6151 The True Meaning of "The Lord of the Rings"

Freedomain with Stefan Molyneux

Stefan Molyneux

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4.6 • 2.4K Ratings

🗓️ 23 October 2025

⏱️ 66 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

In this 8th anniversary remastered interview, Stefan Molyneux and Dr. Duke Pesta discuss J.R.R. Tolkien's "The Hobbit" and "The Lord of the Rings," exploring the impact of World Wars on themes of heroism and morality. They analyze the symbolism of the One Ring and contrast characters like Frodo with collective failures. This conversation encourages reflection on the enduring lessons of courage and integrity within Tolkien’s works. Tune in for a compelling exploration of his literary legacy.

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Transcript

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0:00.0	Hi, everybody. Stefan Mullenu here with a good friend, Dr. Duke Pester, a tenured university professor
0:03.9	author and the academic director of Freedom Project Academy, a live online school offering individual
0:09.1	classes and complete curricula for students in kindergarten through high school. For more from Dr. Duke
0:14.2	and the Freedom Project Academy, please go to FPEUSA.org. Dr. Pesta, thank you so much for taking the time today.
0:22.7	Good to be with you again, Steph.
0:24.1	One podcast to bind them.
0:26.8	So we're going to do the Fellowship of the Ring.
0:30.2	It's really something.
0:31.9	Now, my history with this book is long and tumultuous.
0:35.2	I first read The Hobbit when I'm back when I was playing
0:37.5	Dungeons and Dragons. I've read Lord of the Rings. I've read it, I think, twice. No, I've read it
0:43.9	three times, actually, sort of end to end. I've read the Silmarillion, read the other stuff,
0:48.7	read his biography, read like, it really is an absolutely fascinating study in just about every
0:53.6	single conceivable human dimension,
0:55.2	which is why it is the second bestselling story in the English language.
0:59.9	What's your history with the work?
1:02.4	I read it.
1:03.2	I had a very fortunate education.
1:04.8	I went to a very good Catholic school when I was a boy before they became corrupted.
1:10.5	And we read in my sophomore year of high school,
1:12.9	I read all three of the novels, the Lord of the Rings, read The Hobbit. And I like you did what you
1:19.1	did. I went and read the Silmarillion, read all the supporting documents, just fell in love with it.
	...

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