Ep. 100 Episode #100 (July 3, 1985)

• Jul, 12 2025

Why was Franz Kafka the darling of mid-century intellectuals—and what does his tortured inner life say about the modern world? In this episode, Rushdoony dissects Kafka’s masochism, critiques the Freudian worldview behind it, and traces its roots to distorted theology. Along the way, he draws provocative links between Kafka’s world, population control, and the decline of civilizational confidence, comparing our present moment to the doomed twilight of the Austro-Hungarian Empire. A rich, sprawling reflection on literature, faith, and the dangers of forgetting what makes a society strong.

Hosted by

R.J. Rushdoony

Chalcedon Founder