The next Decoding episode target is Sean Carroll and Matt has suggested a solo episode he did on AI.
Sean Carroll was Matt's suggestion partly because Sean might serve as a 'good' version of a modern secular guru. I (Chris( have not listened to much of his stuff so will be coming at the content quite fresh.
Any comments, recommendations, and suggestions for other content welcomed.
2024-01-17 02:01:00 +0000 UTC View PostBy our nature, we are somewhat allergic to sincere self-reflecting but since we had the rare opportunity to meet face to face and were in a rather inspiring setting, we thought what the hell!
So this is what passes for Matt and me having a serious reflection on the nature of the podcast, audience capture, motivations, and how we feel about things so far and into the future.
This is the audio version so if you want to appreciate the nice scenery and physical appearances, just check...
2024-01-15 08:02:22 +0000 UTC View PostBy our nature, we are somewhat allergic to sincere self-reflecting but since we had the rare opportunity to meet face to face and were in a rather inspiring setting, we thought what the hell!
So this is what passes for Matt and me having a serious reflection on the nature of the podcast, audience capture, motivations, and how we feel about things so far and into the future.
If nothing else, you should enjoy the snowy Japanese scenery and you can imagine the taste of the nice...
2024-01-15 07:25:53 +0000 UTC View PostWe have coming up a variety of content recorded in a peaceful Japanese ryokan, where we did indeed engage in outdoor forest bathing (soaking in all those negative ions).
But while we get that content in order, we need to tell you about a very special product. One that is near and dear to our hearts.
We hope you do not think less of us after watching the video.
2024-01-15 05:35:23 +0000 UTC View Post
Hey everyone,
Thought you might enjoy some behind-the-scenes news that Matt and I will be meeting up for the first time in person next week. Matt is over for a family trip to Japan and we are planning to meet up a couple of times during his visit and yes, we will do some form of recording.
That's part of why I am posting this note! As we are curious about what you, the dear DTG supporters, would like to hear? Do you have any burning questions you would like us to address? Should w...
2024-01-04 22:42:42 +0000 UTC View PostSam was decoded but how does he rank on the Gurometer? Join us, clear your mind, and realise the answer was inside you all along.
2023-12-27 03:23:06 +0000 UTC View Post
Final DTG content for the year.
Sam Harris gets put into the Gurometer.
Audio version to follow later today.
2023-12-26 07:27:08 +0000 UTC View Post
Hey everyone,
The end of 2023 looms and we've had a final burst of content.
We have plans for 2024, including an in person meetup in Japan.
If you'd like to come chat to us about any of it, you are welcome tomorrow.
The time is JST 10.30AM if you want your local time just click on the link. Participation is restricted to Galaxy Brain tier because they have the best takes.
For the rest of you, have a good 2023 and we will see you in the New Year!
(Oh and th...
Here is an advance release of a forthcoming Decoding on one Sam Harris. A polarising figure with fans and detractors, see how he fares when entered under the Guru microscope. Also featuring Chris Williamson! More detailed show notes will accompany the main release but here is the relevant source material:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=carZ3_02-Xg
2023-12-23 04:33:06 +0000 UTC View PostWe are back again with a mini-decoding of a segment from Huberman's recently released episode on "The Causes & Treatments for Autism" with Dr. Karen Parker. In particular we are interested in the discussion he had relating to vaccines and autism. We think we might have noticed a thing or two that might have escaped others attention. We will edit a bit more before releasing on the main feed so if you have any feedback or notice any audio issues, let us know!
The original content is f...
2023-12-21 10:09:13 +0000 UTC View PostHere we are with what is fast becoming the most popular annual tradition within the DTG ritual calendar... the annual Guru quiz with quizmaster extraordinaire, Helen Lewis. We also spend some time to get the low down on her experiences at the ARC conference with Bret Weinstein and James Lindsay and her forthcoming new show on messaging platforms. All good fun but the meat is in the quizzes... and this year we have two of them! Why? Join us and find out! Ho ho ho...
2023-12-20 07:45:04 +0000 UTC View Post
As we approach the end of the year we are engaging in our favourite DtG tradition: having a chat with Helen and taking her entertaining Guru quiz.
Who is the Decoding champion this year? Matt or Chris? Join us to find out.
We will have audio up soon enough and a slightly more edited version with audio levels a bit more consistent and some nice editing but here is the UNEDITED, RAW, JUST RECORDED version.
Enjoy!
2023-12-19 12:00:04 +0000 UTC View PostIn this bonus episode of Decoding Academia, we take a look at a recent paper 'The Illusion of Moral Decline' by Adam Mastroianni and Daniel Gilbert. They examine if Moral Decline really is an illusion: Are the kids alright or are we on the precipice a Mad Max style free-for-wall? Also covered on this episode: What is a violin plot and why you should pay attention to visualisations. And we finally address the age old and hugely significant controversy of whether you should describe p val...
2023-12-15 23:49:57 +0000 UTC View Post
Yes that's right it's time.
A full length Decoding of Sam Harris based on an interview conducted by Chris Williamson.
I think this interview does a good job of highlighting the duality of Sam.
It is certainly not as vapid as the Red Scare material.
After this we will take a trip into some unknown waters but Sam's on the docket for too long.
Let us know your thoughts!
(We are aiming to get this out before Christmas)
2023-12-15 02:40:09 +0000 UTC View PostWe hope back on the horror train to try and quantify just how little enjoyment we extracted from the Red Scare podcast... then we focus on the Gurometer and see how Anna and Dasha score. Spoiler... they are not that high!
Also featuring discussion of an exciting new Nootropic drink, whether Chris or Matt is the real bad one, and talk of next Decoding and an upcoming guest.
Enjoy!
2023-12-12 13:27:49 +0000 UTC View Post
A new Gurometer episode on everyone's favourite Red Scare hosts. Also featuring... waffle about a nootropic drink, discussion about whether Chris is the bad one, next guru and all the usual Gurometer goodness. Audio version outputting now!
2023-12-12 13:25:20 +0000 UTC View PostIn today's joyous episode, we dive into the neurodiverse, postmodern hipsterism, and ironic trad conservatism of the popular 'Red Scare' podcast featuring the avant-garde novelist Tao Lin. Get ready for hours of transgressive insights, independent research, and monotone delivery from Tao, Dasha, and Anna. Thrill at endless talk about their bespoke theories of autism, anti-vax bullshit, and all the usual entirely predictable takes of postmodern conservatism. That said when it is al...
2023-12-07 12:09:54 +0000 UTC View PostFor those of you who like your Gurometer optimised in audio format here you go!
Let's see precisely how many gurograms there are in these two hunky scientists.
2023-11-25 04:47:45 +0000 UTC View Post
Red Scare was on our to-do list as many people requested we cover them and we like to break up the endless parade of narcissistic middle-aged men.
I do not know if this was the best option for a 'break'.
To provide a spoiler, we do not really think they are secular gurus just annoying people. Like being stuck at some hipster party with a gang of 20-somethings who are too cool for all this lameness (and also happen to be in their 30s).
Anyway, they also manage to get into ant...
2023-11-24 08:35:40 +0000 UTC View Post
Hi everyone,
For the next Decoding Academia, we are going to look at a pre-replication crisis paper that got quite a bit of attention at the time. Published in Science it looks at the relationship between analytical thinking and religious belief. It is probably most well-known for a priming study in which looking at the statue The Thinker was associated with a lower endorsement of religious be...
2023-11-20 01:27:38 +0000 UTC View Post
So some people were having issues with ads on the YouTube video version. Others just prefer audio so here is a link to the audio version.
We discuss a lot of things but gurus and critical approaches to content are top of the agenda.
It was a lot of fun for me, hope some of you enjoy.
2023-11-20 01:17:33 +0000 UTC View Post
Hey everyone,
Thought some of you might enjoy this. I recently recorded an extended interview/discussion with the Norwegian Comedian Dag Sørås. He has posted the video up on YouTube and the audio on his feed. I'll share both here.
We cover topics you might expect but also discuss the Chomsky episode and some recent comments from Sam Harris on the Israel-Palestine conflict.
Sadly no Matt, so 80% less succulent chat than normal.
In any case, it's here for anyone ...
2023-11-19 10:19:17 +0000 UTC View Post
Imagine almost one week's advance notice on a live hang out!
Galaxy Brain Gurus we look back to optimising our protocols together.
Hope to see some of you there.
If you want to see the precise timing converted to your timezone just click the link above but it is 10 am JST time on Nov 17th.
2023-11-10 21:52:27 +0000 UTC View Post
We add one more quantifiable metric for our optimiser bros to consider.
Unedited and RAW!
Audio coming shortly...
2023-11-10 21:39:10 +0000 UTC View PostHey everyone,
Sorry this one took so long.
Matt and I had deadlines and all the usual academic guff that gets in the way.
The episode will come out on the main feed later today but since it is ready in audio format now. I thought you might appreciate it a few hours early.
Any audio issues let me know and I'll try and fix before we release on the main feed.
2023-11-09 03:24:40 +0000 UTC View Post
Hey everyone,
Here is an edited freely available preview of the Decoding Academia content that is usually restricted to those in the $5 tier and above.
We discuss a neat behavioural economics study from a couple of years ago that you can access here: https://www.academia.edu/download/63947645/Civic_honesty_around_the_globe20200717-21890-1bbyklv.pd...
2023-10-30 23:45:56 +0000 UTC View Post
Just a quick note to say we are in the process of finishing off an episode we previously planned as a Decoding Academia. We are covering Peter Attia and Andrew Huberman and a recent episode they covered discussing two studies.
It is fair to say that we find them a mixed bag and Attia definitely comes out ahead in this conversation in terms of scientific rigour.
We have a little bit more to record but have already started editing the episode so hopefully will be ready early next we...
2023-10-28 04:47:07 +0000 UTC View PostKatalin Kariko and Drew Weissman were awarded Nobel Prize awards for developing the technology which led to Moderna and Pfizer/BioNTech vaccines. Predictably, this did not go down well with some of the gurus because (of course) they felt that they deserved them.
Join us as we take a short safari into the titanic egos and grievance-mongering of Robert Malone and Bret Weinstein.
Editing by Andy Last of Beyond Synth
Hey everyone,
A short discussion before the weekend of the absolutely insane reaction of Robert Malone and Bret Weinstein to the announcement that the Nobel Prize was going to two actual scientists instrumental in the development of mRNA vaccines rather than Robert Malone.
We are experimenting still with short form content so feedback is appreciated.
Editing again credit of Andy Last from Beyond Synth!
2023-10-20 07:11:37 +0000 UTC View PostHi everyone,
We are burrowing into our next decoding but in the meantime here is an interview episode with Julia Ebner.
You may have listened to this a few weeks ago and if so, just remember you have bookmarks in all good podcast players. So you can skip over parts you have heard before (although personally, I think there is nothing wrong with hearing Julia's interview twice!).
As you know the interview was recorded before the recent tragic events. The intro was not howe...
2023-10-14 22:06:12 +0000 UTC View Post