The BS Filter

Today we pick apart Václav Havel’s “Power of the Powerless” – with guest Michael Romahn – and why going along to get along is exactly how every rotten system keeps itself alive. If you would like to listen to the full episode, sign up and become a supporter of the show! It’s less than the cost of a single coffee a week. The post Havel’s Power of the Powerl...

Today we have guest Scotty B to pick apart America’s slow-motion slide into fascism – the Precariat Trap – and why the 99% can’t afford to pick up a pitchfork even when they probably should. If you would like to listen to the full episode, sign up and become a supporter of the show! It’s less than the cost of a single coffee a week. The post The Precariat Trap: Why Am...

Today we cut through the spin on why people actually support Trump – nine real grievances, zero good excuses for picking the worst possible guy to fix them. If you would like to listen to the full episode, sign up and become a supporter of the show! It’s less than the cost of a single coffee a week. The post Nine Grievances, One Con Man – BS Filter #146 appeared first on The BS F...

Today we dig deep into the US-Israel attack on Iran - Operation Epic Fury - and what's actually going on beneath the spin.

In this episode of *The Bullshit Filter*, Cameron and Ray dissect a world seemingly gone mad under the pressure of the Trump administration’s “maximum pressure” foreign policy. The duo explores the unfolding humanitarian disaster in Cuba, where a modern fuel blockade has pushed the island’s socialist experiment to the brink of collapse and triggered a “mini Bay of Pigs” ski...

In this episode of *The Bullshit Filter*, Cameron and Ray navigate a global landscape defined by “ruptures” rather than transitions. The duo begins with a sobering look at Australia’s first mass shooting in 30 years and the subsequent rapid-fire passage of controversial anti-hate and migration legislation. The conversation then shifts to the world stage, dissecting Canadian Prime Minis...

In this final instalment of the Fascism miniseries, Cameron and Ray trace how fascism didn’t die after 1945 but simply changed its wardrobe. Once openly discredited, fascist ideology went underground, hiding behind anti-communism, Catholic conservatism, Cold War geopolitics, and the language of “law and order.” The pair outline how the same structural anxieties that fuelled Mussolini and Hitler fo...

In this episode of The Bullshit Filter, Cameron and Ray continue their deep dive into the history of fascism — tracing its emergence from the ashes of World War I to Mussolini’s rise in Italy. They unpack how the trauma of the war radicalised millions, creating fertile ground for authoritarian movements that promised strength, unity, and a return to national glory. Through sharp wit and historical...

In this second episode of our fascism series, Cameron and Ray trace the roots of fascism from the French Revolution through the 19th century and into the early 20th century. They explore how nationalism, the Enlightenment and Counter-Enlightenment, industrial upheaval, social Darwinism, Nietzsche’s philosophy, Bismarck’s realpolitik, futurism, and mass psychology all fed into the eventual rise of...

In this first instalment of a new series on fascism, Cameron and Ray dig into what the word really means beyond the marching boots and fiery rallies of 20th-century Europe. They explore the difficulty of defining fascism, how it manifests differently across time and place, and why the term is often misused today. Drawing on historians like Robert Paxton, Jason Stanley, and Michael Mann, as well as...

Sort of a “half bullshit filter” episode. Cameron reconnects with historian and longtime friend J. David Markham on the eve of his 80th birthday. They reflect on two decades of working together on the Napoleon podcast, swap family updates, and dive into Markham’s latest projects—including his forthcoming book _Simply Caesar_ and several Napoleonic works in progress. The discussion turn...

In this fiery and no-holds-barred episode, Cam and Ray dive into the geopolitics of U.S. and Israeli airstrikes on Iran, calling out the hypocrisy and propagandistic media coverage that frames these attacks as “preemptive” rather than “unprovoked” — a word the media reserved exclusively for Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. They draw sharp historical parallels, from the 1953 CIA-led coup in Iran to th...

Cameron and Ray crack open the popcorn for a free-wheeling hour on the sudden Musk-Trump bromance breakup and the “one big beautiful bill” (HR 1).  They riff on Roman triumvirates, oligarch knife-fights, and the sneaky Section 70302 that could neuter America’s courts overnight.  Along the way they detour through the Byrd Rule, unleash dystopian what-ifs about AI, and ask whether the U.S. can out-c...

As I’ve been saying for years – Trump isn’t the problem. He’s just a symptom of the problem. The actual problem is stupid people. And they are justifiably angry. But to think billionaires are going to solve the problem is just stupid. It’s billionaires and the politicians they control that got the U.S. into this situation in the first place. Welcome to late stage capi...

The media coverage, and Western government commentary, of Israel’s pager and walkie-talkie attacks in Lebanon have studiously avoided the use of the word “terrorism”, even though that’s what all of the world’s human rights organisations are calling it and what we all know the media and governments would be calling if it any other single country did it. Today on the sh...

Who is Kamala Harris? How does she stack up as a potential POTUS? And how do Lichtman’s 13 Keys to the White House work? Who does it predict will win the 2024 election? Listen and find out. The post BS 127 – Kamala and Lichtman’s 13 Keys appeared first on The BS Filter .

In this episode of ‘The Bullshit Filter,’ we discuss the US’s selective adherence to international laws, the complex US-Saudi relationship, and evolving power dynamics involving China. Discussions include potential ICC arrest warrants for Israeli and Hamas leaders, the US’s opposition to ICC jurisdiction over Israel, and the historical context of the Israeli-Palestinian con...

This month we’re looking (again) at the US’ ban of TikTok, and their veto over Palestine’s membership in the UN, as well as the Australian government trying to censor X and we ask if what Israel is doing  is “genocide”.  00:00 Welcome to the Bullshit Filter: Unpacking Contemporary Issues 01:21 Freedom of Speech and Social Media: A Deep Dive 03:44 The Role of the eSafe...

Hey there, fellow Bullshit Fighter! This page contains some member-only content. If you're already a registered member, LOGIN HERE . If you aren't registered, well you can fix that right now! Find out about our registration options here. Today we delve into the ACTUAL reasons behind the US attempts to ban / force a sale of TikTok. And we also look at some newspaper headlines and break them apart....

Hey there, fellow Bullshit Fighter! This page contains some member-only content. If you're already a registered member, LOGIN HERE . If you aren't registered, well you can fix that right now! Find out about our registration options here. My guest co-host today is Tony Kynaston from the QAV Investing Podcast . We’re talking about the Tucker Carlson interview with Putin and breaking down the l...

Hey there, fellow Bullshit Fighter! This page contains some member-only content. If you're already a registered member, LOGIN HERE . If you aren't registered, well you can fix that right now! Find out about our registration options here. This episode we’re looking at South Africa’s case against Israel in the World Court, accusing them of committing genocide in Gaza, the reasons for the...

Hey there, fellow Bullshit Fighter! This page contains some member-only content. If you're already a registered member, LOGIN HERE . If you aren't registered, well you can fix that right now! Find out about our registration options here. My old friend and colleague J. David Markham joined me today to talk about Russia and Ukraine. We planned to get to other topics, but ran out of time. Although we...

Hey there, fellow Bullshit Fighter! This page contains some member-only content. If you're already a registered member, LOGIN HERE . If you aren't registered, well you can fix that right now! Find out about our registration options here. On this episode we’re talking about Gaza, The Voice to Parliament referendum in Australia, and the Speaker of the House débâcle in the USA. The post BS 120...

Hey there, fellow Bullshit Fighter! This page contains some member-only content. If you're already a registered member, LOGIN HERE . If you aren't registered, well you can fix that right now! Find out about our registration options here. On this episode, we’re fact checking the claims that Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, and earlier annexation of Crimea, are all about getting their hands...

Hey there, fellow Bullshit Fighter! This page contains some member-only content. If you're already a registered member, LOGIN HERE . If you aren't registered, well you can fix that right now! Find out about our registration options here. This month we are looking into the following stories: Economic coercion is BAD if it comes from China, but great if it comes from the USA ( AFR ) John Mearsheimer...