How the Virtues Help Us Respond to an Increasingly Vicious Online Culture

Name: How the Virtues Help Us Respond to an Increasingly Vicious Online Culture
Uploaded: 2026-07-20T00:00:00.000Z
Description: Friends, in the latest episode of the Word on Fire Show, I sat down with Matthew Petrusek to examine the dark and difficult aspects of internet culture. We explored René Girard’s i

Friends, in the latest episode of the Word on Fire Show, I sat down with Matthew Petrusek to examine the dark and difficult aspects of internet culture. We explored René Girard’s insights on scapegoating; the rise of toxicity, mobs, and weaponized anonymity; and how, with the help of the cardinal virtues, we can still make evangelical headway online. 00:00 | Introduction 01:46 | Bishop Barron celebrates 40 years 02:50 | Bishop Barron’s early days online 06:58 | Online changes in recent years 12:16 | Anonymity online 17:42 | Applying the cardinal virtues: 1) Temperance 22:23 | 2) Fortitude 24:05 | 3) Justice 26:15 | Recognizing sins of speech 29:23 | 4) Prudence 31:23 | How we move forward 34:23 | Listener question: How would you define respect? 36:23 | Join the Word on Fire Institute

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