Scapegoats & Straw Men

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Welcome to the World's One-Billionth Podcast, Scapegoats & Straw Men! Two guys deconstruct logical fallacies of all kinds (and create some of their own in the process). Join us for weekly installments on a whole host of topics ranging from the very serious to the absolutely absurd. Embrace the Bl…

Pete Fernbaugh, Lakin Weaver


    • Jun 10, 2017 LATEST EPISODE
    • infrequent NEW EPISODES
    • 32m AVG DURATION
    • 100 EPISODES


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    Latest episodes from Scapegoats & Straw Men

    Cold Cut: Our Greatest Hits and Tropes

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 10, 2017 18:26


    Every band has its greatest hits. Every TV show has its greatest tropes. We're not any different. In this Cold Cut from TGT 50, Lakin and Pete gab the gamut of topics we've beaten to death many times before, all in one concise 18-minute package.

    TGT 51: The Trump Pervasion

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 8, 2017 35:02


    The talking continues as Pete and Lakin muse upon the pervasion of Donald Trump. They also muse upon sexual orientation and epigenetics. But somehow it circles back to Trump. Everything circles back to Trump. Eventually. www.ssmcast.com www.facebook.com/ssmcast www.twitter.com/SSMcast

    TGT 50: The Broken Toilet of Existential Dread

    Play Episode Listen Later May 18, 2017 33:11


    The talking continues as Lakin extols the virtues of self-winding mechanical watches and Pete breaks a toilet. Throw in a dash of existential dread and an apocalyptic cover of "Nearer, My God, to Thee," and you have a beautiful day in the TGT neighborhood. www.ssmcast.com www.facebook.com/ssmcast www.twitter.com/SSMcast

    6: Sh*t from a Hat (Repodcast)

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 27, 2017 53:20


    A fiendish fedora tricks two logical humanoids into defending irrational thought. www.ssmcast.com www.facebook.com/ssmcast www.twitter.com/SSMcast

    Cold Cut: Good Friday Shiva (Repodcast)

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 15, 2017 6:20


    Following up on our repost from yesterday, it's only appropriate that we include the Cold Cut from SSM 4. Here's how we described it way back then: "On this Good Friday edition of 'Cold Cuts,' two Gentiles discuss their preference for Shiva rituals, especially after dealing with their fathers' deaths." Monday, we'll have a brand-new TGT for you. Have a great holiday weekend! www.ssmcast.com www.facebook.com/ssmcast www.twitter.com/SSMcast

    4: (Don’t Fear) The Reaper – Easter Edition (Repodcast)

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 14, 2017 41:04


    Given that it's Easter weekend, let's revisit a podcast we recorded in March 2015 that's all about our inevitable fate. Here's how we described our discussion way back then: "Death weighs heavily on the minds of a twenty and thirtysomething as they contemplate whether life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness have passed them by." www.scapegoatsandstrawmen.com

    TGT 49: Inside Our Mind Palace

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 31, 2017 28:19


    The talking continues as Lakin and Pete take a tour of several mind palaces, ranging from the Current Occupant of the White House (COWH) to wedding photography to event boundaries to paranoia about Internet security. It's a hodgepodge of thoughts that occasionally resemble conversation, all with an extra dash of hodge and a spritz of podge. www.ssmcast.com www.facebook.com/ssmcast www.twitter.com/SSMcast

    TGT 48: A Master Class on Masterclass

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 2, 2017 31:20


    You've probably seen those MasterClass ads on YouTube and Facebook, the ones in which a celebrity promises to make you almost as good as they are at something. In this episode, Pete and Lakin discuss the MasterClasses of Gordon Ramsay, Dustin Hoffman, and deadmau5. Also: Santa Clarita Diet, technology vs. old people, and who calls art art. www.ssmcast.com www.facebook.com/ssmcast www.twitter.com/SSMcast

    TGT 47: Lakin Reviews the Food Network (and Other Fun Rabbit Trails)

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 20, 2017 32:35


    The talking continues as Lakin gives the most comprehensive review of the Food Network's Programming you'll ever hear. Because Pete lacks any relevance to the modern world, he simply listens and does his best to act like he knows what the Food Network is. He won't be winning an Oscar for this performance, folks!

    TGT 46: We Are Confident Idiots

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 2, 2017 31:31


    The talking continues as Pete and Lakin discuss a great article by researcher David Dunning titled "We Are All Confident Idiots." In fact, we encourage you to give it a glance before listening to us gab about it. The article can be found here: https://psmag.com/we-are-all-confident-idiots-56a60eb7febc#.d5l0oksic www.ssmcast.com www.facebook.com/ssmcast www.twitter.com/SSMcast

    Cold Cut: A Nasty Woman Speaks (Epilogue)

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 31, 2017 8:23


    In this Cold Cut from TGTs 44 and 45, we wrap up our conversation with Famous Friend and (self-professed) Nasty Woman Micah Labishak, as she gives her final thoughts on the Women's March and what we all can do going forward. She and Lakin also compare a few more knitting notes in anticipation of Lakin's upcoming podcast, "I of the Needle." www.ssmcast.com www.facebook.com/ssmcast www.twitter.com/SSMcast

    TGT 45: A Nasty Woman Speaks

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 31, 2017 31:38


    Our conversation with Famous Friend and (self-professed) Nasty Woman Micah Labishak continues on this episode, as Pete and Lakin discuss Micah's experiences at the Women's March on January 22. We also demand to know why she accepted a paycheck from George Soros to attend the March. www.ssmcast.com www.facebook.com/ssmcast www.twitter.com/SSMcast

    TGT 44: A Nasty Woman Speaks (Prologue)

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 30, 2017 28:02


    In a special Monday edition of Two Guys, Talking, we welcome Famous Friend and (self-professed) Nasty Woman Micah Labishak into the SSM studios via Skype. Lakin and Pete's main intent was to talk with her about participating in the Women's March on Washington a week ago Saturday. Being who they are, however, they had to get other, more important stuff out of the way first, such as Super Meat Boy and Bandage Girl, the Binding of Isaac, knitting, and a bitch-filled evaluation of President Trump's first week in office. www.ssmcast.com www.facebook.com/ssmcast www.twitter.com/SSMcast

    Cold Cut: Two Guys, Talk Tech

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 28, 2017 5:28


    In this Cold Cut from TGT 43, Pete accidentally lets it slip that he thinks technology still runs on watch batteries, and Lakin explains the recent challenges Apple has had in marketing AirPods to the public. www.ssmcast.com www.facebook.com/ssmcast www.twitter.com/SSMcast

    TGT 43: Trumpocalypse Now!

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 26, 2017 29:59


    On the eve of Donald Trump's Presidential Inauguration, Lakin and Pete muse upon the surreality of it all. In case you were wondering, they do descend into self-reflection, which is not exactly a character trait of our 45th President. www.ssmcast.com www.facebook.com/ssmcast www.twitter.com/SSMcast

    TGT 15: We Have a Picture Window

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 16, 2017 51:00


    This week’s TGT is a rerun from December 14, 2015, in which Pete and Lakin discuss a plethora of topics revolving around voyeurism. And join us this Thursday when brand-new episodes of TGT resume. Scapegoats & Straw Men TGT 15 “We Have a Picture Window” www.scapegoatsandstrawmen.com www.facebook.com/scapegoatsandstrawmen www.twitter.com/SSMcast

    TGT 42: Swipe Right (in the Name of Love)

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 29, 2016 31:03


    The talking continues this week as Lakin and Pete discuss love, marriage, open relationships, sex, vibrators, and any other salacious buzzwords that will arouse the pornbots and give us unwanted hits. www.ssmcast.com www.facebook.com/ssmcast www.twitter.com/SSMcast

    TGT 41: The Star Wars Holiday Special

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 22, 2016 31:04


    The talking continues this week as Pete and Lakin recount the movie everyone else is talking about, "Rogue One: A Star Wars Story," with no regard for Spoilers (there are many) and a high regard for the prequels (they're weird that way). They also give Forest Whitaker acting advice. www.ssmcast.com www.facebook.com/ssmcast www.twitter.com/SSMcast

    Cold Cut: Westworld, Nudity, and Base Desires

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 3, 2016 6:43


    In this Cold Cut from TGT 40, Lakin and Pete offer additional thoughts on Westworld and its troubling analysis of morality and ethics. www.ssmcast.com www.facebook.com/ssmcast www.twitter.com/SSMcast

    TGT 40: Nihilism (The Pronunciation Doesn’t Matter)

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 1, 2016 33:14


    The talking continues as Pete and Lakin struggle valiantly to focus their jabbering jaws on discussing Doctor Strange and Westworld, but the elephant in the room still manages to rear his ugly hair for a fleeting moment. www.ssmcast.com www.facebook.com/ssmcast www.twitter.com/SSMcast

    TGT 39: Dancing with Nihilism

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 25, 2016 31:40


    The talking continues as Lakin and Pete explore nihilism while doing the Hand Thing. www.ssmcast.com www.facebook.com/ssmcast www.twitter.com/SSMcast

    Cold Cut: Plot Holes

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 5, 2016 25:04


    In this Cold Cut from SSM 41, Pete and Lakin perform the story "Plot Holes" by omegaokami from the No Sleep subreddit as part of SSM's Spoken Word Musical Theatre Campfire Trilogy.

    TGT 38: What Lakin Recommends Pete Ignores

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 3, 2016 31:45


    The talking continues as Lakin realizes that Pete never acts upon his entertainment recommendations. This leads to a firm resolution to never recommend anything to Pete again until he watches Shameless. www.ssmcast.com www.facebook.com/ssmcast www.twitter.com/SSMcast

    41: Spoken Word Musical Theatre-Campfire Trilogy (Part 3 of 4)

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 31, 2016 30:46


    Two performance artists and their Bohemian friend tell tales of vengeance, dementia, stolen identities, and of course, murder, even as their custom-edited campfire shows no signs of burning out. www.ssmcast.com www.facebook.com/ssmcast www.twitter.com/SSMcast

    40: Spoken Word Musical Theatre-Campfire Trilogy (Part 2 of 4)

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 7, 2016 31:30


    Two performance artists and their Bohemian friend spin tales of demented twins and predatory Walmart shoppers, all around a campfire that burns eternal in the human ear. www.ssmcast.com www.facebook.com/ssmcast www.twitter.com/SSMcast

    Cold Cut: America’s First Sexually Involved Presidents

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 6, 2016 9:28


    In this Cold Cut from TGT 37, Pete and Lakin speculate about Hillary and Bill's sex life. The conversation is more lurid than the reality.

    TGT 37: Children of Bill, Children of Steve

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 4, 2016 31:25


    The talking continues as Lakin pitches Apple's next award-winning (albeit tasteless) marketing campaign and Pete revels in his adeptness at creating awkward situations, especially at weddings. www.ssmcast.com www.facebook.com/ssmcast www.twitter.com/SSMcast

    39: Spoken Word Musical Theatre-Campfire Trilogy (Part 1 of 4)

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 1, 2016 32:07


    Two performance artists and their Bohemian friend celebrate the Dog Days of Summer with ghost stories and urban legends set to music and a campfire that was inserted in post-production. www.ssmcast.com www.facebook.com/ssmcast www.twitter.com/SSMcast

    TGT 36: Republican Bush People

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 21, 2016 30:49


    The talking continues as Lakin and Pete marvel over the absurdity of the 2016 election and Lakin's newest fascination: Discovery Channel reality shows. www.ssmcast.com www.facebook.com/ssmcast www.twitter.com/SSMcast

    38: Apt Psychopath (Part 2 of 2)

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 18, 2016 39:54


    Our podcast philosophers continue their debate over Stephen King's "Apt Pupil" and the extent to which humans are barely restrained animals. www.ssmcast.com www.facebook.com/ssmcast www.twitter.com/SSMcast

    TGT 35: An Existential Civil War

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 14, 2016 42:04


    The talking continues as frightening thoughts about our feeble humanity lead Pete and Lakin into a cheerier discussion about The Flash and Captain America: Civil War. www.ssmcast.com www.facebook.com/ssmcast www.twitter.com/SSMcast

    37: Apt Psychopath (Part 1 of 2)

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 11, 2016 39:31


    Stephen King's "Apt Pupil" sparks an intense discussion between two podcast philosophers over the factors that influence a person's psychopathic behavior. www.ssmcast.com www.facebook.com/ssmcast www.twitter.com/SSMcast

    Cold Cut: Treading the Community Boards

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 9, 2016 7:00


    Your theatrical hosts discuss their various stagebound pursuits in this Cold Cut from TGT 34. www.ssmcast.com www.facebook.com/ssmcast www.twitter.com/SSMcast

    TGT 34: A Yen to Create, A Yen to Destroy

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 7, 2016 30:53


    The talking continues as Lakin and Pete gab about almonds, Harriet Tubman, Amelia Earhart, and Cabaret.www.ssmcast.com www.facebook.com/ssmcast www.twitter.com/SSMcast

    13: The Zeitgeist of ’76 (2015)

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 4, 2016 52:39


    As our summer hiatus comes to an end, we present once again our Fourth of July episode from 2015. Join us next Monday when the new season of SSM officially begins. And this Thursday: a brand-new TGT. Happy Independence Day! www.ssmcast.com www.facebook.com/ssmcast www.twitter.com/SSMcast

    TGT 33: Summing Up Our Experiences

    Play Episode Listen Later May 31, 2016 29:55


    The talking continues as Lakin and Pete consider how they are becoming odd composites of their parents. Also: No politics in this episode either. You're welcome! www.ssmcast.com www.facebook.com/ssmcast www.twitter.com/SSMcast

    Cold Cut: Grease is the Worst Musical Ever!

    Play Episode Listen Later May 21, 2016 11:56


    How do you like that clickbait headline? We're pretty proud of it ourselves. In this Cold Cut from TGT 31, Pete and Lakin talk about their hatred of "Grease," along with a few tidbits on King, Cruz, and Carly. www.ssmcast.com www.facebook.com/ssmcast www.twitter.com/SSMcast

    TGT 32: Our Politics-Free Edition (We Promise)

    Play Episode Listen Later May 19, 2016 33:07


    Pete and Lakin do their best to avoid politics as they discuss terrorism and the fear it instills in people. Also: Breaking Bad, Mad Men, Shameless, and 24. www.ssmcast.com www.facebook.com/ssmcast www.twitter.com/SSMcast

    Cold Cut: God Bless America

    Play Episode Listen Later May 14, 2016 9:54


    In this Cold Cut from SSM 36, Lakin and Pete wrap up their discussion on Donald Trump's ascendancy to the GOP presidential nomination with various ruminations on how this isn't the End of All Things (even though they know it probably is). www.ssmcast.com www.facebook.com/ssmcast www.twitter.com/SSMcast

    TGT 31: Here Lies Prince’s Vault (and Other Musical Musings)

    Play Episode Listen Later May 12, 2016 26:51


    The talking continues as Pete and Lakin discuss Prince's vault and its rumored contents, along with philosophical rabbit trails into what it means to be someone's fan and why no one person has the monopoly on intelligence. Also: Jared Leto's semen. www.ssmcast.com www.facebook.com/ssmcast www.twitter.com/SSMcast

    36: Crouching Donald, Hidden Trump

    Play Episode Listen Later May 10, 2016 30:47


    Two Mind Ninjas are hurled into a long national nightmare after an orange, hairy, bellowing Man-Child defeats Reason and Logic using Fear and Hatred. www.ssmcast.com www.facebook.com/ssmcast www.twitter.com/SSMcast

    Cold Cut: Blame Game – DLC and Amazon Prime

    Play Episode Listen Later May 7, 2016 16:12


    In this Cold Cut from SSM 35, Lakin and Pete give their blames for the week, and trust us, folks! They're about as first world as you can get. www.ssmcast.com www.facebook.com/scapegoatsandstrawmen www.twitter.com/SSMcast

    35: How to Build a Pyramid

    Play Episode Listen Later May 2, 2016 34:30


    Is it easy to build a pyramid? Actually, yes. As long as you can siphon success from the hopes and dreams of your friends. www.ssmcast.com www.facebook.com/scapegoatsandstrawmen www.twitter.com/SSMcast

    TGT 30: Batman v Superman – Dawn of Illiteracy

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 22, 2016 40:32


    The talking continues as Lakin and Pete discuss critical reaction to the recent release of a small indie flick about middle-aged men working out their issues. Also: illiteracy, Joel Osteen, the Robot Army, and Breaking Bad. www.ssmcast.com www.facebook.com/ssmcast www.twitter.com/SSMcast

    Cold Cut: More Predictable Hat Sh*t

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 18, 2016 9:11


    In this Cold Cut from SSM 34, we elicit more predictions from the leprechaun's hat. www.ssmcast.com www.facebook.com/ssmcast www.twitter.com/SSMcast

    34: Sh*t from a Hat IV – The Reckoning

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 4, 2016 39:56


    Two sedentary seers conjure up predictions about the future based on questions from a leprechaun's hat. www.ssmcast.com www.facebook.com/ssmcast www.twitter.com/SSMcast

    TGT 29: Spirit Science in the Sky

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 24, 2016 49:29


    The talking continues as Pete and Lakin discuss extremophiles, Edward Snowden, The Walking Dead, and Shameless without mentioning Donald Trump once. www.ssmcast.com www.facebook.com/ssmcast www.twitter.com/SSMcast

    33: Socialism on Trial

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 21, 2016 37:33


    Two social engineers plot to take over the national conversation by dissecting what a particularly devious word means. www.ssmcast.com www.facebook.com/SSMcast www.twitter.com/SSMcast

    TGT 28: Donald Trump Has Jazz Hands

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 10, 2016 36:04


    The talking continues as Pete and Lakin muse about two topics that have no discernible connection: Donald Trump and jazz. www.ssmcast.com www.facebook.com/scapegoatsandstrawmen www.twitter.com/SSMcast

    32: Search Engine Heroes – Quantum Mechanics

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 7, 2016 38:17


    Two master practitioners of the ancient art of Google Fu apply their formidable skills to deciphering Quantum Mechanics. www.ssmcast.com www.facebook.com/scapegoatsandstrawmen www.twitter.com/SSMcast

    Cold Cut: The Self-image Deception

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 5, 2016 13:09


    In this Cold Cut from SSM 31, we consider how deceptive a person's self-image can be and why we shouldn't always trust our mirror image. www.ssmcast.com www.facebook.com/scapegoatsandstrawmen www.twitter.com/SSMcast

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