Best Avi Woolf Podcasts (2025)

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Ep 135 Peace Stuff: Architects of Enough - Virginia Woolf, A Room and a Voice 5:10

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6h ago5:10

5:10

Virginia Woolf: A Room and a Voice Creative Vision and Mindful Craft continues. This episode looks at the life and work of Virginia Woolf, whose writing and essays transformed how we understand time, consciousness, and creative independence. We reflect on her insistence that women need money and space in order to write—and how that applies to all o…

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Ep 138 Peace Stuff: Architects of Enough - Gary Snyder, Poetry of the Wild 5:52

8h ago5:52

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Gary Snyder: Poetry of the Wild Creative Vision and Mindful Craft continues. In this episode, we honor Gary Snyder—poet, ecologist, Buddhist practitioner—whose work calls us back into conversation with land. We reflect on speaking from place, on grounded wildness, and on how poetry can be humble care. Everything you need to follow the Peace Stuff: …

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Ep 137 Peace Stuff: Architects of Enough - Anni Albers, Threads of Quiet Resolve 5:16

13h ago5:16

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Anni Albers: Threads of Quiet Resolve Creative Vision and Mindful Craft continues. In this episode, we honor Anni Albers, whose life in weaving taught us fidelity to material, restraint in design, and depth in simplicity. We reflect on letting what we hold teach us, rather than fashioning what we wish. Everything you need to follow the Peace Stuff:…

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Ep 136 Peace Stuff: Architects of Enough - George Nakashima, Wood and Soul 5:54

9h ago5:54

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George Nakashima: Wood & Soul Creative Vision and Mindful Craft continues. In this episode, we honor George Nakashima—architect, craftsman, and wood whisperer—who listened to trees and let design grow from them rather than impose upon them. We explore his philosophy, his time in internment, and his vision of Altars for Peace. Everything you need to…

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Ep 134 Peace Stuff: Architects of Enough - Leonard Cohen, Song, Silence, and Shadow 5:20

7h ago5:20

5:20

Leonard Cohen: Song, Silence, and Shadow Creative Vision and Mindful Craft continues. We explore the life of Leonard Cohen—a poet, singer, and spiritual seeker—whose artistry emerged from stillness and whose words embraced brokenness. This episode reflects on his monastic years and how silence can become a keeper. Everything you need to follow the …

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Ep 133 Peace Stuff: Architects of Enough - Frida Kahlo, The Art of Keeping Pain 5:04

5d ago5:04

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Frida Kahlo: The Art of Keeping Pain Creative Vision and Mindful Craft: Frida Kahlo didn’t minimize or mask her pain. She turned it into art—and by doing so, left a legacy of radical honesty and emotional survival. In this episode, we reflect on the unflinching beauty of her life and work, and what it means to keep our hardest stories with care. Ev…

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Ep 132 Peace Stuff: Architects of Enough - Albert Einstein, Thought in Motion 4:54

22h ago4:54

4:54

Albert Einstein: Thought in Motion Creative Vision and Mindful Craft: In this episode, we meet Albert Einstein—the physicist whose ideas reshaped the cosmos, and whose life showed ways to simplify without loss. We lean into his habits of clarity and how we might adopt simplicity today. Everything you need to follow the Peace Stuff: Enough journey i…

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Ep 131 Peace Stuff: Architects of Enough - Jane Addams, The Wisdom of the Neighborhood 5:32

4d ago5:32

5:32

Jane Addams: The Wisdom of the Neighborhood The Social & Systemic "Enough." We honor Jane Addams, Nobel Peace Prize laureate and founder of Hull House. She demonstrated that building peace and dismantling inequality is a local act—one block, one home, and one person at a time. Find the Books, Podcast & Kickstarter: Everything you need to follow the…

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Ep 130 Peace Stuff: Architects of Enough - Bill Cunningham, The Eye on the Street 5:56

4h ago5:56

5:56

Bill Cunningham: The Eye on the Street The Social & Systemic "Enough" continues. In this episode, we honor Bill Cunningham, whose lifelong devotion to street fashion gave dignity to everyday dressing. We reflect on how noticing detail, preserving integrity, and staying rooted in curiosity can be quiet acts of peace and resistance to commercial infl…

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Ep 129 Peace Stuff: Architects of Enough - Bea Johnson, Waste Not, Want More 5:38

1d ago5:38

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Bea Johnson: Waste Not, Want More The Social & Systemic "Enough" continues. In this episode, we meet Bea Johnson—mother, minimalist, and pioneer of the zero waste lifestyle. We explore her 5R philosophy, the in-home challenges, and how refusing can become a spiritual act that challenges consumer systems. Find the Books, Podcast & Kickstarter: Every…

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Ep 128 Peace Stuff: Architects of Enough - José Andrés, Building the Longer Table 6:33

1d ago6:33

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José Andrés: Building the Longer Table The Social & Systemic "Enough" continues! Chef and humanitarian José Andrés has redefined how we feed people in crisis. But at the heart of his mission is something simple: building longer tables, not higher walls. Find the Books, Podcast & Kickstarter: Everything you need to follow the Peace Stuff: Enough jou…

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Ep 127 Peace Stuff: Architects of Enough - Toni Cade Bambara, Story as Resistance 6:13

2d ago6:13

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Toni Cade Bambara: Story as Resistance The Social & Systemic "Enough" continues! In this episode, we honor Toni Cade Bambara, whose writing, activism, and teaching insisted that stories matter. We reflect on her commitment to language as a tool of justice, and on what it means for us to speak when silence feels safer. Find the Books, Podcast & Kick…

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Ep 126 Peace Stuff: Architects of Enough - Arundahti Roy, Voice Against Silence 6:01

6d ago6:01

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Arundhati Roy: Voice Against Silence The Social & Systemic "Enough" continues! In this episode, we explore how Arundhati Roy has used literature and activism to speak truths often ignored. We reflect on how her small acts of witness challenge power, and how we might find our own voice of moral alignment. Find the Books, Podcast & Kickstarter: Every…

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Episode 84 (Stumbling Colossus, 54): The Italian Masses 28:57

3d ago28:57

28:57

By Avi Woolf

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Ep 125 Peace Stuff: Architects of Enough - Eleanor Roosevelt, Quiet Power, Public Heart 5:33

10d ago5:33

5:33

Eleanor Roosevelt: Quiet Power, Public Heart Theme 3: The Social & Systemic "Enough" continues! In this episode, we explore how Eleanor Roosevelt expanded the role of public service through consistent advocacy, principled presence, and moral imagination. We consider how she kept her convictions alive and used her influence for universal dignity. Ge…

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Ep 124 Peace Stuff: Architects of Enough - Sojourner Truth, Walking Toward Freedom 5:32

11d ago5:32

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Sojourner Truth: Walking Toward Freedom Theme 3: The Social & Systemic "Enough" continues! Sojourner Truth (born Isabella Baumfree) escaped slavery, recovered her child through the courts, and became a traveling preacher and abolitionist who challenged both racism and sexism. This episode looks at the power of her conviction and the importance of l…

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Ep 123 Peace Stuff: Architects of Enough - Maya Angelou, A Life That Didn't Need Much 5:30

12d ago5:30

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Maya Angelou: A Life That Didn’t Need Much Theme 3: The Social & Systemic "Enough" begins! In this episode, we honor Maya Angelou, whose writing practice, poetic clarity, and pared-down rituals remind us that beauty doesn’t come from abundance—it comes from presence. We explore the quiet power of a woman who kept what mattered and let the rest go. …

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Ep 122 Peace Stuff: Architects of Enough - Charles Darwin, The Sandwalk Thinker 5:45

15d ago5:45

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Charles Darwin: The Sandwalk Thinker This episode concludes our theme: Stewards of the Earth. We honor Charles Darwin, whose life of patient observation and scientific humility offers lessons far beyond biology. We reflect on how his walks, notebooks, and quiet persistence helped reframe humanity’s place in the world. Get the Book Peace Stuff: Enou…

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Ep 121 Peace Stuff: Architects of Enough - Yvon Chouinard, Climbing Light 5:31

16d ago5:31

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Yvon Chouinard: Climbing Light In this episode, we honor Yvon Chouinard—climber, craftsman, environmental innovator, and founder of Patagonia—who asked the question: how light can a life be? We trace his path from forging pitons to founding Patagonia and explore how choosing durability, repair, and purpose can reshape how we live, continuing our th…

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Ep 120 Peace Stuff: Architects of Enough - Greta Thunberg, The Voice of Tomorrow 5:30

17d ago5:30

5:30

Greta Thunberg: The Voice of Tomorrow In this episode, we meet Greta Thunberg—young climate activist, moral clarion, and living challenge to complacency. We explore her school strikes, her public voice, and how urgency and care can coexist, continuing our theme: Stewards of the Earth. Get the Book Peace Stuff: Enough (Kickstarter) Find the Books, P…

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Ep 119 Peace Stuff: Architects of Enough: Wendell Berry, Cultivator of Peace 5:58

18d ago5:58

5:58

Wendell Berry: Cultivator of Place In this episode, we honor Wendell Berry, whose life combines farming, writing, and moral witness rooted in local land. We reflect on how staying close, resisting abstraction, and caring for our home ground may be radical acts of peace, continuing our theme: Stewards of the Earth. Get the book Peace Stuff: Enough (…

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Ep 118 Peace Stuff: Architects of Enough - Jane Goodall, Witness Among the Wild 5:37

19d ago5:37

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Jane Goodall: Witness Among the Wild In this episode, we explore how Jane Goodall’s decades among chimpanzees turned quiet witnessing into global advocacy. We reflect on how she honored individuality in all beings and challenged us to see deeper than the veil of species. This episode concludes our theme: Stewards of the Earth. Get the book Peace St…

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Ep 117 Peace Stuff: Architects of Enough - Rachel Carson, Voice of Silent Spring 5:43

20d ago5:43

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Rachel Carson: Voice of the Silent Spring In this episode, we honor Rachel Carson—the marine biologist turned environmental prophet—whose cautionary voice saved countless lives and ecosystems. We reflect on how she listened to nature’s silence and urged us to do the same, carrying on our theme: Stewards of the Earth. Get the book Peace Stuff: Enoug…

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Ep 116 Peace Stuff: Architects of Enough - Vandana Shiva, The Freedom of the Seed 6:08

21d ago6:08

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Vandana Shiva: The Freedom of the Seed In this episode, we meet Vandana Shiva—physicist, ecofeminist, and food sovereignty champion. We explore her journey from studying quantum theory to leading a global movement for Seed Freedom and Earth Democracy, carrying on our theme: Stewards of the Earth. Get Peace Stuff: Enough (Kickstarter) Find the Books…

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Ep 115 Peace Stuff: Architects of Enough - John Muir, The Forest is the Door 6:03

22d ago6:03

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John Muir: The Forest Is the Door In this episode, we explore the life and legacy of John Muir—writer, wanderer, and early environmental advocate. We reflect on his long walks, the trees he loved, and the complicated truths of his era, as we launch our new theme: Stewards of the Earth. Get the book Peace Stuff: Enough (Kickstarter) Find the Books, …

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Ep 114 Peace Stuff: Architects of Enough - Mary Tuthill Lindhein, Credo in Clay 7:25

23d ago7:25

7:25

Mary Tuthill Lindheim: Credo in Clay In this episode Avis Kalfsbeek honors Mary Tuthill Lindheim, whose ceramics, sculpture, and activism manifested a life lived by creed. We explore how her moral compass intertwined with material, land, and service. Find the Books, Podcast & Kickstarter: Everything you need to follow the Peace Stuff: Enough journe…

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Ep 113 Peace Stuff: Architects of Enough - Cheryl Strayed, A Pack Called Grief 5:01

25d ago5:01

5:01

Cheryl Strayed: A Pack Called Grief In this episode, we reflect on the life and writings of Cheryl Strayed—memoirist, advice-giver, and seeker of emotional truth. Her walk along the Pacific Crest Trail, made famous in Wild, became a public reckoning with private loss. We explore what it means to carry grief with honesty, to return to our truest sel…

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Ep 112 Peace Stuff: Architects of Enough - Fred Rogers, The Gentle Neighbor 4:43

26d ago4:43

4:43

Fred Rogers: The Gentle Neighbor In this episode, we meet Fred Rogers—minister, musician, public television pioneer—who used quiet words, ritual, and consistency to honor the inner lives of children. We explore how kindness in speech, consistency in care, and everyday integrity can be radical acts of peace. Get the new bookPeace Stuff: Enough (Kick…

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Ep 111 Peace Stuff: Architects of Enough - Tom of Holland, Threads of Repair 4:14

27d ago4:14

4:14

Tom of Holland: Threads of Repair In this episode, we honor Tom of Holland (Tom van Deijnen)—textile artist, mender, and teacher of visible repair. We explore his journey from fiber craft to founding the Visible Mending Programme, his philosophy of repair, and how we might rethink the story in our worn things. Get the book Peace Stuff: Enough: http…

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Ep 110 Peace Stuff: Architects of Enough - Agnes Martin, Quiet Grids of Spirit 4:34

28d ago4:34

4:34

Agnes Martin: Quiet Grids of Spirit In this episode, we honor Agnes Martin—a painter of silence, repetition, and inward vision. We explore her life, artistic philosophy, spiritual leanings, and how empty space can be full of meaning. Find the Books, Podcast & Kickstarter: Everything you need to follow the Peace Stuff: Enough journey is here: AvisKa…

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Ep 109 Peace Stuff: Architects of Enough - Fumio Sasaki, Minimalism in Practice 4:52

29d ago4:52

4:52

Fumio Sasaki: Minimalism in Practice In this episode, we explore Fumio Sasaki’s journey toward minimalism: how he pared possessions, redefined identity, and reclaimed space. We reflect on letting lightness become not absence, but invitation. Find the Books, Podcast & Kickstarter: Everything you need to follow the Peace Stuff: Enough journey is here…

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Ep 108 Peace Stuff: Architects of Enough - Ikkyu Sojun, Wild Mind, Clear Heart 5:07

1M ago5:07

5:07

Ikkyu Sojun: Wild Mind, Clear Heart This episode explores the bold life of Ikkyu Sojun, the 15th-century Zen monk who defied convention and insisted that spiritual clarity could not be faked. From temple reform to sake-soaked poems, Ikkyu lived with piercing honesty and unforgettable style. Find the Books, Podcast & Kickstarter: Everything you need…

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Ep 107 Peace Stuff: The Architects of Enough - Satish Kumar, Pilgrim of Peace and Soil 4:53

1M ago4:53

4:53

Satish Kumar: Pilgrim of Peace and Soil Satish Kumar walked across continents without money to bear witness against nuclear arms. In this episode, we trace how that pilgrimage shaped a life devoted to ecology, justice, and spiritual humility. His journey reminds us that trust and simplicity may be the deepest form of richness. Find the Books, Podca…

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Ep 106 Peace Stuff: Architects of Peace - Mahatma Gandhi, Ashes, Talisman, and the Poorest Face 5:17

1M ago5:17

5:17

Mahatma Gandhi: Ashes, Talisman, and the Poorest Face In this episode, we explore Gandhi’s choice to scatter his ashes rather than preserve them, and his guiding Talisman—a moral test rooted in care for the poorest. We prepare to turn toward new frontiers, carrying Gandhi’s test forward into new discussions of commons, power, and humility. Find the…

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Ep 105 Peace Stuff: The Architects of Enough - Thich Nhat Hanh, Breaths of Peace 5:12

1M ago5:12

5:12

Thich Nhat Hanh: Breaths of Peace In this episode, we celebrate the life of Thich Nhat Hanh (Thay)—Zen monk, poet, peace activist, and pioneer of Engaged Buddhism. We reflect on how mindfulness and action can be the same gesture, how every step can carry peace, and how breath can anchor us when the world is loud. Find the Books, Podcast & Kickstart…

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Ep 104 Peace Stuff: The Architects of Enough - Peace Pilgrim, The Walker with No Belongings 6:39

1M ago6:39

6:39

Peace Pilgrim: The Walker with No Belongings In this episode, we kick off The Architects of Enough series with the Peace Pilgrim (Mildred Lisette Norman), a woman who gave up everything she owned to walk over 25,000 miles for peace. We reflect on the Inner Path to Enough: what it means to walk without material burden, speak without anger, and live …

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Ep 103 Poetic Peace: I am Not Resigned ("Constance, Bind Up Your Hairs") 17:45

1M ago17:45

17:45

Avis Kalfsbeek takes a pause between series for a meditation on grief, war, and liberative compassion. She shares that she does a monthly creative project in her mini, free Shakespeare Sherpa Club (link below). As part of my monthly Shakespeare Sherpa project, I turn toward poetry and performance as a quiet ritual of peace. Today, that takes the fo…

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Ep 102 The Great Disarmament - The Great Disfarmament Part 14: A Future Retold (The Doomsday Clock, It's Peace O'Clock) 16:49

1M ago16:49

16:49

The Great Disarmament Part 14: A Future Retold. What Comes Next? In the final episode of The Great Disarmament – The Great Disfarmament, peace storyteller Avis Kalfsbeek invites listeners to reflect on the journey so far—and to imagine what comes next. From ancient farming to nuclear warfare, from compost to chemical weapons, this 14-part podcast s…

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Ep 101 The Great Disarmament - The Great Disfarmament Part 13: Seeds of Peace 11:56

1M ago11:56

11:56

The Great Disarmament Part 13: Seeds of Peace. What does disarmament look like today? It may not be on the news. But it is happening—everywhere. In this final episode of the historical timeline, we trace disarmament from the early 2000s to the present. From gang-intervention programs to post-conflict organic farms, from library circles to peace wal…

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Ep 100 The Great Disarmament - The Great Disfarmament Part 12: Arms & Arguments 11:23

1M ago11:23

11:23

The Great Disarmament Part 12: Arms & Arguments – When Peace Learned to Speak Up. In an era dominated by Cold War brinkmanship, something remarkable happened. Peace became public. From the Nuclear Freeze movement to televised debates, this 100th episode of the Peace is Here Podcast tracks how citizens learned to speak up, protest, and challenge the…

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Ep 99 The Great Disarmament - The Great Disfarmament Part 11: Fallout and Flower Power 13:16

2M ago13:16

13:16

The Great Disarmament Part 11: Fallout & Flower Powers. As nuclear fire darkened the sky, a global peace movement took root. This episode explores the cultural birth of The Great Disarmament—from Hiroshima to Haight-Ashbury, from anti-war protests to international arms control treaties, from monks on fire to flowers in rifles. We mark the year 1963…

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Ep 98 The Great Disarmament - The Great Disfarmament Part 10: Gas & Conscience 9:21

2M ago9:21

9:21

The Great Disarmament: Gas & Conscience – When the World Said Never Again World War I ushered in the age of mechanized killing—from mustard gas to machine guns. But amid the devastation came something new: organized resistance, international treaties, and the first serious conversations about disarmament. In this episode, we mark the moment when th…

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Ep 97 The Great Disarmament - The Great Disfarmament Part 9: Powder & Principles 9:41

2M ago9:41

9:41

The Great Disarmament: Powder & Principles – When Conscience First Spoke As gunpowder redefined the global balance of power, another force quietly emerged—conscience. This episode explores the 1600s to 1800s, when the rise of modern empires was met by the first organized refusals to fight. From the Quaker Peace Testimony and early abolitionist resi…

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Ep 96 The Great Disarmament - The Great Disfarmament Part 8: Spears & Surrender 8:35

2M ago8:35

8:35

Spears & Surrender – When Peace Was Older Than Progress Before nations, before bombs, before “progress,” there was another kind of peace—one rooted in ritual, kinship, and restraint. In this episode, we trace the earliest forms of disarmament: warriors who buried weapons before councils, spiritual leaders who practiced nonviolence, and poetic tradi…

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Ep 95 The Great Disfarmament - The Great Disarmament Part 7: The Fog Is Lifting 10:10

2M ago10:10

10:10

This episode marks the turning point between The Great Disfarmament (Parts 1 - 6) and The Great Disarmament (Parts 8 - 13). We look back across centuries of agricultural violence—fertilizer bombs, chemical dependency, and genetic control—and begin to see a new story taking root. We recap key voices: the ecological grief of The Epic of Gilgamesh, th…

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Ep 94 The Great Disfarmament - The Great Disarmament Part 6: Regeneration & Resistance 10:43

2M ago10:43

10:43

In this episode, Avis Kalfsbeek marks the final chapter of The Great Disfarmament—and the quiet rise of a different kind of power. As war tactics evolved from Cold War standoffs to post-9/11 surveillance and global contracting, the logic of control continued to infiltrate the land. Seeds were genetically modified, patented, and, in some cases, desi…

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Ep 93 The Great Disfarmament - The Great Disarmament Part 5: Cold Crops 11:45

2M ago11:45

11:45

In this episode, host Avis Kalfsbeek examines the Cold War’s eerie balance between restraint and escalation. While world powers held their fire through Mutually Assured Destruction, another kind of battle intensified in the fields. The Green Revolution promised to end hunger, but often delivered dependency. With hybrid seeds, fossil-fuel fertilizer…

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Ep 92 The Great Disfarmament - The Great Disarmament Part 4: Trenches & Toxins 10:21

2M ago10:21

10:21

What happens when chemical warfare doesn’t end at the battlefield—but follows us home? In this episode of The Great Disfarmament – The Great Disarmament, we travel from the trenches of World War I to the poisoned fields of mid-century agriculture. We explore how the same compounds used for mustard gas and explosives were rebranded as fertilizers an…

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Ep 91 The Great Disfarmament - The Great Disarmament Part 3: Gunpowder and Guano 9:35

2M ago9:35

9:35

What happens when the hunger for yield becomes an imperial mission? In this episode, we travel to the 18th and 19th centuries to explore two seemingly unrelated substances—gunpowder and guano. One shaped the battlefield. The other reshaped the farm. But both emerged from a growing belief that nature could be extracted, measured, and conquered. We t…

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Ep 90 The Great Disfarmament - The Great Disarmament Part 2: Clubs & Composts 9:30

2M ago9:30

9:30

What if we remembered the wisdom buried in the soil? In this second episode of The Great Disfarmament – The Great Disarmament, we go back—before fertilizers, before bullets, before the conquest of land and people. We trace the quiet origins of farming and war, when both were bound by ritual, proximity, and care. We explore ancient practices of comp…