You're probably familiar with the mythological tale of Hercules (or "Heracles" as the hero was originally called) from books, comics, and movies. But while Hercules is often rendered as a kind of one-dimensional superhero in popular culture, my guest today argues that he's actually quite a complex character, and that the story of how he completed twelve epic labors has a lot to teach us about endurance, revenge, mental illness, violence, punishment, trauma, bereavement, friendship, love, and masculinity.
His name is Laurence Alison, and he's a forensic psychologist and an expert in interrogation, who's created a written and oral retelling of the classic myth. At the start of the show, Laurence shares how he's been using the story of the twelve labors of Hercules to facilitate reflection and discussion amongst military personnel and first responders, and how the labors can provide life insights for everyone. We then dig into the details of many of the labors of Hercules, from slaying a lion to cleaning out stables, and discuss what they can teach us about grappling with life's highs and lows, and what it means to be a man.
Resources Related to the Podcast
Find Laurence Alison's Hercules Retellings
Become a Focused Monotasker
Fat Loss Made Simple
The Tiny Habits That Change Everything
Begin the New Year by Reflecting on These 3 Life-Changing Questions [Rebroadcast]
The Real (Decidedly-Less-Sentimental-Yet-Still-Wonderful) Story of WWI's Christmas Truce
C.S. Lewis on Building Men With Chests
Prototype Your Way to a Better Life
The Perils and Powers of Cowardice
Prepare Now to Have Your Best Year Ever
How Testosterone Makes Men, Men
Cormac McCarthy, The Road, and Carrying the Fire
To Drink or Not to Drink
The Quest for a Moral Life
The Epic Story of the Making of The Godfather
How to Achieve Cognitive Dominance
How the Desire for Status Explains (Pretty Much) Everything
Why Do the Navy’s Frogmen Fight on Land?
A Surprising Theory on Why We Get Fat
Take Back the Weekend
The Metaphysical Club
Create your
podcast in
minutes
It is Free
The Tucker Carlson Show