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 attempt but before Biden announced he was stepping down. We will return with the Gurusphere's insane reaction to that event next time. Here we consider:

• Trump's leaked conversation with RFK Junior
• A very special request from Matt
• Tammy Peterson's admiration for Tommy Robinson
• Alex Jones releasing NEW Sandy Hook conspiracy theories on InfoWars
• Jonathan Pageau's new spin on Intelligent Design
• The Fifth Column and selective application of criticism
• Bari Weiss' Free Press visits the RNC
• Moynihan's non-partisan interview with Anna Khachiyan
• Our now (totally out-of-date) political opinions on Biden

The full episode is available for Patreon subscribers (1hr 17 mins).

Join us at: https://www.patreon.com/DecodingTheGurus

Links 

• Knowledge Fight on Alex's Deposition and the episode where he outlines his new Sandy Hook conspiracy
• Legal Eagle video on the Alex Jones trial
• CONFIRMED: Deep State Sandy Hook Operation Gave Order To Shut Down Infowars
• The Free Press LIVE from the RNC: Biden’s Interview, Trump, J.D. Vance, and More!Honestly with Bari Weiss
• Ron DeSantis Truth in Media event
• Jordan Peterson: Why the Establishment Hates This Man | Tommy Robinson | EP 462
• Pageau's new spin on Intelligent Design
• Video of Trump and RFK Jr.'s leaked call

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 gurus.

So like all the hip kids today, we decided to look back at our previous gurus and arrange them on a tier list of Secular Guruosity.

If you would like to play along we’ve made a version accessible online so you can provide your rankings (available here) or you can see ours.

Also, due to an image-importing hiccup, we missed Sam Harris (B), Robert Wright (D) and Richard Dawkins (D). All are now added to the template!

Hope you enjoy and we will be back soon with a full-length decoding of Gabor Maté before the concluding chapter of the Dr. K trilogy.

If you want to support the show, join us at: https://www.patreon.com/DecodingTheGurus

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 some responsible model conspiracy hypothesizing with Bret and Heather. Also featuring:

• Our completely predictable response to the shooting
• John Cusack's Conspiracy Theory
• Tim Kennedy's Conspiracy Venn Diagram
• Scientific Cosplay with Bret and Heather
• Learning about logic with Heather
• The Lab Leak theory revisited with Bret
• The Fall of Plato's Cave
• Mind Controlled Shooters
• The Unity 2024 Platform

The full episode is available for Patreon subscribers (57 mins).

Join us at: https://www.patreon.com/DecodingTheGurus

Links 

• Cave of Mirrors: The 234th Evolutionary Lens with Bret Weinstein and Heather Heying
• Tim Kennedy: How Leadership Failures Led to an Assassination Attempt on Trump
• John Cusack's conspiracy tweet

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 multi-dimensional episode. This time they take a look at some more recent content and reflect on whether they were wrong to identify Dr. K as such a strong advocate of Ayurvedic medicine. In their investigations, they explore the science of visualisation and manifestation, updated genomic information about the Doshas, and the power of mantras to bend the universe.

But primarily they focus on the recent lively discussion between Dr. K and another famous YouTube Doctor, Dr. Mike. Their discussion touched on various topics including the mechanisms of science, the power of consciousness, personalized treatments, and the placebo effect. All good fodder for the DTG grinder even if it ends up, as it so often does, with Chris and Matt gently discussing their points of view about the nature of mind and the (alleged) mystery of subjective experience (we are sorry!).

So join us for a thought-provoking ride through scientific criticism, holistic practices, and age-old East vs. West / Alternative vs Science-based medicine debates as we attempt to decipher whether Dr. K is a modern-era internet sage or a charismatic storyteller and alternative medicine advocate.

Links

• Doctor Mike: Debating The Value Of Eastern Medicine (Ayurveda) | Healthy Gamer Dr. K
• HeatlhyGamerGG: The Truth About Visualization & Manifestation
• HealthyGamerGG: Optimize Performance and Develop Self-Understanding with Ayurveda
• Science is Dope: Should we adopt Ayurveda | An Indian's response | Dr. Mike vs Dr. K

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 UK
• Matt's Great American Burger Giveaway
• Non-Tribal Joe Rogan meets Jimmy Dore
• Lex Fridman meets Ivanka Trump
• The UK election and the heterodox response
• Jordan Peterson and the spiritual kingdom of Farageism
• Russell Brand and Alex Jones pray together
• Galaxy Brains Collide: Eric Weinstein meets Terrence Howard
• Still wearing a jacket to save the world
• Eric is the one who knocks
• Eric the scientist defends his colleague Neal deGrasse Tyson
• The hidden layers
• Gold-tier criticism and cultish subreddits
• Bad faith Matt and Good faith Chris say Farewell

The full episode is available for Patreon subscribers (1hr 29mins).

Join us at: https://www.patreon.com/DecodingTheGurus

Links 

• “Something BIG is about to happen” - EXCLUSIVE Alex Jones Interview on INFOWARS shut down - 391 Russell Brand
• Ivanka Trump: Politics, Family, Real Estate, Fashion, Music, and Life | Lex Fridman Podcast #436
• Joe Rogan Experience #2173 - Jimmy Dore
• Joe Rogan Experience #2171 - Eric Weinstein & Terrence Howard
• Jordan B. Peterson Podcast - Conservative Failings and the Reform UK Party | Nigel Farage

Alok Kanojia, better known as Dr. K, is a charismatic psychiatrist and online streamer who offers a unique blend of psychological, self-help, and spiritual advice to guide individuals through the complexities of modern life, aiming to help them become Healthy Gamers™. Join Matt and Chris as they embark on a multi-part journey through the diverse biomes of Dr. K's content and try to ascertain the meta.

In this first episode, Matt and Chris take a critical look at a 2019 video in which Dr. K discusses his views on Ayurvedic medicine, the problems with Western medicine, and the unacknowledged scientific evidence for Ayurvedic claims. We consider whether the evidence provided matches the rhetoric and relive youthful follies as we immerse ourselves in the all too familiar water of complementary and alternative medicine discourse.

So join us as we learn about the universal mind and single type of depression proposed by modern medicine, how a tripartite classification is actually incredibly individualistic, how the shape of your nose and kink in your hair predicts the food you should eat and the quality of your bowel movements, and the surprising benefits of drinking elephant milk.

In Part 2, we will delve into Dr. K's recent discussion/debate over Ayurvedic medicine with Dr. Mike, another popular YouTube doctor. And finally Part 3 will focus on the dynamics of Dr. K's long-form, somewhat controversial, mental health-themed interviews with influencers.

Links 

• Dr. K's Healthy Gamer GG website
• Healthy Gamer GG- Ayurveda Pt. 1: Gunas, Cognitive Fingerprint, Personality
• Science is Dope: Should we adopt Ayurveda | An Indian's response | Dr. Mike vs Dr. K
• List of Studies mentioned in the episode
• Simon Singh's court case that Chris mentioned
• The Iced Coffee Hour: Harvard Psychiatrist on How To Get Ahead of 99.9% of People (Starting NOW)
• Some of Matt's related papers: 1) Thomson, P., Jones, J., Browne, M., & Leslie, S. J. (2014). Why people seek complementary and alternative medicine before conventional medical treatment: a population-based study. Complementary therapies in clinical practice, 20(4), 339-346. & 2) Browne, M., Thomson, P., Rockloff, M. J., & Pennycook, G. (2015). Going against the herd: psychological and cultural factors underlying the ‘vaccination confidence gap’. PLoS one, 10(9), e0132562.

We stare into the abyss and welcome darkness into our souls as we discuss:

• Feedback on the Žižek episode
• Middle Aged Men's Health Update
• Alina Chan and the newest round of Lab Leak Discourse
• Discourse Surfing Pundits
• Alex O'Connor cornering Jordan Peterson on the resurrection
• The philosophical and Marxist implications of Peppa Pig
• Potential Alternatives to Hipster Christianity and New Atheism
• Andrew Gold's Heretics Channel and Toxic YouTube Dynamics
• Editorializing and Responsible Criticism
• Balaji Srinivasan's Waffling Defence of Huberman
• The 'Elite Defector' Pose
• Verbal Fluency vs. Substance
• Heterodox and Anti-Vaxx Incentive Structures
• James Lindsay's most recent idiocy
• Desperate Call to Action

Links 

• Alina Chan's NYT Article on the Lab Leak
• Our episode addressing Alina and Matt Ridley's points with relevant experts
• Jordan Peterson's Podcast: Navigating Belief, Skepticism, and the Afterlife | Alex O'Connor @CosmicSkeptic | EP 451
• Andrew Gold - Heretics: EXPOSED: I Didn't Show THIS in Viral 'Woke' Debate with Eni Aluko (4K)
• Balaji's huge Twitter thread defending Huberman
• Summary of Huberman's Math Meme
• Top Earning Substacks 

The full episode is available for Patreon subscribers (1 hr 14 mins).

Join us at: https://www.patreon.com/DecodingTheGurus

Join Matt and Chris as they plunge into the heady mental universe of Slavoj Žižek, the Slovenian philosopher known for his eclectic and provocative ideas. The duo parses Žižek's 'unconventional' takes on ideology, consumerism, and revolutionary theory, peppered with his playful movie criticism of films like Jaws and a Clockwork Orange and even a few that he hasn't even watched.

We delve into snuffle-laced discussions of transgressive acts, revolutionary politics, moderate conservative communism, consumerist psychology, and musings on whether Jaws is really about a shark. Throughout all Žižek's dramatic flair is shining through, but is he actually as provocative and hated as he likes to suggest? Matt and Chris have some thoughts...

Expect to reconsider everything you thought you knew, listen to some edgy book blurbs, and finally collapse in a puddle with the deconstruction of your ideology.

Links

• Novara Media: Our World Is Coming To An End | Aaron Bastani Meets Slavoj Žižek | Downstream
• The Pervert's Guide to Ideology (2012) - Slavoj Žižek
• Jacobin: Žižek’s Left-Wing Case for Christian Atheism
• Philosophize This- Episode #196 - The Improbable Slavoj Zizek - Pt. 1 (Also, there are three other Žižek episodes in this series!)
• Article on the speech Žižek gave at the Frankfurt Book Fair

Join us at: https://www.patreon.com/DecodingTheGurus

We curse the dark omens emerging from the Gurusphere as we consider:

• The Illusion of Disciplinary Boundaries
• Flint Dibble Feedback and Rays of Hope
• Russell Brand and Bret Weinstein: Guru One-upmanship
• Bret Weinstein loves MOINNNNK
• Hard Ad Pivots and Peasants Popping out of Wells
• Ken Klippenstein and Populist Rhetoric
• Questioning mainstream narratives and their so-called 'experts'
• QAnon Anonymous missing Left Wing Populism?
• Alex O'Connor, Jordan Peterson and the costs of indulgent podcasting
• Chris reaching across boundaries to Jonathan Pageau
• Our only comment on the Drake and Kendrick Feud
• The beautiful ballet of reaching across the aisle
• Terence Howard on Rogan

Links

• Russelling with God | Russell Brand on DarkHorse
• Ken Klippenstein- Why I'm Resigning From The Intercept
• A Farewell To Bad News feat Ken Klippenstein (E278)
• Navigating Belief, Skepticism, and the Afterlife | Alex O'Connor @CosmicSkeptic | EP 451
• Terrence Howard is Legitimately Insane

The full episode is available for Patreon subscribers (1 hr 13 mins).

Join us at: https://www.patreon.com/DecodingTheGurus

Matt and Chris jump into the world of debates, dramas, and online personas with the ever-controversial streamer, Destiny (Steven Bonnell). We discuss our Decoding episode a little bit but mostly broader issues including the value of 'debate porn', edginess & Twitter bomb-throwing, reality TV orbiter drama, and the perils of hero worship and parasocial relationships.

As you might anticipate, we also cover various 'hot-button' issues including Destiny's involvement in Israel-Palestine discourse, the ethics of engaging with extremists, and whether Destiny was genuinely arguing for the right to murder the DDoS kid. Finally, we wrap up with some discussion of media literacy, the challenges of navigating online discourse, and strategies for laypeople to better engage with research.

Links

• Our Decoding episode on Destiny
• Destiny's Gurometer Episode
• Destiny's Positions as summarised on his Wiki
• Discussion with a Lawyer about the DDoS kid

Join us at: https://www.patreon.com/DecodingTheGurus