Parallax Views w/ J.G. Michael

👉 Pitch in on Patreon and fuel the future of free-thinking conversations. https://www.patreon.com/parallaxviews Also visit our returning sponsor Mike Swanson's Wall Street Window for the best financial and trading newsletter around: https://wallstreetwindow.com/ On this edition of Parallax Views, J.G. Michael is joined by former police officer Eddie McNamara, author of Zodiactually: The Real Story of a Fake Serial Killer (Feral House), for a Halloween-season deep dive into one of America's most notorious unsolved criminal cases and the media mythology that has grown around it. What does McNamara mean when he calls the Zodiac Killer a fake serial killer? He isn't suggesting that the murders never happened. Rather, he argues that the crimes attributed to the Zodiac were committed by different perpetrators and that multiple letter writers helped construct the image of a single, elusive mastermind. Drawing on police and FBI records, contemporary newspaper accounts, and the findings of original investigators, McNamara challenges the conventional narrative popularized by Robert Graysmith's book, David Fincher's Zodiac, and decades of documentaries and true-crime speculation. We examine the Lake Herman Road murders, the killings at Blue Rock Springs, the murder of cab driver Paul Stine, and the controversial inclusion of the Sherry Jo Bates murder in the Zodiac case. Along the way, McNamara discusses alternative suspects, inconsistencies in the evidence, the work of investigators who questioned the prevailing narrative, and how the tendency to lump separate crimes together may have hindered the search for answers. We also explore the distinction between an actual criminal investigation and the mythology built around it, including the consequences of publicly associating eccentric or otherwise innocent people with notorious crimes. The conversation extends beyond the Zodiac case to consider the broader relationship between media, crime, and popular folklore. Beginning with the mythology surrounding the Kitty Genovese murder, we discuss how misleading narratives can become accepted as fact, from the supposed bystander effect to sensationalized accounts of Columbine. As McNamara puts it, the problem is often less about conspiracy than commerce: the memorable story can prove more profitable than the complicated truth. We also touch on the recurring dynamics of moral panics, the Satanic Panic, and the ways sensationalist narratives continue to resurface in contemporary conspiracy culture. Is the Zodiac Killer as we know him a historical figure, or a media-created boogeyman assembled from unrelated crimes, questionable evidence, and competing stories? McNamara makes his case in this provocative examination of true-crime culture, investigative history, and the stories we tell ourselves about the darkest corners of American life.

👉 Pitch in on Patreon and fuel the future of free-thinking conversations. https://www.patreon.com/parallaxviews Also visit our returning sponsor Mike Swanson's Wall Street Window for the best financial and trading newsletter around: https://wallstreetwindow.com/ IT'S OUR ANNUAL HALLOWEEN SERIES OF SHOWS! PREPARE TO GET OUT THERE AS PARALLAX VIEWS GOES ALL COAST 2 COAST AM FOR A SPELL! On this edition of Parallax Views, J.G. Michael is joined by film historian Gary D. Rhodes, author of Weirdumentary, to investigate a strange cinematic phenomenon that helped bring UFOs, ancient astronauts, Bigfoot, and other paranormal mysteries into the American mainstream. Imagine Rod Serling, Leonard Nimoy, or Orson Welles solemnly narrating grainy dramatic reenactments of encounters with the unexplained, all packaged with the authority of a network news broadcast. Welcome to the weirdumentary, a distinctive 1970s film subgenre that capitalized on public fascination with the paranormal while blurring the boundaries between documentary, speculation, and entertainment. We explore Sun Classic Pictures, the Utah-based outfit that turned these films into box-office successes through an ingenious four-walling distribution model, bypassing Hollywood to bring titles like Chariots of the Gods and The Legend of Boggy Creek to audiences nationwide. But why did these films strike such a nerve? Gary and J.G. examine the cultural climate behind their popularity, from Watergate-era distrust of government to New Age spirituality and the influence of 2001: A Space Odyssey. Along the way, we discuss the rural Gothic atmosphere of The Legend of Boggy Creek, the insect-apocalypse pseudo-documentary The Hellstrom Chronicle, producer Alan Landsberg's television legacy, and the influence of weirdumentaries on later mockumentaries and found-footage horror. From ancient alien theories to creatures lurking in the swamps, these films reveal how the strange and supposedly inexplicable became a remarkably successful form of popular entertainment.

👉 Pitch in on Patreon and fuel the future of free-thinking conversations. https://www.patreon.com/parallaxviews Also visit our returning sponsor Mike Swanson's Wall Street Window for the best financial and trading newsletter around: https://wallstreetwindow.com/ To Download Issue 1 of Communoids Enter the following paraphrase into the terminal at https://parapowermapping.com/: PEOPLES_printshopCN01solidarity_PRESS On this edition of Parallax Views, J.G. Michael is joined by "Klonny Gosch" of ParaPower Mapping to discuss the launch of Communoids, a free underground zine bringing Marxist theory into conversation with parapolitics, deep political research, and the study of power networks that operate beyond public scrutiny. Available as a PDF, EPUB, and DIY print edition, Communoids aims to provide an alternative space for pseudonymous writing outside the constraints of bourgeois social media platforms. Its inaugural issue takes Jeffrey Epstein as a “skeleton key” for examining the intersections of the transnational bourgeoisie, intelligence-connected figures, and criminal networks. The conversation explores Epstein’s connections to Leslie Wexner, Southern Air Transport, and the international trafficking networks associated with Jean-Luc Brunel and the MC2 modeling agency. J.G. and Klonny also discuss “conspiraphobia” on the left, the right’s effective monopoly on conspiratorial thinking, and how dismissing individual agents and covert networks can obscure the concrete workings of power. From algorithmic censorship and the political economy of AI to cybernetics, DARPA, Palantir, and the ultra-wealthy’s preparations for societal collapse, the discussion examines the historical continuities between technological development, social control, and elite power. What can parapolitics contribute to a Marxist understanding of capitalism, imperialism, and the state?

👉 Pitch in on Patreon and fuel the future of free-thinking conversations. https://www.patreon.com/parallaxviews Also visit our returning sponsor Mike Swanson's Wall Street Window for the best financial and trading newsletter around: https://wallstreetwindow.com/ On this edition of Parallax Views, J.G. Michael is joined by Robert Jensen, author of This I Don't Believe: A Fulfilling Life Without Meaning, for a wide-ranging conversation about radical humility, intellectual curiosity, and what it means to live a fulfilling life without believing in a transcendent or cosmic purpose. A former journalism professor at the University of Texas at Austin, Jensen reflects on how his own experiences, relationships, and intellectual evolution shaped his philosophical outlook, from his youthful embrace of Ayn Rand's Objectivism to his present-day skepticism toward dogmatism, certainty, and intellectual tribalism. Jensen discusses the distinction between meaning and fulfillment, his skepticism toward free will, and why he rejects the smug certainties of the New Atheist movement without insisting that others abandon their religious or spiritual beliefs. He also opens up about his traumatic childhood, dissociative amnesia, and the difficult process of understanding how our personal histories shape the beliefs we hold. Along the way, Jensen reflects on the profound influence of his friend and mentor Jim Coplin, the importance of ordinary work and human relationships, and the value of what Coplin called “open-ended disciplined inquiry.” The conversation also ventures into ecological radicalism, the limits of technological solutions to environmental catastrophe, and why Jensen believes the ecological crisis demands a fundamental reconsideration of high-energy, high-consumption lifestyles. From the plasticity of human nature and the dangers of zealotry to the satisfaction found in everyday routines, this is a conversation about learning to live with uncertainty, recognizing the limits of our own knowledge, and finding fulfillment without pretending to have all the answers.

THIS EPISODE CONTAINS A SPECIAL INTROUDCTION BY J.G. SHARING HIS THOUGHTS ON ORI GOLDBERG (RIP) AND IS FOLLOWED BY TWO INTERVIEWS: THE FIRST ORIGINALLY RELEASED ON 07-28-24 AND THE SECOND RELEASED ORIGINALLY RELEASED ON 04-08-25. I'm deeply saddened by the passing of Ori Goldberg, one of my most thoughtful yet incisive guests on the topic of Israel. Although many knew him just an as Israeli dissident, I considered Ori a friend and always loved talking with him. He always went out of his way to promote my show and spoke so honestly with me both on-air and off-air. The last time we spoke I talked with him a little bit off-air about his illness. I didn't want to believe Ori was going to pass, but I had a bad feeling even before that last time we spoke. Its why I tried to have him on so often. He was just a font of analysis and commentary. He often spoke in an almost poetic way, while also being down-to-earth. And again, so open about both himself and his perceptions of Israel, life, and facing death. I'm not sure I've ever met anyone else like him. He was something special. In his memory I'll be reposting his interviews on Parallax Views throughout the week. A bit shook by this passing. Although it was known that Ori was ill, his passing is a great loss. Here's to you Ori. 👉 Pitch in on Patreon and fuel the future of free-thinking conversations. https://www.patreon.com/parallaxviews Also visit our returning sponsor Mike Swanson's Wall Street Window for the best financial and trading newsletter around: https://wallstreetwindow.com/ 07-28-24 Episode Synopsis: On this edition of Parallax Views, Israel commentator Ori Goldberg joins me from Tel Aviv to discuss the rocket that hit a soccer field in the Druze village of Majdal Shams within the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights. Israel has blamed the attacked on a Hezbollah strike. Hezbollah denied being behind the attack. Speculation arose that it was actually due to a malfunction of Israel's Iron Dome. That said, there is evidence that this was likely a Hezbollah rocket. In any case, 12 Druze children perished due to the rocket. At the funeral for the dead children, members of the Druze community protested the presence of Israeli ministers. Meanwhile, a number of Israelis are turning "We Are All Druze Now" into a slogan as fears of a full-blown war between Israel and Hezbollah grow. Ori offers his thoughts on the incident, and makes the case that the deaths of the Druze children was likely accidental based on Hezbollah past history and concerns that any false move could start a war. He DOES NOT deny that Hezbollah conducted strikes. Nor does he seek to deny the tragedy of children being killed. Additionally, he questions/challenges the conspiracy theories arising that this was an Israeli false flag and gives his reasons for believing this is not the case. With that in mind, he cautions against drawing any firm conclusions about whether this was a mistake or intentional until there is further investigation. Ori also argues that this will not lead to a war between Israel and Hezbollah because, in his analysis, neither the IDF or Hezbollah want a full-blown war at this time. In addition to all of this we'll also discuss the death of Mohammad Bhar, a young Palestinian man afflicted with autism and Down syndrome who was mauled by an Israel Defense Forces attack dog and bled out in the aftermath. Moreover, we will discuss the Israeli psyche at this moment, the situation of the Bedouin and Druze minorities in Israel and discrimination against them, the Basic Law: Israel as the Nation-State of the Jewish People that was passed by the Israeli Knesset in 2018, why Ori believes the Gaza war is slouching towards an inevitable close/end, Benjamin Netanyahu's speech to U.S. congress, post-war Gaza and "The Day After", Netanyahu announcing the he's "postponing" the departure of sick children from Gaza who need life-saving therapy because of the Majdal Shams indecent, the blowing up of Rafah's water reservoir, Israeli hopes of introducing "de-radicalization" into Gazan education post-war, and much, much more. 04-08-25 Episode Synopsis: On this edition of Parallax Views, Israeli commentator Ori Goldberg returns to the show to discuss the latest development in Gaza and Israel. This conversation came about due to the horrific stories coming of the southern Gaza city Rafah and touches upon that as well as the political turmoil currently bubbling to a fever pitch in Israel. J.G. specifically reached out to interview Ori in the hopes of trying to make sense of what is happening on the ground. Abstractions are often attendant to discussions of Israel/Palestine, but the human cost cannot be forgotten. That is what led to this discussion, and it proved difficult on some level due to the intense nature of the horrors we've seen in the past year and a half whether it be the events of October 7th or the scenes coming out of Rafah. Ori's approach is highly reflective in nature and as such has a certain unique quality. Whether you agree or disagree with Ori's thinking, this is hopefully going to be a powerful discussion.