing that recognized this "in between child and adult" demographic had money to spend. I was horrified to learn that we are today extending adolescence into our early 30s, where many young adults (and young men in particular) are choosing to stay with their parents longer and longer. Where previous generations were forced by economic conditions to go out, find a wife, get to work as soon as possible--our wealth and culture has accommodated a more relaxed approach. This is to our detriment, both to individuals and society. We are creating a generation of men who are passive, apathetic, addicted to technology--instead of living in the fullness of what God has called us to as men. So here are five things (in...