Show notes
Today I welcome back conflict historian Matt Osborne for his third appearance on the show — and our first since meeting in person at the Genspect conference in Albuquerque. Matt writes at The Distance Magazine, reviews books for Genspect, and brings a perspective to the gender critical movement that almost no one else in our space has: the long view of someone trained to study why human beings fight, kill, and build civilizations — and why they sometimes destroy them.What is a military historian doing in this fight? Matt's answer takes us from a pivotal conversation with a tenured professor about sex difference and primitive warfare, to his realization that gender ideology and the ideologies that drive war are operating from the same playbook — what he calls "activist mysticism," the belief that saying the right magical words can bend reality to your will.From there we cover an enormous amount of ground: how transgender ideology hollows out a nation's ability to defend itself, why pacifism makes you less safe rather than more, Ibn Khaldun's cycle of hard times and soft men, the role of ideology in giving people permission to commit violence, and why Hollywood's "girl boss" era has gutted franchise after franchise by erasing sex difference. We talk about Audrey Hale, Pol Pot, World War II rifleman training, Brazilian jujitsu, Project Hail Mary, Outlander vs. Bridgerton, and Thucydides' three causes of war — fear, honor, and interest.We close on what gives Matt hope: kids who are voluntarily turning back toward analog things, tabletop games, paper books, and the old idea that you go outside until dinner. The questions this conversation aims to explore: What happens to a civilization that can no longer defend itself? Why does ideology — any ideology — eventually end in violence? And is it possible to win this fight without losing what makes us human in the process?Matt Osborne is a US Army veteran and a former Democrat. He was featured in a 2020 documentary by Andrew Rossi called “After Truth”. The documentary is about his outsider campaign in the 2017 Alabama special senate election that sent Doug Jones to Washington. Matt left the party over gender identity politics in 2018. Since then, he has earned a master’s degree in military history and become an outspoken critic of gender identity politics. He is a book reviewer for Genspect and he has three websites. He covers transgender issues at The Distance Magazine.-The Distance Magazine — gender critical writing -Polemology — the study of war -Osborne Ink — politics, culture, and everything outside gender and warFollow Matt on X @OsborneInk, @PolemologyFix, and @DistMag.[00:00:00] Start[00:08:28] Marx As Mystic And The Roots Of Ideology[00:10:25] How Gender Ideology Hollows Out The Military[00:17:24] Is Vs. Ought And The Inevitability Of War[00:21:48] Ibn Khaldun's Cycle Of Hard Times[00:28:23] Why Learning To Fight Makes You Peaceful[00:36:15] Gender Ideology As Psychological Warfare[00:40:39] Sex Differences In Conflict And Hierarchy[00:50:35] The Girl Boss And Hollywood's Decline[00:59:09] Why Historical Fiction Tells The Truth[01:06:30] Documenting An Ideological War[01:09:05] Permission, Riflemen, And Violence[01:21:17] Thucydides: Fear, Honor, And Interest[01:25:37] Restoring Sports And A Positive Future[01:32:06] The Kids Are Going AnalogROGD REPAIR Course + Community gives concerned parents instant access to over 120 lessons providing the psychological insights and communication tools you need to get through to your kid. Now featuring 24/7 personalized AI support implementing the tools with RepairBot! Use code SOMETHERAPIST2026 to take 50% off your first month.PODCOURSES: use code SOMETHERAPIST at LisaMustard.com/PodCoursesPRODUCTION: Looking for your own podcast producer? Visit PodsByNick.com and mention my podcast for 20% off your initial services.MUSIC: Thanks to Joey Pecoraro for our song, “Half Awake,” used with gratitude & permission. ALL OTHER LINKS HERE.
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