133本のエピソード
Decoding the Gurus Christopher Kavanagh and Matthew Browne
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- 社会／文化
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4.1 • 10件の評価
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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!
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Supplementary Materials 8: Lab Leak Discourse, Toxic YouTube Dynamics, and the Metaphysics of Peppa Pig
We stare into the abyss and welcome darkness into our souls as we discuss:
Feedback on the Žižek episodeMiddle Aged Men's Health UpdateAlina Chan and the newest round of Lab Leak DiscourseDiscourse Surfing PunditsAlex O'Connor cornering Jordan Peterson on the resurrectionThe philosophical and Marxist implications of Peppa PigPotential Alternatives to Hipster Christianity and New AtheismAndrew Gold's Heretics Channel and Toxic YouTube DynamicsEditorializing and Responsible CriticismBalaji Srinivasan's Waffling Defence of HubermanThe 'Elite Defector' PoseVerbal Fluency vs. SubstanceHeterodox and Anti-Vaxx Incentive StructuresJames Lindsay's most recent idiocyDesperate Call to Action
Links
Alina Chan's NYT Article on the Lab LeakOur episode addressing Alina and Matt Ridley's points with relevant expertsJordan Peterson's Podcast: Navigating Belief, Skepticism, and the Afterlife | Alex O'Connor @CosmicSkeptic | EP 451Andrew Gold - Heretics: EXPOSED: I Didn't Show THIS in Viral 'Woke' Debate with Eni Aluko (4K)Balaji's huge Twitter thread defending HubermanSummary of Huberman's Math MemeTop Earning Substacks
The full episode is available for Patreon subscribers (1 hr 14 mins).
Join us at: https://www.patreon.com/DecodingTheGurus -
Slavoj Žižek: When is a shark not a shark?
Join Matt and Chris as they plunge into the heady mental universe of Slavoj Žižek, the Slovenian philosopher known for his eclectic and provocative ideas. The duo parses Žižek's 'unconventional' takes on ideology, consumerism, and revolutionary theory, peppered with his playful movie criticism of films like Jaws and a Clockwork Orange and even a few that he hasn't even watched.
We delve into snuffle-laced discussions of transgressive acts, revolutionary politics, moderate conservative communism, consumerist psychology, and musings on whether Jaws is really about a shark. Throughout all Žižek's dramatic flair is shining through, but is he actually as provocative and hated as he likes to suggest? Matt and Chris have some thoughts...
Expect to reconsider everything you thought you knew, listen to some edgy book blurbs, and finally collapse in a puddle with the deconstruction of your ideology.
Links
Novara Media: Our World Is Coming To An End | Aaron Bastani Meets Slavoj Žižek | DownstreamThe Pervert's Guide to Ideology (2012) - Slavoj ŽižekJacobin: Žižek’s Left-Wing Case for Christian AtheismPhilosophize This- Episode #196 - The Improbable Slavoj Zizek - Pt. 1 (Also, there are three other Žižek episodes in this series!)Article on the speech Žižek gave at the Frankfurt Book Fair
Join us at: https://www.patreon.com/DecodingTheGurus -
Supplementary Materials 7: Guru Oneupmanship, Hard Ad Pivots, MOOOINK, and Left Wing Populism
We curse the dark omens emerging from the Gurusphere as we consider:
The Illusion of Disciplinary BoundariesFlint Dibble Feedback and Rays of HopeRussell Brand and Bret Weinstein: Guru One-upmanshipBret Weinstein loves MOINNNNKHard Ad Pivots and Peasants Popping out of WellsKen Klippenstein and Populist RhetoricQuestioning mainstream narratives and their so-called 'experts'QAnon Anonymous missing Left Wing Populism?Alex O'Connor, Jordan Peterson and the costs of indulgent podcastingChris reaching across boundaries to Jonathan PageauOur only comment on the Drake and Kendrick FeudThe beautiful ballet of reaching across the aisleTerence Howard on Rogan
Links
Russelling with God | Russell Brand on DarkHorseKen Klippenstein- Why I'm Resigning From The InterceptA Farewell To Bad News feat Ken Klippenstein (E278)Navigating Belief, Skepticism, and the Afterlife | Alex O'Connor @CosmicSkeptic | EP 451Terrence Howard is Legitimately Insane
The full episode is available for Patreon subscribers (1 hr 13 mins).
Join us at: https://www.patreon.com/DecodingTheGurus -
Destiny: Right to Reply
Matt and Chris jump into the world of debates, dramas, and online personas with the ever-controversial streamer, Destiny (Steven Bonnell). We discuss our Decoding episode a little bit but mostly broader issues including the value of 'debate porn', edginess & Twitter bomb-throwing, reality TV orbiter drama, and the perils of hero worship and parasocial relationships.
As you might anticipate, we also cover various 'hot-button' issues including Destiny's involvement in Israel-Palestine discourse, the ethics of engaging with extremists, and whether Destiny was genuinely arguing for the right to murder the DDoS kid. Finally, we wrap up with some discussion of media literacy, the challenges of navigating online discourse, and strategies for laypeople to better engage with research.
Links
Our Decoding episode on DestinyDestiny's Gurometer EpisodeDestiny's Positions as summarised on his WikiDiscussion with a Lawyer about the DDoS kid
Join us at: https://www.patreon.com/DecodingTheGurus -
*Preview* Decoding Academia 27: Dark Triad Authenticity
We do bonus episodes every month that are focused on analysing academic content or discussing research and we thought it might be useful to let new listeners know! So find attached a preview...
In this episode of Decoding Academia, Matt and Chris delve into a paper that explores the complex world of dark personality traits and their impact on authenticity. They examine how traits like narcissism and psychopathy might intersect with the concept of the true self, and consider whether cultural differences in self-conception play a significant role. The episode also features reflections on Logan Roy from Succession and a friendly disagreement between Matt and Chris about labels in psychology.
Paper referenced: Bulbuc, A. A., & Visu-Petra, L. (2024). Shedding a light on authenticity in high dark trait individuals: A morally grey territory? Personality and Individual Differences, 224, 112632.
The full episode is available for Patreon subscribers at the Revolutionary Genius tier (1 hr 9 mins).
Join us at: https://www.patreon.com/DecodingTheGurus -
Supplementary Materials 6: Christian Sensemaking, Hipster Race Realists, & Marijuana Pseudoscience
We shake our heads in despair at some truly terrible Guru crossovers:
Old Man Health Routines: Jogging, Diets, and the Pursuit of 'Wellness'Jordan Peterson and Russell Brand offer the apotheosis of indulgent Christian-themed sensemakingTaylor Lorenz and activist journalismAre Twitch Streamers the Future of Journalism? No.Huberman gets himself in hot water over Marijuana episodeThe Value of Debating Pseudoscience with HubermanCasey Means: Cramming all the pseudoscience red flags into a single TweetWhen Red Scare met Steve Sailer: Ironic Hipsterism X Old Skool Scientific Racism
Links
JBP Podcast: The Collective Unconscious, Christ, and the Covenant | Russell Brand | EP 444Washington Post: Twitch streamers become go-to news source for campus protest coverage (Taylor Lorenz)Red Scare: Sailer Socialism w/ Steve SailerHuberman Lab: Dr. Casey Means: Transform Your Health by Improving Metabolism, Hormone & Blood Sugar RegulationCasey Means Red Flag filled Pinned TweetNew York Magazine: The Man Who Invented Identity Politics for the Far Right
The full episode is available for Patreon subscribers (1 hr 43 mins).
Join us at: https://www.patreon.com/DecodingTheGurus
カスタマーレビュー
Predator
The lack of enthusiasm for an absolute classic is disconcerting but the podcast is excellent otherwise. Particularly delightful is Chris’ pronunciation of now as ‘noi’. Three thumbs up.
Depressingly entertaining
Or entertainingly depressing. Well, keep it up boys.
BELFAST & SPURIOUS: AUSTRALO-TOKYO GRIFT
The Douglas Murray episode clarifies that the post-colonial struggle in Dr. Kavanagh’s mind is real. The Brits may be paying fair-market value for high-street chippies and off-licenses in Belfast, but they’re living rent-free in Christopher’s brain. Or leasing at below-market rates with an option to buy; there’s no public register for brain real-estate deals. I checked. In any case, Dr. Kavanagh could well spark joy by decolonizing and decluttering that brain: Kendi, Kondo; Kendi, Kondo; rinse, repeat.
Since the podcast focuses on guruspheric delivery, I think it only fair that my review should follow suit. Christopher disguises his Oxford Illuminati pedigree with an everyman’s Hibernian brogue. He even lays it on a bit thick for belief, if you ask me. The last time I heard something that thick was Jordan Peterson enlightening Sam Harris on the reality of Jesus’ resurrection. To Christopher, every “th” becomes an “ll”. Do you even lift (your tongue for a voiced dental fricative), bro? It took me some time to suss out who this “Heller Heying” person was. But I was determined to know, come Heller high water. Are these mannerisms a performative affectation, or an unfortunate accident of origin? If the latter, forget I said anything. My muller and faller taught me better.
Now to Dr. Browne. Given his fawning admiration for Carl Sagan, can he not see the backwardness of his galaxy-brain schema? Does he not realize that we are but one galaxy in a galactic cluster, one galactic cluster among—wait for it—billions and billions? From this perspective, a galaxy brain is but a modest thing. A pale grey dot, if you will.
I have given Dr. Browne and Dr. Kavanagh five stars on the assumption that the denominator is the aforementioned one billion stars. Gauge theory shows that five over a billion reduces to 0.0000000050 stars. The last zero is for Dr. Browne, who as a statistician, will appreciate the significant figure—in his case, particularly significant. I refer the podcast hosts to my Gauge Theory of Reviews, co-authored by Eric Weinstein. It’ll rock their puny minds when it comes out. Any day now. Aaaaaany day now. No, strike that. They don’t deserve it. Cretins!
Occasionally, this antipodean Abbot and Costello will stumble toward making a genuine argument. A ray of insight will peek through the clouds. Hallelujah! In their favor, they avoid the hand-waviness of a Russel Brand or a Deepak Chopra. They eschew the Chopratic method. Thank heaven for small mercies. [Dry Scott Adams chuckle]
Insights or not, there’s no excuse for the theme music. Holy Shankar, Batman! A real sitar would be appropriation enough, no matter how ironic. But a synthesized sitar? How would these hosts like it if I appropriated the greats of their canon—Erasure, Vangelis, Astley—and set them to sitar? I feel assured that they would give me up, let me down, run around and desert me. And who could blame them?
Finally, Drs. Kavanagh and Browne betray xir lily-white CIS sympathies by never bothering to list xir pronouns. Microaggress much? In the interests of inclusivity, I’m happy to disclose my pronouns: personal pronouns, antecedent pronouns, relative pronouns, demonstrative pronouns, indefinite pronouns, reflexive pronouns, intensive pronouns, possessive pronouns, interrogative pronouns. I include them all, without fear or favor. Additionally, my pronouns are object pronouns for object case and subject pronouns for subject case. To who it may concern: This is plain common sense.
In short, Decoding the Gurus is a long-form podcast that’s short on form and long on long. It’s a bubble bath after the IDW salt mines, an aural dose of Goop-remover, a conceptual penile implant with unbelievable thinkers that the world doesn’t know. Except Iceland. Apparently, they’re huge in Iceland.