Upcoming Episodes
Added 2021-01-05 05:21:19 +0000 UTCHi guys,
So just a behind-the-scenes update. The Douglas Murray interview we are using is 4 hours(!) so it is taking Matt and me a bit longer to get through and clip. In part because it is so tiring to listen to Eric and Douglas back pat each other incessantly for long stretches. So to avoid a week's delay on a release we are going to put out a special episode this week on the Gurometer and then release the Murray episode next week.
The Gurometer episode will follow up on the discussion we posted here but be less about selecting the items/measurement scales and more about why we are including the things we are and why they are important. It might fit more in line with Matt's suggestion to talk a little bit about research on the topics of gurus and conspiracy theorists in stand alone episodes.
In preparation, I'm going to build an online document which I'll share here and work out a way so that we can crowdsource ratings from you guys, if you want to play along. The more ratings we collect the better as then we can compare our scores to community ratings!
For those who didn't listen to the previous 'calibrating the gurometer' video, here are the features we came up with (to be rated 1-5 for a highest score of 40) :
- Galaxy Brain-ness
- Cultishness: In-group vs. Out-group
- Grievance Mongering
- Narcissism
- Cassandra Complex
- Revolutionary Theories
- Pseudo-profound Bullshit
- Conspiracy Mongering
Bonus points:
- Shilling Supplements
- Invented Neologisms
If you think we have missed anything important we would be happy to hear your suggestions/feedback!
Comments
I feel like narcissism and pseudo-profound bullshit bleed together a bit, but I only say that because you’ve asked for criticism.
Rob Franks
2021-01-13 11:57:56 +0000 UTCMaybe the pretense of respectability then!😅 I wanted to put moral bankruptcy but that felt too inflammatory
Alessio Zakaria
2021-01-07 17:53:36 +0000 UTCYes, the non-expertise bit is definitely a component. Listening to Eric W. wax lyrical about Lion Mane mushroom extract is different than Douglas Murray putting out his anti-immigration book. Though I feel somewhat dirty in labelling that as Murray's area of expertise!
Christopher Kavanagh
2021-01-07 17:47:32 +0000 UTCSomething like actual cults do with "spiritual/philosophical enlightenment in daily pills/mantras!"
Alessio Zakaria
2021-01-07 17:24:39 +0000 UTCI feel like the shilling supplements point Chris was trying to get across in the discussion was that they are selling things unrelated to their area of expertise. Like using their guruness to profiteer in unrelated ways re: why Douglas Murray can sell books and JP Sears profiting off supplements is wrong. I think this view gives Jordy P his middling position as he's like somewhat qualified to write a business course but it's definitely out the wheelhouse of his research (I can't believe I'm taking this seriously lol)
Alessio Zakaria
2021-01-07 17:07:31 +0000 UTCHypnobabble
Lucy Greeves
2021-01-06 13:59:29 +0000 UTCAs someone who still likes Russell Brand, though he also drives me nuts at times, I recognize that his unique verbal abilities and style are a huge part of the draw for me. He is a performer by trade, so I suppose this shouldn’t be surprising.
Thomas Swords
2021-01-05 23:57:54 +0000 UTCOh that’s a good one! Yeah they do want to be recognised as modern day soothsayers.
Christopher Kavanagh
2021-01-05 22:51:50 +0000 UTCGuruese? Guru tics?
Nina Davies
2021-01-05 17:12:23 +0000 UTCThey all seem to want to predict the future and find ways in which they have predicted the future - does that that fit into the Galaxy Brain? And how do they understand predictive power if they are atheists? As a sign of greater intellect or of divinity?
Nina Davies
2021-01-05 16:47:57 +0000 UTCMaybe make item 7 more broadly about presentation? As well as Eric's pseudo-profound bullshit, there's also e.g. Russell Brand's hypnotic/poetic delivery or *that* chuckle. Anything that might make the listener suspend their critical faculties because they're sucked into how the ideas are presented. Not sure of a good name – rhetorical obfuscation? Bit clunky. GuruSpeak? Or someone tweeted you using wormtongue for Scott Adams, which might be (no pun intended) more flexible…
Becca Thomas
2021-01-05 10:31:25 +0000 UTCSweet! 🤠
Bert Sperling
2021-01-05 05:39:50 +0000 UTCFixed!
Christopher Kavanagh
2021-01-05 05:25:05 +0000 UTCSweet! Just a minor note it’s shilling not schilling.
Bert Sperling
2021-01-05 05:23:19 +0000 UTC
