The BetterPears Podcast

Season 4, Episode 6: Paradise Season 4 of The BetterPears Podcast continues with Paradise. The full Season 4 schedule of episodes is now posted, so head over to BetterPears.com/schedule and be sure to sign up to our email list so that you are the first to know of future episode drops. Please stick around after the episode proper to learn more about BetterPears and how you can support its Fruit for the Human Soul. And now, on with the episode. ********** The BetterPears Podcast is offered free through the wonder of the internet but made possible through the continued contributions of our listener...

Season 4, Episode 5: Catholic Heresy Season 4 of The BetterPears Podcast continues with Catholic Heresy. The full Season 4 schedule of episodes is now posted, so head over to BetterPears.com/schedule and be sure to sign up to our email list so that you are the first to know of future episode drops. Please stick around after the episode proper to learn more about BetterPears and how you can support its Fruit for the Human Soul. And now, on with the episode. ********** The BetterPears Podcast is offered free through the wonder of the internet but made possible through the continued contributions of...

Season 4, Episode 4: Decimation Dignity Season 4 of The BetterPears Podcast continues with Decimation Dignity, which is brought to you by the number 10 and the generosity of our BetterPears Leaves contributors. The full Season 4 schedule of episodes is now posted, so head over to BetterPears.com/schedule and be sure to sign up to our email list so that you are the first to know of future episode drops. Please stick around after the episode proper to learn more about BetterPears and how you can support its Fruit for the Human Soul. And now, on with the episode. ********** The BetterPears Podcast is...

Season 4, Episode 3: Matter Form Season 4 of The BetterPears Podcast continues with our third and final installment on the four causes. The full Season 4 schedule of episodes is now posted, so head over to BetterPears.com/schedule and be sure to sign up to our email list so that you are the first to know of future episode drops. Please stick around after the episode proper to learn more about BetterPears and how you can support its Fruit for the Human Soul. And now, on with the episode. ********** The BetterPears Podcast is offered free through the wonder of the internet but...

Season 4, Episode 2: Agent Instrument Season 4 of The BetterPears Podcast continues with our second installment on the four causes. The full Season 4 schedule of episodes is now posted, so head over to BetterPears.com/schedule and be sure to sign up to our email list so that you are the first to know of future episode drops. Please stick around after the episode proper to learn more about BetterPears and how you can support its Fruit for the Human Soul. And now, on with the episode. ********** The BetterPears Podcast is offered free through the wonder of the internet but made possible...

Welcome to this Season 4 update for BetterPears and The BetterPears Podcast. I am Dr. Jason Fugikawa, founder of BetterPears and managing member of FugiCor, LLC, its parent company. This blog post and podcast will include updates on Season 4 of The BetterPears Podcast, an option to Lock-In support for BetterPears Leaves contributors, and our new Fellowships coming this summer. *** If you enjoy BetterPears, I ask that you subscribe to the podcast and leave a comment should you be so inclined and able on this listening platform. This simple task truly helps us reach a wider audience. To receive the transcript of...

Season 4, Episode 1: Τέλος Terminus Season 4 of The BetterPears Podcast returns with an initial three episodes on the four causes. The full Season 4 schedule of episodes will be posted later this week, so head over to BetterPears.com and sign up to our email list so that you are the first to see the schedule and know of future episode drops. Please stick around after the episode proper to learn more about BetterPears and how you can support its Fruit for the Human Soul. ********** The BetterPears Podcast is offered free through the wonder of the internet but made possible through the continued contr...

Season 3, Episode 12: Frui Uti This episode is on human relations and the complicated, complementary aspects of use and enjoyment. It is yet again another episode that should not be enjoyed along with the operation of heavy equipment or sharp objects, and, as we shall discover by the end, properly not enjoyed at all. If you, nevertheless, do enjoy this production, I also ask that you like the episode, subscribe to the podcast if you have not already, and leave us a message in the comments. Your likes, subscriptions, and comments truly help us reach a wider audience. To receive the...

Season 3, Episode 11: Liber Liberalis This episode is on books, liberty, and bovine movement. As mentioned previously, please do not operate heavy machinery while listening to this episode. Find a comfortable chair and a pleasant beverage to enjoy for the next 15 minutes. If you enjoy this production, I also ask that you like the episode, subscribe to the podcast if you have not already, and leave us a message in the comments. Your likes, subscriptions, and comments truly help us reach a wider audience. To receive the transcript of each episode and be the first to learn of BetterPears announcements, please...

Season 3, Episode 10: Critical Thinking This episode on critical thinking might have you thinking critically or simply thinking. In either case, please do not operate heavy machinery while listening to this episode. Find a comfortable chair and a pleasant beverage to enjoy for the next 10 minutes. If you enjoy this production, I also ask that you like the episode, subscribe to the podcast if you have not already, and leave us a message in the comments. Your likes, subscriptions, and comments truly help us reach a wider audience. To receive the transcript of each episode and be the first to learn...

Season 3, Episode 9: Fate This episode on fate is being released on Election Day 2024, offers the perspective of contingent and necessary beings, and explores the declarations enacted in the celestial and sub-lunar spheres and Pennsylvania in particular. It is an episode possibly described as “e pluribus unum” meets “ut unum sint.” If you do enjoy this production, I also ask that you like the episode, subscribe to the podcast if you have not already, and leave us a message in the comments. Your likes, subscriptions, and comments truly help us reach a wider audience. To receive the transcript of each episode and be t...

Season 3, Episode 8: Aurum Aures This episode responds to the doleful dollar previously considered with an exploration of gold, its elemental permanence, and a particular relationship it holds with our ears. As with our previous explorations, this is certainly another episode that Big Lexi, the lexicography cartel does not want you to hear nor enjoy. If you do enjoy this production, I also ask that you like the episode, subscribe to the podcast if you have not already, and leave us a message in the comments. Your likes, subscriptions, and comments truly help us reach a wider audience. To receive the...

Season 3, Episode 7: Dollar Dole Δοῦλος This episode considers the dollar and its effect upon us as a debt instrument. There is something fundamentally flawed with our financial system which has led to economic booms and busts of intensifying magnitude over the last 50 years. While this podcast will not address the technical aspects of why this has been the case, many other insightful thinkers have. Links to their work is included in the description and at the bottom of the post. Our purpose at present is to consider the distinction between money and currency and the effect of debased money or inflationary currenc...

Season 3, Episode 6: Comedy This episode considers the Hellenic origin of the word “Comedy” and considers both the analysis of Aristotle and the witness of John’s Gospel. The origin of the episode was my 40-page undergraduate thesis which has now been consolidated to less than 1,000 words. Unlike that thesis, the ensuing analysis does consider more the non-extant Greek comedies, which despite their no longer existing does provide a fuller lens with which to ponder St. John the Evangelist’s diction and account of Jesus’ ministry. On the whole, this is certainly another episode that Big Lexi, the lexicography cartel does not want y...

A Special Announcement from Dr. Jason Fugikawa, Founder of BetterPears.
Download the prayer card here.

Season 3, Episode 5: Architecture This episode considers the word “architecture,” a term rich with meaning and verbal resonance that frames our lives and worldviews. It is another episode that Big Lexi, the lexicography cartel does not want you to hear nor enjoy. If you do enjoy this production, I also ask that you like the episode, subscribe to the podcast if you have not already, and leave us a message in the comments. Your likes, subscriptions, and comments truly help us reach a wider audience. To receive the transcript of each episode and be the first to learn of BetterPears announcements, plea...

Season 3, Episode 4: Immolation This episode considers scarred words in a scarred world and the healing that comes from authentic sacrifice. It is another episode that Big Lexi, the lexicography cartel does not want you to hear nor enjoy. For those listening who did not have deep reflection on immolation at the top of their proverbial bucket list, there is likely space in the margins for this addition. You may never view burnt toast or a runt piglet the same hereafter. If you enjoy this production, I also ask that you like the episode, subscribe to the podcast if you have...

Season 3, Episode 3: Artificial Intelligence This episode is on so-called artificial intelligence, a topic which is all the rage and an argument which will likely enrage. For those of us, including myself, who have spent their adulthood dismissing the Luddites who railed against the automation of the textile industry, it remains a journey of the intellect and will to consider more deeply the foundation of their anger and the defense of their humanity. In short, I hope that this episode haunts in you in the way that St. Augustine was haunted by the wisdom of St. Ambrose and the Life of...

Season 3, Episode 2: Gravy Gravity This episode is on gravy, gravity, and glory. The purpose of the episode, like all those of the podcast, is to suggest deeper meanings for the words we employ to express reality each day. Thus, while the positions offered in each episode are in no way definitive and at times are rather speculative, it is my hope that they function as timeless attempts at expanding your palette for true and accurate verbal expression. If you disagree with a connection made in the episode, please respond in the comments. If you enjoy this production, I also ask...

Welcome to the Season 3 Premiere of The BetterPears Podcast. This episode is on fish, fruit, and fistfuls. The purpose of the episode, like all those of the podcast, is to suggest deeper meanings for the words we employ to express reality each day. Thus, while the positions offered in each episode are in no way definitive and at times are rather speculative, it is my hope that they function as timeless attempts at expanding your palette for true and accurate verbal expression. If you disagree with a connection made in the episode, please respond in the comments. If you enjoy...

Welcome to this Season 3 update for BetterPears and The BetterPears Podcast. I am Dr. Jason Fugikawa, founder of BetterPears and managing member of FugiCor, LLC, its parent company. This blog post and podcast will include updates on Season 3 of The BetterPears Podcast, a new perk for BetterPears Leaves contributors, the online reading course for St. Augustine’s Confessions in the original Latin, and further reflection on the kind of community that BetterPears is seeking to grow. *** If you enjoy BetterPears, I ask that you subscribe to the podcast and leave a comment should you be so inclined and able on th...

This season finale episode is on obedience and its expression in the human experience. The purpose of the episode, like all those of the podcast, is to suggest deeper meanings for the words we employ to express reality each day. Thus, while the positions offered in each episode are in no way definitive and at times are rather speculative, it is my hope that they function as timeless attempts at expanding your palette for true and accurate verbal expression. If you disagree with a connection made in the episode, please respond in the comments. If you enjoy this production, I...

This episode is on the Latin word, “altum” and its two disparate meanings. The purpose of the episode, like all those of the podcast, is to suggest a deeper etymology and etiology for the words we employ to express reality each day. Thus, while the positions offered in each episode are in no way definitive and at times are rather speculative, it is my hope that they function as timeless attempts at expanding your palette for true and accurate verbal expression. If you disagree with a connection made in the episode, please respond in the comments. If you enjoy this prod...

This episode is on perdition (and by extension forgiveness). The purpose of the episode, like all those of the podcast, is to suggest a deeper etymology and etiology for the words we employ to express reality each day. Thus, while the positions offered in each episode are in no way definitive, it is my hope that they function as timeless attempts at expanding your palette for true and accurate verbal expression. If you disagree with a connection made in the episode, please respond in the comments. If you enjoy this production, I also ask that you like the episode, subscribe...

This week’s episode is on beatitude, but first a few announcements concerning the podcast. A little over a year and a half ago, we began distributing this podcast to the world and today’s episode is of some historic significance. As a connoisseur of podcasts, perhaps you might recall a certain statistic floating around the internet that 90% of podcasts fail to ever be produced, dying in the idea phase. Of the remaining 10%, a whopping 90% end by the 20th episode. Today’s episode marks the 21st of The BetterPears Podcast making it a statistical success and among the top 1% of all po...

We begin this episode with a dedication to a late family friend whose legacy of abiding with the Fugikawas over half a century, impressed me as a young man. This week’s topic is Menial Labor which in my arrangement of podcast topics is categorized as “words often used and rarely considered.” The purpose of the episode, like all those of the podcast, is to suggest a deeper etymology and etiology for the words we employ to express reality each day. Thus, while the positions offered in each episode are in no way definitive, it is my hope that they functi...

The long touted announcement of BetterPears Leaves is finally here! Visit BetterPears.com/Leaves now to watch the video and learn more.

This week’s episode titled “Father and Mother” pushes beyond the limits of Big Lexi and even some now conventional discussions of sexual complementarity influenced by St. John Paul II’s Theology of the Body. While some in the audience might disagree with one or several of the connections offered in the episode between language and the foundational relations of father and mother to their children. I am also aware that pleasing everyone is statistically unlikely given the topic. I do kindly ask those seeking to summarily cancel me from polite or even impolite society to at least like the episode...

This week’s episode on real estate is prefaced by a dedication to my first Latin teacher. I continue to offer my gratitude to you our audience for continuing to listen each week. If you enjoy The BetterPears Podcast, could you please like and subscribe to the podcast on your platform of choice? This simple task truly helps us reach a wider audience. To receive the transcript of each episode and be the first to learn of BetterPears announcements, please sign-up to our newsletter at the bottom of the page at BetterPears.com. New, upcoming BetterPears Greenhouse Fellowships, participatory dramatic re...

This week’s episode after a short, mid-winter hiatus is on Knight Errantry. I continue to offer my gratitude for our audience, for continuing to listen each week. If you enjoy The BetterPears Podcast, could you please like and subscribe to the podcast on your platform of choice? This simple task truly helps us reach a wider audience. To receive the transcript of each episode and be the first to learn of BetterPears announcements, please sign-up to our newsletter at the bottom of the page at BetterPears.com. Earlier this month we announced our upcoming BetterPears Greenhouse Fellowships, participatory dramatic re...

This week's episode is on Vaccination. If you enjoy The BetterPears Podcast, could you please like and subscribe to the podcast on your platform of choice. To receive the transcript of each episode and be the first to learn of BetterPears announcements, please sign-up to our newsletter at the bottom of the page at BetterPears.com. On the in-person courses front, we hope to have a big announcement next week as much is being developed behind the scenes to make our in-person events in the Oklahoma City metro-area a new highlight of your week. I can announce now that the...

Season 2 rages on this week with “Bellum Gerere,” a reflection on both war and its waging, but first we have a few announcements. Yesterday was the annual March for Life in Washington, D.C. and to further the cultural restoration of the Pro-Life Movement, BetterPears has launched a new IYKYK mug recalling the portion of the Hippocratic Oath which pledges not to provide abortifacients to pregnant mothers. The excerpt is presented in Ancient Greek and in this way is a conversation starter which roots your Pro-Life reasoning to a classical precedent. Act now! These mugs are on sale this weekend at o...

Welcome back to another episode of The BetterPears Podcast. As we announced in December, there are a number of new initiatives happening at BetterPears including further development of the BetterPears Market, your home for BetterPears branded apparel and drinkware. The podcast has also been establishing its presence on Rumble and YouTube, although new episodes of the podcast will continue to premier on exclusively audio platforms and the website where you can continue to read along at BetterPears.com/Preserves. In this episode, Dr. Fugikawa confronts "Interest" with respect to its reality or abstraction, its literal and figurative meanings. Warning: this...

Welcome back to another season of The BetterPears Podcast. As we announced in December, there are a number of new initiatives happening at BetterPears including further development of the BetterPears Market, your home for BetterPears branded apparel and drinkware. The podcast has also been establishing its presence on Rumble and YouTube, although new episodes of the podcast will continue to premier on exclusively audio platforms and the website where you can continue to read along at BetterPears.com/Preserves. This first episode of our second season begins with a dedication to my paternal grandmother to complement ending last season with...

Welcome to this update for BetterPears. I am Dr. Jason Fugikawa, founder of BetterPears and managing member of FugiCor, LLC, the parent company of BetterPears. This blog post and podcast will include updates on my career transition, the BetterPears Mission, and the year ahead followed by a closing insight for your reading or listening edification. Links Mentioned in the Episode: BetterPears Swag and Gifts are available at the BetterPears Market. BetterPears Bundles can be purchased exclusively at BetterPears.com/Bundles. Catch up on past episodes of Season 1 at BetterPears.com/preserves. Please visit our homepage at BetterPears.com.
To...

The phrase “it does not make one iota of a difference” should be classified with similar phrases such as “I am not my brother’s keeper” and “to thy own self be true” in that it bears something of a biblical or Shakespearean pedigree while it excels in being on the wrong side of history and truth. This episode of The BetterPears Podcast features a dedication to Dr. Fugikawa's paternal grandfather and the lesson of his life and legacy. The episode itself is something of a two-for-one where the initial historical development only sets the stage for a more contemporary discussion of...

Fecisti nos ad te et cor nostrum inquietum est donec requiescat in te. In his most famous line from his Confessions, St. Augustine introduces the great outward and return journey of his life, of our life. In this meticulous sentence, he reveals both his ability for rhetorical flourish and the paucity of our attempts at translation. This episode is prefaced by a dedication to Fr. Matthew L. Lamb, who was influential in Dr. Fugikawa's philosophical and theological formation. BetterPears Swag and Back-to-School gifts are available at the BetterPears Market. Catch up on past episodes of Season 1 at BetterPears.com/preserves. ...

Sight and Taste are linked to our expression and understanding of wisdom in the West. Dr. Fugikawa explores the limitations and nuances of these senses in our grasp of reality, truth, and the ordering of all things. Dr. Fugikawa announces the second BetterPears course starting on June 15th in the Oklahoma City metropolitan area. For more information and to claim a limited spot in these fellowships, visit BetterPears.com/courses. All inaugural fellows this summer will receive a complimentary BetterPears Mug from the BetterPears Market. Catch up on past episodes of Season 1 at BetterPears.com/preserves. This week's podcast is...

The BetterPears Podcast returns this week with an historical announcement concerning our first BetterPears Course starting on May 30th in the Oklahoma City metropolitan area. For more information and to claim a limited spot of the inaugural fellowship, visit BetterPears.com/courses. All inaugural fellows will receive a complimentary BetterPears Mug from the BetterPears Market. Catch up on past episodes of Season 1 at BetterPears.com/preserves. This week's podcast is on the word egregious and the deep etymology behind its ancient and more modern meaning. Please visit our homepage at BetterPears.com.
To support the BetterPears Podcast, please visit...

The BetterPears Podcast returns after our mid-season hiatus as the road to the Season 1 finale approaches in May. Catch up on past episodes of Season 1 at BetterPears.com/preserves. This week's podcast is on procreation. As one of the two (or in some sense three) ends of marriage, the procreative end or procreation is often confused with creation. Dr. Fugikawa discusses this difference amid the creator/creature distinction. To learn more, please visit: BetterPears.com.
To support the BetterPears Podcast, please visit: BetterPears.com/CSA