Ill Conceived

Josh Boerman & June Sternbach
  • 4.5 (312)
  • Society & Culture
  • Updated Weekly

A podcast about natalism. Hosted by Josh Boerman (The Worst of All Possible Worlds, Traditional Scrench) and June Sternbach (Kill The Computer, The Onion).

  1. 3d ago

    James Orr & Reform UK

    It's Brit Week here on Ill Conceived and the subject is the born-again Christian, recently deposed Reform UK policy head, and long-time friend of J.D. Vance known as James Orr. From his meteoric ascendance at Cambridge University and Reform UK to his equally precipitous recent crashout (and probable crimes), Josh and June try to figure out how Orr's attempt at bringing American-style Christian nationalism to the UK failed in the short run and discuss what the longer-term project might look like. ***WANT MORE ILL CONCEIVED? Every other week, we release B-side supplements to the main episodes where we read your e-mail responses and discuss things further. Come check us out at Patreon.com/illconceived!*** ***WE WANT YOUR THOUGHTS FOR THE WORLD FAMOUS MAILBAG! Send an email with feedback about this week's episode to illconceivedpod@gmail.com*** EPISODE ART: James Orr speaking at a convention in Phoenix, Arizona. AUDIO CLIPS: 24:22 – A church service at Holy Trinity Brompton from March 15, 2026 45:56 – James Orr talking about how governments can raise birthrates on John Anderson's podcast 50:22 – James Orr talking about the liberal concept of individual rights, also on John Anderson's podcast 54:59 – James Orr talking about the importance of a strong ethnic majority in a GB News interview SOURCES: “Two Reform officials step down after undercover donations report” by Ewan Somerville and Joe Pike (BBC, September 4, 2026) “Former student of suspended Reform official reopens bullying case against Cambridge University” by Ben Quinn and Rowena Mason (The Guardian, September 17, 2026) “James Orr and the gospel of the new British right” by Helen Warrell and Ramsay Hodgson (FT Magazine, September 3, 2026) “J. D. Vance is the future of MAGA” by James Orr (The Spectator, August 20, 2025) “Radical Islam, Depopulation & Identity Politics: The UK In Crisis” with James Orr (John Anderson Media, December 22, 2025) “Exclusive: Nigel Farage filmed undercover celebrating secret new foreign donations” (Channel 4, September 3, 2026) “James Orr on England's immigration crisis” (GB News, July 10, 2025) “Nigel Farage tells BBC he 'wasn't listening' during foreign donor talks filmed undercover” by Laura Kuenssburg (BBC, September 6, 2026) “The 'National Conservative' who grew up in Belgium — and won J.D. Vance’s ear” by Dylan Carter (The Brussels Times, June 22, 2025) “Meet JD Vance’s English philosopher king” by Peter Snowdon and Anne McElvoy (Politico, September 19, 2024) “James Orr: JD Vance is just a normal guy who likes his beers” by Robert Crampton (The Times, August 15, 2025) “Palantir Co-Founder Peter Thiel and Reform UK’s Cambridge University Recruitment Pipeline Project Revealed” by Nafeez Ahmed and Peter Jukes (Byline Times, July 9, 2026) “An English Benedict Option” by Rod Dreher (February 22, 2025) “What are the allegations Reform UK is facing on illegal donations as police launch probe” by Millie Cooke (The Independent, September 9, 2026) “The Burnham bounce: Is Labour gaining ground against Farage’s Reform?” by Edna Mohamed (Al Jazeera, September 30, 2026) “UK police widen criminal probe into Reform UK over new allegations” (Reuters, September 9, 2026) “Shock and Orr: Meet the Farage-Supporting ‘Philosopher King’ of British Authoritarianism” by Iain Overton (Byline Times, August 26, 2026) “Reform’s new ‘kingmaker’: The theologian friend of JD Vance” by Poppy Coburn (The Telegraph, October 19, 2025) “James Orr is Reform’s new Head of Policy” by James Heale (The Spectator, February 17, 2026) FOLLOW THE SHOW: Website: illconceivedpodcast.com Bluesky: ‪@illconceivedpodcast.com Tumblr: @illconceivedpod FOLLOW JOSH: Website: joshboerman.com Bluesky: @bosh.worstpossible.world Other podcast: The Worst of All Possible Worlds Stream: Traditional Scrench FOLLOW JUNE: Bluesky: @junlper.beer Other podcast: Kill The Computer Writing: June's Substack ILL CONCEIVED THEME SONG BY: Caleb (Linktree / Bluesky)

    James Orr & Reform UK

  2. Sep 18 ·  Bonus

    South Korea & Online Anti-Natalism: The B-Side (PREVIEW)

    THIS IS A PREVIEW OF A BONUS B-SIDE EPISODE. For access to the full length version of this and every other biweekly bonus B-side, go to Patreon.com/illconceived -------------------------- A report from this past June found that South Korea's birthrate and marriage rate both appear to be on the rise. Slutcon has unveiled its full schedule and final lineup of presenters. We're talking about it all, plus reading your letters about: The similarities between 4B in South Korea now and radical separatist lesbianism in the United States in the 70s and 80s The propaganda function of billboards How the Mennonites and Amish consolidate political power Military and e-sports culture in South Korea

    South Korea & Online Anti-Natalism: The B-Side (PREVIEW)

  3. Sep 12

    South Korea & Online Anti-Natalism

    Over the course of the past decade or so, South Korea has become a country where men and women occupy completely different political perspectives and landscapes. It's also one of the countries with the lowest fertility rates in the world. This week, June and Josh look at how South Korea's history of patriarchy and male conscription have collided with a restive and extremely online female populace to create a massive breakdown in gender relations. ***WANT MORE ILL CONCEIVED? Every other week, we release B-side supplements to the main episodes where we read your e-mail responses and discuss things further. We also occasionally release other stuff, like this week's dramatic reading of part 2 of the Zootopia abortion comic. Come check us out at Patreon.com/illconceived!*** ***WE WANT YOUR THOUGHTS FOR THE WORLD FAMOUS MAILBAG! Send an email with feedback about this week's episode to illconceivedpod@gmail.com*** EPISODE ART: Yoon Suk Yeol, the 13th president of South Korea. Yoon ran for president in 2022, winning an overwhelming share of the young male vote on an anti-feminist campaign that heavily emphasized young men's grievances. In 2024, with his popularity declining, Yoon attempted to self-coup by declaring martial law, leading the National Assembly to pass emergency impeachment and removal measures. In 2026 he was sentenced to life imprisonment. LINKS: Josh's episode of Informed Attraction about Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 and The Last of Us AUDIO CLIPS: 39:04 – Michael Knowles and Katie Miller discussing how women now outnumber men in the American workforce on The Katie Miller Podcast SOURCES: National Geographic, Korea, and the 38th Parallel Country Studies: South Korea EQUAL EMPLOYMENT ACT The role of social solidarity in the rise and decline of the South Korean student movement in the 1970–1990s Why South Korea’s young men are turning conservative South Korea’s misogyny problem A new global gender divide is emerging Gender politics and right-wing politics clash in South Korea Megalia: Feminists of South Korea 4B movement Understanding antifeminist backlash in the South Korean context: Remnants of militarism and patriarchy 'Because women aren't wearing bikinis'? Gaming industry faces renewed 'feminism verification' controversy 'I got death threats when men thought I put feminist gesture in video game' The Fight Over Gender Equality in South Korea Anti-Gender Politics, Economic Insecurity, and Right-Wing Populism: The Rise of Modern Sexism among Young Men in South Korea Random murder in the middle of Gangnam Station: 'Women ignored me' "Not a 'random' crime, but a 'misogyny' crime"… Women in their 20s stage protest performance, lying on the ground Labor force by gender | South Korea | Male Boycotting Men? How the 4B Feminist Rebellion is Taking on Patriarchy What is South Korea's 4B movement and could it take off in the West? The Necessary Paradigm Shift for South Korea’s Ultra-Low Fertility I’ve Covered Women in the Workplace for 15 Years. Something Alarming Is Happening. Blowback Podcast: S3 Episode 1 - “Stop Me Before I Kill Again” FOLLOW THE SHOW: Website: illconceivedpodcast.com Bluesky: ‪@illconceivedpodcast.com Tumblr: @illconceivedpod FOLLOW JOSH: Website: joshboerman.com Bluesky: @bosh.worstpossible.world Other podcast: The Worst of All Possible Worlds Stream: Traditional Scrench FOLLOW JUNE: Bluesky: @junlper.beer Other podcast: Kill The Computer Writing: June's Substack ILL CONCEIVED THEME SONG BY: Caleb (Linktree / Bluesky)

    South Korea & Online Anti-Natalism

  4. Sep 4

    The Golden Pig Presents: Babies' Choice

    We’re cooking up a super-sized serving of Ill Conceived goodness for next week, so in the meantime we decided to dig back into the World Famous Mailbag to read and answer the stuff you’ve been wondering about but we haven’t found space to cover on the main show or the B-sides, including: Personal experiences with Aporia’s Noah Carl Parsing the hypocrisy of female right-wing talking heads The conservative Catholic propaganda mill known as Franciscan University of Steubenville How conservative Christian communities tend to privilege parents over non-parents The effects of being forced to be a caretaker in your family The exclusion of queer families from natalist communities ***WANT MORE ILL CONCEIVED? Every other week, we release B-side supplements to the main episodes where we read your e-mail responses and discuss things further. Come check us out at Patreon.com/illconceived!*** ***WE WANT YOUR THOUGHTS FOR THE WORLD FAMOUS MAILBAG! Send an email with feedback about this week's episode to illconceivedpod@gmail.com*** EPISODE ART: It's the pig. SOURCES: "Northwestern’s African Studies Program Loses Research Status but Will Continue" by Olivia Sanchez (Inside Higher Ed, August 18, 2026) Franciscan University page about the Portiuncula Franciscan University page about the Tomb of the Unborn Child FOLLOW THE SHOW: Website: illconceivedpodcast.com Bluesky: ‪@illconceivedpodcast.com Tumblr: @illconceivedpod FOLLOW JOSH: Website: joshboerman.com Bluesky: @bosh.worstpossible.world Other podcast: The Worst of All Possible Worlds Stream: Traditional Scrench FOLLOW JUNE: Bluesky: @junlper.beer Other podcast: Kill The Computer Writing: June's Substack ILL CONCEIVED THEME SONG BY: Caleb (Linktree / Bluesky)

    The Golden Pig Presents: Babies' Choice

  5. Aug 29 ·  Bonus

    Aporia / The Human Diversity Foundation: The B-Side (PREVIEW)

    THIS IS A PREVIEW OF A BONUS B-SIDE EPISODE. For access to the full length version of this and every other biweekly bonus B-side, go to Patreon.com/illconceived -------------------------- If Nathan Cofnas is to be believed, he’s going to retain his position at Ghent University, in no small part thanks to a petition of support that was signed by nearly 1,000 academics. We’re talking about it, plus digging into the work of Bouke de Vries, a UGhent professor who brought Cofnas into the fold and has published scholarly work with a eugenicist/natalist bent. We’re also making music recs and reading your letters about: The connection between HDF and Malcolm Collins (watch the BBC4 documentary here or on BBC iPlayer) Erik Ahrens’ whole deal and his connection to AfD in Germany How to properly score the World Famous Mailbag

    Aporia / The Human Diversity Foundation: The B-Side (PREVIEW)

  6. Aug 23

    Aporia / The Human Diversity Foundation

    Back in December 2025, when we talked about the book The Bell Curve, we kept running into the Human Diversity Foundation. This organization, which disseminates bunk pseudo-science through its journal Mankind Quarterly and its blog Aporia, has long been dedicated to advancing the white nationalist cause. This week, two news stories broke—one fairly minor and silly, the other devastating and tragic—that find a common thread in HDF, so Josh and June decided to finally do a full episode about this organization and its key figures. ***WANT MORE ILL CONCEIVED? Every other week, we release B-side supplements to the main episodes where we read your e-mail responses and discuss things further. Come check us out at Patreon.com/illconceived!*** ***WE WANT YOUR THOUGHTS FOR THE WORLD FAMOUS MAILBAG! Send an email with feedback about this week's episode to illconceivedpod@gmail.com*** EPISODE ART: Nathan Cofnas, a proponent of so-called scientific racism who was recently suspended from his doctoral program at Ghent University in Belgium. Cofnas, who is frequently cited in HDF publications and has appeared on their podcast numerous times, published an article to his blog alleging that recently appointed Cambridge professor Jason Arday, who was a black man, plagiarized his PhD dissertation. Though an investigation cleared Arday of the charges, the story gained overwhelming coverage in the British media. Arday was found dead on August 14. SOURCES: “Race Science Inc.” by Harry Shukman & Patrik Hermansson (Hope Not Hate, October 16, 2024) “The Peter Thiel-Linked Race Science Network that Penetrated Cambridge University and Targeted Jason Arday” by Nafeez Ahmed (Byline Times, August 18, 2026) “Academic who accused Jason Arday of plagiarism suspended by university” by Maia Davies (BBC, August 20, 2026) “A statement in support of Nathan Cofnas's Right to Academic Freedom of Expression” (online petition) Slutcon website Summary of Slutcon events from their Substack “Three Reasons Possession Of Child Porn Must Be Re-Legalized In The Coming Decade” by Rick Falkvinge (note comments on bottom by Emil Kirkegaard) Summary of Emil Kirkegaard libel litigation from 2019 “DEI Fraud and Cover-Up at Cambridge” by Nathan Cofnas Emil Kirkegaard buys Aella a bed on Amazon Aella with Diana Fleischman’s baby “The Beats: Decadence and Disease” by Simon Maass “Why does success run in families?” by Noah Carl “Adding genetic interests to utilitarianism” by Emil O. W. Kirkegaard “Ideas Have Consequences” by Bo Winegard FOLLOW THE SHOW: Website: illconceivedpodcast.com Bluesky: ‪@illconceivedpodcast.com Tumblr: @illconceivedpod FOLLOW JOSH: Website: joshboerman.com Bluesky: @bosh.worstpossible.world Other podcast: The Worst of All Possible Worlds Stream: Traditional Scrench FOLLOW JUNE: Bluesky: @junlper.beer Other podcast: Kill The Computer Writing: June's Substack ILL CONCEIVED THEME SONG BY: Caleb (Linktree / Bluesky)

    Aporia / The Human Diversity Foundation

  7. Aug 16 ·  Bonus

    Vladimir Putin: The B-Side (PREVIEW)

    THIS IS A PREVIEW OF A BONUS B-SIDE EPISODE. For access to the full length version of this and every other biweekly bonus B-side, go to Patreon.com/illconceived -------------------------- Balaji Srinivasan's Network School got kicked out of Malaysia, so they're picking up stakes and moving to Kazakhstan while making a hard pivot into being a natalist compound. We're talking about it, plus we read your letters on: The shape of Russia during the 90s, 2000s, and now Traveling to Russia in the early 2010s Different statistics used to measure birth rates and how one statistic doesn't paint the whole picture Lyman Stone's tweet about Somalians and why he made the distinctions he did

    Vladimir Putin: The B-Side (PREVIEW)

  8. Aug 10

    Vladimir Putin

    Under President Vladimir Putin, the Russian Federation managed for a time to greatly slow the population and fertility decrease that the country experienced in the wake of the fall of the Soviet Union. However, things stalled out in the mid-2010s, and the escalation of the war in Ukraine has only made matters worse. This week, Josh and June take a look at Putin's attempts to engineer demographic growth in Russia over the years and discover how the war has created an insurmountable roadblock that is nevertheless changing fundamental principles of Russian society. ***WANT MORE ILL CONCEIVED? Every other week, we release B-side supplements to the main episodes where we read your e-mail responses and discuss things further. Come check us out at Patreon.com/illconceived!*** ***WE WANT YOUR THOUGHTS FOR THE WORLD FAMOUS MAILBAG! Send an email with feedback about this week's episode to illconceivedpod@gmail.com*** EPISODE ART: Vladimir Putin, the president of the Russian Federation. First elected president in 2000, Putin will theoretically be able to serve as Russia's president until 2036 thanks to a series of rule changes and constitutional amendments. AUDIO CLIPS: 1:17:25 – Putin's remarks at the 2026 Mother Heroine Awards SOURCES: Announcement of The Order of Parental Glory (Russian Kremlin, June 1, 2026) Announcement of the Year of the Family (Russian Kremlin, January 23, 2024) Putin's remarks from meeting with participants and winners of all-Russian family contests (Russian Kremlin, January 23, 2024) Announcement of Executive Order on social support measures for large families (Russian Kremlin, January 23, 2024) Total fertility rate statistics for Russia and Ukraine (The World Bank) English-language constitution of the Russian Federation, including the 2020 amendments Full text of Russia's demographic growth concept Coverage of a Yakutian family winning in the 2025 Family of the Year competition (Yakutiya 24, 2025) "Putin Honors Large Families, Links Mother Heroine Awards to Traditional Values" (APT, June 1, 2026) "There are almost no reasons left for abortion" by Varvara Petrenko (Gazeta.ru, February 14, 2012) "The Russian Orthodox Church and its fight against abortion: taking on the state and losing" by Pål Kolstø (Religion, State & Society, 2023, vol. 51 no. 2) "Putin considers it necessary for families to "be born early" in Russia" (TASS, January 25, 2024) "Russia Is in Demographic Free Fall. Putin Isn’t Helping." by Anna Nemtsova (The Atlantic, April 29, 2025) "Russian kindergarteners, schoolchildren and students began to be massively taken to taken on excursions to registry offices" (Verstka, March 3, 2026) VKontakte post about a school trip to a civil registry office CDC data on births in the United States from 1999 FOLLOW THE SHOW: Website: illconceivedpodcast.com Bluesky: ‪@illconceivedpodcast.com Tumblr: @illconceivedpod FOLLOW JOSH: Website: joshboerman.com Bluesky: @bosh.worstpossible.world Other podcast: The Worst of All Possible Worlds Stream: Traditional Scrench FOLLOW JUNE: Bluesky: @junlper.beer Other podcast: Kill The Computer Writing: June's Substack ILL CONCEIVED THEME SONG BY: Caleb (Linktree / Bluesky)

    Vladimir Putin
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About

A podcast about natalism. Hosted by Josh Boerman (The Worst of All Possible Worlds, Traditional Scrench) and June Sternbach (Kill The Computer, The Onion).

Information

  • Creator
    Josh Boerman & June Sternbach
  • Years Active
    2025 - 2026
  • Episodes
    56
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © Copyright 2025 All rights reserved.
  • Show Website
    Ill Conceived

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