Today on Based Camp we break down the delightful Anakin Skywalker memes sweeping social media, especially among young men. We explore why the prequel trilogy resonates as a critique of bureaucracy, institutional failure, and generational divides, with the Empire positioned as an aspirational alternative.Our chat examines themes of loyalty, competence, and long-term visions for human civilization through a Star Wars lens, covering historical parallels from old MTV segments, deeper cultural shifts toward rebuilding institutions, and Malcolm’s own sci-fi universe in the upcoming game Broodfall (which we would love for you to wishlist on Steam!). Show NotesThe PremiseElon Musk: This is what they stole from usMakes sense, seeing as, like Anakin, they find themselves shackled by an ossified bureaucracy that stifles him and fails to defend the people he loves.The JokesThe jokes are hilarious:* Sir Doge of the Coin: My politics in 2020 // My politics now* Colonel Otaju Gatekeeper: The Sand People gave us Curry & Kebabs Anakin* Joel Webbon: “But we won WWII, Anakin!” “It doesn’t look like won.”* Thaulos: ““Jar-Jar Binks is just as intelligent as you Anakin, he just needs proper education””The Padme CommentaryThere’s even Padme commentary:* Milena Z: “Had Padme used her female intuition and been a supportive wife, she would’ve told Anakin to get rid of both the jedi and that manipulative backstabbing creep Palpatine so they could rule the galaxy together.”* Joel Webbon: Padme didn’t die from a broken neck from Anakin. She died from a broken heart because Anakin turned out to not support gay race communism. She epitomizes the liberal woman who chooses ideology over her own marriage and family.Jokes aside, this is deeper than what many would assume on the surface—it’s part of a much longer-term shift in youth sentiment that hints at what the long-term future of human civilization may look like, so let’s get into it.The DiscourseSome choice posts on X:Why Zoomers Relate* Modern Vitalist: From the Zoomer perspective the Jedi are evil Anakin was born of a Virgin, conceived by the Force, the Jedi Council knew he was the Chosen One.. Yet still, they rejected him… Why? Because he was more powerful than them Imagine they had loved him, trusted him, and recognized his Divine Destiny Instead they: -forbid him to reproduce -allowed his mother to be sold into slavery and viscously murdered by “sand people” -watched the Democratic Process of the Republic evolve into a powerless stalemate -traded Ancient Prophecy in favor of a modern interpretation thereby mocking the very Tradition they claimed to protect They got what they deserved. Long live the Empire. Hail Lord Vader* Rich:Extremely talented and competent white man being lectured by a diverse cast of DEI hires who are objectively inferior to his skill and power at this point in his life. Yet he’s locked out of pursuing a greater destiny by a geriatric bureaucracy with rules even it doesn’t seem to understand why it enforces anymore. Windu aggressively telling Anakin to “take a seat” as if he could force the superior Skywalker to do anything he didn’t want to do. The Council talks down to him because of some arbitrary organizational title they give each other - again, all while being inferior to him. The Council, standing for peace and progress, stood in the way of both. It’s no wonder Anakin would turn his back on this organization and why it’s so relatable to young men in this society.* Adeptus Liberatus: In his first meeting with the Jedi Council, Anakin is asked if his “thoughts dwell with his mother.” To this, Anakin responds, “I miss her.” Keep in mind Anakin is a child who has just been separated from his mother for presumably the first time and is now on an entirely different planet. He expresses one of the most basic and human emotions a boy could express in that moment. Within 30 seconds, Yoda is telling him he is full of fear and on the path to the Dark Side. Fast forward to Episode 2. Anakin wants to save his mother from slavery after promising her in Episode 1 as a little boy he would come back and free her. It would be very easy to do. He’s served and learned under the Jedi for 10 years, and despite his hotheadedness and youthful mistakes, he remains loyal. What do the Jedi do? They let his mother die at the hands of alien savages. He has to witness her dying moments. Yeah, but sure, Anakin is weak. Oh yeah, and how did Luke wreck Vader btw? Vader threatened to turn Leia to the Dark Side which enrages Luke. Luke defeats Vader in a fit of pure, unadulterated, white hot rage. There’s no stoic virtuee in Luke during the final seconds of his duel with Vader. It’s the most belligerent and furious we ever see Luke across all three movies. Finally, you cannot call Anakin weak and claim to understand the story. Anakin is true identity: it’s the boy who loves his mother, the young man who fell in love with Padme, the student who trained under Obi Wan, the prodigy pod racer, the Chosen One. That identity was destroyed by the very order that he fought for and was loyal to until it broke him for their corrupt purposes. The Boomer Jedi view of the world will die and we are going to win.The Leftist Hate* Tons point to the “killing kids” thing* Dalton Pruitt: “I can explain the Anakin thing. Right wingers are really f*****g stupid.”* S. Foster: “Anakin was the epitome of weak men creating hard times.”* Project Liberal: “Anakin was gaslit and manipulated by people smarter than him. So this makes perfect sense actually.”This is Not NewIn a 2005 episode of MTV True Life there’s a disaffected 20-something young man whose boomer dad spends “too much time playing with toys” and who loves2:25: Dad’s caught up in this whole Jedi Knight thing(timestamped) And ultimately they go to a convention togetherJump forward to some cuts where they show the son clapping when fans in Imperial cosplay get engaged and the son wonders why “they don’t have more of those” referring to USA flag stormtroopers: (timestamped)And he goes on to saying how he’s more pulled to the dark side and he says he wants to be stormtrooper.Then he tries on armor and his dad is legit disappointed and insistent that he’ll convert him: (timestamped) Analysis and Larger MeaningAn Outsider’s AnalysisKatherine Dee’s take:“why now, why these images? What happened to the, well, meme-ier, more 4chan-feeling stuff?”Her two theories:“The Online Right has been mined by a lot of different interest groups — podcasters, hipsters, people like myself looking to grow their TikTok followings, Elon Musk, the government itself, Boomers who run think tanks, et al. This caused a sort of “Eternal September” of the e-right, that is, opened the floodgates for new people. Fandom of this type is the lingua franca of the everyman. In other words: demographic shift.It’s some kind of pre-midterms op. The Powers That Be fully believe in meme-magick post-Trump, see: Ron DeSantis, the shameful way our administration tweets. The problem is that the secret is out. It’s not going to work anymore. I have a whole convoluted theory about how the magic of the Internet has been drained; magic phenomena doesn’t like to be seen or controlled or explained in the way people are trying to.”What I think Katherine Dee is missing is this isn’t people supporting the establishment right or some vague form of the right, it’s people who want and fully intend to build a new world order.Analysis from the InsideIn Tom Foe’s coverage of this (Anakin Was Right About Democracy), he agrees that:* Anakin serves as a symbol of frustrated young masculinity (complete with awkwardness i.e. Anakin saying: “I don’t like sand.” to Padme—arguing that the awkward lines are more relatable than they are poorly written)* The Star Wars prequels are an indictment of the democratic establishment* Security and personal loyalty take precedence over democratic principlesHe also:* defends Anakin’s massacre of the Tusken Raiders as vengeance for his mother and draws an analo… This is a public episode. 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A large-scale mailing of a Texas transgender and LGBTQ student resource guide reached households across the state right as early voting began for the midterms. The envelope listed a nonexistent return address and pointed recipients to groups and programs for support outside the family, including emancipation details and out of state care options. Intriguing, right?In this episode of Based Camp, we examine the competing claims about who created and distributed the materials, review the pamphlet contents, and cover new reporting on networks that help families access transition related services despite state restrictions through telehealth and alternative medical coding. Ultimately, who sent the Texas mailer is less important to us than the fact that many far-left movements now operate underground, below the radar, meaning that the most important counteraction involves shedding light on their agenda and actions. Show NotesWhat Was Sent OutA large-scale mailing of “Texas Trans & LGBTQ+ Student Resource Guide” pamphlets has hit Texas households (addressed to “Students Of The [Family Name] Family”) as early voting opened for the November 3, 2026 midterms.* Recipients were across Texas, including the Dallas-Fort Worth area, Houston region, San Antonio, the Texas Panhandle, Texarkana, and Southeast Texas* The sender is listed as the Texas Transgender Student Union with a return address of 1611 W. Airport Blvd., Suite 123, Meadows Place, TX 77477—* an address that does not exist (it is close to a real UPS Store mailbox address associated with other groups).* The materials have sparked outrage, investigations, and speculation that they are a political dirty trick timed to the election.What the Mailer SaysIt is a glossy fold-out brochure. The cover reads “TEXAS TRANS & LGBTQ+ STUDENT RESOURCE GUIDE,” shows clasped hands against pink/blue graphics, and states: “You are not alone. There are people in Texas who will help you find support.”Key sections (drawn from photos and reporting) include:* If you are “trans, nonbinary, or questioning and your family, school, or community isn’t supportive”: “YOU DON’T HAVE TO FIGURE EVERYTHING OUT BY YOURSELF.” It positions itself as a starting point for supportive people, youth programs, legal information, and community, with a note that laws change quickly.* “WHAT TO DO IF YOUR PARENTS DON’T SUPPORT YOU”: “First: You deserve support even if your parents don’t understand or agree with you.” It advises finding a “safe adult” (trusted teacher, counselor, relative, friend’s parent, therapist, or youth organization staff member) and contacting groups including TENT (transtexas.org), OutYouth, Montrose Center/Hatch, and Resource Center Dallas.* Emancipation: “WHAT IF I WANT TO BE EMANCIPATED?” It outlines Texas law allowing minors to petition if they are 17, or at least 16 and living separately, self-supporting, managing their own financial affairs, and if the court finds it in the minor’s best interest. It links to Texas Law Help.* Hormones/gender-affirming care: Advises finding a trusted organization rather than trying to obtain medication yourself, so they can explain current Texas rules (which ban hormone treatment for gender dysphoria in minors) and connect to legal, healthcare, and support resources.* Out-of-state care: Notes that for those under 18, parental consent, custody, and the laws of both states matter; it recommends talking to a legal organization first (linking TENT, Lambda Legal, and ACLU of Texas).* It promotes TENT’s “Trans Texas Takeover” Fall Tour with dates and locations (McAllen, Lubbock, Amarillo, Austin, Houston, Fort Worth, Dallas, Tyler, etc.).* Closing panel (“ONE FINAL THING”): “You don’t need to have everything figured out. You don’t have to know whether you’re definitely trans. You don’t have to decide about hormones or surgery right now. You don’t have to convince your parents. Your job right now is to stay safe, find people who will listen to you, and give yourself time to figure out who you are. … Even if your family doesn’t accept you as you are, groups like these are ready to become your found family.”It heavily features TENT branding, websites, QR codes, and resources, plus mentions of other groups.The Accused “Trans Union” / TENT’s Response* There is no legitimate, preexisting Texas organization called the Texas Transgender Student Union.* The real group repeatedly named and linked is the Transgender Education Network of Texas (TENT), a statewide trans-led advocacy organization (active since around 2010) that provides education, resources, and advocacy on issues such as schools, bathrooms, bullying, and Texas laws affecting transgender people.* TENT has repeatedly and strongly denied any involvement.* Its statement (posted on its website around October 17) says:* “We are aware of text messages and now physical mailers that have been circulated concerning TENT that appear to have been issued by or on behalf of the organization. These text messages and mailers were not authored, authorized, approved, or distributed by TENT and are not affiliated with our organization. The texts do not represent the official position or communications of the organization.”* It has described the materials as impersonations, faced online hate and threats of violence, locked down much of its website (in some reports to a single statement page), paused or adjusted its statewide tour for safety, and sent cease-and-desist letters related to unauthorized texts.* Other groups named (including OutYouth) have also denied involvement* Some temporarily closed spaces due to backlash.* TENT is sought a court order to compel information from the LLC and messaging providers to identify the sender before Election Day.* Its attorney has called the campaign “dirty, unethical tricks” timed to early voting.Does the mailer reflect TENT’s views?* TENT says no—the materials do not represent its official position and were not authorized by it.* Its own publicly available resources focus more on navigating existing Texas restrictions (e.g., bathrooms, school policies, parental rights laws) and support for families than on guiding minors toward emancipation or certain forms of advice against parental involvement.* Critics (including some conservative outlets and commentators) argue the messaging is consistent with broader themes in some transgender advocacy materials (support networks outside the family, resources for care, minimizing parental gatekeeping).* The mailer explicitly directs readers to TENT and promotes its tour.Also, it’s plain wrong for pro-trans groups to pretend that they’re not creating an underground railway for gender transition* City Journal recently released the findings of an undercover investigation by Christina Buttons in an article titled: “Inside the Network Helping Families Evade Bans on Pediatric Gender-Transition Treatments”* The article details the work of an alleged a nonprofit-led network that helps families access gender-transition treatment for minors despite state bans* It also reports that some participating clinics go beyond arranging lawful out-of-state care to discuss potentially unlawful workarounds* Detail from Christina’s findings* The central organization is the Campaign for Southern Equality (CSE). Its Trans Youth Emergency Project connects families with providers and helps cover travel and treatment costs. According to the article, it works with more than 130 partners and has provided over $1 million in travel grants to more than 1,200 families. Grants typically amount to $500, potentially available four times annually.* Christina posed as a parent seeking care for a fictional 11-year-old in Tennessee who had recently begun identifying as nonbinary and had not undergone a professional evaluation.* A collaborator posed as an Idaho parent seeking testosterone and chest surgery for a 16-year-old.* CSE staff offered referrals and financial assistance; the reporters did not accept money* Some clinic representatives reportedly discussed using general “endocrine d… This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit basedcamppodcast.substack.com/subscribe

Today on Based Camp we examine three recent scandals in the new right online space and what they reveal about emerging standards for sexuality, relationships, and online personas. We discuss Ethan Klein’s separation and infidelity, the Ember Paradox VTuber gender reveal, and attempts to cancel Powdur over past content.The conversation explores broader questions around VTuber personas, marital expectations, personal fantasies versus involving others, and the distinction between harmless yearning and problematic behavior. We also address community responses, power dynamics, and how these events shape norms in right-leaning spaces.Episode TranscriptMalcolm Collins:Hello, Simone. I’m excited to be here with you today. Today, we are gonna be talking about something that has been anthropologically really interesting for me in the last couple weeks. There have been three attempted cancellations slash major scandals that came out this past week. And the way that each of them has spun out and ended up working out for the people involved has shown that the new right online space is settling on an ideology of what is appropriate behavior and what is inappropriate behavior in regards to sexuality, gooning, and yearning. Specifically, we’re going to be talking about the instance of Ethan Klein being in a relationship where it appears his wife hadn’t had sex with him for years and then deciding to cheat on her, which is interesting in terms of how people are going to react to that. Then we have the case of Amber Paradox, who was a female presenting VTuber who turned out to be a male. Then we have the case of Powder and somebody attempting to cancel her for past horny posting. Not like that, but but, you know, twerking and stuff like that and working on projects that had horny related stuff in it and horny stuff on her Discord. And just for the sort of scorecard at the end of this, the Powder situation has, if anything, helpedSimone Collins:her.Malcolm Collins:It’s increased her reputation. It really reminds me of the in praise of shadows attempted attack on Windigo. Oh. Hilarious. It made in praise of shadows look horrible and Windigo look great in terms of when everybody did all the reactions. Hers was even worse than that because the key piece of evidence that he led the entire attack with was that she had an OnlyFans account, which was a link to a Rickroll that she had done on April first fools day, like, a number of years ago. And, I mean, to his credit, she said she lost. She said that she only had 15,000 followers back then, and she lost a thousand of them when she did this. Oh. Because so many people believed it.Simone Collins:Oh, they got mad that it wasn’t mad.Malcolm Collins:Yeah. That’s why you’re really careful aboutSimone Collins:Wow. I’ve never heard people to take a rickroll that bad. I thought, you know, you just... You chuckle. You keep going.Malcolm Collins:Yeah. The... So, like, let’s go into each of these. The Ember Paradox situation has been perhaps the most interesting to me. Are you familiar with it, Simone?Simone Collins:Vaguely. You know?Malcolm Collins:So in the past, we have said there is not a lot of drama in, like, the new rights space or mini scandals.Simone Collins:Right. Now And then when this came out, they’re like, Malcolm. Malcolm. What’s this about there being no drama? In Three inMalcolm Collins:a row. Well, I think, one, it’s a lot of the drama in this space is stirred up by a single individual. and at first, when the Amber Paradox thing happened, I was more upset with this individual than I was at Amber Paradox. Same, unfortunately. The the individual is Straub.Simone Collins:I’m chalking it up to postpartum sleep deprivation and, angriness because it... It’s tough sometimes. I could see someone expressing extra displaced aggression.Malcolm Collins:She did the same thing where she crashed out on Yuki and Powder for their views on Well, first date of birth. Do youSimone Collins:know how mean I am to you when I’m It is true.Malcolm Collins:Yeah. Okay. We’ll we’ll chalk it up to that. ButSimone Collins:I’m trying to give her an out here. I I... Because because I I I think, you know, I think they’re a great power couple. You know, Rev says Destiny.Malcolm Collins:Well, no. Hold on. I’m actually going to... As more information has come out, I think she was a more in the right than I originally realized.Simone Collins:Okay. Because it did seem like she was stirring up nonsense and causing conflict when she really didn’t need to. But, also, I’m like, look. I get it. I do a lot of things I don’t... I shouldn’t do when I’m under the influence as it were.Malcolm Collins:Of of women juices.Simone Collins:Of being female.Malcolm Collins:This is what... This is the problem with bringing women into our community. I’mSimone Collins:so sorry. Yes.Malcolm Collins:But... Yeah. So she ends up dropping this because some fan found some DMs that showed a connection, and, then he admits it. and, my initial thought in relation to all of this is, oh, no. Did you know that my good friend Leaflet isn’t a real slime girl? Like, big drop. I I I have completely undermined her trust in me. and then worse, I’ve really been, because the takes that have gone most viral on it have been Yukiyara’s takes. And her takes focus on the idea of, well, even privately to me as your friend, you didn’t tell me, which led me to engage with you in private conversations as if you were a woman, to which I understand why that can be hurtful, but this is Amber Paradox’s entire career. Right? They could be blown up over this. And you’re, like, kinda friends, but apparently, like, not so good of friends that, like, I I would... You wouldn’t share that if you were faking your gender.Simone Collins:Classic, gender bent anime scenario where either a boy or girl ends up having to go to school, and as a as a boy, but, you know, she’s really a girl, and she’s going to an all boy school. And then they all have crushes on each other and blah blah blah, and it gets very confusing. It’s one of those situations where, like, you start to really care about these people, and then the lie gets deeper, but you can’t tell them because of... Insert plot point.Malcolm Collins:No. That’s not why you can’t tell them. You can’tSimone Collins:tell them because career was gonna be lost if it came out well.Malcolm Collins:It’s your entire career. You can’t tell everyone you collab with that your your real gender. Point being, this was all outed because he told somebody. Right? Like, did did somebody dug something up, swirling?Simone Collins:That’s true. Yeah.Malcolm Collins:You got nothing. Secondary point is is if Yuki really did share such personal information with him because she thought he was a girl, then he, despite the attacks from her, hasn’t released it, which isSimone Collins:No. It’s just... Look. There’s some stuff that I don’t bring up with you that I bring up with other peopleMalcolm Collins:who are True. I’m... Yeah. What I’m saying, it probably wasn’t anything that egregious. So it sounds like it’s more of a... Or he’s just uniquely moral, but that’s not what I think is really going on here. The real reason, I don’t care that he lied to friends. Okay? If you are interacting with a VTuber, you should take at face value that you are interacting with a persona.Simone Collins:Well, yes. That’s true. Yes. Fair enough.Malcolm Collins:And I think to presume more than that... And I think it’s important to take that because if you’re like, well, now I’ve been turned gay because I masturbated or found this person attractive. And I’m like, if that happened to you, this should be a warning to you about never gooning to VTuber. What are you doing?Simone Collins:Well... But also, I’d like... The the funny thing is there’s this... In a totally separate world, this Disney adult controversy playing out with this this woman who, over ten years, has has stalked and obsessed over and posted about the Pet… This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit basedcamppodcast.substack.com/subscribe

Today on Based Camp, we examine the rise of prestige porn, where highbrow erotica in books, audiobooks, and films is marketed as sophisticated entertainment and even therapy. We review recent articles profiling women who consume explicit content framed as luxury or self-care, including mainstream retail tie-ins and celebrity involvement.Our discussion covers cultural shifts toward hedonism and nihilism, with analysis of specific titles, apps, and movies, and the preposterous markups apparently charged by Bloomingdale’s—while also touching on broader trends in media consumption and relationship dynamics.Show NotesA Michigan State University analysis of 38,467 songs by 230 popular artists, spanning 1947–2024 found that artists’ lyrics grow more anxious over their careers and that newer artists write with more anger than their predecessors—plus declining references to social relationships.The “Prestigification” of Porn‘Prestige porn’: married doctor-moms are listening to XXX audiobooks in the family SUV and calling it therapyChoice quotes:Opening Profile“Rachel is a 41-year-old doctor in Bergen County, New Jersey. She has a solid, loving marriage to a fellow MD, two boisterous kids under seven, and one method that she uses to stay sane:Prestige porn.Specifically, the kind of highbrow erotica with the same explicit content as a softcore video, but made by award-winning filmmakers and novelists, and starring Oscar-winning actors instead of OnlyFans girls.”““It’s become like my therapy,” said the family medicine specialist, who plays XXX-rated audiobooks like “Helpless” by Jessica Knoll and “A Court of Thorns and Roses” by Sarah J. Maas when she’s driving alone in her family SUV, and watches movies like “Baby Girl” and shows like “Industry” on her iPhone while doing laundry.”“In another generation, Rachel would likely need to keep her sex-positive programming under wraps. Not today.”““My group chat is full of moms who trade [sex content] recommendations,” Rachel told The Post. “It feels like you’re watching any other good movie… just with bondage.”The Growing IndustryRachel and her friends are reaping the rewards of prestige porn, a new genre where 40+ women are centered in highbrow erotica about sexual dominance and desire — in movies, in books and at upscale fashion and beauty boutiques.Think “Fifty Shades” for women who have a mortgage, a career and no patience for fake bags… or fake orgasms.The era of prestige porn means Oscar winners like Nicole Kidman, 59, and Olivia Colman, 52, can engage in once-unthinkable graphic acts for au courant movie studios like A24.Jessica Knoll, who has made millions writing crime thrillers, is now a Gen X Anais Nin writing about unspeakable — but delightfully readable — sex acts in her bestselling new book “Helpless.”Meanwhile, Bloomingdale’s now sells $108 “arouse stimulating serum” alongside its Louis Vuitton purses; at Revolve, there are anal beads and Isabel Marant. And the $60 erotica app Quinn tells bedtime stories spicier than Blue Ribbon’s wasabi, read by Emmy nominee (and Dior darling) Andrew Scott.”* What’s notable about this article is just how abundant the products and media are* So far, we’ve got: Books, audiobooks, subscription audio services, stimulating serums, and anal beads.Wicker““The latest entry into these artful new films came this weekend: “Wicker,” an “absurdist romantic comedy” starring Colman as a frustrated spinster and Alexander Skarsgård as a man made of straw who gives her a roll in the hay.When its steamy trailer debuted in July, it went so viral that doctors had to warn people against pleasuring themselves with “trees or shrubs.”The movie opens nationwide on Oct. 30, but advance screenings for the show — including several with “vibrating and motion seats” — sold out across the country.Reddit reports say the theaters are full of older women. In Florida’s Palm Beach Gardens, The Post saw an entire screening room full of female retirees.“Very enjoyable,” said one 74-year-old woman named Joyce after the movie, under the condition that she withhold her last name. “My kids read your paper.””* The preview is pretty flagrantThe Prestige Psyop“Why is our era so ripe for prestige porn?“People are totally disconnected from their bodies right now,” said Brianna Makówka, MSEd, LMHC, CST, a licensed sex therapist who specializes in kink therapy. She told The Post that between social media, dating apps and remote work, “we’re living in screens so often that our bodies are reminding us how important they are to our full being.”Prestige porn, she argues, is letting us frame sex as not just desirable but luxurious, which gives people — especially women — permission to engage in it more openly.”* I see it differently; I think it’s a sign that people feel it’s OK to celebrate self indulgence and nihilismThe article goes into detail describing smutty Broadway shows and sex products being sold in mainstream stores for things like makeup and underwear.They also describe how the semblance of luxury is being used to legitimize nihilistic hedonism:““Elevated design gives people permission to view sex as something they should feel good about wanting and exploring,” said Goicochea, who counts the Hollywood bombshell Dakota Johnson as a business partner.Maude was one of Sephora’s first-ever sexual wellness brands; today it sells lube and vibrators at Ulta Beauty next to Naomi Watt’s sexual wellness line, Stripes, which was created especially for post-menopausal libidos.Gwyneth Paltrow, 54, sells her own lubrication — called “Sex Oil” — through her Goop wellness empire for $55.“Buying an intimate oil or a sex toy should be as mundane and shame-free as buying a face cream,” Goop’s editorial director, Kylie Gilbert, told The Post, adding that frank chats on sexual pleasure have been part of “Gwyneth’s vision of Goop from day one.” She notes that the Goop lube is a longtime bestseller.”* Goop lube is kind of the perfect name for lube thoughThey Call it “Romance” While Normalizing Toxic Relationships“Perhaps the big hook for prestige porn is that it refuses to call itself porn at all. In press interviews for “Wicker,” both Colman and Skarsgård are careful to call the movie a “romance” despite its explicit content.“Industry” is described by HBO as a “gripping and provocative” drama despite its penchant for strap-ons and fellatio scenes. And the Nicole Kidman hit “Babygirl” features the Oscar winner on all fours, pretending to be a dog, licking candy out of her 20-something intern’s hand before getting thrashed in bed.Makówka, the sex therapist, says all this is pretty great.“A lot of people might have a curiosity of a power exchange dynamic —a dominant and submissive relationship that’s about leadership and surrender,” she said.“Films like these are giving a lot of people permission to get curious about asking, ‘What is it that I want? What have I not been seeking? Maybe it’s okay to seek this out.’ That is healthier, psychologically, for everyone. It makes people happier and more connected.”Tech devices don’t do that, says Makówka.“Good sex does.””* I hard disagree on that; these shows and movies feature pretty toxic relationship dynamics* Also, the sex is extremely superfluous; it feels just like fan service. I watched Industry and had to fast forward through the sex scenes because they were so grossEpisode TranscriptSimone Collins:Hello, Malcolm. I’m excited to be speaking with you today because we have another episode of women are terrible.Malcolm Collins:Why do you always find these?Simone Collins:I literally have AI crawl the Internets for for stories for me. But this is, like, actually bad. I... Women are prestigifying porn, and they’re dating well into their eighties. And I feel like it’s a sign of the end times, and I’m going to explain why. Prestigifying porn. They’re prestigifying porn. And allMalcolm Collins:the dating into their eighties. You did It’s so gross. Gross tomorrow.Simone Collins:You’re gonna you’re gonna quir… This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit basedcamppodcast.substack.com/subscribe

While our circles have been going hard on Malfoid fanfiction, progressive women have been having Malfoy fantasies of their own. Let’s just say they’re weirder—so weird we can’t resist but dive deeper and pull you down this debauched rabbit hole with us.We therefore invite you to join us today on Based Camp for a peek into the viral hit that is Alchemissed, a dark romantasy (or is it dark fantasy???) book that’s taking the female romantasy-reading world by storm and already being turned into a movie. It’s based on Manacled, a Harry Potter “dramione” fan fiction (a subset of Harry Potter fan fiction in which Draco and Hermione are paired) involving… well, let’s just say is kind of a version of Margaret Atwood’s A Handmaid’s Tail with plenty of nonconsensual you-know-what forced by followers of you-know-who that packs in necromancy, cannibalism, and plenty of other forms of gore, just for good measure.We explore the book’s enthusiastic fan response as well as the uncomfortable tension readers feel between their concept of romance and the dark realities that turn many of them on (not to mention the horror some Alchimissed readers experience upon realizing they purchased a book that was based on a Harry Potter fanfiction when, in these circles, JK Rowling = Bad Person for her status of TERF Queen).Show NotesWrote E;R on X: “I’ve just learnt, while the boys are reading Malfoid rn, the girls were reading fanfic about Draco graping a mindwiped Hermione in a Handmaid’s Tale repopulation program and it was republished as a legally distinct dark romantasy called “Alchemised” that sold over a mil last year”Truly great responses ensued.But it’s actually worse than what ER said; here’s a Hollywood Reporter headline from September 10th: Big Deal: Legendary Pays 7 Figures for ‘Alchemised,’ Book That Began Life as ‘Harry Potter’ Fan Fiction (Exclusive)Google Alchemissed and you’ll get the following AI overview:“Overview and Plot• Premise: Set in the war-torn city-state of Paladia, the story follows former alchemist and healer Helena Marino. Awakening with two missing years of memory after a lost war, she is imprisoned on a crumbling estate and sent to the High Reeve, Kaine Ferron—a powerful, ruthless necromancer and former academic rival—while navigating a brutal Repopulation Programme under the High Necromancer, Morrough.• Length & Structure: The massive, 1,000+ page book is divided into a non-linear three-part narrative focused on trauma, memory, and systemic oppression.Genre and Tone• Dark Fantasy vs. Romantasy: While marketed and shelved by many readers alongside romantic fantasy due to its underlying emotional core and central relationship, the author, fans, and various critics emphasize that it is a harrowing, low-spice dark fantasy rather than a traditional romance.• Content Warning: The novel deals with extremely dark themes, heavy psychological distress, and war trauma, carrying extensive trigger warnings.”ReviewsBoth the good AND bad reviews are entertainingSome peeks at Goodreads, where it has 387,253 ratings and 69,345 reviews (I’m only including excerpts from much longer reviews)Some choice quotes from fan reviews:* Ana writes: “♾️ nothing will ever compare…”* Marianna Moore writes: “Infinity stars. Nobody talk to me for like 8-10 business months. I’m in severe emotional pain. Without out a doubt one of the best books I’ve ever read. God tier. Perfection. Nothing will ever compare but my god did it HURT. I have so many thoughts I cannot put into words right now.”* I found the trigger warnings from Angie’s five-star review (with 7,921 followers) to be particularly amusing: “Trigger Warnings: wartime violence, religious abuse, depictions of complex trauma, suicidal ideation, self-harm, PTSD, medical torture, eugenics, cannibalism, s3xual assault, r4pe, and allusion to necrophilia.”Negative ReviewsThe top complaints are(1) bad writing,(2) how dare you do anything related to Harry Potter written by Bad Woman JK Rowling and(3) being angry that trigger-warning-inducing subjects are actually a feature and not a bug in this incredibly popular romance novel.Even fans of the book admit the writing is bad.* In her four-star review, Emily May writes: “I have a lot of thoughts about this, the first being: for goodness sake, get an editor in here. Nothing needs to be this long. The second thought being: damn it, though, this was pretty good.”Writes Em: “DNF: This has the most egregious grammatical errors I have ever seen in a Del Ray, Random House published book. The prose structure is shockingly poor.”Writes emma: “read this in the same way nellie bly admitted herself to the asylum.”It’s a long review, but she later continues with:“i don’t read dark romance. i don’t like romantasy. i am a harry potter hater and when the protagonist in the book FANGIRL defends her right to submit knockoff hogwarts fanfiction to a TEACHER in a CLASS it makes me cringe so hard it could convert coal into diamonds.this is possibly the final boss of my reading career.this book has EVERYTHING, and by everything i mean every trigger warning. off the top of my head: violence, torture, sexual assault, necrophilia, execution, kidnapping, abuse, death, suicidal ideation, roofies, self-harm, forced pregnancy, war, racism, cannibalism, misogyny.it throws every edgy and dark subject a hot topic-shopping seventh grader could think of at you in the hopes you won’t notice it’s strung together with info dumps, cardboard cutout characters, and a dream.it moves from one violent seizure to the next physical attack to the next kys attempt at breakneck speed, so maybe you won’t figure out that even a copyeditor couldn’t make it through this book.or i guess we might have needed to read about helena being covered in dried blood every other page for three straight chapters.”Writes Noelia: “I was today years old when I found out that this was actually the trad-published version of a very popular Dramione fanfiction (apparently, Dramione fics have become a thing since my long-gone days as a hardcore Potterhead of the first dawn).But I was even more today years old when I learned about its controversies, mainly due to the presence of sexual assault scenes and its very problematic takes about it (I’ll come back to this later on, I promise).”She proceeds to write:“I wasn’t aware back then that I was setting myself up for the most traumatizing, discomforting and twisted story I’ve ever experienced as a reader.But also, and without a question, one of the poorest written and edited ones, making it the worst book I’ve read in my life, by MILES.”Sreegita: “EDIT : AS A SA VICTIM MYSELF, CAN Y’ALL PLS GET OFF MY ASS?how beautiful to see a fic where draco r@pes hermione is getting trad published meanwhile everyday actually talented bipoc and qpoc authors are struggling to get even a dealloveeeee to see r@pe fantasy books dominating the romance space!!!”Fan ResponseThe fan response is unbelievable. You could scroll for ages on Tiktok going through it.There’s AI-generated fan art:Plus the reactions are top tier: Heated DebateGenre QuibblesWoman on Tiktok insists it’s a high-fantasy book focused on power, oppression, and women’s bodily autonomy. (2076 likes)I think the irony in this is that the subjects of power, oppression, and bodily autonomy are both super non-romantic AND major turn-ons for women.Why is Alchemised not a romantasy? : r/fantasyromance“I already had a hard time figuring out the difference between fantasy romance and romantasy but I think I got there.But now I’m hearing Alchemised is not a romance? It’s not romantasy? I’m just so confused.Now I’m over here reading that romance has to have a happy ending. The guy has to be nice?? Said who???? I would like to speak to the manager of romance about this please, who do I take my complaint to?”Top Responses:* “I just commented on another thread about this but I feel like there’s lots of fantasy that has romance that you’d never call a romantasy, like game of thrones or lo… This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit basedcamppodcast.substack.com/subscribe

We examine the origins of Halloween traditions and show that none trace back to pagan practices. From trick-or-treating evolving out of pre-holiday door-to-door visits and caroling-style customs, to jack-o’-lanterns starting as practical turnip lanterns, every element developed within Christian communities.The video covers the history of All Saints Day, the role of Scottish and Irish folk customs, the commercialization through postcards and party goods in the early 1900s, and why modern associations with ghosts and the occult appeared centuries later. It also addresses common claims about Samhain and explains how the date and practices remained distinct from any earlier pagan observances.Episode TranscriptSimone Collins:Hello,Malcolm Collins:Simone. I’m excited to be here with you today. Today, we are going to be busting the myth that the modern practice of Halloween has any meaningful pagan roots at all.Simone Collins:But I don’t know the the the pumpkins and the gourds and the lights and the the... You gotta scare away that?Malcolm Collins:Nothing traces back to anything pagan, and we will go through each thing with receipts. And it is going to shock, I think, a lot of people who have bought into this myth because it is a persistent myth, and it feels cool. Like, oh, I bet the pagans did something around that time,Speaker 4:My life has been a lie. God is dead. The government’s lame. Thanksgiving is about killing Indians. Jesus wasn’t born on Christmas. They moved the date. It was a pagan holiday.Simone Collins:and they’re in like, don’t Christian families say, well, we don’t celebrate Halloween because that’s a demonic holiday, etcetera.Malcolm Collins:They also say that about Christmas, and they say that about a a lot of things. So, it’s actually really fascinating as you get into it, where the various Halloween traditions come from. so for example, can you guess, the practice of trick or treating Is actually an evolution of another practice that was just something you did before any holiday, and there is anotherSimone Collins:evolution ofMalcolm Collins:What? Okay. And what what was it? Describe it.Simone Collins:You, you get kinda drunk and you go from house to house and you ask for more, like, food and drink.Malcolm Collins:Okay. So you’re familiar with it. Yeah. So what would... Did there... The, the the practice that today we know is trick or treating is actually the exact same practice that we today know as caroling just evolved in two different directions, both practiced before two important Christian holidays.Simone Collins:Oh. Just, like, raid people’s house. It it just seems it seems like a very disturbing thing to have happened. Like, oh gosh.Malcolm Collins:They’re gonna So so what Simone’s... Oh, well, specifically, the iteration that you’re familiar with, the more aggressive one, is not a general British tradition. It came from the the... You can guess who, the backwards people, the lower Scottish reavers. In in in the in the normal version of this tradition, what you would do is before All Hallows’ Eve or All Saints Day, you would go door to door, and you would say, if you give me a treat, I will pray for your dead people. Oh. Right. I’ll I’ll pray for dead people in your family. A very Christian tradition, by the way. This is like a a thoroughly Christian tradition. But then the the backwards people who ended up becoming one of the dominant cultural groups in The United States that now form the the core of what we call Americana, they had a separate tradition where they would go and basically come to your house and be like, give us something or we’ll f up your property. And you see this captured in the, even even some traditional carols. Like, give us some figgy pudding. We won’t go until we get some.Simone Collins:Yeah.Malcolm Collins:so bring it right here. It’s it’s quite a forceful song if you if you listen to the lyrics.Simone Collins:Yeah. Yeah. It’s basically, yeah, give us, food and drink or you’re gonna regret it.Malcolm Collins:Yeah. Give us food and drink or you’re gonna regret it, which is exactly what the initial version of what we today think of as trick or treating was. and the other the other fun part of it is its association with ghosts and goblins and everything like that. That was created from the nineteen hundreds to, like, nineteen twenties primarily by, holiday card companies. And so you’d say, well, how did... Wait. Why were holiday card companies... Why did they associate those things with the holiday in the first place? Yeah. and there were two reasons. reason number one is... So if we look at the early Christian iteration of this holiday, you can see because it doesn’t begin to look more and more like a ghost and ghouls and go out and dress up day until very, very, very modern iterations of it. and and those iterations bear some resemblance to stuff that was practiced around this period, hundreds of years before the first Halloween was. The problem is is that the first Halloween didn’t include all of those elements that looked vaguely pagan. And because of that, you you can’t draw a connection between the pagan tradition and the first Halloween. But you could say, okay. Well, so how did it how did it get associated with the dead to begin with? Right. So it was originally a holiday for all saints. This is where it got the name All Saints Day.Simone Collins:Wait. Hold on, though. No. You can’t have it both ways. You can’t be the Catholic church and say, okay. Let’s just celebrate all the saints on one... Like, present’s day, and then be like, but then we also need a holiday for all the best saints.Malcolm Collins:Well... So it changed over time. But what is also have a president’s day. Come on. It was like the president’s day of saints because many saints didn’t have individual holidays.Simone Collins:Oh, so it was for all the other... It’s all other saints.Malcolm Collins:Well, including those saints. But then it evolved, and it became for all martyrs.Simone Collins:And then Oh, is that where some of the spookiness comes in?Malcolm Collins:For... No. It was for everyone who had martyred themselves on behalf of the church. Then much, much, much later, it became the holiday for all Christian dead people. Okay. Because they they basically... It was just sort of a cultural phenomenon that you can see. You sort of loosen it. Well, can we pray for this person to this day? Sure. Yeah. Why not?Simone Collins:Have a blast.Malcolm Collins:Looser and looser and looser and became a holiday for all dead people. and that’s where it got the death connection. But that death connection comes directly downstream of saints and then martyrs, which are very, very, very Christian ideas. Then you have the, well, then what about... What... Where did it get this occult connection? Where did it get this magic mysticism connection? This is actually one of its oldest traditions, still only dating to around the eighteen hundreds.Simone Collins:What?Malcolm Collins:But as a tradition, so long after anyone remembered anything pagan, it was actually, again, from the reavers or the Scottish people that this tradition was entered. And it was based around a number of ceremonies, I guess you could say, that people did as part of courtship rituals.Simone Collins:Wait. Wait. It’s not a courtship holiday. This is not a courtship holiday.Malcolm Collins:It actually had nothing to do with the holiday at all. The only reason the two became associated is because Halloween, given its time of year, it already was a holiday where people were doing, like, pranks and stuff like this, and you’d you’d have a a party. so it was a perfect time for young, rural, backwood Scottish people to do their courtship rituals. And that’s how the two became connected. They they weren’t, like, intrinsically linked at all. It was just a very convenient day to do this type of thing. Think of it like this. Like, a a hoe dance or something like this, which is like a tradi… This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit basedcamppodcast.substack.com/subscribe

Today on Based Camp we discuss the shock people experienced when the Economist (of all outlets!) published data from UK Ministry of Justice records showing Afghan nationals to be convicted of sexual offenses at roughly seven times the rate of British nationals, with Middle East and North Africa groups at 3.6 times and Sub-Saharan Africa at 2.5 times. We examine the original and revised charts, similar patterns in Denmark, Norway, and the Netherlands, and the legal risks of discussing such statistics in the UK.We also discuss how the Economist’s team handled population adjustments for age and sex, comparisons to raw conviction counts, reactions from online analysts, and what the data suggests about migration impacts across Europe, noting shifts in public discourse and political positions on immigration controls.It’s rather amusing that the Economist decided to step in this arena at all. Is the Overton Window shifting? Let us know what you think in the comments!Show NotesGiven that people in the UK are sent to jail for inciting racial hatred*, the internet is now truly shocked by a chart that The Economist used Ministry of Justice data standardised for age and sex to show Afghan nationals at roughly 7x the British conviction rate for sexual offenses, Middle East and North Africa at ~3.6x and sub-Saharan Africa at ~2.5x, with EU and East Asian groups below baseline“I’m shocked that The Economist was willing to publish this!” wrote CremieuxAndris K Berzins noted that “The Economist article this chart comes from (https://economist.com/britain/2026/10/25/do-immigrants-from-some-countries-commit-more-sex-crimes) tries to play down the discrepancy. But the data (shown on a linear rather than log scale as in the original article) is alarming indeed. The Economist’s conclusion, that in absolute terms the difference in sex crimes is not alarming, hides the fact that migration is a real issue and there is a clear impact. 🤷‍♂️”The original original article makes it look more stark.GuruAnaerobic showed the data in a different way; doesn’t look good with Alex commenting that ““British Nationals” is doing some heavy work on its own already”Brian Chau swung in to correct the scale though African Farmer noted he “Should have used dicks instead of fatties.” (I am inclined to agree but Brian keeps it classy)*For real:* Lucy Connolly received a 31-month prison sentence in October 2024 after pleading guilty to inciting racial hatred. Her post called for mass deportation and said, “set fire to all the f*****g hotels full of the b******s for all I care.” This was not a conviction simply for saying that immigration creates crime concerns.* Tyler Kay received a 38-month sentence in August 2024 for an X post repeating that call to burn hotels housing asylum seekers. The judge’s published sentencing remarks reproduce the post and identify the offence as publishing material that stirred up racial hatred. He did not need to participate in a physical attack to be imprisoned for the publication itself.This went viral, so some riffed on this. Maarten van den Berg looked at stats for Denmark, Norway, and The Netherlands.The ArticleDo immigrants from some countries commit more sex crimes?“In Bristol last November three men and a 17-year-old boy, all Afghans, gang-raped a 17-year-old girl over several hours. Beforehand they had groomed her on Snapchat and plied her with alcohol; afterwards they fled to France in a lorry. The French authorities returned them to Britain, where they were convicted and, on October 6th, sentenced to long jail terms. In court the girl described how “listening to it all again from the lawyers kept me reliving everything that happened to me”.Such horrors fuel suspicion of migrants. So did a recent state-issued booklet about Britain for asylum-seekers. Page five clarified that the legal age of consent is 16 and that rape is a serious crime. “I’ve never heard of someone who decided not to rape because they received a leaflet,” said Kemi Badenoch, the Tory leader. The clumsy campaign fed the idea that some immigrants—notably men seeking asylum—are responsible for a disproportionate share of sex offences. Nick Timothy, the shadow justice secretary, claims that “Afghans are over TWENTY times more likely to commit sex crimes than Brits.”Is that true? The government does not publish crime rates by immigration status. The limited data it does release are raw counts of offences by those of each nationality, from a country-wide police database. The “20 times” claim was based on there being 13,000 Afghans in Britain, an estimate from the Office for National Statistics’ Annual Population Survey. That figure is unreliable, however, having been extrapolated from a sample of fewer than 60 individuals. In 2021 the ONS stopped publishing this population estimate owing to plummeting survey-response rates.The Economist’s analysis suggests that the “20 times” claim is a wild exaggeration. But our numbers are hardly reassuring.The Migration Observatory, a think-tank based at Oxford University, obtained figures through freedom-of-information requests to the Ministry of Justice. These count cautions and convictions in England and Wales, split by offenders’ nationality, between 2010 and 2024. The data detail 8m crimes, of which 106,000 are sex offences ranging from rape to consensual sex in public. The police’s recording of offenders’ nationality is messy, but we found that four-fifths of sex crimes were committed by British people. Just 0.39%—409 offences over the 15-year period—were committed by people who said they were Afghan.Whether 409 crimes is a lot or a little depends on how many Afghans are in the country. In March 2021 the last census reported 14,300 Afghan passport-holders living in England and Wales, and another 7,100 without a passport who said they were Afghan: a total population of 21,400.The census is just a snapshot in time. Since 2021 some 3m people have settled in Britain and the foreign-born population has risen from 16% to 19% of the total. After the Taliban seized Kabul, in August 2021, some 38,000 Afghans flocked to Britain over the following year and a half. Accounting for those who later left and those who became citizens, we estimate that the Afghan population of England and Wales had doubled to 45,000 by the end of 2022.To capture more than the snapshot we analysed convictions during a three-year period, 2020-22, and averaged our population estimate over those three years. We then standardised our estimate to account for age and sex (men commit 98% of sex crimes, for example, and Afghans are about ten years younger than the population at large). This suggested Afghans are convicted of sex crimes at seven times the British rate—a far cry from Mr Timothy’s “over 20 times”, but disturbing nevertheless (see chart). Our number is still uncertain: it may be skewed by a few serial offenders, by quirks in reporting and detection rates for such crimes.Evidence from other countries, using different methods, suggests that this may not be solely a British problem. The perception is certainly not. “The main group, of the worst crimes, like raping, like killing people…the main category are Syrians and Afghans,” Alice Weidel, leader of Germany’s populist Alternative for Germany party, told The Economist. In Austria, Denmark, Finland, Germany and Sweden immigrants from the Middle East, North Africa, Central Asia and the Horn of Africa are over-represented among suspects and convicts—especially for sex crimes. Where age-standardised analysis exists for those countries, the over-representation shrinks, as in Britain, but it does not vanish.Looking at convictions by ethnicity, rather than nationality, is more reassuring. The Ministry of Justice produces detailed data on prosecutions and convictions by age, sex and ethnicity. We used these to repeat our age-standardised analysis, for the same 2020-22 window. We find that men of Pakistani ethnicity, as well as other Asian and … This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit basedcamppodcast.substack.com/subscribe

Join us today for a deep dive into China’s growing trend of pretend-to-work offices where unemployed people pay daily fees to sit in cubicles, maintain routines, and keep up appearances for family and resumes. The phenomenon started with a 2024 comedy skit and has expanded into real businesses across major cities offering strict schedules, fake clients, and even free lunch.We examine the cultural drivers including family pressure, the curse of 35 in hiring, and the desire to avoid visible unemployment gaps. Real user stories reveal how these spaces help with job transitions, skill building, and social face-saving while contrasting sharply with American coworking spaces focused on actual productivity.The episode also features dubbed clips from the original viral skit and explores whether similar services could emerge in the post-AI job market. We’re personally quite pleased with the dubbing system Malcolm vibecoded for Rfab.ai—if you want to try it out, you can do so here! Episode TranscriptMalcolm Collins:Hello, Simone. I’m excited to be here with you today. Today, we are going to be diving into the phenomenon of a new type of business in China Oh. Where people pay to pretend like they’re working under a fake boss that gives them fake jobs. And this came from a China fact chasers video. love those guys. I’ve been a fan of them forever. So they did a video on this one girl who was talking about how every day she goes out, she takes the train, she pretends to work, and, you know, she stops all these ways she does it cheaply. And it’s her family, and they’re like, this is an increasing phenomenon in China. So I saw that video, and I was like, I want to know more. So I take it to AI, and the AI says, actually, the trend has advanced significantly beyond what they’re reporting in that video, and there are now centers in multiple major Chinese cities that are fake workstations. And what’s cool that I will be able to bring you guys that no one else can is dubbed a video of the advertisements for these places and the comedy sketch that kicked it off because rfab.ai’s API and website both offer dubbing. And so you get to see some of our dubbing work. I I don’t even think the, China Fact Chaser guys could do that. So... Or they could if they use our facts. I’d like... I’d give them free credits if anybody knows them.Simone Collins:Yeah. Would help talk with them.Malcolm Collins:But, the idea actually originally came from a Chinese variety show in December 2024. In the skit, somebody visits a fictional pretend to work company where people pay a fee to sit in an office, slack off, and maintain the appearance of employment so they can more easily transition into a real job later.Simone Collins:Oh, wait. So it’s like a resume stuffer?Malcolm Collins:we’ll get to why they do it. There’s actually a complicated number of reasons why they do it. Okay. but here is the video.Speaker 3:Everyone here is just pretendingSpeaker 4:So a bunch of unemployed people playing house at your place.Speaker 3:Other than not paying salaries, our company is identical to any regular company.Speaker 4:Like, what’s the point of writing this?Speaker 5:Only your regular job has so much meaning.Speaker 4:Alright. I excuse me. You guys want an office system installed. Right?Speaker 3:Yes. Our company wants to install an o a system.Speaker 4:No problem. So what exactly does your company...Speaker 3:We’re Pretending to Work LLC.Speaker 4:Pretending?Speaker 3:A virtual company. Everyone who comes here pretends to work each day. On one hand, you keep it from your family. On the other, you stay in work mode, bridge the resume gap. So when a new job pops up, it’s a seamless transition. You catch my drift?Speaker 4:Got it. So it’s just a bunch of unemployed people playing house here.Speaker 3:Our management system is exceptionally strict, clocking in twice a day, alternating six day work weeks, meaning you might have unpaid weekend overtime.Speaker 4:Unpaid? What are you ever paid? You’re a fake company.Speaker 3:You might not get it, but except for not paying salaries, we are identical to any real company. Feel free to look around.Simone Collins:Honestly, nice looking kid... Up in The US. ThisSpeaker 4:company makes you write weekly reports too? What’s the point of writingMalcolm Collins:this?Speaker 5:Aren’t you a regular job at so much meaning? My Rich,Speaker 4:I I just wanna know why you guys are grinding over weekly reports here. What’s the point? I’m not like them. At my old company, already pretended to do nothing all day. Coming here, I’m like a fish in water.Malcolm Collins:A bright future ahead. Just ignore him. Fresh grads like that, seen tons of them. Big talkers, zero skills, he’ll quit in no time. Unlike a seasoned vet like me, solid.Simone Collins:Solid. Oh my gosh.Speaker 4:Don’t be solid here. If you’re solid here, you’re doomed. Hey, Hammer. Why don’t I set up your accounting system too while I’m at it?Malcolm Collins:My dubbing is pretty good though. Right? Our accounting is good.Speaker 3:Yeah.... With system because...Simone Collins:It’s all good books. Shh. Keep it down. Keep it down.Speaker 4:A fake company keeps fake books, obviously. Your company’s fake, so you really don’t pay taxes. You guys are just a murder mystery lark.Malcolm Collins:Hammer, is this the fake quote you gave us?Speaker 3:What’s wrong, miss Lee? Did I quote too high?Malcolm Collins:Just so you could win the fake bid. We brought in a whole fake bidding crew and put on this whole show.Speaker 4:Wasn’t it a show to begin with? Why is he so deep in character? Where’d you even hire thisSimone Collins:actor?Speaker 3:Take care, mister Lee.Simone Collins:We can work something out.Speaker 3:You might not know, but he’s our company’s fake client. Used to be a real client, but after getting laid off, he couldn’t handle the drop in status. So he came here to role play as a client.Speaker 4:So he’s literally just here on a power trip?Speaker 3:Not entirely. He tipped $200 before he left.Speaker 4:I’m telling you, this is definitely a larp.Speaker 3:The corporate world is just one giant movie set anyway. Everyone plays their part. Isn’t that great?Simone Collins:It’s, like, the most honest thing ever.Malcolm Collins:A real good job arguing for it.Simone Collins:Yeah.Malcolm Collins:I can see why it took off so big.Simone Collins:No. I I could see it taking off here too. I think your mic shifted or you’re not talking close enough to it.Malcolm Collins:Oh, I moved the mic. Yeah. So let’s put in another video because I I I gotta really show offSimone Collins:my Dubbing is so good.Malcolm Collins:Did you notice the consistent voices across the same character? The flirty voice when she was being flirty.Simone Collins:And and the natural language and, like, slang use, it’s it’s very,Malcolm Collins:very good.Simone Collins:Wow. You know, it’s amazing. And we’re only just beginning. Kinda scary. But, no. Honestly, Malcolm, I I I see it, like, I see it...Malcolm Collins:Hold Hold on. Hold We’ll it. We’ll watch the...Speaker 6:I online plan to open a company called Pretend to Work LLC. It has literally everything a real company has. They accept paying you a salary. You only pay $30 a day, and it even comes with free lunch. Zero actual business. He provides cubicles, so people pretending to work and just sit there all day on their phones. He’ll even do rounds periodically, you can still get that thrilling rush of slacking off on the clock.Simone Collins:He’ll even do rounds. Is that a real is that a real commercial, though, for a real Yeah.Malcolm Collins:That’s a real commercial for a pretend company.Simone Collins:No. Look. Look. Hear me out. Okay? There are a lot of people who have really embarrassing gaps on their resumes. I think people would pay a company. In The US, they wouldn’t pay to go to the office. So, no. No. No. I’m not doing that. That is... I think that’s a more Chinese thing. But I could see there being a g… This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit basedcamppodcast.substack.com/subscribe

Join us today for an in in-depth interview with Ace AT, who lived in Iran through war, sanctions, and economic collapse. He shares firsthand details on infrastructure failures like sinkholes and power outages, daily survival strategies, media consumption, social restrictions, and the realities of dating and family life.The conversation covers Iran’s unique cultural resilience, the rise of atheism and Zoroastrianism, challenges of leaving the country, and his new life in India. A rare, personal look at ordinary life in a place often misunderstood by outsiders. We hope you enjoy it!Episode TranscriptMalcolm Collins:Hello. I’m excited to be here with you today. Today, we have Ace AT, the Iranian guy who is talking on Asmongold’s channel who was in... Lived his life in Iran, was in Iran at the start of the war. And, apparently, he says this is the first interview he’s had because with Asmongold, it was just reacts. And that that makes me so excited because whenever I saw his stuff, it really was fascinating for me to see into this different world. And, obviously, there’s a lot of stuff that we can’t talk about, but the stuff we can talk about is still super exciting. And the things that I wanted to focus on in this interview is I wanted to focus on what it was actually like before the war even just living in a country that is at the place that Iran is at right now in terms of water outages, electricity outages, a 300 fold inflation, you said, since the sinceAce AT:3000.Simone Collins:3000. Yeah.Malcolm Collins:Since the revolution. how do you how do you relate to money? How do you relate to savings? How do you relate to perishable items when you can use electricity at any time? How do you, all of this is very interesting, but I also wanna focus on media. Like, what media did you grow up consuming? Games did you grow up playing? How did you relate to that? to create a picture of... For a lot of people, I think, like a normal human living in Iran going into all of this. Because Iran... Just to pontificate a little bit, Iran is a very interesting country for Americans to think about because they’re... Most Americans know Persian families or Persian, like, people who have lived in America for multiple generations. And so there isn’t, like, a specific... An ethnic animosity that you would expect and you would see in some wars or ethnic foreignness. and so the idea of, like, there’s real people in Iran actually doing stuff and protesting and all of that, that’s, something that I think, is really cool to to see. So first, what we were talking about before this that I was shocked about, we were talking about sinkholes because I prefer just like... Sinkholes are, like, a common problem in, like, the capital, and you can just, like, disappear into a sinkhole and, like, people die. I I forgot what it was, but, like, 20 people a year, I think it was. but you said, actually, like, a big chunk of the capital is over a sinkhole and could fall. Can you talk about that?Ace AT:Yeah. Sure. So, basically, the earlier time before the revolution, the capital was announced to be inside of Tehran. So while that happened, a lot of people started, like, moving towards it, and they were expecting a maximum amount of 15 to 20,000,000 people instead of the capital. But they said if it expands too much, it might decrease the stability of the sinkholes because the entire capital is surrounded by mountains. So the only way you can get out of the capital was... Is, like, by three or four roads that, like, leads out of the capital.Simone Collins:Wow. Okay. Okay.Ace AT:That’s why it’s basically... Oh my god. I can’t talk. Strategically? Oh my god. Okay. So back in the day, it was very difficult to attack that one per... Place.Simone Collins:That makes sense. Yes. So you have built in fortress. Yes.Ace AT:But back then, they didn’t really know about sinkholes and stuff. It just happened. So now the average, I think, estimate of the amount of people inside there is 40,000,000, which is, like, two times more than it’s supposed to be, and it’s shrinking a lot. Like, the the, like, the ground is going inMalcolm Collins:every year by year. I wanna provide a little context here. The reason why sinkholes have become such a problem in the capital and the reason the ground is shrinking is because there was a large reservoir under the capital of water. But because they are dealing with a massive water shortage, they drained the reservoir significantly. Yeah. So now there’s a giant hole under the capital.Simone Collins:Well, are there plans to, like, insert liquid into theMalcolm Collins:Are there plans to do anything? No. I don’t think there’s plans to do anything. So you said, like, 40% could just collapse one day?Ace AT:pretty much. If something like that happens more than I pretty much estimate twenty million people will get badly hurt to death even. The sinkhole is pretty terrible. The main reason is because the water shortages that kept happening inside of the country, and we we had drought for, like, two, three years. It was it was bad. So as... If you looked at the map while the, like, clouds tried to come inside the country, they instantly dissipated. From Turkey or from anywhere tried to come inside of Iran, instantly vanished. So we... Nobody knew why. It was just happening. And because of that, we had a massive drought. All of the lakes just completely went dry. We had a very massive lake on top left of the country, and that is almost completely depleted.Malcolm Collins:This giant lake that’s just gone. I mean, part of it was due to the overbuilding of dams during the revolutionary period. Yeah. And and they’re trying to rebuild the capital in the Southern East section. Right? But I think that’s mostly a pipe dream. Do you do you... I mean, is that gonna happen? OrAce AT:Maybe. I have no clue what exactly the government is planning to do because it’s very... I’m sorry, but it’s very disorganized. I I can’t lie. They just do whatever it’s, like, necessary for that one specific thing, but don’t care about whatever repercussions that happen afterwards.Malcolm Collins:Oh my god. Okay.Simone Collins:So... Although that’s... You could say that pretty much about any government now.Ace AT:You want me to give you an example?Malcolm Collins:Yes. Give...Ace AT:Basically, there was a river. Right? There was a river that was artificially made near the capital. And what happened was it started smelling very bad. Ugh. And people wanted to fix it. And the governor said, well, that’s gonna cost too much. We’re not gonna fix it. So because of that, they use the water that was going to that artificial lake to the stadium of football. Because of... They... Because they didn’t fix that, now the stadium was smelling very bad. And now they said, now you have to fix the stadium and the lake. And they said, okay. We’re not gonna do that. It’s too expensive. So they connected another lake to both of them to try to fix it. Instead, that lake got corrupted as well. So it’sSimone Collins:been very bad. So... Yeah. Oh my gosh. Wait.Malcolm Collins:How did they come... Hold on. I I need to understand the logistic. How did they... And why did they think it was a good idea to connect the lake toSimone Collins:the stadium? Flush it out.Ace AT:Because, when you’re trying to clean stuff out and, like, keep the grass and everything always healthy and stuff like that, they need a lot of water. So they were trying to connect it with like that so they can be a little bit more lazy, you know, but also cost efficient.Simone Collins:But Oh, but it’s just sort of, like,Malcolm Collins:drain it, like, use it for stadium purposes, and then that Yeah. Drain the the bad lake. Okay. Yeah. That Yeah. That is horrible. so I wanna know more about, like, daily life in terms of how you... And keep in mind, some things may feel normal to you that would be... That that that they’re going to be the most interesting things to other people in … This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit basedcamppodcast.substack.com/subscribe

It’s clear that the Democratic Socialists of America (DSA) are gaining prominence, especially with Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez being the longstanding frontrunner in betting markets for the 2028 Democratic presidential nominee. What makes this interesting is just how extreme the DSA’s views are. While sometimes the DSA’s “defund the police” stance breaks into mainstream media, that’s actually one of their tamer stances in the larger scheme of things.So join us today as we explore the DSA’s actual program and discuss what a DSA-led America what might actually look like. Sure is interesting!Show NotesDSA StructureFounded in 1982 through the merger of two leftist orgs, the DSA is made up of a National Convention (its highest decision-making body which convenes every two years) and super autonomous local chapters.* National leadership* Is where all dues go; they’re then partially redistributed back to chapters* Made up of:* The National Political Committee (NPC): serves as collective leadership and a board of directors* A Steering Committee that makes interim decisions, oversees staff and finances, charters and revokes chapters and commissions, and implements convention priorities* The NPC and national staff provide resources, field organizers, training, shared tools (phone/text banking, compliance help), and national priority campaigns.* Local chapters* Are required to affirm the national body’s principles and basic democratic norms.* Send delegates to the convention proportional to their membership* At the convention, they set strategy & priorities, elect leadership, and adopt resolutions and platforms* Do the day-to-day political work* Have their own membership meetings, bylaws, officers, and sophisticated internal structures* Youth wing: Young Democratic Socialists of America (YSDA)Active MembersThe DSA started growing explosively with Bernie Sanders’ 2016 campaign and the election of President Trump.* Membership went from around 6500 in 2014-2016 to over 120,000 now (+ median age dropped significantly)According to Peter Sterne (News & Opinion Editor @CityAndStateNY)“As of the end of July, DSA has about 129,000 dues-paying members.NYC-DSA has about 15,800 members.Next 5 largest chapters are:* At-large (i.e. not in a local chapter): 6,500 members* LA: 6,000 members* DC: 4,000 members* Portland: 3,700 members* Chicago: 3,300 members”Every member of the DSA simultaneously belongs to the national organization and one local chapter (or “at large” if no group exists nearby)* Which is rich because this August The Hill reported that “Ocasio-Cortez is not a member of the DSA’s national branch but maintains ties to her local chapter in the Big Apple.” (that’s NOT A THING)DSA StancesI’ve bolded all the ones I think are actually coolTheir current program:* THRIVING WORKING CLASS COMMUNITIES* Freedom To Flourish* “Expand public resources to support recreation, learning, and social spaces accessible to all. Establish paid family leave for all workers, a 32 hour work week with full pay and benefits, and a living minimum wage. Provide free, quality public education from pre-K to college and cancel all student debt.”* Healthcare For All* “Guarantee universal healthcare at no cost to individuals, including complete access to reproductive and gender-affirming care. Expand healthcare access and quality by investing in new public hospitals and clinics. Make all medical education and training public and free.”* Housing For All:* “Build new, publicly-owned social housing, strictly regulate investment properties, establish universal rent control, and guarantee right to counsel for all tenants.”* Finish Reconstruction:* “End the legacies of slavery and colonialism. Reinforce anti-discrimination laws. Honor all treaties and tribal sovereignty. Enact reparations and massively invest in good jobs, quality housing and infrastructure in neglected minority communities.”* End Mass Incarceration and Police Immunity* (this is basically reworded “abolish the police”)* “Demilitarize police departments, disempower police unions, and redirect funding to public services as steps towards fully abolishing the police and prison system which protects the rich and jails the poor. Treat drug addiction and mental illness as health issues, not crimes. End qualified immunity and empower civilian oversight bodies with real authority over the police.”* Feminism For All* “Stop gender violence and end policies that oppress bodily autonomy and intimate life, including patriarchal restrictions on abortion, childbirth and childraising, gender expression and transition, marriage, and divorce. Ban sex discrimination and ensure fair compensation and support for all forms of labor, including care work.”* Green New Deal* “Pass a federal jobs guarantee. Implement massive investment in sustainable, publicly owned energy and transit infrastructure. Phase out the use of fossil fuels. Reclaim and repair our earth’s resources for all.”* NOTE: A federal jobs guarantee generally means the federal government would ensure a paid public-service job is available on request to people who are ready and willing to work, especially if they cannot find adequate private-sector employment.* WORKING-CLASS FOREIGN POLICY* End The U.S. War Machine* “End all foreign wars and close overseas military bases. Support and fully employ veterans. End immunity for U.S. war criminals and support the International Criminal Court’s mandate to prosecute war crimes.”* Free Palestine* “Recognize the rights of the Palestinian people, including the right of return, the right to resist military occupation, and the right to self determination in a free Palestine with Jerusalem as its capital. End all military and economic aid to Israel. Prosecute U.S. and Israeli leaders responsible for the genocide in Gaza.”* Note: They’re SUPER against Israel. There’s one candidate, Nithya Raman, an LA city council and mayoral candidate, whose endorsement might be expelled from the DSA because she failure to properly probe or affirm her support for BDS (an international campaign seeking to pressure Israel over its treatment of Palestinians.) and anti-Zionism even though she was previously censured for accepting an endorsement from a pro-Israel group.* End Blockades, Embargoes, and Sanctions* “End economic warfare against countries whose governments act independently of the United States, such as Cuba, Venezuela, and Iran.”* Abolish ICE* “Legalize migration, grant amnesty for all immigrants regardless of status, provide a path to citizenship for all permanent residents, and end visa caps and quotas.”* WORKING-CLASS DEMOCRACY* Democracy For All* “Extend full voting rights to all permanent U.S. residents and restore the right to vote for incarcerated people and people with criminal convictions. Establish statehood for Washington D.C. and recognize the right to self-determination for all U.S. territories and colonies. Expand and protect voting rights and end voter suppression.”* A Real Democracy* “For the working class to govern, we need a new political system. End political corruption and legalized bribery: get rid of lobbyists, dark money, and Citizens United, and publicly finance all elections. Abolish the Electoral College. Replace the President and Supreme Court with an executive and judiciary chosen by and subordinate to Congress.”* A Democratic Congress* “Replace the two-party system with a multi-party democracy. Expand the House of Representatives, implement proportional representation and ranked choice voting in all elections, and abolish the Senate.”* Economic Democracy* “Establish public ownership of the largest corporations and essential industries to ensure democratic control and accountability to the people. Enact aggressive wealth taxes on the richest individuals and corporations to spend on public goods and infrastructure.”* Democracy At Work* “Empower workers to come together and fight the boss. Protect, expand, and enforce the rights of all workers to form, join, and strike with their unions, regardless of industry. Support union members who organize reform caucuse… This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit basedcamppodcast.substack.com/subscribe