In part 1 of this conversation, Josh and Ian tackle the phenomenon of Flat Earth conspiracies and how it rose to popularity, especially in the wake of YouTube. They also cover the importance of astronomy and astrology in ancient cultures, leading up to the origins of the flat earth idea.Follow them on Twitter at:Josh @Simpsonj423Ian @modernovermanand the podcast @necessarybspodWebsite: https://www.necessarybspod.com/Links:The Flat Earth TheoryFlat Earth: What Makes REAL Science?@wisecrackPosi...

In this bonus episode, Josh and Ian briefly discuss the newly released summary of Robert Mueller's report on the Russia investigation from U.S. Attorney General, and the distinctions between the lack of collusion and obstruction of justice from Trump. They also get into an essay that Ian published on third-wave feminism, and get into the mechanics of oppression and the reaction to it, via political activism.Follow them on Twitter at:Josh @Simpsonj423Ian @modernovermanand the podcast @necessar...

In this episode, Josh and Ian discuss the major campaign points of U.S. 2020 Presidential candidate Andrew Yang. They start off with Yang's history and then lead into his core issue, the Freedom Dividend, Yang's version of UBI (universal basic income) and why it's necessary for increasing automation in the jobs market. They also examine Yang's interview on the Fifth Column Podcast with Kmele Foster and their take on secondary education.At the half-way point of the episode, they introduce the ...

In this episode, Josh and Ian finally talk about the recent public testimony of Michael Cohen. They examine how Republicans and Democrats tackled the hearing differently and the link with the alleged Russian collusion. They also get into the recent 2018 midterm election fraud in North Carolina and the validation of opinion.In the second half of the episode, they dive deep into the weeds in the differences between Marxism, communism, socialism and its variants democratic socialism vs. social d...

In this episode, Josh and Ian cover a wide range of topics. They talk about the creation of the U.S. Constitution from the founding fathers, and the context and environment in which it was written, especially surrounding the difficulty amending it or interpreting it. They cover religious rituals, texts, and their relevance today. Arguments against the 1st and 2nd Amendments. The value of safety in the Western world. Facebook, social media, smart phones and the impulsiveness in which people re...

WARNING: This episode contains potentially triggering language to some listeners. This occurs at 1:10:23. Please feel free to skip over this, it only lasts up to 60 seconds.In this episode, Josh and Ian get into the philosophical weeds over traditional values, and whether or not they hold a place in today's Western culture. They then relate values to free will, whether or not they think humanity is endowed with it, and its implications on criminal justice and mental illness. They also cover "...

Welcome to the new podcast and new name: Necessary Bullshit Podcast. As the episode implies, we wanted to change the name of the podcast to fit in with our vision moving forward. Because there were so many podcasts with Off the Rails as their title, we wanted a name that reflected the importance and scope of this show. We hope our dear listeners stick with us as we grow and keep your ears open for new and great things in the future.Follow them on Twitter at:Josh @Simpsonj423Ian @modernoverman...

IMPORTANT NOTICE: Expect Off the Rails to be undergoing a name change. After reevaluating our vision for the podcast, we decided to change our name; should go into full effect soon.In this bonus episode, Josh and Ian respond to Andrew Sullivan's article in New York Magazine titled "Welcome to Act III of the Trump Tragedy." They also touch upon The Coddling of the American Mind by Greg Lukianoff and Jonathan Haidt, reading an inspiring quote from Benjamin Franklin. They also cover the incident...

IMPORTANT NOTICE: From episode #6 and on, the podcast will be under the name of Necessary Bullshit Podcast.In this episode, Josh and Ian discuss their take on masculinity. In wake of the recent guidelines released by the American Psychological Association (APA), writers on the political Right and the IDW have condemned the APA for pathologizing men. These guidelines are briefly discussed. But then they move onto the analysis from the Very Bad Wizards podcast, as well as the Quillette article ...

IMPORTANT NOTICE: From episode #6 and on, the podcast will be under the name of Necessary Bullshit Podcast.In this episode, Josh and Ian discuss the experiential and philosophical implications of optimism and pessimism. They take a deep dive into Josh's recent blog post The Personal Power of Optimism and Ian's recent post The Climate Pessimism of Blade Runner 2049. They also cover a variety of topics such as: religion, self-perception, their understanding of traditional vs. new optimism, pess...