The Wreck of Western Culture: The Struggle to Find Meaning in a Post-Christian World, with Prof John Carroll

<p>Sociologist John Carroll joins Jonathan for an examination of the decline of Western culture. They discuss the failure of humanism to find meaning on the big metaphysical questions in a post-Christian world, the importance of archetypes and their transmission through a canon of great literature, the way that popular culture has replaced high culture, and why that might be a good thing (it&#39;s more conservative than people realise), the role of universities in the decline of Western culture and what is wrong with young people today, plus more!</p> <p><br></p> <p>John Carroll is Emeritus Professor of Sociology at La Trobe University, Melbourne. He is the author of many books, including <a href="https://www.routledge.com/On-Guilt-The-Force-Shaping-Character-History-and-Culture/Carroll/p/book/9780367207687" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferer"><em>On Guilt: The Force Shaping Character, History, and Culture</em></a>, <a href="https://www.scribepublications.com.au/books-authors/books/the-existential-jesus-9781921844386" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferer"><em>The Existential Jesus</em></a><em> </em>and <a href="https://scribepublications.com.au/books-authors/books/the-wreck-of-western-culture-9781920769178" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferer"><em>The Wreck of Western Culture: Humanism Revisited</em></a><em>. </em>He also writes for The Australian.</p> <p><br></p> <p>The Political Animals is hosted by Dr <a href="https://www.jonathancole.com.au/" target="_blank" rel="ugc noopener noreferrer">Jonathan Cole</a>, a scholar, writer and translator specialising in political theology: the intersection of religion and politics. Jonathan was a senior terrorism analyst at Australian intelligence agency the Office of National Assessments where he worked on Islamist terrorism and the global jihadist movement. He is the author of <a href="https://www.bloomsbury.com/au/reign-of-god-9780567707468/"><em>The Reign of God: A Critical Engagement with Oliver O&#39;Donovan&#39;s Theology of Political Authority</em></a> an