All Episodes - You Can't Win
We're Tom and Donald. We are two trolls that are trying to make sense of the world through conversations about the traps and scams that surround us.
View Podcast Details108 Episodes
Episode 164 - Freddy on Jerry
Don chats with Freddy about the Canadian philosopher G.A. Cohen on the relationship between Marxism, religion, science, and moral and political philosophy. Mentioned: Cohen's Gifford lectures (in the book If You're Egalitarian, Why Are You So Rich?) Cohen - Karl Marx's Theory of History: A Defence. Cohen - Why not socialism?
Episode 163 - Recitation on Fridays with Alex
We chat with our friend Alex about Deleuze and politics in academia. You can follow Alex on Twitter at @SlurricaneH (At about 50 minutes in Alex's microphone disconnected and Tom and I wrapped up with two questions.)
Episode 162 - Correction Part Two with Mike Reads the World
We chat about the second half of Correction by Thomas Bernhard with Mike Reads the World and some of the ideas it sparked in us. Check out Mike Reads the World on YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/@mikereadstheworld We also mention the House on the Rock in Wyoming, Wisconsin as an example of eccentric building.
Episode 161 - Correction Part One with Mike Reads the World
We chat about the first half of Correction by Thomas Bernhard with Mike Reads the World. Check out Mike Reads the World on YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/@mikereadstheworld
Episode 160 - A Year in Reading with Mike Reads the World
We are joined by Mike from the YouTube channel Mike Reads the World to chat about his reading project and our year in reading. Mike's channel is at https://www.youtube.com/@mikereadstheworld His "favorite books" video we mention is here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t6aH-YHa_y4 His "Magic Mountain" essay is here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EyA6Oc6_pIU Mike's books mentioned: Sei Shonagon - The Pillow Book The I-Ching Fariduddin Attar - Conference of the Birds Ovid- Metamorphoses Ngugi wa Thiong'o - The Wizard of the Crow Thomas Mann - The Magic Mountain Anna Comnena - The Alexiad We also proposed a read-long for Correction by Thomas Bernhard.
Episode 159 - Chickenbrained with Freddy
Our friend Freddy joins us to talk about scams, politics and how they overlap.
Episode 158 - The Essence of Reality
Tom walks us through the book The Essence of Reality by 'Ayn al-Qudat, a 12th Century Sufi text about going beyond the intellect to embrace mystical experience.
Episode 157 - Tom Loves Mods
We chat about our cookie headaches and X-Com and Lebanon and Hannah Arendt. Mentioned: Eichmann in Jerusalem by Hannah Arendt Origins of Totalitarianism by Hannah Arendt On Revolution by Hannah Arendt The X-Com 2 mod guy Tom mentions is christopherodd
Episode 156 - Elections in France ft Marlon Ettinger
Marlon Ettinger, a journalist living in France, joins Don to talk about French politics. Find Marlon on Twitter at @MarlonEttinger his new pod at @flep24pod and his book Zemmour & Gaullism.
Episode 155 - Battle Cry of Freddy ft Freddy
Our friend Freddy joins from Vienna to talk about his Euro-Trip, Noam Chomsky, the war in Gaza, and the point of philosophy. The Third Reich at War by Richard J. Evans. Battle Cry of Freedom by James M. McPherson. Understanding Power by Noam Chomsky. Left anti-communism: The Unkindest Cut by Michael Parenti. My Struggle by Karl Ove Knausgaard. This Is a Robbery (Netflix documentary about 1990 Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum robbery).
Episode 154 - Soul Corn
We chat about the failing Dream Port, the peace plan, paying off our debts, soul corn, some books and elections. Mentioned: Harland's Half Acre by David Malouf. My Struggle Book 1 by Karl Ove Knausgaard. Historical Capitalism by Immanuel Wallerstein. Language and Myth by Ernst Cassirer. Our Bloc by James Schneider.
Episode 153 - Tom and Don Go to White Castle
Tom and Don chat about some books and shows, including Robert Musil, Orhan Pamuk's The White Castle, Karamustafa, J.M. Coetzee, Joan Robinson, Wolf Hall, Copenhagen Cowboy and The Last of Us. Mentioned: The Confusions of Young Törless by Robert Musil The White Castle by Orhan Pamuk God's Unruly Friends by Ahmet T. Karamustafa The Childhood of Jesus by J.M. Coetzee Economic Philosophy by Joan Robinson
Premium Episode 183 - Muslim History, pt 3 UNLOCKED
Tom tells the history of the Crusades, the Mongol invasions, and the rise of the Mamluks in part 3 of a series on Muslim history. The full series is available on Patreon.
Premium Episode 179 SNEAK PEEK - Muslim History, pt 1
An excerpt from a premium episode available through a Patreon subscription, in which Tom provides a history of the rise and fall of the original Islamic state, and a description of the Muslim world's social structure at the time, including the institution of slavery and transformations that came about as a result of the Islamic movement. (re-uploaded to fix some audio issues)
Episode 152 - Evil Russia Q&A
A quick and casual Q&A in which we field questions from the Discord about Russia/Ukraine, our military vehicles of choice, UFOs, the future of VR, and our astrological signs.
Episode 151 - The Franklin Scandal recap
We chat about our reactions to Tom's series on the Franklin Scandal, from the plausibility of the crimes to the political implications. What sorts of evidence should we focus on? How do we account for average people's reactions to such crimes? We sum up our feelings on the case as we prepare for future episodes on related topics.
Episode 150 - The Franklin Scandal pt VI
In the conclusion to our series on the Franklin Scandal, Tom tells the fate of the investigation and lead investigator Caradori, and the results of the grand jury trial. He then takes a look at the life of one of King's associates, Craig Spence, a CIA-connected blackmailer who paid visits to the White House. Source: The Franklin Scandal by Nick Bryant
Episode 149 - The Franklin Scandal pt V
A continuation of Tom's telling of the Franklin Scandal as part of our ongoing PTK (Programmed to Kill) series. In this episode, Tom describes the backlash the investigation suffers after producing videotaped statements of the victims.
Episode 148 - The Bikes of Jacob
We begin with a short chat about Don's burgeoning interest in bicycling before we dive into Tom's extended review of Olga Tokarczuk's The Books of Jacob.
Episode 147 - The Franklin Scandal Pt IV
In this episode, Tom introduces the Franklin Committee's replacement investigator Gary Caradori and the testimony of Alisha Owen. Source: The Franklin Scandal by Nick Bryant
Episode 146 - The Franklin Scandal Pt III
In this episode, Tom continues covering the Franklin Scandal, focusing on the tensions between the investigatory committee and law enforcement.
Episode 145 - The Franklin Scandal Pt II
Tom continues the tale of the Franklin Credit Union scandal, this time taking a look at the initial investigations into Larry King after reports begin to emerge about his alleged criminal activities. Source: The Franklin Scandal by Nick Bryant
Episode 144 - The Franklin Scandal Pt I
A new episode in our PTK series where Tom sketches out some details of the Franklin Scandal, a case with many mysterious connections. Source: The Franklin Scandal by Nick Bryant.
Episode 143 - Dutroux Affair Deep Dive ft. "Ghost Stories" Matt
We continue our PTK series by closely examining the Dutroux Affair, a notorious criminal case involving kidnapping, child abuse and sex trafficking that implicated the Belgian government and high society.
Episode 142 - Bad Bad Belgium ft. "Ghost Stories" Matt
Our friend Matt from the Ghost Stories for the End of the World podcast joins us to discuss Belgium in this first part of a series on the Dutroux Affair and similar cases. We discuss the place of Belgium in great power struggles and the associated political culture that developed. Matt's Twitter account is @GhostStoriesEnd
Episode 141 - The Mystic Orient ft. Sean Moorhead
Our friend Sean joins us to discuss the history and practices of Shinto and related Japanese beliefs. We work through some common misconceptions about Shinto and the difficulties of easy comparisons to Western ideas of religion. Also Sean wanted us to note that he misspoke and meant to say "Horii Mitsuoshi," not "Horii Mitsuo". Intro by auntie004. Outro by reiyashi.
Episode 140 - State of the Pod Update + Q&A
After a State of the Pod update of where we're at and where we hope to go, we work through your questions. Intro by auntie004. Outro by reiyashi.
Episode 130 - Fly Into the Sun
Four hour episode about the Eternals! All Eternals! All the time! Okay so in reality we chat about content for a bit and then settle some controversies for you. Intro by auntie004. Outro by reiyashi.
Episode 138 - Dune ft. AgileTablet
Tom, Don and AgileTablet give you the Dune opinions you asked for, mostly focused on the new movie but also about the saga as a whole and the future of humanity. Intro by auntie004. Outro by reiyashi.
Episode 137 - Clifford
We open with our mixed feelings about the new Dave Chappelle special and related issues. Then we dive into your questions for the remainder. Intro by auntie004. Outro by reiyashi.
Episode 136 - All is Clouded by Desire
Tom introduces Don to the book "All is Clouded by Desire" by Alan Block and Clarence Weaver, which discusses transnational crime networks and financial flows. We discuss how crime often seems to dwarf the traditional economy in importance and how it can overwhelm surface political institutions. We also get into some of the operators who seem to facilitate these enormous flows. Intro by auntie004. Outro by reiyashi.
Episode 135 - Watching Stuff ft. AgileTablet
Beloved third mic AgileTablet joins us to talk about Squid Game and Midnight Mass. We also discuss recent movies like The Green Knight, No Time to Die, The Card Counter and several comic ones. Just a fun laid-back episode. Intro by auntie004. Outro by reiyashi.
Episode 134 - Gamestop Money ft Big Keven
Our friend Big Keven returns to tell us how he became fabulously wealthy through stock trading. Along the way we learn about how life is in Alaska, the struggles of bald men, and the joys of acting. Intro by auntie004. Outro by reiyashi.
Episode 133 - Normal ft. Cyd and AgileTablet
We're joined by our friend Cyd and beloved third mic AgileTablet to joke about various topics, including Cyd's life in Los Angeles and suicide. Intro music by auntie004. Outro by reiyashi.
Episode 132 - September Q&A
Tom and Don answer your questions and chat about topics like the vaccine rollout, pornography, Maoism and more. Intro music by auntie004. Outro by reiyashi.
Episode 131 - Big Dave Knocked Down the Towers ft. Big Dave
Our wonderful friend Big Dave drops by to talk about Nine Eleven, hate crimes and India. We get a nice discussion about contentment in between the more controversial points. Apologies for the bootleg audio. Mentioned: Streams of Gold, Rivers of Blood: The Rise and Fall of Byzantium, 955 A.D. to the First Crusade Book by Anthony Kaldellis. Intro by auntie004. Outro by reiyashi.
Episode 13 - Taliban Takeover ft. Ibrahim
Our friend Ibrahim returns to discuss the Taliban takeover of Afghanistan from his well-informed perspective. We talk about the relative speed of the recent offensive, the diplomatic challenges facing the Taliban and the balance of internal forces - among other topics. Intro by auntie004. Outro by reiyashi.
Episode 129 - Marx, Morality and Car Talk
We talk about driving tests, the pros and cons of car ownership and public transportation, the future of car use, and then transition into a discussion of Marx and his conception of morality. We also get into some of your questions about vaccine passports, Islamic biker gangs and rolling around town blaring YCW.
Episode 128 - Living in China ft. Niko
Our friend Niko joins us from Nanjing to discuss living through the pandemic in China and the contrast in responses worldwide. We also get into learning the language and managing cultural divides, from the funny to the bureaucratic. Intro by auntie004. Outro by reiyashi.
Episode 127 - No Justice, Peace Q&A
It's the August Q and A episode, where we culled your anonymous questions and work through them for your pleasure and edification. From the Dao De Jing to heroin, from the 12th Imam to the IWW, we give quick answers to a bunch of your topics. Intro by auntie004. Outro by reiyashi.
Episode 126 - EdTV ft. Ed Buck
Seinfeld voice: "What's the deal with television?" Beloved curmudgeon 'Ed Buck' returns to talk about his TV-watching experiment and the prestige TV boom. Intro by auntie004. Outro by reiyashi.
Episode 125 - Three Great Spices ft. AgileTablet
Our beloved third mic AgileTablet returns to answer your questions about food and life. We talk about Central Asian cooking, personal goals and even our favourite spices. Intro by auntie004. Outro by reiyashi.
Episode 125 - Fort Hood Murder Mysteries ft. Goatstein
Our pal Goatstein returns to discuss language learning as a hobby before we get back to our common disgust at the US military. We talk about a recent Vanity Fair article about murders at Fort Hood in Texas and the conspiracy of silence around the Troops. Article: “The Only Thing I Knew How to Do Was Kill People”: Inside the Rash of Unexplained Deaths at Fort Hood. (Vanity Fair: July 6, 2021) Link: https://www.vanityfair.com/news/2021/06/inside-the-rash-of-unexplained-deaths-at-fort-hood Intro by auntie004. Outro by reiyashi.
Episode 123 - The Problem of Evil ft. Freddy
Our pal Freddy returns to discuss the classic theological and philosophical problem of evil. Often used as a knockdown argument against belief in God, we talk about the contours of the debate and how thinking about the problem helps us think through our concept of God. Intro music by auntie004. Outro by reiyashi.
Episode 122 - Hajj ft. Akh
Our friend Akh joins us to talk about his journey to Mecca to participate in the Muslim pilgrimage of Hajj. We work through the basics of what's expected of the millions of people who travel there in a typical year, from the heat to the religious fellowship. We also discuss a bit about the city of Medina and other aspects of Saudi life. Intro music by auntie004. Outro by reiyashi.
Episode 121 - Summer Poddin' Had Me a Blast
Tom and Don chat about the news - the life of John McAfee, the release of Bill Cosby, rising prices and the recovery, the heat wave, and Donald Rumsfeld. Then some questions about Islamic crypto, the future and struggling with faith. Intro by auntie004. Outro by reiyashi.
Episode 120 - Life, Liberty and the Pursuit of Happiness
Increasing freedom is the official reason for almost every policy offered by both the right and the left. We tend to agree that more choice is better, but that's not always enough. We discuss how this rhetoric can be pretty flimsy as a way to make social decisions. This takes us into topics like socialist planning and the decision of some Catholic Bishops to possibly deny Joe Biden communion. Intro by auntie004. Outro by reiyashi.
Episode 118 - June Q&A
Tom catches us up with his move and then we get into your questions. We get into lapsed Catholics, the corrupting influence of power, superstitions, regrets, time travel, professional comedians, Palestinian health care and a few more. Intro by auntie004. Outro by reiyashi.
Episode 118 - UNLOCKED - Palestine - Israel
We had a slew of technical and health problems this weekend so we are uploading a bonus to keep the content flowing. Apologies. We open with Tom's (limited) experience in Palestine and his personal impressions of the people there, from how the occupation works to the uniqueness of Jerusalem. Then we move into a broader discussion of current events and Israeli politics - using the somewhat silly example of Gal Gadot to describe contemporary liberal Zionism. Intro music by auntie004. Outro by reiyashi.
Episode 117 - Vaccine Cowboys Ride Again ft. Mike
Our friend Mike returns to the show to sort through the rumors around vaccines and why he is being cautious about the whole thing. How does big pharma try to shape public messaging to avoid regulatory control? And does the focus on wilder theories mislead away from more reasonable criticisms? Intro music by auntie004. Outro by reiyashi.
Episode 116 - The Yankee-Cowboy War ft Khalid and Dimitri of Subliminal Jihad
Khalid and Dimitri of Subliminal Jihad join us to discuss the book The Yankee and Cowboy War. The book suggests that shocking events like the JFK assassination and resignation of Nixon can only be understood as the product of deep rivalries at the top of American power. We discuss those rivalries and how they might be relevant to thinking about things today. Mentioned: The Yankee and Cowboy War by Carl Oglesby. How the West was Won: Last Shootout for the Yankee-Cowboy Theory by Stephen Johnson (https://zero.sci-hub.se/5309/6663b80df93d0dfed05cf50acc05ba17/johnson1976.pdf) Intro by auntie004. Outro by reiyashi.
Episode 115 - In the Zone ft. Roy
Our friend Roy - Twitter's @chiweethegod - stops by to talk about the damage done to us all by the slow grind of violence and poverty and how to stay positive through it. Our discussion ranges from the repressive chaos of conspiracies to cultivating an artistic mindset. Intro by auntie004. Outro by reiyashi.
Episode 114 - A Utopia but More Sinister ft. AgileTablet
AgileTablet joins us once again to discuss what the heck rich people are up to these days. There are 2,600 or more billionaires around the world and a lot of them have wild ideas about how to fix everything. We discuss what this means for things like climate change and the paralysis of politics, and how the wealthy cultivate an image as building the future. Intro music by auntie004. Outro by reiyashi.
Episode 113 - 30 Seconds Flat ft. AgileTablet
Beloved third mic AgileTablet returns to catch us up and chat about vaccines, moving and the Mayans. Mentioned: Shabir Ally's YouTube channel: Let the Quran Speak. National Geographic's Lost World of the Maya. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7MFKy7DJsCY
Episode 112 - No Country for Old Men ft Goatstein
Our old friend Goatstein returns to riff on recent events such as the reaction to the Derek Chauvin verdict, the sickos who populate military forums, the cruelty of Trump, being appropriately cynical about politics, and more. Intro by auntie004. Outro by reiyashi.
Episode 111 - The 2021 Baseball Season ft. White Sox Lex
Our friend White Sox Lex returns to talk the new baseball season, starting with pandemic craziness and conservative outrage. Then we get into doping scandals and superhuman baseball mutants and a roundup of Awful Pundits. You can check out Lex's Awful Pundits tournament at https://www.patreon.com/awfulpundits or on Twitter at @AwfulPundits Intro music by auntie004. Outro by reiyashi.
Episode 110 - Fresh NEET ft. Harvey
Our friend Harvey returns to talk about ending up in the hospital, leaving his job and beginning a new life as a lockdown NEET. We talk about getting healthier, confession and our experiences with Lent and Ramadan. Intro by auntie004. Outro by reiyashi.
Episode 109 - In the Grey Area
Tom and Don catch up about the holidays. Then we get into our changing relationship with posting, as silly as it is, and what we're looking forward to in the near future. Intro music by auntie004. Outro by reiyashi.
Episode 108 - Housing and Living Spaces
Laid back episode where we discuss Tom's apartment-hunting plans. We get into the negatives of cheap places we've lived and how wild prices can get these days. Then we dip into some Discord questions. Intro music by auntie004. Outro by reiyashi.
Episode 107 - Suffering, Jesus and the Purpose of Religion ft. Freddy
Our friend Freddy, a student in the philosophy of religion, opens the episode with the description of a man's long suffering in a Moroccan prison and the ways he managed to keep his sanity. This leads to a wide-ranging discussion about enduring pain, dreams and visions, the place of Jesus in the Islam and the purpose of religion. Mentioned: Understanding the Qur’anic Miracle Stories in the Modern Age by Isra Yazicioglu. Intro music by auntie004. Outro by reiyashi.
Episode 106 - Humor and Faith ft. Felix Biederman
Chapo's Felix Biederman joins Tom and Don to chat about making jokes that get us into trouble, growing out of that (or not) and how humor relates to faith. Intro music by auntie004. Outro music by reiyashi. Also check out Felix's new project Time for My Stories on Stitcher.
Episode 105 - UNLOCKED - Steppe Peoples
Unfortunately Don has been sick this weekend so we are releasing a popular recent bonus episode for the public feed. --- We talk about the historic steppe peoples of Central Asia, such as the Mongol Empire, and how they relate to the diversity of human experience. Tom talks about some of his reading in the area and Don chimes in a bit with his limited personal experience in China's far-west along the Silk Road. Most people know very little about the whole region, including Don, so we thought it'd be fun to discuss a few of the basics. Mentioned: The Ottoman History Podcast (Making of the Muslim World); Chinese Gleams of Sufi Light by Sachiko Murata (book); ARTGER - Mongolian Food on YouTube. Intro music by auntie004. Outro by reiyashi.
Episode 104 - Genocide Denialism: Good or Bad?
Is genocide denial good or bad? No one can know for sure. In this episode we discuss polarization around the news that pushes people into wacky positions. Is the speed of takes driving people into strange positions? How is this different from ten or more years ago? Why do you see similar pressures across many types of political outlooks? Intro music by auntie004. Outro by reiyashi.
Episode 103 - Sleep is the Cousin of Death
As the Thousand Year Quarantine rolls on we've had some problems getting a good sleep. It's something that's rarely discussed but affects us a lot. Starting off with a chat about insomnia and bad health we jump into discussion about the history of dreams and religion. Mentioned: Dreams That Matter: Egyptian Landscapes of the Imagination by Amira Mittermaier. Intro music by auntie004. Outro by reiyashi.
Episode 102 - Big Dave's Eternal Wisdom Q&A - ft. Big Dave
Big Dave returns for a full show of advice for listeners based on questions you sent in for him. We talk about planning for the future, life in the pandemic and things that keep us going. Intro music by auntie004. Outro by reiyashi.
Episode 101 - No Giggity
In this episode we talk about how we both walked backwards into piecing together an income rather than working a normal 9-to-5, and the broader phenomenon of gig work. While there are a lot of downsides to not having stable employment, sometimes side hustles and tiny businesses can offer an alternative for people who feel they don't otherwise fit into the economy. Intro music by auntie004. Outro by reiyashi.
Episode 100 - One Hunna Q&A
In our official 100th public feed episode we answer some questions from the kind friends and lunatics who send them in. Ranging from the morality of Islamic dress to a variety of askers with violent impulses, we try to rule definitively on your inquiries. Intro music by auntie004. Outro by reiyashi.
Episode 099 - The Not So Great Reset
Tom and Don use the "Great Reset" conspiracy theory slash real thing to talk about an economy where we don't really own anything and are tied down to debt, subscriptions and high rents. When big tech and progressive bureaucrats get together and plan our futures we might not be left with much space for self-determination. Intro music by auntie004. Outro by reiyashi.
Episode 099 - UNLOCKED - Something Awful Memory Lane ft. John V and Leo
Apologies to subscribers as technical problems destroyed a fun episode with AgileTablet we had recorded. Tom spent hours trying to fix it to no avail. We're flying into a wild rage about how annoying this is, trust us. We decided to release a Premium episode from the Patreon for the public feed. We expect the Thursday Premium episode will proceed normally. It's a fun one, though! John V and Leo joined us for a discussion of a small selection of the strange experiences we had on Something Awful. It originally came out on October 15, 2020.
Episode 098 - United States of Astrology ft. Ed Buck
Beloved guest 'Ed Buck' returns to dump on astrology as a microcosm of contemporary insanity. Professional astrologer Don and mystic wanderer Tom try to pinpoint whether irrationality is really the problem or if there is more to the story. Mentioned: Nausea by Jean-Paul Sartre, The Stars Down to Earth by Theodor Adorno, The Corrections by Jonathan Franzen, Dialectic of Enlightenment by Max Horkheimer and Theodor Adorno. Intro music by auntie004. Outro by reiyashi.
Episode 097 - Cyberpunk Video Juegos Nerdout ft. Jerel
Our choombata Jerel returns to talk about Cyberpunk and computer hardware in this purestrain nerd episode to inaugurate the New Year. We talk about contrasting attitudes towards juegos, from Don's casual enjoyment of cyberpunk lore to Tom's love for optimization and new technology and Jerel somewhere in between. Intro music by auntie004. Outro by reiyashi.
Episode 096 - Vaccine! Rona Shots Fired ft. Mike
Our friend Mike returns to help us wade through some of the more controversial claims made about the new vaccines and try to come to grips about what the next few years will look like. While Don wishes he could get a shot and be done with it, Mike's take suggests we are getting closer to Tom's Thousand Year Quarantine. Mentioned: Medical Nihilism by Jacob Stegenga, Formations of the Secular by Talal Asad. Mike provided some notes for his more salacious claims: Potential COVID vax antibody dependent enhancement: https://www.nature.com/articles/s41564-020-00789-5 Simulated effects of time-limited COVID vax immunity: https://www.medrxiv.org/content/medrxiv/early/2020/06/29/2020.06.28.20142141.full.pdf Meta analysis of repeat flu vax effects: https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/pdf/10.1080/14760584.2017.1334554 Reduced antibody maturation in repeat flu vaccination: https://www.nature.com/articles/s41467-019-11296-5.pdf?origin=ppub Ritalin doesnt work: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3063150/?utm_medium=referral&utm_source=r360 Paxil kills kids: https://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/glaxosmithkline-plead-guilty-and-pay-3-billion-resolve-fraud-allegations-and-failure-report Intro music by auntie004. Outro by reiyashi.
Episode 095 - You Can't Win Christmas
Tom, Don and AgileTablet gather together to celebrate the true meaning of Christmas. Can Muslims even celebrate Christmas? Don also reports back from a viewing of Mel's The Passion of the Christ and other traditions. Plus general holiday goofing off and the Q&A. Intro music by auntie004. Outro by reiyashi.
Episode 094 - Plans for 2021 ft. AgileTablet
Beloved third mic AgileTablet returns to chat about plans for the next year. As the Thousand Year Quarantine rolls on, we think of what we have accomplished and what we expect of the future. Marriage, work, health... all that good stuff. Intro by auntie004. Outro by reiyashi.
Episode 093 - End of Year Q&A
Do Muslims worship the moon? And other great anonymous questions from our audience. Topics include the C.I.Gay, AOC on Twitch, getting salafi-pilled, Chechens, Ireland and so much more. Mentioned: Treatise For The Seekers: Risalah al-Mustarshideen by Imam al-Harith al-Muhasibi and translated by Zaid Shakir, The Book of Assistance by Imam al-Haddad and translated by Dr. Mostafa al-Badawi, The Path of Muhammad: A Book on Islamic Morals & Ethics by Imam Birgivi and translated by Shaykh Tosun Bayrak.
Episode 092 - Christopher Lasch ft. ex.haust (John and Emmet)
The ex.haust podcast boys John and Emmet join us to discuss their take on Christopher Lasch and some of his criticisms of the American activist left. We work through some of the alienating aspects of modern left culture while trying to negotiate with constructive alternatives. Mentioned: Revolt of the Elites by Christopher Lasch, The Culture of Narcissism by Christopher Lasch, The True and Only Heaven by Christopher Lasch, The Yankee and Cowboy War by Carl Oglesby, Timur Mucuraev - Jerusalem (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8Phr3ucJwxo) Intro by auntie004. Outro by reiyashi.
Episode 091 - Personal Responsibility
The concept of personal responsibility is often championed by right-wingers and dismissed by the left, but the reality is more complicated. We discuss some of the problems of taking initiative to better our own situations and the difficulty of doing so while accepting that a lot is beyond our own control. Mentioned: 'Jocko Motivation "GOOD" (From Jocko Podcast)' on Youtube, 'Bob Newhart-OCD' on Youtube, GA Cohen, Jacques Lacan. Intro music by auntie004. Outro by reiyashi.
Episode 090 - Islam and the Black Community ft. Jerel and Akh
Our friends Jerel and Ahk return to discuss Islam and the Black Community in America - Jerel from the perspective of revert to Islam in Texas and Akh as a first-generation immigrant. We talk frictions of living as a Muslim in America and also the opportunities it presents for the future, as well as address common topics like Malcolm X and the Nation of Islam. Mentioned: Siraj Wahhaj, Sherman Jackson, Warith Deen Muhammed, Zaytuna College, Yaqeen Institute, Islamberg, Dar al-Islam, Iman Chicago, Muslim Mosque Inc, Organization of Afro-American Unity, Centering Black Narrative: Black Muslim Nobles Among the Early Pious Muslims by Dawud Walid, Dr. Jonathan Brown, Khaled Abou el Fadl, Amina Wadud, Imran Hossein.
Episode 089 - The Lizard People are Back, Baby! ft. Alex
As Washington prepares to refill the swamp, our friend Alex joins us to talk about the election and our expectations for the future. Then we get into a conversation about climate change and the future of environmentalism. Mentioned: Cyclonopedia by Reza Negarestani, Limits: Why Malthus Was Wrong and Why Environmentalists Should Care by Giorgos Kallis. Intro by auntie004. Outro by reiyashi.
Episode 088 - Utopia
We often come across as pretty negative on our pod, so in this episode we talk about what an ideal society might look like. If society does make progress over the next 500 years, what might things look like? Then we get into some questions about Star Trek and zoos. Mentioned: Milestones by Sayyid Qutb. Intro music by auntie004. Outro music by reiyashi.
Episode 087 - Live to Serve ft. Harvey
Our friend Harvey returns to share some process serving stories and how his job has changed under corona. Then we get into a chat about religion and trying to find ways to meet people where they are at rather than always picking fights. Intro music by auntie004. Outro by reiyashi.
Episode 086 - Neither of us are Voting for Biden
Tom takes a #whocare approach to voting in the Most Important Election of All Time. Then your two hosts discuss the exaggerated self-importance of designer ideologies. We work through the difference between Wikipedia-driven politics and a genuine deep tradition. Mentioned: "The Dark Side of the Dialectic" by Alvin Gouldner. Intro music by auntie004. Outro by reiyashi.
Episode 085 - Return of the Måck ft. Andy
Our friend Andy makes a long overdue return to the show to talk about overcoming a recent rough patch in his life and maintaining newfound sobriety through his faith and change in mindset. We also talk about the COVID situation in Sweden, his plans for the future, and answer questions about UFOs, the shari'a status of eating owls, and a movie premise about Don and Tom's rival trolling dojos. Andy's podcast: https://firingline2.libsyn.com/
Episode 084 - Trumpsick Troophate ft. Goatstein
Our friend Goatstein returns to discuss the hot topics of the day. We talk about Trump's illness, COVID-19 as an indictment of our whole society, David Graeber, Ruth Bader Ginsburg and (of course) hating the Troops. Mentioned: Bullshit Jobs by David Graeber, Debt by David Graeber. Intro by auntie004. Outro by reiyashi.
Episode 083 - Evolution and Religion ft. Mike and Akh
Our friends Mike and Akh join us for a discussion about evolution as both a misunderstood science and culture war flashpoint. Contemporary Muslim perspectives on evolution are often conflated with American evangelical Christian narratives, but the two can be quite different. At the same time, the science is much more complex than the simple model taught in high schools. Intro music by auntie004. Outro by reiyashi. References: Malik & Kulieva - Does belief in evolution entail kufr https://sci-hub.se/downloads/2020-08-01/43/10.1111@zygo.12620.pdf Salzburger - Understanding explosive diversification through cichlid fish genomics https://sci-hub.se/downloads/2020-09-02/86/salzburger2018.pdf Nei - Mutation driven evolution https://b-ok.cc/book/2372490/c25f72 Barbieri - Code Biology https://b-ok.cc/book/2486989/d39c4c
Episode 082 - True Crime ft. Alana and AgileTablet
Alana returns to join Tom, Don and beloved third mic AgileTablet for a fun chat about the true crime genre. We talk crime podcasts, Netflix documentaries, interrogation videos and murderabilia. Why does there seemed to be a gendered split in true crime fandom? Or are guys just interested in different kinds of murders? Mentioned: Sword and Scale podcast, A Father's Story by Lionel Dahmer, Sexual Homicide: Patterns and Motives by Ann Burgess, John E. Douglas, and Robert Ressler, You Can't Win Episode 018 - Making Friends Online ft. AgileTablet. Intro music by auntie004. Outro by reiyashi.
Episode 081 - Stand Up Comedy Faves ft. Big Dave
Our friend Big Dave drops by and we relax the best way we know how: Just some dudes chatting about the best stand-up comedians. We discuss some of our faves and our motivations for picking them. We also mentioned: Born Standing Up by Steve Martin; Larry Wilde's books and albums about comedy; Comedian with Jerry Seinfeld and Orny Adams; and Omit the Logic about Richard Pryor. Intro music by auntie004. Outro by reiyashi.
Episode 080 - Crypto Craziness ft. Tiago
Our friend Tiago drops by to discuss his personal experiences with cryptocurrency. While many of us laughed at crypto in its infancy, developments within the sector have spurred a significant subculture of investors and enthusiasts. It can be tempting to want to join the crowd for quick gains, even if the fundamental problems seem to remain. Intro music by auntie004. Outro music by reiyashi.
Episode 079 - To Shoot and Be Shot ft. AgileTablet and Cyd
Tom and Don are joined by beloved third mic AgileTablet and our charming friend Cyd to chat about the summer and learn some interesting facts about firearms. Cyd tells us funny stories about her glamorous Los Angeles life amid that global disease we all love. Cyd's twitter: @screamcummer // Mentioned: @akhchronicles Intro music by auntie004. Outro music by reiyashi.
Episode 078 - Running Through the Q's with My Co-Host Q&A
We talk Drake! And a bunch of other topics you asked us to chime in on - buying a first home, the divinity of Jesus, samurai, foreign trade, money in politics, autism... All sorts of things! Featuring just Tom and Don this week. Intro by auntie004. Outro by reiyashi.
Episode 077 - Dark Tales of Woe ft. Leo and John V
Our friends Leo and John V return to commiserate about the horrors of covid brain and the never-ending pandemic. John V relates his big city trials and tribulations of concussions and wild wandering while we all remember to laugh because you can't win. Mentioned: Youtube channel "VisualPoet1". Intro music by auntie004. Outro by reiyashi.
Episode 076 - American Fascism, Esotericism and UFOs Part I: William Dudley Pelley ft. Mike and Khalid
Mike and Khalid join Tom and Don to discuss William Dudley Pelley, an eccentric writer who promoted his own unique brand of American fascism and a complex spiritual system. Beginning his career in Hollywood, Pelley becomes an important influence on everything from grail quests to UFOs. We dig into his life and ideas as we set up a series about the connections between esotericism and postwar American politics. References: William Dudley Pelley: A Life in Right-Wing Extremism and the Occult by Scott Beekman, The Terrorist Next Door by Daniel Levitas and Steven Snyder's VISUP blog: visupview.blogspot.com Mentioned: A Case at Law (1917), One-Thing-at-a-Time O'Day (1919), What Women Love (1920), The Light in the Dark (1922), My Seven Minutes in Eternity by William Dudley Pelley, The Over-Soul by Ralph Waldo Emerson, No More Hunger by William Dudley Pelley, Dark Crystal (1982), Mind War by Michael Aquino
Episode 075 - Take Me Off of the Ballfield ft. WhiteSoxLex
Our friend Lex joins the crew to talk baseball's return amid rampant disease. We discuss the already-disastrous MLB mini-season and some recent bungles like the Houston cheating scandal. Mentioned: @done_watching, @AwfulPundits Intro by auntie004. Outro by reiyashi.
Episode 074 - Shedding the Second Tear: Film and Film Criticism ft. 'Ed Buck'
Hateful return guest 'Ed Buck' drops in to share his negative opinions on film criticism. We talk about the (often false) dichotomy between blockbusters and festival films. Ed is not hopeless, though, that people could still make some good movies, while Don starts wondering about why to write at all. Mentioned: Spiderman: Into the Spiderverse, 12 Years a Slave, Get Out, White Fragility by Robin DiAngelo, Blow-Up, Vitalina Varela, "A Certain Tendency in French Cinema" by François Truffaut, The Last Jedi, Avatar, Pere Ubu by Alfred Jarry. Recommendations: Taste of Cherry (Kiarostami), Pope Francis: A Man of His Word (Wenders), Le Gai Savoir (Godard).
Episode 073 - Spectres of the Occult ft. Khalid
We are joined by returning guest Khalid to discuss the Occult. While strange rituals and hidden knowledge are often seen as silly, such language permeates our ways of thinking about even "scientific" knowledge. We chat about what that means for critiques of modernism and its relationship to world religions. And we get real weird with it. Mentioned: Against the Modern World by Mark Sedgwick, Hayy ibn Yaqdhan by Ibn Tufail. Intro music by auntie004. New outro by reiyashi.
Episode 072 - We Are Experts on Everything in Every Situation Q&A
After a few solid months of interviews we dig back into the mailbag for your questions. We start with the Hagia Sophia and Catholic profiteering, crystal ball our futures, talk about Birthright trips and Islamophobia, discuss Charles Bettelheim and Skyrim, MOOCs and Northern Ireland, Maoist rebels and racism, and even have a bit on Rosa Luxemburg. Mentioned: Charles Bettelheim's Class Struggles in the USSR. Intro music by auntie004. Outro is Billy Woods - Western Education is Forbidden.
Episode 071 - Pizzagate is Real VIII: Bad Mounties ft. Mike
Our friend Mike, Professor Pizzagate himself, returns to discuss the Royal Canadian Mounted Police. The RCMP is Canada's federal police force which was recently back in the spotlight after a bizarre shooting in Nova Scotia. We work through some of the stranger moments in the Mounties' history and why it matters for understanding our corrupt world. Mentioned: Dispersing the Fog by Paul Palango. Intro music by auntie004. Outro is John Carpenter - Night.
Episode 070 - Enver Hoxha's Albania ft. Ismail
Tom and Don are joined by our old friend Ismail to talk about his fascination with Albania and the history of socialism. Beyond the infamous bunkers, we talk about the viability of planned economies and the development of Marxism-Leninism. We also chat about eRegime, a game community that Ismail helps lead. Ismail's website: http://eregime.org/ Intro music by auntie004. Outro is Enver Hoxha Tungjatjeta!, Albanian Communist Patriotic song.
Episode 069 - You Are Now Entering the Summer Zone ft. AgileTablet
A relaxed summer episode with Tom, Don and AgileTablet wading in a kids pool while we record, microphone cables precariously in the water and with Don in inflatable water-wings. We talk about the relaxing of lockdown, summer eats and living off the land. Intro music by auntie004. Outro is Hamid el Shaeri - Ayonha.
Episode 068 - Big Dave Unmasked! ft. Big Dave
Big Dave returns to spread the gospel of #NoBeef 2020 and his #whocare philosophy. We chat about life in lockdown, gaming and the central importance of ignoring goofballs online. A chill low-spoons episode for lovers of wisdom. Mentioned: Andy's Twitch channel: https://www.twitch.tv/betongen974 History Podcasts: Fall of Civilizations, Age of Napoleon, Casualties of History. CaspianReport's video on China's megadams: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CEo4NNo7oaM Intro music by auntie004. Outro is Young T & Bugsey - Don't Rush ft. Headie One.
Episode 067 - Indigo Children First Responders ft. Leo and John V
Leo and John V of the (future) Pimp Chronicles drop by again to join Tom and Don for a fun chat about our nightmare world. We talk about everything from police abolition to getting real oiled up for a rich perv's Nativity scene. Mentioned: Dignity by Chris Arnade. Intro music by auntie004. Outro is Gary Glitter - I'm the Leader of the Gang (I Am!)
Episode 066 - Bad Boys in Uniform ft. Goatstein
Longtime posting brother Goatstein joins Tom and Don to talk the protests and other goings on. We've known Goat for over a decade so it's nice to catch up and wander a bit down memory lane. We also emphasize the need to remember how terrible the Troops are while we're all focused on state killings. Mentioned: Eichmann in Jerusalem by Hannah Arendt Intro music is auntie004. Outro is TLO ROLL CALL.
Episode 065 - The Left is a Pyramid Scheme ft. Ed Buck
"Ed Buck" returns to argue that the Left is a scam that burns through resources with little to show for it. Is "Herbaleft" a pyramid scheme to line the pockets of self-appointed organizers? Or is the whole world suckers and grifters? One of our most blackpilled episodes yet! Mentioned: EH Carr interview "The Russian Revolution and the West" (https://newleftreview.org/issues/I111/articles/e-h-carr-the-russian-revolution-and-the-west), Max Horkheimer & Theodor Adorno, "Towards a New Manifesto?" (https://platypus1917.org/wp-content/uploads/2011/12/horkheimeradorno_newmanifesto_NLR65_2010press.pdf), "The Last Trump Card: Islam and Other Religions" by Tim Winter (Abdul Hakim Murad) (https://archive.org/details/TheLastTrumpCardIslamAndOtherReligionsTimWinterAbdulhakimMurad) Intro music by auntie004. Outro is Baked Alaska - We Love Our Cops
Episode 064 - German Far Right Extremism, Israel and the Holocaust ft. Khaled
Our new guest Khaled joins us from Germany to discuss his experiences and research. The first part of our discussion digs into the prevalence of far-right politics and Khaled's first-hand knowledge of racism and Islamophobia in the school system. Afterwards, we work through some of the intellectual debates around Israel and the difficulties of fighting antisemitism by comparing them to American debates around anti-racism. Mentioned: Zionism: A Brief History by Michael Brenner, The Holocaust Industry by Norman Finkelstein, The Life of the Prophet Muhammad by Hamza Yusuf (YouTube), Khaled Blankenship (YouTube). Intro music by auntie004. Outro: Kinky Friedman - Ride Em Jewboy
Episode 063 - The Perfect Islamo-Catholic Subject ft. Drew
Tom and Don catch up with our old friend Drew. Drew discusses bike messenging and the dreaded apps, life in Michigan, how he got to monotheism, learning languages and the legacy of online forums. Mentioned: Wages of Destruction by Adam Tooze, Conjuring Hitler by Guido Giacomo Preparata, They Thought They Were Free by Milton Mayer, Beyond Totalitarianism: Stalinism and Nazism Compared by Michael Geyer. Intro music by auntie004. Outro: Vanity - Martin Luther.
Episode 062 - Pizzagate is Real VII: Bill Gates, the WHO and Anti-Vaxxers
Our friend Mike, Professor Pizzagate himself, returns to discuss the weird world of megaphilanthropist Bill Gates. Portrayed in the media as a caring genius and self-made billionaire, Gates' true history of creepy connections complicates the media narrative. While Gates has helped lead the fusion of health policy and private power, critics such as RFK Jr. exploit gaps in the official story to push their own pernicious agenda. Intro music by auntie004. Outro is Rick Ross - Bill Gates.
Episode 061 - Perfect Trump-Nature
Tom and Don chat about this year's unique Ramadan experience and how we are handling quarantine so far. We talk Ad Astra and Islam and Andropov and several other questions from the audience. Mentioned: The Crusades Through Arab Eyes by Amin Maalouf, Hamza Yusuf (Foundations of Islam Series available on YouTube at the Islam on Demand channel, Vision of Islam CD Series, Life of the Prophet Muhammad all available on YouTube), Abdul Hakim Murad's reading list (https://www.acommonword.com/docs/TJ%20Winter%20Booklist.pdf), Yasir Qadhi, Nouman Ali Khan (available on YouTube at Bayyinah Institute channel) and The Destruction of the Soviet Economic System: An Insider's History Book by Michael Ellman and Vladimir Kontorovich. Intro music by auntie004. Outro: Paavoharju - Musta Katu.
Episode 060 - Art and Noise in the Time of Corona ft. Steve "Extranapkins"
Steve @extranapkins joins Tom and Don for a chat about life in LA under Corona and his projects including comics, jokes and electronic music. Then we dive into some questions about the existentialism, Dalai Lama, noise music and other fun things. Intro music by auntie004. Outro music is Pax Titania - Cult of the Colonist (Steve's music!). Steve prints and mails out cards each month which you can check out at: https://www.patreon.com/stevescards and his website is http://brokenpants.com/