John Papola

John Papola

USA

Biography

John Papola is first and foremost a husband, father, Italian Catholic, and patriotic voluntarist. He’s also a serial media entrepreneur committed to using storytelling for the advancement of civilization and human flourishing. The founder and CEO of Austin-based Emergent Order Foundation, John is best known for his Keynes vs. Hayek economics rap videos, which have reached tens of millions of students and educators globally. He also hosts Dad Saves America, a digital series dedicated to exploring the biggest issues facing our next generation through the lens of heroic fatherhood.

Over the past decade, John’s media enterprises have produced hundreds of hours of cinematic original content for over 100 million global viewers powered by over $50 million in total revenue.

As a film director and producer, John’s feature documentary At The Fork, produced in collaboration with Whole Foods Market and the HSUS, debuted to critical acclaim, an international premiere at the prestigious Berlin Film Festival and worldwide distribution by Amazon Prime. His second film The Pursuit starring NY Times bestseller Arthur Brooks, about the search for happiness and global prosperity, debuted on Netflix. His newest film To My Father, starring Academy Award winner Troy Kotsur, premiered at the Tribeca Film Festival in 2023.

Papola began his career in New York City at major networks including MTV, Nickelodeon and Spike TV where, as one of the network’s creative directors, he launched numerous new shows with award-winning creative campaigns, including the True Dads and True Dads in Uniform initiatives.

All sessions

Session 2 - The Dissemination of Classical Liberal Ideas Through Cultural Creations

  • 8 October, 2025
  • 11:00 - 12:30
  • Es Saadi Palace Conference room