In this episode, Andrew and I sit down with Ben Spangler from Tactical Forge and Spangler Forge a firearms instructor, competitive shooter, knife maker, and content creator whose work centers on training, safety, and real-world application. We talk about identity, politics, and gun culture, and about the gap between how these topics are debated online versus how they show up in real life. The conversation covers media narratives, incentives that shape public discourse, and why discussions often break down when complexity gets replaced by simplified talking points. It’s a straightforward conversation about disagreement and what it takes to have more useful, grounded discussions across differences.

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Edited by Matthew Boerger