Decoding the Gurus
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In this special quasi-crossover episode, we stare deeply into the abyss while enjoying a beverage with renowned psychologist and occasional podcast co-host, Mickey Inzlicht. P.S. The Decoding of Naomi Klein is coming next week! TWO PSYCHOLOGISTS, ONE ANTHROPOLOGIST, THREE BEERS 00:27 Introduction 05:57 Mickey's Sabbatical in Japan 12:13 Sensemaking 3.0 25:25 Francis Foster's Bizarre Podcast Roast 34:38 Sabine Hossenfelder thinks Academia is Communism 36:11 The Irony of YouTube Incentives 39:34 Proper Criticisms of Academia 43:28 Is Academia Centrally Planned? 46:24 Culture War Pandering 53:53 Entering the Matt-rix 55:00 In Bed with the Russians notices the Red Scare Wounded Bird Pose 01:00:03 On the etiquette of Replications 01:06:17 Academic Debates on the Effect of Culture on Visual Illusions: Joe Henrich vs. Amir & Firestone 01:11:18 The Legend of Captain Cook: Sahlins vs Obeyesekere 01:12:58 Ideas vs People: Sarah Haider, Colin Wright and an epidemic of hypocrisy 01:17:19 Admitting Mistakes and Research Integrity 01:24:38 Interpersonal Relationships vs. Adversarial Systems 01:33:24 Wastage in Academia 01:39:49 Elon Musk, Pregnancy, and Modern Cults 01:49:01 Signing Off The full episode is available for Patreon subscribers (1hr 51 mins). Join us at: https://www.patreon.com/DecodingTheGurus SOURCES __ __
Chris and Matt confront their inner demons, manifest their personal deities, and dive into the Onto-Logos. SUPPLEMENTARY MATERIAL 24 00:00 Introduction 02:32 Matt's Surprise Shaming 06:39 Jordan Peterson's Inner Monologue Revealed 10:04 Trump on Ukraine 15:22 Sean Carroll explains US cuts to science funding 16:47 Bleak Prospects for the US 24:14 Aella vs. Arrogant Red Pill Man 37:22 Be wary of Overcorrecting 43:11 John Vervaeke meets Hermes 52:59 False Dichotomies of the Spirit 01:03:38 Entering into Dialogos with Matt's Inner Darwin 01:07:39 Perspectival and participatory phenomenological identity transformation. 01:09:20 Other ways of knowing spirits 01:13:45 Materialists and their Monological Mindsets 01:18:37 Welcome to the Onto-Logos 01:24:06 Bad Faith Commenters 01:29:35 Pageau and the Metaphysics of Pepe the Frog 01:36:32 Next Book Review: Other Minds The full episode is available for Patreon subscribers (1hr 41 mins). Join us at: https://www.patreon.com/DecodingTheGurus SOURCES __ __
Chris and Matt have their models exploded, the maps ripped up, and their minds blown as the Gurusphere expands into exciting new territory. SUPPLEMENTARY MATERIAL 23 02:47 Chris Williamson blows our minds! 08:57 Content Predator psychology and motivational posting 12:28 Balancing the Scales 14:07 Eric Weinstein the master of Rorschach Tweets 20:26 Modern Sages Reunited: Bret Weinstein and Joe Rogan 24:29 Open-Minded Joe Rogan 34:26 Maybe prescriptions are actually bad! 37:38 Andrew Gold expands into Race & IQ 46:47 4 Warning Signs of Radicalism 56:45 Monomaniacal Fixation vs. Pluralism 01:05:26 Rejoinder: What if it is a diagnostic? 01:09:43 Lex wants to join DOGE 01:10:31 Lex's next world leader interview: Modi 01:14:57 Matt's Final Thought: People contain multitudes 01:16:57 Outro The full episode is available for Patreon subscribers (1hrs 19 mins). Join us at: https://www.patreon.com/DecodingTheGurus SOURCES __ __
In this episode, Matt finally gets his revenge on Chris by dragging him deep into the eccentric world of Chris Langan—the self-proclaimed possessor of a 200 IQ and creator of , yet another grand unifying theory of everything. Langan presents himself as an intellectual titan, offering mathematical, social, religious, and philosophical insights so profound that mere mortals can barely grasp them. Prepare to have the mysteries of the universe, God, anti-God, angels, and demons unveiled. Consciousness, determinism, and free will? All finally explained. But that’s not all—somehow, it all connects to globalist plots, election conspiracies, vaccines, UFOs, and, of course, the devil pulling the strings. Join us for conservative pundit Michael Knowles’ therapy session with one of his idols-a man who reassures him that he a very smart boy and that his fundamentalist Christian beliefs are, in fact, completely correct. If you thought Eric Weinstein was something, imagine him cranked up to 12. That’s Chris Langan... Also... get ready for Matt's double down on his Aussie food takes. LINKS __ __
In this episode, Matt and Chris take a look at a recent developmental psychology paper on the social evaluation of young babies. Do they display a preference for agents who are nice to others or could they care less at the babbling age? This is a large-scale, multi-lab, preregistered replication effort of a rather influential paper so it ticks all of Chris' Open Science boxes, but how does Matt react? Is he stuck in his pre-replication crisis paradigms? Join us to find out and along the way find out about baby Matt's psychotic tendencies, how cats feel about cucumbers, and how Matt narrowly escaped being eaten by a big ol' crocodile. PAPER REFERENCE: Lucca, K., Yuen, F., Wang, Y., Alessandroni, N., Allison, O., Alvarez, M., ... & Hamlin, J. K. (2025). Infants’ Social Evaluation of Helpers and Hinderers: A Large‐Scale, Multi‐Lab, Coordinated Replication Study. , (1), e13581. ORIGINAL STUDY: Hamlin, J. K., Wynn, K., & Bloom, P. (2007). Social evaluation by preverbal infants. , (7169), 557-559. DECODING ACADEMIA 32 00:00 Introduction 00:59 Matt's Close Shave with a Crocodile 03:15 Discussion on Crocodile Behavior 05:13 Introduction to the Academic Paper 06:18 Understanding Registered Reports 07:49 Details of the Replication Study 12:07 The Many Babies Study 18:23 Challenges in Developmental Psychology 20:35 Original Study and Replication Efforts 26:27 HARKing and the QRP problem in psychology 34:24 Discussing the Results 36:58 Exploring the Red Ball Experiment 39:38 Forest Plot Analysis 41:19 Infant Preferences and Social Evaluation 43:24 Failure to Replicate the Original Study 47:06 Exploratory Analysis and Moderators 50:03 Interpretations and Implications 54:21 Evolutionary Perspectives on Social Behavior 58:34 Prosocial Evolutionary Speculation 01:05:10 Psychopathic Baby Matt 01:06:28 Concluding Thoughts and Reflections 01:11:20 Comparative Psychology on Snake Hatred! The full episode is available for Patreon subscribers (1hrs 15 mins). Join us at: https://www.patreon.com/DecodingTheGurus
We immerse ourselves in the Dark Side of the Gurusphere and come out forever altered by what we've seen and praying for an escape from this demon-haunted world. 00:00 Introduction 01:38 Reverse Culture Shock in Australia 11:01 Tim Tams and Food Progress 12:14 Russia Today endorses Lex's statements on Zelensky 19:20 Elon Musk's Controversial Gesture 38:31 Destiny's (Most Recent) Controversy 01:02:12 Bryan Johnson vs. Andrew Huberman: Civility Insights 01:14:21 Sacriligeous Sycophancy: Bill Ackman and Sam Altman 01:15:55 Jonathan Pageau's Stargate Theories 01:26:52 Escaping the Demon-Haunted World The full episode is available for Patreon subscribers (1hrs 30 mins). Join us at: https://www.patreon.com/DecodingTheGurus SOURCES __ __
'Tis a New Year (sort of), and amidst all the chaos in the world, we thought we'd offer a small glimmer of light by making this Patreon episode available to everyone! If you enjoy it, consider joining us on Patreon—or not, it's your call! In this episode, Matt and Chris scry through the portents and ponder the apocalyptic insights of the tech and finance titan Peter Thiel. We all know that Thiel is an urbane gentleman of great refinement with a collection of revolutionary ideas but does he make the sing? Tune in to find out—and, as a bonus, learn more than you ever wanted to know about the intricacies of academic grading systems.
In this episode, Matt and Chris tackle the big ideas—or at least the ones rattling around in Peter Thiel’s mind. Tech billionaire, venture capitalist, and political kingmaker, Thiel has long been a looming figure in Silicon Valley, known for his deep pockets, contrarian takes, and peculiar philosophical musings. But beneath the surface-level libertarian posturing, what does Thiel actually believe? And does it hold up to scrutiny? The decoders dig into Thiel’s recent interview on Uncommon Knowledge, where he waxes biblical about end times, interprets the katechon with all the confidence of a medieval theologian, and seamlessly blends venture capitalism with prophecies of the Antichrist. Along the way, they explore Thiel’s method of connecting historical dots with pure vibes, and his Jetsons Fallacy, the deep disappointment that the world looks more like The Office than a 1960s vision of the future. They dissect the Sensemaker Aristocracy surrounding him—with its reverent back-patting and strange mix of deference and obfuscation that turns tech moguls into prophets. They also highlight Thiel’s bizarre leaps in logic, from citing biblical prophecies to warning about one-world free-trade Communist government conspiracies and his confusing stance on technological progress—simultaneously lamenting stagnation while fearing we’re racing too fast toward Armageddon. Of course, no billionaire worldview would be complete without some COVID conspiracies, and Thiel delivers, crafting an elaborate Fauci Bioweapon Paradox in which the pandemic response was simultaneously overblown and also secretly justified because the virus was (obviously) engineered. So is Peter Thiel a visionary? A libertarian Cassandra? Or just a very wealthy man with a lot of half-formed ideas and a habit of mumbling them into microphones? Matt and Chris wade through the mess so you don’t have to. Stay till the end for the Revolutionary Leprechaun Theory of Western Civilization… if you dare. LINKS __ __
In this episode, we look at a recently released segment by Lex Fridman, where he reflects on his interview with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky. We examine Lex’s self-presentation as a Christ-like figure—someone who is willing to suffer, feign naivety and ignorance, and even risk his life in the name of world peace—all while maintaining an eight-hour daily study regimen and enduring relentless, unfair attacks from Ukrainian bot farms and war-loving critics. Like true sensemakers, we also entertain an outlandish alternative hypothesis: what if Lex is, in fact, an arrogant and biased podcaster—dismissive of criticism, oblivious to his political leanings, and adopting a “wounded bird” persona to elicit sympathy from his audience? Join us as we sift through the Zelensky's (supposed) failures, the bot farms, and the wounded bird theatrics to determine whether Lex is a hero for peace—or just another podcaster lost in his own narrative. SOURCES __ __
It's 2025, and the Gurusphere shows no signs of slowing down—so here we are, diving into some grim crossovers. This time, the bro-optimiser Andrew Huberman has teamed up with the chaos dragon himself, Jordan Peterson. Meanwhile, the ever-affectionate Lex Fridman finally scored an interview with Zelensky. Bret, however, remains preoccupied with Goliath's ongoing PsyOps. P.S. Matt broke his dongle so he's on the AirPods, we will be back to proper audio setup next episode. SUPPLEMENTARY MATERIAL 21 00:00 Introduction and Farewell to America 01:43 Memorable Encounters and Experiences 03:48 Oldering & the Destruction of the Self 08:35 The American Understander Issues his Verdict 12:07 The Pageau Brothers, Jesus' Laugh & The Emergency Snake 19:01 Bryan Johnson has concerns about Vaccines 21:48 The High IQ Crowd and Trump's Greenland Plans 27:44 The PsyOps Cyclops Strikes Again 37:15 Huberman X Peterson: Optimising Christianity 39:22 Secret Prayers and Bible Conversations 43:34 Thougt = Secularised Prayer 48:56 Huberman's Intelligent Design Argument for God 55:49 Christian Optimising Stack 01:07:56 Marc Andreessen on Vigor, Pride and Achievement 01:13:30 Faux Heterodoxy 01:19:24 Plain Steaks are the best! 01:24:47 Jordan Peterson's Diet Struggles 01:32:25 Lex Fridman's Interview with Zelensky 01:37:52 Lex plugs Rogan's comedy club 01:41:09 Elon Musk and Trump are anti-corruption! 01:44:27 Critique of Lex Fridman's Interview Style 01:46:07 Lex's dream and Russia's security guarantees 01:53:25 Lex's Strategic Naivety 02:05:12 Lex reads A LOT 02:11:40 Lex and Putin predictions 02:12:39 Lex will endure the attacks against him 02:14:56 Wrapping Up & Patreon Love Bomb The full episode is available for Patreon subscribers (2hrs 16 mins). Join us at: https://www.patreon.com/DecodingTheGurus SOURCES __ __
Back once again with the dark art of Gurometry, we turn our sights to the bad boy of Silicon Valley—the mulleted maestro, the edgy eejit, Curtis Yarvin. A legend in his own mind, but how does he rank on the Gurosity scale? Join us as we dissect his essence across 11 factors, from his revolutionarily mundane and incoherent ideas to his dazzling absence of charisma. Tune in as we feed this 'dark enlightenment' thinker into the Gurometer and reveal his true colours. The full episode is available for Patreon subscribers (34 mins). Join us at: https://www.patreon.com/DecodingTheGurus CURTIS YARVIN: GUROMETER 00:00 Introduction to Gurometry 02:27 Curtis Yarvin: The Man, The Myth, The Eejit 04:43 Galaxy Brainlessness 05:48 Cultishness 08:32 Anti-Establishmentarianism 09:55 Grievance Mongering 12:43 Self-Aggrandizement and Narcissism 13:30 Cassandra Complex 16:21 Revolutionary Theories 17:59 Pseudo-Profound Bullshit 19:43 Conspiracy Theories Galore 23:55 Moral Grandstanding 25:50 Gurometer Scores and Analysis 27:56 Bonus Point Attribution 34:03 Final Thoughts on Curtis Yarvin
In this end-of-year supplementary material, we unleash the hounds of war, battle through the discourse, and emerge alive but bloody and battered on the other side. Enlist now and join the fight. SUPPLEMENTARY MATERIAL 20 00:00 Introduction and Ethnographic Insights 01:38 Matt's Observations from Washington DC 05:50 Smithsonian Museums and Star Wars Memorabilia 07:48 Lego Creations and Gacha Collectibles 12:13 Social Media and Blue Sky 'Culture' 13:29 Matt's Contribution: Eric Weinstein's UFO Speculations 21:21 Graham Linehan, Andrew Doyle, Jordan Peterson & Recognising Past Errors 23:18 Jordan Peterson's Reflections on Vaccination 28:59 Huberman's Upcoming Vaccine Series 30:52 Taylor Lorenz and Stochastic Terrorism 32:31 The Hypocrisy of Glorifying Violence 36:29 The Problem with Political Violence 43:48 Tim Kennedy's Exaggerated Military Stories 55:09 Tim Kennedy's Response to Criticism 01:07:37 Prebunking Criticisms 01:17:20 Shane Smith at Vice is NOT A CONSPIRACY GUY 01:21:27 Final Thoughts on Populism and Vibes-Based Reasoning 01:25:18 OutroThe full episode is available for Patreon subscribers (1hr 26 mins). Join us at: https://www.patreon.com/DecodingTheGurus Sources __ __
In this long-anticipated episode, Matt and Chris venture into the peculiar world of Curtis Yarvin—a reactionary blogger, tech entrepreneur, and self-proclaimed monarchist. Known to his early followers by the pseudonym "Mencius Moldbug," Yarvin has become a prominent figure in the "dark enlightenment" and neo-reactionary circles. Some have even hailed him as an "intellectual powerhouse" of the modern far-right, with endorsements from influential figures like Peter Thiel and J.D. Vance. But what is Curtis really all about? In this episode, the decoders revisit the swamp to examine the political insights unearthed by the hard-nosed journalists Konstantin and Francis during their ferocious intellectual exchange with Yarvin. Prepare for thrilling revelations, including the historical figures and movements Yarvin has catalogued in his encyclopedic memory, his pick for the best Elizabethan monarch, and the surprising number of non-monarchs he believes are secretly running monarchical regimes. True to form, Yarvin’s rhetorical style is nothing if not meandering. So get ready for a whirlwind tour through his "mind palace," exploring topics like Soviet Russia, Elizabethan England, Shakespearean conspiracy theories, and a fantasy world of reactionary and techno-libertarian musings—not to mention the obligatory lab-leak narratives. Is Yarvin an edgy intellectual, a provocative contrarian, or just a verbose windbag with run-of-the-mill conspiratorial takes and a moody teenager's perspective on history? Matt and Chris tackle these questions, striving to decode Yarvin’s vision for society—and hoping, against all odds, that he might in the end just answer a single question. LINKS __ __
In this special festive episode, Chris and Matt are joined by seasoned decoder and quiz master Helen Lewis to discuss the myths around genius, extract her 2025 Guru predictions, and, of course, participate in that most sacred of DTG traditions: Helen's annual Guru Quiz. Once again, the decoders must prove their mastery of the gurusphere’s esoteric knowledge, and once again, one decoder will come up short. Who will it be? You already know... but do your best to feign surprise! But that’s not all! Discourse/Discord creature and DTG Weinstein correspondent Dan Gilbert (Bad Stats online) also makes an appearance to enjoy another mystery quiz and a dystopian guru squad-building game. Play along at home and see if your chosen guru team can match the synergistic power of our curated champions. LINKS __ __
In this truly epic-length supplementary material, we spin 70 critical paradigms simultaneously while trying to avoid the wily tricks of some hostile transdimensional forces. Do we succeed? Join us to find out! SUPPLEMENTARY MATERIAL 19 00:24 Introduction: More American Insights(!) 13:12 Peterson Orbiters: The Pageau Brothers 17:41 Pageau & Rod Dreher: Aliens are transdimensional spirits 25:56 Pageau: Alex Jones was Right! 27:01 Peterson & Pageau's Lazy Christian Apologetics 44:17 Joe Rogan: Fuck Ukraine! 56:28 Peter Thiel has questions about Vaccines and Autism 01:03:20 Big Rogan's CENSORSHIP CAMPAIGN against Flint Dibble 01:09:07 Nassim Taleb vs. Colin Wright: Seed Oils 01:23:10 Taleb and Squid Ink Flounces 01:32:40 Conspirituality & the issues with extended analogies 01:50:27 Leftist Millenarianism? 01:56:06 Cultish Spectrums 02:02:34 Critical Feedback: Decoding the Decoders 02:08:30 You were not allowed to talk about this! 02:21:56 Signing Off The full episode is available for Patreon subscribers (2hrs 24 mins). Join us at: https://www.patreon.com/DecodingTheGurus Sources __ __
In this special episode, we return to the forboding Dragon's Den of the Peterson-verse and enjoy a rather punchy conversation between Jordan Peterson and Richard Dawkins, facilitated by Alex O'Connor. As always, the discussion is dense with abstract symbolic interpretations, evasive answers to direct questions about biblical events, and highly speculative claims. So Matt and Chris don their best decoding armour, steel their resolve, and prepare to face down endless waves of indulgent analogies and the constant conflation of mythological and scientific truths. Important insights from Matt on American public toilets, shower technology, and stories of Chris' previous life as a coal-shovelling street urchin are also included. LINKS __ __
Still in the land of the free and restocked with important new insights from his US travels, Matt is confronted with the Gurusphere's predictably depressing reaction to the election. And what's that we hear in the distance... is it a honking car? SUPPLEMENTARY MATERIAL 18 00:00 Matt's American Ethnography 10:59 Eric Weinstein is waiting for the call 14:32 Huberman, Krauss, and MAGA Sycophancy 18:39 Boghossian and other would-be Intellectual Clerics of the MAGA regime 22:52 Sam Harris criticises Elon Musk, Joe Rogan, and MAGA 32:05 The Fifth Column, The Free Press and World Weary Both Sides-ing 53:19 Election Reflections: Macro and Micro Causes 01:04:40 Longer Term Trends 01:10:08 Sarah Haider and the Hip Vibe of the New Right 01:24:00 Richard Dawkins Dual Nature 01:31:08 A Plea to Sean Carroll and our Listeners 01:33:06 An important note on Bouldering The full episode is available for Patreon subscribers (1hr 36 mins). Join us at: https://www.patreon.com/DecodingTheGurus LINKS __ __
In this highly non-topical episode, Matt and Chris dive into the entertainingly gruff world of Sabine Hossenfelder, the German theoretical physicist and popular YouTube science communicator. Known as a joyful science curmudgeon, Sabine excels at making complex science accessible to a wide audience. Yet, there's another side to her content: one that's increasingly steeped in the YouTube algorithm’s culture-war-fueled clickbait, complete with prolific both-sidesing and even hints of her own brand of science-denialist rhetoric. We can already imagine Sabine’s response: tone policing from establishment scolds who are trying to silence a fearless truth-teller for exposing academia’s dark underbelly. Perhaps that’s all it is—maybe Matt and Chris aligned with BIG PHYSICS, out to quash any dissent about supersymmetry, string theory, or the academic publishing machine. Or… maybe it’s something else. Maybe Sabine has pivoted to pander to the (so-hot-right-now) anti-establishment YouTube crowd, declaring that modern science has achieved nothing of value in 50 years and claiming that scientists (especially climate scientists) are too scared to challenge ideological dogmas for fear of jeopardizing their careers or funding. It’s certainly one of those things. Whatever the case, join Matt and Chris as they tackle this perplexing case of rhetorical indeterminacy, unpack YouTube audience dynamics, and delve into Sabine's unexpected alignments with Eric Weinstein and her 'sharp' critiques of Tucker Carlson. LINKS __ __
Matt and Chris dip their toes into the fetid, guru-infested swamp surrounding the 2024 U.S. election. Straining to see what lurks in the murky depths, they encounter dark shapes, including Eric Weinstein pledging his services to whoever wins (or will give him a call), Joe Rogan conspiracy hypothesizing with Donald Trump, the Free Press hosting a truly heterodox election party, Michael Moynihan pulling no punches, and finally, Jordan Peterson’s shockingly sycophantic psychological assessment of Donald Trump and his cohort. Join Chris and Matt as they navigate the election discourse swamp and the ever-unsettling convergence of internet personalities and political power, examining how these online figures function like the courtiers of old—gathering around their would-be kings, flattering them with pseudo-profound or sycophantic praise, and vying to secure their place in the new order. All very cheerful stuff, we’re sure you’ll agree! Links __ __
In this episode, Chris and Matt open the lid on Matt's adventures in America. Basking in the land of the free, Matt is forced to consider YouTube dynamics, indulgent podcast conversations, potential Russian influence campaigns, and the environmental toxins that sound him. We will return soon with another SM election special and a better mic for Matt! CONTENT 00:00 Introduction 03:20 Matt's American Insights 10:41 Flint Dibble, Graham Hancock & a silly racist 19:21 YouTube & Audience Capture with Andrew Gold 27:35 Justin Trudeau accuses Jordan Peterson of being Russian Funded 34:29 Bernie Sanders & Lex Fridman: What's the point? 47:24 Huberman's Latest PSA 52:20 Environmental Toxins and Modern Health Concerns 58:58 Outro The full episode is available for Patreon subscribers (1hr 3 mins). Join us at: https://www.patreon.com/DecodingTheGurus LINKS __ __
In this special international episode of Decoding the Gurus, Chris and Matt jump on the hottest online topic and devote an hour to reviewing Richard Dawkins' influential work from the 1970s, The Selfish Gene. This book influenced Matt and Chris when they were teenage decoders, but how does it hold up now that they have evolved into (quasi)adult forms? Based on their rereading of the book they discuss its contribution to the public understanding of evolution, the academic and public controversies it sparked, and Dawkins' broader contributions to science communication and... the culture war. Consideration is given to the criticisms raised by figures like Stephen Jay Gould and Mary Midgley, the implications of seeing humans as meat machines constructed by genes, and what should be understood as the book's core message. So join Chris and Matt as they confront their true nature as gene propagators but also argue that it to simultaneously recognise the importance of human cultural & social development and our genetic & biological legacies. LINKS __ __
We return to the world of lost civilizations, pseudo-archaeology, and real archaeology with Cardiff University archaeologist Flint Dibble. Sadly the senior member of the Decoding team was absent for the interview but junior decoder Chris struggled on as best he could. This episode, recorded just before the release of Season 2 on Netflix and Graham Hancock's associated podcast PR tour, examines the appeal of myths like Atlantis, criticisms Flint has faced from Hancock and others, and the broader challenges of communicating good science online. The discussion covers whether debunking false narratives is effective, Flint's experiences post-Rogan with public engagement and social media harassment, and the importance of academics actively participating in public discourse to counter culture-war-fueled stereotypes. Finally, in a crushing blow, Chris also gets Flint to acknowledge that BIG ARCHAEOLOGY can't disprove his stunning new theory about ancient seaweed submarines. Links __ __
That's right—we’re back in the heady world of sense-making, but don't worry, we're just in time to witness the final resolution of the ever-looming 'Meaning Crisis.' Join Matt and Chris as they embark on an epic journey with the cognitively inclined philosopher John Vervaeke and none other than the uber-guru, Jordan Peterson, himself. Together, they navigate a vast semantic web of meaning that spans discussions of Power, Beauty, Love, Religion, and, of course... the Logos! Along the way, we'll probe the limits of complex wordplay and autodidactic insights, consider the ancient art of delegation, and ponder how the religious-shaped void might just be filled with engagement in Dialogos. On the more mundane level, we'll also explore the inner workings of Jordisan Academy, the logistics of the 'We Who Wrestle with God' tour, upcoming Sensemaking cruises, and the vital multivitamins every Responsible Man should be taking. So come along as Matt and Chris grapple with the Omega Rule, cast aside their reductive materialism, and bow down in horror and awe to worship the words that the eternal Logos issues forth. LINKS __ __
We plunge ever deeper into the convoluted world of guru punditry and are dazzled at the theatrics at the 'Rescue the Republic' event, inspired by the profound insights of Eric Weinstein on political speeches, and thrilled at Michael Moynihan's hard knock interview with the moderate heterodox thinker Megyn Kelly. Join us won't you? 00:00 Introduction and Health Check Adventures 04:15 Exploring the GuruSphere and GuruCon 08:57 Matt and Chris Debate Round 1: The Unholy Alliance 16:35 Russell Brand and Jordan Peterson's Prayer Time 24:51 Bret's Amazing Metaphor: David and the Phoenix 36:01 Matt Taibbi's Speaking Truth to Power with the Bible 40:24 Rage Against the War Machine 43:25 Eric Weinstein's analysis of Kamala Harris 58:44 Joe Rogan's Bias and Broken Conspiracy Prone Brain 01:13:53 Michael Moynihan softballs Megyn Kelly 01:26:11 Cynical Chris and Moderate Megyn: Alex Jones & Tucker are right! 01:32:57 Hard Knock Heterodoxy 01:47:35 Matt and Chris Debate Round 2: Left and Right The full episode is available for Patreon subscribers (2 hr 1 min). Join us at: https://www.patreon.com/DecodingTheGurus LINKS __ __
There are many different systems for quantifying a person's essential essence. You could use an Ayurvedic questionnaire to determine your doshic levels, you could consult an astrologer to identify your most auspicious dates and the origins of your personality quirks, or you could even ask a psychologist to take a personality inventory and discover your OCEAN traits. But if you want pure insight, crystallised through something that is BEYOND science, you must find yourself that very rare and extremely precious instrument- a gurometer. Sought after by kings and queens, politicians and CEOs, athletes and inventors, the gurometer is your one-stop shop for quantifying your secular guru essence. Normally, due to the delicacy of the topic and the arcane, and, dare we say, dangerous, nature of Gurometry, we keep these insights locked behind the gilded Patreon gates. Still, sometimes we think the world deserves to know about how the science and art of gurometry are progressing. So, here is a little peek at the beautiful science in action as we attempt to quantify Dr. K according to our 11(!) Gurometer characteristics. Play along at home if you dare but remember Guromancy is not something to trifle in idly. Should you want more details about the art of Gurometry, please see this previous episode for more information https://decoding-the-gurus.captivate.fm/episode/the-science-and-the-art-of-gurometry and if you want to know more about Dr. K then look at any of our three previous episodes. Also, it is perhaps worth mentioning that Gurometer episodes for ALL previous gurus are available on Patreon. We will be back soon enough for some full-length decodings.
This is a preview episode to remind those who might be interested that we have a bonus Decoding Academia series, available at the Patreon at the Revolutionary Genius tier and above, which is now up to episode 30! On Decoding Academia we usually focus on specific papers and indulge our more nerdy and academic tendencies. It is almost like a journal club of two! In this episode, we take a look at a study exploring the connections between Dark Humour, online trolling, and Dark personality tendencies. This is right up the alley for two brooding Decoders with twisted dark mentalities. Expect shocking personality quizzes, dad jokes & dank memes, Bayesian sidetracking, and an inception-level discussion of alleged regressions. This is one for all the family! Paper examined: Voisey, S., & Heintz, S. (2024). Do Dark Humour Users Have Dark Tendencies? Relationships between Dark Humour, the Dark Tetrad, and Online Trolling. , (6), 493. https://www.mdpi.com/2076-328X/14/6/493
Join Matt and Chris for a deep dive into the discourse created by Darryl Cooper’s controversial interview with Tucker Carlson. The decoders tackle Cooper’s revisionist takes on Winston Churchill, Hitler, and WWII, asking whether throwing in strategic disclaimers really makes it all okay. They also explore reactions from the wider comment-o-sphere, including the musings of libertarian firebrand/idiot Dave Smith, mainstream historians and history YouTubers, and the hosts of Triggernometry, Konstantin and Francis, as they try to unpack Niall Ferguson’s sharp critique of Cooper. Along the way, Sam Harris enters the fray, on a search for grown-ups in the alternative media. But does Harris offer a mature critique, or is he engaging in his own cycle of grievance-mongering? Matt and Chris examine his response and consider if it rises above or contributes to the podcasting noise. Whether you are a staunch critic of Sam Harris or a devoted fan, we promise this episode has something to disappoint everyone! Links __
We rip off the unconvincing plastic mask to reveal the true gurus lurking underneath and discuss: __ __ The full episode is available for Patreon subscribers (1 hr 47 mins). Join us at: https://www.patreon.com/DecodingTheGurus LINKS __ __
Join Matt and Chris as they conclude their deep dive into the content of Dr. K, the streaming psychiatrist behind Healthy Gamer GG. In previous episodes, they explored his promotion of Ayurvedic medicine and his use of the rhetorical strategies often seen in Complementary and Alternative Medicine spaces. This time, they tackle his more controversial work: the (non)therapy sessions with influencers, focusing particularly on his challenging and controversial conversation with the late streamer Reckful. The episode considers how Dr. K navigates the boundaries between professional therapy and public conversation, examines his response to an official reprimand from his governing body, and questions whether his justifications withstand scrutiny. Matt and Chris critically assess the validity of legalistic defences, the ethics of publicly streaming sensitive conversations with vulnerable individuals, and broader concerns about mixing mental health care with entertainment. It's a lengthy episode and features discussions on patient-therapist power dynamics, definitional debates, and the complexities surrounding regulatory oversight and professional/general ethics. We warn you this is not a very light episode and deals with sensitive issues related to suicide and mental health. LINKS __ __
World travels complete the Guru Decoders reconvene to examine how the Gurusphere has been behaving in their absence. Bad news abounds. Featuring: __ __ The full episode is available for Patreon subscribers (1 hr 36 mins). Join us at: https://www.patreon.com/DecodingTheGurus LINKS __ __
