Julian and Matthew decompress after the interview with Gavin Ryan and discuss the "alt-med treadmill" and what it means to never quite know where the threshold of evidence lies. -- -- -- <a href="https://www.patreon.com/conspirituality">Support us on Patreon</a> Pre-order Conspirituality: How New Age Conspiracy Theories Became a Health Threat: <a href="https://www.hachettebookgroup.com/titles/derek-beres-matthew-remski-julian-walker/conspirituality/9781541702981/">America</a> | <a href="https://www.amazon.ca/Conspirituality-Conspiracy-Theories-Became-Public/dp/1039005535/ref=mp_s_a_1_1?qid=1671042345&amp;refinements=p_27%3AMatthew+Remski&amp;s=books&amp;sr=1-1">Canada</a> Follow us on <a href="https://www.instagram.com/conspiripod/">Instagram</a> | Twitter: <a href="https://twitter.com/derekberes">Derek</a> | <a href="https://twitter.com/matthewremski">Matthew</a> | <a href="https://twitter.com/JulianMWalker">Julian</a> Original music by <a href="https://open.spotify.com/artist/5UeZCWSQYhQZwLM4tZxyrf?si=eOol5AckQli7rJgG-3I5tg">EarthRise SoundSystem</a> Learn more about your ad choices. Visit <a href="https://megaphone.fm/adchoices">megaphone.fm/adchoices</a>

105: TikTok, Cults, & Conspiracies (w/Abbie Richards)

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