The Radical Secular

Sex therapists Julia Postema and Jeremiah Gibson join Christophe and Liz for conversation about sex, including a discussion about the far-reaching political and social implications of America's ignorance and miseducation of human sexuality. Julia and Jeremiah are co-hosts of the podcast Sexvangelicals: The Sex Education the Church Didn't Want You to Have. They are both Boston-based licensed psychotherapists and certified sex therapists. They specialize in helping couples with negative religious backgrounds discover sexuality that works for their partnership. They're on Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook at @sexvangelicals.____________________________________________________Links:Sexvangelicals Substack: https://sexvangelicals.substack.com/____________________________________________________Connect with us:Email – RadicallyHumanPod@gmail.comInstagram – https://www.instagram.com/radically__human/Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/theradicalsecularSpotify – https://open.spotify.com/show/7xI4LWo5AKI4BUZPorYMzS?si=e13739db3be14c45Apple Pods – https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/radically-human/id1526238241

We have an off-the-cuff chat about how events, like the recent shooting of Ralph Yarl, affect Black folks in America. We discuss how marginalized groups feel the emotional impact of seeing people like them being treated as less than human, and talk about how to show up as a real ally.____________________________________________________Connect with us:Email – RadicallyHumanPod@gmail.comInstagram – https://www.instagram.com/radically__human/Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/theradicalsecularSpotify – https://open.spotify.com/show/7xI4LWo5AKI4BUZPorYMzS?si=e13739db3be14c45Apple Pods – https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/radically-human/id1526238241

In our second episode of “the water we grew up in” Christophe shines a light on the racist dog-whistles that are commonly used to deflect from real issues.____________________________________________________Connect with us:Email – RadicallyHumanPod@gmail.comInstagram – https://www.instagram.com/radically__human/Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/theradicalsecularSpotify – https://open.spotify.com/show/7xI4LWo5AKI4BUZPorYMzS?si=e13739db3be14c45Apple Pods – https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/radically-human/id1526238241

This episode kicks off a new series called “The Water We Grew Up In.” The series examines aspects of White supremacy and patriarchy that even we progressives don't generally notice because they are so fully integrated into the systems of our daily lives. We're like fish in water. We're talking about the sorts of intolerance that are more subtle and seem more innocuous than the caricatures of hate reflected in organizations like the KKK and the GOP.In this inaugural episode, Liz identifies the ways in which we've all been indoctrinated by patriarchal myths of romance, and the damage that results.

Difo & Liz talk about the moralization of capitalistic “success.” Why does society judge the unhoused, those living in poverty, and feel entitled to police the way they spend their time and money? How can we, as progressives, recognize our own programming, and move past it?____________________________________________________Connect with us:Email – RadicallyHumanPod@gmail.comInstagram – https://www.instagram.com/radically__human/Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/theradicalsecularSpotify – https://open.spotify.com/show/7xI4LWo5AKI4BUZPorYMzS?si=e13739db3be14c45Apple Pods – https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/radically-human/id1526238241

What can menstrual cycles teach us about allyship? In this episode, Liz & Christophe discuss how centering experiences of traditionally “othered” folks leads to a more equitable and just world. Learning about periods really CAN make men better allies. How can we extend that to racial justice? And beyond?____________________________________________________Connect with us:Email – RadicallyHumanPod@gmail.comInstagram – https://www.instagram.com/radically__human/Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/theradicalsecularSpotify – https://open.spotify.com/show/7xI4LWo5AKI4BUZPorYMzS?si=e13739db3be14c45Apple Pods – https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/radically-human/id1526238241

EP 100 - This is your brain on capitalismLiz and Difo welcome the new year with a check-in. They discuss the perils of capitalist culture, how we can live our best lives within these systems, and the problem with free will.____________________________________________________Connect with us:Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/radically__human/Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/theradicalsecularSpotify – https://open.spotify.com/show/7xI4LWo5AKI4BUZPorYMzS?si=e13739db3be14c45Apple Pods – https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/radically-human/id1526238241

EP 99 - How to talk to your racist uncle/ kitchen table activismLiz and Difo talk about the holidays - traditions, mental health, difficulties, joys. They share strategies for standing up for their progressive values at the dinner table and how to have fruitful social justice conversations with family over the holidays.___________________________________________________Show notes:Jennifer Rosen-Heinz for Parents Magazine: https://www.parents.com/kids/responsibility/racism/what-to-do-if-the-racist-is-your-family-member/Desiree Adaway: https://adawaygroup.com/desiree-adaway/____________________________________________________Connect with us:Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/radically__human/Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/theradicalsecularSpotify – https://open.spotify.com/show/7xI4LWo5AKI4BUZPorYMzS?si=e13739db3be14c45Apple Pods – https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/radically-human/id1526238241

EP 98 - Midterms and the Importance of Hope (aka the *new* greatest generation)Christophe and Liz react to the 2022 midterm results, and discuss the importance of hope: reasons they still have it, and how to keep it alive.___________________________________________________Show notes:https://www.americanprogress.org/article/americas-electoral-future-3/https://www.npr.org/2022/11/15/1136563709/young-voters-helped-democrats-win-the-senate-and-other-midterm-elections____________________________________________________Connect with us:Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/radically__human/Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/theradicalsecularSpotify – https://open.spotify.com/show/7xI4LWo5AKI4BUZPorYMzS?si=e13739db3be14c45Apple Pods – https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/radically-human/id1526238241

We discuss Karl Popper's “paradox of tolerance” and how it applies to our work as progressives. We also share our thoughts (and stress!) about the upcoming midterms.—-----------------------------------------------------------------Show Notes:“The Paradox of Tolerance” – https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paradox_of_toleranceWhere to vote – https://www.vote.org/polling-place-locator/Voting guide – https://votesaveamerica.com/be-a-voter/Find your gun sense candidates – https://gunsensevoter.org/candidates/—-----------------------------------------------------------------Find us on:Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/radically__human/Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/theradicalsecularSpotify – https://open.spotify.com/show/7xI4LWo5AKI4BUZPorYMzS?si=e13739db3be14c45

Difo & Liz talk with Sandra Fraser-Maurer about how the overturning of Roe is impacting mental health in America. —----------------------------------------------------------------- Sandra Fraser-Maurer, MA, CD, E-RYT - Clinical Mental Health Counselor and trauma-informed Yoga Teacher  Find her on instagram @sandrafmaurer Sandra's Counseling Website - https://mindfulfamiliestherapy.com/sandra-maurer (https://mindfulfamiliestherapy.com/sandra-maurer) Sandra's Yoga Therapy Website - https://www.terrafirmampls.com/about-us-1 (https://www.terrafirmampls.com) Postpartum Support International - https://www.postpartum.net ACES Score: About - https://www.cdc.gov/violenceprevention/aces/index.html (https://www.cdc.gov/violenceprevention/aces/index.html) Evaluate yourself - https://www.npr.org/sections/health-shots/2015/03/02/387007941/take-the-ace-quiz-and-learn-what-it-does-and-doesnt-mean

Difo and Liz react to the protests that have erupted in Iran after the "morality police" murdered a 22-year-old Kurdish woman named Mahsa Amini, and they compare the oppressive systems in Iran to those in the United States. Difo and Liz also discuss why most self-identified "White Liberals" are really "White Moderates" and they consider how everyday people can and should be activists in their own lives. ______________________________ Radical Secular: https://www.patreon.com/theradicalsecular (Patreon) Email: theradicalsecular@gmail.com Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/radical_secular/ (@radical_secular) https://www.facebook.com/theradicalsecular (Facebook) Twitter: @RadicalSecular https://the-radical-secular.captivate.fm/ (Podcast) All standard podcast venues: Apple, Spotify, Google, Stitcher, Amazon, Gaana, Saavn

Difo and Liz connect with Zoe Heath to expose the GOP's war on the LGBTQ+ community, and to discuss what Zoe is doing, and what we allies should be doing, to fight back. ______________________________ Zoe Heath, Sussex County Pride founder and executive director Find on Instagram at @zoequality and on Twitter and tiktok @zoequalitynj Support your pride where it matters most by donating https://venmo.com/code?user_id=3276596718862336443&created=1664327276.50331&printed=1&fbclid=IwAR2JDt0x49gZBfQlG6FrvWgfHDx8hGcwk_Wb3S6Gl5YtkO_fZ95uspwJc1I (https://venmo.com/code?user_id=3276596718862336443&created=1664327276.50331&printed=1) ______________________________ Radical Secular: https://www.patreon.com/theradicalsecular (Patreon) Email: theradicalsecular@gmail.com Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/radical_secular/ (@radical_secular) https://www.facebook.com/theradicalsecular (Facebook) Twitter: @RadicalSecular https://the-radical-secular.captivate.fm/ (Podcast) All standard podcast venues: Apple, Spotify, Google, Stitcher, Amazon, Gaana, Saavn

Christophe and Liz discuss how the relentless anxiety of life in a capitalist environment can undermine happiness starting at the individual level and scaling up to the societal level. ______________________________ https://www.patreon.com/theradicalsecular (Patreon) Email: theradicalsecular@gmail.com Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/radical_secular/ (@radical_secular) https://www.facebook.com/theradicalsecular (Facebook) Twitter: @RadicalSecular https://the-radical-secular.captivate.fm/ (Podcast) All standard podcast venues: Apple, Spotify, Google, Stitcher, Amazon, Gaana, Saavn

Christophe and Liz react to the victory in Kansas on abortion rights and the passage of the Inflation Reduction Act, consider why it's so important to find reasons to hope, and reflect on this episode's Self Care Tip Of the Day. ______________________________ Show notes: https://www.kansascity.com/news/politics-government/election/article263832087.html (‘No' prevails: Kansas votes to protect abortion rights in state constitution) Unexpected deal would boost Biden pledge on climate change https://news.northeastern.edu/2022/08/02/climate-legislation/ (What's in the Biggest Piece of Climate Legislation in US History?) ______________________________ https://www.patreon.com/theradicalsecular (Patreon) Email: theradicalsecular@gmail.com Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/radical_secular/ (@radical_secular) https://www.facebook.com/theradicalsecular (Facebook) Twitter: @RadicalSecular https://the-radical-secular.captivate.fm/ (Podcast) All standard podcast venues: Apple, Spotify, Google, Stitcher, Amazon, Gaana, Saavn

Christophe and Liz define "Radical Empathy" in the context of social justice. Before that, they reflect on the surprising lack of catastrophic news over the previous two weeks. And they discuss what average people can do to fight for social justice, including how to support friend of the podcast, Coral Anika Theill's, fight against theocracy and patriarchy. ______________________________ Show notes: https://brenebrown.com/articles/2018/05/17/dehumanizing-always-starts-with-language/ (Dehumanizing Always Starts With Language, by Brené Brown on May 17, 2018) https://www.coralanikatheill.com/?fbclid=IwAR1ac_X_Cq9nfo5c2D8ktPz4bzaxbIdiIA3Qy8XNGtgGXMoYd5Zjz4POLLg (Coral Anika Theill's Website) https://gofund.me/12bc9009 (Support Coral) ______________________________ https://www.patreon.com/theradicalsecular (Patreon) Email: theradicalsecular@gmail.com Instagram: @radical_secular https://www.facebook.com/theradicalsecular (Facebook) Twitter: @RadicalSecular https://the-radical-secular.captivate.fm/ (Podcast) All standard podcast venues: Apple, Google, Stitcher, Amazon, Gaana, Saavn

Christophe introduces the podcast's transition into a new phase. Christophe and Liz discuss the emotional and practical challenges of navigating the post Roe, post truth, post democracy (?) environment in which we progressives find ourselves.

Abortion and Juneteenth https://www.shopkanibal.com/ (The Radical Secular is sponsored in part by Kanibal & Co.) (00:00) Intro & T-shirts (06:23) Christophe, Liz and Sean react to the overturning of Roe v Wade. (46:40) Difo and Liz. Gun policy. Catching up about Alaska. Appreciating the little things. (01:01:59) Juneteenth. (01:15:54) The consequences of ideological purity. (01:23:50) Asking good-faith questions from a position of privilege. Navigating sensitive conversations surrounding past and present oppression. Privilege doesn't mean the absence of suffering. (01:47:05) Wrapup and Outro ______________________________ Show notes: https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2022/07/04/we-are-not-going-back-to-the-time-before-roe-we-are-going-somewhere-worse (We're Not Going Back to the Time Before Roe. We're Going Somewhere Worse) https://www.nytimes.com/article/juneteenth-day-celebration.html (Juneteenth: The History of a Holiday) https://www.pbs.org/wnet/african-americans-many-rivers-to-cross/history/what-is-juneteenth/ (What Is Juneteenth?) https://www.rachelricketts.com/online-courses (Anti-Racism Course with Rachel Ricketts) ______________________________ https://www.patreon.com/theradicalsecular (Patreon) https://www.theradicalsecular.com/ (Website) Email: theradicalsecular@gmail.com Instagram: @radical_secular https://www.facebook.com/theradicalsecular (Facebook) Twitter: @RadicalSecular https://the-radical-secular.captivate.fm/ (Podcast) All standard podcast venues: Apple, Google, Stitcher, Amazon, Gaana, Saavn

Body Count https://www.shopkanibal.com/ (The Radical Secular is sponsored in part by Kanibal & Co.) (00:00) Intro and T-shirts (6:45) Gun violence death statistics and rationalizations. Economic impact. Survivor guilt. America's violent history. Domestic violence. (21:53) Examining the "why?" How many weapons do Americans own? A public health analysis. Comparison to other nations. The role of history denial. The deliberate suppression of gun violence research. GOP science denial strategies. (39:30) Thom Hartmann's "The Hidden History of Gun Violence and the Second Amendment." What was the rationale for the second amendment, and who was covered by it? The connection to slavery and Jim Crow and the Ku Klux Klan. The European invasion. The settler myth. Demonization and victim-blaming of the Native American population. Motivations of Thomas Jefferson and how other enslavers changed the text of the second amendment. Reinterpretation of the second amendment by the Heller decision. The making of the gun myths through glorification of violent outlaws. Teddy Roosevelt's slander of Native Americans. (01:18:42) A single gunshot ended Reconstruction. Post-reconstruction disarming of black freedmen. The philosophical implications of open carry. The NRA failure to defend black people with CCW gun permits. How guns were treated in the "old West." (01:25:34) Demographics and motivation of mass shooters. Why have political leaders failed to act? (01:41:17) The relationship between citizens, government, and society. The creation of two Americas following the Civil Rights Act. Reagan's delegitimization the US government. The marriage of gun ownership with opposition to a government of universal civil rights. The GOP death-cult feedback loop between shootings and fear that leads to more right-wing voting. (01:53:03) A proposal for common-sense gun regulation and buybacks (that's certain not to pass). (01:57:15) Wrapup and Outro ______________________________ Show notes: https://www.gunviolencearchive.org/ (GUN VIOLENCE ARCHIVE) https://everytownresearch.org/report/the-economic-cost-of-gun-violence/ (The Economic Cost of Gun Violence) https://www.amazon.com/Hidden-History-Second-Amendment-Hartmann/dp/1523085991 (The Hidden History of Guns and the Second Amendment by Thom Hartmann) https://www.statista.com/statistics/476456/mass-shootings-in-the-us-by-shooter-s-race/ (Number of mass shootings in the United States between 1982 and June 2022, by shooter's race or ethnicity) https://www.politico.com/news/magazine/2022/05/27/stopping-mass-shooters-q-a-00035762 (Two Professors Found What Creates a Mass Shooter. Will Politicians Pay Attention?) https://dnyuz.com/2022/06/03/republican-congressman-quits-race-after-backlash-over-his-gun-stance/ (Republican Congressman Quits Race After Backlash Over His Gun Stance) https://www.cnn.com/2022/06/06/politics/gun-mass-shootings-politicians-poll/index.html (A striking number from a new poll on guns) ______________________________ https://www.patreon.com/theradicalsecular (Patreon) https://www.theradicalsecular.com/ (Website) Email: theradicalsecular@gmail.com Instagram: @radical_secular https://www.facebook.com/theradicalsecular (Facebook) Twitter: @RadicalSecular https://the-radical-secular.captivate.fm/ (Podcast) All standard podcast venues: Apple, Google, Stitcher, Amazon, Gaana, Saavn

Intergenerational Trauma and Buffalo https://www.shopkanibal.com/ (The Radical Secular is sponsored in part by Kanibal & Co.) (00:00) Intro and T-shirts (8:11) Difo and Liz - Christophe Difo and Liz Wilson. The psychological toll of recent events. Radical empathy. Holding pain without being destroyed by it. Genetic changes caused by trauma. Black culture as a survival strategy. Recognizing the importance of women's studies. American law and culture have systematically excluded nonwhites and women. Progressive white men have a special responsibility. The deep impact of the Buffalo massacre on the black community. The need for introspection among progressives. The long-term impact of women being second-class citizens. Present crises are reflective of events and decisions made many years in the past. Finding the right balance for engagement with news and social media. (01:18:53) Joe, Christophe and Sean react to the Difo and Liz Segment. White progressive men face anger from their own race and gender, in addition to justified criticism from marginalized groups they're trying to help. The epigenetics of chronic trauma. Post-traumatic slave syndrome. Confronting the relentless American messaging toward people of color: "you do not belong." The continuing futility of efforts toward gun reform. (01:53:15) Wrapup and Outro ______________________________ Show notes: https://www.forbes.com/sites/janicegassam/2022/02/14/3-ways-intergenerational-trauma-still-impacts-the-black-community-today/?sh=5564e9d3cf68 (3 Ways Intergenerational Trauma Still Impacts The Black Community Today) https://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/impacts-of-intergenerational-trauma-how-metoo-affects-us-all-0806184 (Impacts of Intergenerational Trauma: How #MeToo Affects Us All) https://medium.com/verve-up/women-what-we-pass-down-28e25aaae0b6 (Women: What We Pass Down) https://www.theguardian.com/science/2015/aug/21/study-of-holocaust-survivors-finds-trauma-passed-on-to-childrens-genes (Study of Holocaust survivors finds trauma passed on to children's genes) ______________________________ https://www.patreon.com/theradicalsecular (Patreon) https://www.theradicalsecular.com/ (Website) Email: theradicalsecular@gmail.com Instagram: @radical_secular https://www.facebook.com/theradicalsecular (Facebook) Twitter: @RadicalSecular https://the-radical-secular.captivate.fm/ (Podcast) All standard podcast venues: Apple, Google, Stitcher, Amazon, Gaana, Saavn

The War on Women and Children, with special guest Kevin Bolling https://www.shopkanibal.com/ (The Radical Secular is sponsored in part by Kanibal & Co.) (00:00) Intro (02:20) Roe v. Wade, a democratic post-mortem. How we lost the Supreme Court and endangered every human right we hold dear. Creating second-class citizens. (14:55) Coming to terms with not only climate, but our burgeoning energy crisis. (20:09) The absurdity and hypocrisy of Florida's war on secular education. What's the GOP beef with "social emotional learning?" "Free-speech" defenders shutting down the microphone on graduating seniors. "Victims of communism." (34:53) Guest segment with Kevin Bolling, executive director of the Secular Student Alliance. With over 20 years of nonprofit leadership experience, Kevin's career has included 15 years of student association management and on-campus program development from Los Angeles to Boston. T-shirts. What does the Secular Student Alliance do? Covid, and the loss of secular support and services for kids. Handling the GOP onslaught against education. 50% of young people identify as non-religious. Higher education has an extremely strong tradition of secularism. Atheism vs. secularism. Is there room for conservatives in secularism? How do we reconcile that? What is the SSA response to the loss of Roe v. Wade? How is the conservative agenda and rhetoric impacting kids' health? Discussion of second-class citizenship. What are the most important things you can do as a secular humanist, to help people? The role of art. (01:11:55) Joe and Sean react to Kevin's interview. How the Constitution has rigged the US for minority rule. Rebuilding institutions. Energizing civic life. Wrapup and Outro. ______________________________ Show notes: https://secularstudents.org/ (Secular Student Alliance) https://www.thecut.com/2022/04/conservative-backlash-social-emotional-learning.html (What Is the Conservative Beef With ‘Social -Emotional Learning'?) https://www.nbcnews.com/nbc-out/out-community-voices/gay-high-schooler-says-silenced-floridas-lgbtq-law-rcna28429 (Gay high schooler says he's 'being silenced' by Florida's LGBTQ law) https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2022/may/10/florida-ron-desantis-communism-bill-students (DeSantis signs bill for Florida students to learn about ‘victims of communism') ______________________________ https://www.patreon.com/theradicalsecular (Patreon) https://www.theradicalsecular.com/ (Website) Email: theradicalsecular@gmail.com Instagram: @radical_secular https://www.facebook.com/theradicalsecular (Facebook) Twitter: @RadicalSecular https://the-radical-secular.captivate.fm/ (Podcast) All standard podcast venues: Apple, Google, Stitcher, Amazon, Gaana, Saavn

Radically Rethinking Drug Use https://www.shopkanibal.com/ (The Radical Secular is sponsored in part by Kanibal & Co.) (00:00) Intro and T-Shirts (08:12) Earth Day, the climate crisis, Elon Musk buys Twitter. The demagoguery of the "free speech" canard. (21:20) Christophe interviews Meg Fazzi about drug policy. His own struggle with drugs. Meg's family issues related to drug use. Treatment and access for addicts. The destructiveness of shame-based systems and punishment. The terrible impact of the carceral system on families, especially families of color. The disparity in response between the (mostly black) crack-cocaine epidemic and (mostly white) opioid epidemic. The transition to legal marijuana, and the unequal impact of this policy change by race. What does a healthy relationship with drugs and alcohol look like? (01:28:09) Christophe, Joe and Sean discuss the topics from Meg's interview. Drug use from the perspective of what it means to be human. The presupposition that drug use is wrong. We're still stuck with early-20th-century moralizing. Debunking Alcoholics Anonymous, and other 12-step programs. Most people who use drugs don't get into trouble. Zero-tolerance, one-size-fits-all, abstinence-only models like AA have worse outcomes. While AA doesn't fit the strict definition of a "cult," there are cultic aspects of AA. The difficulty of maintaining friendships with people in the "program." Drug use as a symptom, often used to mask the need for therapy about deeper issues. Fentanyl changes the risk equation, making death much more likely. This leads us to an imperative of legalization / access to safe dosages. (02:12:24) Wrapup and Outro ___________________________ Show Notes: https://www.cnet.com/science/climate/twitter-bans-climate-change-denial-ads/ (Twitter Bans Climate Change Denial Ads) https://www.amazon.com/Drug-Use-Grown-Ups-Chasing-Liberty-ebook/dp/B088QLTSQN (Drug Use for Grown-Ups: Chasing Liberty in the Land of Fear) https://www.hbo.com/documentaries/the-crime-of-the-century (The Crime of the Century) ___________________________ https://www.patreon.com/theradicalsecular (Patreon) https://www.theradicalsecular.com/ (Website) Email: theradicalsecular@gmail.com Instagram: @radical_secular https://www.facebook.com/theradicalsecular (Facebook) Twitter: @RadicalSecular https://the-radical-secular.captivate.fm/ (Podcast) All standard podcast venues: Apple, Google, Stitcher, Amazon, Gaana, Saavn

Bodyscapes of Power https://www.shopkanibal.com/ (The Radical Secular is sponsored in part by Kanibal & Co.) (00:00) Intro and T-Shirts (05:34) Why have we accepted intersex surgeries that mutilate children? Modernism recognized that traditions often brutalized the body. Post-modernism as a reaction against the failures of modernism to prevent the atrocities of the 20th century. Teasing apart the contradictions between the emancipatory and reactionary aspects of both modernism and postmodernism. (12:53) Architecture and design and the tension between traditional, modern and postmodern styles. Sameness vs. minimalism and simplicity. (24:19) Michel Foucault. The modern state and its controls on the body, along with its capacity for liberation. The shadow side of modernism. Balancing majority rule with minority rights. De facto vs. de jure oppression. Why do we still tolerate male circumcision? Right wing attacks on the body, generally. Karl Marx as an enlightenment thinker. The increase in the subtlety of bodily oppression. (43:02) Focus on property and individual rights was a reaction against totalitarian feudalism. But now, property rights under neoliberalism are pushing us back toward feudalism--the marriage of corporate and state power. Rejection of modernity as a misdirected reaction against the excesses of capitalism. The contradictions of Ayn Rand. (54:32) The US was founded in resistance against tyranny, but the modern right has now changed their definition of tyranny to include any broad-based protections against oppression. The power of markets to support the public good vs. the oppression of unfettered capitalism. Post-liberalism as a systemic approach focused on outcomes. (01:04:44) Biopolitics. The point of the spear is the freedom of the body. Foucault's panopticon and surveillance. Non-violent control. The illusion of choice. How legal and human rights frameworks can blunt surveillance, and David Brin's "sousveillance." The downsides of privacy. (01:14:51) The institutionalization of backward and traditional ideas about the body. The compounding problems of encoding of prejudices and hierarchies in AI. The standardization of the white male body type, to the exclusion of the unique bodily concerns of women and POC, everything from temperature norms, to the minimization of the pain of menstruation. Challenging oppressive truths, without falling into relativism. The reactionary co-opting of the narratives of liberation, and the use of state power. A return to science, the downranking of personal opinion. Edward Bernays 1928 seminal work on "Propaganda." (01:33:56) Post-truth regimes break down the connection to rationality, but enthusiastically use all the modern apparatus of state power to enforce their manufactured "truths." Parallels between Soviet methods of oppression / indoctrination using citizens to inform on each other, and the modern GOP with their bounty laws and kids ratting out teachers. Policy differences pale into insignificance, compared to protecting democracy itself. (01:45:57) A postliberal mission statement. Labor unions. Wrapup and outro. ______________________________ Show notes: https://www.hrw.org/report/2017/07/25/i-want-be-nature-made-me/medically-unnecessary-surgeries-intersex-children-us (“I Want to Be Like Nature Made Me” Medically Unnecessary Surgeries on Intersex Children in the US) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Discipline_and_Punish (Michel Foucault. Discipline and Punish: The Birth of the Prison) ______________________________ https://www.patreon.com/theradicalsecular (Patreon) https://www.theradicalsecular.com/ (Website) Email: theradicalsecular@gmail.com Instagram: @radical_secular https://www.facebook.com/theradicalsecular (Facebook) Twitter: @RadicalSecular https://the-radical-secular.captivate.fm/ (Podcast) All standard podcast venues: Apple, Google, Stitcher, Amazon, Gaana, Saavn

I'm Out - with Sirena Prophet (00:00) Intro and T-shirts (03:23) Barriers to justice and reasons people refuse to confront human evil. Whataboutism, bothsidesism, and conspiracy theories. Holding people accountable. Moral deflection to provocations, victim blaming. Post-truth. (09:10) The war, and the slap. (32:56) Joe Occhipinti opens the conversation about the contradictions and pitfalls of intersectionality, and how it should be applied for positive effect. (35:27) The GOP sliming of Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson. (44:20) Sean Prophet reads a long blog post on intersectionality, in the context of false accusations of "body shaming" of Senator Kyrsten Sinema. Mission-creep of intersectionality to fragment the left and shut down dialog. (57:26) Guest Segment with Sirena Prophet. Her coming out story. The journey from growing up as a cis man who was raised in the San Fernando Valley, to her current life as an openly trans woman. The struggle with homophobia, transphobia, and betrayal. The low life-expectancy of trans people. The difficulty of physical self-defense for trans women. Finding acceptance in unlikely places. Gender ambiguity and dating as a trans woman. ______________________________ Show notes: https://kareem.substack.com/p/will-smith-did-a-bad-bad-thing?s=r (Will Smith Did a Bad, Bad Thing) https://deadspin.com/kareem-abdul-jabbar-s-take-on-the-will-smith-chris-rock-1848727168 (Kareem Abdul-Jabbar's take on the Will Smith/Chris Rock situation is an outdated view of progress) https://www.snopes.com/fact-check/mcconnell-jackson-no-question/ (Mitch McConnell said there is "no question" Ketanji Brown Jackson is qualified to be a justice of the U.S. Supreme Court, then said he will not support her appointment) https://lgbtqnation.com/2022/03/mississippi-republican-calls-execution-transgender-people-firing-squad/ (Mississippi Republican calls for execution of transgender people… by firing squad) ______________________________ https://www.patreon.com/theradicalsecular (Patreon) https://www.theradicalsecular.com/ (Website) Email: theradicalsecular@gmail.com Instagram: @radical_secular https://www.facebook.com/theradicalsecular (Facebook) Twitter: @RadicalSecular https://the-radical-secular.captivate.fm/ (Podcast) All standard podcast venues: Apple, Google, Stitcher, Amazon, Gaana, Saavn

Putin's Christian War (00:00) Intro and t-shirts. (5:59) Current news highlighting the issues around the pandemic, climate change and inflation and the need to stay informed. (14:49) The situation on the ground in Russia's invasion of Ukraine. What's at stake. (25:17) The principles of secularism and the need to challenge religious authoritarianism. Defining the links between fundamentalism, war and social justice. (47:38) Deep politics, intimate forms of social relations and control and how they have shaped the political landscape, the Ukrainian invasion and the assault on LGTBQ+ rights. (01:00:07) A response to the notion that fundamentalists are not “real Christians." (01:12:31) Does the arc of the moral universe bend toward justice? (01:20:27) Outro. ________________________________ Show notes: https://townhall.com/columnists/patbuchanan/2014/04/04/whose-side-is-god-on-now-n1818499 (Pat Buchanan. “Whose Side Is God on Now?” Townhall.) https://www.newstatesman.com/world/europe/ukraine/2022/03/putin-believes-he-is-defending-orthodox-christianity-from-the-godless-west (“Putin believes he is defending Orthodox Christianity from the godless West.” By Rowan Williams. The New Statesman.) https://www.washingtonpost.com/outlook/2022/03/05/bond-that-explains-why-some-christian-right-support-putins-war/ (“The bond that explains why some on the Christian right support Putin's war” by Bethany Moreton. The Washington Post.) https://www.politico.com/magazine/story/2017/02/how-russia-became-a-leader-of-the-worldwide-christian-right-214755/ (Casey Michel. “How Russia Became the Leader of the Global Christian Right") https://www.politico.com/magazine/story/2017/02/how-russia-became-a-leader-of-the-worldwide-christian-right-214755/ (While the U.S. passed gay-rights laws, Moscow moved hard the other way.” Politico.) ________________________________ https://www.patreon.com/theradicalsecular (Patreon) https://www.theradicalsecular.com/ (Website) Email: theradicalsecular@gmail.com Instagram: @radical_secular https://www.facebook.com/theradicalsecular (Facebook) Twitter: @RadicalSecular https://the-radical-secular.captivate.fm/ (Podcast) All standard podcast venues: Apple, Google, Stitcher, Amazon, Gaana, Saavn

Women's Work with Liz Wilson https://www.shopkanibal.com/ (The Radical Secular is sponsored in part by Kanibal & Co.) (00:00) Intro and T-Shirts (05:36) Ukraine: Joe and Sean join Christophe in reacting to the first week of the Putin war in Ukraine. (26:48) Ukraine: Christophe, Joe and Sean identify the silver linings associated with the Putin war in Ukraine. (38:30) Women's Invisible Labor: Artist and mother, Liz Wilson joins Christophe for a discussion about the Putin war in Ukraine, the experience of making art and the role of art in Human culture, and the unpaid, invisible labor performed by women in our patriarchal culture. (01:38:36) Wrapup and Outro. ____________________________ Show notes: https://ebwillart.com/ (Liz Wilson's Artist Website) https://www.bmj.com/content/374/bmj.n1972 (Women's wellbeing and the burden of unpaid work) ________________________________ https://www.patreon.com/theradicalsecular (Patreon) https://www.theradicalsecular.com/ (Website) Email: theradicalsecular@gmail.com Instagram: @radical_secular https://www.facebook.com/theradicalsecular (Facebook) Twitter: @RadicalSecular https://the-radical-secular.captivate.fm/ (Podcast) All standard podcast venues: Apple, Google, Stitcher, Amazon, Gaana, Saavn

Resilience and Hope in an Age of Crisis https://www.shopkanibal.com/ (The Radical Secular is sponsored in part by Kanibal & Co.) (00:00) Intro and T-Shirts (9:39) How should you feel? What has kept you up at night? What has really challenged your strength and courage? (20:52) Whataboutism. Complexity. Avoiding lazy black and white thinking. (26:45) Lack of understanding of world systems leads to feelings of hopelessness. Taking stock of progress and triumphs, to gain a sense of perspective. The chaotic nature of exponential change--expect disruption--we don't know how this ends. (44:43) Breaking down the documentary film "For Sama" an insider's view, and a female perspective on the Russian siege of Aleppo, Syria. (01:12:14) Standing in solidarity with the people of Ukraine who also may soon face the full wrath of the Russian military, just like Aleppo. The left's reflexive rejection of the use of force, even to protect human life and human rights. (01:21:47) Wrapup and Outro _____________________ Show notes: https://www.forsamafilm.com/ (FOR SAMA - PRODUCED BY CHANNEL 4 NEWS/ITN PRODUCTIONS FOR CHANNEL 4 AND FRONTLINE PBS) _____________________ https://www.patreon.com/theradicalsecular (Patreon) https://www.theradicalsecular.com/ (Website) Email: theradicalsecular@gmail.com Instagram: @radical_secular https://www.facebook.com/theradicalsecular (Facebook) Twitter: @RadicalSecular https://the-radical-secular.captivate.fm/ (Podcast) All standard podcast venues: Apple, Google, Stitcher, Amazon, Gaana, Saavn

Embracing the EV Future https://www.shopkanibal.com/ (The Radical Secular is sponsored in part by Kanibal & Co.) (00:00) Intro and T-Shirts (07:05) The importance and complexity of energy. Why it's so fraught with controversy. The breakdown of global carbon emissions by sector. (20:11) Why are there such strong feelings against electric vehicles? (24:30) The ten biggest EV lies, listed. Christophe, Joe and Sean break down their own personal feelings and experiences with EVs. (37:15) Range anxiety. Life cycle emissions. Reducing car dependency through redesigned cities, public transport, and robotaxis. Land use reform. Drastically reducing traffic deaths. How to avoid battery longevity issues. Charging station availability. Moral implications of EV vs. gasoline cars. The rarity of battery fires. Difficulty of charging for urban apartment dwellers. Easy setup for home charging if you have a garage. (01:24:25) Social justice implications of EVs. Impact of pollution and heat on poor urban areas. Lack of affordability of new technology for working poor. The decline of the American middle class makes the EV transition much more difficult. (01:33:00) The decline in battery prices. The steady increase of EV sales over time. Purchase price parity. EV total cost of ownership drop. Mass market adoption timetables. The Osborne effect. Public transport works together with robotaxis to cover the last mile. Norway's EV transition is nearly complete. EU and California will end sales of combustion cars by 2035. Expect further sabotage efforts from the oil industry. (01:43:19) Wrapup and Outro _____________________ Show notes: https://www.reuters.com/business/autos-transportation/lifetime-carbon-emissions-electric-vehicles-vs-gasoline-cars-2021-06-29/ (Example life-cycle emissions of EVs vs. gasoline cars) https://www.cbs58.com/news/trains-built-in-milwaukee-head-to-nigeria-after-decade-long-legal-saga-over-high-speed-rail (Wisconsin high-speed rail trains head to Nigeria) https://www.torquenews.com/6626/toyota-hybrid-owners-speak-out-battery-length-and-cost (Hybrid battery longevity) https://www.caranddriver.com/news/a35203450/tesla-model-3-battery-capacity-loss-warranty/ (Tesla battery capacity loss over time) https://www.statista.com/statistics/416750/number-of-electric-vehicle-charging-stations-outlets-united-states/ (EV Charging Stations in the US) https://electrek.co/2021/12/08/53-us-utilities-will-build-a-nationwide-fast-charging-ev-network-by-end-of-2023/ (Plans for major expansion of US charging network) https://theconversation.com/why-driving-an-electric-vehicle-might-not-be-morally-praiseworthy-165207 ("Why driving an EV might not be morally praiseworthy") https://money.com/electric-car-vs-gas-car-costs-biden/ (EV vs. Gas cost of ownership comparison) _____________________ https://www.patreon.com/theradicalsecular (Patreon) https://www.theradicalsecular.com/ (Website) Email: theradicalsecular@gmail.com Instagram: @radical_secular https://www.facebook.com/theradicalsecular (Facebook) Twitter: @RadicalSecular https://the-radical-secular.captivate.fm/ (Podcast) All standard podcast venues: Apple, Google, Stitcher, Amazon, Gaana, Saavn

A Radical Workplace - with Nilou Khonsari https://www.shopkanibal.com/ (The Radical Secular is sponsored in part by Kanibal & Co., Jersey City, NJ) (00:00) Open and introduce guest. (03:06) Guest segment. Nilou Khonsari is the founder of Pangea Legal Services, focusing on immigration law. She is a first-generation immigrant from Iran. The legal structure of the US immigration system. The extreme difficulty of any kind of legal immigration to the US without wealth or connections, and the widespread risk of family separation. 10-year bans. (22:23) Flat organizations: the collective governance model at Pangea. Flat salary structure. 100% retention. (37:40) Nilou expounds on how she developed her anti-hierarchy philosophy, that could be viewed by some as being "communist." Interior colonization. (48:30) Movement lawyering. Using the power of the collective to wage legal fights against those with wealth and power. A case history of how community activism led to a successful defense of an immigrant from deportation. (01:04:50) Wrapup and Outro ___________________________________ Show notes: https://www.pangealegal.org/ (Pangea Legal Services) ___________________________________ https://www.patreon.com/theradicalsecular (Patreon) https://www.theradicalsecular.com/ (Website) Email: theradicalsecular@gmail.com Instagram: @radical_secular https://www.facebook.com/theradicalsecular (Facebook) Twitter: @RadicalSecular https://the-radical-secular.captivate.fm/ (Podcast) All standard podcast venues: Apple, Google, Spotify, Stitcher, Amazon, Gaana, Saavn

Attack from Within https://www.shopkanibal.com/ (The Radical Secular is sponsored in part by Kanibal & Co., Jersey City, NJ) (00:00) Intro and T-shirts (09:10) Joe, Christophe and Sean answer viewer/listener questions from Episode 76 on the topic of the film "Don't Look Up." (24:42) Lessons from January sixth. Viewing the January 6, 2021 insurrection in the context of the long history of American anti-democracy movements. The actors and actions leading up to the Capitol riot. The message discipline in the modern GOP, that slaps down any truthful statements, even from top party leaders like Ted Cruz. The hearsay rule--taking statements made in the heat of a crisis seriously. GOP denial about the 2020 election and the January 6 atrocity itself. (54:46) Prosecuting the capitol attack. It wasn't just a coup attempt, but also a criminal conspiracy that resulted in at least 9 deaths. Right wing false equivalency with BLM protests. Merrick Garland's tepid response. The degeneracy of the GOP, ostracizing the few party members who are still willing to stand for small-d democracy. The GOP plot to nullify the popular vote in states. (01:04:20) Exploring the demographic profile of the insurrectionists. The herd mentality. State legislative attempts to overrule the popular vote. (01:14:58) Can we reverse course and save democracy? What would need to happen? And what are the odds of it happening? (01:23:41) Wrap-up and Outro _____________________ Show notes: https://www.vox.com/2018/8/10/17670992/study-white-americans-alt-right-racism-white-nationalists (Estimates vary from 6 to 12 percent of the American population (approximately 11-24 million people) who hold white supremacist views, and support varying levels of violence to achieve their aims.) https://www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2022/01/04/a-look-back-at-americans-reactions-to-the-jan-6-riot-at-the-u-s-capitol/ (A look back at Americans' reactions to the Jan. 6 riot at the U.S. Capitol. Pew Research Center. ) https://www.pewresearch.org/politics/2021/09/28/declining-share-of-republicans-say-it-is-important-to-prosecute-jan-6-rioters/ (Declining Share of Republicans Say It Is Important To Prosecute Jan. 6 Rioters. Pew Research Center.) https://www.nytimes.com/2022/01/06/us/politics/congress-corporate-donations-2020-election-overturn.html (Corporations Donated Millions to Lawmakers Who Voted to Overturn Election Results) https://slate.com/news-and-politics/2022/01/january-6-capitol-riot-arrests-research-profile.html (We Know Exactly Who the Capitol Rioters Were. Slate.) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Boiling_frog# (Turns out that frogs in the pot will jump out before it boils, after all) _____________________ https://www.patreon.com/theradicalsecular (Patreon) https://www.theradicalsecular.com/ (Website) Email: theradicalsecular@gmail.com Instagram: @radical_secular https://www.facebook.com/theradicalsecular (Facebook) Twitter: @RadicalSecular https://the-radical-secular.captivate.fm/ (Podcast) All standard podcast venues: Apple, Google, Spotify, Stitcher, Amazon, Gaana, Saavn

The Comet is Definitely Coming https://www.shopkanibal.com/ (The Radical Secular is sponsored in part by Kanibal & Co., Jersey City, NJ) (00:00) Intro and T-Shirts. (05:30) Christophe, Joe and Sean and special guest Pen Occhipinti analyze the #1 global Netflix hit film "Don't Look Up." We discuss the social, political implications of the film, as applied to the climate crisis. (01:06:10) Wrapup and Outro. ______________________________ Show notes: https://www.netflix.com/watch/81252357 ("Don't Look Up") ______________________________ https://www.patreon.com/theradicalsecular (Patreon) https://www.theradicalsecular.com/ (Website) Email: theradicalsecular@gmail.com Instagram: @radical_secular https://www.facebook.com/theradicalsecular (Facebook) Twitter: @RadicalSecular https://the-radical-secular.captivate.fm/ (Podcast) All standard podcast venues: Apple, Google, Spotify, Stitcher, Amazon, Gaana, Saavn

Labor Rights Now! (00:00) Intro & T-Shirts (06:35) "Colin in Black and White." In-depth discussion of the Netflix docudrama series about the life of Colin Kaepernick, its connection to our shared history, and its implications for race and class and labor in America. (40:02) Labor and politics and race. The history and importance and decline of labor unions. The Sum of Us, by Heather McGhee, a discussion of Chapter 5, "No One Fights Alone." The topic is the UAW's failed 2017 attempt to unionize the Nissan plant in Canton, Mississippi. How the unionization drive foundered because of the racial tensions at the plant, combined with Nissan's corporate sabotage of worker racial solidarity. The Fight for $15 and what was different about that successful organizing effort. (01:32:48) The high stakes of non-union work. Unions don't just deliver higher wages and better hours and benefits. Unions also protect worker safety. Lack of unionization plays a role in keeping workers in danger. The deadly 2021 tornado workplace disasters, contrasted with the infamous 1911 Triangle Shirtwaist Fire. (01:49:25) Wrapup and Outro ______________________________ Show notes: https://www.netflix.com/title/80244479 (Colin in Black and White) https://www.amazon.com/Sum-Us-Everyone-Prosper-Together/dp/0525509569 (The Sum of Us by Heather McGhee) https://www.epi.org/publication/employers-steal-billions-from-workers-paychecks-each-year/ (Corporate wage theft) https://www.washingtonpost.com/technology/2021/12/15/amazon-warehouse-collapse-tornado/ (The Amazon warehouse disaster) https://www.courier-journal.com/in-depth/news/2021/12/15/why-didnt-mayfield-candle-factory-close-ahead-tornado/6502207001/ (The Mayfield Consumer Products factory disaster) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Triangle_Shirtwaist_Factory_fire (The Triangle Shirtwaist fire) https://www.bbc.com/worklife/article/20200701-how-the-black-death-make-the-rich-richer (The Economic Impact of the Black Death) ______________________________ https://www.patreon.com/theradicalsecular (Patreon) https://www.theradicalsecular.com/ (Website) Email: theradicalsecular@gmail.com Instagram: @radical_secular https://www.facebook.com/theradicalsecular (Facebook) Twitter: @RadicalSecular https://the-radical-secular.captivate.fm/ (Podcast) All standard podcast venues: Apple, Google, Spotify, Stitcher, Amazon, Gaana, Saavn

Fascism in Today's America - Abortion and Power (00:00) Intro and T-Shirts (03:26) Abortion rights at unprecedented risk. Christophe leads Joe and Sean in a discussion of the legal history of Roe v. Wade and SCOTUS jurisprudence. Judicial vs. legislative protection for the right to privacy which includes abortion and birth control. The viability standard. Republican hypocrisy on child care budgets, and cynicism about the abortion issue in general. A humanitarian analysis of the timing of legal abortion, and some of the bad arguments against it. (37:51) Dobbs v. Jackson Women's Heath is the case that will likely result in overturning Roe. How many people will be impacted? Workarounds if Roe is overturned. Further discussion of the depth and scope and stakes of right wing attacks on women's and civil rights. (55:53) Joe discusses the appropriateness of using the word "fascism." An exploration of the agenda of the new "National Conservative" wing of the Republican party that has become the inheritor of Trumpism, through the lens of an Atlantic article by traditional conservative David Brooks. Sean outlines the 14 defining characteristics of fascism, as they currently exist in modern America. Christophe commentary. (01:13:00) Joe describes the objective measures of the global decline of democracy. The US is now officially a "flawed democracy." (01:17:19) Wrapup and Outro _________________________________ Show notes: https://www.nytimes.com/2021/10/06/upshot/child-care-biden.html (How Other Nations Pay for Child Care. The U.S. Is an Outlier.) https://www.theatlantic.com/ideas/archive/2021/11/scary-future-american-right-national-conservatism-conference/620746/ (The Terrifying Future of the American Right) https://www.vox.com/policy-and-politics/2021/12/9/22824509/summit-for-democracy-biden-america (American democracy is tottering. It's not clear Americans care.) https://www.bremertonschools.org/cms/lib/WA01001541/Centricity/Domain/222/Fourteen%20Defining%20Characteristics%20of%20Fascism%20slides.pdf (Fourteen Defining Characteristics of Fascism) https://thehill.com/homenews/news/537204-us-score-falls-in-economists-2020-democracy-index (US score falls in Economist's annual Democracy Index) _________________________________ https://www.patreon.com/theradicalsecular (Patreon) https://www.theradicalsecular.com/ (Website) Email: theradicalsecular@gmail.com Instagram: @radical_secular https://www.facebook.com/theradicalsecular (Facebook) Twitter: @RadicalSecular https://the-radical-secular.captivate.fm/ (Podcast) All standard podcast venues: Apple, Google, Spotify, Stitcher, Amazon, Gaana, Saavn

Oh...My...Cron - Fighting Omicron and White Male Fragility (00:00) Intro and T-shirts (06:07) Omicron: Joe explains what we know about the Omicron variant so far. Christophe and Joe discuss the role global capitalism and old imperial dynamics have played in the character of the COVID-19 pandemic. (26:35) Family Dynamics: Christophe and Joe discuss the challenge of loving a family member when that person's ethics makes doing so difficult. They identify the roles that “nature” and “nurture” may play in family relationship dynamics. (01:05:57) Masculinity: Christophe and Joe challenge Conservatives' myopic concept of “manhood” and “masculinity” and identify why it is important for Progressives to develop an effective counter narrative. (01:27:29) Wrapup and Outro. ________________________________ Show notes: https://www.reuters.com/business/healthcare-pharmaceuticals/omicron-variant-could-outcompete-delta-south-african-disease-expert-says-2021-11-30/ (Omicron variant could outcompete Delta, South African disease expert says) ________________________________ https://www.patreon.com/theradicalsecular (Patreon) https://www.theradicalsecular.com/ (Website) Email: theradicalsecular@gmail.com Instagram: @radical_secular https://www.facebook.com/theradicalsecular (Facebook) Twitter: @RadicalSecular https://the-radical-secular.captivate.fm/ (Podcast) All standard podcast venues: Apple, Google, Spotify, Stitcher, Amazon, Gaana, Saavn

A Theocracy of Disinfo - with Jim Stewartson (00:00) Intro and T-shirts (03:25) The global reactionary assault on democracy and secularism. The irrevocable loss of the "old America" and the end of the post-war era. The end of traditional electoral politics and policy-driven constituencies. (17:09) The multi-decade liberal campaign to control firearms has failed. Recognizing the "world that is," and the need for liberals to come to terms on a personal level with the increasing menace of American gun culture. (22:30) The Kyle Rittenhouse verdict. The McMichael / Bryan trial (otherwise known as the "Ahmaud Arbery trial.") Understanding the authoritarian concept of "justice." (31:52) Jim Stewartson guest segment. The Radicalized Podcast. Gamification of disinformation. Online radicalization of young men. How Michael Flynn created Q. Apophenia and pareidolia. The role of trauma. The connection to Christian Dominionism and apocalypticism. Comparison to Church Universal and Triumphant's nuclear war prophecies in the late 1980s. Bothsidesing and post-politics. Maintaining relationships with cult members. (01:16:38) The most insidious characteristic of disinfo: Making people believe it's their own idea. (01:20:23) Sean tells the story of what it took for him to leave Church Universal and Triumphant. (01:24:07) Disinfo is a human vulnerability, and we have to have compassion. Need to balance that compassion with the need to protect society from barbarism. (01:27:49) Wrapup and outro: White Europeans in the post-war period of 1945-2016 have been the most free and privileged people in human history, and we're now potentially plunging ourselves into a neo-fascist hellscape. We can overcome this, but will we? ________________________________________ Show notes: https://www.washingtonpost.com/outlook/qanon-game-plays-believers/2021/05/10/31d8ea46-928b-11eb-a74e-1f4cf89fd948_story.html (QAnon resembles the games I design. But for believers, there is no winning.) https://twitter.com/jimstewartson (Follow Jim Stewartson on Twitter) ________________________________________ https://www.patreon.com/theradicalsecular (Patreon) https://www.theradicalsecular.com/ (Website) Email: theradicalsecular@gmail.com Instagram: @radical_secular https://www.facebook.com/theradicalsecular (Facebook) Twitter: @RadicalSecular https://the-radical-secular.captivate.fm/ (Podcast) All standard podcast venues: Apple, Google, Spotify, Stitcher, Amazon, Gaana, Saavn

Of God, Climate, and Countries (00:00) Intro and T-Shirts (03:09) Sean discusses his article in The Radical Secular Journal titled "God Doesn't Matter." The irrelevancy of God. The moral collapse of the "New Atheists." Further defining the Conservative Moral Hierarchy. The significance of calling oneself an "atheist." (20:31) Joe and Sean debunk the right-wing psyop from Peter Boghossian and Michael Shellenberger, labeling progressive politics, including climate change activism, as a "Woke Religion." We break this chart down in detail, and expose the lies and bad faith in the graphic "Woke Religion: A Taxonomy." (59:38) The difficult tension between the need to maintain optimism, and the widespread sense of impending climate doom. The generational anger young people feel at older generations who've benefited from burning carbon, and are now failing to either deliver corrective action, or share the wealth. (01:05:34) The difficulty in getting wealthy countries to pay the bill for climate mitigation for poorer countries. (01:08:40) The economic consequences of the transition away from carbon, including stranded fossil-fuel assets. The coastal real estate problem. We need a strong economy to build out the renewable energy infrastructure, with the wealthy, the largest corporations, and governments on board. (01:17:31) The climate impact on young people, especially young girls. The relationship of climate injustice to the "free market" and the conservative moral hierarchy. (01:24:58) Proposed solutions and who will pay? Living standards can't help but be impacted. Gas prices will be impacted. We have to bite the bullet and go through this transition. Had we acted in the 80s or 90s, it would have been much cheaper and much less difficult. (01:36:50) Summing up the stakes of the situation. Wrapup and outro. _______________________________________ Show Notes: https://www.theradicalsecular.com/journal/god-doesnt-matter ("God Doesn't Matter" by Sean Prophet) https://www.salon.com/2021/06/05/how-the-new-atheists-merged-with-the-far-right-a-story-of-intellectual-grift-and-abject-surrender/ ("Godless grifters: How the New Atheists merged with the far right" by Phil Torres) https://michaelshellenberger.substack.com/p/why-wokeism-is-a-religion (Taxonomy Of Woke Religion) https://www.washingtonpost.com/weather/2021/11/08/cop26-girls-education-climate-weather/ (How climate change is disproportionately affecting girls in low-income countries) https://news.yahoo.com/us-and-china-sign-agreement-to-work-together-on-climate-change-200031637.html (U.S. and China sign agreement to work together on climate change) https://theconversation.com/climate-scientists-concept-of-net-zero-is-a-dangerous-trap-157368 (Climate scientists: concept of net zero is a dangerous trap) https://www.washingtonpost.com/climate-environment/interactive/2021/greenhouse-gas-emissions-pledges-data/ (Countries' climate pledges built on flawed data, Post investigation finds) _______________________________________ https://www.patreon.com/theradicalsecular (Patreon) https://www.theradicalsecular.com/ (Website) Email: theradicalsecular@gmail.com Instagram: @radical_secular https://www.facebook.com/theradicalsecular (Facebook) Twitter: @RadicalSecular https://the-radical-secular.captivate.fm/ (Podcast) All standard podcast venues: Apple, Google, Spotify, Stitcher, Amazon, Gaana, Saavn

Is There Any Hope for the Democratic Party? with Lila Nordstrom and Brent Thornburg The hosts of Brain Trust Live join The Radical Secular team for a spirited panel discussion about recent Democratic losses. (00:00) Intro and T-shirts. (09:21) How do we keep losing to these clowns??? Are we doomed to lose the House in 2022, and to the GOP installing Trump or a Trump clone in 2024, regardless of how the American people vote? The role of the culture war. (26:37) Media post-mortems. Almost everyone got it wrong. What's the real culprit for the Virginia loss--and potential solutions? (37:57) How do we balance long-term, the legitimate desire of parents to control the education of their children, with society's interest in maintaining civil rights, equality, and a common baseline for education? (52:55) How do we push back against the claims of "woke-ism" and "cancel culture" when people hiding behind them are guilty of heinous acts? (01:00:15) The importance of campaign finance reform. A selfish defense of socialism. The US oligarchy. (01:03:59) Brent and Lila propose a course of action for Biden and Congressional leadership. Examples of Democratic policy and messaging failures. (01:14:36) Rehabilitating the concept of social well-being as a political goal. Especially concerning policies that enjoy broad support, even in heavily red communities. If we want people to care about "saving democracy" what are we saving it for? (01:27:12) Wrapup and Outro _____________________________________ Show notes: http://www.braintrustlive.com/ (Brain Trust Live podcast) https://www.amazon.com/Some-Kids-Left-Behind-Survivors/dp/1948062623/ (Some Kids Left Behind, by Lila Nordstrom) https://www.nytimes.com/2021/11/04/opinion/democrats-republicans-virginia-race.html (The Powerful G.O.P. Strategy Democrats Must Counter if They Want to Win by Tory Gavito and Adam Jentleson) https://www.npr.org/2021/11/03/1051811110/election-night-2021-results-michelle-wu-eric-adams-ed-gainey-mayor (In elections across the country, candidates of color made history Tuesday night) _____________________________________ https://www.patreon.com/theradicalsecular (Patreon) https://www.theradicalsecular.com/ (Website) Email: theradicalsecular@gmail.com Instagram: @radical_secular https://www.facebook.com/theradicalsecular (Facebook) Twitter: @RadicalSecular https://the-radical-secular.captivate.fm/ (Podcast) All standard podcast venues: Apple, Google, Spotify, Stitcher, Amazon, Gaana, Saavn

Stop Sitting Out Local Elections - with Scott Paul Scott Paul is a candidate on the November 2, 2021 ballot in Sussex County, New Jersey, for a three-year term as county commissioner. He is an entrepreneur and longtime social justice activist, and a hip-hop artist. (00:00) Intro and T-shirts (04:12) The story of Lauren Jones-Rabbit, the H3AL coalition, and the risk to activists, who often face threats and reprisals for even mentioning issues of social justice, having to relocate their residency for their own safety. (17:40) Elevator Pitch: Scott gives Christophe and Sean a synopsis explaining who Scott is and why he's running for office. (24:19) Hip-Hop Hit Job: Scott talks about the role music - especially hip-hop - has played in his life. Christophe asks Scott how hip-hop was recently used as a weapon in a Sussex GOP political hit job. (41:03) Black in Suburban New Jersey: Scott and Christophe connect and commiserate about the experience of having been a black boy in suburban New Jersey in the 1990s and 2000s. (50:54) Reflections on Running For Office: Scott reveals what he loves about running for office as well as the challenges associated with it. (01:06:42) Wrapup and Outro. ____________________________ https://www.patreon.com/theradicalsecular (Patreon) https://www.theradicalsecular.com/ (Website) Email: theradicalsecular@gmail.com Instagram: @radical_secular https://www.facebook.com/theradicalsecular (Facebook) Twitter: @RadicalSecular https://the-radical-secular.captivate.fm/ (Podcast) All standard podcast venues: Apple, Google, Spotify, Stitcher, Amazon, Gaana, Saavn

You and Chappelle Need Therapy - with Stephanie Roth-Goldberg (00:00) Intro and T-shirts (04:00) Capitalism's Bait and Switch: Sean walks the audience through a summary of his most recent article at The Radical Secular Journal. (07:50) Dave Chappelle's Anti-Trans Rhetoric: Christophe, Sean, and Joe dispel all delusions that Chappelle's “comedy” is anything other than transphobia, and systematically disprove the bad faith arguments proffered by Chappelle's apologists. (38:15) The Too Late Show Segment: Stephanie Roth-Goldberg, LCSW joins Christophe for a one-on-one discussion about the extent to which therapy can help those of us who care about justice become better Anti-Bigots. (01:17:44) Reflections: Christophe, Sean, and Joe reflect on The Too Late Show segment, express how therapy has impacted their journeys in activism, and reaffirm their relentless commitment to social justice. (01:25:09) Wrapup and Outro. ____________________________ Show notes: https://www.vox.com/22722357/dave-chappelle-the-closer-netflix-backlash-controversy-transphobic (Dave Chappelle vs. trans people vs. Netflix) https://scrapsfromtheloft.com/comedy/dave-chappelle-the-closer-transcript/ (Dave Chappelle: The Closer (2021) | Transcript) ________________________________ https://www.patreon.com/theradicalsecular (Patreon) https://www.theradicalsecular.com/ (Website) Email: theradicalsecular@gmail.com Instagram: @radical_secular https://www.facebook.com/theradicalsecular (Facebook) Twitter: @RadicalSecular https://the-radical-secular.captivate.fm/ (Podcast) All standard podcast venues: Apple, Google, Spotify, Stitcher, Amazon, Gaana, Saavn

Workers of the World, What's Up? (00:00) Intro & T-Shirts (03:58) Drew plugs his appearance on the Toy Migos podcast. (05:32) Sean plugs his appearance on NarativTV with @ZevShalev, @jimstewartson, and @Heidi_Cuda, and discusses white Christian grievance, apocalypticism, and theocratic rule. (11:24) A personal perspective from Joe on the issue of class, race, and economic justice. (14:45) Joe, Sean and Drew break down the news. Booster shots. The COP 26 climate conference in Glasgow. La Nina. The US is now back on the UN Human Rights Council. The Texas abortion ban. Steve Bannon looks like he will be charged with contempt of Congress. Shitshow tidbit of the week: Holocaust denial in a Texas school district pursuant to HB 3979. (39:55) Sean details several examples of the white Christian victimhood complex, and plays a clip of Sen. Josh Hawley's (R - Missouri), frightening speech on the National Mall calling for the "Kingdom of God" to be established in the United States, and the "greatest revival in American History." (59:24) Main topic: The supply chain, the economy, labor, the Pandora Papers, tax havens. The pandemic-driven power shift from capital to labor. The pervasive influence of money on perception, public opinion, and politics. Political consequences of global free trade. Exploring the enormous dimensions and risks of wealth disparity. Some perceptions are changing, including record support for labor unions. "The Great Resignation." (01:35:09) Wrapup and Outro. _________________________________ Show Notes: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01EH1EL7A/ (Democracy in Chains by Nancy MacLean) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B075RWG7YM/ (Bullshit Jobs by David Graeber) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07J4XTXBD/ (Moneyland by Oliver Bullough) https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2021-10-08/top-1-earners-hold-more-wealth-than-the-u-s-middle-class (Top 1% of U.S. Earners Now Hold More Wealth Than All of the Middle Class by Alexandre Tanzi and Mike Dorning) https://www.washingtonpost.com/business/2021/10/03/about-pandora-papers-investigation/ (Why The Post published the Pandora Papers investigation) https://youtu.be/BtMKezDN8iM ((Video) What are the Pandora Papers? Sarah Hashemi, Luis Velarde. The Washington Post) https://news.gallup.com/poll/354455/approval-labor-unions-highest-point-1965.aspx (Approval of Labor Unions at Highest Point Since 1965. Gallup) _________________________________ https://www.patreon.com/theradicalsecular (Patreon) https://www.theradicalsecular.com/ (Website) Email: theradicalsecular@gmail.com Instagram: @radical_secular https://www.facebook.com/theradicalsecular (Facebook) Twitter: @RadicalSecular https://the-radical-secular.captivate.fm/ (Podcast) All standard podcast venues: Apple, Google, Spotify, Stitcher, Amazon, Gaana, Saavn

The World's Most Destructive Organization (00:00) Intro and T-Shirts with Joe and Sean. (4:00) The Debt Ceiling fight. (10:26) The January 6 Commission subpoenas. Rick Wilson on the incredibly high stakes of enforcement. (22:00) Rising tensions between Taiwan and China. (30:47) Antifascist activist Jim Stewartson @jimstewartson exposed on Twitter this past week a video clip of Ret. Gen. Michael Flynn reciting a prayer from a 1984 "dictation" by "Archangel Michael" through Elizabeth Clare Prophet--at a QAnon event. Sean discusses the specific theology and the powerful political potential of the prayer. The Christian fundamentalist backlash to Flynn's use of the prayer. (59:26) Main Topic: The many crimes of Mark Zuckerberg, and at long last the beginning of US national reckoning for Facebook. _____________________________ Show notes: https://www.theradicalsecular.com/journal/facebook-is-the-worlds-most-destructive-organization (Facebook is the World's Most Destructive Organization) https://youtu.be/_Lx5VmAdZSI (Facebook Whistleblower Frances Haugen: The 60 Minutes Interview) https://youtu.be/juZEkeTjTRY (Facebook whistleblower Frances Haugen testifies before Senate committee | full video) The Radical Secular podcast episodes concerning Elizabeth Clare Prophet, The Summit Lighthouse, Church Universal and Triumphant: https://youtu.be/a0ULVDT2IPw (9: QAnon and Conspirituality: with Matthew Remski - 08.24.20) https://youtu.be/DhmVRiKUYho (16: Before Q, There Was CUT: with Joe Szimhart - 10.19.20) https://youtu.be/7cmN-9qw5JM (22: Getting out of Cults and Harmful Religions with Bayard Lewis and Justice Bartlett - 11.30.20) https://youtu.be/cEszD9p2K1w (54: Blavatsky, the I Am, and The Summit Lighthouse with Erin Prophet and Joe Szimhart - 07.19.21) _____________________________ https://www.patreon.com/theradicalsecular (Patreon) https://www.theradicalsecular.com/ (Website) Email: theradicalsecular@gmail.com Instagram: @radical_secular https://www.facebook.com/theradicalsecular (Facebook) Twitter: @RadicalSecular https://the-radical-secular.captivate.fm/ (Podcast) All standard podcast venues: Apple, Google, Spotify, Stitcher, Amazon, Gaana, Saavn

A Constitutional Software Upgrade: with Alan Dechert Growing up in the 1950s and 1960s, Alan Dechert noticed an incomprehensible paradox. Humanity had seen incredible progress in many ways, but civilization was still in poor condition. Wars, violence, famine, environmental catastrophes, inequities, and corruption dominated the news. In the 1970s, while a student at UC Berkeley, it came to him... his grand idea for how to resolve these age-old contradictions. The idea was too big for the usual modes of presentation. He would have to break it down into manageable pieces. Instead of a book, he wrote articles; instead of one massive political campaign, he got involved in several. In 2017, he decided to roll up all his projects into one all-inclusive change-the-world project, a new system of global governance which will require constitutional reform for the United States and the world. (00:00) Intro and T-shirts. Joe and Sean introduce our guest, and discuss the importance of a planetary perspective. (07:09) History and a statement of purpose for Open Source Governance. Peace as a human right. The price of failure a century ago, at the League of Nations. (16:37) "To Secure These Rights." Addressing the question of popular sovereignty. Enumerating new rights. (24:49) Disenfranchisement, and the difficulty of eliminating the non-proportional representation of the Senate. Any new constitution has to be ratified by 38 states. (32:00) Principles of global equality are vitally important. The omission of a statement of equality from the Treaty of Versailles led directly to the hostilities of WWII. (38:06) How does this new Constitution handle the question of "limited government" which conservatives seem to be obsessed with? Answer lies in getting government out of the business of supporting the military industrial complex and the fossil fuel industry. (47:29) Separation of powers. The new Constitution reduces the power of the Presidency with a new position of an elected co-executive in the office of Attorney General who's elected for a single 10 year term. Currently, the POTUS is the chief law enforcement officer and has the power of life and death over every American. (58:08) How does the new Constitution handle federalism? Confronting the hijacking of state governments by the military industrial complex through the doling out of military contracts to every state. Need to restore equality, rule of law, and rights to the highest priority. (01:08:05) Creating a movement to fill stadiums and catalyze change. Just as the Articles of Confederation were thrown out because they were failing, so our current Constitution needs to be thrown out because it is failing. It's the same work to ratify a new Constitution, as it would be to pass a single Amendment. (01:12:50) Fighting back against theocracy. The Year Zero campaign and the new calendar for the Solar Era. Clarifying the "free exercise" clause to curtail special religious privilege in the law. (01:26:46) Actionable ideas for implementation. Coalition building. (01:35:27) The Constitution as software. The new Constitution will be like open-source software, use software development tools and iterative processes to improve and finalize the text in cooperation with legal scholars. (01:37:55) Wrapup and outro. _________________________________ Show notes: https://theanswer.fyi/frequently-asked-questions/ (Frequently Asked Questions) https://theanswer.fyi/constitutions.pdf (Draft text of the new Constitutions) https://www.facebook.com/SolarEraCalendar (FB Page for discussion of the Solar Era Calendar) https://www.facebook.com/hf.discuss (FB Page for The People's Constitution) _________________________________ https://www.patreon.com/theradicalsecular (Patreon) https://www.theradicalsecular.com/ (Website) Email: theradicalsecular@gmail.com Instagram: @radical_secular https://www.facebook.com/theradicalsecular (Facebook) Twitter: @RadicalSecular...

Trumpism of the '80s in Yonkers, NY (00:00) Intro and T-shirts. News segment: (05:42) Covid madness. The Herman Cain Award. ICU vigilantes. (15:04) The GOP Arizona "Fraudit" shows an even bigger win for Biden. (26:25) China's crypto ban, and the horror of Chinese authoritarianism. (35:29) David Simon threatens to pull his next series from Texas over the state's abortion law. (41:13) The tragic heroin overdose of Michael K. Williams. A discussion of David Simon's "Show Me A Hero" episodes 3 and 4: (49:41) Spoiler alert! Plot discussion follows. (53:59) A discussion of the characters, the NIMBYism, violent demonstrations and attacks on the Yonkers city council and the Mayor was an early example of 1980's Trumpism. Same arguments, same tactics, same rhetoric. Willingness of the City of Yonkers to shut itself down and harm its white residents, to avoid building low income public housing. (01:03:30) The battle between Mayor Wasicsko and Councilman Spallone mirrors the modern battles with Trumpism. Pandering to white rage. The lack of collegiality between Democrats and Republicans. (01:09:24) The Billie Rowan character. Black people's need to walk on eggshells around white people. (01:19:39) The Mary Dorman character. Her evolution from rabid Trumper-Karen type, to her acceptance of the housing plan and the new residents. (01:27:00) There's some difficult portrayals of the struggles and behavior of the black residents of the projects. Discussion of whether there was any truth to the white Yonkers residents concerns? (01:34:20) Discussion of the ending music montage. (01:38:41) Wrapup and Outro. ________________________________________ Show notes: https://www.hbo.com/show-me-a-hero (Show Me A Hero) _________________________________________ https://www.patreon.com/theradicalsecular (Patreon) https://www.theradicalsecular.com/ (Website) Email: theradicalsecular@gmail.com Instagram: @radical_secular https://www.facebook.com/theradicalsecular (Facebook) Twitter: @RadicalSecular https://the-radical-secular.captivate.fm/ (Podcast) All standard podcast venues: Apple, Google, Spotify, Stitcher, Amazon, Gaana, Saavn

The Liberal Media's "Both Sides" Problem: with Doug Berger News segment with Sean, Joe, and Drew: (00:00) Intro and T-shirts. (06:38) The California recall results and reform proposals. (14:20) Unhinged Joe Biden conspiracy theories vs. 9/11 conspiracies. (19:02) The Bob Woodward and Robert Costa book "Peril." (24:17) Florida's clownish governor. (28:24) The Met Gala. Progressive circular firing squad. (36:46) Joe's climate update. The climate desperation of today's youth. Guest segment with Doug Berger. Sean and Christophe interview the host of the Secular Left and Glass City Humanist. (44:51) Guest intro and T-shirts. (48:03) Question 1: Is a liberal news outlet like CNN obligated to present opposing views? Are there two sides to public policy issues? (56:21) Question 2: Can you tell us what you consider to be the worst examples of bothsidesism? (01:02:10) What is the Fairness Doctrine, and what did it do? (01:03:50) Question 3: Do you think these outlets behave this way because they are still sort of trying to adhere to the Fairness Docrtine? (01:08:42) Question 4: Is it possible to ever expect fair news coverage under the capitalist system? (01:14:40) Question 5: Was the polarization of the news media inevitable? (01:23:03) Question 6: How much of a role did the liberal media play in the rise of Donald Trump? (01:27:27) Question 7: How much of a role did the liberal media play in Donald Trump's refusal to accept the 2020 election results? (01:32:32) Media treats public officials with kid gloves since their pundits need access to public officials. (01:40:32) Wrapup and outro with Joe and Drew. __________________________________ Show notes: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B098PF8D41/ (Peril by Bob Woodward and Robert Costa) https://www.axios.com/global-carbon-emissions-inventory-surprises-cb7f220a-6dfd-4f88-9349-5c9ffa0817e9.htm (Al Gore's Climate TRACE finds vast undercounts of emissions.) https://www.cnn.com/2021/09/15/world/climate-pledges-insufficient-cat-intl/index.html (Not a single G20 country is in line with the Paris Agreement on climate, analysis shows.) https://abcnews.go.com/International/young-people-experiencing-widespread-psychological-distress-government-handling/story?id=79990330 (Widespread psychological distress from government climate inaction.) _____________________________________ https://www.patreon.com/theradicalsecular (Patreon) https://www.theradicalsecular.com/ (Website) Email: theradicalsecular@gmail.com Instagram: @radical_secular https://www.facebook.com/theradicalsecular (Facebook) Twitter: @RadicalSecular https://the-radical-secular.captivate.fm/ (Podcast) All standard podcast venues: Apple, Google, Spotify, Stitcher, Amazon, Gaana, Saavn

An Infantryman in Afghanistan: with Almir Osmanovic (00:00) Intro and T-shirts. (08:45) Guest Segment: Almir joins Christophe and Sean in gushing about tacos, motorcycles and motorcycle riding. (21:11) Almir's Background: Almir describes how he came to live in Western New Jersey, including his flight from Bosnia and entrance to the United States as a refugee. (39:02) 9/11: Christophe, Sean, and Almir reflect on the 9/11 terrorist attacks, including the role that capitalism played in exacerbating the carnage. (01:04:11) Afghanistan: Almir expresses his experience as an infantryman on the ground in Afghanistan. Christophe, Sean, and Almir discuss the futility of the United States' 20 year involvement in the country. (01:31:07) Wrapup and Outro. ____________________________ Show notes: https://www.washingtonpost.com/outlook/interactive/2021/911-books-american-values/ (9/11 was a test. The books of the last two decades show how America failed.) https://www.washingtonpost.com/graphics/2019/investigations/afghanistan-papers/afghanistan-war-confidential-documents/ (At War With the Truth) https://www.amazon.com/102-Minutes-Untold-Survive-Inside-dp-0805076824/dp/0805076824/ (102 Minutes: The Untold Story of the Fight to Survive Inside the Twin Towers) https://www.nist.gov/el/final-reports-nist-world-trade-center-disaster-investigation (NIST Report on 9/11) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B06XCKCSBQ/ (The Wars of Afghanistan: Messianic Terrorism, Tribal Conflicts, and the Failures of Great Powers by Peter Tomsen) ________________________________ https://www.patreon.com/theradicalsecular (Patreon) https://www.theradicalsecular.com/ (Website) Email: theradicalsecular@gmail.com Instagram: @radical_secular https://www.facebook.com/theradicalsecular (Facebook) Twitter: @RadicalSecular https://the-radical-secular.captivate.fm/ (Podcast) All standard podcast venues: Apple, Google, Spotify, Stitcher, Amazon, Gaana, Saavn

Secular Left with Doug Berger Happy Labor Day!! The Radical Secular team is off for the long weekend, so we bring you an encore presentation of Secular Left podcast episode 25 with Doug Berger, featuring an audio interview with The Radical Secular co-hosts Christophe Difo and Sean Prophet. (00:00) Intro. (01:41) What is The Radical Secular podcast? How did you get started? (05:28) Are you atheists, agnostics, or just secular? (07:27) Do you have an overall viewpoint for the show? (11:45) How do you feel that your first year of your show went? (18:59) Discussion and brief synopsis of The Radical Secular episode 52, "The Vile Pseudoscience of Charles Murray." Intellectual dishonesty on the right. Right wing denial that what they say, is actually what they mean. (23:52) Do you both have the same viewpoint on topics? How do you handle disagreements? Example of episode 47 of The Radical Secular, "I am Tim Scott." (30:43) Discussion on black intergroup conflict. Religion obscures power. Trumpism has laid bare that conservatism has nothing to do with small government, or individualism, but rather it's become about justifying the naked abuse of power. (36:32) Republican hypocrisy about the January 6, 2021 insurrection. (39:59) Trumpers just want to be able to get away with bad behavior. They obfuscate the outcomes of their policies. (41:25) Synopsis of the book "The Sum of Us," by Heather McGhee. (46:27) Why you should watch / listen to The Radical Secular. (51:00) Wrapup and Outro. ____________________________ Show notes: https://www.secularleft.us/ (Secular Left, A Podcast supporting strict government secularism and social justice) ____________________________ https://www.patreon.com/theradicalsecular (Patreon) https://www.theradicalsecular.com/ (Website) Email: theradicalsecular@gmail.com Instagram: @radical_secular https://www.facebook.com/theradicalsecular (Facebook) Twitter: @RadicalSecular https://the-radical-secular.captivate.fm/ (Podcast) All standard podcast venues: Apple, Google, Spotify, Stitcher, Amazon, Gaana, Saavn

The Point of the Spear: Religious Fundamentalism (and Radical Transformation) (00:00) Intro and T-shirts (05:33) The news. Afghanistan and Covid updates. (21:09) Joe, Sean and Drew define secularism. Examining why nations and groups want to establish theocracies and oppose secularism. Dramatic drop in god-belief and religious adherence in the younger generations. Which groups have better morals? Describing the slippery slope toward theocracy. The conservative moral hierarchy. Christian opposition to empathy and compassion. "Revealed truth" as the counterpoint to human responsiveness and fair play / justice. The Nordic model as an outgrowth of Lutheran religion. When will moderates denounce fundamentalism? (56:20) Sean and Drew talk about their own experience with religion. (59:23) Fundamentalism as a resistance movement to modernity, which makes it an exclusively modern phenomenon. Most American popular culture is very secular, leading to a huge backlash from the fundamentalists. (01:02:05) The American Christian Power Apparatus: They want it ALL. No one wants to die, and this is the open door to all forms of fundamentalist thinking. Modernity and reduction of suffering are incredibly disturbing to fundamentalists. Fear of destruction of "meaning." (01:14:00) The paradox of fundamentalist opposition to social spending and government structure and accountability, while wanting to collect money for private charity. The "Surrender Tactic" of feigned weakness. Christians play the victim when asked to follow laws that apply to everyone. (01:20:23) Fundamentalist opposition to social justice. The fear of the breakdown of the domestic hierarchy. Traditional definitions of marriage have treated women and their fertility as property. (01:24:49) End-times thinking. The connection between Christianity and white nationalism. Servitude. Fear of women's economic equality. (01:30:34) The persecution of the LGBT community. (01:34:52) Islamist fundamentalism vs. Christianity. Radical Islam dates to the early 20th century. Sayyid Qutb. (01:42:32) The fundamentalist takeover of education through destruction of public schools. Desegregation as the impetus. Organizing secular political action. (01:49:17) Wrapup and outro. ____________________________ https://www.nytimes.com/2019/05/25/opinion/the-day-christian-fundamentalism-was-born.html (Matthew Avery Sutton. “The Day Christian Fundamentalism Was Born. How a meeting in Philadelphia changed American religion forever.”) https://www.counterpointpress.com/dd-product/what-it-means-to-be-moral/ (Phil Zuckerman. “What It Means to Be Moral. Why Religion Is Not Necessary for Living an Ethical Life.”) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01EH1EL7A/ ("Democracy in Chains" by Nancy MacLean) ____________________________ https://www.patreon.com/theradicalsecular (Patreon) https://www.theradicalsecular.com/ (Website) Email: theradicalsecular@gmail.com Instagram: @radical_secular https://www.facebook.com/theradicalsecular (Facebook) Twitter: @RadicalSecular https://the-radical-secular.captivate.fm/ (Podcast) All standard podcast venues: Apple, Google, Spotify, Stitcher, Amazon, Gaana, Saavn

A Struggle to be Seen: Women in Afghanistan & Non-Binary Folks in the United States (00:00) Intro and T-shirts (06:26) Afghanistan vs. Vietnam: Christophe describes the Taliban's leaders and history as well as the strategy the Islamic militants executed during their stunning recapture of Afghanistan. Christophe, Joe, and Drew compare and contrast the United States' 20-year-long war in Afghanistan with its decade-long involvement in Vietnam. (27:28) Unintended Consequences of Nation Building: Joe describes his experience living through the brutal aftermath of American intervention in Argentina during the 1990s. Christophe, Joe, and Drew opine about how the United States should have dealt with Afghanistan in response to the September 11th terrorist attacks, in general, and through the prism of Starfleet's Prime Directive. (44:57) The Too Late Show: In this debut segment, Stephanie Hoeler and Gwynn Kreuger join Christophe to discuss, among other things, Stephanie's recent article published on pharmalive.com related to the representation of transgender and gender non-conforming folks in the healthcare industry. (01:31:15) Wrapup and Outro. ____________________________ Show notes: https://www.pharmalive.com/want-to-disrupt-healthcare-break-the-binary/ (Want to disrupt Healthcare? Break the Binary) https://www.nytimes.com/2021/08/18/world/asia/taliban-victory-strategy-afghanistan.html (Collapse and Conquest: The Taliban Strategy That Seized Afghanistan) https://www.nytimes.com/article/who-are-the-taliban.html (Who Are the Taliban, and What Do They Want?) https://www.politico.com/news/2021/08/18/afghan-refugee-debate-fractures-gop-506135 (Afghan refugee debate fractures GOP) https://www.politico.com/news/magazine/2021/08/20/biden-afghanistan-kabul-chaos-taliban-evacuation-505600 (‘This Is Actually Happening') ________________________________ https://www.patreon.com/theradicalsecular (Patreon) https://www.theradicalsecular.com/ (Website) Email: theradicalsecular@gmail.com Instagram: @radical_secular https://www.facebook.com/theradicalsecular (Facebook) Twitter: @RadicalSecular https://the-radical-secular.captivate.fm/ (Podcast) All standard podcast venues: Apple, Google, Spotify, Stitcher, Amazon, Gaana, Saavn

Simon Says: "Show Me A Hero" Drew Scott, Joe Occhipinti, and Sean Prophet break down the first two episodes of HBO's David Simon political drama "Show Me A Hero." The six-part 2015 miniseries covers the story of mayor Nick Wasicsko, local hero in Yonkers, New York, and his battle to erect court-ordered public housing over the objections of white residents. (00:00) Intro and T-shirts. News: (05:23) The Covid Delta-variant surge. (11:45) Scarlett Johansson and theatrical releases during a pandemic. (16:45) The fall of Andrew Cuomo. (21:54) Climate update, the IPCC report. "Show me a Hero:" (29:54) First impressions of the show. (33:36) David Simon's background and discussion of his previous work including "The Wire." New Orleans and Mardi Gras. The show "Treme." (41:10) Spoiler warning, from this point forward, we'll be discussing plot points of "Show Me A Hero." (45:50) Discussion of the hostility of white liberals to public housing in their neighborhoods, even in highly democratic areas of California. (50:06) The very personal portrayal of Black and Latinx families who were suffering in the old "projects" who stood to benefit from the new housing. (51:50) Joe Occhipinti discusses a brief history of public housing from the perspective of Human Geography, a college course he will be teaching this fall. The importance of good architectural design and security in public housing. (01:02:25) The villains in this story. Henry Spallone, mayor who succeeded Wasicsko, and his white constituents who did not want to see housing built. White extinction anxiety. "Not about race, it's about property values." (01:09:23) Catherine Keener's portrayal of Mary Dorman is one of the most compelling performances in the series. A redemption story. (01:11:40) The capacity for television to change hearts and minds. The collapse of the Civil Rights agenda since the 1990s. (01:15:06) Closing thoughts and outro. ______________________________________ Show notes: https://www.hbo.com/show-me-a-hero (HBO: Show Me A Hero) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nick_Wasicsko (Nick Wasicsko) ______________________________________ https://www.patreon.com/theradicalsecular (Patreon) https://www.theradicalsecular.com/ (Website) Email: theradicalsecular@gmail.com Instagram: @radical_secular https://www.facebook.com/theradicalsecular (Facebook) Twitter: @RadicalSecular https://the-radical-secular.captivate.fm/ (Podcast) All standard podcast venues: Apple, Google, Spotify, Stitcher, Amazon, Gaana, Saavn

Capital Punishment and Social Control Our fourth and final installment covering Richard Wrangham's book The Goodness Paradox. Which is the true story of human self-domestication through the formation of coalitions, who transformed and evolved our species to eliminate high levels of reactive aggression, by executing bullies and troublemakers. (00:00) Intro and T-shirts. Thanks to our Patreon supporters. (06:21) The News: The Delta variant Covid surge. (15:39) New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo. (26:19) Capital Punishment and Social Control. The development of human self-regulation of violent troublemakers in small-scale societies vs. capital punishment in modern society. Comparing and contrasting these societies with modern outlaw culture in the TV series Sons of Anarchy. (01:09:39) Should capital punishment be abolished completely? Wrap up and outro. ____________________________________ Show notes: https://www.yalemedicine.org/news/5-things-to-know-delta-variant-covid (5 Things To Know About the Delta Variant) https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-021-01986-w (How the Delta variant achieves its ultrafast spread) https://www.nytimes.com/2021/08/03/nyregion/cuomo-toxic-workplace.html (‘Completely Violated': Women Describe Cuomo's Groping and Intimidation) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07CRDPM14/ (The Goodness Paradox: The Strange Relationship Between Virtue and Violence in Human Evolution by Richard Wrangham) ____________________________________ https://www.patreon.com/theradicalsecular (Patreon) https://www.theradicalsecular.com/ (Website) Email: theradicalsecular@gmail.com Instagram: @radical_secular https://www.facebook.com/theradicalsecular (Facebook) Twitter: @RadicalSecular https://the-radical-secular.captivate.fm/ (Podcast) All standard podcast venues: Apple, Google, Spotify, Stitcher, Amazon, Gaana, Saavn

January 6 Hearings: White Rage in Review (00:00) Intro and T-shirts (9:45) New at the Radical Secular: Drew joins Christophe and Sean to discuss the next evolution of The Radical Secular, including how Drew, in future shows, will connect elements of popular culture to the progressive themes the team discusses regularly on The Radical Secular Podcast. (22:04) Officer Harry Dunn's Testimony: Christophe reads an excerpt from Officer Dunn's testimony at the hearings at the House of Representatives related to the January 6th Insurrection. Drew and Sean join Christophe in connecting the white supremacy that underpinned the Insurrection with America's long history of white supremacist violence and it's explicitly racist founding documents. (36:18) Wage Slavery: Christophe, Drew, and Sean define the term, “wage slave” and distinguish it from activities that might constitute dignified and meaningful work in a market-based economy. The team also discusses whether wage slavery is inevitable under a capitalist system. (52:37) Vaccine Mandates: Christophe, Drew, Sean identify the positive role corporations might play in bringing the Delta variant under control via private sector vaccine mandates. (01:19:14) Wrapup and Outro. ____________________________ Show notes: https://www.rev.com/blog/transcripts/january-6-house-select-committee-hearing-investigation-day-1-full-transcript (January 6 House Select Committee Hearing Investigation Day 1 Full Transcript) https://www.washingtonpost.com/dc-md-va/interactive/2021/blm-protest-capitol-riot-police-comparison/ (Lafayette Square, Capitol rallies met starkly different policing response) https://www.newsweek.com/people-dont-want-work-poverty-wages-union-leader-disputes-us-labor-shortage-1614361 ('People Don't Want to Work for Poverty Wages': Union Leader Disputes U.S. 'Labor' Shortage) https://www.axios.com/coronavirus-vaccine-mandates-support-health-workers-4055b559-6d32-4824-a2a0-976e483c8d6a.html (The floodgates have opened for vaccine mandates) https://www.cnn.com/2021/07/30/health/vaccination-alone-variants-study/index.html (Vaccination is not enough by itself to stop the spread of variants, study finds) https://www.nytimes.com/2021/07/30/theater/broadway-audiences-vaccine-requirement.html (Broadway Audiences Will Need Proof of Vaccination and Masks) ________________________________ https://www.patreon.com/theradicalsecular (Patreon) https://www.theradicalsecular.com/ (Website) Email: theradicalsecular@gmail.com Instagram: @radical_secular https://www.facebook.com/theradicalsecular (Facebook) Twitter: @RadicalSecular https://the-radical-secular.captivate.fm/ (Podcast) All standard podcast venues: Apple, Google, Spotify, Stitcher, Amazon, Gaana, Saavn