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 27, 2024 • 37min
Supplementary Materials 7: Guru Oneupmanship, Hard Ad Pivots, MOOOINK, and Left Wing Populism
Ken Klippenstein, a journalist known for questioning mainstream narratives, discusses topics like populist rhetoric, hard ad pivots, MOOOINK, and left-wing populism. The podcast delves into guru oneupmanship, the illusion of disciplinary boundaries, and the challenges faced in navigating ethical dilemmas in journalism.
14 snips
May 24, 2024 • 2h 4min
Destiny: Right to Reply
Controversial streamer Destiny discusses 'debate porn', Twitter bomb-throwing, hero worship, and engaging with extremists. Topics include media literacy, navigating online discourse, and strategies for laypeople to better engage with research.
May 16, 2024 • 30min
*Preview* Decoding Academia 27: Dark Triad Authenticity
In this podcast preview, the hosts discuss dark personality traits like narcissism and psychopathy and their impact on authenticity. They explore cultural differences in self-conception, reflect on Logan Roy from Succession, and debate about labels in psychology. The episode features a paper on authenticity in high dark trait individuals and is available for Patreon subscribers. The hosts also engage in banter, discuss AI assistants' impact on social relationships, and navigate the intersection of authenticity and dark triad traits.
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.
