The Junto Podcast

Host Edgar Mills examines crime and assimilation data from European countries with large Muslim immigrant populations and discusses how similar immigration patterns could affect the United States. The episode explores differences in values, policy responses, potential strains on welfare systems in context of the Cloward-Piven strategy, and practical steps to prevent social and economic disruption...

Edgar Mills sits down with Battalion Fire Chief Trey Johnson to explore practical leadership lessons from firefighting and military experience. They discuss podcast authenticity versus AI polish, the power of imagination and PACE planning, the difference between vigilance and paranoia, and the importance of after-action reviews and team development. The conversation also touches on real-world trai...

Edgar Mills explores how narcissism and false humility hide behind charm and modesty to manipulate followers, undermine teams, and destroy relationships. He explains tactics like humble-bragging, fishing for praise, two-faced behavior, and lack of empathy, showing how these traits play out in leadership, workplaces, and families. The episode also examines possible roots of narcissistic behavior, o...

Host Edgar Mills challenges the term "gun violence," arguing guns are tools and that violence stems from cultural decay, broken families, and failed policies. He reviews Atlanta and Georgia crime statistics, highlights black-on-black violence, and rejects collectivist explanations that deflect personal responsibility. Mills offers solutions focused on community action, stronger families, criminal...

In episode 54, Edgar Mills draws parallels between the seven phases of unconventional warfare and the journey of a small business, using lessons from T.E. Lawrence, Mao Zedong, and guerrilla doctrine. The episode explains each phase: preparation, initial contact, infiltration, organization, buildup, employment, and transition and offers practical takeaways on intelligence, agility, customer suppor...

In this episode, Edgar Mills explains Admiral William McRaven’s "relative superiority" framework, six principles drawn from special operations (simplicity, security, repetition, surprise, speed, purpose), and maps them onto John C. Maxwell’s leadership laws. He shows how small, focused teams using simple plans, rehearsed execution, and strong leadership can outmaneuver larger organizations in busi...

Edgar Mills examines how AI is accelerating change across industries, threatening mid-level managerial roles while creating new demands for AI-literate leaders. He highlights sectors likely to be disrupted, jobs that remain human‑centric, and urges leaders to adapt by mastering AI tools and doubling down on empathy, mentorship, and ethical decision‑making.

Hello, America. Edgar Mills introduces 2 Team Guys (2TG) hands-on, scenario-based courses that build individual resilience, leadership skills, and team cohesion through immersive, time-tested training. From land navigation and search-and-rescue mountaineering to situational awareness, long-range evasion, small-unit missions, and surviving captivity, each course emphasizes accountability, clear com...

Host Edgar Mills examines Canada’s medical assistance in dying (MAiD) program, tracing its expansion from terminal cases to chronic conditions and potential inclusion of mental illness. He argues that state involvement in death risks coercion, devalues human life, and creates a dangerous precedent for governmental control, urging listeners to defend individual autonomy. Abortion Sources: Consensus...

Host Edgar Mills explores rock climbing as both a sport and a lifestyle, covering disciplines like bouldering, sport climbing, trad, and ice climbing. He highlights the physical, mental, and spiritual benefits, the basics of gear and safety, and the strong, supportive climbing community. The episode also emphasizes indoor climbing gyms as welcoming community hubs or "third spaces," their appeal to...

This episode, Edgar Mills explores the role of government funding for the arts, tracing constitutional roots, controversies (like Mapplethorpe and "Piss Christ"), and arguments for and against National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) subsidies from a libertarian perspective. Edgar weighs economic, educational, and community benefits against coercion, censorship risks, and market alternatives, and exp...

Edgar Mills welcomes listeners reflect on Team USA's recent Olympic hockey triumphs and the surge of national pride they inspired. He then dives into the Canadian series "Shoresy," showing how its crude humor conceals deep themes of loyalty, accountability, mentorship, and authentic masculinity that build strong teams. Mills pulls leadership lessons from the show, strongly recommends Season 5, Epi...

Host Edgar Mills compares Frederick Bastiat’s 1850 pamphlet 'The Law' to modern U.S. politics, arguing that government coercion and endless spending have turned modern law into "legal plunder." He explains Bastiat’s principles on natural rights, critiques federal overreach (taxes, the Fed, Social Security, public schooling), and proposes "clean bill" reforms like voluntary taxation, audits, and re...

Edgar Mills tackles the realities of alcoholism—its causes, its effects on young families and first responders, and his own experiences with alcohol-related harm. He outlines how to spot problems, practical steps for intervention, and why honesty, empathy, and asking for help are essential to recovery. The episode urges listeners to protect their families, set boundaries, and pursue freedom from a...

In episode 44, Edgar Mills examines classic dystopian stories and their parallels with today’s surveillance culture and social media, arguing that suppressing creativity crushes individuality and the soul. He explains how literature, music, and fine art stir personal emotion and free thought, contrasts authentic creation with AI and disposable digital content, and warns that conformity—whether by...

Edgar Mills breaks down the non-aggression principle—its historical roots, connections to libertarian thought, and how it shapes views on taxes, law enforcement, privatized policing, and protests. He emphasizes individual responsibility, consistent ethical standards for both citizens and authorities, and practical examples of applying non-aggression in business, community, and personal defense.

Host Edgar Mills examines today’s polarized public discourse and urges a return to critical thinking, empathy, and de‑escalation. He analyzes recent ICE operations in Minneapolis and two shootings (Renee Nicole Good and Alex Pretti), discusses legal and tactical complexities, and evaluates unintended consequences of extreme tactics. The episode argues for enforcing immigration law with accountabil...

Edgar Mills explores the rising trend of gun ownership among liberals and what it reveals about universal needs for safety, autonomy, and self-defense. He examines NPR interviews, personal anecdotes, and a libertarian perspective to argue the Second Amendment transcends partisan lines as a backstop against tyranny and individual threats. The episode also touches on training, responsible ownership,...

Edgar Mills explores the idea "don't expect hard things not to be hard," sharing personal stories from Special Forces Selection, Stoic wisdom, and the difference between motivation and discipline. He applies those lessons to entrepreneurship—planning a firearms training range—covering realistic expectations, contingency (PACE) planning, compromise, and the need to persevere; the episode ends with...

In episode 39 Edgar Mills examines the book by Joost Meerloo, The Rape of the Mind, explaining menticide, interrogation and re‑education techniques, and how they scale from individual torture to mass propaganda. He connects historical brainwashing methods to modern tools like media, technology, and institutional conditioning, and offers practical advice on building mental resilience, critical thin...

Edgar Mills and Nathan Hicks sit down for an unscripted conversation about what it means to be "all in." They explore commitment, family priorities, career demands, faith, and the myths of social-media success. The episode ends with practical guidance — four simple questions to test big decisions — and honest stories about balance, sacrifice, and pursuing purpose in real life. Everyday Grit Podcas...

Hello America—Edgar Mills walks listeners through his recent 2 Team Guys 3-Day Land Navigation course drawn from military method. He explains the intensive classroom training, the 24‑hour overnighter in Talladega National Forest, and the mix of technical skill-building and personal growth that emerges when teams or solo students face cold, darkness, and problem‑solving. He discusses leadership, te...

Host Edgar Mills explores whether punk rock’s rebellious spirit can coexist with conservative and libertarian politics. He defines conservatism as common-sense values—personal responsibility, free markets, and individual liberty—and argues that modern leftist conformity often contradicts punk’s ethos. The episode traces punk history, highlights punk artists who lean right, condemns extremist facti...

Host Edgar Mills revisits his skepticism about traditional therapy and makes a balanced case for cognitive behavioral therapy, showing how practical techniques can help action-oriented, Type A people — from executives to athletes to veterans — regain control of their thoughts and performance. The episode also highlights faith-based alternatives and nonprofit resources like Warrior’s Heart and Woun...

Host Edgar Mills redoes episode 34 to explore why traditional therapy often clashes with the realities of lower-middle and working-class men. Drawing from a corrective officer’s observations, personal experience, and Jungian ideas, he questions whether emotional processing can sometimes become a crutch and argues that action, accountability, and trusted friendships may better serve many men under...