Conspirituality

Bonus Sample: Armed Struggle

February 9, 2026

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  • The episode of Conspirituality, "Bonus Sample: Armed Struggle," opens by grounding the discussion in a personal, traumatic memory of a 1986 bombing in Johannesburg during apartheid, illustrating the immediate, visceral impact of political violence. 
  • The host, Julian Walker, frames the current American political climate, marked by calls for armed protest following ICE murders, as a dangerous crossroads mirroring historical conflicts in places like South Africa and Northern Ireland. 
  • The central tension explored is the debate between those advocating for armed resistance against perceived authoritarianism and those favoring disciplined, nonviolent political organizing, prompting reflection on whether militant action risks creating the very monsters being fought. 

Segments

Apartheid Bombing Memory
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(00:00:03)
  • Key Takeaway: A 1986 bombing in Johannesburg, targeting a restaurant across the street from a social work NGO office, caused a momentary, surreal physical sensation of pressure and table lifting before the explosion sound arrived.
  • Summary: The speaker recounts his mother’s experience during a bombing in Johannesburg in 1986 while she worked for Child Welfare, an NGO operating under apartheid’s segregated structure. The initial sensory experience involved the conference room table lifting several inches accompanied by immense pressure, preceding the sound of the explosion. This event triggered an altered perception of time, a common psychological response to sudden shock.
Contextualizing Armed Struggle
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(00:01:48)
  • Key Takeaway: The host, Julian Walker, explicitly links current American political tensions, including calls for armed protest against ICE, to historical precedents of armed struggle in societies facing state violence and oppression.
  • Summary: Julian Walker introduces the episode’s focus: reflecting on societies where citizens form paramilitary groups for political goals, especially when state violence reinforces oppression. Current discussions in America regarding resistance to ICE and Trump involve organizing self-defense groups as a radical flank. This situation presents a dangerous crossroads, prompting examination of historical armed struggles in South Africa and Northern Ireland.
Subscription and Support Plug
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(00:03:45)
  • Key Takeaway: The full episode of Conspirituality’s bonus content is exclusively available to subscribers via Patreon or Apple Subscriptions for $5 or more.
  • Summary: Listeners are informed that the complete Conspirituality bonus episode requires a subscription to patreon.com/slash conspirituality or using Apple subscriptions. This support grants access to all main feed episodes ad-free and years of bonus content. The cost is noted as $5, with options to pledge more to support the independent media creators.
Memory Gaps of Trauma
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(00:04:18)
  • Key Takeaway: Traumatic events, such as the bombing, can lead to significant, specific memory blocks, as evidenced by the speaker’s mother being unable to recall the street’s appearance immediately after the blast.
  • Summary: The speaker’s mother, recounting the bombing, noted a specific memory block concerning the aftermath, only recalling the limpet mine in the Wimpy Bar but not how the street looked post-explosion. Her colleague, Jackie, also reported patchy memories of that day. The bombing targeted a Wimpy Bar where they had eaten lunch the day prior.
Sponsor Message: Rinse
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(00:05:59)
  • Key Takeaway: Rinse offers expert laundry service with home delivery, allowing individuals to reclaim time otherwise spent on chores to pursue personal passions or professional goals.
  • Summary: Rinse handles laundry, expertly cleaning and hand-delivering items to the customer’s door. This service frees up time previously dedicated to sorting, waiting, folding, and queuing. Listeners are encouraged to use this reclaimed time for activities like learning an instrument or pursuing challenging recipes.