Historical Blindness

In this episode, I recount TikTok's recent brush with rapture predictions and then survey America's deep history of failed millennialist predictions of the Second Coming and the end of the world. Check out ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠the show merch⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, perfect for gifts!  ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Pledge support on Patreon to get an ad-free feed with exclusive episodes!⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Check out my novel, Manuscript Found!⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Direct all advertising inquiries to ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠advertising@airwavemedia.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. Visit ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.airwavemedia.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ to find other high-quality podcasts! Some music in this episode was licensed under a Blue Dot Sessions blanket license at the time of publication. Tracks include "Gemeni Mist," "Cicle Gerano," "Game Lands," "Cherry Heath," "Cicle Vascule," "The Gran Dias," and "Black Ballots." Additional music, including "Remedy for Melancholy," by Kai Engel, licensed under Creative Commons (CC BY 4.0) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this year's season premiere, I return to my series on the myths and legends of the Indiana Jones franchise, this time examining the ideas underpinning the recent video game, Indiana Jones and the Great Circle, leading me to all kinds of claims about ancient landmarks aligning and their origin in the concept of ley lines. Check out ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠the show merch⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, perfect for gifts!  ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Pledge support on Patreon to get an ad-free feed with exclusive episodes!⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Check out my novel, Manuscript Found!⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Direct all advertising inquiries to ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠advertising@airwavemedia.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. Visit ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.airwavemedia.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ to find other high-quality podcasts! Some music in this episode was licensed under a Blue Dot Sessions blanket license at the time of publication. Tracks include "Cicle DR Valga," "JoDon," "Access Road 442," "Game Lands," "Aloscape 2," and "Vellum and Steel." Additional music, including "Remedy for Melancholy," "Smoldering," "Sentinel," "daemones," and "Cold War Echo," by Kai Engel, licensed under Creative Commons (CC BY 4.0) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Dive into a holiday special that explores the contradictions within the Gospels regarding Jesus's lineage and parentage. Discover how genealogies were shaped to claim a divine descent and the virgin birth's rhetorical significance. Hear about the influences of biblical mistranslations, the portrayal of Jesus across different Gospels, and fascinating comparisons of Jesus to both John the Baptist and pagan myths. This insightful discussion emphasizes reading the Gospels as literary works rather than strict histories, revealing the interplay of tradition and storytelling.

This week I'm sharing an episode of a new podcast from CBC, called The Devil You Know. In The Devil You Know, Sarah Marshall explores the tangled web of the Satanic Panic, a journey that will take you everywhere from Victoria, B.C. to rural Kentucky to San Antonio, Texas. This is a show about the people who experienced the Satanic Panic in real-time—the believers, the skeptics, the bystanders, the wrongfully-convicted. What was it like to be a psychologist told to look for Satanists in every case; a mother slowly recovering memories of supposed Satanic abuse; a teenager accused of conspiracy to murder? The stories of these eyewitnesses point us toward the real underlying problems—individual and societal—that the Panic was a response to. The fault, as ever, was not with Satanists, but in ourselves. You can find The Devil You Know at https://link.mgln.ai/AANxHB Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In the conclusion of my series on the moral panics of the eighties, I look at the development of the Satanic Panic and consider its resurgence today. This episode is sponsored by American History Tellers: The Mayflower and American Scandal: The West Memphis Three. Binge all episodes of both series right now on Wonder+. Check out ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠the show merch⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, perfect for gifts!  ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Pledge support on Patreon to get an ad-free feed with exclusive episodes!⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Check out my novel, Manuscript Found!⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Direct all advertising inquiries to ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠advertising@airwavemedia.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. Visit ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.airwavemedia.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ to find other high-quality podcasts! Some music in this episode was licensed under a Blue Dot Sessions blanket license at the time of publication. Tracks include "Cicle DR Valga." All eighties-style synthwave music, including tracks "Unsolved Mystery," "80s Sci Fi Movie Theme," "Virtual Death," "Oculus," "Game Over," "Wicked City," "The Call," and "Doomsday," is by Karl Casey of White Bat Audio, licensed under a Creative Commons attribution license. Additional music, including "Remedy for Melancholy" and "Chance," is by Kai Engel, licensed under Creative Commons (CC BY 4.0) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode, I look at the development of the Stranger Danger moral panic as a precursor to right wing conspiracist claims today. This episode is sponsored by American History Tellers: The Mayflower. Binge all episodes early and ad-free right now on Wondery+. Get 3 months of premium wireless service for $15 bucks a month at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠MintMobile.com/Blindness⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Check out ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠the show merch⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, perfect for gifts!  ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Pledge support on Patreon to get an ad-free feed with exclusive episodes!⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Check out my novel, Manuscript Found!⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Direct all advertising inquiries to ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠advertising@airwavemedia.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. Visit ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.airwavemedia.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ to find other high-quality podcasts! Some music in this episode was licensed under a Blue Dot Sessions blanket license at the time of publication. Tracks include "Access Road 214," "Dawn Line Approaching," "Cicle Deserrat," "Tarte Tatin," "Brimevil," and "Cicle DR Valga." Additional music, including "Remedy for Melancholy and "Low Horizon," is by Kai Engel, licensed under Creative Commons (CC BY 4.0) Other music: "Leaving Home" by Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode, I tell the story of a hysteria in 1970s London, involving claims of ghosts, Satanists, and vampires, as well as two dueling magicians. Get 3 months of premium wireless service for $15 bucks a month at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠MintMobile.com/Blindness⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Check out ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠the show merch⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, perfect for gifts!  ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Pledge support on Patreon to get an ad-free feed with exclusive episodes!⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Check out my novel, Manuscript Found!⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Direct all advertising inquiries to ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠advertising@airwavemedia.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. Visit ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.airwavemedia.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ to find other high-quality podcasts! Some music in this episode was licensed under a Blue Dot Sessions blanket license at the time of publication. Tracks include "Lacaille," "Access Road 214," "Balck Ballots," "Game Lands," "Olivia Wraith," "Cover Letter," and "Cicle Deserrat." Additional music, including "Remedy for Melancholy," is by Kai Engel, licensed under Creative Commons (CC BY 4.0) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode, I tell the story of a haunting in Bavaria that was claimed to be the first in which paranormal phenomena was scientifically observed. The Rosenheim Poltergeist claim is a perfect case for examining the ghost story generally, its history, and the pseudoscience of parapsychology. Get 3 months of premium wireless service for $15 bucks a month at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠MintMobile.com/Blindness⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Check out ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠the show merch⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, perfect for gifts!  ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Pledge support on Patreon to get an ad-free feed with exclusive episodes!⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Check out my novel, Manuscript Found!⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Direct all advertising inquiries to ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠advertising@airwavemedia.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. Visit ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.airwavemedia.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ to find other high-quality podcasts! Some music in this episode was licensed under a Blue Dot Sessions blanket license at the time of publication. Tracks include "Zeriba Village," "Service Road 237," "Access Road 214," "Winter in Black," and "Nervous Whisp." Additional music, including "Remedy for Melancholy," and "daedalus," is by Kai Engel, licensed under Creative Commons (CC BY 4.0) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this new episode, I talk about America's long history of resenting domestic policing by the military especially when the military is used against citizen protesters, from the Boston Massacre to the Gilded Age. Get 3 months of premium wireless service for $15 bucks a month at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠MintMobile.com/Blindness⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Check out ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠the show merch⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, perfect for gifts!  ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Pledge support on Patreon to get an ad-free feed with exclusive episodes!⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Check out my novel, Manuscript Found!⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Direct all advertising inquiries to ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠advertising@airwavemedia.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. Visit ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.airwavemedia.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ to find other high-quality podcasts! Some music in this episode is licensed through a Blue Dot Sessions blanket license active at the time of the episode's publication. Blue Dot Sessions tracks include Cicle DR Valga, Borough, Horror the Gatekeeper, Delicates, Uncertain Ground, and Small World Reveals. Additional music, including Remedy for Melancholy, Oecumene Sleeps, Periculum, and Sentinel, are by Kai Engel, licensed through a Creative Commons Attribution license (CC BY 4.0) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

After Texas's recent mid-decade partisan redistricting, representing a blatant power grab for the Republican Party undertaken at Trump's behest, I search for precedents and historical parallels and examine the history of gerrymandering in the US. Get 3 months of premium wireless service for $15 bucks a month at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠MintMobile.com/Blindness⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Check out ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠the show merch⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, perfect for gifts!  ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Pledge support on Patreon to get an ad-free feed with exclusive episodes!⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Check out my novel, Manuscript Found!⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Direct all advertising inquiries to ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠advertising@airwavemedia.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. Visit ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.airwavemedia.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ to find other high-quality podcasts! Some music on this episode was licensed under a Blue Dot Sessions blanket license at the time of this episode's publication. Tracks include "Cicle DR Valga," Tarte Tatin," "The Griffiths," "Palms Down," "Voyager," "Bauxite," and "Illa Vallardo." Additional music, including "Remedy for Melancholy" is by Kai Engel, licensed under Creative Commons. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices