American Socrates
Think Deeper. Live Better.
Tired of shallow takes and surface-level answers? American Socrates helps you cut through the noise and see the world more clearly. This is a podcast for anyone who wants to think for themselves, challenge assumptions, and live a more intentional, meaningful life. Host Charles M. Rupert brings the power of critical thinking and timeless philosophical insight into everyday questions—like how to find purpose, make good decisions, grow as a person, and navigate a world full of misinformation and confusion.
From art to relationships, social justice to success at work, no topic is off-limits. This isn’t a lecture on famous philosophers. It’s a wake-up call for your mind.
New episodes every Wednesday. Ready to see what you've been missing?
Available on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and everywhere you listen.
Music from #Uppbeat (free for Creators!):
https://uppbeat.io/t/corals/mountain-pine
License code: NT1UAGETRXVL46SM
- Update frequency
- every 5 days
- Average duration
- 22 minutes
- Episodes
- 38
- Years Active
- 2025
What Is a Job Guarantee?
In this episode of American Socrates, we explore the bold idea of a federally-backed Job Guarantee—the promise of dignified, meaningful work for anyone who wants it. We trace the roots …
What is the Real Cause of Inflation?
Prices are rising—but who’s really to blame? This episode cuts through the noise to expose the real drivers of inflation: corporate greed, supply chain breakdowns, and power—not just “t…
Why Can't We Just Print More Money?
Is printing money reckless—or revolutionary? In this episode, we break down Modern Monetary Theory (MMT) for everyday people. Learn how banks really create money, why the U.S. governmen…
Is Liberal Academia Ruining America, Or Saving It?
Colleges are liberal. But what if that’s not the problem—what if it’s the point? In this episode of American Socrates, we explore why higher education tends to lean left—and why that mi…
Is Free Speech Just a Shield for the Powerful?
Who really benefits from free speech? In this episode of American Socrates, we take a hard look at free speech absolutism—unpacking the idea that all speech should be protected, no matt…
Does Racism Have a Birthday?
Where did racism come from—and can we name the moment it began? In this episode of American Socrates, we explore Ibram X. Kendi’s powerful argument that racism isn’t rooted in ignorance…
Is that Racist?
Racism isn't just about hate—it's about how we think. In this episode of American Socrates, we go beyond slogans and explore the deeper structure of racist beliefs. Drawing on philosoph…
Are Social Constructs Controlling Your Life?
In this episode of American Socrates, we break down what it actually means for something to be a social construct. You’ll learn how ideas can be both invented and real at the same time.…
What Does Losing Our Innocence Cost Us?
What does it mean to be innocent? In this episode, we explore the journey from the innocence of ignorance to the innocence of wisdom—a hard-won clarity that only comes through struggle,…
What Does Working-class Freedom Look Like?
Jake got out of the military expecting freedom. What he found instead was gig work, debt, and a life lived at the mercy of corporate algorithms. In this episode, we follow Jake’s journe…
Is the Alt-Right the Legacy of American Slavery? (Part 2)
In part two, we fast-forward to today—where echoes of Fitzhugh’s vision have returned in surprising forms. From alt-right influencers to Silicon Valley billionaires and traditionalist p…
Is the Alt-Right the Legacy of American Slavery? (Part 1)
In this episode, we dive into the writings of George Fitzhugh, a 19th-century American Lawyer and social critic who launched one of the earliest full-throated critiques of capitalism—no…
Why Are Americans So Divided?
America feels broken. Red vs. blue. Rural vs. urban. Rich vs. poor. But beneath all the noise, there’s a deeper story — one most politicians won’t touch.
In this episode, we dig into how…
Is Wonder the Key to Wisdom?
Philosophy didn’t start in a classroom. It started with a gasp.
This episode is about Wonder — that sudden feeling that something familiar isn’t so familiar after all. We’ll talk about h…
Is Freedom an Illusion?
What if everything you’ve ever done was inevitable — shaped by causes beyond your control? In this episode, we explore determinism not as a physics problem, but as a moral one. Why do w…
What If Your Job Was Killing People?
In this episode of American Socrates, we dig into Hannah Arendt’s Eichmann in Jerusalem and her famous idea of the “banality of evil.” Arendt argued that great wrongs can be carried out…
Are Grades Killing Education?
We’ve all been told that grades are how we measure success and learning in school. But what if that’s a lie we’ve all just accepted? In this episode, we take a hard look at the role of …
Can Machines Think?
Can a machine really think—or just fake it well enough to fool us?
In this episode of American Socrates, we dig into Alan Turing’s famous test for machine intelligence. The idea is simpl…