Infiltrating UFO Culture with Anna Merlan

This week Anna Merlan (@annamerlan) helps us Ana Marie Cox (@anamariecox) parse America’s increasingly conspiratorial culture. Anna spent eight years covering conspiracy groups and just came out with a book, Republic of Lies: American Conspiracy Theorists and Their Surprising Rise to Power. Join us as we discuss vaccinations, UFOs, spying on Quakers, and finding a path forward. Also, check out our bonus mega-mix of Anna Merlin, Will Sommer, Heather Armstrong, Tommy Orange, Will Sommer again, and Vann Newkirk and their most ridiculous secret beliefs. (We had to end Conspiracy Month in the strangest way possible.) Thanks to our sponsors!  Blinkist is the only app that takes the best key takeaways, the need-to-know information from thousands of nonfiction books and condense them down into just 15 minutes that you can read or listen to. Blinkist has a special offer just for our audience. Go to Blinkist.com/withfriends to start your free 7 day trial. Bombas are made from super-soft, natural cotton, and every pair comes with arch support, a seamless toe, and a cushioned foot-bed that’s comfy but not too thick. With many colors, patterns, lengths, and styles, Buy your Bombas at BOMBAS.com/friends TODAY, and get twenty percent off your first purchase. Everyone wants their home to look and feel great. Luckily, Snowe makes it incredibly simple. They create trend-proof, beautiful, functional, luxurious pieces at an affordable price. Snowe is offering our listeners $30 off your first purchase of $150 or more when you go to SnoweHome.com/FRIENDS The New Yorker represents the best writing in America today. To get a 12 week subscription for just $6 (thats half off!), the New Yorker tote bag, home delivery of the print edition each week, unlimited access to exclusive content on newyorker.com, access to their apps, online archive, crossword puzzles, and more - go to NewYorker.com/FRIENDS We all want to do the right thing to keep our bodies healthy in the long run. It’s only a dollar a day to have all the essential nutrients your body needs, delivered every month — no strings attached. Visit ritual.com/FRIENDSto start your subscription today at 10% off.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices