In this episode, we speak with Lucy Biggers, head of social media at The Free Press and a former climate activist who has completely rethought the story she was telling the world and herself. Lucy shares how she went from a left-wing digital newsroom steeped in oppressor–oppressed ideology and climate doomsday content to slowly "re-educating" herself, especially after COVID lockdowns made her question what the climate movement was really asking of ordinary people.
We talk about how smart, idealistic young people get pulled into movements, from climate activism to "Free Palestine" marches and democratic socialists like AOC and Zohran Mamdani, often in search of purpose, belonging, and someone to blame. Lucy walks us through the emotional cost of changing her mind in public, losing old followers, gaining new ones, and learning to stand on principle instead of group approval.
We also go bigger: what's happening in our universities and K–12 schools, the rise of extreme voices on both the woke left and the conspiratorial right, and why Lucy still believes in American exceptionalism, free thinking, and the courage to say, "I was wrong" as an act of wisdom, not shame.
The Free Press
Key Timestamps + Signature Quotes 00:00 — Introduction & Lucy's Background
Quote: "I debunk the fear around climate change because people deserve the truth, not terror."
01:10 — Why We Wanted Lucy On
Quote: "So many young people today are operating from a state of fear." — Yelena
01:52 — Lucy's Political Journey
Quote: "I lived half my twenties believing America was evil — I was completely swept up in it."
02:30 — Inside the Newsroom Groupthink
Quote: "It was ground zero for oppressor–oppressed ideology. I didn't realize how deep it ran."
03:50 — Her Climate Activism Years
Quote: "Activism became my meaning, my identity, my way to feel good about myself."
05:01 — COVID Breaks the Spell
Quote: "The world shut down and emissions fell only 5%. I thought—what exactly do they want from us?"
05:45 — Quietly Leaving the Movement
Quote: "I gave myself space to think for the first time in years."
06:49 — Going Public With New Beliefs
Quote: "I had to develop a stronger center of truth than the pushback waiting for me."
07:05 — How Brainwashing Happens
Quote: "I'd do anything to fit in — that's how the ideology hooks you."
09:28 — Re-Education & Books That Changed Her
Quote: "I wasn't deprogrammed overnight — I had to re-educate myself page by page."
10:17 — Can Universities Be Saved?
Quote: "Six billion dollars from Qatar changes what gets taught. Money goes a long way." — Polina
11:05 — Why Young People Hate the West
Quote: "America is imperfect — but exceptional. Most of the world can't tell their kids to 'follow your dreams.'"
12:43 — How Bad Ideas Spread Online
Quote: "You see a headline, you don't read the article, and your brain absorbs fear as fact."
16:49 — Losing Followers & Building a New Audience
Quote: "I lost thousands at first — then gained tens of thousands who actually want the truth."
19:35 — Friendships & Family After Changing Beliefs
Quote: "My real friends stayed. The ones who left were never real in the first place."
20:46 — Climate Activists → Free Palestine Movement
Quote: "It's the same psychological pattern: well-meaning young people taught a black-and-white story."
21:58 — Social Media Censorship
Quote: "In 2019, I would have been banned for simply asking questions."
23:12 — Climate Facts No One Teaches
Quote: "CO₂ is 0.04% of the atmosphere. How did I not know that after years covering climate?"
25:04 — When Activism Becomes a Religion
Quote: "There's a crisis of meaning — causes become the new church." — Yelena
26:51 — The Bigger Ideology Behind It
Quote: "I used to think 'Marxism' critiques were crazy. Now I see they were right."
27:33 — What Gives Her Hope
Quote: "When one person stands up, it creates a resonance that gives others permission to do the same."
30:23 — Mumdani, AOC & Democratic Socialists
Quote: "Feeling like a victim is a dead end — you can't build a life from that mindset."
33:11 — AOC's Brand Trap
Quote: "She never had space to change — her entire identity depends on that worldview."
34:09 — What Do We Do About Schools & Universities?
Quote: "It's time for new institutions — maybe even a Free Press University."
36:13 — Tucker, Candace & the New Far-Right
Quote: "Extremism on the right mirrors extremism on the left — it's the same loss of grounding."
39:01 — Why It's Hard to Push Back on the Right
Quote: "Not everyone stands on principle — the last two months showed us that clearly."
41:48 — Accountability vs. Blame
Quote: "Each side finds someone to blame. No one wants accountability." — Yelena
42:47 — John Fetterman's Example
Quote: "He hasn't moved — everyone else has." — Polina
43:22 — Where to Follow Lucy
Quote: "If you follow me anywhere, follow me on Instagram — it's where I speak most freely."
43:52 — Polina's Closing Reflection
Quote: "Wisdom is having the courage to say: I was wrong."
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