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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:

Special Report: QAnon Fantasies Look Like Colonial Realities (w/Julian Brave NoiseCat) Nov 04, 2023

Show notes

Julian Brave NoiseCat is a writer and film doc maker, and a member of the Canim Lake Band, Tsq'escen. In May of 2022 he posted this Twitter thread. Matthew wanted to learn more:

I'm struck by the similarity of right-wing conspiracy theories to actual policies towards Indigenous peoples.

'replacement theory' - Manifest Destiny
QAnon (mass institutionalized child abuse) - boarding and residential schools
'plandemic' - smallpox, alcohol, bioterrorism

It's all so Freudian. The fear that it will happen to them stems from an implicit admission that they did it to others.

As though the Black, Brown and Indigenous downtrodden are just as hateful as they are and are going to turn around and do to them what they did to us.

Show Notes

Julian’s website

Mary Simon Is Leading Indigenous Peoples to New Heights

Who’s Your People?

The Past and Future of Native California

Place Determines Who We Are

The Census Powwow

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178: Silicon Valley Veda Nov 02, 2023

Show notes

5 am. Day 4 of executive plant medicine retreat. The venture capital tech bro sits on a metaverse mountaintop, immersed in deep meditation. He hears a hum—a vibration from the great beyond. A mantra rises up like kundalini gas bubbles just in front of his spine: techno-capital machine.

Today we dissect Marc Andreessen’s anarcho-capitalist attempt at a Silicon Valley religious doctrine, The Techno-Optimist Manifesto.

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Show Notes

The Techno-Optimist Manifesto

The Ben & Marc Show: The Techno-Optimist Manifesto

What the Techno-Billionaire Missed About Techno-Optimism

When was the last time Marc Andreessen talked to a poor person?

The Futurist Manifesto

Marc Andreessen Is the Buyer of Serge Azria’s Malibu Home

The Billionaire’s Dilemma

The Summer of NIMBY in Silicon Valley’s Poshest Town

37.9 million Americans are living in poverty, according to the U.S. Census. But the problem could be far worse.

Why American wages haven’t grown despite increases in productivity

Post-pandemic poverty is rising in America’s suburbs

The Federal Reserve says Taylor Swift's Eras Tour boosted the economy. One market research firm estimates she could add $5 billion

The Surprising Poverty Levels Across the U.S.

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Bonus Sample: RFK Jr. and Deconstruction Ecstasy Syndrome Oct 30, 2023

Show notes

Matthew’s essay about the transient, disorganized, purificatory pleasure of RFK Jr's campaign for his wellness/yoga/biohacker demographic.

A workshop breakthrough is not a strategy. The pleasure of deconstruction is not a theory of change.

With reference to Vincent Bevins’s brilliant new book: If We Burn: The Mass Protest Decade and the Missing Revolution.

If you’ve never donated through GiveWell before, you can have your donation matched up to $100 before the end of the year or as long as matching funds last. To claim, go to GIVEWELL.ORG and pick PODCAST and enter Conspirituality at checkout.

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Brief: Bari Weiss's Sexual Revolution (w/Michelle Lhooq) Oct 28, 2023

Show notes

Bari Weiss recently held a "debate" about the failure of the sexual revolution. Expensive tickets to the Theater at the Ace Hotel in downtown LA allowed you to see Grimes and Sarah Haider talk about motherhood, porn, and woke culture with Anna Khachiyan and Louise Perry. And the results were...rather boring, says journalist Michelle Lhooq.

Derek gets the lowdown from Lhooq, who wonders how the New Right captured the cool factor of the American counterculture—and how the Left gets it back.

Show Notes

The Grimes / Red Scare debate was a right-wing psy-op

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Bonus Sample: Swamp Creatures 4: Let We The People Say “Amen!” Oct 23, 2023

Show notes

Get full access to all of our episodes and listen ad-free on Patreon.

Today’s profile by Julian is of a man who connects the dots between the gun-nut fifth column in American law enforcement, local school board and city council anti-woke mania, and grassroots Christian Nationalist/QAnon crossover.

Like our other swamp creatures, his involvement in the chicanery around the last two elections make him a clear and present danger to democracy. With him, our poker hand improves to three of a kind, because like Roger Stone and Paul Manafort, he was also indicted by the Mueller Probe—and in his case, pled guilty—only to be granted a full presidential pardon by Donald Trump.

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Brief: Sovereign In Sedona (w/Isaac Stone Simonelli) Oct 21, 2023

Show notes

Arizona’s recent increase in “sovereign citizen filings” connects to a New Age spiritual center called the Ultimate Light Mission. Julian talks to investigative reporter Isaac Stone Simonelli.

Show Notes

Sedona's wellness to radicalization pipeline

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176: Russell Brand’s Man Stans Oct 19, 2023

Show notes

Women journalists spend years meticulously investigating, corroborating and fact-checking allegations that Russell Brand is a serial sex offender. The result? A 6600-word masterpiece of survivor-centered concision, battle-tested by a legion of editors and lawyers.

But the manosphere responds! With logorrheic defenses, conspiracy theories, and rationalizations. Peak posting through it.

We look at choice man-stan statements from Charles Eisenstein (RFK Jr’s Director of Messaging), and psychonaut Daniel Pinchbeck. We also look at a pre-allegations interview Brand did with meditation guru Jack Kornfield to learn more about how Brand has ingratiated himself to wellness entrepreneurs flattered by his attention.

Show Notes

BBC and police begin inquiries as Russell Brand faces more claims

‘Jimmy Savile police unit’ helps Met with Russell Brand investigation

Russell Brand quizzed by cops 9 YEARS ago over claims he sexually assaulted masseuse and treated her 'like a prostitute'

On Mobs, Cults, and Russell Brand - Charles Eisenstein

Brand and Circuses - Daniel Pinchbeck’s Newsletter

Open Letter to Russell Brand — Daniel Pinchbeck's Newsletter

A Cultural Crucible - Daniel Pinchbeck’s Newsletter

Alyssa Milano on the #MeToo movement: 'We're not going to stand for it any more'

Writer blames ‘predatory’ ways on women | Page Six

#6 - Abusing Power: Taking Predatory Daniel Pinchbeck At His Word

We Refuse to Endorse Daniel Pinchbeck as a Credible Voice in the Psychedelic Movement

Community, Transparency and Accountability—Dr. Ann Gleig in conversation with Egyoku Nakao Roshi & Tenku Ruff Roshi

Jack Kornfield (Morality, Spirituality & AI) - Stay Free with Russell Brand

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Bonus Sample: Inside the Church of Bleach Oct 16, 2023

Show notes

Four members of the Florida-based Grenon family were recently sentenced to between 5 and 12 years of prison for selling bleach. The problem? They claimed that bleach, known as Miracle Mineral Solution, cured Covid-19—as well as cancer, autism, AIDS, erectile dysfunction, and over 90% of the world's ailments. The elder Grenon, Mark, had founded the Genesis II Church of Health & Healing alongside of MMS's founder, Jim Humble, who left the church in 2017.

How did the Grenons profit from industrial-strength bleach for 13 years before finally being convicted? And why are so many people sprinkling bleach crystals in their morning glass of water to "detoxify?" Derek investigates.

Show Notes

Family Sentenced for Selling Bleach as ‘Miracle’ Covid-19 Cure

Drinking bleach can be deadly but lots of Americans are falling for fake bleach ‘cures’

Fringe 'Church' Founder on MMS: It's No Cure

Genesis 2 Church FDA Warning Letter

MMS Testimonials

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Special Report: RFK Jr.’s Independence Day Oct 14, 2023

Show notes

On October 9, RFK Jr. brought his three-podcast-bros-in-a-trench-coat campaign to Philadelphia. On a dias across from Independence Hall, he announced his anticipated departure from the Democratic party and his new status as an independent candidate. Matthew and Julian profile his conspirituality credentials, his diagonalist politics, and his incoherent positions:

He attacks public health officials, or corporations—it’s all the same. He can pretend to care about health while making fatphobic and ableist comments. He can rail against the capture of federal regulatory agencies while proclaiming himself a staunch free market capitalist. He can pretend to help advance the lives of Black people by telling them that vaccines are a racist plot against them. He can earnestly identify with and fight in court for dispossessed tribes on American soil, while doubling down on morbid power imbalances abroad.

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Show Notes

Robert F. Kennedy Jr. announces independent run for president, ending Democratic primary challenge to Biden

164: The Two Faces of Robert Francis Kennedy Jr.

Brief: The New Age Origin Story of RFK Jr’s Campaign

Brief: RFK's Health Propaganda Roundtable

Brief: RFK Jr., The Anti-Vax Candidate

Brief: RFK Jr Flirts with Body Fascism (w/Natalia Petrzela)

Kennedy Condemns Terrorist Attacks Against Israel

Tribal Council | lowerbrulesiouxtribe

Special Report: Stealing Indigenous Voices in Australia (w/Tyson Yunkaporta)

Robert Kennedy’s Indian Commitment

Deep Commitment

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175: Diagonalism (w/William Callison and Quinn Slobodian) Oct 12, 2023

Show notes

Quinn Slobodian teaches Modern German History at Wellesley and William Callison teaches Political Theory and Human Geography at Uppsala. We first came across their work via Naomi Klein’s examination of the clusterf&cked politics that dominate the movements we cover. We dug out their paper, and they had us at this:

"At the extreme end, diagonal movements share a conviction that all power is conspiracy."

There no clear left-right polarity in conspirituality. And Horseshoe Theory won’t cut it. We’re in the age of Diagonalism, and things are very, very weird.

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Show Notes

Coronapolitics from the Reichstag to the Capitol - Boston Review

William Callison

Quinn Slobodian

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