Decoding the Gurus

We risk contamination with toxic mould, endure distressing initiation rituals to a comedy cult, and ponder if the narratives we have received about the Nazis have enough nuance.The full episode is available to Patreon subscribers (2 hours, 21 minutes).Join us at: https://www.patreon.com/DecodingTheGurusSupplementary Material 3600:00 Introduction and an Intervention01:59 Tomatoes, Holidays, and Hollywood Remakes06:15 AI x Indulgent People06:41 AI Chatbots and Delusional Gurus10:46 Sir Robert Edward Grant and the Architect 12:26 Critiquing the Critics13:31 Eric Weinstein engages with Dialogos with his silicon friend Grok22:25 Tim Nguyen details the Distributed Weinstein Suppression Complex24:20 Sabine Hossenfelder's Google Doc27:10 2+2 Discourse and a surprise appearance from Kareem Carr29:34 Chris's 10 Tips for Sabine34:39 Coffeezilla does more Anomaly Hunting on Epstein Videos37:50 Conspiracy Chat39:58  Ghislaine Maxwell's potential deal 42:29 Thoughts on the Elephant Graveyard's Video on the Joe Rogan Comedy Cult49:45 Details vs Vibes52:46 Rogan's Fact-Checking and Comedian Dynamics54:54 The Rogan Anti-Human Tech Elite Conspiracy Theory59:40 Master Geniuses vs. a bunch of dickheads who like the same stuff01:03:55 Lex Friedman and the Role of Softball Interviews01:06:28 Conspiracy Theories vs. Real Conspiracies01:15:51 Overall thoughts on the Elephant Graveyard Video Essay01:19:18 Ana Kasparian thinks the Jews knew about 9/1101:22:21 Jordan Peterson's Health and Mould Toxicity01:24:24 Good Fungus vs Bad Mould01:26:08 Bespoke Medicine and American Individualism01:29:57 Streamers saying Stupid Things: Taylor Lorenz on DSA Nazis01:33:08 Populist anti-vaccine rhetoric in Japan!01:35:58 Bill Maher and Andrew Huberman discuss the problems with medicine01:38:40 Chris Rufo and Right Wing Outrage over the Cracker Barrel logo01:42:31 The War on Christmas in Australia01:44:35 Jonathan Pageau's revisionist World War II symbolism01:48:29 Pageau's Postmodern Narratives02:03:32 Finding the Balance between Nazism and Liberalism02:14:02 Random Shoutout02:15:45 Matt's Cognitive Decline and Professor ArchetypesSourcesArticle on Sir Robert Edward Grant and The ArchitectEric talking with his silicon friend @grokEric waxing lyrical about Grok and praising Elon for his unique insightsTim Nguyen — Physics Grifters: Eric Weinstein, Sabine Hossenfelder, and a Crisis of CredibilitySabine vindicates herself in a Google DocKareem Carr thinks Sabine’s document is great!

We face a disciplinary crisis as the twin pillars of Game Theory and Gurometry are called into question.The full episode is available to Patreon subscribers (1 hour, 35 minutes).Join us at: https://www.patreon.com/DecodingTheGurusSupplementary Material 3500:05 Introduction  01:52 Matt's Apology06:55 Just Life...12:34 Matt's Foodie Corner 14:01 Dedunking Dan Richards finds Sabine16:37 Sabine cultivates parasocial defenders18:16 Ana Kasparian gets deeper into ZOG conspiracies24:44 Gary vs Game Theory40:26 Support the Channel to Save the World47:10 Bryan Johnson and Methylene blue51:52 Scientific Cosplay Online53:51 Keith Rainiere and Sensemaking Parallels54:57 High IQ YoungHoon Kim tweets about proof of God56:19 Guru and Cult Leader Parallels01:01:13 The Validity of the Gurometer in Question?!?01:03:03 Hacking Social Heuristics01:07:38 Cult Leaders vs Secular Gurus01:12:33 Anti-Democratic moves by Trump01:15:03 Dan Carlin on Trump01:18:30 Streamers Talking Nonsense: Hasan on ISIS01:21:24 Ideological Fixation and Motivated Conspiracism01:27:22 OutroSourcesThe Cushendun Sea Caves from Game of ThronesKingdom Come: Deliverance 2 is Boosting TourismDeDunking: Eric Weinstein's Theory — Real Physicist vs Pseudo PoserAna Kasparian tweeting about the “Zionist Occupied Government”Gary’s Economics: Game Theory is BrokenCritical Reddit thread on Gary’s Game Theory videoHenrich, J., McElreath, R., Barr, A., Ensminger, J., Barrett, C., Bolyanatz, A., ... & Ziker, J. (2006). Costly punishment across human societies. Science, 312(5781), 1767–1770.The Selfish Gene, Chapter 12: Nice Guys Finish First (Richard Dawkins)High IQ YoungHoon Kim tweets about proof of GodI was Jordan Peterson’s strongest supporter. Now I think he’s dangerousDan Carlin’s tweet about TrumpBBC: National Guard troops appear in Washington DC as mayor rejects Trump's 'authoritarian push'Nathan Baker: Keith Raniere, Ringleader of NXIVM Sex Slave Cult, Interviewed by Allison Mack, Top Cult...

In this watery simulation of an episode, Matt and Chris uncover the true purpose of Scott Adams’ existence: not to shape reality, but to provide training data for future AIs working on plumbing-related problems. Somewhere in a cosmic server farm, Scott is endlessly confronted with blocked drains, dripping faucets, and municipal water conspiracies, while his “insights” fuel the next generation of household maintenance bots.Against this surreal backdrop, Naval Ravikant enters the scene — investor, tweeter, self-styled philosopher, and, in practice, just another discourse surfer riding the waves of online conspiracism. The conversation opens with a familiar chorus of right-wing talking points, drifts into feverish speculation about lawfare, censorship, and “imported voters,” and finally winds down in the dim light of dorm-room metaphysics, where slogans like “happiness is a choice” are served up as if they were profound insights.Naval presents himself as a detached sage, offering a boutique blend of political commentary and Daoist-tinged wisdom. In reality, he delivers little more than predictable polemics and recycled aphorisms. Imagining himself a great man of history dispensing lyrical truths in tweet-sized form, he produces nothing that rises above the usual culture-war debris. The posture is Buddha-with-a-smartphone; the reality is a credulous tech elite mistaking his own Twitter feed for a philosophy seminar.What follows is Elon-as-Ben-Franklin fanboying, Trump rebranded as a “bottom-up” leader of the people, and a level of self-congratulation so thick it could be used to terraform Mars. By the end, you may find yourself nostalgic for the leaky pipes in Scott’s simulation — at least they produce real water...SourcesModern Wisdom (Chris Williamson): 44 Harsh Truths About The Game Of Life - Naval Ravikant (4K)Real Coffee with Scott Adams: Conversation with Naval Ravikant

In this episode, we immerse ourselves in the potent juices of the manosphere with British journalist and author James Bloodworth. James recently published Lost Boys: A Personal Journey Through the Manosphere and takes us on a whirlwind tour of various misogynistic and anti-feminist subcultures, including pickup artists, incels, and the blue, red, and black pill communities. Drawing on his personal experiences and research, James discusses the appeal and dangers of the manosphere, touching on themes such as insecure masculinity and the commodification of social interactions. We also get into some joyful political implications and consider the role of social media in spreading these messages. One for all the family!LinksLost Boys - Journey into the ManosphereJames' SubstackThe Guardian – Journey into the Manosphere – Review of Lost BoysProspect Magazine – Matthew Goodwin, Reform and the politics of resentment – Bloodworth’s recent article on Matt Goodwin

We drown in waves of ideological fluidity as the gurusphere continues to crash all around us.Supplementary Material 3400:00 Introduction01:26 Irish Stew and Dog Exercise Report03:45 A new 276 IQ Genius11:47 Fresh and Fit Antisemitism16:51 Are things getting dumber?21:22 Asmongold on the Epstein Files24:53 Epstein Conspiratorial Discourse helps Ghislaine Maxwell29:00 Vinay Prasad resigns from his MAGA position31:17 Eric Weinstein is the Architect of the Great Reset!32:37 Google Eyed Loons vs. Willing Apparatchik36:40 The Young Turks are joined by... Scott Adams38:51 Ana Kasparian sits down with Tucker Carlson44:46 Jimmy the Giant enters the arena46:11 Jimmy the Giant meets Konstantin Kisin57:12 Debating the Middle Class YouTube Grifters01:06:15 The Gurusphere Grift01:08:16 Jimmy the Giant reflects on his performance01:11:16 Discourse standards for Research01:15:05 Jimmy defends his criticisms01:22:27 Jimmy the Giant deletes his videos and apologises to Konstantin01:28:04 The Call to Action to support the Grand Mission01:32:32 Separating Issues from Support of Influencers01:37:13 Jimmy the Giant explains how the Elites created Wokeness01:47:16 Woke Wars and Psyops01:49:33 The Right Wing Media Outrage Ecosystem01:55:26 False Consciousness and the Billionaires02:02:47 AI limitations and Hallucinations02:07:08 Post Hoc-Reasoning in AI and People02:14:22 OutroThe full episode is available for Patreon subscribers (2hrs 16 mins).Join us at: https://www.patreon.com/DecodingTheGurusSourcesYounghoon Kim: World’s Highest IQ Score (276) Scientifically Documented in New Academic PreprintFresh and Fit idiots being giggly anti-semitic and praising HitlerJoanne Freeman: The Field of Blood: Violence in Congress and the Road to Civil WarGhislaine Maxwell moved to Federal prison camp in TexasComment on the move from Prison ConsultantPoor Vinay Prasad – The Disgraceful Campaign Against a Top FDA OfficialEric responds to accusations that he is the mastermind behind the Great ReplacementTYT’s The Conversation: Scott Adams Reflects on Life after his Terminal Cancer DiagnosisAna Kasparian on the Tucker Carlson showClips from now deleted Triggernometry video: He Called me a Grifter… it didn’t go so well

In this exhausting deep dive, Matt and Chris take a break from counting their billionaire stipends to devote (what some might call) an inordinate amount of time to Gary Stevenson’s recent appearance with a challenging interviewer: Tomás from Despolariza. They grapple with the indeterminacy of Schrödinger’s Gary, who oscillates between being an economic and mathematical genius revealing what THEY don’t want you to know on YouTube, and a pragmatic but selfless political activist who oversimplifies complex problems and sacrifices nuance (and himself) in the name of urgent reform.Despite insisting that he hates fame and has no desire to promote his best-selling book or be a popular YouTuber, Gary takes the time to remind us all of how often he’s recognised on the street and precisely how many millions of views his channel racks up each month. These are depressingly familiar guru tropes, as are his sweeping claims that you can’t trust politicians, economists, academics, journalists, the media, his old colleagues… or even graphs.Gary’s core message that growing inequality is economically and politically unsustainable is an important one. And his ability to communicate the stakes of that problem to a large audience could be beneficial. So the criticism lies not with his stated goals but with the guru-tastic packaging and unwillingness to deal with complexity.Luckily, there is a solution... Gary. Only he and his YouTube channel can save your grandchildren from abject poverty and Nigel Farage. And if you doubt him, just look at how many millions he made for himself and the bank with his uncanny predictions… or those monthly viewer stats. Oh, and did we mention he has an elite education from LSE?Links#89 GARY STEVENSON - Economics, Trading, Inequality, Wealth, Populism, Tax, Depolarize.Zucman, G. (2015). The hidden wealth of nations: The scourge of tax havens. In The hidden wealth of nations. University of Chicago Press.Francis-Devine, B. (2025). Income inequality in the UK. House of Commons Library.Francis-Devine, B. (2025). Wealth in Great Britain. House of Commons Library.

In this mini-decoding, Matt and Chris examine Sabine Hossenfelder's recent fervent defence of Eric Weinstein and her sharp rebuke of his critics, including Sean Carroll. Sabine suggests that Eric poses a genuine threat to the physics establishment and that he is terrifying them by exposing their weak points. Moreover, according to Sabine, Geometric Unity, Eric's homegrown Theory of Everything, is on par with String Theory, if not better, since it wastes less money! This episode takes a critical look at those claims and Sabine's own heated rhetoric and performative outrage, examining how her defence of Eric aligns with a broader online anti-science contrarian ecosystem.So join us as we ponder whether Sabine is a brave, truth-telling rebel challenging a stagnant scientific orthodoxy and defending an honest man who is under attack for simply daring to question the powers that be... or whether she is just another contrarian YouTuber pandering to anti-science sentiment, defending fellow influencers, and playing the game of algorithm-driven clickbait outrage.Links- Sabine Hossenfelder: Physicists are afraid of Eric Weinstein -- and they should be- Sabine Hossenfelder: Do we need a Theory of Everything?- Decoding the Gurus: Sabine Hossenfelder: Science is a Liar ... Sometimes- Professor Dave Explains: Sabine Hossenfelder Joins the Eric Weinstein Damage Control Parade- Sabine cheers on Bryan Johnson on Twitter- Tim Nguyen discusses Sabine's response on Twitter- Dr. Brian Keating: What Is A Theory of Everything? Featuring Sabine Hossenfelder, Lee Smolin, & Eric Weinstein

In this packed supplementary episode, we tackle all of the urgent global issues, ranging from Epstein file conspiracies to Matt’s immense love of a fantasy game where dwarves punch ducks for fun. Along the way, we’re joined by a stellar cast of commentators, including some old favourites. Strap in… it’s a long one.Supplementary Material 3300:00 Introductory Banter: Old Squeaky and Matt's Wall04:40 Mecha Hitler's rampage07:46 Grok's Controversial Behavior11:12 Linda Yaccarino's grinning departure from X13:05 Elmo's anti-semitic conspiracy tirade14:11 Connor McGregor taints the timeline15:03 Eric joins Diary of a CEO to give some advice23:07 The Weinstein enigma28:11 Eric Weinstein on Jeffrey Epstein33:02 Eric vs. Mick West Round 235:15 Plastic Bag Wearing Philosophers, Pornographic AI Companions, and Neo-Liberalism 41:45 Weinstein vs Sean Carrol: Further Developments43:57 Professor Dave's New Video on Eric with Christian Ferko50:44 A Physicist's view of Geometric Unity54:06 Debating Prof. Dave on Eric's Motivations59:04 Peter Thiel and Ross Douhat on the Antichrist01:08:31 Professor Dave Summarises Eric01:20:49 Mockery and Different Styles of Criticism01:25:18 Jeffrey Epstein Scandal Introduction01:28:09 Trump's Response and Conspiracy Theories01:31:18 Andrew Schulz' Cognitive Dissonance01:38:32 Trump's Deep State Assassination Attempt01:40:01 Megyn Kelly has another explanation01:46:15 The Court Intrigues of MAGA01:50:02 The Epstein Online Economy01:57:54 Tim Pool's spin: It's the Democrats!02:00:26 Destiny and Contrapoints get Conspiracy Theories02:01:53 The Weinstein takes on Epstein: Welcome to the Infinite Truman Show02:03:33 Scott Adams' Take: A Commander In Chief Issue02:04:42 Epstein: The Foreign Agent?02:07:20 Coffeezilla's Anomaly Hunting02:11:47 Destiny Reacting to Coffeezilla and the Fluidity of Conspiracies02:18:06 Doing Your Own Research on the Acosta Quote02:20:29 Epstein Takes From QAnon Anonymous to Red Scare 02:25:18 Critical Evaluation of Claims: Consulting Reports on Epstein's Suicide02:35:55 Hasan demonstrates responsible Conspiracy Hypothesising02:39:34 New Conspiracy Lore02:42:19 Tribal Matters02:43:31 Matt's Gaming Grotto: Baldurs Gates, Dwarf Fortresses, and Rogue Traders02:53:40 Matt's Sick Mind02:54:57 OutroThe full episode is available for Patreon subscribers (2hrs 57 mins).Join us at: https://www.patreon.com/DecodingTheGurusSourcesJeremy Howard’s TweetMecha Hitler Twitter (The Guardian)Elmo Hacked (The Guardian)Conor McGregor Shares Unsolicited Pics (Daily Mail)Stephen Bartlett Reprimanded by ASA (Marketing Week)Eric Being Mysterious with Mick West (Twitter)a...

In this episode of "Decoding Academia: Required Readings", Chris and Matt take a joint stroll through the history of Buddhism through Donald S. Lopez Jr.'s latest book, 'Buddhism: A Journey Through History.' We discuss the unexpected historical and cultural facets of Buddhism, how modern interpretations can often romanticise ancient practices, and whether Matt's mind has been blown. We also consider important issues like the Buddha's retractable penis, incredibly long tongue, and just how strongly we should condemn monks scribbling pictures of their would-be brides. So join us in the cycle of samsara as we strive to earn some merit and at least crawl a little closer to enlightenment.Book ReviewedLopez, D. S. (2025). Buddhism: A Journey through History. Yale University Press.Required Readings - Buddhism A Journey Through History00:00 Introduction to Decoding Academia01:51 Current Book Selection: Buddhism a Journey Through History02:56 Initial Impressions and Apologies06:00 Buddhism's Complexities and Contradictions07:59 Western Perceptions vs. Historical Realities11:27 The Historical Buddha?17:09 Buddhist Approaches to Texts22:09 Comparisons with Other Religions26:38 Orthopraxic Buddhism29:53 Petty Buddhism34:20 Matt's Religion Hot Take37:17 Ashoka: The Buddhist King?39:02 Buddhism's Syncretic Nature39:35 The Syncretic Approach42:49 Anti-Colonial Buddhism43:44 Buddhist Modernism and Science46:58 The Buddhist Canon51:26 Matt's History Thoughts53:06 Buddhism's Cultural and Social Role55:55 Gods and Supernatural Beings56:48 The Attitude towards Women59:36 The Value of Buddhism01:03:35 Religions as Cultural Technologies with Social Functions01:05:54 Monastic Issues01:12:51 Religious Motivations01:14:38 OutroThe full episode is available for Patreon subscribers (1hr 17 mins).Join us at: https://www.patreon.com/DecodingTheGurus

In this academic-themed interview episode of Decoding the Gurus, Matt and Chris sit down to chat with Dorsa Amir and Chaz Firestone (@chazfirestone) about their recent paper 'Is Visual Perception WEIRD? The Müller-Lyer Illusion and the Cultural Byproduct Hypothesis.'In a conversation that serves as a welcome tonic to the endless lamentations of the gurus about academic groupthink and closed-minded silos, Dorsa and Chaz discuss the interdisciplinary nature of their work, debates around universal vs. culturally specific psychology, and the strength of evidence that visual perception varies between cultures. We also learn about the dangers of being STUPID: Studying Topics Uninformed by Prior Investigations in the Discipline, and attempt to uncover just how much Chaz enjoys popping balloons.A fun one that might even leave you a little bit more optimistic than usual!LinksAmir, D., & Firestone, C. (2025). Is visual perception WEIRD? The Müller-Lyer illusion and the cultural byproduct hypothesis. Psychological Review.Dorsa's Homepage and Mind and Culture Lab.Chaz's Perception & Mind Lab Homepage, his instagram, and his BJJ victory video.Decoding Academia 33: The Great Müller-Lyer Debate from Fish Tanks to Eye OperationsMickey Inzlicht's Substack on the Paper and the Debates around it.Henrich, J., Heine, S. J., & Norenzayan, A. (2010). The weirdest people in the world?. Behavioral and brain sciences, 33(2-3), 61-83.Lucca, K., Yuen, F., Wang, Y., Alessandroni, N., Allison, O., Alvarez, M., ... & Hamlin, J. K. (2025). Infants’ Social Evaluation of Helpers and Hinderers: A Large‐Scale, Multi‐Lab, Coordinated Replication Study. Developmental Science, 28(1), e13581.

We wallow in the mud with some of the worst gurus of the gurusphere. Join us and lament the guru paradise that we all live in.Supplementary Material 3200:00 Introduction and Banter01:22 Old Squeaky and Daily Life03:53 Matthew McConaughey Episode Recap08:13 The Liver King Controversy16:14 Nazi Propaganda on YouTube21:11 Historical Revisionism: Darryl Cooper and David Irving27:46 Huberman's very public hardcore research32:25 Huberman sells out34:32 Chris Langan: The Bottom (Racist) Tier of Gurudom36:03 Langan on Weinstein42:21 Langan's grievances against Elon Musk and Jordan Peterson49:47 Matt Goodwin visits London55:59 Gary Stevenson hates Graphs and Data01:10:33 Gary compares himself to Russell Brand01:15:12 THEY won't let you talk about the economy01:17:22 Matt invokes Goodwin's Law01:25:08 The All In Podcast Besties launch a Tequila Brand01:28:32 Matt's Modest Utopian Plan01:31:12 Lab Leak Discourse continues at the Guardian01:35:55 Matt attacks the Mainstream Media01:39:11 Dugin's Forum of the Future 2050 and the Guru Horseshoe01:45:57 Extended OutroThe full episode is available for Patreon subscribers (1hr 50 mins).Join us at: https://www.patreon.com/DecodingTheGurusSources2Lazy2Try: The Liver King Gets Arrested For Trying To Hunt Down Joe RoganRob Mohr tweets out an iconic photo of HubermanScott Carney: Documenting Andrew Huberman's LiesChris Langan's thoughts on Eric WeinsteinChris Langan's thoughts on Elon Musk & Jordan PetersonMatt Goodwin's visit to LondonDespolarisa: #89 GARY STEVENSON - Economics, Trading, Inequality, Wealth, Populism, Tax, DepolarizeThe All-In Podcast guys being bastardsTsargard Institute: The Forum for the Future 2050

In this episode, Matt and Chris try to get from where they are to where they want to be, accepting their hidden strengths and dismantling their egos as they immerse themselves fully in the wild world of Matthew McConaughey's burgeoning self-help empire. Join them as they uncover the true Art of Livin’ and learn how it is that an Academy Award-winning Hollywood star finds himself sharing life advice alongside the likes of Tony Robbins and Dean Graziosi.With bongos, heartfelt confessions, and a sales pitch that'll make your wallet quiver, we break down the one-and-only event where journaling and wet dreams are your ticket to self-actualisation. Brace yourself for some heavy-duty motivational speeches, meaningful shared stories, and just a pinch of canned audience responses, as we ride shotgun on this once-in-a-lifetime self-help seminar.And how much will all this cost you? You ask? It should be $3000, but for today only, we give it all for free.LinksMcConaughey's segment from the The Art of Livin' EventKeyasWorld: Matthew McConaughey's self-help event WAS INSANEKeyasWorld: Is Matthew McConaughey Starting a Cult?Rolling Stone: Matthew McConaughey Will Dispense ‘Lyrics of Livin’ in New Weekly NewsletterThe Monastery in the DesertMikhaila Peterson: #32 Matthew McConaugheyLex Fridman: Matthew McConaughey: Freedom, Truth, Family, Hardship, and Love | Lex Fridman Podcast #384

Welcome to another enlightening episode of Decoding Academia. In this bonus preview of our highly secretive Patreon content, we are discussing a controversial paper by Dorsa Amir and Chaz Firestone that challenges the established notion of the Müller-Lyer illusion being a product of cultural environments. Prepare yourself for some high-level discussions of the visual processes of guppy fish and bearded lizards, as well as the remarkable lengths that psychologists will go to in order to get people to complete their tests. Will our seasoned scholars unravel the illusion, or is this debate another eye-catching mirage? <wink, wink>Sources(forthcoming) Amir, D., & Firestone, C. Is visual perception WEIRD? The Müller-Lyer illusion and the Cultural Byproduct Hypothesis. Psychological Review.Dorsa's summary thread on the paperJoe Henrich's critical thread on the paperChaz's response to the Joe Henrich threadPaul Bloom's Substack articles on Nature vs. Nurture debates and clever experiments

We venture into the darker corners of the gurusphere and marvel at some very, very brave individuals, their valiant efforts to play devil's advocate, and some world-class discourse surfing skills. Join us, won't you?Supplementary Material 31: Aquatic Nightmares, Strategic Obliviousness, & Race Realists00:00 Introduction & Ol Squeaky Cameo02:57 Matt's Aquarium Trauma & Stress Dreams09:45 RFK Jr's war on science continues11:17 Robert Malone & other 'Covid Contrarians' rewarded under Trump14:35 The LA Protests, Riots, and Anti-Immigrant Narratives20:12 Flint Dibble calls out Joe Rogan25:24 Joe Rogan is a polemical ideologue and anti-vaccine advocate27:34 Cassandra Kavanagh?32:37 If Books Could Kill on Lab Leak35:10 Popular Perceptions of the Covid Pandemic vs Reality38:38 Debating COVID-19 Measures38:59 Clarifying the Role of Sam's Manager42:56 Discussing Trump, Musk, and DOGE's Political Impact47:12 The Meaning Crisis and the Comfort of Religion50:35 The Effects of Social Media53:15 Matt and Chris Friendly Shadowboxing56:19 The horror of directly stating your opinions58:14 Sam Harris' Preparation for Conversations01:05:02 Strategic Obliviousness01:12:26 A little bit of TRT Discourse01:16:17 Lex's Insufferable Tweet:  Celebrating Humanity and Responding to Critics01:18:46 The Bravery of the All In Podcast Besties01:20:33 Elon Musk and Donald Trump: A Complex Relationship01:23:42 Mike from PA and Dunking Safely Online01:26:10 Scientific Racism and Controversial Podcasts01:34:02 Paul Bloom and Subjective Redlines01:41:10 The Neo-Nazi Smoke in the Race Realism World01:48:36 Daniël Lakens on Bryan Johnson on Mortality Salience01:50:16 Matt's Foodie Corner01:52:21 OutroThe full episode is available for Patreon subscribers (1hr 54 mins).Join us at: https://www.patreon.com/DecodingTheGurusSourcesBBC- RFK Jr appoints new US vaccine advisers after sacking committeeFlint Dibble’s New Video: Joe Rogan's Cult of Fake ArchaeologyLex Fridman’s Insufferable TweetSam Harris EPISODE 419 "More From Sam": Elon vs. Trump, Religion, Jordan Peterson, & Rapid Fire QuestionsThe All In Besties being cowardsThe Guardian: Harvard author Steven Pinker appears on podcast linked to scientific racismSteven Pinker on AporiaHope Not Hate’s investigation into Aporia and related race science networksIf Books Could Kill: The Lab Leak Goes Mainstreama...

The Decoders welcome back cognitive anthropologist Manvir Singh for a continued exploration into the social and cognitive dimensions of shamanism. Building upon their earlier conversation, this episode involves further discussion of the psychological mechanisms and cultural patterns that make shamanic practices a recurring feature across human societies. Drawing from Singh's latest book, Shamanism: The Timeless Religion (2025), the discussion addresses how these ancient practices persist and adapt in modern contexts.Taking our standard meandering conversational journey with Manvir, we traverse topics such as whether Jesus and the Buddha were shamans, the parallels between the Siberian tundra and Silicon Valley, the potential emergence of AI-driven shamans within virtual reality environments, and whether dialogos with Hermes counts as a soul flight.Something for all the family!LinksShamanism: The Timeless Religion by Manvir Singh (2025)Prof or Hobo websiteNew Yorker: The President Who Became a ProphetOur first interview with ManvirBuckner, William. 2022. "A Deceptive Curing Practice in Hunter–Gatherer Societies" Humans 2, no. 3: 95-103. https://doi.org/10.3390/humans2030007

There’s been a disturbance in the Gurusphere. Two of its central objects of worship are feuding. The guru’s guru, Elon Musk, and the MAGA God-King, Donald Trump, have finally turned on each other, trading blows on social media. In this mini supplementary episode, Matt and Chris survey the shockwaves rippling through the Gurusphere as these titanic egos collide.It’s more slapfight than substance, but that hasn’t stopped gurus and sycophants from picking sides or admiring the sheer brass balls on display. Look out for Lex Fridman’s outside-the-box solution, Eric Weinstein’s cryptic mutterings, and some hilarious takes from the comedic genius Francis Foster. Strap in. It’s petty, it’s absurd, and it’s all happening.Trump vs. Elon: The Gurusphere Reacts00:00 Elon and Trump00:26 Introduction: Elon and Trump are feuding07:10 A little bit of context13:11 The Gurusphere reacts14:32 O'Fallon & Lindsay saw this coming16:01 Eric's Trademark - Both Sidesing Obscurantism20:38 The Big Dog's Take24:01 Lex suggests we need a podcast!27:10 Maculinity Hot Takes29:50 Sensemakers Take Flight31:17 Taleb's reasonable take!32:14 Konstantin Climbs the Ladder of Chaos36:37 The strategic Gaadfather & Scott Adams37:28 Tech Bros praying for peace39:25 The Red Scare MAGA Loyalist40:36 Conspiratorial Narcissists and their Public Feuds45:48 Sycophantic praise heals everything47:07 OutroThe full episode is available for Patreon subscribers (49 mins).Join us at: https://www.patreon.com/DecodingTheGurus

Prepare for a hearty mix of culinary tips, avoidance of hypothetical scenarios, and the usual guru grievances. Will Jordan Peterson ever admit he's a Christian? Is it ever truly possible to understand Sam Harris AND still disagree with him? And where does Joe Rogan's primal hate for owls come in? Tune in for at least some of the answers to these pressing questions in this bubbling broth of an episode.Supplementary Material 3000:00 Introduction and Culinary Corner12:29 The Buddhism Book cometh14:09 Joe Rogan on Astrology25:22 Rogan's Christian Conversion?32:18 Rogan on Owls...43:09 Jordan Peterson vs 20 Atheists48:55 Is JBP a Christian?54:34 It depends what you mean by believe...01:00:22 Jordan Peterson vs. hypotheticals01:13:54 Hancock Orbiters continue to be terrible01:19:58 Sam Harris' Business Manager is kinda bad01:26:22 Sam is being misinterpreted again01:35:11 The Fundamentalist Impulse01:38:09 Post-Debate Weinstein Activity01:40:32 Sam Harris is still mad with Ezra Klein01:48:39 OutroThe full episode is available for Patreon subscribers (1hr 49 mins).Join us at: https://www.patreon.com/DecodingTheGurusSources- A good Irish Stew recipe- The Buddhism Book!- Joe Rogan Experience #2323 - Guy Fieri- Jubilee: Jordan Peterson vs 20 Atheists | Surrounded- Dan Richards' charming tweet to Flint- Professor Dave: Dan Richards is a Pointless Troll- "More From Sam": Religion, Deportations, Douglas Murray vs. Rogan, & Bill Maher's Dinner with Trump- “More From Sam”: Trump & Israel, Corruption, Free Speech Violations, the Democrats, & Ezra Klein- Sam Harris' Substack: What Whataboutery?- Sam and Ezra's email exchange- Vox: Charles Murray is once again peddling junk science about race and IQ. Podcaster and author Sam Harris is the latest to fall for it.

In this medium-decoding episode, Matt and Chris turn their attention to an unlikely venue for cutting-edge theoretical physics: Piers Morgan Uncensored. There, Eric Weinstein, renegade genius and uber guru, squares off with Sean Carroll, an actual physicist and popular science communicator, in what might generously be called a “debate.”Eric brings his usual mix of personality-focused historical revisionism, intentional technobabble, and performative outrage, complete with a conspiratorial tale of how physics was hijacked in 1983 by a single lecture (that Eric was naturally present at) and how Eric is the unacknowledged creator of Seiberg-Witten equations. Sean Carroll, meanwhile, does his best to explain in simple terms how scientific research works, what is lacking in Eric's 'theory', and why appearing on podcasts is not a replacement for publishing papers and peer review.Expect to hear one academic earnestly trying to summarise complex scientific topics, while one culture war celebrity / professional podcast guest decries how he has been constantly maligned, silenced, misunderstood, and generally ignored by the mainstream scientific establishment. And just when you think it is all over, prepare to be astounded by Piers Morgan's ultimate argument for God...SourcesPiers Morgan Uncensored: “Don’t Talk About Physics Fight Club” Eric Weinstein vs Sean Carroll Science SHOWDOWNEric's Geometric Unity paperTim Nguyen & Theo Polya's Response to Geometric UnityCurt Jaimungal: Eric Weinstein's Theory of Everything "Geometric Unity" ExplainedDecoding the Gurus: Mick West & Eric Weinstein: UFO Tango

We enter the ontological in-between to try and spin up our paradigms to understand the next stage in relationship technology, the horrific damage of modern medicine, how Lucifer connects with wokeness, and the joys of bonding over outgroup hate. This one is a doozy...Supplementary Material 2800:00 Introduction - On Dogs and Dough04:37 Next Required Reading: The Buddhism Book!07:50 Jordan Peterson, James Lindsay & Woke Lucifer15:06 Aubrey Marcus' Sensual Sensemaking34:10 Jordan Hall's Sensemaking Origin Story39:09 Bret and Heather discuss cancer cures44:10 The Miracle Cure of Ivermectin46:07 Bret denounces ALL of modern medicine49:26 Community Notes has Fallen to Goliath!50:11 Theo Von, GSP, and the conspiratorial hell world58:04 Dan Bongino gets what he deserves01:05:57 Scott Adams has prostate cancer01:07:20 Joe Biden's Cancer and Taylor Lorenz's Edgy Responses01:09:13 Does Joe Biden hate affordable health care?01:13:31 Hasan joins the fray01:19:36 Genetically Modified Skeptic denouncing outrage mongering and radicalisation01:22:38 The totally hinged Zei Squirrel01:24:25 Owen Jones vs Zei Squirrel01:27:15 Unmasked by the Subreddit01:31:42 The Heterodox Social Science Conference 202501:33:16 Stephen Pinker making bad choices01:37:03 Jordan Peterson gets OUTRAGED over Harvard01:41:13 The Anti-Establishment Two-Step01:47:13 OutroThe full episode is available for Patreon subscribers (1hr 47 mins).Join us at: https://www.patreon.com/DecodingTheGurusSources- Next Required Reading- Buddhism: A Journey through History- Jordan Peterson: When the Right Goes Too Far | Dr. James Lindsay | EP 544- Jordan Peterson: A Dialogue So Dangerous, It Just Might Bring You Wisdom | John Vervaeke and Jordan Hall | EP 532- Bret and Heather discussing cancer treatments- Bret denounces all of modern medicine and conspiracy hypothesises about community notes- Aubrey Marcus: A New Pattern Of Sacred Relationship Emerges | Vylana, Alana Beale, Dr. Marc Gafni- The Hill: Patel, Bongino dismiss Epstein conspiracy theories: ‘He killed himself’- Genetically Modified Skeptic: The Alt-Right Pipeline Almost Got Me. Here’s Why It Failed- Taylor Lorenz's Biden cancer tweet- Vice: Joe Biden: It Would Be an Insult to My Dead Son for Everyone to Have Healthcare-

Fresh from unbuckling their seatbelts on the Gliding Guru luxury jet and mooring the show’s mega-yacht, our decoders are feeling an unexpected surge of empathy for their last decoding subject, Gary Stevenson. It turns out that a bit of jet-lagged decadence really hones one's sensitivity to wealth inequality. Or maybe it’s just the natural response to voluntarily subjecting yourself to the truly insufferable world of the All-In podcast.That's right, this week you can vibe to the philosophical musings of a couple of Silicon Valley moguls, Chamath Palihapitiya, David Sacks, Jason Calacanis, and David Friedberg or as they call themselves: the Dictator, the Rainman, the Moderator, and the Sultan (yes, really).Revel in their tales of private jets, $500K club memberships, and their noble quest to cut food stamps while engaging in hyper-elitist MAGA cheerleading. Plug in for a first-class tour through cognitive dissonance, private-jet populism, and your regular prescription of alternative media grievance mongering and conspiracy hypothesising.Perfect for anyone who enjoys listening to the top 0.01% share their insights and deep connection with the common man's struggles. Enjoy... because we certainly did not!SourcesAll-In Podcast: Trump's First 100 Days, Tariffs Impact Trade, AI Agents, Amazon Backs DownAll-In Podcast: Trump wins! How it happened and what's nextAll-In Podcast: The Great Tariff Debate with David Sacks, Larry Summers, and Ezra KleinAll-In Podcast Website