Decoding the Gurus
Christopher Kavanagh and Matthew Browne
An exiled Northern Irish anthropologist and a hitchhiking Australian psychologist take a close look at the contemporary crop of 'secular gurus', iconoclasts, and other exiles from the mainstream, offering their own brands of unique takes and special insights.
Leveraging two of the most diverse accents in modern podcasting, Chris and Matt dig deep into the claims, peek behind the psychological curtains, and try to figure out once and for all... What's it all About?
Join us, as we try to puzzle our way through and talk some smart-sounding smack about the intellectual giants of our age, from Jordan Peterson to Robin DiAngelo. Are they revolutionary thinkers or just grifters with delusions of grandeur?
Join us and let's find out!
Leveraging two of the most diverse accents in modern podcasting, Chris and Matt dig deep into the claims, peek behind the psychological curtains, and try to figure out once and for all... What's it all About?
Join us, as we try to puzzle our way through and talk some smart-sounding smack about the intellectual giants of our age, from Jordan Peterson to Robin DiAngelo. Are they revolutionary thinkers or just grifters with delusions of grandeur?
Join us and let's find out!
Episodes
Mentioned books
May 10, 2024 • 50min
Supplementary Materials 6: Christian Sensemaking, Hipster Race Realists, & Marijuana Pseudoscience
The podcast discusses terrible Guru crossovers, Christian-themed sensemaking by Jordan Peterson and Russell Brand, Twitch streamers not being the future of journalism, controversies around Marijuana pseudoscience, the value of debating pseudoscience, and ironic hipsterism meeting old school scientific racism.
4 snips
May 2, 2024 • 1h 11min
Interview with Flint Dibble on Pseudo Archaeology and Science Communication
Archaeologist Flint Dibble discusses debunking pseudoarchaeology, engaging with controversial figures like Graham Hancock, and the importance of effective science communication in the field. Topics include preparing for debates, navigating language choice, and redefining academic appearance to engage broader audiences.
Apr 26, 2024 • 44min
Supplementary Material 5: Spiritual UFOs, Alternative Theories of Evolution, and Atlantean Grievances
Graham Hancock, a Grievance Monger, discusses spiritual UFOs and alternative evolution theories. The podcast delves into political stances of public figures like Lex Friedman and Joe Rogan. It also explores financial struggles and unconventional money management strategies.
17 snips
Apr 22, 2024 • 3h 16min
Destiny: Debate King and/or Degenerate?
Exploring controversial figure Destiny, the podcast delves into his rise to streaming fame, political commentary, drama-infused debates, and personal boundaries. Topics include brainpower in debates, privacy challenges, and dissecting his online persona to decipher guru potential.
Apr 13, 2024 • 36min
Supplementary Material 4: Passive Aggressive Therapists, Shit-posting Monks, and Weaponised Naivety
Topics include passive aggressive therapists, shit-posting monks, ethical dilemmas in online therapy, false halos of success, secular vs. religious gurus, power of polemicists, orthodoxic atheism, reflections on intellectual humility, and important messages from the hosts.
30 snips
Apr 5, 2024 • 2h 17min
Yuval Noah Harari: Eat Bugs and Live Forever
Historian and writer Yuval Noah Harari discusses controversial topics like human augmentation, AI, mythic narratives, AI's impact on financial systems, potential immortality, free will illusion, and the shift from global order to disorder.
Mar 31, 2024 • 52min
Supplementary Material 3: Sand-worms, Anti-Capitalist Merch, and High Level Idea-Jacking
The podcast covers interesting topics like Dune 2 review, Hasan Piker's Anti-Capitalist Merch, controversy around Andrew Huberman, differential charity, high-level idea jacking, and more. It explores parallels between the middle ages and fictional world as well as power dynamics and moral ambiguity in the Dune universe. The episode also unveils contradictions in public image and delves into figures embracing Christian values in the guru sphere.
21 snips
Mar 26, 2024 • 1h 24min
Mini-Decoding: The Descent of Jordan B. Peterson
Jordan B. Peterson and Steven Bonnell discuss Jordan's evolving views, from COVID vaccine skepticism to climate change denial. They tackle the question of Nazis being right-wing and explore challenges in public health policies. The conversation delves into the complexities of addressing climate change and political ideologies, critiquing Jordan's viewpoints on historical political context.
Mar 22, 2024 • 37min
Supplementary Material 2: Dissident Dialogues, Bloodbaths, & Genocidal Debates
Exploring dissident dialogues, bloodbaths, and genocidal debates with Sam Harris devotees. Trumpian media criticism, Lex Fridman's Israel-Palestine debate, and Finkelstein vs. Destiny. Dive into dangerous ideas and the dynamics of guru idolization.
Mar 15, 2024 • 24min
Gurometer: Hasan Piker *PREVIEW*
Exploring biases and prejudices post-interview with online leader Hassan Haikou. Evaluating Neoliberal Agenda and Galaxy Brainness. Analyzing personality traits and cult-like behavior. Scrutinizing political figures and their stances. Political ideological evolution and Patreon episode preview.
