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    Society & Culture

    Decoding the Gurus

    An exiled Northern Irish anthropologist and a hitchhiking Australian psychologist take a close look at the contemporary crop of ‘secular gurus’, iconoclasts, and other exiles from the mainstream, offering their own brands of unique takes and special insights.

    Leveraging two of the most diverse accents in modern podcasting, Chris and Matt dig deep into the claims, peek behind the psychological curtains, and try to figure out once and for all… What’s it all About?

    Join us, as we try to puzzle our way through and talk some smart-sounding smack about the intellectual giants of our age, from Jordan Peterson to Robin DiAngelo. Are they revolutionary thinkers or just grifters with delusions of grandeur?

    Join us and let’s find out!

    Advertise

    Copyright: © Copyright 2024 Christopher Kavanagh and Matthew Browne

    • Apple Podcasts
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    • Spotify

    Latest Episodes:
    Ibram X. Kendi: Inside you are two wolves. One of them is racist. Mar 06, 2021
    Show notes

    Ibram X. Kendi is a Professor of history, director of the Boston University Center for Antiracist Research, and a research fellow at Harvard University. He is also the author of several best-selling and highly influential books on race in America.

    It seems like everybody has an opinion of Kendi, and when it comes to the online commentariat, those opinions can get pretty hostile.

    Even among activists and anti-racists, he seems to spark division, with some grouping Kendi together with other controversial writers like Robin Di Angelo. Kendi is often accused of peddling a pop 'anti-racism' which is at best devoid of substance and at worst toying with totalitalitarianism. With his infamous proposal for a 'Department of Antiracism' that would have power over all aspects of governance, and recent illustrated children's book titled 'Anti-racist Baby', these criticisms are perhaps understandable.

    But what about the man himself, who in his lectures and interviews, comes across as something of a calm and reasonable voice amongst the culture war maelstrom?

    In this episode, Matt and Chris, until now famed for being not racist (honestly), courageously hurl themselves onto the pyre of American racial politics. Will they reveal their total lack of understanding of critical race theory and are they racist or anti-racist according to Kendi? Listen and find out.

    Links

    • Short interview with Kendi from 'The One You Feed' Podcast
    • Interview of Kendi by Ezra Klein for Vox Conversations
    • Kendi's article advocating for an Anti-Racist constitutional amendment
    • 'A Response to (Eric Weinstein's) Geometric Unity' Paper


    Special Episode: Interview with Matthew Remski on Conspirituality Feb 20, 2021
    Show notes

    Today we talk to Matthew Remski, co-host of the Conspirituality podcast, writer, yoga practitioner, and independent journalist.

    Matthew is a font of information on the alternative spirituality and health and wellness spheres and he gives Matt and Chris a crash course on the dynamics of those spheres.

    We discuss a range of topics including the growing overlap between spirituality and right wing politics, the enlightened locker room dynamics of male influencers, the role of invented traditions and the spirituality sphere and why Matt should grovel at the feet of his muscle master.

    Matthew provides a wealth of insight into the gurus we've examined as well as an entire host of new characters. As ever, we greatly enjoyed the chat and hope you do too!

    --------------------------------

    More from Matthew Remski:

    • Matthew's Personal Website
    • The Conspirituality Podcast
    • Matthew's work on Medium
    • His investigative book on Pattabhi Jois’s Ashtanga community
    • Another great interview with Matthew by Stephen Kesting


    Nassim N. Taleb: Everything these idiots, frauds, and assholes don't understand Feb 09, 2021
    Show notes

    Nassim Taleb, what a mensch. He's got the confidence of a bull in a china shop that has just bought a lycra muscle-shirt and knows it looks great on him.

    Our guru this week has surveyed the fields of statistics, economics, psychology, actually all of the social sciences, and finds them populated by a gaggle of pale, thin wristed, pocket-protector wearing wimps. Although, he's equally scathing towards COVID-sceptical libertarians, and Matt and Chris (in a totally unbiased manner) find him pretty funny and accurate there.

    More seriously, Taleb is a smart guy and quite fun to read and listen to. But he's also an infinite singularity of arrogance and hyperbole. Matt and Chris can't help but notice how convenient this pose is, when confronted with difficult-to-handle rebuttals.

    Taleb is a fun mixed bag of solid and dubious claims. But it's worth thinking about the degree to which those solid ideas were already well... solid. Many seem to have been known for decades even by all the 'morons, frauds and assholes' that Taleb hates.

    To what degree does Taleb's reputation rest on hyperbole and intuitive-sounding hot-takes? Will he ever un-block the co-hosts on twitter? Should Matt, a statistician and psychologist, re-train in a field where he can actually contribute something useful to the world?

    All of these questions, and more, will remain unanswered in this fresh new DTG episode!

    Links

    • The Antidote to Chaos interview discussed in the episode
    • The original Bloomberg interview that was deemed too reasonable for the episode
    • Sam Harris' amusing take on Taleb


    Special Episode: Interview with Thi Nguyen, a Gurometer's Guru Jan 29, 2021
    Show notes

    Today we talk to C. Thi Nguyen, a philosophy professor at University of Utah.

    He has some excellent insights into the kind of discourse that *feels* like it gives us insight, that wonderful 'aha' moment. Basically, what happens when unscrupulous actors aim to optimise that feeling - putting aside concerns as to whether or not it's the real thing.

    Thi has previously studied 'moral outrage porn', which is a bit like food porn, but for your emotions.

    You might say "X-porn" is any material that gives us the fascimile of the thing, without having to put in the hard yards of actually doing the thing.

    You might also say there's such a thing as 'insight porn' and maybe that's what Gurus deliver!

    Matt and Chris feel like they got some real insights (touch wood) from their chat with Thi and they hope you do too!

    --------------------------------

    More from Thi Nguyen:

    Thi writes about many things, including echo chambers, epistemic bubbles and the seductive feeling of clarity.

    • A free preview of the first chapter of Thi's Games book
    • Moral outrage porn
    • The op-ed version of moral outrage porn
    • The echo chambers paper
    • How Twitter Gamifies Communication
    • Recommendation from Thi: The best book on Echo Chambers
    • Another recommendation: A great recent book arguing for the large-scale misinformation thesis: and it’s open access.
    • Thi's appearance on ETV pod discussing Cheap Talk.


    Douglas Murray: Can indulgent dinner conversation save OUR civilisation? Jan 22, 2021
    Show notes

    Douglas Murray is a British conservative columnist, social pundit, and veteran culture warrior famed for his biting wit and eloquent intellectual speech. But just how much of that is actually down to him having a posh British accent and a tendency to rant about whatever 'bloody' topic he's took a fancy to?

    Join Matt and Chris for their latest therapy session as they try to process what they've done to their brains by listening to an indulgent and meandering 4.5 hour conversation between Douglas and the IDW's über guru Eric Weinstein.

    Along the way you will learn the *real* truth about the coronavirus, the value of memorising Shakespearian sonnets, how embarrassing it is to eat bats, and just how sacred dinner tables actually are.

    ...GUFFAW...

    Links

    • The Portal Episode 41: Douglas Murray- Heroism 2020: Defence of Our Civilization


    Special Episode: Calibrating the Gurometer Jan 09, 2021
    Show notes

    Chris and Matt take a break from examining the endless stream of Guru galaxy brain takes to offer their own and calibrate their newly minted Gurometer.

    The Gurometer is composed of 10 key characteristics of guruosity which the decoders will be using to score the Gurus in future episodes.

    Listeners will learn about important concepts, like science hipsterism and pseudo-profound bullshit, and discover just how bad both Chris and Matt are at segways!

    Links

    • The Gurometer 'current draft' Google Doc
    • Gretchen's Blog Review


    Contrapoints: Making Philosophy Fabulous Again Dec 28, 2020
    Show notes

    Natalie Wynn is kind of a big deal. Her YouTube channel Contrapoints explores not only philosophy, but also politics and social issues. Praised by august publications such as the New Yorker and the Atlantic, there's little doubt that she has her finger on the pulse of contemporary internet culture (and its wars). The production values, costumes, and set dressings are all a sight to behold... and completely invisible on this podcast.

    Nevertheless, armed with a menagerie of alter-egos, Contrapoints does delve into some pretty deep waters and has garnered quite a cult following, despite (or perhaps because of) her self-deprecating humour and refusal to take herself too seriously.

    So, what is going on here, behind the cat eye contact lenses and elaborate costumes? Does she actually back up the insights she purports to provide with careful arguments? Will the duo decide that Contrapoints is just like Russell Brand: all style and no substance? Is her deprecating humour merely cover for a rampaging and performative ego? Will Matt ever find out where he can get his hands on that fabulous wallpaper?

    All these questions, and more, will be answered in this exciting new episode!

    Links

    • Justice (Part 1) Video
    • New Yorker article on Contrapoints


    Special Episode: Entering the Portal Dec 18, 2020
    Show notes

    Chris and Matt take a peak behind the curtain at Guru Community dynamics in the Web 2.0 era in an extended interview with Dan Gilbert, a self described 'Discord creature'. Dan provides insights from his long term participation in Eric Weinstein's 'Unofficial Portal' Discord and reveals the mystery behind the 'mentally unstable' community member!

    If you ever wanted to learn about the intricate distinctions between Geometric Unity, and Geometric Marginalism or the ill fated outcome of Eric's 'Experts only' forum... now is your chance.

    We will be back next week with our regular episode on Contrapoints.

    • Dan's apology song to Eric
    • Follow Dan on Twitter (@thebadstats)
    • Episode Art used with permission of Michael M. AKA Pineapplemikel


    Scott Adams: Chris and Matt Go to Hell Dec 10, 2020
    Show notes

    Scott Adams, creator of Dilbert, has since written self-help books like 'Win Bigly' & 'Loserthink' and now hosts his own podcast "Coffee with Scott Adams".

    In mild-mannered, folksy, and avuncular style, he has a 'simultaneous sip' of coffee, a little chuckle with his listeners, and then they chat about the events of the day and how democracy is a farce and maybe a benevolent dictatorship would be preferable.

    Scott's fatherly advice is geared towards one thing: undermining your belief that there is any truth or justice in world - or that these things are even possible. You can trust literally nobody. All systems are corrupt, and the world works through the exercise of naked power and the manipulation of gullible rubes like you.

    It doesn't even matter if the libs stole the election. Trump should just go ahead and take it, if he can.

    Scott Adams considers himself a Master Persuader and he uses every rhetorical trick in the book to persuade you that America is so corrupt to try and get you to agree that a benevolent dictator would probably be preferable at this point.

    Think of the kind of 'helpful advice' that Wormtongue used to demoralise Théoden in Lord of the Rings.

    It's really horrible...

    So, if this sounds like fun to you, join Chris and Matt as they go to hell and become increasingly depressed throughout the episode!

    Links

    • Coffee with Scott Adams Episode 1197: Odds of rigging an election and getting away with it (Part 1 & Part 2)
    • Coffee with Scott Adams Episode 1206: Watch Me Monetize My Dumbest Critics While Discussing the Election Allegations. Thank You, Critics! (Part 1 & Part 2)


    Russell Brand: Spiritual Transcendence and Anarchic Revolution is Praxis Nov 21, 2020
    Show notes

    Russell Brand is a hip bohemian Englishman on the path to enlightenment. And he likes the ineffable. Like, a lot. The decoders kinda like him too, despite the fact they really struggle to eff him at all. Really, Matt has no effing idea what he is babbling about most of the time, but Chris, being 'English-adjacent', seems to make a better job of it.

    Imagine smoking pot and talking big ideas with your precocious college room-mate at 2am in the morning. Now give him some methamphetamine, and you've got some idea of the fast-talking stream of consciousness that is Russell Brand.

    A pair of milquetoast moderates like Chris and Matt just aren't the right audience to properly appreciate the mystical anarchism that Brand advocates. It's probably got something to do with the limits of the bandwidth of their instruments of perception given that knowledge and wisdom are infinite and being-ness itself is.... Well, you get the idea.

    The lads also reveal some of the exciting progress of the podcast!

    In exciting news... DTG has broken into the top 100 podcasts! In the Culture and Society category... in Iceland.

    Regardless, come ride this unstoppable and frenetic juggernaut of mind-expanding concepts with us, and get these cosmic ideas downloaded directly into your squishy little brain!

    Links

    • Jeremy Paxman and Russell Brand interview from 2013
    • The main 'Awakening of Russell Brand' interview with Rich Roll
    • Short Video Update from Brand on 'What I think about This UK Election and Politics Today'


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