Truth, Tyranny, and the Fight for Cognitive Freedom: Jan Jekielek on Media, Morality, and the Battle for the Human Mind with Joe Polish

Jan 9, 2026

In this thought-provoking discussion, Jan Jekielek, a senior editor at The Epoch Times and expert on human rights and cognitive liberty, shares essential insights on the threats posed by information warfare and authoritarian regimes. He discusses the alarming claims of forced organ harvesting in China and the ethical dilemmas surrounding Western partnerships. Jan argues for inner freedom through practices like meditation, asserting that spiritual resilience is a potent form of resistance. Additionally, he highlights the risks of AI and TikTok in shaping public perception, underscoring the need for cognitive resilience in today's world.

Ask episode

AI Snips

Chapters

Books

Transcript

Episode notes

ANECDOTE

Hot-Mic Revelation And Organ Harvesting

Jan Jekielek recounts the Tiananmen hot-mic where leaders joked about longevity and Project 981.
He connects it to China’s alleged elite-driven transplant program and decades of reporting on forced organ harvesting.

INSIGHT

State Incentives Fueled Rapid Transplants

Jan links the surge in China’s transplant industry (2000–2005) to incarceration of spiritual groups and state incentives.
He uses cases like a rapid two-week heart transplant to show how systemic organ sourcing likely occurred.

INSIGHT

Information Warfare Is The New Battlefield

Jan argues the primary contemporary battlefield is information warfare, powered by algorithms and AI.
He warns that curated AI results can shape mass belief with Orwellian potency if unchecked.

Get the Snipd Podcast app to discover more snips from this episode

Get the app

Joe Polish sits down with Epoch Times senior editor Jan Jekielek for a wide-ranging conversation on information warfare, cognitive liberty, and why inner freedom threatens authoritarian control. They also discuss allegations surrounding forced organ harvesting, propaganda mechanics, and practical resilience practices—from meditation to "touch grass"—for Entrepreneurs living in an increasingly AI-shaped world.

Here's a glance at what you'll discover in this episode:

How a small team of Chinese-American journalists founded The Epoch Times to expose the lie behind the "China will liberalize" narrative, and why Jan says their mission matters more today than ever.
Inside Project 981, the Chinese Communist Party's secret plan for elite "longevity science," and the chilling hot-mic moment between Xi Jinping and Vladimir Putin that said the quiet part out loud.
Jan recounts documented reports on China's forced organ harvesting allegations, including one surgeon's story of discovering the practice after a patient received a new heart in just two weeks.
How, according to Jan, Western partnerships in organ transplantation raise serious ethical questions and why he believes cutting ties is a moral imperative.
Why Jan warns that today's global battlefield is informational where AI, TikTok, and curated algorithms can be used to shape public perception at scale.
Why tyrannical systems fear meditation and faith more than weapons, and how inner stillness becomes an act of rebellion against totalitarian control.
How spiritual practice and connection to something higher protect individuals from propaganda, despair, and psychological warfare.
The dangerous rise of pathocratic systems where psychopaths rise to power through distorted incentives, and how to stay human in an inhuman age.
The line between good and evil that runs through every human heart, and why moral clarity starts with what you choose to fill yourself with each day.
From regenerative farming to "touching grass," Jan's surprising solution for reclaiming humanity in a digital world addicted to artificial connection.
Why The Epoch Times refuses to be a "bleeds-it-leads" outlet, and how honest journalism can still leave readers more hopeful, not more afraid.

If you'd like to join world-renowned Entrepreneurs at the next Genius Network® Event – then apply today for your invitation to attend at https://geniusnetwork.com.