Uncertain Things

Uncertain Things
  • 4.5 (174)
  • SOCIETY & CULTURE
  • UPDATED MONTHLY

Everything is broken. Adaam James Levin-Areddy and Vanessa M. Quirk, two jaded journos, interview people far wiser than themselves and ask: "now what?" uncertain.substack.com

  1. 13H AGO

    Guillotine Chic (w/ Mike Pesca)

    Mike Pesca — host of the How To! and The Gist podcasts — joins us again! We revisit the topic of nihilism, dive into annihilism (and why it’s different), and dunk on quite a few celebrities along the way. Stay to the end, and we recommend the sweet sweet artworks that may just be the antidotes to our burn-it-to-the-ground times. On the agenda: -On ghosts, demons, and podcasts [0:00-7:50] -Adaam’s theory of Annihilism [7:51-14:24] -Annihilistic artists and the end of truth [14:25-30:36] -Joy and pitchforks! [30:37-47:32] -Artistic antidotes to Annihilism [47:33 - 1:04:00] Mentioned in this episode: -How to Ghostbust the Old-Fashioned Way (How To!) -Vibes of Nihilism (Uncertain Things) -“The Jacobin Seduction” (Uncertain Newsletter) Uncertain Things is hosted and produced by Adaam James Levin-Areddy and Vanessa M. Quirk. For more doomsday thoughts, subscribe to: uncertain.substack.com. Get full access to Uncertain Things at uncertain.substack.com/subscribe

    1h 4m

  2. MAR 23

    Doing the World a Favor in Iran (w/ Eli Lake)

    Eli Lake — staff writer at The Free Press, contributing editor at Commentary Magazine, and host of the Breaking History podcast — returns to the podcast to discuss the state of neoconservatism; the war with Iran (and why all the pundits are wrong about); and the enduring mystery (but not-so-enduring importance) of Tucker Carlson. On the agenda: - Neocons, Redux -The war in Iran -The “geopolitics” of Europe -The conversation about the conversation -Tucker Carlson, the modern day Father Coughlin? Mentioned in this episode: * How Israel is helping Iran’s opposition (The Free Press) * Eli Lake and Andrew Sullivan debate the Iran War (Breaking History) More Eli on Uncertain Things * The Decapitation of Hezbollah * How the World Learned to Love the Butchery of Jews * The Art of Being Offended Get full access to Uncertain Things at uncertain.substack.com/subscribe

    1h 9m

  3. FEB 26

    Canada's Anti-Zionism Fetish (w/ Jesse Brown)

    Jesse Brown — journalist and founder of the Canadaland podcast company — joins us IRL in New York City to talk about his latest project: What is happening here? The audio doc, hosted by Jesse, dives into the ways Anti-Zionism and antisemitism have taken root in Canada since October 7th. On the agenda * What is happening here? and the red triangle [0:00-22:38] * Why the Canada example matters [22:39-35:35] * Revisiting Anti-Racism and protecting liberalism [35:36-1:04:27] * Jon enters the chat [1:04:28-1:26:59] Mentioned in this episode: * What is happening here? (Canadaland) * Anti-Zionism, Explained (w/ Adam Louis Klein) Uncertain Things is hosted and produced by Adaam James Levin-Areddy and Vanessa M. Quirk. To support us and gain access to exclusive content, consider becoming a paid member of Uncertain on Substack. Get full access to Uncertain Things at uncertain.substack.com/subscribe

    1h 27m

  4. FEB 15

    Losing the Real War (w/ Dr. Einat Wilf)

    Dr. Einat Wilf — Israeli writer, podcaster, and now founder of the political party Oz — returns to the pod to tell us a tale of two wars: the physical war fought (and technically won) in Gaza and the global war for Jewish sovereignty (that’s far from over). If you’re a curious layman on this subject, like Vanessa, make sure to revisit our first conversation with Dr. Wilf before listening, to make sure you have the context you need. On the agenda: -The weaponization of Gaza [0:00-15:03] -The “terrible” truth of Palestinian identity and ideology [15:04-22:42] -The “disappearing” border/alliance with Egypt [22:43-29:17] -Starvation in Gaza [29:18-34:36] -Speaking loudly and carrying a small stick [34:37-39:41] -Defining Palestinianism [39:42-46:39] -A tangent on hippies [46:40-49:24] -Netanyahu’s interference in the “real” war [49:25-59:27] -Anti-Zionism and America’s role [59:28-1:14:22] -A ministry of trolling [1:14:23-1:1:16:32] Mentioned in this episode: * The War of Return * Zionism and the Refugee Machine (w/ Dr. Einat Wilf) * Unraveling UNRWA * Anti-Zionism, Explained (w/ Adam Louis Klein) * Hooked on Dead Jews (w/ Dara Horn) Uncertain Things is hosted and produced by Adaam James Levin-Areddy and Vanessa M. Quirk. To support us and gain access to exclusive content, consider becoming a paid member of Uncertain on Substack. Get full access to Uncertain Things at uncertain.substack.com/subscribe

    1h 17m

  5. JAN 12

    America, the Fundamentalist (w/ David French)

    New York Times columnist, co-host of Advisory Opinions and The Dispatch Podcast, and Nashville-based evangelical, David French, returns to the pod once again. This time, we had one big question on our minds: What’s with all the Christianity cosplaying taking over politics right now? But an Uncertain Things episode wouldn’t be an Uncertain Things episode if we stuck to just one topic! We ended up discussing, among other topics, Jesus Christ, the American Civil War, the likelihood of the dissolution of the union today, Venezuela, C.S. Lewis, and more. As always with Mr. French, it was a delightful, thought-provoking, and nerdy conversation. On the agenda: -A quick question about Jesus Christ [0:00-3:50] -Countdown to our country’s dissolution [3:51-22:57] -A tangent on Venezuela [22:58-27:15] -America, the Fundamentalist [27:16-1:09:50] -Advice to a burgeoning Christian [1:09:51-1:20:00] Further reading/listening: * Time to Talk about Secession? (David French on Uncertain Things) * America, The Lonely (David French on Uncertain Things) * ‘I’m a Liberal Who Lost His Faith’ (Tom Holland on Uncertain Things) * Divided We Fall (David French) * Attack Upon Christendom (Søren Kierkegaard) * The Screwtape Letters and Mere Christianity (C.S. Lewis) Uncertain Things is hosted and produced by Adaam James Levin-Areddy and Vanessa M. Quirk. For more doomsday rumination, subscribe to: uncertain.substack.com. Get full access to Uncertain Things at uncertain.substack.com/subscribe

    1h 18m

  6. 12/28/2025

    Anti-Capitalism, Anti-Abundance, Anti-Chill (w/ Ben Dreyfuss)

    Journalist Ben Dreyfuss (writer of Calm Down and co-host of Central Air) joins us for a conversational grab bag: Zohran Mamdani’s agenda; the Left’s ideologues (and how to distinguish them from the cosplayers); the challenge of maintaining personal relationships across political divides; Luigi Mangione’s appeal; the dearth of humor amongst Millennials; and more. If these topics leave you spinning down a dark apocalyptic hole of cynicism, remember (as Ben reminds us at the end of this episode): calm the f*ck down. And consider telling a joke or two. On the agenda: -Mamdani, the DSA, and the Left’s ideologues [00:00-21:31] -Keeping friends after October 7th [21:32-29:30] -Fake, lying social media and the “noticers” [29:31-35:54] -Playing footsie with murders (the Luigi Mangione story) [35:55-45:21] -Changing people’s minds — and finding common ground [45:22-1:01:22] -NIMBYism, Abundance, and back to New York City [1:01:23-1:10:27] -Why it’s hard to be funny [1:10:28-1:14:31] -Blindspots on the Left & Right [1:14:32-1:22:00] Uncertain Things is hosted and produced by Adaam James Levin-Areddy and Vanessa M. Quirk. For more doomsday rumination, subscribe. Get full access to Uncertain Things at uncertain.substack.com/subscribe

    1h 17m

  7. 12/19/2025

    In Defense of Exclusion (w/ James Lindsay)

    Adaam is joined by James Lindsay, author of Cynical Theories and founder of New Discourses, to play the epistemology drinking game: you take a shot every time either speaker uses the word! They talk about how higher education in America became a racket, whether we can revivify classical liberalism in the age of social media, whether we need to exclude bad actors from the public discourse, whether James’ Twitter persona is a force for good or for chaos, and how to tell a PsyOp when you see one. They of course also discuss the “woke right,” Tucker Carlson, and why scapegoating Jews is still the rage. Uncertain Things is hosted and produced by Adaam James Levin-Areddy and Vanessa M. Quirk. For more doomsday rumination, subscribe. Get full access to Uncertain Things at uncertain.substack.com/subscribe

    2h 8m

  8. 11/12/2025

    Anti-Zionism, Explained (w/ Adam Louis-Klein)

    Anthropologist Adam Louis-Klein was in the Amazon on October 9th, when he went online and learned what had happened two days previously. Almost immediately, he also discovered something else: his left-wing colleagues in the academy were ready to ostracize him for his “filthy Zionist” views. Since then, Louis-Klein has turned his analytical eye toward anti-Zionism. In this conversation, he explains the ideology’s history and how it continues to perpetuate itself through cycles of libel. He also breaks down the other greatest hits of left-wing academic jargon — settler-colonialism, genocide, occupation, etc. — along the way. And we all try to break ourselves out of the language games that prevent us from having a real conversation about what’s happening, and not, in Gaza. On the agenda: -On Zohran Mamdani [00:00-12:40] -Libel cycles post-October 7th [12:41-29:12] -Defining terms: Zionism, Anti-Zionism, and more [29:13-57:00] -The left’s alliances [57:01-1:10:42] -On victimhood, violence, and self-reliance [1:10:43-1:27:36] -The reader’s/viewer’s responsibility [1:27:37-1:42:41] -Expanding the concept of genocide [1:42:42-2:01:31] -The future of Anti-Zionism [2:01:32-2:09:37] Mentioned in this episode: * When is it Genocide? — The Ezra Klein Show * Editors’ Note: July 30, 2025 — The New York Times * Editors’ Note: Gaza Hospital Coverage — The New York Times * How the World Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Butchery of Jews (w/ Eli Lake) — Uncertain Things * The Apocalypse We Deserve (w/ Niall Ferguson) — Uncertain Things * Don’t Blame Israel on the Jews (w/ Walter Russell Mead) — Uncertain Things * Hooked on Dead Jews (w/ Dara Horn) — Uncertain Things * Zionism and the Refugee Machine (w/ Dr. Einat Wilf) — Uncertain Things Uncertain Things is hosted and produced by Adaam James Levin-Areddy and Vanessa M. Quirk. For more doomsday rumination, subscribe. Get full access to Uncertain Things at uncertain.substack.com/subscribe

    2h 10m
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4.5
out of 5
174 Ratings

About

Everything is broken. Adaam James Levin-Areddy and Vanessa M. Quirk, two jaded journos, interview people far wiser than themselves and ask: "now what?" uncertain.substack.com

Information

  • Creator
    Uncertain Things
  • Years Active
    2020 - 2026
  • Episodes
    114
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © Adaam & Vanessa
  • Show Website
    Uncertain Things

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