Decoding the Gurus

Christopher Kavanagh and Matthew Browne

An exiled Northern Irish anthropologist and a hitchhiking Australian psychologist take a close look at the contemporary crop of 'secular gurus', iconoclasts, and other exiles from the mainstream, offering their own brands of unique takes and special insights. Leveraging two of the most diverse accents in modern podcasting, Chris and Matt dig deep into the claims, peek behind the psychological curtains, and try to figure out once and for all... What's it all About? Join us, as we try to puzzle our way through and talk some smart-sounding smack about the intellectual giants of our age, from Jordan Peterson to Robin DiAngelo. Are they revolutionary thinkers or just grifters with delusions of grandeur? Join us and let's find out!

  1. 1D AGO

    The Replication Crisis Christmas Quiz w/ Mickey Inzlicht & Dave Pizarro

    In this festive descent into methodological despair, Chris and Matt convene a secret cabal of elite psychology podcasters within the Decoding Cloister, operating under the distant yet reassuring gaze of Arch-Wizard Paul Bloom, whose role is largely ceremonial but nonetheless morally binding. Joining them are Dave Pizarro (Very Bad Wizards) and Michael Inzlicht (Two Psychologists Four Beers, emeritus), for what can only be described as an end-of-year audit of social psychology’s moral character. What follows is a mixture of intense hubris, disciplinary self-loathing, and revolutionary insights, delivered via one of the most sadistic Christmas quizzes ever devised. The quiz format allows the episode to do what psychology does best: create the feeling of measurement while hovering dangerously close to intuition. Alongside the quiz, we engage in some meta-commentary and sensemaking reflections on audience capture and the state of psychology-themed podcasts in 2025. In other words, it’s Christmas, so naturally everyone is discussing perverse incentives, damaged reputations, and the slow moral corrosion of institutions. So join us, won’t you? For the first International Congress on Psychology-Themed Podcasting and Gurus… Links Mickey's SubstackMickey's Work and Play LabTwo Psychologists Four BeersVery Bad WizardsUhlmann, E. L., Pizarro, D. A., & Diermeier, D. (2015). A person-centered approach to moral judgment. Perspectives on Psychological Science, 10(1), 72-81.Ovsyannikova, D., de Mello, V. O., & Inzlicht, M. (2025). Third-party evaluators perceive AI as more compassionate than expert humans. Communications Psychology, 3(1), 4. References Alter, A. L., Oppenheimer, D. M., Epley, N., & Eyre, R. N. (2007). Overcoming intuition: Metacognitive difficulty activates analytic reasoning. Journal of Experimental Psychology: General, 136(4), 569–576.Aarts, H., & Dijksterhuis, A. (2003). The silence of the library: Environment, situational norm, and social behavior. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 84(1), 18–28.Zimbardo, P. G. (1973). On the ethics of intervention in human psychological research: With special reference to the Stanford Prison Experiment. Cognition, 2(2), 243–256.Resnick, B. (2018, June 13). The Stanford Prison Experiment was massively influential. We just learned it was a fraud. Vox.Festinger, L., Riecken, H. W., & Schachter, S. (1956). When prophecy fails. University of Minnesota Press.a...

    1h 30m

  2. 3D AGO

    DTG Christmas Quiz 2025 with Helen Lewis

    In this special Christmas episode, Helen’s annual Guru Quiz returns, lightly dusted with Trump, podcast tours, and the unsettling realisation that the Guru-sphere and the MAGA-sphere have quietly fused into a single, monetised, vibes-based organism. That's right, the regular decoding team are joined by renowned journalist, author, podcaster... and occasional DTG quiz master, Helen Lewis, who once again brings her festive cheer, an uncanny ability to identify exactly who will be unbearable next year, and a quiz designed to torture Matt. Points are awarded, dignity is lost, and Matt briefly considers revising for the quiz before remembering that preparation has never helped him before. The episode also covers MAGA and UK political manoeuvres, the movers and shakers of the Gurusphere in 2025, and a lament for the collapse of the ancient boundary between editorial content and hawking pants. So join us for a festive episode about gurus, geniuses, authoritarian comedy festivals, and the slow erosion of shame. Merry Christmas to all, and to all a good night... and that includes you, Bubbles! Links Helen Lewis on SubstackHelen's Article on the Riyadh Comedy FestivalHelen's Article on Olivia Nuzzi's BookThe Genius MythThat Dave Chappelle picture

    1h 27m

  3. DEC 18 · BONUS

    Supplementary Material 41: Ironic Nazis, Blustering Tories, and Ol' Squeaky's Lament

    In this tragic episode, we pay tribute to a fallen comrade and honour his memory with a Supplementary Material 41 00:00 Introduction and Swimming Update 02:34 The Tragic Tale of Old Squeaky 09:01 Sam Harris interpersonal bias & Megyn Kelly 26:05 Gary Stevenson vs Rory Stewart 36:26 Master Certificates and Jaffa Cakes 41:59 Dasha's Nick Fuentes Problem 50:08 Nick Fuentes' Racist Remarks 54:29 Piers Morgan vs. Nick Fuentes 59:08 The Two Nick Fuentes Personas 01:02:39 Father Issues 01:20:51 Nick Fuentes the Racist 01:30:36 Piers Lab Leak Ad Break 01:32:52 Antisemitism and Holocaust Denialism 01:45:25 IDW Style Credulity and Holocaust Denialism 01:48:12 Hitler was really f**king cool? 01:58:20 Blustering Boomer Outrage vs. Online Groyperism 02:02:09 Debating Misogyny and Extremism 02:12:54 Piers Take on Fuentes 02:17:11 Overall thoughts on Piers Morgan vs Nick Fuentes 02:20:15 Infighting on the Conspiratorial Right 02:25:13 Bret Weinstein's Powers of Prediction: Trump on Rob Reiner 02:30:29 Outro Links Sam Harris AMAMegyn Kelly Talking About the Drug SmugglersThe Rest Is Politics – Zack Polanski: “I Am a Populist, Farage Is Not”Gary Stevenson’s Public Statement on Rory’s CommentsGary Stevenson’s Master’s Thesis & Chocolate BiscuitsRed Scare – “Nuzzi Salute”“What a Crock of S***!” – Piers Morgan vs Nick Fuentes (Full Interview)Jason Calacanis Reacts to Trump’s MessageBret Weinstein Displays His ForesightTrump’s Follow-Up Comments on Rob Reiner

    44 min

  4. DEC 13 · BONUS

    Gurometer: Stefan Molyneux *Patreon Preview*

    In this unlocked bonus episode, Chris and Matt complete their forensic/esoteric/scientific assessment of the charming Stefan Molyneux, consigning him (sadly) to the eternal archives of the Gurometer.

    33 min

  5. DEC 4

    Stefan Molyneux, Part 2: Back in the Moly Hole

    Cult Season continues, and much like Stefan himself, you may have hoped this would go away after Part 1. Unfortunately, like all persistent internet hauntings, Molyneux has returned. And this time, Chris and Matt venture even deeper into the Moly-Hole, a place where truth is redefined, callers are slowly gaslit into existential confusion, and every philosophical insight is served with the overwhelming scent of narcissism and emotional manipulation. We return to the joyful world of Stefan’s caller-domination rituals, courtesy of Twitter Spaces, where he continues his life’s work of berating strangers and stroking his own ego while insisting he alone possesses the True Meaning of Truth. Listeners can thrill to the culmination of the Truth Call™ from Part 1, where the philosophically inclined young father is sucked further into Stefan’s epistemological meat grinder as Stefan tries to uncover the imaginary psychoanalytic roots of the caller’s ongoing defiance. From there, we are introduced to Caller No. 3 for just a sprinkling of the patented victim-blaming and misogyny of the Molyneux Method. Finally, Chris and Matt offer their overall thoughts on Molyneux’s long and illustrious career as an internet a******e. They conclude that while Stefan has managed to cycle through platforms, ideologies, and degrees of baldness, he has maintained absolute fidelity to the same psychological tactics—gaslighting, projection, undermining, hypocrisy, and the uncanny ability to make even a throwaway joke feel incredibly creepy. So that’s it for now… collectively we can escape the Moly-Hole, carefully sealing the tunnel entrance as we leave. And let’s pray this is the last time anyone has to think about good ol’ Stefan. Aside from that… Cult Season continues. Abandon hope, etc. Links Freedomain Radio 6162: The Most Frightening Fact! (Twitter/X Space)Philosophy student reviews Molyneux’s The Art of the ArgumentMichael Shermer’s amazing excuse for endorsing MolyneuxFormer guest discusses Molyneux’s descent into racist pseudoscience (2016)Guardian article (2008) on Molyneux’s online cult & “DeFooing”Daily Mail article (2015) on a family impacted by Molyneux’s communityDaily Beast profile on Molyneux during his Trump pivotSPLC profile on Stefan MolyneuxSPLC investigation of Molyneux’s alt-right connections (2018)College of Psychologists of Ontario:...

    1h 32m

  6. NOV 29 · BONUS

    Supplementary Material 40: YouTube Builders, the Discourse Grind, and Sam Harris' Dinner Parties

    We set down the Chardonnay at the latest heterodox dinner party and lean in for some hearty ‘civil discourse’ to once again defend the trembling pillars of Western civilization. The full episode is available to Patreon subscribers (2 hours, 13 minutes). Join us at: https://www.patreon.com/DecodingTheGurus Supplementary Material 40: YouTube Builders, the Discourse Grind, and Sam Harris' Dinner Parties 00:00 Introduction 01:15 Feedback on the Molyneux Episode 10:26 Jordan Peterson still defeated by toxic demon mould 12:16 Steven Pinker's bad takes on Bjorn Lomborg 15:49 Chris vs Sabine 28:21 Grok's insane sycophantic glazing of Elon Musk 33:54 Musk's Psychology 40:59 Sam Harris acknowledges his problem?!? 47:18 Sam continues to wrestle with the interpersonal ethics of criticism 01:05:10 Triggernometry saves Western Civilization 01:15:29 The Wisdom of Francis Foster 01:28:42 Triggernometry's Partisan Outrage at the BBC 01:38:12 Oppressed Men vs. Complaining Women 01:46:29 The YouTube Builders of Western Civilization 01:56:42 Pageau vs Bret Weinstein 02:01:52 Eric Weinstein sensemaking about Cancellation 02:09:58 A PSA about THIS podcast Links Stefan Molyneux accidentally posting as a young woman on his main accountChris arguing with Sabine Hossenfelder– Receipts threadSteven Pinker cheering on Bjorn LomborgInsights from the finances of Bjorn Lomborg’s think tankExample video detailing Lomborg’s rhetoricGuardian article on Grok’s glazing of Elon MuskGrok explains Elon is the best piss drinkerSam Harris Podcast #442 — More From SamTriggernometry: Our Thoughts On Interviewing Dave Smith, Hasan Piker, Sam Harris and Ben ShapiroPageau and Bret’s pre-podcast Twitter sparringEric Weinstein sense-making about wordsOur previous episode on Tiggernometry entering the Big Time

    43 min

  7. NOV 21

    Stefan Molyneux, Part 1: A fun guy, who is here to help...

    Welcome back to Cult Season, where we continue our sincere attempt to make you feel a little bit worse about the world and everything in it. This week, we turn to Stefan Molyneux, online pioneer, prolific content creator, and self-proclaimed most popular philosopher in the world. Alternatively his wikipedia entry describes him as "an Irish-born Canadian white nationalist podcaster and proponent of conspiracy theories, white supremacy, scientific racism, and the men's rights movement." Charming... One thing is for sure: Molyneux is the only man alive who can turn literally any question into a monologue that combines demonic liberals, cutting off friends and family, and female reproductive choices. A true Renaissance man for people who hate Renaissance values. In this first episode we take a brief tour through the Molyneux Expanded Universe™, which includes some infamous clips from his early days as the creator of an online 'philosophy' cult themed around anti-spanking, anarcho-capitalism, and misogyny. We also cover his pivot to MAGA apologetics and overt white nationalism and finally to late-stage Molyneux, where he now lurks in Twitter Spaces, berating callers and insisting the world is populated by demon-ridden NPCs gleefully urinating on their moral superiors. Look forward to learning about his extensive rhetorical techniques, which include thin-skinned narcissism, a penchant for violent metaphors usually featuring urine and anal torture, his constant demand that listeners cut off their families and, of course, his favourite claim: that anyone who disagrees with him is a man-whore NPC who wants to kill you. Also featuring: A Weinstein cameo (because of course)Chris recounting the proto–Decoding the Gurus origin story involving a Facebook post and some early Molyneux contentAnd a rare chance to hear Matt physically wince at a Rocky Horror cold open If you’ve ever wanted to hear a preening narcissist berate his listener for raising entirely reasonable points... well, this is the episode for you. Scott Adams should be careful, a new contender has emerged for his crown... Part 2 coming soon, assuming we survive this one. Links Freedomain Radio 6162: The Most Frightening Fact! (Twitter/X Space)Philosophy student reviews Molyneux’s The Art of the ArgumentMichael Shermer’s amazing excuse for endorsing MolyneuxFormer guest discusses Molyneux’s descent into racist pseudoscience (2016)Guardian article (2008) on Molyneux’s online cult & “DeFooing”Daily Mail article (2015) on a family impacted by Molyneux’s communityDaily Beast profile on Molyneux during his Trump pivotSPLC profile on Stefan...

    3h 4m

  8. NOV 18

    Autism, Microbiomes, & Mice Burying Marbles with Kevin Mitchell

    This week, we are joined by Kevin Mitchell, Associate Professor of Genetics and Neuroscience at Trinity College Dublin, who has committed the unforgivable sin of pointing out that an entire academic and media hype cycle might be built on… well, very little actually. His new co-authored paper in Neuron politely dismantles the highly promoted link between the gut microbiome and autism, which turns out to rest on flawed studies, contradictory findings, creative statistics, and a touching faith in mice burying marbles. Kevin walks us through the joys of observational studies that don’t replicate, mouse experiments that don't make sense, and clinical trials where there is no blinding and no control wing, and shockingly, everyone reports feeling better. Meanwhile, journalists and wellness gurus eagerly report each new “breakthrough”, unburdened by any concerns about the strength of evidence or methodological robustness. In the end, the microbiome–autism connection looks less like a sturdy scientific stool and more like three damp twigs taped together by optimism and marketing departments. We finish, naturally, by dragging Matt back out of his panpsychism phase and asking whether consciousness is really fundamental to the universe or just something that happens in podcasters who haven’t slept enough. Links Mitchell, K. J., Dahly, D. L., & Bishop, D. V. (2025). Conceptual and methodological flaws undermine claims of a link between the gut microbiome and autism. Neuron.Kevin Mitchell's Website

    1h 27m
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Hosts & Guests

4.4
out of 5
176 Ratings

About

An exiled Northern Irish anthropologist and a hitchhiking Australian psychologist take a close look at the contemporary crop of 'secular gurus', iconoclasts, and other exiles from the mainstream, offering their own brands of unique takes and special insights. Leveraging two of the most diverse accents in modern podcasting, Chris and Matt dig deep into the claims, peek behind the psychological curtains, and try to figure out once and for all... What's it all About? Join us, as we try to puzzle our way through and talk some smart-sounding smack about the intellectual giants of our age, from Jordan Peterson to Robin DiAngelo. Are they revolutionary thinkers or just grifters with delusions of grandeur? Join us and let's find out!

Information

  • Creator
    Christopher Kavanagh and Matthew Browne
  • Years Active
    2020 - 2025
  • Episodes
    223
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © Copyright 2025 Christopher Kavanagh and Matthew Browne
  • Show Website
    Decoding the Gurus

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