Kevin Roberts is the mastermind behind Project 2025, Heritage’s 920-page “presidential transition” agenda that seeks to implement authoritarian power in America. The text combines the anti-regulatory stance of libertarianism, laissez faire capitalism on steroids as espoused by conservatives, and the heinous and anti-democratic religious dogma of Christian nationalists, and it’s finally receiving a lot of attention.

Today we’re looking at a lavish infomercial put out by New Age oligarch and RFK Jr superfan Aubrey Marcus, in which he tries to show the world that his very expensive encounter group, Fit For Service, is definitely not a cult. And at how Matthew got quoted in the opening montage as though he endorsed FFS as an “anti-cult.” He hasn’t.

Freebirth mogul Yolande Norris Clark now joins the growing ranks of converts from conspirituality to Orthodox Christianity. How will she square her politics of the divine feminine with a hyper-patriarchal tradition? Or is it really such a stretch? 

Matthew and Julian examine the gap between how spiritual aspirations appear and are praised or condemned in the world of the spectacle, and how they play out in the flesh.

Last month, Russell Brand visited Jordan Peterson's podcast for “The Evolution of Theology.” Which, given these two figures, had to focus on topics like the unreligious impulsivity of gay people and why slaves should “just not be slaves.” Derek and Julian discuss.

The US Military was recently outed for conducting a clandestine campaign that spread anti-vax propaganda throughout Asia. What will the conspiritualists do when confronted with an actual government conspiracy based in the anti-vax lies they’ve been spreading?

Julian tracks how Leonard Leo’s Federalist Society used Trump as part of a decades-long systematic takeover of the judicial system that culminated in the current ethics and corruption scandal in the SCOTUS.

Terrence Howard is still claiming that 1x1=2 in his most recent version of Terryology. Is it all good fun, or something more dangerous?

Terrence Howard recently made waves (again) when appearing on Joe Rogan’s podcast to discuss “Terryology,” a language of logic which he claims proves one times one equals two. Eric Weinstein appeared on physicist Brian Keating’s podcast to refute the theory—and much more.

Dave Asprey recently held his 10th annual Biohacking Conference in Dallas. Mallory DeMille returns to discuss the conference after everyone discusses the history of biohack…bioquacking.

Playwright and theater scholar Hank Willenbrink joins Matthew to look at the spectacle of Donald Trump through the lens of performance studies. 

Renee Diresta joins to discuss her new book, Invisible Rulers: The People Who Turn Lies Into Reality.

Julian talks to “Dancing for the Devil” series director, Derek Doneen, about the TikTok dance cult, 7M Films.

Biomedical scientist Dr Andrea Love and cosmetic chemist Dr Michelle Wong talk to Derek about the Environmental Working Group’s questionable methodologies and fear-mongering tactics.

Derek and Julian discuss atheism in the context of these recent changes of heart—including Brand’s recent appearance on Bret Weinstein’s Dark Horse podcast. They share how their own skepticism has evolved and informs their work, debating on what value religion and, specifically, a belief in a god, holds for spiritual practices today.

Philosopher Thi Nguyen first visited us 150 episodes ago (!!) to discuss how social media gamification exploded online conspiracy theories and audience capture drags content producers toward the seductions of premature clarity—and the ecstasy of fascism.  Nguyen returns to discuss “value capture”: how simplified and portable metrics in institutions, technology, and media landscapes erode our moral capacities as we pursue goals we never signed up for.

Dr. Peniel Joseph, a historian of the Civil Rights era, joins Matthew to discuss the history and present of the outside agitator trope.

Matthew discusses the republication of his book, Surviving Modern Yoga: Cult Dynamics, Charismatic Leaders, and What Survivors Can Teach Us (North Atlantic Books).

Derek talks to Dr Sarah Ballantyne about the dangers of diet and nutrition misinformation, dealing with obesity and eating disorders, and the challenges of talking about food in public. Her new book is Nutrivore: The Radical New Science for Getting the Nutrients You Need From the Food You Eat.

Derek and Julian talk to Movement Logic hosts, Laurel Beversdorf and Sarah Court, who navigate the curvilinear path of creating irreverent yet high quality science-based movement content that sets teachers and students free from dogma and fear-mongering. Our two podcasts intersect by looking into fallen gurus, pseudoscience health claims, dodgy alignment dogmas, and cults of personality susceptible to the dangers of conspiracism. And this week we’ll do a deep dive into back pain specialist, Stuart McGill.