The Dark Room

How responsible are online classified boards for the content that appears on them?  Should the companies that run them be penalized for third-party advertisements that harm others?

Paul and Jordan talk to acclaimed filmmaker, Mary Mazzio, about her new documentary "I Am Jane Doe", which takes an unflinching look at how major online classified board, Backpage, has been responsible for the sexual trafficking of minors and largely with impunity.  Drawing from her many firsthand exchanges with trafficking survivors and their families, Mary reveals how seemingly safe parts of the internet are in fact hunting grounds to exploit young women, as key stakeholders in the American justice system fight to change laws, guarding their predators.

Learn more about Maria and "I Am Jane Doe" at iamjanedoefilm.com

Little did Alexyss K. Tylor know, while appearing on community television in the 90s, that explaining "penis power" would eventually make her an internet sensation. Moving beyond the viral video of that appearance, Paul and Jordan talk to Alexyss about the largely unrecognized spiritual philosophy behind penis power, how she deviated from her traditional upbringing in the American South to become an advocate for female pleasure, and her recent (and impressive) musical tribute to her father--the soul legend, Jackie Wilson.

Learn more about Alexyss at alexyssktylor.net

In an era of female empowerment, where being "in charge" as a woman is emphasized, Del chooses to do what seems the opposite. Paul and Jordan speak to her about what it means to be a professional "submissive". Identifying as someone who enjoys pain, Del describes how she feels playing a submissive role can be empowering, discusses the strangest fetish requests she’s received in the dungeon, and criticizes the Fifty Shades saga on its ignorant and abusive portrayal of sub-dom relationships. In this Valentine's Day week episode and debut of its second season, The Dark Room delves into the stranger sides of sex.

As the first season of the podcast comes to an end, Paul and Jordan weigh-in and share their most memorable moments on The Dark Room, and reflect on what some of their guests are up to now. The two reveal how the 69 episodes they co-hosted over the year both challenged them to rethink their views on the strange and controversial, as well as what gaining the "truth" about people means to them.   

Stay tuned for the second exciting season of The Dark Room, early 2017. Also be sure to subscribe to the show on iTunes or Podbean to receive the newest episodes and where you can continue to rate and review it.

Thank you for being part of the birth of The Dark Room!

In recent years, "the end of men" has become a popular term to describe the “losing” status of men in the work world and other areas of influence, compared to their female counterparts.   

 

Paul and Jordan speak with controversial gender advocate and blogger, Karen Straughan, about whether men are actually a disadvantaged group. A leading voice in the "men's rights movement", Karen shares why she believes this to be so and caused by feminism. In her view, feminism, in villainizing men as “oppressors”, perpetuates their mistreatment in various legal, social, and political institutions.

Learn more about Karen at owningyourshit.blogspot.ca

In Western culture, combat is often associated with physical hostility, a zero-sum game where only one side wins through the violent or even fatal use of force.

 

Paul and Jordan talk to real life ninja and weaponsmith, Matthew Wright, about the Eastern view of combat and, perhaps surprisingly, just how much of it has less to do with fighting than restraint.  Having first met Matthew at Toronto's major Japanese animation festival, Anime North, Paul and Jordan also discuss with Matthew the search for deeper meaning among the festival's millennial attendees and how, drawing from the East, it is manifested in the impressive cosplay they take part in yearly.

 

Learn more about Matthew at ninedirections.com

Does one have the capacity to change after being convicted of manslaugher?

Paul and Jordan talk to Segun Akinsanya about how he transformed his life for the better, following his incarceration for manslaughter while still a teen. Today an educator and social entrepreneur, Akinsanya is now a role model for troubled youth, helping them avoid the same destructive path, causing harm to others and themselves, he once chose. Segun reveals how a positive outlook and taking responsibility for his past led him onto this redemptive path.  

Learn more about Segun at segunsays.com

Scientology has for long been a controversial organization, regarded by many as a dangerous cult while others view it as a progressive religion in the service of humanity.

 

Paul and Jordan talk to former high-ranking Scientology member, Jeff Hawkins, about his troubling experience in the organization. Despite the legitimacy it has gained through its endorsement by celebrity spokespersons, notably Tom Cruise, Jeff's experience led him speak out against Scientology as a violent and manipulative organization, headed by an intolerant psychopath. After being a loyal members for over 30 years, Jeff finally left Scientology, and now helps others part from it as well.    

Learn more about Jeff, including his books on the dark side of Scientology, at counterfeitdreams.com

Shoplifters are often regarded with a certain degree of contempt by society, thought to steal merchandise--from candy to designer clothes--to quickly posses what they would otherwise have to work to afford.  

For thief Alisa, however, shoplifting is mainly about making a personal, arguably political, statement: “I will not play by the rules of capitalism that require us to buy.”  Paul and Jordan talk to her about why she has, for years, enjoyed shoplifting for this reason, whether her regular urge to steal amounts to kleptomania, and her unusual shrine of stolen items, co-created with her boyfriend.  

Learn more about the psychology of shoplifting, including compassionate ways of overcoming it at kleptomaniacsanonymous.com