Dave Troy Presents

End Times for Oil — Crypto, Gold, Radicalization, and January 6th Feb 20, 2022

SEASON 1: OIL, GOLD, CRYPTO & FASCISM: HOW WE GOT HERE AND HOW TO FIX IT

As the age of oil winds down, a variety of interlinked forces are in play. Dave outlines a framework spanning roughly the last 100 years that helps put oil, gold, cryptocurrency, disinformation, radicalization, and the pandemic in perspective, and offers ideas about how we might overcome the looming climate emergency. He also addresses questions posed by listeners. Recorded live, November 2021.

The Wizard Of Oz, The Gold Standard, and Crypto Feb 20, 2022

SEASON 1: OIL, GOLD, CRYPTO & FASCISM: HOW WE GOT HERE AND HOW TO FIX IT

In 1964, Henry Littlefield proposed that the wildly popular book and film "The Wizard of Oz" by L. Frank Baum could be read as an allegory about the gold standard, silver, and other political themes present in the 1890's when Baum was conceiving of the book. Others suggest it could be read as a theosophical story as well. Regardless of Baum's intent, this reading of this universally beloved story provides a gateway for people to think about such topics as monetary policy. Today, with cryptocurrency serving as a modern proxy for gold, we can think about its parallels to gold and its strengths and weaknesses. By tying current debates to history, we gain a better understanding of the present moment. Includes discussion of Littefield's theory and listener questions and ideas about cryptocurrency and cults historically connected to gold and oil.

The Libertarian Roots of January 6th with James Scaminaci Feb 20, 2022

SEASON 1: OIL, GOLD, CRYPTO & FASCISM: HOW WE GOT HERE AND HOW TO FIX IT

Most people may not be aware that the modern Republican Party has been overtaken in recent decades by libertarian extremists that hail from the anti-communist, gold-obsessed John Birch Society. Dave Troy talks with Dr. James Scaminaci III, who is a noted expert on the extreme Christian Right and the American libertarian movements, as well as 4th generation warfare. He describes how the ideology from the John Birch Society eventually ended up in the Council for National Policy, the Ron Paul 2008 campaign, the Tea Party, January 6th and in cryptocurrency.

The Fascist Playbook from Mussolini to Today with Ruth Ben-Ghiat Feb 20, 2022

SEASON 1: OIL, GOLD, CRYPTO & FASCISM: HOW WE GOT HERE AND HOW TO FIX IT

Ruth Ben-Ghiat is the author of the book "Strongmen: Mussolini to Present". She joins Dave Troy in conversation about the history of fascism in Italy, its offshoots around the world and connections with the Catholic Church. Ben-Ghiat studied how multiple dictator strongmen came to power, the tools they used to keep it, and how they eventually fell, to look for common patterns. She presents fascism as a "third way," a right-wing reaction to communism in Soviet Russia, rooted in private property and privatization. They discuss the risks present today, previous fascist coups in Chile, parallels with cryptocurrency, and how the United States may emerge from its current authoritarian moment.

The Roots and Legacy of Fascism with Monique Camarra Feb 20, 2022

SEASON 1: OIL, GOLD, CRYPTO & FASCISM: HOW WE GOT HERE AND HOW TO FIX IT

Continuing discussion from November 23 with Ruth Ben-Ghiat, Dave talks with Monique Camarra, an instructor at the University of Siena and co-host of the Kremlin File podcast. Dave and Monique have a wide-ranging conversation spanning the origins of Italian fascism, its asthetic roots, and its spread and adoption around the world. They tie the global fascist turn to oil, gas, and carbon fuel interests and to gold and cryptocurrency, and offer ideas for how people worldwide might better subjugate the current fascist turn.

The Cult Roots of American Fascism with Joe Szimhart Feb 20, 2022

SEASON 1: OIL, GOLD, CRYPTO & FASCISM: HOW WE GOT HERE AND HOW TO FIX IT

The 1930's was a time of incredible upheaval in world politics, and the United States was no exception. Financial uncertainty, the New Deal, and anxiety about FDR's departure from the Gold Standard accompanied the flourishing of cult practices that aimed to address fundamental questions around the direction the country (and the world) might take. These groups, informed by previous traditions such as New Thought and Theosophy, offered a hierarchical, eugenicist view of society linked to prosperity and gold. Today's conflicts around cryptocurrency serve as a proxy for these same questions about our future direction. Joe Szimhart offers a sweeping overview of America's cultish turn, along with some ideas about how we might move forward at this very challenging time.

Two books referenced (with permission):

400 Years of Imaginary Friends by Kenneth and Talita Paolini

lightofchristtruth.com/References/Imaginary.pdf

Psychic Dictatorship in America by Gerald Bryan (1940)

tyob.info/public/pdf/psydict.pdf

Oil, Data, and Psychological Warfare with Brent Allpress Feb 20, 2022

SEASON 1: OIL, GOLD, CRYPTO & FASCISM: HOW WE GOT HERE AND HOW TO FIX IT

Anyone studying online disinformation will eventually come to the realization that much of it can be traced back to the oil and gas industry — specifically to groups like the Council for National Policy, created by and for oil and industrial interests. These networks have a deep history of fascist activity in the United States, where they were born primarily as a reactionary response to the New Deal and fears of "creeping socialism."

Brent Allpress is an architectural academic based in Melbourne, Australia, and has been studying these networks in detail for the last several years. He has collaborated with authors such as Anne Nelson (Shadow Network) and filmmakers Dr. Charles Kriel and Kat Gellein (People You May Know).

He has come to believe that most all of the political conflict we are experiencing is rooted in the carbon crisis, of which the January 6th insurrection was one expression. Today, the conflict rages on as oil industry influence (going so far as to vacuum up psychological profiling data) determines whether, how quickly, and how well we may respond to the looming carbon disaster.

And cryptocurrency, by creating demand for even more energy and forestalling our response, is only making things worse. This is a must-listen session for a planet out of time.

The Death of the Carbon Coalition

Existing models of U.S. politics are wrong. Here’s how the system really works.

foreignpolicy.com/2021/02/12/carbo…ter-us-politics/

Shadow Network (Book, Anne Nelson)

www.amazon.com/Shadow-Network-Me…al/dp/163557319X/

People You May Know (Film, Kriel & Gellein)

www.imdb.com/title/tt12606876/

The Aftermath of Cambridge Analytica (TEDxMidAtlantic)

www.youtube.com/watch?v=rd5pxDEXBWA

The Hidden Agendas Behind January 6th with Anne Nelson Feb 20, 2022

SEASON 1: OIL, GOLD, CRYPTO & FASCISM: HOW WE GOT HERE AND HOW TO FIX IT

The Council for National Policy was created in 1981 with funds from the oil and gas industry to operationalize goals of the libertarian and Christian Right movements which had joined forces to elect Ronald Reagan as president. The CNP went on to play significant roles with the Iran Contra affair as well as to significantly shape the strategy of the right for the following four decades. The CNP played a significant role in the planning and execution of the January 6th attacks.

Anne Nelson's book "Shadow Network" documents the CNP from inception to the present moment. She discusses the CNP, as well as multiple aspects of its history, goals, obsessions with eliminating taxation and regulation and with so-called "sound money" such as gold and now, cryptocurrency.

The Oil Industry's War on Reality with Christine Arena Feb 20, 2022

SEASON 1: OIL, GOLD, CRYPTO & FASCISM: HOW WE GOT HERE AND HOW TO FIX IT

Christine Arena is a public relations veteran, climate activist, and filmmaker based in San Francisco. For the last several years she's been studying the funding of influence campaigns by the carbon fuel industry, looking at ways to expose and disrupt their strategies.

She and Dave discuss the history of how the oil industry has not only sought to deny climate science, but to target lawmakers and the public with influence and psychological warfare campaigns that minimize the harms caused by the industry while outright obstructing any kind of action that might stand in their way.

Christine's current project is a grant-funded documentary, PLAYED, which outlines the influence of the oil and gas industry and proposes ways to disrupt it. She has also appeared on the podcast series DRILLED by journalist Amy Westervelt, specifically in Season 3.

For more information, check out her website at generousfilms.com, and check out DRILLED at criticalfrequency.org.

Listeners may also want to check out work on Discourses of Delay:

www.cambridge.org/core/journals/gl…B6212378E32985A7

Inside the Catholic Fascist Right with Frank Cocozzelli Feb 21, 2022

SEASON 1: OIL, GOLD, CRYPTO & FASCISM: HOW WE GOT HERE AND HOW TO FIX IT

The Catholic Church is a complicated organization with many internal divisions, political affiliations, intelligence connections, and banking functions. Frank Cocozzelli has written extensively about the factions inside the church, their connections to economic libertarianism, and Steve Bannon and Vladimir Putin’s ambitions for a “Third Rome” in Moscow. Frank and Dave have a wide-ranging discussion on all things Catholic, from the Opus Dei and Jesuit factions, to Vatican II and the New Deal.

Mentioned in the show:

Article by Fr. John McCloskey

https://www.catholicity.com/mccloskey/2030.html

Articles by Frank Cocozzelli

https://www.dailykos.com/blogs/Frank-Cocozzelli

Pat Buchanan: Whose side is God on, now?

https://www.creators.com/read/pat-buchanan/04/14/whose-side-is-god-on-now

keywords: Opus Dei, Jesuits, Putin, Ukraine, Catholicism, Catholic Church, Fascism, Frank Cocozzelli, Third Rome, Third Secret of Fatima, Steve Bannon, Knights of Malta, Aleksandr (Alexander) Dugin, Abp. Carlo Maria Viganò, Mike Flynn, QAnon, Katehon, Eschaton, Dominionism, Ziklag, Libertarianism, gold standard, cryptocurrency, sovereignty.

The Crypto Lie with Stephen Diehl Feb 23, 2022

SEASON 1: OIL, GOLD, CRYPTO & FASCISM: HOW WE GOT HERE AND HOW TO FIX IT

Bitcoin first emerged on the world stage in 2009, in the wake of the 2008 financial crisis. But the story of where cryptocurrencies came from goes back decades. Dave talks with software engineer and prominent cryptocurrency critic Stephen Diehl about the libertarian roots of crypto and NFTs, why it’s anti-democratic, how it radicalizes and preys on people, and why we need to pop this corrosive Ponzi scheme sooner than later.

Mentioned in the show:

Stephen Diehl’s Blog: https://www.stephendiehl.com/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/smdiehl

Line Goes Up video by Dan Olson

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YQ_xWvX1n9g

Crypto Skeptics (Twitter List by Dave Troy)

https://twitter.com/i/lists/1470046292336336900?s=20

Keywords: cryptocurrency, Bitcoin, Ethereum, stablecoins, NFTs, libertarianism, Austrian economics, gold, Ponzi schemes, CBDC, MMM, Executive Order, Eric Adams, Francis Suarez, Mavrodi, Mussolini, Steve Bannon, Brock Pierce, Peter Thiel, Elon Musk, January 6th, insurrection, class collaboration, federal reserve, anti-Semitism, DOGE, FJB, coal, energy, renewable, eugenics, Pioneer fund, Bell Curve, China, yuan, ruble, hybrid war, crime, money laundering, oligarchs, Putin.

Oil, Climate, and The War with Wesley Clark, Jr. Apr 04, 2022

SEASON 1: OIL, GOLD, CRYPTO & FASCISM: HOW WE GOT HERE AND HOW TO FIX IT

Wesley Clark, Jr. is a US Army Veteran, climate activist, and sometimes screenwriter who got pulled into a strange world filled with oil contractors, private military companies, fake activists, and cults as part of a veteran action at the Standing Rock protests in 2016. And as it happens, this milieu is at the heart of what this podcast is all about — the intersection of oil, climate, and influence. Wes shares some of his experiences with us as well as how these issues connect directly to Vladimir Putin’s illegal war in Ukraine. And if Wes’ name sounds familiar, it’s because his father was the former Supreme Commander Europe of NATO, and a presidential candidate in 2004.

Keywords: oil, climate, gas, Standing Rock, Tigerswan, Blackwater, I AM, Koch, influence, cults, mind control, politics, 2022, democracy, midterms, crypto, Ukraine, Putin, Poland, Baltics, nuclear, war, NATO.

Christian Nationalism and Religion in American Politics with Fred Clarkson Apr 12, 2022

SEASON 1: OIL, GOLD, CRYPTO & FASCISM: HOW WE GOT HERE AND HOW TO FIX IT

The term "Christian Nationalism" has been used to describe a broad range of religious and political belief systems in America, but we lack a detailed understanding of their belief systems and motivations. Journalist Frederick Clarkson has been bringing both nuance and clarity to the study of the interface of religion and politics in American culture. In this episode, Dave and Fred have a wide-ranging discussion about everything from the origins of the term "Christian Nationalism," how it interfaces with concepts like Dominionism and white supremacy, and its connection to the ongoing war in Ukraine.

Keywords: Christian Nationalism, religious right, millennialism, Seven Mountains Mandate, Dominionism, Catholicism, The Family, Alpha pentecostal group, Charismatic Christianity, Russian Orthodox, Ukraine, Putin, War, Traditionalism, Abortion, Jesus plus nothing, power, Council for National Policy (CNP).

Political Violence And Radical American Partisanship with Dr. Lilliana Mason May 13, 2022

SEASON 1: OIL, GOLD, CRYPTO & FASCISM: HOW WE GOT HERE AND HOW TO FIX IT

Dr. Lilliana Mason, an associate professor of political science at Johns Hopkins University is the author of two books that shine a light on why and how America is so divided politically, what it means, and what we might do about it. And her most recent book focuses on why Americans are increasingly willing to justify politically motivated violence. Her work is also instrumental for understanding how disinformation divides Americans into increasingly unruly social cliques. In this interview, we discuss the breadth of her work over the last several years, and what sorts of remedies we might pursue to make things better at both the national and local level.

Keywords: political violence, radicalization, partisanship, dehumanization, othering, opinion polling, social sorting, messaging, communications, rights, abortion, Roe vs. Wade, cults, sociology, psychology.

Cults & Disinformation with Dr. Steven Hassan May 26, 2022

SEASON 1: OIL, GOLD, CRYPTO & FASCISM: HOW WE GOT HERE AND HOW TO FIX IT

Dr. Steven Hassan, a longtime collaborator, joins me to talk about the overlap between cults and disinformation. Steve was a member of the Unification Church, or Moonies, as a young man, and we dive into the deep history of the group, its historical anti-communist agenda, its role in popularizing sushi (!) and much more. We also talk about how disinformation tends to radicalize people, how to manage relationships with friends and loved ones who may have become radicalized, and cover a lot of other interesting ground too.

Keywords: Unification Church, Moonies, CIA, Korean CIA, KCIA, cults, recruitment, radicalization, sushi, Washington Times, Newsweek, Rod of Iron Ministries, BITE Model, social capital, reality testing, history, Korean War, Asia.

Paranoia On Parade, Part 1: The "Directors Cut" with Jack Bryan and Hamilton Fish Jun 28, 2022

What if January 6th was... all about gold?

Sure, it sounds improbable at first, but since last year, Dave has been digging into the improbable backstory that got us here. From goldbugs to the "I AM" cult to libertarianism, crypto, and QAnon, this story has it all.

In this episode, Dave talks with Hamilton Fish, editor of The Washington Spectator to introduce the show, and then reads the first half of his recently published piece, "Paranoia on Parade: How Goldbugs, Libertarians and Religious Extremists Brought America to the Brink" and discusses it in real-time with film director Jack Bryan, (Active Measures, 2018). They cover topics that couldn't fit into the article, and help explain the wild story behind the obsessions that helped lead us to January 6th and Putin's war in Ukraine. You won't want to miss this!

Keywords: New Deal, Libertarianism, gold, goldbugs, Roosevelt, John Birch Society, Jack Singlaub, Philippines, Michael Flynn, QAnon, Cryptocurrency, Bitcoin, Elon Musk, Peter Thiel, Reagan, anticommunist, Protocols of the Elders of Zion, Koch, Council for National Policy, CNP, Newsmax, Sovereign Individual, Agora Publishing, James Dale Davidson, William Rees-Mogg, Jacob Rees-Mogg, Technocracy, Occupy, Federal Reserve, National Association of Manufacturers, American Legion, American Liberty League, Silver Legion, "I AM", fascism, Moonies, VFW, QAnon, Brock Pierce, Steve Bannon, Ron Paul, Oathkeepers, January 6, Freedom School, Robert LeFevre, Hunt Brothers.

Read "Paranoia on Parade" at Washington Spectator:

https://washingtonspectator.org/paranoia-on-parade/

Paranoia On Parade, Part 2: The "Directors Cut" with Jack Bryan Jun 28, 2022

What if January 6th was... all about gold?

Sure, it sounds improbable at first, but since last year, Dave has been digging into the improbable backstory that got us here. From goldbugs to the "I AM" cult to libertarianism, crypto, and QAnon, this story has it all.

In Part 1, Dave and Jack covered the origins of goldbuggery, from the New Deal to the Reagan era.

In this episode, they cover the 1990's to today, and make some startling connections along the way. Dave reads the second half of "Paranoia on Parade: How Goldbugs, Libertarians and Religious Extremists Brought America to the Brink" and discusses it in real-time with film director Jack Bryan, (Active Measures, 2018). They cover topics that couldn't fit into the article, and help explain the wild story behind the obsessions that helped lead us to January 6th and Putin's war in Ukraine. And the wild conclusions have to be heard to be believed!

Keywords: New Deal, Libertarianism, gold, goldbugs, Roosevelt, John Birch Society, Jack Singlaub, Philippines, Michael Flynn, QAnon, Cryptocurrency, Bitcoin, Elon Musk, Peter Thiel, Reagan, anticommunist, Protocols of the Elders of Zion, Koch, Council for National Policy, CNP, Newsmax, Sovereign Individual, Agora Publishing, James Dale Davidson, William Rees-Mogg, Jacob Rees-Mogg, Technocracy, Occupy, Federal Reserve, National Association of Manufacturers, American Legion, American Liberty League, Silver Legion, "I AM", fascism, Moonies, VFW, QAnon, Brock Pierce, Steve Bannon, Ron Paul, Oathkeepers, January 6, Freedom School, Robert LeFevre, Hunt Brothers.

Read "Paranoia on Parade" at Washington Spectator:

https://washingtonspectator.org/paranoia-on-parade/

Paranoia on Parade, Part 3: Bonus Interview with Hamilton Fish Jun 28, 2022

What if January 6th was... all about gold?

Sure, it sounds improbable at first, but since last year, Dave has been digging into the improbable backstory that got us here. From goldbugs to the "I AM" cult to libertarianism, crypto, and QAnon, this story has it all.

In this episode, Dave continues his conversation with Hamilton Fish, editor of The Washington Spectator, which published his piece, "Paranoia on Parade: How Goldbugs, Libertarians and Religious Extremists Brought America to the Brink." Dave and Hamilton discuss the process for developing this story and some of the things they learned in reporting it.

Keywords: New Deal, Libertarianism, gold, goldbugs, Roosevelt, John Birch Society, Jack Singlaub, Philippines, Michael Flynn, QAnon, Cryptocurrency, Bitcoin, Elon Musk, Peter Thiel, Reagan, anticommunist, Protocols of the Elders of Zion, Koch, Council for National Policy, CNP, Newsmax, Sovereign Individual, Agora Publishing, James Dale Davidson, William Rees-Mogg, Jacob Rees-Mogg, Technocracy, Occupy, Federal Reserve, National Association of Manufacturers, American Legion, American Liberty League, Silver Legion, "I AM", fascism, Moonies, VFW, QAnon, Brock Pierce, Steve Bannon, Ron Paul, Oathkeepers, January 6, Freedom School, Robert LeFevre, Hunt Brothers.

Read "Paranoia on Parade" at Washington Spectator:

https://washingtonspectator.org/paranoia-on-parade/

The Pope At War: Hitler, Mussolini and the Church with David Kertzer Aug 08, 2022

David Kertzer is the Pultizer-prize winning author of several books, including several about the rise of fascism in Europe and its interface with the Catholic Church. His latest book, The Pope at War: The Secret History of Pius XII, Mussolini, and Hitler, chronicles the complex history of the Church during World War II. Dave talks with Kertzer about his research, much of which was only possible because of new archival material released by the Vatican in 2020, and what this important history means for us today as we grapple with a global resurgence of Fascism and right-libertarianism.

Buy the book:

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/60098361-the-pope-at-war

Keywords: Mussolini, Hitler, Kertzer, Pope Pius XII, Pope Pius XI, Pope Francis, Pope John Paul II, Catholic Church, Fascism, World War II, Italy, History, Capitalism, Communism, P2, CIA, gold, Roosevelt, Nazis

The Red-Brown Alliance with Alexander Reid Ross Aug 17, 2022

People talk about "horseshoe theory," but where does it come from? The idea of a "red-brown alliance" has been part of political discourse for decades, and plays up on the notion that the very far left and very far right have common interests in countering the status quo. Alexander Reid Ross is a geographer and political historian who has written about this phenomenon extensively. Tracing it back to its roots, he also has documented instances of where he has observed this in his own activism — which has sometimes earned him criticism. Dave talks with Alex about the history of this phenomenon and what we can do about it going forward.

More info: https://alexanderreidross.net

Keywords: Red-brown alliance, communism, fascism, Guenon, Dugin, Rene Girard, Bakunin, Yockey, Sorokin, Ilyin, Occupy, Horseshoe theory, dirtbag left, Willis Carto, David Icke, David Duke.

On The Front Lines in Ukraine with Nate Mook Aug 18, 2022

For the last five years, Nate Mook has led World Central Kitchen, the ground-breaking humanitarian charitable organization founded by award-winning chef José Andrés. Helping to build the organization from scratch to over $400 million in projected 2022 revenues, Nate has been on the front lines of relief efforts around the world for years. And for the last six months, he's been in Ukraine helping to feed people reeling from Vladimir Putin's disastrous invasion. First on the Polish border, and then on the front lines in the east, Nate offers an invaluable first-hand perspective about what's really going on there, and what we might expect next.

Dave and Nate are old friends, having produced TEDxMidAtlantic together in Washington D.C. since 2009 — which is how Nate met José and began his journey with World Central Kitchen. They sat down together in Washington D.C. on August 16, 2022, while Nate was in town, before starting his next mission.

Read more about Nate and World Central Kitchen in the Washington Post here.

Keywords: Nate Mook, José Andrés, World Central Kitchen, TEDx, Washington D.C., Ukraine, Gen. Milley, Amy Klobuchar, Lviv, Kherson, Kharkiv, Kiyv, Zaporizhia, Putin, Ukraine, war, humanitarian, food, relief, charity.

Big Oil's Big Lie with Amy Westervelt Aug 19, 2022

Amy Westervelt is an investigative journalist, radio reporter, and podcast storyteller who has been tracking the oil and gas industry's climate denialism for over twenty years. Her podcast series, "Drilled" and "Rigged" tell the story of how the oil industry and big business have used influence to shape public discourse, perception, and regulation. Dave talked with Amy about the history of Big Oil's deceptive practices, and what, if anything, we can do about it going forward.

Learn more about Amy's work at https://criticalfrequency.org

Keywords: oil, gas, climate, fascism, drilled, rigged, influence, Exxon, Mobil, Ivy Ledbetter Lee, Edward Bernays, PSYOPs, military intelligence, Herb Schmertz, Valdez, oil spills, environment, climate, warming, denialism, cults, public relations, Edelman, arctic, Putin, drilling, Ukraine.

Against Longtermism with Émile Torres Aug 25, 2022

Most people have never heard of "Longtermism." Long term? That sounds like it might be a pretty good thing. But many critics are suggesting that it is a dangerous philosophy, with many societal and social risks connected with it. And it's also been adopted by many wealthy and influential people, including Elon Musk.

In this episode Dave sits down with Émile Torres, a philosopher at Leibniz University in Hannover, Germany. Torres has been a leading critic of longtermism and its related philosophy of so-called "Effective Altruism," and has written multiple essays on why it may be one of the most dangerous secular belief systems.

For more info: https://longtermism-hub.com

Follow Émile Torres: https://twitter.com/xriskology

Keywords: Longtermism, Bostrom, Musk, Lesswrong, Effective Altruism, Computronium, Phil Torres, William MacAskill, Leverage Research, Paradigm, Peter Thiel, Libertarianism, seasteading.

The New Apostolic Reformation with Jennifer Cohn and Bruce Wilson Aug 26, 2022

The New Apostolic Reformation is a Christian movement that most people have never heard of, but it has an out-sized influence in American, and even global, politics and culture. Bruce Wilson has been researching and writing about religion and its influence on politics and culture for decades, and Jennifer Cohn has been working to document threats to democracy and election integrity. They join Dave to discuss the NAR, what it is, where it came from, and the risks it may pose to pluralistic democracy.

Fighting Demons, Raising The Dead, Taking Over The World by Bruce Wilson

Twitter: @brucewilson @jennycohn1

Keywords: New Apostolic Reformation, NAR, Charismatic, Pentecostal, Christian, right, libertarian, libertarianism, WCF, World Congress of Families, Peter Wagner, Lance Wellnau, Lauren Boebert, Jim Garlow, John Eastman, Seven Mountains, Dominionism, apostolic governance.

Libertarian Exit with Raymond Craib Oct 09, 2022

The idea of leaving society to start up a new one isn't exactly new... history is full of people leaving to go start new countries. But the idea became especially fashionable in 20th century America and was jump-started as a reaction to the counterculture in the 1960's, and given new life by Silicon Valley entrepreneurs in the 2000's.

Dave talks with Raymond Craib, professor of history at Cornell University, about his new book "Adventure Capitalism: A History of Libertarian Exit from the Era of Decolonization to the Digital Age" which covers the upsurge in these ideas in the 60's to today, and their connection to everything from Brexit to Seasteading.

Learn more about Ray Craib's work on Twitter (@raycraib) and at his Cornell faculty page:

https://history.cornell.edu/raymond-b-craib

Adventure Capitalism (Book):

https://www.goodreads.com/en/book/show/57700808

Keywords: Libertarian exit, libertarianism, Murray Rothbard, Friedrich Hayek, Ludwig von Mises, Milton Friedman, Michael Oliver, Werner Stiefel, New Atlantis, Tonga, Minerva Reefs, Abaco, Bahamas, Mitchell WerBell, Andrew St. George, Phoenix Foundation, Azores, New Hebrides, Vanuatu, Stefan Mandel, Mondragon, David Duke, Bayou of Pigs, Peter Thiel, Seasteading, Joe Quirk, Patri Friedman, Balaji Srinivasan, Nick Land, Curtis Yarvin, Mencius Moldbug, Urbit, Hans-Herman Hoppe, James Dale Davidson, William Rees Mogg, Jacob Rees Mogg, Brexit, Sovereign Individual, Longtermism, Effective Altruism, Honduras, ZEDEs, Charter Cities, Liz Truss, Shankar Singham, Barbara Kolm, Mises Institute.

The Cult of Bucky Fuller with Alec Nevala-Lee Oct 09, 2022

Buckminster Fuller was a designer, inventor, thinker, and a true American original. Alec Nevala-Lee is the author of a new detailed and deeply honest biography of Fuller, "Inventor of the Future: The Visionary Life of Buckminster Fuller."

Dave talks to Alec about Bucky's life, the unusual cast of characters he attracted, and starts to get into some questions that help inform why Bucky's outsized personality might have attracted people who later went on to become attracted to various kinds of disinformation campaigns — a topic we'll explore in some later episodes.

Follow Alec on Twitter at @nevalalee — and buy the book wherever books are sold.

https://www.goodreads.com/en/book/show/59571984-inventor-of-the-future

Keywords: Buckminster Fuller, Bucky Fuller, Inventor of the Future, Alec Nevala-Lee, Margaret Fuller, Geodesic Dome, Tensegrity, Gurdjieff, Roerich, Montreal Expo, Spaceship Earth, EPCOT, Bare Maximum, Dymaxion, 4D, Trim Tab, Robert Kiyosaki, Critical Path, Synergetics, Grunch of Giants, Werner Erhard, est training, John Denver, Ellen Burstyn, The Hunger Project, Stewart Brand, Whole Earth Catalog, Rich Dad Poor Dad, Elon Musk, Jeff Bezos

Mysteries of Eurasia with Joe Szimhart Oct 14, 2022

Russian Nationalism — a heady mix of Eurasianism, Russian Cosmism with esoteric and occult beliefs — is reflected in the Putin regime's information warfare.

In recent episodes we covered a diverse range of topics, from longtermism to libertarian exit, to Bucky Fuller. But what do these things have in common, and what does it all mean?

Dave is joined by Joe Szimhart who helps unpack the details behind Eurasianism, Russian Cosmism, and many other syncretic religious and occult ideas at the heart of Russia's war on the West. The picture helps provide a framework for better understanding what's going on, how to respond, and why this conflict is difficult to resolve.

This episode is long and packed with information — you may find that it's useful to listen more than once to pick up on all the details. Feel free to send questions for future episodes to davetroy@icloud.com.

Follow Joe on Twitter at @jszimhart, and Dave at @davetroy.

Relevant books and papers:

Mysteries of Eurasia by Jafe Arnold

Russian Nationalism: Imaginaries, Doctrines, and Political Battlefields

Books Instead of Lineage: Mystic Underground in the USSR (1960s–1980s)

Don’t Immanentize the Eschaton: Against Right-Wing Gnosticism

Keywords: Syncretism, Eurasianism, Cosmism, Noosphere, Putin, Noocracy, Anton Vaino, Nooscope, Gnosticism, System 1 and 2 thinking, Völkisch Occultism, Russian Orthodox Church, Shambhala, Atlantis, Yuzhinsky Circle, Alexander Dugin, Yuri Mamleev, Psychotronics, Initiation, Libertarian Exit, Ayn Rand, Galt's Gulch, Hyperborea, Thule Society, Vril, Hitler, UFOs, Guenon, Fascism, Evola, Gurdjieff, Ahnenerbe, Tsiolovsky, Chizevsky, Fyodorov, Vernadsky, Teilhard De Chardin, Eduoard LeRoy, Gaia, Lovelock, Margulies, Sagan, Theosophy, Anthroposophy, Hare Krishnas, Hindu Nationalism, Gandhi, Nehru, Barbara Marx Hubbard, Marilyn Ferguson, Aquarian Conspiracy, Stepanov, Harmonic Convergence, Jose Arguelles, Birth 2012, Michael Beckwith, NESARA/GESARA, QFS, QAnon, The Event, Eschaton, Eschatology, Immanentize, Omega Point, Kurzweil, Russia 2045, Transhumanism.

The Year that Was, and The Year Ahead Dec 31, 2022

Dave wraps up 2022 with a roundup of the most important stories in meta-politics. This is the show to listen to if you want to get ramped up on what to expect in 2023. Topics covered include Ukraine, Elon Musk, Russian Cosmism, Twitter, Dollar, Crypto, Debt Ceiling, Noosphere, Politics, the "how to fix it" part, Mastodon, and honestly a whole lot more. Along with some interesting audio clips that help put things into context!

Paper: Disinformation and its effects on social capital networks

Keywords: Ukraine, Musk, Dollar, Crypto, Debt Ceiling, Noosphere, Politics, Mastodon, Social Capital, Disinformation, Omnibus, HIMARS, Patriot, Golden Billion, Putin, Eurasianism, Cosmism, Traditionalism, Nuclear, SXSW, Tsiolkovsky, Longtermism, Multiplanetary species, Tesla, Saudi Arabia, COVID, oil/gas, Twitter, Rogozin, Roscosmos, Fiona Hill, Burnt Hair, Hierarchy, Dollar, Foster Gamble, Thrive, BRICS, gold, Zoltan Pozsar, Bretton Woods III, Golden Ruble 3.0, Sergey Glazier, Petroyuan, China, GCC, Taiwan, mBridge, CBDC, Bitcoin, Luna, FTX, NFTs, Trump, Debt Ceiling, Tom Emmer, Gold, Noosphere, Jeffrey Sachs, Sacha Stone, Sustainable Development Goals, SDG, MDG, New Earth, Shock therapy, Barrick Gold, David Sacks, Metaphysics, DeStantis, January 6, Mastodon, Toad Social, Wide Angle, Washington Spectator, Medium.

The End of Twitter and The War on the Dollar Apr 15, 2023

SEASON 2, "The War on the Dollar"

We begin season two by following the ongoing assaults on the dollar by Xi, Putin, and the BRICS nations, and looking at how that might play into Elon Musk's long game with Twitter.

Rich with clips from across the media spectrum, we'll be exploring the underlying forces that shape our world — and what we might do to respond to them.

Segments: The End of Twitter, The War on the Dollar, the Grinding Nuclear Threat, Katechon vs. Eschaton.

Keywords: Twitter, dollar, X.com, Elon Musk, Jack Dorsey, Michael Flynn, Alex Jones, Foster Gamble, Jack Lew, Robert Kiyosaki, BBC, Donald Trump, Lance Wallnau, John Trump, nuclear war, Alexandria Ocasio Cortez, AOC, Steve Bannon, Wall Street Bets, Gamestop, AMC, GME.

Source of Musk and Dorsey clips:

https://www.thebword.org/c/track-2-Bitcoin-As-A-Tool-For-Economic-Empowerment

The North/Paul Strategy and the Cycle of Doom with James Scaminaci and Frederick Clarkson May 26, 2023

As the United States faces yet another showdown over the federal debt ceiling, we examine the roots of the conflict by looking at the "North/Paul Strategy," a decades-old plan to provoke a financial collapse and then seize power. Rooted in libertarian economic theory and Christian Reconstructionist doctrine, Gary North and Ron Paul's ideas laid the foundation for the Tea Party and later, January 6th.

Dave chats with James Scaminaci III, a scholar and expert on Fourth Generation Warfare, and Frederick Clarkson, who has been studying religious extremism for decades, and is an expert on the New Apostolic Reformation.

They look at why economic eschatology is a persistent feature of American political life, and how we might break the vicious "cycle of doom."

James Scaminaci III

Frederick Clarkson

Understanding TESCREAL with Dr. Timnit Gebru and Émile Torres Jun 14, 2023

Everyone's talking about AI, how it will change the world, and even suggesting it might end humanity as we know it. Dave is joined by Dr. Timnit Gebru and Émile Torres, two prominent critics of AI doomerism, to cut through the noise, and look at where these ideas really came from, and offer suggestions on how we might look at these problems differently. And they also offer a picture of the darker side of these ideas and how they connect to Eugenics and other ideologies historically.

Together Émile and Timnit coined an acronym called TESCREAL, which stands for Transhumanism, Extropianism, Singularitarianism, Cosmism, Rationalism, Effective Altruism, and Longtermism — and yeah, that's a lot of -isms. But it ties into other topics that we have covered in this series, including Russian Cosmism and Longtermism.

Dr. Gebru came to prominence in 2020 after she was fired from Google for speaking up about the company's lack of ethical guardrails in its AI development work. Émile Torres studies existential risk and has been a critic of the "longtermist" movement for several years. Dave last spoke with them last year in Season 1, Episode 23.

Here are some relevant articles from Timnit and Émile.

On the Dangers of Stochastic Parrots: Can Language Models Be Too Big? (Bender, Gebru, McMillan-Major, Schmitchell)

https://dl.acm.org/doi/10.1145/3442188.3445922

The Acronym Behind Our Wildest AI Dreams and Nightmares

https://www.truthdig.com/articles/the-acronym-behind-our-wildest-ai-dreams-and-nightmares/

Longtermism and Eugenics: A Primer, by Émile Torres

https://www.truthdig.com/articles/longtermism-and-eugenics-a-primer/

The Wide Angle: Understanding TESCREAL — the Weird Ideologies Behind Silicon Valley’s Rightward Turn, by Dave Troy

https://washingtonspectator.org/understanding-tescreal-silicon-valleys-rightward-turn/

Google Researcher Says She Was Fired Over Paper Highlighting Bias in A.I. (New York Times; Cade Metz, Daisuke Wakabayashi)

https://www.nytimes.com/2020/12/03/technology/google-researcher-timnit-gebru.html

Keywords: existential risk, artificial intelligence, TESCREAL, Yudkowsky, Sam Altman, Elon Musk, Peter Diamandis, Ray Kurzweil, Timnit Gebru, Émile Torres, Gary Marcus, OpenAI, Google, doomerism.

UNION NOW with Tiziana Stella Oct 03, 2023

The League of Nations was established in the wake of The Great War to prevent another war like it from ever happening again. While it was a noble effort, it became clear as Hitler and Mussolini rose to power, that such a design would not be capable of curbing rampant nationalism and conflicting national interests.

And Clarence Kirschman Streit saw it all unfold before his eyes. As a journalist for the New York Times covering the League of Nations in Geneva, he observed its operations in detail. At first, he thought he could offer ideas on how to fix it. But he came to realize that a new design was needed. He settled on a federated union, and wrote up his proposal in a book published in 1939 called "Union Now." It was well-received, but too late to prevent the horrors of World War II from unfolding.

In this episode, Dave talks with Dr. Tiziana Stella, Executive Director of the Streit Council, which works to help advance Clarence Streit's ideas. The fundamental design flaws he outlined in the 1930's are still threatening us today, and have left a door open for autocratic leaders like Vladimir Putin and Xi Jinping.

If we want a peaceful, democratic future, we would do well to listen to the lucid analysis of Clarence Streit.

More info:

https://www.streitcouncil.org/

https://twitter.com/tizistella

Union Now:

https://archive.org/details/in.ernet.dli.2015.262135

"Number Go Up" with Zeke Faux Dec 04, 2023

No discussion of the ways that the dollar and the United States are under attack would be complete without a contemporary exploration of the world of cryptocurrencies.

Zeke Faux, an investigative journalist with Bloomberg News, joins Dave to discuss his new book, "Number Go Up: Inside Crypto's Wide Rise and Staggering Fall," which is part research, part travelogue, and filled with bizarre schemes and colorful characters.

Number Go Up on Goodreads

Zeke Faux on X

NumberGoUpBook.com

Keywords: Bitcoin, Tether, NFTs, Crypto, FTX, Sam Bankman Fried, Axis, Brock Pierce, Pig Butchering, El Salvador, Bukele, Binance, CZ, Giancarlo Devasini, Jean Chalopin, Jean-Louis van der Velde, Inspector Gadget, Steve Bannon, Miami, Bored Ape, Libertarian, Gold Standard, Gamestop, Russia, Musk.

Psychedelic Fascism with Neşe Devenot Dec 18, 2023

Psychedelic drugs are having a moment, like SSRI's and Valium did decades before. What if there's a simple way for people to feel happier and more connected to the world while ushering in world peace at the same time? That's what many advocates of psychedelic drugs claim, but the reality is a lot more complicated.

Dave talks with Neşe Devenot, a writer and early psychedelics advocate who has increasingly become a critic of the attitudes and capital that are lining up behind the popularization of these drugs. While they do hold some promise, some are advocating that they be used as a salve to dampen the negative externalities caused by crony capitalism and extractive resource use. Devenot and her co-authors on multiple papers think that's not okay — and we get to explore all the reasons why.

TESCREAL hallucinations: Psychedelic and AI hype as inequality engines

Dark Side of the Shroom: Erasing Indigenous and Counterculture Wisdoms with Psychedelic Capitalism, and the Open Source Alternative

‘More evolved than you’: Evolutionary spirituality as a cultural frame for psychedelic experiences

Right-Wing Psychedelia: Case Studies in Cultural Plasticity and Political Pluripotency

"Starseed," by Timothy Leary

Spirituality & Psychedelics with Rick Doblin (The Marianne Williamson Podcast)

Keywords: Rick Doblin, MAPS, Marianne Williamson, Neşe Devenot, LSD, Ketamine, MDMA, DMT, Ecstasy, Rebekah Mercer, Elizabeth Koch, Elon Musk, Multidisciplinary Association for Psychedelic Studies, Barbara Marx Hubbard, Conscious Evolution, Fundamentalism, Jules Evans, Teilhard, Vernadsky, Noosphere, Psilocybin, Magic Mushrooms, Ayahuasca, Mescaline, TESCREAL, AI, Longtermism, Artificial Intelligence, Silicon Valley, hierarchy, aristocracy, metanoia, overview effect.

Geopolitical Outlook for 2024 Jan 29, 2024

On January 8, 2024, Dave hosted a space on "X" (formerly Twitter) for an overview of what to expect in geopolitics in 2024. In this wide ranging monologue, Dave covers many topics including the US elections, Russia's war against Ukraine, the brewing conflict in the Middle East, and rising tensions in Asia between Taiwan, China, and Japan.

Keywords: geopolitics, 2024, election, Russia, Ukraine, Putin, Iran, Israel, Gaza, Palestine, China, Taiwan, Japan, Trump, RFK Jr, Robert F. Kennedy Jr., Red-Brown Alliance, Dugin, conscious evolution, history, atomic bomb, Leo Szilard, Robert Oppenheimer, Katechon, Eschaton, Eschatology, Nuclear War, Apocalypse, end times, Christian Nationalism, Barbara Marx Hubbard, New Age, cults.

Better Conflict with Jonathan Stray Jan 31, 2024

American society seems to be devolving into two bitterly opposed and diametrically polarized camps. Not just around politics, but around culture as well.

Jonathan Stray studies conflict, and tries to identify ways in which we can learn to conflict with each other more productively. He is a researcher at the Center for Human Compatible AI at the University of California Berkeley, where his work looks at a range of scientific and academic study of conflict and online behaviors.

He talks with Dave about his work, why Americans are so divided, and what we might do about it. They also discuss where some of his funding comes from, and the messy world of think tanks.

Keywords: conflict, polarization, social media, online interaction, CHAI, Center for Human Compatible AI, Jonathan Stray, Better Conflict Bulletin, University of California Berkeley, Mercatus Center.

The UFO Hoax with Jack Brewer and Art Levine Mar 13, 2024

For decades, a highly entrepreneurial group of researchers, scientists, and journalists has been at the center of the movement to “disclose” the existence of extraterrestrial visitors to Earth — and they’ve scored what may be their biggest legislative victory yet.

The 2024 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), passed in December, includes a provision that requires the federal government to provide any and all records on UAP.

Activists hope that a deluge of new UAP information will be disclosed later this year — smack in the middle of election season. The new law requires that all UAP-related records created more than 25 years ago must be made public — unless personally blocked by President Biden.

Dave talks with researcher Jack Brewer and veteran journalist Art Levine in two separate interviews, to hear each of their perspectives on what's going on. It's a rich, detailed conversation you won't want to miss.

Is a UFO Hoax a Ticking Time Bomb for Biden by Dave Troy, Washington Spectator

Spaceship of Fools by Art Levine, Washington Spectator

AARO Historical Report (March 2024)

Expanding Frontiers Research

Keywords: Danny Sheehan, NDAA, Robert Bigelow, Brandon Fugal, Skinwalker Ranch, Luis Elizondo, Hal Puthoff, Russell Targ, Institute of Noetic Sciences, Christopher Mellon, Timothy Mellon, RFK Jr., Robert F. Kennedy Jr., Donald Trump, Michael Flynn, Roger Stone, Pierre Teilhard de Chardin, Noosphere, Vladimir Vernadsky, Vladimir Putin, KGB, UFO, UAP, Noosphere.

The Summer of our Discontent with Jack Bryan Jul 10, 2024

It's shaping up to be the hottest July on record, and things couldn't be more strange in the political realm. From multiple bombshell rulings from the Supreme Court to widespread speculation about whether Joe Biden should step aside after his halting debate performance, it feels like things couldn't get any crazier. Yet, that's entirely possible.

Dave talks with Jack Bryan, director of the film ACTIVE MEASURES and creator of the podcasts AMERICAN PSYOP and LAWYERS, GUNS, and MONEY about what's happened, what's at stake, and where things might go next. Recorded during the July 4th holiday, at the beach in Delaware.

Keywords: SCOTUS, Immunity, Chevron, SEC, Jarkesy, debate, Biden, convention, institutions, rule of law, democracy, autocracy, authoritarianism, Trump, fascism.

Popping the AI Bubble with Gary Marcus Jul 31, 2024

Generative Artificial Intelligence has topped tech headlines for the last two years, but it's possible we may be reaching a limit of what can be achieved using current approaches. Concerns about reliability and now, return on investment for the countless billions invested in the sector, may put AI's short-term future in doubt.

Dave interviews AI expert Gary Marcus, a psychologist, cognitive scientist, and author, known for his research at the intersection of cognitive psychology, neuroscience, and artificial intelligence. He's also a professor emeritus of psychology and neuroscience at New York university.

While both Gary and Dave notably have a pro-tech stance, they also want to ensure that we build tools that work well, are sustainable, and are ethically sound. They explore this topic and more in a wide ranging discussion.

Gary Marcus: X Substack TED

GenAI: Too Much Spend, Too Little Benefit? (Goldman Sachs)

The Hardware Lottery by Sara Hooker

KAN: Kolmogorov-Arnold Networks (multiple authors)

Keywords: AI, LLMs, OpenAI, GenAI, Gary Marcus, ROI, truth, System 1, System 2, Kahneman, hardware lottery, Sara Hooker.

Opus Dei with Gareth Gore Oct 14, 2024

The secretive Catholic sect Opus Dei seems to be popping up everywhere. But what is it? Many people are familiar with it from depictions in fiction like "The Davinci Code," but the reality is both more mundane and in many ways, more sinister.

Dave is joined by financial journalist Gareth Gore, who got into the story by covering the failure of Spanish bank Banco Popular. He found that the bank led to a rabbit hole — and in the center of it was Opus Dei. Part classic authoritarian mind control cult, part spiritual organization, part fraud, and part geopolitical powerhouse, Gore's new book "Opus: The Cult of Dark Money, Human Trafficking, and Right-Wing Conspiracy inside the Catholic Church" is a page-turning account of one of the most influential groups in the last 100 years.

Crypto Is Bad, Actually Oct 15, 2024

No joke: Peter Thiel envisioned PayPal as a way to challenge to the global political order. And that vision is just now coming into place in 2024. In this election cycle, cryptocurrency interests have surpassed $120 million, surpassing even big oil, in trying to capture candidates from both political parties. This episode features a recording of a Twitter (X) space recorded on September 12, 2024 exploring this set of topics. The space was coordinated by Jake Donoghue, and includes several leading crypto critics: me, David Gerard, Mark Hays, John Reed Stark, and Mark R. Smith.

Follow on X: @JDonoghueAuthor, @JohnReedStark, @DavidGerard, @AmScream, @Miercoles_Hays, @davetroy

Jake Donoghue Twitter Space

Peter Thiel at Libertopia 2010

The October Surprise with Craig Unger Oct 21, 2024

The term "October Surprise" has come to mean any kind of shock that might upend a November election. But the original October Surprise was in 1980, when Ronald Reagan's campaign operatives conspired with the fundamentalist Iranian regime to keep 52 American hostages in Tehran until after the presidential election of 1980 — all but ensuring a loss for incumbent candidate Jimmy Carter.

This is the account provided by author Craig Unger, who has been following the "October Surprise" story since 1991, and during that time has been able accumulate evidence to confirm that yes, the October Surprise really happened. This almost unbelievable story is documented in his new book, "Den of Spies: Reagan, Carter, and the Secret History of the Treason That Stole the White House, " recently published by Harper Collins.

Craig joins Dave for a fascinating discussion of this complicated history, and its implications on American politics today.

Purchase: Den of Spies

Follow Craig Unger on X

How to Win an Information War with Peter Pomerantsev Oct 31, 2024

In this special bonus episode, Dave interviews author Peter Pomerantsev about his new book "How to Win an Information War: The Propagandist Who Outwitted Hitler." The book explores the work of Sefton Delmer, a journalist who developed unique ways to destabilize Hitler's propaganda programming. Their conversation was recorded on October 28, 2024, at Bird In Hand Books in Baltimore, Maryland.

Pomerantsev is the author of two other books on disinformation and propaganda, "Nothing Is True and Everything is Possible," and "This Is Not Propaganda." He is currently based at the SNF Agora Institute at Johns Hopkins University.

Pomerantsev also delivered a TED Talk at TEDxMidAtlantic in Washington, D.C. in June 2024.

Links:

TED Talk (2024)

How To Win an Information War (2024)

This Is Not Propaganda (2019)

Nothing Is True and Everything Is Possible (2014)