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Conspirituality — Philosophy
Conspirituality

Dismantling New Age cults, wellness grifters, and conspiracy-mad yogis. At best, the conspirituality movement attacks public health efforts in times of crisis. At worst, it fronts and recruits for the fever-dream of QAnon. As the alt-right and New Age horseshoe toward each other in a blur of disinformation, clear discourse, and good intentions get smothered. Charismatic influencers exploit their followers by co-opting conspiracy theories on a spectrum of intensity ranging from vaccines to child trafficking. In the process, spiritual beliefs that have nurtured creativity and meaning are transforming into memes of a quickly-globalizing paranoia. Conspirituality Podcast attempts to bring understanding to this landscape. A journalist, a cult researcher, and a philosophical skeptic discuss the stories, cognitive dissonances, and cultic dynamics tearing through the yoga, wellness, and new spirituality worlds. Mainstream outlets have noticed the problem. We crowd-source, research, analyze, and dream answers to it.

Copyright: © 2023 Conspirituality

Latest Episodes:

Bonus Sample: Greta Thunberg’s “Super Power” Vs. Fascists and Liberals (Pt 2) Jun 30, 2025

Show notes

Greta Thunberg is a burr in the ass of the powerful throughout the world—and not only for rightwing sociopaths. Increasingly, as she grows up, learns more, and networks with other activists around the world, she’s become a scourge for liberals as well.

Many of them would prefer she remain a child, providing a theatre of emotional catharsis for a climate crisis industry more interested in raising money from green economy donors than forcing change.

Now, as Thunberg broadens her target to capitalism and colonialism writ large, it’s more and more clear that she’s confronting what autistic philosopher Robert Chapman calls “the empire of normality,” from her lived experience of autism, about which so many of the conspiracy theories we cover here swirl.

Seizure of the Madleen
Why do Fascists Hate Greta
Why are Liberals Backing Away from Greta?
Neurodiversity and activism

Masking, Burnout, Contemplation
Hamster Wheel of Capitalism
Parenting in Humility

ChaptersPart one (Saturday on Main Feed):Part two:

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Brief: Greta Thunberg’s “Super Power” vs. Fascists and Liberals (Pt 1) Jun 28, 2025

Show notes

Greta Thunberg is a burr in the ass of the powerful throughout the world—and not only for rightwing sociopaths. Increasingly, as she grows up, learns more, and networks with other activists around the world, she’s become a scourge for liberals as well.

Many of them would prefer she remain a child, providing a theatre of emotional catharsis for a climate crisis industry more interested in raising money from green economy donors than forcing change.

Now, as Thunberg broadens her target to capitalism and colonialism writ large, it’s more and more clear that she’s confronting what autistic philosopher Robert Chapman calls “the empire of normality”, from her lived experience of autism, about which so many of the conspiracy theories we cover here swirl.

CORRECTION: Robert Chapman's pronouns are they/them.

Chapter One:

Seizure of the Madleen
Why do Fascists Hate Greta
Why are Liberals Backing Away from Greta?
Neurodiversity and activism

Chapter two (Monday on Patreon):

Masking, Burnout, Contemplation
Hamster Wheel of Capitalism
Parenting in Humility

Show Notes

Israel Intercepts Gaza-Bound Aid Ship With Greta Thunberg Aboard - The New York Times

Greta Thunberg “kidnapped by the Israeli occupation forces” - YouTube

Greta Thunberg Frog Hat - Shibtee Clothing

Posts distort 2018 Greta Thunberg tweet on climate danger | AP News

Lindsey Graham Fantasizes About Sinking Gaza Aid Ship Carrying Greta Thunberg | Truthout

Thunberg gets backlash for pro-Palestinian post – DW – 10/21/2023

Fact Check: Altered image of Greta Thunberg holding antisemitic book | Reuters

Right-Wing Attacks Greta Thunberg

The cult of Greta Thunberg - spiked

Targeting Greta Thunberg: A Case Study in Online Mis/Disinformation | German Marshall Fund of the United States

The dangers of depicting Greta Thunberg as a prophet

Margaret Atwood says Greta Thunberg is the ‘Joan of Arc’ of environmentalism | The Independent

Greta Thunberg speech at climate protest Glasgow, November 5

We are all living in Greta's world now

The Greta Effect: a timeline of Thunberg's activism leading to her being on the Madleen

Fridays for Future – How Greta started a global movement

Greta Thunberg: From a Darling of Liberal Media to Public Enemy No. 1 - Left Voice

Why the Media Stopped Covering Greta Thunberg

Greta Thunberg Speaks from Aid Ship Heading to Gaza Despite Israeli Threats: It’s My Moral Obligation | Democracy Now!

Jason Hickel: Why a Liberated Palestine Threatens Global Capitalism

The Climate Movement Breaks Through | The Nation

Greta Thunberg Was Targeted for an Octopus. Then Israel Chimed In

Greta Thunberg is far from the only neurodivergent climate activist – many who see the world differently also want to change it

School strike for climate - save the world by changing the rules | Greta Thunberg | TEDxStockholm

Understanding Masking: A Neurodiversity-Affirming Perspective - Autism Society of NC

Mask of Your Own Face – Experiences with Masking as an Autistic Adult - Autism Spectrum News

Autistic Masking

“Masking Is Life”: Experiences of Masking in Autistic and Nonautistic Adults - PMC

What Is Autistic Burnout? | Psychology Today Canada

The Treadmill Tendency

Greta Thunberg on X: "yes, please do enlighten me. email me at smalldickenergy@getalife.com" / X

Our House Is on Fire by Greta Thunberg, Svante Thunberg, Malena Ernman, Beata Ernman: 9780143133575 | PenguinRandomHouse.com: Books

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263: The Apostle Assassin Jun 26, 2025

Show notes

“Dad went to war last night” read Vance Boelter's text to his family in the early hours of June 14. This was sent after his shooting rampage aimed at Democratic lawmakers, which left two dead and two critically wounded.

Turns out Boelter is an ordained pastor in a church associated with the New Apostolic Reformation, which sees the world as a spiritual battlefield and whose leaders have preached that political enemies are possessed by demons.

This is not some small fringe movement. Key figures in the Trump administration are adherents. We revisit this apocalyptic evangelical Christian cult and consider its political violence and religious extremism.

Show Notes

Seven Mountain Mandate, Paula White and Trump

Home-goods companies prepare new Trump-linked products

Who Wants a MAGA Instant Pot?

I Tried Pre-Ordering the Trump Phone. The Page Failed and It Charged My Credit Card the Wrong Amount

Doug Ford's Bill 5 is now law in Ontario. Here's what happens next

Chiefs of Ontario issue urgent warning on Bill C-5, the One Canadian Economy Act, and will rally on Parliament Hill

CCLA Urges Federal Government to Reverse Course on Bill C-5

Legal experts gear up to challenge Bill 5 as First Nations pledge to ‘close Ontario’s economy

Reckless and chilling: Bill 5 is Doug Ford’s most dangerous legislation yet

Anti-fascists linked to zero murders in the US in 25 years

Brief: Stealing Democracy for Jesus

An Audio-Documentary Series on the Christian Leaders and Ideas that Fueled the Capitol Riot

The Army of God Comes Out of the Shadows

Meet the powerful evangelicals who believe Trump is an apostle who will reclaim America for Christ

Vance Boelter and the Rise of “Spiritual Warfare”

We Should Not Be Shocked That the Alleged Minnesota Shooter’s Christian School Is Connected to Political Violence

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Bonus Sample: The Two-For-One Guru of MSIA Jun 23, 2025

Show notes

He built a lucrative seminar empire in the 80s, owned an Italian Villa, founded a “spiritual university,” and travelled the world with a harem of handsome young initiates. Roger Hinkins claimed to be inhabited by another consciousness that he called “John the Beloved” and the “Mystical Traveller,” which taught the secrets of out-of-body experiences. As he copied those teachings from elsewhere, his lies eventually caught up with him. But he told his loyal followers that critics and defectors were infected with an infectious demonic energy called “The Red Monk.”

For this self-contained installment of his popular Roots of Conspirituality series, Julian tells the fascinating story the Movement for Spiritual Inner Awareness, and how its leader fooled devotees into thinking he was clairvoyant.

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Brief: MAHA Mass Casualty Horizon Jun 21, 2025

Show notes

What dangers does an RFK Jr HHS pose to Americans, really? Derek dives into science writer's Laurie Garrett's work, who spoke to the dangers we're facing today in 1994—and who has raised an alarm about the consequences of destroying public health ever since.

Show Notes

The Coming Plague — Laurie Garrett

Betrayal of Trust — Laurie Garrett

Laurie Garrett on This Week in Virology

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262: Dems Ask “What is a Man?” Jun 19, 2025

Show notes

takeover—legacy media and Democratic strategists have the same question on their lips: What is going on with young men? Though Kamala Harris won the overall 18- to 29-year-old demographic, Trump improved his share by 9 points. Men in this age group voted for Trump by 16% more than women did. What explains this?

Perhaps this is due to the right inflaming the anxieties and resentments of young men online. Red-pilled, hyper-masculine, anti-woke conspiracy influencers are filling the gap created by the “meaning crisis.” Maybe the left needs its own Joe Rogan! Not to worry: top political consultants Ilyse Hogue and John Della Volpe have pitched a new research initiative to the Democratic Party donor class.

Their response, the widely derided SAM (Speaking with American Men), comes with a proposed $20M budget. No cap, bro, they'll low-key give center-left corporate politics the rizz it needs to slay the MAGA simps and cape for democracy.

Politico: Dems set out to study young men

RS: Dems $20M Plan to Win Young Men

Less Engaged Voters Were Key To Trump’s Victory

Kamala Underperformed with Three Demographics

Nation: What Caused Dems No-Show Problem

Cooke Report: A Comprehensive Analysis on Why Harris Lost

Do Not Split: An Illuminating Look at Hong Kong’s Pro-Democracy Uprising - Human Rights First

Show Notes

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Bonus Sample: The Bethesda Declaration Jun 16, 2025

Show notes

In October 2020, three contrarian medical professionals published The Great Barrington Declaration to great applause by the pro-business, anti-closure crowd. One of them, Jay Bhattacharya, now runs the NIH.

Things are not going well under his watch. Last week, he was grilled in front of Congress about the $18B in proposed cuts to NIH funding. This happened a day after over 300 people under his guard published The Bethesda Declaration, a document filled with issues occurring under Bhattacharya's leadership.

Derek discusses this new declaration and listens in on the Congressional hearing.

The Bethesda Declaration

An Uproar at the NIH

The Disappearing Funds for Chronic Diseases

Show Notes

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Brief: The Ghost Lab Jun 14, 2025

Show notes

Cable travel channels are filled with haunted houses and other paranormal activity, beyond History Channel’s Ancient Aliens and cryptozoology content. The more radicalized Gaia TV has close to a million paid subscribers gobbling up content about yoga, meditation, and psychedelic consciousness alongside accounts of inter-dimensional cryptids, Q-adjacent vampire reptilians, and channeled messages from benevolent ETs.

Julian’s talk with Pulitzer-nominated journalist Matt Hongoltz-Hetling about his new book, The Ghost Lab, How Bigfoot Hunters, Mediums, and Alien Enthusiasts are Wrecking Science. In it, he explores the history of ghost hunting and asks if failing trust in educational, religious, and government institutions is fueling a burgeoning obsession with the paranormal.

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261: Where Are They Now? Jun 12, 2025

Show notes

From 1999-2002, VH1 ran a show called “Where Are They Now?” The irregularly produced series wondered aloud what happened to former cultural icons like eighties hair metal bands, kid actors, and one-hit wonders. While some people remained surprisingly relevant, most were confined to, at best, appearing at VFWs and regional summer festivals in parking lots or, tragically, gripped by an addiction and dreams of a better time that they couldn’t make last.

Two years ago this month our book, Conspirituality, was published. We called one section Rogue’s Gallery to highlight a range of figures we’ve covered on the podcast. One of those chapters was dedicated to a man named Robert F Kennedy, Jr—don’t say we didn’t warn you. How about the other nine?

In our own version of “Where Are They Now,” we’re going to turn back the clock and revisit those other nine chapters. We’ll do it over three episodes in the coming weeks. This week, we begin with famed women’s health expert turned harp-playing conspiracy peddler, Christiane Northrup; self-proclaimed philosopher king, Charles Eisenstein; and former model turned middling new age filmmaker turned anti-vax documentarian Mikki Willis.

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Bonus Sample: Watching Andor with the Kids (Pt 2) Jun 09, 2025

Show notes

Matthew continues the Antifascist Woodshed series with a two-part analysis of an extraordinary cultural event: rebellions within rebellions—or how a ragtag band of writers and worldbuilders Trojan-horsed an antifascist masterpiece into the Empire of streaming content.

Seven chapters:

(This past Saturday, main feed:)

Space Wizards or Antifascism?
Star Wars Culture Wars
A Post-Fragmentary Left

(Today:)

Hope and Love
Tony Gilroy’s Antifascist Field Manual
The Used Future
Antifascist Parents Are Better than Jedi Parents

NB: There will be spoilers for Andor!

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