Conspirituality

Conspirituality

274: Is Rogan REALLY Leading a Death Cult?

September 11, 2025

The video essay "How Comedy Was Destroyed by an Anti-Reality Doomsday Cult" by The Elephant Graveyard critiques Joe Rogan's influence, arguing his comedy and platform have become a 'death cult' that disconnects followers from reality and promotes a faux-populist fascism, potentially engineered by tech oligarchs.

Bonus Sample: How Wellness Influencers Became Radicalized

September 8, 2025

Halbert Dunn, a pioneer in vital statistics and the "father of modern wellness," laid the groundwork for concepts like high-level wellness in the mid-20th century, predating many contemporary wellness influencers.

Brief: Conspiracies Down Under

September 6, 2025

Australian conspiracy theories, particularly around COVID-19 lockdowns and the Port Arthur massacre, have unique national characteristics and historical contexts that differentiate them from those in the US, despite cross-pollination of ideas.

273: Trump Will Die

September 4, 2025

The Aura Ring, initially marketed for personal wellness, is being integrated into US military operations and potentially Palantir's data infrastructure, raising concerns about surveillance and data centralization.

Bonus Sample: Antifascist Christianity: Bonhoeffer (Pt 2)

September 1, 2025

Dietrich Bonhoeffer's time in Harlem, particularly his immersion in the Black church and experiences in the segregated South, was crucial in shaping his understanding of anti-fascism and the power of solidarity.

Brief: Antifascist Christianity: Bonhoeffer (Pt 1)

August 30, 2025

Dietrich Bonhoeffer's early theological work, while brilliant, was abstract and nationalistic, reflecting a common tendency for established religious institutions to serve dominant culture rather than challenge it.

272: Jillian Michaels is the Biggest Loser

August 28, 2025

The documentary 'Fit for TV' exposes the cruel and exploitative nature of 'The Biggest Loser,' highlighting how the show prioritized ratings and profit over the physical and mental well-being of its contestants, often through sadistic tactics and medical irresponsibility.

Bonus Sample: The Beatles’ Billionaire Yogi

August 25, 2025

Maharishi Mahesh Yogi, through his association with the Beatles, became a pivotal figure in the Western adoption of Indian spirituality and a model for lucrative spiritual organizations built around charismatic leaders promising enlightenment and paranormal abilities.

Brief: Ground Zero Grifting

August 23, 2025

Mickey Willis, the founder of Rebel Lion and creator of "Plandemic," promotes his "Fierce Immunity" supplement by weaving conspiracy theories about manipulated weather, the "plandemic," and the supposed nefarious influence of elites, all while leveraging personal tragedies and religious rhetoric to drive sales.

271: The Miseducation of PragerU

August 21, 2025

PragerU, a well-funded right-wing propaganda platform, strategically uses engaging aesthetics and diverse hosts to disseminate its conservative and often discriminatory messaging, aiming to influence educational systems and young minds.

Bonus Sample: The Naturopaths Are At It Again

August 18, 2025

The claim that sunblocks cause 55 deaths from other cancers for every one death saved from skin cancer due to vitamin D deficiency is scientifically unsubstantiated, as regular sunscreen use does not lead to significant vitamin D deficiency.

Brief: Olympics for Dopers

August 16, 2025

The Enhanced Games, founded by Aaron DeSueza and funded by figures like Peter Thiel, is presented as an "Olympics for dopers" aiming to disrupt traditional sports by allowing performance-enhancing drugs, but its true purpose appears to be a supplement sales grift.

270: Kennedy's Bloodbath

August 14, 2025

Robert F. Kennedy Jr.'s decision to cancel nearly $500 million in federal funding for mRNA vaccine development projects is based on misinformation and a flawed understanding of viral mutation, potentially hindering future biotherapeutic advancements.

Bonus Sample: Nair, Mamdani, and Culture against the Culture War (Pt 1)

August 11, 2025

The distinction between "good" and "bad" Muslims, as discussed by figures like Samuel Huntington and Bernard Lewis, is not about their adherence to Islam but rather their stance towards the United States, framing it as a political rather than religious issue.

Brief: Nair, Mamdani, and Culture against the Culture War (Pt 1)

Filmmaker Mira Nair's work and her husband Mahmoud Mamdani's scholarship challenge the concept of 'culture talk,' which essentializes and simplifies diverse groups of people, arguing instead for understanding individuals within complex, fluid, and interconnected contexts.

269: The Book of Gwyneth

Gwyneth Paltrow's Goop has significantly influenced the mainstreaming of wellness as a luxury commodity, blending aspirational aesthetics with a rhetoric that fosters distrust in established institutions and science.

Bonus Sample: The '80s Zen Master Con Man

Frederick Lenz, also known as Zen Master Rama, died in a suspected suicide pact involving Valium, alcohol, and Phenobarbital for his dogs, found in Conscience Bay wearing an expensive suit and a dog collar.

Brief: DJ Khaled of Pseudoscience

A new venture, "TheranosLabs.com" (redirecting from theinvestors.com), is attempting to revive the disgraced Theranos brand and technology under the leadership of Ryan L. Hosseini, who claims to be the "Steve Jobs of Medical Labs" and is seeking to pardon Elizabeth Holmes.

268: Rogan’s Christian President

Barry Weiss's media company, The Free Press, is seeking a significant valuation, highlighting the financialization of independent media and its potential entanglement with conservative and libertarian funding sources.

Bonus Sample Natural Snake Oil

The "Maha Wins" initiative, promoted by RFK Jr. and his allies, focuses on superficial changes like removing artificial dyes and high-fructose corn syrup from food products, which critics argue do not address the root causes of chronic disease or food insecurity.