Digest

Mark Helperen, a novelist and writer, joins Russ Roberts on Econ Talk to discuss his writing process, his favorite works, and his views on the current state of the West, particularly the United States. Helperen shares his lifelong passion for reading, recounting how he devoured books as a young boy and continues to read every word of every nonfiction book he reviews. He also discusses his writing routine, which involves multiple drafts and extensive editing. Helperen's favorite book of his own is a collection of short stories called "The Pacific," while his favorite novel is "A Soldier of the Great War." He believes that the West is heading in a dangerous direction, citing examples of young people who are increasingly incapable of doing basic tasks and are easily swayed by radical ideologies. Helperen expresses concern about the over-reliance on technology and espionage in Israel's defense strategy, arguing that the country needs to invest more in traditional military capabilities. He also discusses the importance of overkill in nuclear strategy and recommends that Israel equip some of its submarines with ballistic missiles as a deterrent against Iran and North Korea. Helperen concludes by sharing his pessimistic outlook on the future of the West, but also expresses hope that human nature will ultimately bring us back on track.

Outlines

00:00:00

Introduction

This Chapter introduces the podcast Econ Talk and its host, Russ Roberts, along with information on how to subscribe and access the archives.

00:00:34

Mark Helperen: A Life of Reading and Writing

This Chapter delves into Mark Helperen's lifelong passion for reading, his early influences, and his writing process. He discusses his favorite authors, his writing routine, and his preference for short stories over novels.

00:20:46

The Oceans and the Stars: A War Story, a Love Story

This Chapter focuses on Helperen's latest novel, "The Oceans and the Stars." He explains the origins of the book, which stem from his experience sailing in the British merchant navy in 1967. He also discusses the book's detailed portrayal of naval military capabilities, which is informed by his extensive experience in defense analysis and consulting.

00:28:52

The Elysian Theme: Home vs. Exploration

This Chapter explores the Elysian theme, a literary paradigm that contrasts the attractions of exploration, enterprise, war, and action with the comforts of home, heart, family, domestic peace, and social order. Helperen discusses how this theme is present in his work, particularly in "The Oceans and the Stars," and how it reflects a fundamental duality in human nature.

00:34:25

The Art of Editing

This Chapter delves into Helperen's editing process, which involves multiple drafts and extensive revisions. He emphasizes the importance of editing in improving writing and shares his experience teaching writing classes where students were graded on their editing skills rather than their own writing.

00:38:14

The Acceleration of War

This Chapter explores the theme of war and its impact on human relationships in Helperen's work. He discusses how war can intensify the joy of being alive and the importance of camaraderie and shared purpose in surviving difficult situations.

00:43:56

The Oceans and the Stars: A War with Iran

This Chapter focuses on the geopolitical context of "The Oceans and the Stars," which is set against the backdrop of a potential war between Israel and Iran. Helperen discusses the current tensions between the two countries and his views on the potential consequences of Iran acquiring nuclear weapons.

00:48:30

Israel's Existential Threat: Iran and Hezbollah

This Chapter delves into Helperen's analysis of Israel's current security challenges, particularly the threat posed by Iran and Hezbollah. He argues that Israel should have preemptively struck Iran's nuclear facilities and that the country needs to invest more in traditional military capabilities to ensure its survival.

01:05:02

The Impact of October 7th

This Chapter examines the impact of the recent conflict between Israel and Hamas on Helperen's personal views and the broader geopolitical landscape. He discusses the over-reliance on technology and espionage in Israel's defense strategy and the need for a more robust military response to threats.

01:19:47

The Decline of the West

This Chapter explores Helperen's pessimistic outlook on the future of the West, particularly the United States. He cites examples of young people who are increasingly incapable of doing basic tasks and are easily swayed by radical ideologies. He expresses concern about the erosion of traditional values and the lack of resilience in American society.

01:27:10

A Final Novel and the Future of Writing

This Chapter concludes the conversation with a discussion of Helperen's current writing project, which he believes will be his last novel. He also shares his thoughts on the current state of literary culture and the importance of writing books that are universal and enduring.

Keywords

Q&A

• What are some of Mark Helperen's favorite books of his own and why?

  Helperen's favorite book of his own is a collection of short stories called "The Pacific." He believes that he writes short stories somewhat better than novels and considers "The Pacific" to be his most mature and best work. His favorite novel is "A Soldier of the Great War," which he describes as a very realistic Tolstoyen type of novel.

• What is the Elysian theme and how is it present in Helperen's work?

  The Elysian theme is a literary paradigm that contrasts the attractions of exploration, enterprise, war, and action with the comforts of home, heart, family, domestic peace, and social order. Helperen believes that this theme reflects a fundamental duality in human nature and is present in many of his works, particularly in "The Oceans and the Stars." He sees it as a tension between the desire for adventure and the need for stability and connection.

• What are Helperen's concerns about the current state of the West, particularly the United States?

  Helperen is pessimistic about the future of the West, citing examples of young people who are increasingly incapable of doing basic tasks and are easily swayed by radical ideologies. He believes that the West has ruined a number of generations by teaching them to be victims, helpless, and reliant on emotion and hysteria rather than reason and logic.

• What are Helperen's recommendations for Israel's defense strategy?

  Helperen believes that Israel needs to invest more in traditional military capabilities, such as a larger standing army and more robust conventional weapons systems. He argues that the country's over-reliance on technology and espionage is a dangerous strategy and that Israel should be prepared to take decisive action to deter its enemies. He also recommends that Israel equip some of its submarines with ballistic missiles as a deterrent against Iran and North Korea.

• What is Helperen's view on the potential consequences of Iran acquiring nuclear weapons?

  Helperen believes that Iran acquiring nuclear weapons would be a catastrophic event for Israel and the region. He argues that Iran's nuclear ambitions are driven by a desire to dominate the Middle East, separate Europe and the United States from Israel, and eventually threaten the West. He believes that Israel should have preemptively struck Iran's nuclear facilities and that the world would ultimately be grateful if Israel were to do so.

Show Notes