Discourse Lab

Clayton Smith and Anthony Rispo
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Co-hosts Anthony Rispo and Clayton Smith, along with their ideologically diverse suite of guests, use conversation to test ideas, analyze arguments, and question dogmas.

  1. Fighting Climate Doomerism w/ Lucy Biggers

    4 DAYS AGO

    Fighting Climate Doomerism w/ Lucy Biggers

    In this episode, the boys are joined by Lucy Biggers. Lucy is a journalist and content creator currently serving as the Head of Social Media for The Free Press. In her mid-20s, Lucy was an influential climate activist whose work for outlets like “NowThis” helped popularize apocalyptic narratives about global warming and bring the Standing Rock protests to national attention. During COVID, Lucy began to seriously doubt the validity of the cause she was fighting for. She put her activism on hold and reassessed many of the things she believed about climate change. Last May, Lucy started posting again—only this time it was to debunk many of the claims she had once fervently communicated to the world. Listen to this episode if you want to learn why Lucy isn’t even remotely concerned about CO₂ emissions, find out what Greta Thunberg is like in person, hear Lucy’s impression of a plant stoma, and much more! You can follow Lucy on Instagram, X, and TikTok Mentioned in this episode: Apocalypse Never - Michael ShellenbergerUnsettled - Steven E. KooninThe Moral Case for Fossil Fuels  - Alex EpsteinFossil Future - Alex EpsteinFactfullness - Hans Rosling The Long Summer - Brian FaganIrrational Fear - Dr. Matthew Wielicki's SubstackPlease rate and review us on your podcast player of choice! It’s the best way to support us.  Subscribe on Apple, Spotify, and YouTube Follow us on Instagram and X Our Book Recommendations The War on Words: 10 Arguments Against Free Speech – And Why They Fail - Nadine Strossen and Greg LukianoffA short, easy read that will arm you with the rhetorical weapons you need to fight against censorship. Psychobabble: Viral Mental Health Myths & the Truths to Set You Free - Joe NucciA fascinating look at all the mental health BS you see on your social media feeds. Joe does a great job of setting the record straight. Troubled: A Memoir of Foster Care, Family, and Social Class - Rob HendersonA beautiful, insightful, and heartbreaking memoir that highlights why a stable, loving family is something that every child deserves.Dominion: How the Christian Revolution Remade the World - Tom HollandA phenomenal and eye opening account of how Christian philosophy shaped western culture and thinking.Meditations - Marcu AureliusHistory's greatest self help book. Penned by one of Rome's greatest emperors. A must read for anyone interested in Stoicism.The End of the World Is Just the Beginning: Mapping the Collapse of Globalization - Peter ZeihanThe best explanation of the post-war American lead global order, and how it's falling apart.

    1h 14m
  2. Sovereignty and Violence w/ Avery Daye

    2 MAR

    Sovereignty and Violence w/ Avery Daye

    In this episode the boys are joined by Avery Daye. Avery is a conservative commentator and social media influencer with over 137k followers on TikTok, just under 130k followers on X, and a whopping 335k followers on Instagram.  Listen to this episode to get Avery’s take on immigration, gender issues, whether or not Islam is compatible with the west, and a whole lot more.  For those of you wondering what Clay was saying in the intro... ما برای شما آزادی، رفاه و عدالت آرزو می‌کنیم. ایرانی که از زنجیرهای حکومت دینی اسلامی رها شده باشد، هدیه‌ای برای جهان خواهد بود. -> "We wish you freedom, prosperity, and justice. An Iran that is liberated from the chains of Islamic theocracy would be a gift to the world." Please rate and review us on your podcast player of choice! It’s the best way to support us.  Subscribe on Apple, Spotify, and YouTube Follow us on Instagram and X Our Book Recommendations The War on Words: 10 Arguments Against Free Speech – And Why They Fail - Nadine Strossen and Greg LukianoffA short, easy read that will arm you with the rhetorical weapons you need to fight against censorship. Psychobabble: Viral Mental Health Myths & the Truths to Set You Free - Joe NucciA fascinating look at all the mental health BS you see on your social media feeds. Joe does a great job of setting the record straight. Troubled: A Memoir of Foster Care, Family, and Social Class - Rob HendersonA beautiful, insightful, and heartbreaking memoir that highlights why a stable, loving family is something that every child deserves.Dominion: How the Christian Revolution Remade the World - Tom HollandA phenomenal and eye opening account of how Christian philosophy shaped western culture and thinking.Meditations - Marcu AureliusHistory's greatest self help book. Penned by one of Rome's greatest emperors. A must read for anyone interested in Stoicism.The End of the World Is Just the Beginning: Mapping the Collapse of Globalization - Peter ZeihanThe best explanation of the post-war American lead global order, and how it's falling apart.

    1h 49m
  3. Symmetry in Political Rigidity w/ Dr. Luke Conway

    23 FEB

    Symmetry in Political Rigidity w/ Dr. Luke Conway

    In this episode the boys are joined by Dr. Luke Conway. Luke is a social psychology researcher, professor, and author who has over a hundred pieces on the psychology of politics and culture. He has served as an associate editor for the Society for Personality in Social Psychology's flagship journal and is an elected fellow of that journal and the Society of Experimental Social Psychology. He is currently a Professor of Psychology at Grove City College, and the author of Liberal Bullies: What Psychology Teaches Us about the Left's Authoritarian Problem—and How to Fix It. More recently, Dr. Conway co-authored a fascinating new study titled An Adversarial Collaboration on the Rigidity-of-the-Right, Rigidity-of-Extremes, or Symmetry: The Answer Depends on the Question. Listen to this episode to learn about how cognitive rigidity is not an especially conservative trait, get Luke's take on whether social psychology has become irredeemably woke, hear his surprisingly controversial opinion about a beloved fast food franchise, and much more! Please rate and review us on your podcast player of choice! It’s the best way to support us. Subscribe on Apple, Spotify, and YouTube Follow us on Instagram and X Our Book Recommendations The War on Words: 10 Arguments Against Free Speech – And Why They Fail - Nadine Strossen and Greg LukianoffA short, easy read that will arm you with the rhetorical weapons you need to fight against censorship. Psychobabble: Viral Mental Health Myths & the Truths to Set You Free - Joe NucciA fascinating look at all the mental health BS you see on your social media feeds. Joe does a great job of setting the record straight. Troubled: A Memoir of Foster Care, Family, and Social Class - Rob HendersonA beautiful, insightful, and heartbreaking memoir that highlights why a stable, loving family is something that every child deserves.Dominion: How the Christian Revolution Remade the World - Tom HollandA phenomenal and eye opening account of how Christian philosophy shaped western culture and thinking.Meditations - Marcu AureliusHistory's greatest self help book. Penned by one of Rome's greatest emperors. A must read for anyone interested in Stoicism.The End of the World Is Just the Beginning: Mapping the Collapse of Globalization - Peter ZeihanThe best explanation of the post-war American lead global order, and how it's falling apart.

    1h 36m
  4. Anarchy in The U.K. w/ Esther Krakue

    17 FEB

    Anarchy in The U.K. w/ Esther Krakue

    In this episode the boys are joined by Esther Krakue. Esther is a Ghanaian-British writer, broadcaster, and political commentator. She has interviewed prominent figures like Nigel Farage and Douglas Murray, and her work has been featured in outlets such as The Daily Mail, The Daily Express, and The Free Press. Listen to this episode to hear Esther describe her unique political journey, as well as get her takes on males in women's sports, immigration in the U.K., and much more! Please rate and review us on your podcast player of choice! It’s the best way to support us.  Subscribe on Apple, Spotify, and YouTube Follow us on Instagram and X Our Book Recommendations The War on Words: 10 Arguments Against Free Speech – And Why They Fail - Nadine Strossen and Greg LukianoffA short, easy read that will arm you with the rhetorical weapons you need to fight against censorship. Psychobabble: Viral Mental Health Myths & the Truths to Set You Free - Joe NucciA fascinating look at all the mental health BS you see on your social media feeds. Joe does a great job of setting the record straight. Troubled: A Memoir of Foster Care, Family, and Social Class - Rob HendersonA beautiful, insightful, and heartbreaking memoir that highlights why a stable, loving family is something that every child deserves.Dominion: How the Christian Revolution Remade the World - Tom HollandA phenomenal and eye opening account of how Christian philosophy shaped western culture and thinking.Meditations - Marcu AureliusHistory's greatest self help book. Penned by one of Rome's greatest emperors. A must read for anyone interested in Stoicism.The End of the World Is Just the Beginning: Mapping the Collapse of Globalization - Peter ZeihanThe best explanation of the post-war American lead global order, and how it's falling apart.

    1h 27m
  5. Islam, Iran, and The West w/ Alex DeVitry

    9 FEB

    Islam, Iran, and The West w/ Alex DeVitry

    In this episode Clay is joined by Alex DeVitry. Alex is currently studying international conflict resolution, foreign policy and diplomacy, and the Middle East at Columbia's School of International and Public Affairs (SIPA). He also writes excellent articles on the many nuances of political violence in the 21st century on his Substack.  Alex is a man with an outstandingly fascinating and unique origin story. He was raised in a fundamentalist sect of Islam, and at the age of 16 moved to Saudi Arabia to study Arabic language and Islamic theology. Tune in to this conversation to find out more about his journey from Arabia to Columbia.  If you want to hear Alex's insightful analysis of recent events in Iran, political violence, Islam's place in the West, and much more, then this is the episode for you! Books mentioned in this episode: Understanding Salafism: Seeking the Path of the Pious Predecessors - Yasir QadhiWhy Intelligence Fails: Lessons from the Iranian Revolution and the Iraq War - Robert JervisOn Violence - Hannah Arendt Imagined Communities: Reflections on the Origin and Spread of Nationalism - Benedict Anderson The Moral Landscape: How Science Can Determine Human Values - Sam HarrisThe WEIRDest People in the World- Joseph HenrichOther things mentioned:  War on the Rocks - podcastRepression Works (Just Not in Moderation) - academic article by Yuri M. ZhukovExploring the Quran and the Bible - Professor Gabriel Said Reynolds' YouTube channel Kwame Anthony Appiah - philosopher and writerCosmopolitanism: Ethics in a World of StrangersPlease rate and review us on your podcast player of choice! It’s the best way to support us.  Subscribe on Apple, Spotify, Substack, and YouTube Follow us on Instagram and X Our Book Recommendations The War on Words: 10 Arguments Against Free Speech – And Why They Fail - Nadine Strossen and Greg LukianoffA short, easy read that will arm you with the rhetorical weapons you need to fight against censorship. Psychobabble: Viral Mental Health Myths & the Truths to Set You Free - Joe NucciA fascinating look at all the mental health BS you see on your social media feeds. Joe does a great job of setting the record straight. Troubled: A Memoir of Foster Care, Family, and Social Class - Rob HendersonA beautiful, insightful, and heartbreaking memoir that highlights why a stable, loving family is something that every child deserves.Dominion: How the Christian Revolution Remade the World - Tom HollandA phenomenal and eye opening account of how Christian philosophy shaped western culture and thinking.Meditations - Marcu AureliusHistory's greatest self help book. Penned by one of Rome's greatest emperors. A must read for anyone interested in Stoicism.The End of the World Is Just the Beginning: Mapping the Collapse of Globalization - Peter ZeihanThe best explanation of the post-war American lead global order, and how it's falling apart.

    1h 43m
  6. Free Market Econ 101 w/ Colin Braman (aka Liberty Evaluation)

    2 FEB

    Free Market Econ 101 w/ Colin Braman (aka Liberty Evaluation)

    In this episode the boys are joined by Colin Braman. Colin is a PhD Student studying program and policy evaluation. He also has a background in psychology, statistics, and research design. However, you might know him better by his Instagram handle, Liberty Evaluation. Liberty Evaluation is an instagram page where Colin posts wonderfully insightful videos explaining the principles of free market economics.  Listen to this episode if you want to know what makes nations rich, why tariffs probably aren’t a good idea, why AI might not be the job killer that many fear it will be, and much more! All the books Colin mentions in this episode (in no particular order): Why Nations Fail: The Origins of Power, Prosperity, and PovertyUncommon Sense: Economic Insights, from Marriage to TerrorismWealth, Poverty and Politics: Revised and Enlarged EditionThe Myth of American Inequality: How Government Biases Policy DebateHuman Action: A Treatise on Economics (The Scholar’s Edition)Intellectuals and SocietyFree Trade Under Fire Race & Economics: How much can be blamed on discrimination? Crushing Capitalism: How Populist Policies are Threatening the American DreamArguing with Zombies: Economics, Politics, and the Fight for a Better FutureFree to Choose: A Personal StatementEconomics in One Lesson: The Shortest and Surest Way to Understand Basic EconomicsBasic Economics: A Common Sense Guide to the EconomyEconomic Policy: Thoughts for Today and Tomorrow The Turning Point: Revitalizing the Soviet EconomyPrinciples of EconomicsPlease rate and review us on your podcast player of choice! It’s the best way to support us.  Subscribe on Apple, Spotify, and YouTube Follow us on Instagram and X Our Book Recommendations The War on Words: 10 Arguments Against Free Speech – And Why They Fail - Nadine Strossen and Greg LukianoffA short, easy read that will arm you with the rhetorical weapons you need to fight against censorship. Psychobabble: Viral Mental Health Myths & the Truths to Set You Free - Joe NucciA fascinating look at all the mental health BS you see on your social media feeds. Joe does a great job of setting the record straight. Troubled: A Memoir of Foster Care, Family, and Social Class - Rob HendersonA beautiful, insightful, and heartbreaking memoir that highlights why a stable, loving family is something that every child deserves.Dominion: How the Christian Revolution Remade the World - Tom HollandA phenomenal and eye opening account of how Christian philosophy shaped western culture and thinking.Meditations - Marcu AureliusHistory's greatest self help book. Penned by one of Rome's greatest emperors. A must read for anyone interested in Stoicism.The End of the World Is Just the Beginning: Mapping the Collapse of Globalization - Peter ZeihanThe best explanation of the post-war American lead global order, and how it's falling apart.

    2h 3m
  7. Delay Judgement, Speak Obvious Truths

    26 JAN

    Delay Judgement, Speak Obvious Truths

    In this episode the boys discuss the recent ICE killing in Minneapolis. How do we make sense of it? Was it justified?  Anthony sheds some light on what it's like dealing with people online when you have a lot of followers (or "disciples" as Clay puts it). Finally, the lads take a little time to discuss what they've been writing about recently. Check out their Substacks! Anthony's SubstackClay's SubstackAllow Me To Elaborate Mentioned in this episode: Robert E. Lee and MePlease rate and review us on your podcast player of choice! It’s the best way to support us.  Subscribe on Apple, Spotify, and YouTube Follow us on Instagram and X Our Book Recommendations The War on Words: 10 Arguments Against Free Speech – And Why They Fail - Nadine Strossen and Greg LukianoffA short, easy read that will arm you with the rhetorical weapons you need to fight against censorship. Psychobabble: Viral Mental Health Myths & the Truths to Set You Free - Joe NucciA fascinating look at all the mental health BS you see on your social media feeds. Joe does a great job of setting the record straight. Troubled: A Memoir of Foster Care, Family, and Social Class - Rob HendersonA beautiful, insightful, and heartbreaking memoir that highlights why a stable, loving family is something that every child deserves.Dominion: How the Christian Revolution Remade the World - Tom HollandA phenomenal and eye opening account of how Christian philosophy shaped western culture and thinking.Meditations - Marcu AureliusHistory's greatest self help book. Penned by one of Rome's greatest emperors. A must read for anyone interested in Stoicism.The End of the World Is Just the Beginning: Mapping the Collapse of Globalization - Peter ZeihanThe best explanation of the post-war American lead global order, and how it's falling apart.

    1h 7m
  8. ¡Viva Venezuela libre! w/ Carlos Egaña

    19 JAN

    ¡Viva Venezuela libre! w/ Carlos Egaña

    In this episode the boys are joined by Carlos Egaña. Carlos is a Brooklyn-based Venezuelan writer, teacher, and rising social media personality. He has written about fine arts, Latin-American politics and pop culture for various Venezuelan and American publications. Calros also has four books in Spanish in print: a novel titled Reggaetón and three poetry collections, mínima antología desde la rabia, hacer daño and Los Palos Grandes.  In addition to his writing, Carlos has taught courses at several New York academic institutions, as well as the Department of Humanities of his own alma mater, Universidad Católica Andrés Bello (Venezuela’s top ranked private university). He also has an MFA in Creative Writing in Spanish from New York University.  Perhaps most importantly, Carlos is a member of the roughly 8 million strong Venezuelan diaspora. He was born, raised, and educated in his home country, and only arrived in the US in his mid 20s.  Listen to this episode to hear Carlos’ personal experience growing up in Venezuela, as well as get his insights about the political climate in Venezuela and among the Venezuelan diaspora, his thoughts on Maria Corina Machado, and much more.  If you want to better understand the various reactions to Maduro’s capture from the perspective of an actual Venezuelan with a lot of background knowledge, then this is the episode for you. You can follow Carlos on Instagram, where he frequently posts insightful reels.  --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Please rate and review us on your podcast player of choice! It’s the best way to support us.  Subscribe on Apple, Spotify, and YouTube Follow us on Instagram and X Our Book Recommendations The War on Words: 10 Arguments Against Free Speech – And Why They Fail - Nadine Strossen and Greg LukianoffA short, easy read that will arm you with the rhetorical weapons you need to fight against censorship. Psychobabble: Viral Mental Health Myths & the Truths to Set You Free - Joe NucciA fascinating look at all the mental health BS you see on your social media feeds. Joe does a great job of setting the record straight. Troubled: A Memoir of Foster Care, Family, and Social Class - Rob HendersonA beautiful, insightful, and heartbreaking memoir that highlights why a stable, loving family is something that every child deserves.Dominion: How the Christian Revolution Remade the World - Tom HollandA phenomenal and eye opening account of how Christian philosophy shaped western culture and thinking.Meditations - Marcu AureliusHistory's greatest self help book. Penned by one of Rome's greatest emperors. A must read for anyone interested in Stoicism.The End of the World Is Just the Beginning: Mapping the Collapse of Globalization - Peter ZeihanThe best explanation of the post-war American lead global order, and how it's falling apart.

    1h 40m
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About

Co-hosts Anthony Rispo and Clayton Smith, along with their ideologically diverse suite of guests, use conversation to test ideas, analyze arguments, and question dogmas.

Information

  • Creator
    Clayton Smith and Anthony Rispo
  • Years Active
    2025 - 2026
  • Episodes
    31
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © 2026 Clayton Smith and Anthony Rispo

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