Historical Blindness

4.0 (836)
HISTORY
UPDATED SEMIWEEKLY

Historical Blindness is a podcast about history’s myths, mysteries, and misconceptions. By examining cases of outrageous hoaxes, pernicious conspiracy theory, mass delusion, baffling mysteries and unreliable historiography, host Nathaniel Lloyd searches for insights into modern religious belief and political culture.

1D AGO

The Origins of the Christ

In my annual holiday special for 2025, I examine discrepancies in the gospels relating to Jesus's lineage and parentage, as well as the gospel authors' use of common biblical tropes, their incorporation of prophecy and philosophy, and early church apologists' embrace of comparisons between Christ and pagan mythology, to demonstrate that, though Jesus was a real person, the gospels are crafted narratives, not the histories that biblical literalists make them out to be. This episode is sponsored by American History Tellers: The Mayflower and American Scandal: The West Memphis Three. Binge all episodes of both series right now on Wonder+. Check out ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠the show merch⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, perfect for gifts! ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Pledge support on Patreon to get an ad-free feed with exclusive episodes!⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Check out my novel, Manuscript Found!⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Direct all advertising inquiries to ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠��⁠⁠advertising@airwavemedia.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. Visit ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.airwavemedia.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ to find other high-quality podcasts! Some music in this episode was licensed under a Blue Dot Sessions blanket license at the time of publication. Tracks include "The Coil Winds," "A Catalog of Seasons," "As Dust Gathers," "Shine and Wither," and "Basketliner." Additional music, including "Remedy for Melancholy" and "September," by Kai Engel, licensed under Creative Commons (CC BY 4.0) Other music: "Waiting," "Calmant," and "Danse Morialta" by Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 Licensehttp://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

50 min
DEC 9 · BONUS

Special Presentation: The Devil You Know

This week I'm sharing an episode of a new podcast from CBC, called The Devil You Know. In The Devil You Know, Sarah Marshall explores the tangled web of the Satanic Panic, a journey that will take you everywhere from Victoria, B.C. to rural Kentucky to San Antonio, Texas. This is a show about the people who experienced the Satanic Panic in real-time—the believers, the skeptics, the bystanders, the wrongfully-convicted. What was it like to be a psychologist told to look for Satanists in every case; a mother slowly recovering memories of supposed Satanic abuse; a teenager accused of conspiracy to murder? The stories of these eyewitnesses point us toward the real underlying problems—individual and societal—that the Panic was a response to. The fault, as ever, was not with Satanists, but in ourselves. You can find The Devil You Know at https://link.mgln.ai/AANxHB Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

44 min
NOV 25

Think of the Children - Part Two: Satanic Panic

In the conclusion of my series on the moral panics of the eighties, I look at the development of the Satanic Panic and consider its resurgence today. This episode is sponsored by American History Tellers: The Mayflower and American Scandal: The West Memphis Three. Binge all episodes of both series right now on Wonder+. Check out ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠the show merch⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, perfect for gifts! ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Pledge support on Patreon to get an ad-free feed with exclusive episodes!⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Check out my novel, Manuscript Found!⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Direct all advertising inquiries to ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠advertising@airwavemedia.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. Visit ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.airwavemedia.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ to find other high-quality podcasts! Some music in this episode was licensed under a Blue Dot Sessions blanket license at the time of publication. Tracks include "Cicle DR Valga." All eighties-style synthwave music, including tracks "Unsolved Mystery," "80s Sci Fi Movie Theme," "Virtual Death," "Oculus," "Game Over," "Wicked City," "The Call," and "Doomsday," is by Karl Casey of White Bat Audio, licensed under a Creative Commons attribution license. Additional music, including "Remedy for Melancholy" and "Chance," is by Kai Engel, licensed under Creative Commons (CC BY 4.0) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

1h 1m
NOV 11

Think of the Children - Part One: Stranger Danger

In this episode, I look at the development of the Stranger Danger moral panic as a precursor to right wing conspiracist claims today. This episode is sponsored by American History Tellers: The Mayflower. Binge all episodes early and ad-free right now on Wondery+. Get 3 months of premium wireless service for $15 bucks a month at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠MintMobile.com/Blindness⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Check out ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠the show merch⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, perfect for gifts! ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Pledge support on Patreon to get an ad-free feed with exclusive episodes!⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Check out my novel, Manuscript Found!⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Direct all advertising inquiries to ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠advertising@airwavemedia.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. Visit ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.airwavemedia.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ to find other high-quality podcasts! Some music in this episode was licensed under a Blue Dot Sessions blanket license at the time of publication. Tracks include "Access Road 214," "Dawn Line Approaching," "Cicle Deserrat," "Tarte Tatin," "Brimevil," and "Cicle DR Valga." Additional music, including "Remedy for Melancholy and "Low Horizon," is by Kai Engel, licensed under Creative Commons (CC BY 4.0) Other music: "Leaving Home" by Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

1h 5m
OCT 21

Hunting the Highgate Vampire

In this episode, I tell the story of a hysteria in 1970s London, involving claims of ghosts, Satanists, and vampires, as well as two dueling magicians. Get 3 months of premium wireless service for $15 bucks a month at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠MintMobile.com/Blindness⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Check out ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠the show merch⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, perfect for gifts! ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Pledge support on Patreon to get an ad-free feed with exclusive episodes!⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Check out my novel, Manuscript Found!⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Direct all advertising inquiries to ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠advertising@airwavemedia.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. Visit ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.airwavemedia.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ to find other high-quality podcasts! Some music in this episode was licensed under a Blue Dot Sessions blanket license at the time of publication. Tracks include "Lacaille," "Access Road 214," "Balck Ballots," "Game Lands," "Olivia Wraith," "Cover Letter," and "Cicle Deserrat." Additional music, including "Remedy for Melancholy," is by Kai Engel, licensed under Creative Commons (CC BY 4.0) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

51 min
OCT 7

Poltergeist in Rosenheim

In this episode, I tell the story of a haunting in Bavaria that was claimed to be the first in which paranormal phenomena was scientifically observed. The Rosenheim Poltergeist claim is a perfect case for examining the ghost story generally, its history, and the pseudoscience of parapsychology. Get 3 months of premium wireless service for $15 bucks a month at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠MintMobile.com/Blindness⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Check out ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠the show merch⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, perfect for gifts! ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Pledge support on Patreon to get an ad-free feed with exclusive episodes!⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Check out my novel, Manuscript Found!⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Direct all advertising inquiries to ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠advertising@airwavemedia.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. Visit ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.airwavemedia.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ to find other high-quality podcasts! Some music in this episode was licensed under a Blue Dot Sessions blanket license at the time of publication. Tracks include "Zeriba Village," "Service Road 237," "Access Road 214," "Winter in Black," and "Nervous Whisp." Additional music, including "Remedy for Melancholy," and "daedalus," is by Kai Engel, licensed under Creative Commons (CC BY 4.0) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

47 min
SEP 23

Standing Army, Sitting President: The Posse Comitatus Act and the Domestic Deployment of the Military

In this new episode, I talk about America's long history of resenting domestic policing by the military especially when the military is used against citizen protesters, from the Boston Massacre to the Gilded Age. Get 3 months of premium wireless service for $15 bucks a month at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠MintMobile.com/Blindness⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Check out ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠the show merch⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, perfect for gifts! ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Pledge support on Patreon to get an ad-free feed with exclusive episodes!⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Check out my novel, Manuscript Found!⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Direct all advertising inquiries to ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠advertising@airwavemedia.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. Visit ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.airwavemedia.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ to find other high-quality podcasts! Some music in this episode is licensed through a Blue Dot Sessions blanket license active at the time of the episode's publication. Blue Dot Sessions tracks include Cicle DR Valga, Borough, Horror the Gatekeeper, Delicates, Uncertain Ground, and Small World Reveals. Additional music, including Remedy for Melancholy, Oecumene Sleeps, Periculum, and Sentinel, are by Kai Engel, licensed through a Creative Commons Attribution license (CC BY 4.0) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

43 min
SEP 9

Cracked and Packed: A History of Gerrymandering

After Texas's recent mid-decade partisan redistricting, representing a blatant power grab for the Republican Party undertaken at Trump's behest, I search for precedents and historical parallels and examine the history of gerrymandering in the US. Get 3 months of premium wireless service for $15 bucks a month at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠MintMobile.com/Blindness⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Check out ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠the show merch⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, perfect for gifts! ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Pledge support on Patreon to get an ad-free feed with exclusive episodes!⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Check out my novel, Manuscript Found!⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Direct all advertising inquiries to ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠advertising@airwavemedia.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. Visit ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.airwavemedia.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ to find other high-quality podcasts! Some music on this episode was licensed under a Blue Dot Sessions blanket license at the time of this episode's publication. Tracks include "Cicle DR Valga," Tarte Tatin," "The Griffiths," "Palms Down," "Voyager," "Bauxite," and "Illa Vallardo." Additional music, including "Remedy for Melancholy" is by Kai Engel, licensed under Creative Commons. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

42 min

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4

out of 5

836 Ratings

Great Podcast

Oct 28

Jmp9983

This podcast is packed with information. I like the episodes that tie in with current events and the breakdown of how Trump and the MAGA right twist historical events to support their agenda. Thank you for not whitewashing history!
great pod (narrator is human, don’t worry!)

Oct 10

serotoninfreak

been listening since 2020 and it’s my favorite history podcast due to the niche topics
Propaganda

Oct 26

👆🏼👇🏼👈🏼👆🏼

Not a podcast for truth seekers
Great Podcast

Sep 27

GerrgggZa23

Those leaving one-star reviews are practicing contemporary blindness. Nathaniel Lloyd is great, very informative. If you disagree with him, listen anyways, you might learn something. If you can’t get over that someone who studies history dislikes Trump, then I don’t think you like history yourself-I think you probably prefer conspiracy and mythology dressed up as history and fact -and this podcast probably ain’t for you. Anyone with an open mind, enjoy!

Historical Blindness is a podcast about history’s myths, mysteries, and misconceptions. By examining cases of outrageous hoaxes, pernicious conspiracy theory, mass delusion, baffling mysteries and unreliable historiography, host Nathaniel Lloyd searches for insights into modern religious belief and political culture.