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PODCAST

Decoding the Gurus

Christopher Kavanagh and Matthew Browne

An exiled Northern Irish anthropologist and a hitchhiking Australian psychologist take a close look at the contemporary crop of "secular gurus", iconoclasts, and other exiles from the mainstream, offering their own brands of unique takes and special insights. Leveraging two of the most diverse accents in modern podcasting, Chris and Matt dig deep into the claims, peek behind the psychological curtains, and try to figure out once and for all... What"s it all About? Join us, as we try to puzzle our

society & culture social sciences

All Episodes

02:59:07

Teal Swan: All Hail Source

Decoding the Gurus ·

2026/02/13

Cult Season rumbles on as Chris and Matt expand their minds in an attempt to absorb the cosmic insights of spiritual influencer and alleged cult leader Teal Swan (born Mary Teal Bosworth, 1984). Our intrepid hosts explore her recent appearance on the Just Tap In podcast with Emilio “starchild” Ortiz — a beanie-wearing vessel of pure credulity, lobbing softball metaphysical questions gently into the astral winds.The topic covered is ostensibly “Major 2026 Predictions” but this is really just an entry

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22:58

Decoding Academia 34: Empathetic AIs? (Patreon Series)

Decoding the Gurus ·

2026/02/12

In this Decoding Academia episode, we take a look at a 2025 paper by Daria Ovsyannikova, Victoria Olden, and Mickey Inzlicht, asking a question that might make some people uncomfortable/angry, specifically, are AI-generated responses perceived as more empathetic than those written by actual humans?We walk through the design in detail (including why this is a genuinely severe test), hand out deserved open-science brownie points, and discuss why AI seems to excel particularly when responding to

en

01:35:22

The Rise of the Science Populists with Sam Gregson...

Decoding the Gurus ·

2026/02/09

In this interview episode, we are joined by physicists Sam Gregson (Bad Boy of Science YouTube channel) and Tim Henke to examine the rise of science populism: a style of science communication that borrows the tactics of political populism, including grievance narratives, institutional distrust, and conspiratorial framing, while presenting its advocates as lone truth-tellers battling a corrupt academic elite.We discuss how DTG favourites like Sabine Hossenfelder and Eric Weinstein, as well as fresh

en

32:31

Supplementary Material 44: Peasant Archmages, Moral...

Decoding the Gurus ·

2026/02/07

We descend once more into the Gurusphere, encountering secret peasant archmages, decline narratives, Epstein emails, and endless moral panics.The full episode is available to Patreon subscribers (1 hour, 37 minutes).Join us at: https://www.patreon.com/DecodingTheGurus00:00 SM 44 PF00:23 Introduction01:30 Konstantin Kisin: Not Left Or Right, Just Right05:20 Boghossian is shocked by pessimistic French people08:50 Konstantin and Warren Smith as relics of the anti-SJW era12:45 A PSA! Hyper Capitalism

en

01:32:22

Open Science, Psychology, and the Art of Not Quite...

Decoding the Gurus ·

2026/01/30

In a rare departure from our usual diet of online weirdos, this episode features an academic who is very much not a guru. We’re joined by Julia Rohrer, a psychologist at Leipzig University whose work straddles the disciplinary boundaries of open science, research transparency, and causal inference. Julia is also an editor at Psychological Science and has spent much of the last decade politely pointing out that psychologists often don’t quite know what they’re estimating, why, or under which

en

21:43

Supplementary Material 43: Red-Blooded Americans,...

Decoding the Gurus ·

2026/01/24

We crawl around the dark crevices of the internet so you don't have to. And what wonders we have to show you...ThefullepisodeisavailabletoPatreonsubscribers(1hour,34minutes).Joinusat:https://www.patreon.com/DecodingTheGurusSupplementary Material 4300:00 Introduction and Banter Allotment01:23 The Hypocrisy of the Defenders of Western Civilisation10:07 An Optimistic Take?17:02 Scott Adams' Controversial Legacy18:43 Scott Alexander's Rationalist Eulogy for Scott Adams32:31 A Final Tribute to Scott

en

03:08:41

Scott Galloway, Part 2: Peak Masculinity

Decoding the Gurus ·

2026/01/23

We return for Part 2 of our Scott Galloway deep dive, where the vibes remain strong, the confidence unwavering, and the relationship with empirical evidence increasingly… decorative.Returning to our Modern Wisdom safari, we continue navigating the forbidden terrain of men, masculinity, and male suffering: a topic so dangerous that it requires constant ritual disclaimers, whispered caveats, and the occasional nervous glance around the bar to make sure we can take out the other men if necessary.We

en

34:41

Supplementary Material 42: Chimpanzee Testicles, Home...

Decoding the Gurus ·

2026/01/08

We dig deep into the online world to DO OUR OWN RESEARCH and return with horrors never dreamt of by man.ThefullepisodeisavailabletoPatreonsubscribers(1hour,23minutes).Joinusat:https://www.patreon.com/DecodingTheGurusSupplementary Material 4200:00 Introduction11:13 Rogan and Shane Gillis on Nick Fuentes vs Piers Morgan17:49 Jimmy Carr's Physics Insights24:00 The comedian shuffle25:12 Andrew Huberman teams up with Goop!30:41 Huberman injects his dog with testosterone.32:09 Bryan Johnson and the secret

en

02:51:19

Scott Galloway, Part 1: On Men

Decoding the Gurus ·

2026/01/04

We return to the podcast circuit in 2026 to examine Scott Galloway: NYU professor, prolific podcaster, and, more recently, part-time life coach for struggling young men.Joining him on an episode of Modern Wisdom with Chris Williamson, we are invited into one of the few remaining forbidden conversational spaces: men, masculinity, and men’s problems. You may have been misled by the relentless popularity of Joe Rogan, Modern Wisdom, The Tucker Carlson Show, Triggernometry, The Diary of a CEO, Huberman

en

01:29:31

The Replication Crisis Christmas Quiz w/ Mickey...

Decoding the Gurus ·

2025/12/25

In this festive descent into methodological despair, Chris and Matt convene a secret cabal of elite psychology podcasters within the Decoding Cloister, operating under the distant yet reassuring gaze of Arch-Wizard Paul Bloom, whose role is largely ceremonial but nonetheless morally binding.Joining them are Dave Pizarro (Very Bad Wizards) and Michael Inzlicht (Two Psychologists Four Beers, emeritus), for what can only be described as an end-of-year audit of social psychology’s moral character.What

en

01:26:32

DTG Christmas Quiz 2025 with Helen Lewis

Decoding the Gurus ·

2025/12/22

In this special Christmas episode, Helen’s annual Guru Quiz returns, lightly dusted with Trump, podcast tours, and the unsettling realisation that the Guru-sphere and the MAGA-sphere have quietly fused into a single, monetised, vibes-based organism. That's right, the regular decoding team are joined by renowned journalist, author, podcaster... and occasional DTG quiz master, Helen Lewis, who once again brings her festive cheer, an uncanny ability to identify exactly who will be unbearable next year,

en

43:42

Supplementary Material 41: Ironic Nazis, Blustering...

Decoding the Gurus ·

2025/12/18

In this tragic episode, we pay tribute to a fallen comrade and honour his memory with a Supplementary Material 4100:00 Introduction and Swimming Update02:34 The Tragic Tale of Old Squeaky09:01 Sam Harris interpersonal bias & Megyn Kelly26:05 Gary Stevenson vs Rory Stewart36:26 Master Certificates and Jaffa Cakes41:59 Dasha's Nick Fuentes Problem50:08 Nick Fuentes' Racist Remarks54:29 Piers Morgan vs. Nick Fuentes59:08 The Two Nick Fuentes Personas01:02:39 Father Issues01:20:51 Nick Fuentes the

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32:51

Gurometer: Stefan Molyneux *Patreon Preview*

Decoding the Gurus ·

2025/12/13

In this unlocked bonus episode, Chris and Matt complete their forensic/esoteric/scientific assessment of the charming Stefan Molyneux, consigning him (sadly) to the eternal archives of the Gurometer.

en

01:31:36

Stefan Molyneux, Part 2: Back in the Moly Hole

Decoding the Gurus ·

2025/12/04

Cult Season continues, and much like Stefan himself, you may have hoped this would go away after Part 1. Unfortunately, like all persistent internet hauntings, Molyneux has returned. And this time, Chris and Matt venture even deeper into the Moly-Hole, a place where truth is redefined, callers are slowly gaslit into existential confusion, and every philosophical insight is served with the overwhelming scent of narcissism and emotional manipulation.We return to the joyful world of Stefan’s

en

42:54

Supplementary Material 40: YouTube Builders, the...

Decoding the Gurus ·

2025/11/29

We set down the Chardonnay at the latest heterodox dinner party and lean in for some hearty ‘civil discourse’ to once again defend the trembling pillars of Western civilization.The full episode is available to Patreon subscribers (2 hours, 13 minutes).Join us at: https://www.patreon.com/DecodingTheGurusSupplementary Material 40: YouTube Builders, the Discourse Grind, and Sam Harris' Dinner Parties00:00 Introduction01:15 Feedback on the Molyneux Episode10:26 Jordan Peterson still defeated by toxic

en

03:03:42

Stefan Molyneux, Part 1: A fun guy, who is here to...

Decoding the Gurus ·

2025/11/21

Welcome back to Cult Season, where we continue our sincere attempt to make you feel a little bit worse about the world and everything in it.This week, we turn to Stefan Molyneux, online pioneer, prolific content creator, and self-proclaimed most popular philosopher in the world. Alternatively his wikipedia entry describes him as "an Irish-born Canadian white nationalist podcaster and proponent of conspiracy theories, white supremacy, scientific racism, and the men's rights movement." Charming...One

en

01:26:49

Autism, Microbiomes, & Mice Burying Marbles with...

Decoding the Gurus ·

2025/11/18

This week, we are joined by Kevin Mitchell, Associate Professor of Genetics and Neuroscience at Trinity College Dublin, who has committed the unforgivable sin of pointing out that an entire academic and media hype cycle might be built on… well, very little actually. His new co-authored paper in Neuron politely dismantles the highly promoted link between the gut microbiome and autism, which turns out to rest on flawed studies, contradictory findings, creative statistics, and a touching faith in mice

en

01:12:10

Right to Reply: A Dialogos about Sensemaking with...

Decoding the Gurus ·

2025/11/03

We are joined by Alexander Beiner, current founder of Kainos and former co-founder of Rebel Wisdom, to grapple with that eternally slippery concept: sensemaking. Naturally, this leads us through interdisciplinary adventurism, reflections on the (il)legitimacy of academia, and the recurring “meaning crisis” that haunts our times. Sense will be made, unmade, and possibly reinvented along the way.LinksAlexander's Substack: KainosAlexander's recent documentary: LeviathanOur original episode that

en

37:58

Supplementary Material 39: Bad Guys, Panpsychists,...

Decoding the Gurus ·

2025/11/01

Chris and Matt walk into a bar with an atheist sensemaker, an Ayurvedic Guru, and a Christian Apologist, and predictable frivolities ensue. Featuring not one but two good-natured, robust exchanges of opinion between our two hosts.The full episode is available to Patreon subscribers (1 hour, 42 minutes).Join us at: https://www.patreon.com/DecodingTheGurusSupplementary Material 39: Panpsychics, Sensemakers, and Bad Guys00:00 Introduction01:17 AI and the Music Industry05:34 Is Chris a Bad Guy?10:44

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16:44

Required Readings: The Genius Myth by Helen Lewis

Decoding the Gurus ·

2025/10/29

In another exciting Required Reading episode, Chris and Matt offer their penetrating, high IQ thoughts on the latest book by journalist and podcast quizmaster, Helen Lewis. Titled 'The Genius Myth: The Dangerous Allure of Rebels, Monsters, and Rule Breakers', the book tears into some of the long-enduring myths surrounding historical and contemporary geniuses from Picasso to Elon Musk. It's a critical dissection of gurus and devoted fans, so very on topic! And yes, it is better than Cod...Full

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