The Podcast of the Lotus Eaters

The Podcast of the Lotus Eaters #1331

Jan 13, 2026
Carl and Beau tackle the challenges faced by liberal women, critiquing performative protests and the rise of modern political zealotry. They delve into Nadhim Zahawi's defection to Reform UK, questioning his motives and the implications for the party. The conversation shifts to the peculiarities of Crypto Twitter and its relationship with Twitter's algorithm, examining the impact of shadowbanning and audience engagement. With humor and insight, they explore the broader landscape of political activism and social media dynamics.
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INSIGHT

Guilt-Driven Performative Activism

  • A small subset of white liberal women adopt extreme performative activism driven by bottled guilt and ideological zealotry.
  • Carl Benjamin argues this mimics a distorted religion of original sin without forgiveness, producing harmful behaviour.
ANECDOTE

The 'I'm Just A Mom' Confrontation

  • Beau describes a woman who chased ICE agents and pleaded "I'm just a mom" when confronted, showing misplaced heroism.
  • Carl and Beau use the incident to illustrate how performative activism can endanger individuals and families.
ADVICE

Do Local Practical Community Work

  • Do local community work instead of grand ideological interventions if you want meaningful impact.
  • Carl recommends focusing on practical neighbourly help rather than confronting law enforcement scenarios.
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