Decoding the Gurus
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!
Episodes
Matt and Chris once again take up their oars and plunge deeper into the recursive whirlpools of contemporary sensemaking. Picking up where Part 1 left off, having grappled with conscience, touchstones, hierarchies, and normativity, we return to the sensemaking labyrinth to see just how many more words and concepts the combined powers of Peterson, Vervaeke, and Hall can stretch to breaking point.
This second leg of the voyage allows ...
Why are we never invited to these dinners? We wonder if it was something we said or if our invitation just got lost in the mail, as we endure the inevitable discourse wave that followed in the wake of Charlie Kirk's murder.
The full episode is available to Patreon subscribers (2 hours, 21 minutes).
Join us at: https://www.patreon.com/DecodingTheGurus
Supplementary Material 37
00:00 Introduction
01:10 Cooking Gurus?
05:39 S...
Join Matt and Chris as they enter an intellectual labyrinth of recursive sensemaking featuring the combined insights of Jordan Peterson, John Vervaeke, and Jordan Hall. You will learn about many, many deep and complex concepts and puzzle over definitions of conscience, the vertical hierarchy, value, normativity, goals & ideals, quests, the ultimate unifying meta-narrative, self-sacrifice, and touchstones.
With frequent excursion...
We risk contamination with toxic mould, endure distressing initiation rituals to a comedy cult, and ponder if the narratives we have received about the Nazis have enough nuance.
The full episode is available to Patreon subscribers (2 hours, 21 minutes).
Join us at: https://www.patreon.com/DecodingTheGurus
Supplementary Material 36
00:00 Introduction and an Intervention
01:59 Tomatoes, Holidays, and Hollywood Remakes
06:15 AI x Indulgent ...
We face a disciplinary crisis as the twin pillars of Game Theory and Gurometry are called into question.
The full episode is available to Patreon subscribers (1 hour, 35 minutes).
Join us at: https://www.patreon.com/DecodingTheGurus
Supplementary Material 35
00:05 Introduction
01:52 Matt's Apology
06:55 Just Life...
12:34 Matt's Foodie Corner
14:01 Dedunking Dan Richards finds Sabine
16:37 Sabine cultivates parasocial defenders
...
In this watery simulation of an episode, Matt and Chris uncover the true purpose of Scott Adams’ existence: not to shape reality, but to provide training data for future AIs working on plumbing-related problems. Somewhere in a cosmic server farm, Scott is endlessly confronted with blocked drains, dripping faucets, and municipal water conspiracies, while his “insights” fuel the next generation of household maintenance bots.
Against t...
In this episode, we immerse ourselves in the potent juices of the manosphere with British journalist and author James Bloodworth. James recently published Lost Boys: A Personal Journey Through the Manosphere and takes us on a whirlwind tour of various misogynistic and anti-feminist subcultures, including pickup artists, incels, and the blue, red, and black pill communities. Drawing on his personal experiences and research, James di...
We drown in waves of ideological fluidity as the gurusphere continues to crash all around us.
Supplementary Material 34
00:00 Introduction
01:26 Irish Stew and Dog Exercise Report
03:45 A new 276 IQ Genius
11:47 Fresh and Fit Antisemitism
16:51 Are things getting dumber?
21:22 Asmongold on the Epstein Files
24:53 Epstein Conspiratorial Discourse helps Ghislaine Maxwell
29:00 Vinay Prasad resigns from his MAGA position
31:17 Eric Weinstein is...
In this exhausting deep dive, Matt and Chris take a break from counting their billionaire stipends to devote (what some might call) an inordinate amount of time to Gary Stevenson’s recent appearance with a challenging interviewer: Tomás from Despolariza. They grapple with the indeterminacy of Schrödinger’s Gary, who oscillates between being an economic and mathematical genius revealing what THEY don’t want you to know on YouTube, a...
In this mini-decoding, Matt and Chris examine Sabine Hossenfelder's recent fervent defence of Eric Weinstein and her sharp rebuke of his critics, including Sean Carroll. Sabine suggests that Eric poses a genuine threat to the physics establishment and that he is terrifying them by exposing their weak points. Moreover, according to Sabine, Geometric Unity, Eric's homegrown Theory of Everything, is on par with String Theory, if not b...
In this packed supplementary episode, we tackle all of the urgent global issues, ranging from Epstein file conspiracies to Matt’s immense love of a fantasy game where dwarves punch ducks for fun. Along the way, we’re joined by a stellar cast of commentators, including some old favourites. Strap in… it’s a long one.
Supplementary Material 33
00:00 Introductory Banter: Old Squeaky and Matt's Wall
04:40 Mecha Hitler's rampage
07:46 Grok's...
In this episode of "Decoding Academia: Required Readings", Chris and Matt take a joint stroll through the history of Buddhism through Donald S. Lopez Jr.'s latest book, 'Buddhism: A Journey Through History.' We discuss the unexpected historical and cultural facets of Buddhism, how modern interpretations can often romanticise ancient practices, and whether Matt's mind has been blown. We also consider important issues like the Buddha...
In this academic-themed interview episode of Decoding the Gurus, Matt and Chris sit down to chat with Dorsa Amir and Chaz Firestone (@chazfirestone) about their recent paper 'Is Visual Perception WEIRD? The Müller-Lyer Illusion and the Cultural Byproduct Hypothesis.'
In a conversation that serves as a welcome tonic to the endless lamentations of the gurus about academic groupthink and closed-minded silos, Dorsa and Chaz discuss the ...
We wallow in the mud with some of the worst gurus of the gurusphere. Join us and lament the guru paradise that we all live in.
Supplementary Material 32
00:00 Introduction and Banter
01:22 Old Squeaky and Daily Life
03:53 Matthew McConaughey Episode Recap
08:13 The Liver King Controversy
16:14 Nazi Propaganda on YouTube
21:11 Historical Revisionism: Darryl Cooper and David Irving
27:46 Huberman's very public hardcore research
32:25 Huberman...
In this episode, Matt and Chris try to get from where they are to where they want to be, accepting their hidden strengths and dismantling their egos as they immerse themselves fully in the wild world of Matthew McConaughey's burgeoning self-help empire. Join them as they uncover the true Art of Livin’ and learn how it is that an Academy Award-winning Hollywood star finds himself sharing life advice alongside the likes of Tony Robbi...
Welcome to another enlightening episode of Decoding Academia. In this bonus preview of our highly secretive Patreon content, we are discussing a controversial paper by Dorsa Amir and Chaz Firestone that challenges the established notion of the Müller-Lyer illusion being a product of cultural environments.
Prepare yourself for some high-level discussions of the visual processes of guppy fish and bearded lizards, as well as the remar...
We venture into the darker corners of the gurusphere and marvel at some very, very brave individuals, their valiant efforts to play devil's advocate, and some world-class discourse surfing skills. Join us, won't you?
Supplementary Material 31: Aquatic Nightmares, Strategic Obliviousness, & Race Realists
00:00 Introduction & Ol Squeaky Cameo
02:57 Matt's Aquarium Trauma & Stress Dreams
09:45 RFK Jr's war on science continues
...
The Decoders welcome back cognitive anthropologist Manvir Singh for a continued exploration into the social and cognitive dimensions of shamanism. Building upon their earlier conversation, this episode involves further discussion of the psychological mechanisms and cultural patterns that make shamanic practices a recurring feature across human societies. Drawing from Singh's latest book, Shamanism: The Timeless Religion (2025), the...
There’s been a disturbance in the Gurusphere. Two of its central objects of worship are feuding. The guru’s guru, Elon Musk, and the MAGA God-King, Donald Trump, have finally turned on each other, trading blows on social media. In this mini supplementary episode, Matt and Chris survey the shockwaves rippling through the Gurusphere as these titanic egos collide.
It’s more slapfight than substance, but that hasn’t stopped gurus and sy...
Prepare for a hearty mix of culinary tips, avoidance of hypothetical scenarios, and the usual guru grievances. Will Jordan Peterson ever admit he's a Christian? Is it ever truly possible to understand Sam Harris AND still disagree with him? And where does Joe Rogan's primal hate for owls come in? Tune in for at least some of the answers to these pressing questions in this bubbling broth of an episode.
Supplementary Material 30
00:00 ...
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