Decoding the Gurus
Episodes
Bryan Johnson: Definitely not a vampire!
11 Aug 2024
Contributed by Lukas
In this life-enhancing episode, Matt and Chris venture into the futuristic world of tech entrepreneur and biohacker Bryan Johnson, clarifying along th...
Supplementary Materials 12: Olympic Ceremonies and Presidential Candidates
04 Aug 2024
Contributed by Lukas
We tour the Guru-sphere's balanced and considered response to the Olympics Opening Ceremony and Kamala Harris replacing Biden as the Democratic presid...
Gabor Maté: Achieving Authenticity, Tackling Trauma, and Minimizing Modern Malaise
03 Aug 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Join Matt and Chris as they hunker down with the dulcet reassuring tones of Gabor Maté, the Hungarian-Canadian physician renowned for his unconventio...
Supplementary Materials 11: Alex Jones is at it again
27 Jul 2024
Contributed by Lukas
We are a little behind the news cycle with this release, so we apologise for that. For context this episode was recorded after Trump's assassination a...
Ranking the Gurus
25 Jul 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Decoding the Gurus is now a venerable institution and as such we have built up quite a menagerie of would-be gurus and even a handful of not-really gu...
Supplementary Materials 10: Rigorous Conspiracy Hypothesising about the Trump Shooting
19 Jul 2024
Contributed by Lukas
A special Supplementary Material where we take a gander at some of the reactions to the recent assassination attempt on Trump and then dig deeper with...
Dr. K (Part 2): Rhetorical Judo Flips
08 Jul 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Join Matt and Chris for a trademark 'short' episode as they continue to navigate the complex, occasionally controversial world of Dr. K in this second...
Supplementary Materials 9: Galaxy Brains Collide
06 Jul 2024
Contributed by Lukas
We get put in our place by an old champion, who reminds us why they are the king. Also this episode:Chris' post-conference thoughts on the UKMatt's&nb...
Dr. K (Part 1): OPed Ayurvedic Medicine vs. Nerfed 'Western' Allopathy
23 Jun 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Alok Kanojia, better known as Dr. K, is a charismatic psychiatrist and online streamer who offers a unique blend of psychological, self-help, and spir...
Supplementary Materials 8: Lab Leak Discourse, Toxic YouTube Dynamics, and the Metaphysics of Peppa Pig
07 Jun 2024
Contributed by Lukas
We stare into the abyss and welcome darkness into our souls as we discuss:Feedback on the Žižek episodeMiddle Aged Men's Health UpdateAlina Chan and...
Slavoj Žižek: When is a shark not a shark?
02 Jun 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Join Matt and Chris as they plunge into the heady mental universe of Slavoj Žižek, the Slovenian philosopher known for his eclectic and provocative ...
Supplementary Materials 7: Guru Oneupmanship, Hard Ad Pivots, MOOOINK, and Left Wing Populism
27 May 2024
Contributed by Lukas
We curse the dark omens emerging from the Gurusphere as we consider:The Illusion of Disciplinary BoundariesFlint Dibble Feedback and Rays of HopeRusse...
Destiny: Right to Reply
24 May 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Matt and Chris jump into the world of debates, dramas, and online personas with the ever-controversial streamer, Destiny (Steven Bonnell). We discuss ...
*Preview* Decoding Academia 27: Dark Triad Authenticity
16 May 2024
Contributed by Lukas
We do bonus episodes every month that are focused on analysing academic content or discussing research and we thought it might be useful to let new li...
Supplementary Materials 6: Christian Sensemaking, Hipster Race Realists, & Marijuana Pseudoscience
10 May 2024
Contributed by Lukas
We shake our heads in despair at some truly terrible Guru crossovers:Old Man Health Routines: Jogging, Diets, and the Pursuit of 'Wellness'Jordan Pete...
Interview with Flint Dibble on Pseudo Archaeology and Science Communication
02 May 2024
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode, join Matt and Chris as they enjoy a stimulating discussion with the archaeologist Flint Dibble. Flint recently appeared on The Joe Ro...
Supplementary Material 5: Spiritual UFOs, Alternative Theories of Evolution, and Atlantean Grievances
26 Apr 2024
Contributed by Lukas
We watch in awe as the guru-sphere grapples with a host of 'alternative' theories:Bret promotes pseudoscience on Polio and alternative theories on evo...
Destiny: Debate King and/or Degenerate?
22 Apr 2024
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode, Matt and Chris dive deep into the world of online streamers, focusing on the pioneering and controversial figure Steven Bonell II, be...
Supplementary Material 4: Passive Aggressive Therapists, Shit-posting Monks, and Weaponised Naivety
13 Apr 2024
Contributed by Lukas
We ponder whether, due to our naivety, do we actually deserve the gurus and other topics, including: Is Hasan Piker even better than we said?The ethic...
Yuval Noah Harari: Eat Bugs and Live Forever
05 Apr 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Yuval Noah Harari is a historian, a writer, and a popular 'public intellectual'. He rose to fame with Sapiens (2014), his popular science book that so...
Supplementary Material 3: Sand-worms, Anti-Capitalist Merch, and High Level Idea-Jacking
31 Mar 2024
Contributed by Lukas
We test the boundaries of the Supplementary format with a stacked third edition containing: Matt's Review of Dune 2 and the Three-Body ProblemHasan Pi...
Mini-Decoding: The Descent of Jordan B. Peterson
26 Mar 2024
Contributed by Lukas
We take a look at a recent conversation between Jordan Peterson and the streamer Steven Bonnell (AKA Destiny) and use the opportunity to reflect on Jo...
Supplementary Material 2: Dissident Dialogues, Bloodbaths, & Genocidal Debates
22 Mar 2024
Contributed by Lukas
The adventure in formatting continues with the second Supplementary Material episode, in which we:lament we don't command the same level of loyalty as...
Gurometer: Hasan Piker *PREVIEW*
15 Mar 2024
Contributed by Lukas
What happens when you try to squeeze a muscle-bound Twitch streamer into a precise measurement instrument like the Gurometer? And can it even function...
Hasan Piker: A swashbuckling Bromance
13 Mar 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Avast Ye Harties! Yar! This week be the inaugural episode of a New Streamer/Academic Guru season. Join us as we set sail with a bang and embark o...
Supplementary Material 1: Cringe Immunity & Supplemental Ethics
07 Mar 2024
Contributed by Lukas
An adventure in formatting, welcome to the inaugural Supplementary Material episode. Here we are trying to save you all from the ever-expanding intro ...
Interview with Kevin Mitchell on Agency and Evolution
06 Mar 2024
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode, Matt and Chris converse with Kevin Mitchell, an Associate Professor of Genetics and Neuroscience at Trinity College Dublin, and autho...
Sean Carroll: The Worst Guru Yet?!?
02 Mar 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Controversial physics firebrand Sean Carroll has cut a swathe through the otherwise meek and mild podcasting industry over the last few years. Known i...
Mini-Decoding: Indulgent Monologuing
28 Feb 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Sometimes our intrepid Decoders like to focus on a specific rhetorical technique or recurrent pattern that can be observed across the Gurusphere. Here...
Sam Harris: Right to Reply
17 Feb 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Sam Harris is an author, podcaster, public intellectual, ex-New Atheist, card-returning IDWer, and someone who likely needs no introduction. This is e...
The Passion of the Jordan and the Wisdom of the Bret
09 Feb 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Sometimes it's important to check in on old friends, just to make sure they're doing okay. That's the theme for today's episode. We felt it was necess...
Mini Decoding: Yuval and the Philosophers
30 Jan 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Join us for a mini decoding to get us back into the swing of things as we examine a viral clip that had religious reactionaries, sensemakers, and acad...
DTG's Face to Face Reflections 2024
19 Jan 2024
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode, our intrepid hosts embrace a rare opportunity for sincere self-reflection, spurred by a face-to-face meeting in an inspiring ryokan i...
Mini-Decoding: Huberman on the Vaccine-Autism Controversy
28 Dec 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Andrew Huberman, Stanford academic and host of a science-themed podcast, recently released an episode on Autism with guest Dr. Karen Parker. Consideri...
Sam Harris: Transcending it All?
24 Dec 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Sam Harris is the subject today and a man who needs no introduction. Although he's come up and he's come on, we've never actually (technically) decode...
DTG Christmas Quiz 2023 with Helen Lewis
22 Dec 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Seasons greetings from Decoding the Gurus!Time to grab a hot chocolate, cosy up to the fire, and wrack your brain to see how much attention you've bee...
Red Scare: Bohemian Hipsterism x Reactionary Tradcaths
08 Dec 2023
Contributed by Lukas
In today's joyous episode, we saunter into the loft apartment, take a draw on our gauloise, and glance icily into a world of bohemian hipsters living ...
Interview with Daniël Lakens and Smriti Mehta on the state of Psychology
18 Nov 2023
Contributed by Lukas
We are back with more geeky academic discussion than you can shake a stick at. This week we are doing our bit to save civilization by discussing issue...
Andrew Huberman and Peter Attia: Self-enhancement, supplements & doughnuts?
09 Nov 2023
Contributed by Lukas
In a kind of meta cross-over with our Decoding Academia series, we're going to decode a journal club discussion between two well-known health optimise...
Interview with Julia Ebner: Extremist Networks & Radicalisation
16 Oct 2023
Contributed by Lukas
On this week's episode, we have an extended interview with author and researcher, Julia Ebner. Julia is a Senior Resident Research Fellow at the Insti...
Triggernometry's Big Moment: Entering the Guru Galaxy
03 Oct 2023
Contributed by Lukas
In modern online ecosystems, attention and download metrics reign supreme. Sadly, the gurus are not immune to these incentives, with even the most suc...
Interview with the Conspirituality Trio: Navigating the Chakras of Conspiracy
19 Sep 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Back in the early days of the podcast, we tried to take a rest from the wearisome repetition of polemical partisan gurus by covering JP Sears- an alte...
Andrew Huberman: Forest Bathing in Negative Ions
06 Sep 2023
Contributed by Lukas
We are back with a moderate-sized Decoding that focuses on Andrw Hubernman a baritone podcaster and neuroscientist at the Stanford University School o...
Noam Chomsky: Lover of linguistics, the USA... not so much
18 Aug 2023
Contributed by Lukas
OK, so we're finally getting around to taking a chunk out of the prodigious, prolific, and venerable Noam Chomsky. Linguist, cognitive scientist, medi...
The Science and the Art of Gurometry
22 Jul 2023
Contributed by Lukas
The casual listener, who might possibly not be a loyal Patreon subscriber, or might hypothetically not listen devotedly to every Gurometer scoring epi...
Mick West & Eric Weinstein: UFO Tango
14 Jul 2023
Contributed by Lukas
We are back with a double-bill decoding! That's right like moths to the flame, or aliens to a Unified Geometric Field drive, we are back in Weinstein ...
Interview with Jonathan Howard on Covid Contrarians
23 Jun 2023
Contributed by Lukas
The pandemic was a confusing time with public health messages from officials and institutions that were sometimes confused, conflicting, or misreprese...
"Mini" Decoding of Michael Shermer's Advice on Conspiracy Theories
21 Jun 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Michael Shermer, a professional skeptic, recently appeared on the noted apolitical podcast Triggernometry to outline his advice on How to Spot a True ...
Interview with Mick West: UFOs, Aliens, and Conspiracy Psychology
17 Jun 2023
Contributed by Lukas
UFOs are all the rage now, and it's certainly a topic that excites many of our gurus *cough* <Eric Weinstein>. Hidden mysteries, advanced techno...
Eliezer Yudkowksy: AI is going to kill us all
10 Jun 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Thought experiment: Imagine you're a human, in a box, surrounded by an alien civilisation, but you don't like the aliens, because they have facilities...
Interview with Renée DiResta: Online Ecosystems, Disinformation, & Censorship Debates
20 May 2023
Contributed by Lukas
We are joined by Renée DiResta a writer and researcher at the Stanford Internet Observatory. Renée has done a lot of interesting work on disinformat...
Christopher Hitchens: Rhetoric, Religion, and Ramadan
15 May 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Our short-lived Christopher Hitchens ends in our second episode and full-length decoding of the punchy Brit. This time we are examining one of his wel...
Interview with Matt Johnson on Christopher Hitchens
09 May 2023
Contributed by Lukas
We are back for an interview with the author and independent writer Matt Johnson discussing the New Atheist hero and legendary debater, Christopher Hi...
Oprah Winfrey: Self Actualising Your Destiny
16 Apr 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Oprah Winfrey is someone who truly needs no introduction. She's a legend of daytime television, a warm and charismatic juggernaut who steam-rolled her...
"Mini" Decoding of Matthew Goodwin & Interview with Paul Bloom
08 Apr 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Apologies everyone, we've been compelled to break our 'golden rule' of interspersing decoding episodes with interview episodes. However, the opportuni...
Interview with Travis View: QANon & Modern Conspiracies
25 Mar 2023
Contributed by Lukas
If you have managed to avoid the phenomenon of QAnon up until now, then congratulations! Your life is likely better for not knowing. Sadly many of us ...
Interview with Worobey, Andersen & Holmes: The Lab Leak
11 Mar 2023
Contributed by Lukas
The question of the SARS-CoV-2 origin: whether it was a zoonotic spillover from a wet market, or an engineered virus that escaped from the Wuhan Insti...
Dave Rubin: A Pointless Partisan Pundit
08 Mar 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Dave Rubin has always sought out a career in the spotlight, beginning with stand-up comedy and then becoming a pundit (of sorts) on shows like the You...
Bill Maher: A boozy, stoned, liberal take on classic anti-vax tropes
25 Feb 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Bill Maher is an American comedian, political commentator, and television host from the tail end of the baby-boomer generation. He's principally a cen...
Daniel Dennett: It's Evolution Baby
02 Feb 2023
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode, we take a bit of a detour from current trends and examine a talk by the philosopher Daniel Dennett on evolution. Dennett rose to publ...
"Mini" Decoding of Konstantin Kisin's Oxford Union speech
21 Jan 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Recently the Oxford Union (based in Oxford but distinct from the university) hosted a debate on "whether woke culture has gone too far". A very fresh ...
Interview with Coffeezilla on Cryptocurrencies, NFTs, and modern scammers
14 Jan 2023
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode we are joined by the irrepressible "Coffeezilla" (aka Stephen Findeisen), a man who is, it's fair to say, kind of a big deal on YouTu...
Elon Musk: The Techno Shaman
29 Dec 2022
Contributed by Lukas
So here we are rounding off 2022 with a Guru of the moment, Elon Musk.Trust us, we want to stop hearing about him as much as you do but we have long h...
DTG Christmas Special 2022 with Helen Lewis
27 Dec 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Join us for this special festive episode in which we initiate the fledgling Gurologist (and occasional journalist and author) Helen Lewis into the dee...
Guru Right to Reply with Jamie Wheal
10 Dec 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Today we are joined by Jamie Wheal, who comprised a full one-third of the subjects covered on our prior "Sensemaking Cubed" episode also featuring Dan...
Interview with Manvir Singh on Gurus & Shamans
17 Nov 2022
Contributed by Lukas
We are back with another academic-themed interview with the evolutionary/cultural/cognitive anthropologist Manvir Singh. That's right two anthropologi...
Robin DiAngelo: Matt and Chris struggle with their fragility
02 Nov 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Racism is all around. It surrounds us and penetrates us; it binds white people together. And if you try to deny it, it only makes it stronger. That's ...
Interview with Konstantin Kisin from Triggernometry on Heterodoxy, Biases, and the Media
16 Oct 2022
Contributed by Lukas
An interesting one today with an extended interview/discussion with Konstantin Kisin co-host of the Triggernometry YouTube channel and Podcast and aut...
Peterson, Murray & Pageau: Transcendent Tableware
01 Oct 2022
Contributed by Lukas
In this bitesize decoding, a conservative columnist, a religious icon carver, and a tortured ex-psychologist walk into a Daily Wire studio and try to ...
Interview with Neil Levy on Intellectual Virtue Signalling
27 Sep 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Fellow decoders: a few weeks ago Chris and Matt were invited to virtually attend a lecture at Macquarie University that promised to be of interest for...
Daniel Schmachtenberger, Jamie Wheal & Jordan Hall: Making Sense about Making Sense of Sensemaking
14 Sep 2022
Contributed by Lukas
It's finally here! In what has to be our most meta episode to date, Matt and Chris tackle the meta-philosophy / meta-spirituality / meta-science that ...
Interview with Helen Lewis on culture wars and religion, that Jordan Peterson interview, and gurus generally
03 Sep 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Today Chris and Matt are visited by Helen Lewis, a journalist, editor, and writer with what could very fairly be described as a rather distinguished c...
Interview with Dan Friesen from Knowledge Fight on Alex Jones, the Sandy Hook Trial, and conspiracy ecosystems
27 Aug 2022
Contributed by Lukas
A special crossover episode (long anticipated- at least by us) with one-half of the Knowledge Fight podcast. Specifically, we have Dan Friesen on to e...
John Vervaeke & Jonathan Pageau: Decoding the Demons
21 Aug 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Ahead of the forthcoming sense-making full course decoding of Jordan Hall, Daniel Schmactenberger, and Jamie Wheal (see here!), we offer a bite-sized ...
Interview with Elgen Strait on the Unification Church and the assassination of Shinzo Abe
20 Aug 2022
Contributed by Lukas
This episode is a little bit of this and a little bit of that.The main portion of the episode features an interview with returning guest, Elgen Strait...
Special: Guru Right to Reply with Robert Wright
31 Jul 2022
Contributed by Lukas
As per Section 7, paragraph 3, item 2 in the Gurometer Constitution and User Manual states, "All covered gurus shall have a Right to Reply" and Robert...
Recoding Jordan Peterson: Think again, Sunshine!
24 Jul 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Matt and Chris are back in the headspace of the Alchemical Lemon, Jordan Peterson, with what was supposed to be a shorter format decoding episode. Yo...
*Patreon Preview* Lex and Haidt: Gurometer Ratings
10 Jul 2022
Contributed by Lukas
What's this? Another episode?Well, sort of...Providing both a tantalising peak behind the Patreon curtain and an apology for the delayed release, we d...
Lex Fridman & Jonathan Haidt: The Techno Monk & The Social Scientist
08 Jul 2022
Contributed by Lukas
First, we apologise sincerely for the delayed-release. Matt and Chris have been busy beavers splicing together this decoding which proved particular ...
Interview with Nathan Allebach on Online Brands, Weird Twitter & that Steak Umms Account
11 Jun 2022
Contributed by Lukas
In a way, we're all managing our personal brand in the infosphere aren't we? But Nathan Allebach, in a far more tangible way, really does manage brand...
Jaron Lanier: Fear of an Algorithmic Planet
30 May 2022
Contributed by Lukas
The season of tech is upon us! Hold on to your hats and press those non-fungible tokens tightly to your bosom, because we are getting into the thick o...
*Patreon Preview* Decoding Academia 8: Monkey see, Monkey do?
24 May 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Ahead of the Jaron Lanier episode a special preview episode of our ongoing Decoding Academia series.This week Matt and Chris take a look at a classic ...
Interview with Michael Inzlicht on the Replication Crisis, Mindfulness, and Responsible Heterodoy
20 May 2022
Contributed by Lukas
It's been a while but don't worry the DtG elves have been hard at work and a veritable bounty of content is on its way. The long-promised Jaron Lanier...
Very Bad Gurus with David Pizarro & Tamler Sommers
29 Apr 2022
Contributed by Lukas
In the most ambitious crossover since the Fraggles met the Muppets, this week we have a special joint episode with moral psychologist David Pizzaro an...
Interview with Timbah Toast on his Tim Pool Documentary & Scooby Doo Partisans
23 Apr 2022
Contributed by Lukas
This week's episode we have an extended interview with an independent decoder, the YouTube documentary maker, Timbah-on-Toast. A kindred spirit in man...
Reverend Sun Myung Moon: Absolute Decoding
09 Apr 2022
Contributed by Lukas
This week we return one more time to the disturbing world of Reverend Sun Myung Moon's Unification Church, also known as the 'Moonies', this time with...
Interview with Elgen Strait on growing up in the Moonies & cultish manipulation
31 Mar 2022
Contributed by Lukas
This episode is the first of two linked episodes in which we delve into the disturbing world of Reverend Sun Myung Moon's Unification Church also know...
Interview with Julian Walker on Conspirituality, Conspiracies and (Global) Culture Wars
26 Mar 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Another interview episode - we've had a flurry recently but don't worry, we'll be returning to a good ol' fashioned decoding episode very soon. This w...
Interview with Josh Szeps, The Rumble from Downunder
17 Mar 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Hot on the heels of our Joe Rogan Trilogy, the big red phone at Decoder HQ rang with an intriguing proposal. Well, it was more of a DM, and it said,"H...
James Lindsay & Michael O'Fallon: Eating bugs for Feminist Glaciology
06 Mar 2022
Contributed by Lukas
This is an important episode. 2022 you needs to realise what 2020 you could not and what 2030 you is ready to tell you. Confused? You will be.On this ...
Interview with Liam Bright on Scientific Orthodoxy, Reform Efforts & DTG's Philosophy
03 Mar 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Today we have a little mid-week treat, ahead of our next decoding episode, a discussion with the philosopher and Leverhulme Prize Winning Twitter sens...
Interview with Virginia Heffernan on Edge, the dangers of Scientism, & Culture Wars
26 Feb 2022
Contributed by Lukas
On this week's show we have a broad ranging discussion with the well known journalist and author Virginia Heffernan. Virginia has written a bunch on t...
Robert Wright: A Cosmic Journey Across the Bob-o-verse
19 Feb 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Matt and Chris finally leave the Rogan-verse behind, activate their Infinite Improbability Drive, and blast off for the Bob-o-verse. In an off-again /...
Interview: Debunking (Antivaxx) Funk with Dr Dan Wilson
11 Feb 2022
Contributed by Lukas
This week we speak to fellow traveller, kindred spirit, and vaccine misinformation debunker, Dr Dan Wilson. Yes, we know we've talked SO much about an...
Special: Joe Rogan 'Sorry, not Sorry'
04 Feb 2022
Contributed by Lukas
To cap off our impromptu mini-series focusing on the Rogan-verse we take a critical look at Joe's short (non) apology video responding to the Spotify ...
*Patreon Preview* Malone & McCullough: Gurometer Ratings
28 Jan 2022
Contributed by Lukas
This week a bonus Gurometer episode has sneaked out from behind the golden curtain of the DTG Patreon pay wall.We aren't out of the Rogan-verse yet. O...
Robert Malone & Peter McCullough: A litany of untruths
13 Jan 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Matt and Chris return to the Joe Rogan-verse much quicker than they would have liked to take a critical eye to two recent episodes (6 more hours!!!) o...
*Patreon Preview* Decoding Academia #2: False Positive Psychology
30 Dec 2021
Contributed by Lukas
The New Year is upon us and the gurologists thought they should contribute to the holiday cheer in the only way they can... releasing a rambling podca...
Joe Rogan: Just an average Joe?
18 Dec 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Joe Rogan is a world famous podcaster, a martial artist, a stand-up comedian, a MMA commentator, co-founder of the Onnit supplement company, the ex-ho...
Special: Guru Right to Reply with Chris Williamson
10 Dec 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Listeners might remember Chris Williamson from our episode on Gad Saad. He was the former love island contestant who interviewed Gad and appeared to h...