Truth Unrestricted

Send a textStar Wars has always been about escape fiction with a light moral touch in a vast and expandable storytelling universe. In that fictional setting our imaginations can engage and reinterpret many things to create retroactive continuity to mask poor writing. But how does this affect our relationship with reality?

Send a textDonald Trump is a bully who wants to feel powerful. His influence causes reactions that oppose him. In the middle of these forces arise opportunists looking to have their own movements rise in the cracks that form. Alberta separatists have risen to the chaotic occasion. How should we react?Linkshttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stanley_Cuphttps://www.forbes.com/sites/hollycorbett/2026/02/13/how-the-save-america-act-could-block-millions-of-eligible-voters/https://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/conservative-poilievre-leadership-review-9.7069573De-certifying Canadian manufactured airplaneshttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mPY2FomMo-ghttps://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cy8ylqx0zw4o

Send us a textDark City is a film about a secret reality that is being hidden from its residents. What does that look like? What does it lead to? How do we cope with divergent realities? These questions are explored in ep 135 of Truth Unrestricted.

Send us a textPart 2 of our Manchurian Candidate coverage dives into direct comparisons between the two versions of the film (1962 vs 2004) from the conspiratorial perspective. How does the realism affect the audience's viewing experience? How do the ideas carried by the films and by conspiratorial thinking affect our ability to navigate reality?

Send us a textLast week's episode (An Open Letter To Alex Hale) left some unanswered questions. Those questions are answered here.LinksQuorac's Nov 8th Twitter space which is referenced several times in this episode. The relevant section starts shortly after the 2 hr mark.https://x.com/AlteredEggoEgo/status/1987015544298701112?s=20

Send us a textI call upon Alex Hale @NBPTROCKS to ask Snowden Bishop when her podcast episodes featuring dangerous antivaccine disinformation will be removed from Spotify and iHeartRadio.

Send us a textThe Manchurian Candidate has long been an idea separated from the film that created the term. The idea that a person could be reshaped and controlled as an assassin has long inspired conspiratorial thinking. So what other ideas from the film inspire these errant notions?

Send us a textSubjective reality is the mind's best estimation of what the objective world is. "Best estimation" is doing a *lot* of heavy lifting in that sentence.Linkshttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Subjective_character_of_experiencehttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Allegory_of_the_cavehttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Theory_of_mind

Send us a textThey Live is a film about wealth inequality, not grand conspiracies. So why do so many people see it as a wink and a nod to their conspiratorial ideas? And how can we use that to understand them better? Ep 129 of Truth Unrestricted dives into this film and its conspiracy ideas.

Send us a textThe US influences many other nations, particularly the English speaking ones. And most Americans don't think much about it. So I decide to talk to someone in Scotland about American Cultural Influence In that country.

Send us a textInception is a film about the barriers between the real and the imaginary. It provides a rich backdrop for understanding reality. The concept of incepting an idea into another's mind helps us understand the decision paranoia at the heart of all conspiracism.LinksInception Breakdown - Heavy Spoilershttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f3xaf2Hu-GsThe ending explained?https://www.youtube.com/shorts/YQcEmoOlH1w

Send us a textHow should we treat famous people who appear to be leaving behind conspiracist beliefs? How can we encourage them to take additional steps to form a shared reality without allowing it to become a game to increase their influence? How do we eventually come to trust someone in this position? The recent heelturn of Marjorie Taylor Greene gives us the perfect reason to discuss this situation. Lydia Greene (@formerantivax on twitter) and Steph Kemmerer join me to discuss how to navigate some of our future parasocial relationships with unreal politicians.Linkshttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marjorie_Taylor_Greenehttps://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/back-to-the-vax-a-journey-back-to-evidence-based-medicine/id1558912904https://vromansbookstore.com/event/2026-01-06/noelle-cookhttps://www.ktvb.com/article/news/local/idaho-press/the-unlikely-stories-pam-hemphill-idaho/277-7c72e2af-7d85-46ef-9b91-b4715f092111

Send us a textEp 125 of Truth Unrestricted is about the film Wag The Dog and how its ideas intersect with unreal ideas about our world. Also, for a few minutes near the end, I decided to name and shame famous actors who wouldn't be good enough to be crisis actors. Fun stuff. Enjoy.Linkshttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wag_the_doghttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rally_%27round_the_flag_effect

Send us a textHow is The Matrix related to conspiracy theories? How do the ideas presented in the film assist people in creating conspiracy ideas?The value of informed decisionsThe Red/Blue Pill questionFixed destiny vs choosing the futureCreating reality with the strength of willThe Matrix as grand conspiracy: simultaneously all powerful and completely unable to prevent dissension

Send us a textAfter it became likely that the full Epstein Files would be released, Trumpistan kicked into gear for their guy as they always do. Anything to make him seem innocent. Even by moving the line of what is considered to be wrong. So we thought it would be a good idea to discuss exactly why pedophilia is wrong so that everyone else could know as well.

Send us a textThis will be an ongoing series on the podcast itself. The purpose will be to review a popular or relevant film that demonstrates some way in which we either understand our subjective reality or form unreal ideas. With this in mind, there will be a recurring aspect to this that I need to describe in detail.We look at movies to help shape our world. Communicate our culture. Form parasocial relationships with the actors. Sometimes we even take on their personal drama as we live vicariously through them.

Send us a textLinksMilkbarTV synced footagehttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LDzxnQsSVQYhttps://www.digitalcameraworld.com/news/can-doug-mills-photo-of-a-bullet-and-president-trump-be-real-yes-heres-howJeff Ostroff July 20 in-depth explanation video (good)https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z7PdhHC2zr0Jeff Ostroff follow-up video. Corrects a few mistakes, more info (good)https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jLRKpMxtW6Ahttps://www.cnn.com/2019/10/10/politics/trump-campaign-rallies-outstanding-invoices/index.htmlTrump's wrestling experiencehttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5NsrwH9I9vEhttps://www.cbc.ca/news/world/sicily-ship-investigation-lynch-1.7304159https://pjyq7wf7gp.podbean.com/

Send us a textViolence is not the answer to our political situation. Showing restraint in the face of belligerence and insult is the best way to prevent the manipulations of fascists.

Send us a textPseudoconspiracies are situations that appear to be conspiracies from the outside but often aren't once we look closer. This episode was recorded live on twitter using Spaces and featured an open discussion with listeners at the end of the podcast. That twitter space can be accessed here:https://x.com/spencergwatson/status/1963046227320439021

Send us a textJim Stewartson is a twitter influencer who engages in conspiratorial ideas about Mike Flynn being Q of Qanon, Russian mind control mass media influence campaigns, and about Donald Trump being either the mastermind of a conspiracy to bring a new dark age of fascism or a rube that's being used by Russia to bring about a dark age of fascism. Whichever happens to fit the mood of the day. His influence is slowly warping the ability for the left wing of the American political spectrum to see reality.

Send us a textBill Cosby's fall from fame represents a complete change of our collective view of him. An inversion of our shared reality. How should we look at people who once attempted to associate themselves with his image? In this episode, Eric the Deep State Operative joins me to discuss an edge case whereby a group of people might need to be exonerated of the crime of liking Bill Cosby but *not* of their other crimes.Linkshttps://kotaku.com/inside-blizzard-developers-infamous-bill-cosby-suite-1847378762https://abcnews.go.com/Entertainment/bill-cosby-trial-complete-timeline-happened-2004/story?id=47799458https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_honorary_degrees_awarded_to_Bill_Cosbyhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mark_Twain_Prize_for_American_Humorhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Andrea_Constand_v._Bill_Cosbyhttps://www.concertarchives.org/bands/bill-cosby

Send us a textLinkshttps://sciencebasedmedicine.org/plandemic-judy-mikovits-and-the-mother-of-all-covid-19-conspiracy-theories/https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC6255117/

Send us a textIs the US at war with Iran? Should anyone believe anything Trump says? How will the Iranian response affect world markets? Are we slow walking past mere nuclear brinksmanship? Can the US prevent Iran from ever becoming a nuclear nation or can it simply delay? Does violent intervention prevent further diplomatic opportunities from being useful? Mike Rains (aka @PokerPolitics on Twitter) joins me for ep 115 of Truth Unrestricted to make sense of Operation Midnight Hammer.

Send us a textThe Throne Speech is usually not newsworthy. Until the response to it is a direct shot across the bow from the heart of Alberta Separatism. We also discuss deficit spending and the economic sleight of hand of Mark Carney.Shoutout to: https://www.youtube.com/@TLDRnewsGLOBALOther links:David Bexte's response to the throne speechhttps://www.facebook.com/watch/?mibextid=wwXIfr&v=1233800394758308&rdid=kPj5Qa8nzTUo2Vwl

Send us a textIs playing nice in politics the same as playing nice in a competitive game? Do the same rules apply? Should we look at these things similarly? Are some of us doing so already?

Send us a textThe Western Canadian separatist movement emanates outward from Alberta. And within Alberta the movement finds its roots in the oil and gas sector. Making this economic engine run is the primary goal of every Alberta government and it has progressed to the point where this goal foresakes all others. That's where we are now. Make the oil flow, or they leave.But it doesn't have to be that way. Over the next year many arguments will be had on shop floors and dinner tables about why people should want to separate. And if you don't want that but aren't looking forward to dealing with these conversations then maybe you need a little primer on the reasons why Alberta should stay.

Send us a textPascal's Wager is about how to make an existential decision. Should we or shouldn't we change our behavior now in case something turns out to be true? This isn't so useful for converting people to Christianity but it does apply directly to climate change.Linkshttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blaise_Pascalhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pascal%27s_wagerhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Climate_change

Send us a textThe idea that Western Canada should separate from the rest of Canada is now rising in popularity so I thought we should go over it.Linkshttps://www.canada.ca/en/department-finance/programs/federal-transfers/equalization.htmlhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Equalization_payments_in_Canadahttps://enr.elections.ca/National.aspx?lang=ehttps://x.com/TheBreakdownAB/status/1919906263485329823https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ys80Xc-esrU

Send us a textWhat would Pierre Poilievre do as Prime Minister? How could Poilievre resolve his Trump-like rhetoric with a political need to oppose an expansionist Trump agenda? And what will Poilievre's most enthusiastic supporters do if he loses?

Send us a textBlendr News is a Canadian online alternate media outlet striving to become the next major interpreter of the world for those dissatisfied with the Liberal Party of Canada. In this episode, I check in with one of their videos to see how it compares with reality.Linkshttps://www.facebook.com/reel/1371346464021477Fried Kemper's Obituaryhttps://beechwoodottawa.ca/en/services/john-joachim-kemperVerlie Kemper's marrige announcementhttps://www.newspapers.com/article/the-province-verlie-margaret-kemper-marr/64281628/

Send us a textIs the left creating their own populist movement to counter the right? Is it possible that it's happening by happenstance rather than by design? Do we need to be aware of the shape of our resistance lest it create bigger problems?

Send us a textDo you want Canada to join the US? If so, why? And if you won't say, why not?

Send us a textPoker as Life: BluffingThere can exist a situation in information logic where a person knows something (usually that they themselves are lying) that they imagine no one else could possibly know. And in this way they manufacture a high level of confidence when asserting that a specific thing is true. It might be very interesting to examine this situation as a direct comparison to the "bluff" as used as a strategy in poker.Bluffing might be the single best known part of the game of poker. Everyone knows it happens there a lot but I wonder if we imagine it happening there to a larger degree than in practice. The images people get about poker are often from some Hollywood movie in which a tense moment has an uncertain outcome and when the conclusion happens it comes out in the hero's favor. In this way we will be very likely to assume that bluffing is the entirety of poker when in actuality this is merely the part that is easiest to tell a visual story about.Humans lie to each other all the time. Humans also tend to know that other people are lying to them and attempt to discover other people's lies. We do this on an intuitive level and attempts to describe this process with words very often leads to people being very visibly wrong. But when you don't know that other people have at least *some* skill in this, have temporarily forgotten, or have convinced yourself that you have covered it up in some way, this can greatly increase the likelihood of someone finding an opportunity to lie. Usually this is done for some imagined gain (which doesn't have to be monetary).Pam Hemphill Lyinghttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eWlaW3aOl2Y

Send us a textIs AI conscious? How could we tell? Is AI dangerous? Can we trust AI? Could AI come to trust us?Stephen Mather is the co-host of the Matter Over Mind podcast which discusses quantum physics and psychology by turns.https://open.spotify.com/show/3MfsQEbW0lvHic5UHYOREthttps://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/matter-over-mind/id1788940184

Send us a textWhat level of political compromise should politicians on the left be comfortable with when attempting to curb the excesses of the right? Can the less extreme participants trust the more extreme and, if so, to what extent?

Send us a textCan football be rigged? Could the Super Bowl have been rigged? Why? Why not? What would it take for it to have been rigged? What would it take for someone to believe it had been rigged?This episode was made for youtube and contains video clips that are described verbally in the episode. For the full visual experience you can find the YouTube version of this episode here:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-OKP1wzkWvgFollow me on:YouTube @spencergwatsonTwitter @spencergwatsonBluesky @spencerwatson@bsky.social

Send us a textDoes science slowly "eat away" at spiritual ideas? Does the exactness and thoroughness of modern science stifle spiritual belief? Do people attempt to re-engage with spiritual beliefs by first casting themselves and their ideas against science?Linkshttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Disenchantment

Send us a textTruth UnrestrictedBuilding language for the Disinformation Age.Evidence Aversion is about the propensity or likelihood that a person who engages with unreal beliefs will work to avoid being exposed to evidence and ideas that would contradict their beliefs. But the fact that they know what to avoid tells us something about where they think reality divides. They aren't simply discovering the world. They are actively working to manufacture it in their minds and they consciously avoid ideas that could shatter their illusions.

Send us a textYou may have heard it said that "every accusation is a confession." But what does that really mean? Why do we think it's true? Are we looking at it in the world right now?

Send us a textThe USA has been pushing its culture outward past its borders for a very long time. This is the beginning of a series of episodes dedicated to looking at what that cultural aggression looks like from the perspective of people that experience it. Joel Hill is on of the hosts of the Conditional Release Program podcast and he joins me to discuss the effects of American Cultural Aggression on Australia.Linkshttps://torontosun.com/news/national/convoy-plans-to-replace-canadas-elected-government-the-stuff-of-fantasyhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Canada_convoy_protesthttps://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-conditional-release-program/id1535321136

Send us a textThe Gish gallop is a technique employed to skip away from the current topic and toward other supposedly related topics so as to confuse and overcomplicate a discussion and make it much more difficult to debunk or oppose. Finding ways to dismantle or circumvent the Gish gallop is one of several primary concerns among people who want to find ways to reach the people who are lost in conspiracy thinking. Proof By Association is one logical fallacy that can be pointed to as a resource for doing exactly that.

Send us a textJim Stewartson is an online influencer who pushes disinformation to people on the left. He espouses extreme views which work to radicalize those who pay attention. In this episode, I speak to Robin Eriksson about the nature of the problem with Stewartson and how Stewartson's content compares to Joseph McCarthy.Linkshttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Operation_Denverhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Michael_FlynnStewartson claims that he is fighting a "mind war."Source: https://www.mind-war.com/p/cdf?utm_source=publication-searchStewartson intends to use disinformation to push his agenda.Source: https://x.com/Ankh_Morporkian/status/1725631884959363425Stewartson claims that mind control is real.Source: https://x.com/jimstewartson/status/1683225770041438208An actual resource for convincing people to give up an unreal set of ideas:https://www.patreon.com/posts/45159246Stewartson claims that Qanon was a psy op perpetrated on the world and that it was lead by Mike Flynn.Source: https://x.com/jimstewartson/status/1733647234066244038Jim Stewartson held Shayan Sardarizadeh in high regard on Aug 29, 2020.Source: https://x.com/jimstewartson/status/1299513405485662210Jim Stewartson turned on Shayan later after being fact checked on Oct 3, 2023.Source: https://x.com/jimstewartson/status/1709298214065860959And again on Sep 16, 2024.Source: https://x.com/jimstewartson/status/1835751803377635729

Send us a textThis episode is long. We also swear a lot. Enjoy.Linkshttps://www.nbcwashington.com/decision-2024/2024-voter-turnout-election-demographics-trump-harris/3762138/https://www.huffpost.com/entry/after-victory-the-path-ahead-trump-legal-cases_n_672540ade4b00acf55d9d96a?5zjhttps://www.statista.com/statistics/1535043/percent-change-number-young-voters-state-us/

Send us a textFascism attempts to weaponize human selfishness and hatred. It encourages the worst parts of people on a grand scale. How can we recognize it? How can we counter it? What can we, as individuals, do against something that subverts entire nations?

Send us a textTruth and Reconciliation Day is a relatively new Canadian holiday that recognizes the struggle of indigenous peoples in Canada and the world while also working on healing rifts and countering racial hate. Len Morissette is a co-founder of C.I.A. Solutions, a majority Indigenous owned film and advertising company, and a former president of the Alberta Native Friendship Centre Association. This conversation was done in recognition and in the spirit of Truth and Reconciliation to appropriately honour the day.Linkshttps://www.youtube.com/@CIASOLUTIONS1https://www.youtube.com/watch?app=desktop&v=NgvG_QEbWqMhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/National_Day_for_Truth_and_Reconciliationhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Beaver_Warshttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Seven_Years%27_Warhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Humboldt_Broncos_bus_crash

Send us a textIt is obvious that Trump plans to use fear about immigrant crime as a wedge issue in the upcoming election. The current focal point for this effort is on Haitian migrants in Springfield, OH. Is anything about this factual?Linkshttps://www.cnn.com/2024/09/15/politics/video/sotu-bash-vance-haitian-immigrants-full-interviewhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Springfield,_Ohio,_cat-eating_hoaxhttps://www.cnn.com/2024/09/10/politics/jd-vance-haitian-immigrants/index.htmlhttps://www.fairus.org/news/congress/angel-moms-detail-horrific-consequences-open-borders-congresshttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_U.S._states_and_territories_by_intentional_homicide_rate#Homicide_rates_by_year._CDChttps://www.wkyc.com/article/news/local/canton/ohio-woman-eat-cat-canton-police-bodycam-footage-arrest-springfield/95-204df879-5de1-4a07-9aab-10d19aca3ba4https://reason.com/2021/09/02/jd-vance-surrenders-to-the-politics-of-hate/https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cat_meat

Send us a textThe first (and likely only) debate between Kamala Harris and Donald Trump is over. All of Trump's pending legal issues and have been delayed until after the election. And Taylor Swift has given her endorsement. Are we almost out of election stuff to talk about?Linkshttps://abcnews.go.com/Politics/walzs-military-record-vances-accusations-stolen-valor/story?id=112618991https://www.navytimes.com/news/your-navy/2024/03/07/lawmaker-who-claims-to-be-a-retired-rear-admiral-was-actually-demoted/https://www.poynter.org/fact-checking/2024/jd-vance-school-shootings-fact-of-life/https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/us-politics/trump-sundown-town-rally-racism-b2605946.htmlhttps://azluminaria.org/2024/09/13/standing-ovation-from-tucsons-trump-supporters-a-do-or-die-election/https://www.tiktok.com/@geekynerdbitchcarmen/video/7413550942223666462https://apnews.com/article/trump-vance-north-carolina-60de08931c1a964e8e1fb21d3778d35e

Send us a textWhen a lone gunman attempted to assassinate Donald Trump at a rally in Butler, Pennsylvania on July 13th, we saw online the birth of a new conspiracy belief. It has heavily influenced a large number of people on the left to participate in conspiracism. In this episode we take a closer look at the events with an eye to examine some of the ways people engaged poorly with the facts in order to support conspiracy beliefs that have become damaging to the prospect of a shared reality.LinksPeter Gabriel Family Picturehttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i_0y23xlMSwhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roswell_incidenthttps://www.digitalcameraworld.com/news/can-doug-mills-photo-of-a-bullet-and-president-trump-be-real-yes-heres-howJeff Ostroff July 20 in-depth explanation video (good)https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z7PdhHC2zr0Jeff Ostroff follow-up video. Corrects a few mistakes, more info (good)https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jLRKpMxtW6Ahttps://www.cnn.com/2019/10/10/politics/trump-campaign-rallies-outstanding-invoices/index.htmlTrump's wrestling experiencehttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5NsrwH9I9vEhttps://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2023/aug/23/obama-chef-died-drowned-accident-marthas-vineyardhttps://www.cbc.ca/news/world/sicily-ship-investigation-lynch-1.7304159

Send us a textNotesDaniel Loxton is an author and science communicator. He has published books about skepticism and was previously the editor of Junior Skeptic magazine. Daniel, David Bloomberg and I discuss skepticism, its importance, and how we can promote its presence in our information world in this episode.Linkshttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Daniel_Loxtonhttps://www.forbes.com/advisor/legal/product-liability/roundup-lawsuit-update/https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peter_Hotezhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Leon_Festingerhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mick_West

Send us a Text Message.Topics covered in brief:DemocratsWalz is VP. How is that going?Harris and Walz have been doing rallies that are *packed* and very high energy.Polls: many polls now show Harris as climbing and leading, though still by a small margin. Even now almost 4 full weeks after Biden dropped out of the race there are still left-leaning influencers who threaten each other semi-casually over their stance on whether Biden should have or shouldn't have dropped out of the race.RepublicansTrump has had very few events. Almost no live events since the RNC.For those concerned about a Trump presidency the influence of TikTok must not be under reported.Conspiracy beliefs continue to abound in the wake of the shooting in Pennsylvania on July 13.Among the speculation about Trump's smaller number of appearances is a lot of conspiracy talk about how maybe Trump doesn't feel the need to try so hard because he's already planning to cheat in Nov.JD Vance has continued to underwhelm in both the polls and at rallies.We're not doing a full recap of all the court cases against Trump this time around. Just the one: the hush money trial. RFK JrRFK Jr is not a serious candidate.Linkshttps://www.conspirituality.net/episodes/brief-project-2025-bloodless-couphttps://www.reuters.com/world/us/donald-trump-joins-tiktok-video-platform-he-once-sought-ban-2024-06-02/https://apnews.com/article/kennedy-rfk-jr-ballot-new-york-residency-states-f96d46318524fad967271fed292aa212

My take on the Imane Khelif debacle.