Embrace The Void

My returning guest this week is Rod Graham (@roderickgraham), a YouTuber and writer on Substack. We discuss his recent post “how moral panics help maintain immoral practices” and how progressives can engage with the right without playing into moral panics. Rod's Article: https://rodgraham.substack.com/p/how-moral-panics-help-maintain-immoral Editing by Lu Lyons, check out her amazing podcast Filme...

My guest this week is Krista Thomason (@kkthomason), an associate professor of philosophy at Swarthmore college and Philip Quinn fellow at national humanities center, author of Naked: The Dark Side of Shame and Moral Life and a chapter on online shaming in the Oxford handbook of Digital Ethics. We discuss the potential harms of online shaming and how to criticize while not contributing to the prob...

My guest this week is Chris boutté  (@TheRewiredSoul), host of The Rewired Soul and author book Canceled: Inside YouTube Cancel Culture. We discuss his experiences with addiction and cancelation and where he's at on the culture war journey.  Convocation: Poe Editing by Lu Lyons, check out her amazing podcast Filmed Live Musicals! http://www.filmedlivemusicals.com/podcast.html Music by GW...

My returning guest this week is Toby Buckle, host of the Political Philosophy Podcast (@PolPhilPod) and Editor of the New Book What is Freedom? We discuss the concept of freedom and America's troubled relationship with that concept.  What is Freedom?: https://global.oup.com/academic/product/what-is-freedom-9780197572221?cc=us&lang=en& Convocation: Goethe Editing by Lu Lyons, check out...

My guest this week is Jesse Singal (@jessesingal), cohost of the Blocked and Reported podcast and a contributor New York mag and a range of other places, primarily Substack. We compare two recently published articles on detransition, Turban (2021) and Littman (2021). Article citing Turban (2021): https://fenwayhealth.org/new-study-shows-discrimination-stigma-and-family-pressure-drive-detransition-...

My guest this week is Adam Gurri, founder and editor in chief of liberal currents. We discuss why we still identify as liberals, his recent article on cancel culture narratives, and whether those narratives are an unavoidable part of liberal society. The Case Not Made: https://www.liberalcurrents.com/the-case-not-made-a-response-to-anne-applebaums-the-new-puritans/ Convocation: Zizek Editing by Lu...

My guest this week is Dr. Michael Grenke, a tutor at St John’s College and author of the introduction to the recently released Warspeak: Nietzsche’s victory over nihilism. We discuss Nietzsche's worldview, the risks and insights in that view, and how we wrestle with nihilism and meaning in the modern world. Warspeak: https://www.amazon.com/Warspeak-Nietzsches-Victory-over-Nihilism/dp/1895131499 Co...

My guest this week is John Cook (@johnfocook), a research fellow at Monash Climate Change Committee Research Hub, author of the book Cranky Uncle Vs. Climate Change and coauthor of The conspiracy Handbook. We discuss the common features of conspiracies and the challenges of applying this analysis in the modern world. Conspiracy handbook: https://www.climatechangecommunication.org/wp-content/upload...

My guest this week is Alex Arnett, a longtime friend of the show who recently did some serious applied effective altruism. We discuss his experience. Live Kidney Donations: https://www.kidneyregistry.org/?gclid=Cj0KCQjwwNWKBhDAARIsAJ8Hkhd-35ozChkW5Wcq_ybNfyO63FsaExgbta4OoiFSrNonLwettyE011kaAgg4EALw_wcB Convocation: William McCaskill  Editing by Lu Lyons, check out her amazing podcast Filmed L...

My guest this week is Alan Levinovitz (@AlanLevinovitz), a professor of religion and science at James Madison University and the author of Natural: How Faith in Nature’s goodness leads to harmful fads, unjust laws, and flawed science. We discuss the role of naturalness in our political debates. Alan's Website: https://www.alanlevinovitz.com/ Convocation: John Burroughs Editing by Lu Lyons, check o...

My guest this week is Alan Levinovitz (@AlanLevinovitz), a professor of religion and science at James Madison University and the author of Natural: How Faith in Nature’s goodness leads to harmful fads, unjust laws, and flawed science. We discuss the concept of "natural", when it might be useful and how it can cause harm. Alan's Website: https://www.alanlevinovitz.com/ Convocation: Mark Edwards Edi...

My guest this week is Philip Gorski (@GorskiPhilip), a professor of sociology at Yale and co-author of the forthcoming book The Flag and the Cross. We discuss white christian nationalism, why the white part really matters, and what this growing problem means in American Politics? Philip's website: https://www.philipgorski.com/ Convocation: The Empty Man Editing by Lu Lyons, check out her amazing p...

My guest this week is Travis View (@travis_view), co-host of the Qanon Anonymous Podcast. We discuss conspiracism tracking, epistemic poverty tourism, and what comes next for Qanon Anonymous now that Q has gone silent. Qanon Anonymous: https://www.qanonanonymous.com/ Convocation: Luke 8.17 Editing by Lu Lyons, check out her amazing podcast Filmed Live Musicals! http://www.filmedlivemusicals.com/po...

My guest this week is Tyler John (@tyler_m_john), head of research at Longview Philanthropy. We discuss Effective Altruism and in particular Longtermism as an approach to ethics. Tyler's Website: https://tmjohn.wixsite.com/tylermjohn Convocation: Fight Club Editing by Lu Lyons, check out her amazing podcast Filmed Live Musicals! http://www.filmedlivemusicals.com/podcast.html Music by GW Rodriguez...

My guest this week is Melanie Trecek-King (@Thinkingpowers), a teacher at a community college who teaches a course on distinguishing between science, non-science, bad science, and pseudoscience. She also developed a website devoted to same issues called Thinking is Power. We discuss the challenges of pedagogy in the post truth world and how to help students learn how to think vs. what to think. Me...

My guest this week is Will Gervais, (@wgervais), an assistant professor of social psychology and senior lecturer at the center for culture and evolution at Brunel University London. We discuss his work studying the persistent stereotype that non-believers are less morally reliable and how this stereotype plays a role in the continued marginalization of non-believers. Will Gervais: http://willgerva...

My guest this week is Mark Hoofnagel, (@MarkHoofnagle), a surgeon and assistant professor of surgery at Wash U, as well as a skeptic activist. We discuss his work on the problem of denialism and how we're seeing that problem run rampant in our political and media landscapes. Mark's Website: https://surgery.wustl.edu/people/mark-hoofnagle/ Convocation: Shunya Editing by Lu Lyons, check out her amaz...

My guest this week is Corvus (@CorvusCoraxPC), host of the Corvus Corax podcast. We discuss the law of identity and the somewhat surprising roles it plays in political discourse. Corvus podcast: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC3xHSnWZ-Y1kahvfe5MPBIw?view_as=subscriber Convocation: Jhumpa Lahiri Editing by Lu Lyons, check out her amazing podcast Filmed Live Musicals! http://www.filmedlivemusicals...

My guest this week is Nathan Alexander (@NathGAlexander), a historian of racism and atheism and co-host of the Beyond Atheism podcast. We discuss the history of the term 'racism' and the role it's played in American politics. Nathan's Website: https://www.nathangalexander.com/ Arcdigi article: https://www.arcdigital.media/p/confronting-the-moral-panic-over Convocation: Alan Moore Editing by Lu Lyo...

This week I mark the 200th episode with an autoethnography of my first year in the Rutgers Graduate School of Education PhD program. I thought this might be helpful for folks who want to hear a less sensationalist approach to CRT in education. Convocation: Aaron' overeducated mind Editing by Lu Lyons, check out her amazing podcast Filmed Live Musicals! http://www.filmedlivemusicals.com/podcast.htm...

My guests this week are Alex and Jim, hosts of the Pillow Scream Radio podcast (@PillowScreamPod). We discuss their experiences as veterans and the The Conspiracy Against the Human Race by Ligotti. Convocation: The Conspiracy Against the Human Race by Ligotti Pillow Scream Radio pod: https://anchor.fm/pillowscreamradio Editing by Lu Lyons, check out her amazing podcast Filmed Live Musicals! http:/...

My guest this week is Cathy Young (@CathyYoung63), a writer who has published at ArcDigi, Reason, Atlantic, Newsday, Bulkwark, the week, and Quillette and many more. We discuss moral panics and their role in current political ecosystems. Convocation: Stanley Cohen French bar story: https://www.bondyblog.fr/societe/bar-pmu-de-sevran-la-contre-enquete-du-bondy-blog/ Gender affirmation therapy studie...

My guest this week is Cathy Young (@CathyYoung63), a writer who has published at ArcDigi, Reason, Atlantic, Newsday, Bulkwark, the week, and Quillette and many more. We discuss moral panics and their role in current political ecosystems. Convocation: Michael Rectenwald, Springtime for Snowflakes IDW article: https://quillette.com/2019/05/24/how-the-idw-can-avoid-the-tribalist-pull/ Immigration art...

My guest this week is Scott Tyson (@scottatyson), an assistant professor in political science at the University of Rochester. We discuss conspiracism and its role in American politics. Convocation: Aaron's fever dreams Editing by Lu Lyons, check out her amazing podcast Filmed Live Musicals! http://www.filmedlivemusicals.com/podcast.html Music by GW Rodriguez Sibling Pod Philosophers in Space: http...

My guest this week is Lindsey Osterman, associate professor of psychology at Roanoke college and cohost of Serious Inquiries Only, we’re on the same page, what the fup:downloads from the secrete ghost library. We discuss evolutionary psychology, trans issues, and sci-comm more broadly. Convocation: D.T. Max Editing by Lu Lyons, check out her amazing podcast Filmed Live Musicals! http://www.filmedl...