Conspirituality podcast

Conspirituality

Dismantling New Age cults, wellness grifters, and conspiracy-mad yogis. At best, the conspirituality movement attacks public health efforts in times of crisis. At worst, it fronts and recruits for the fever-dream of QAnon. As the alt-right and New Age horseshoe toward each other in a blur of disinformation, clear discourse, and good intentions get smothered. Charismatic influencers exploit their followers by co-opting conspiracy theories on a spectrum of intensity ranging from vaccines to child trafficking. In the process, spiritual beliefs that have nurtured creativity and meaning are transforming into memes of a quickly-globalizing paranoia. Conspirituality Podcast attempts to bring understanding to this landscape. A journalist, a cult researcher, and a philosophical skeptic discuss the stories, cognitive dissonances, and cultic dynamics tearing through the yoga, wellness, and new spirituality worlds. Mainstream outlets have noticed the problem. We crowd-source, research, analyze, and dream answers to it.

Dismantling New Age cults, wellness grifters, and conspiracy-mad yogis. At best, the conspirituality movement attacks public health efforts in times of crisis. At worst, it fronts and recruits for the fever-dream of QAnon. As the alt-right and New Age horseshoe toward each other in a blur of disinformation, clear discourse, and good intentions get smothered. Charismatic influencers exploit their followers by co-opting conspiracy theories on a spectrum of intensity ranging from vaccines to child trafficking. In the process, spiritual beliefs that have nurtured creativity and meaning are transforming into memes of a quickly-globalizing paranoia. Conspirituality Podcast attempts to bring understanding to this landscape. A journalist, a cult researcher, and a philosophical skeptic discuss the stories, cognitive dissonances, and cultic dynamics tearing through the yoga, wellness, and new spirituality worlds. Mainstream outlets have noticed the problem. We crowd-source, research, analyze, and dream answers to it.

 

#693

Brief: MAGA’s Censorship Hypocrisy

MAGA congressman Clay Higgins recently sent a letter to top tech executives demanding subs... more

Yesterday

27 MINS

27:18

Yesterday


#692

276: Inventing Saint Charlie Kirk

Charlie Kirk became the latest victim of gun violence in America on September 10. And he w... more

25 Sep 2025

1 HR 10 MINS

1:10:59

25 Sep 2025


#691

Bonus Sample: Antifascist (Autistic) Christianity — Simon(e) Weil (Part 2)

The second installment in a two-part exploration of Simon(e) Weil for the ongoing Antifasc... more

22 Sep 2025

05 MINS

05:48

22 Sep 2025


#690

Brief: Antifascist (Autistic) Christianity: Simon(e) Weil (Part 1)

Matthew begins a two-part exploration of Simone Weil—French philosopher, mystic, and antif... more

20 Sep 2025

47 MINS

47:39

20 Sep 2025


#689

275: It’s Never the Guns

Less than two weeks after a shooter unloaded 500 rounds at the CDC in Atlanta, RFK Jr gutt... more

18 Sep 2025

58 MINS

58:11

18 Sep 2025


#688

Bonus Sample: The 9/11 Rorschach Test

The events of September 11, 2001 changed the world. Julian reflects on several interpretat... more

15 Sep 2025

52 MINS

52:38

15 Sep 2025


#687

Brief: MAHA’s Conspiracy Theories

Derek worked for nearly 10 months on a NY Times opinions video, "You Might Have Already Fa... more

13 Sep 2025

25 MINS

25:00

13 Sep 2025


#686

274: Is Rogan REALLY Leading a Death Cult?

If it wasn't all so tragic, politics might seem like a bad joke. But how did comedy become... more

11 Sep 2025

1 HR 13 MINS

1:13:22

11 Sep 2025


#685

Bonus Sample: How Wellness Influencers Became Radicalized

Biostatistician Halbert Dunn's 1961 book, High Level Wellness, set the stage for the moder... more

08 Sep 2025

07 MINS

07:17

08 Sep 2025


#684

Brief: Conspiracies Down Under

The recent killing of two police officers (and wounding of a third) in Porepunkah, Austral... more

06 Sep 2025

35 MINS

35:39

06 Sep 2025


#683

273: Trump Will Die

Trump is still alive, though a lot of folks are excited that won't last. Maybe it’s testim... more

04 Sep 2025

1 HR 03 MINS

1:03:50

04 Sep 2025


#682

Bonus Sample: Antifascist Christianity: Bonhoeffer (Pt 2)

Matthew recounts the story of a young, hoity-toity soft-nationalist German theologian name... more

01 Sep 2025

05 MINS

05:34

01 Sep 2025


#681

Brief: Antifascist Christianity: Bonhoeffer (Pt 1)

Matthew recounts the story of a young, hoity-toity soft-nationalist German theologian name... more

30 Aug 2025

37 MINS

37:39

30 Aug 2025