Shows / Decoding the Gurus
Decoding the Gurus
An exiled Northern Irish anthropologist and a hitchhiking Australian psychologist take a close look at the contemporary crop of 'secular gurus', iconoclasts, and other exiles from the mainstream, offering their own brands of unique takes and special insights. Leveraging two of the most diverse accents in modern podcasting, Chris and Matt dig deep into the claims, peek behind the psychological curtains, and try to figure out once and for all... What's it all About? Join us, as we try to puzzle…
Episodes
- Decoding the Gurus
Supplementary Material 57: p(doom) Updates, Nazi Apologist Imbeciles, and JAQs about False Flag Conspiracies
Matt updates his p(doom), Tucker Carlson does his best impression of Wormtongue, and the political horseshoe unites over Flydubai JAQs. Sometimes our future AI…
- Decoding the Gurus
Supplementary Material 56: 10% for AI Doom, Bespoke Debates, and Eurotrash DJs
Chris and Matt grapple with Face Huggers, ponder the mysteries of algebra, and have a heated exchange over the term "bespoke".*Sorry about some of Chris'…
- Decoding the Gurus
Candace Owens, Part 2: The Woman Who Noticed Everything
Part Two of our Candace Owens decoding offers a generous case study in conspiratorial thinking. The necklace in the footage of Charlie Kirk’s murder may have…
- Decoding the Gurus
Candace Owens, Part 1: Charlie Kirk and the Cosmic Conspiracy
Candace Owens is just a Catholic, a mother, and a wife. She loves her husband, works hard, and tries not to let internet drama disturb her spiritual peace. She…
- Decoding the Gurus
Gurometer Triple Threat: Professor Jiang, Mel Robbins & Jimmy Carr *Patreon Preview*
The rumours of the Gurometer's demise have been greatly exaggerated. We were simply collecting enough gurus to feed three into the sacred instrument at once…
- Decoding the Gurus
Supplementary Material 55: Nature Debates, Murder Drone Conspiracies, and Podcast Vibes
Two academic windbags attempt brief discussions of the controversy at Nature, Bret’s newest conspiracy theory, and the latest vibe sessions in Podcastistan. It…
- Decoding the Gurus
Mel Robbins, Part 2: Matt & Chris manifest their fully actualised future selves
In Part Two of our decoding of Mel Robbins, things take a practical turn. But before we get to preoccupied with all that, why don't you pause, take a breath…
- Decoding the Gurus
Supplementary Material 54: Solarpunk Pecan Pie, Northern Irish Sushi, & the Discourse Meat Grinder
We return from our holidays with an indulgent episode that starts light and ends up very dark as we turn to the unavoidable Jason Arday discourse.The full…
- Decoding the Gurus
Mel Robbins, Part 1: The Hard Science of Manifestation
Are you tired, stuck, or inconveniently constrained by reality? Good news: you may simply be imagining the wrong one.In Part One of our decoding of Mel…
- Decoding the Gurus
Jimmy Carr & Joe Rogan: The Jester & the Khan
Joe Rogan, the Great Khan of podcasting, is once again receiving a travelling jester at court. This time it is Jimmy Carr who arrives bearing gifts: pop…
- Decoding the Gurus
Lab Leak Groundhog Day: COVID Origins in 2026 with Worobey, Andersen, and Holmes
With the Trump administration’s newest political persecution of Anthony Fauci and three years after our first lab-leak special, now seemed like a useful time…
- Decoding the Gurus
Supplementary Material 53: Matthew the Succulent, Bin-faced Politicians, and Very Very Tired Economists
We endure the ravages of time to deliver you this exhausted Supplementary Material. Bowed but never broken, the decoders persist.The full episode is available…
- Decoding the Gurus
Supplementary Material 52: Under-Optimized Academics, Tired Economists, and Bailiwick Clarifications
Two absolutely shattered academic heroes heroically drag themselves through yet another supplementary episode to bring you the important guru news in between…
- Decoding the Gurus
Decoding Academia 36: Revenge of the Chimpanzees *Patreon Series*
In this Decoding Academia episode, we venture into comparative psychology, focusing on a fascinating line of work by Fumihiro Kano and colleagues on social…
- Decoding the Gurus
Professor Jiang, Part 2: Cosmic Jiang's Jenga Tower of Bullshit
We return for Part 2 of our coverage of “Professor” Jiang, the internet’s favourite new geopolitical prophet, secondary-school sage, and proud owner of an…
- Decoding the Gurus
Professor Jiang, Part 1: Geopolitical Pantomime
On Decoding the Gurus, we regularly get to hear a lot of truly “high-level” ideas, but the much-requested subject of this episode’s decoding is up there with…
- Decoding the Gurus
Supplementary Material 51: Parasitic Palate Cleansers, Selective Understanding, and the "Context"
We exercise good faith and grapple with the ever-versatile context window in this unintentionally thematic episode.Supplementary Material 51 The full episode…
- Decoding the Gurus
Gurometer: Iain McGilchrist *Patreon Preview*
In this Gurometer edition, Matt and Chris feed Iain McGilchrist into the sacred instrument to see where exactly refined country-parish-minister vibes land when…
- Decoding the Gurus
Supplementary Material 50: The String Theory Mafia, Shameless Propagandists, and The Topography of Semantic Space
We become highly effective at exploiting the gap between salience and relevance as we universalise semiotic capability and listen to more brave renegades…
- Decoding the Gurus
L. Ron Hubbard: Sleeping with Bandits, Hunting with Pygmies And So On
The Decoders wrap up cult season by dissecting a titan of the cult scene, the founder of Scientology, Lafayette Ronald Hubbard or L. Ron for short. A prolific…
- Decoding the Gurus
Supplementary Material 49: Calibrated Podcast Expectations, The Great Consciousness Debate of 2026, and Russell Brand is a Bad Guy
Matthew Browne, a high-profile advocate for pan-psychism, compels his reluctant co-host to endure a public struggle session on the topic of consciousness…
- Decoding the Gurus
Iain McGilchrist, Part 2: Hemispheres, Culture, and Cosmic Consciousness
In this episode, we return to Iain McGilchrist as he spirals upwards from his binary hemispheric model into full cosmic spirituality. The rule is simple…
- Decoding the Gurus
Supplementary Material 48: Grey Beard's Council, Late-Stage Anti-Capitalism, and Demonic Mould Health Updates
The hour grows late, and Matt the Grey-Haired rides once more from his quiet study, summoned by whispers from the ever-churning gurusphere. And so he goes, to…
- Decoding the Gurus
Iain McGilchrist, Part 1: Right-Brain Thinking
In this episode, we take a journey into the mind, traversing both the left and right hemispheres, but mostly the left, as we engage with the truly mind-bending…
- Decoding the Gurus
Mentalism and Meta-Deception with Stevie Baskin
On this episode, we’re joined by Stevie Baskin, a skeptic and YouTuber who released a five-hour detailed critique of the “meta-deception” of Oz Pearlman. He…
- Decoding the Gurus
Supplementary Material 47: The DTG Conspiracy UNMASKED, Quantum Idiots, and Triggernometry Prophecies
Our cover is blown. Our secret funders unmasked. Code Red: Abort! Abort! This is not a drill.Supplementary Material 47: The DTG Conspiracy UNMASKED, Quantum…
- Decoding the Gurus
The Moral Dilemmas of AI with Michael Inzlicht
Mickey is BACK with two new papers he has co-authored, a bunch of opinions, and a very unwelcome idea: maybe the problem with AI isn't that it doesn't work but…
- Decoding the Gurus
Ken Wilber: Spiralling Upwards through a Technicolor Cosmos
Ken Wilber, the grand architect of Integral Theory, enters the Decoding chamber (wearing a striking but slightly unconvincing wig) as we explore a worldview…
- Decoding the Gurus
Gurometer: Teal Swan and Scott Galloway
In this Gurometer double bill, Matt and Chris break out the much-sought-after Gurometer™ to score Teal Swan and Scott Galloway across the 11 recurring guru…
- Decoding the Gurus
Supplementary Material 46: Epstein Did Microtransactions, Grok Did Nothing Wrong, and Murder is Bad
In our never-ending quest to alienate all potential online audiences, we finger-wag about rampant Epstein conspiracism and explain why we are, on balance…
- Decoding the Gurus
Blindboy, Part 2: Where Have All the Good Men Gone?
In Part 2, Matt and Chris return to Blindboy, now broadcasting from a solar-powered podcast and therefore morally unimpeachable. The darkness, however…
- Decoding the Gurus
Blindboy, Part 1: Unmasking the Evil Elite Cabal
In this episode, Matt and Chris turn their attention to Blindboy Boatclub, the Irish podcaster, satirist, and former member of the Rubberbandits. Blindboy is…
- Decoding the Gurus
Decoding Academia: Moral Entrepreneurs, Measurement Issues, & Screentime with Andrew Przybylski (Patreon Preview)
Another episode where the guest is not a sense-making prophet or a galaxy-brained guru, as we engage in academic dialogos with Oxford psychologist Andrew…
- Decoding the Gurus
Supplementary Material 45: Mick Drops, The Weinstein Conspiracy Hour, and Lessons from History
We return to some old friends, and almost immediately, we regret the decision. Also, get ready for some heady insights from history, a new conspiracy…
- Decoding the Gurus
Decoding Academia 35: When Prophecy Fails Debunked? (Patreon Series)
Ever heard of cognitive dissonance? That thing a psychology lecturer might have explained to you once upon a time, likely using the same UFO cult example…
- Decoding the Gurus
Teal Swan: All Hail Source
Cult Season rumbles on as Chris and Matt expand their minds in an attempt to absorb the cosmic insights of spiritual influencer and alleged cult leader Teal…
- Decoding the Gurus
Decoding Academia 34: Empathetic AIs? (Patreon Series)
In this Decoding Academia episode, we take a look at a 2025 paper by Daria Ovsyannikova, Victoria Olden, and Mickey Inzlicht, asking a question that might make…
- Decoding the Gurus
The Rise of the Science Populists with Sam Gregson and Tim Henke
In this interview episode, we are joined by physicists Sam Gregson (Bad Boy of Science YouTube channel) and Tim Henke to examine the rise of science populism…
- Decoding the Gurus
Supplementary Material 44: Peasant Archmages, Moral Panics, and LOTR Parenting Tips
We descend once more into the Gurusphere, encountering secret peasant archmages, decline narratives, Epstein emails, and endless moral panics.The full episode…
- Decoding the Gurus
Open Science, Psychology, and the Art of Not Quite Claiming Causality with Julia Rohrer
In a rare departure from our usual diet of online weirdos, this episode features an academic who is very much not a guru. We’re joined by Julia Rohrer, a…
- Decoding the Gurus
Supplementary Material 43: Red-Blooded Americans, Real Life Alan Partridge, and Rationalist Eulogies
We crawl around the dark crevices of the internet so you don't have to. And what wonders we have to show you...The full episode is available to Patreon…
- Decoding the Gurus
Scott Galloway, Part 2: Peak Masculinity
We return for Part 2 of our Scott Galloway deep dive, where the vibes remain strong, the confidence unwavering, and the relationship with empirical evidence…
- Decoding the Gurus
Supplementary Material 42: Chimpanzee Testicles, Home Alone Statistics, and Influencer Research
We dig deep into the online world to DO OUR OWN RESEARCH and return with horrors never dreamt of by man.The full episode is available to Patreon subscribers (1…
- Decoding the Gurus
Scott Galloway, Part 1: On Men
We return to the podcast circuit in 2026 to examine Scott Galloway: NYU professor, prolific podcaster, and, more recently, part-time life coach for struggling…
- Decoding the Gurus
The Replication Crisis Christmas Quiz w/ Mickey Inzlicht & Dave Pizarro
In this festive descent into methodological despair, Chris and Matt convene a secret cabal of elite psychology podcasters within the Decoding Cloister…
- Decoding the Gurus
DTG Christmas Quiz 2025 with Helen Lewis
In this special Christmas episode, Helen’s annual Guru Quiz returns, lightly dusted with Trump, podcast tours, and the unsettling realisation that the…
- Decoding the Gurus
Supplementary Material 41: Ironic Nazis, Blustering Tories, and Ol' Squeaky's Lament
In this tragic episode, we pay tribute to a fallen comrade and honour his memory with a discussion of a melange of truly terrible people, some of whom are much…
- Decoding the Gurus
Gurometer: Stefan Molyneux *Patreon Preview*
In this unlocked bonus episode, Chris and Matt complete their forensic/esoteric/scientific assessment of the charming Stefan Molyneux, consigning him (sadly)…
- Decoding the Gurus
Stefan Molyneux, Part 2: Back in the Moly Hole
Cult Season continues, and much like Stefan himself, you may have hoped this would go away after Part 1. Unfortunately, like all persistent internet hauntings…
- Decoding the Gurus
Supplementary Material 40: YouTube Builders, the Discourse Grind, and Sam Harris' Dinner Parties
We set down the Chardonnay at the latest heterodox dinner party and lean in for some hearty ‘civil discourse’ to once again defend the trembling pillars of…
- Decoding the Gurus
Stefan Molyneux, Part 1: A fun guy, who is here to help...
Welcome back to Cult Season, where we continue our sincere attempt to make you feel a little bit worse about the world and everything in it.This week, we turn…
- Decoding the Gurus
Autism, Microbiomes, & Mice Burying Marbles with Kevin Mitchell
This week, we are joined by Kevin Mitchell, Associate Professor of Genetics and Neuroscience at Trinity College Dublin, who has committed the unforgivable sin…
- Decoding the Gurus
Right to Reply: A Dialogos about Sensemaking with Alexander Beiner
We are joined by Alexander Beiner, current founder of Kainos and former co-founder of Rebel Wisdom, to grapple with that eternally slippery concept…
- Decoding the Gurus
Supplementary Material 39: Bad Guys, Panpsychists, and Sensemakers
Chris and Matt walk into a bar with an atheist sensemaker, an Ayurvedic Guru, and a Christian Apologist, and predictable frivolities ensue. Featuring not one…
- Decoding the Gurus
Required Readings: The Genius Myth by Helen Lewis
In another exciting Required Reading episode, Chris and Matt offer their penetrating, high IQ thoughts on the latest book by journalist and podcast quizmaster…
- Decoding the Gurus
Discussing Nazis and Gurus with Al Murray
We welcome Al Murray, the comedian who might just be your new favourite historian, to Decoding the Gurus. In a crossover you probably didn’t expect, we discuss…
- Decoding the Gurus
Keith Raniere: The Serpent and the Cognitive Fog
Kicking off cult season, Chris and Matt take a dip into the manipulative world of NXIVM founder and self-proclaimed 200-IQ “Vanguard,” Keith Raniere, as he…
- Decoding the Gurus
Lab Leak Fever with Philipp Markolin
Join Matt and Chris as they dive into the controversy-ridden world of the lab leak theory, accompanied by biochemist-turned-author Philipp Markolin. Philipp…
- Decoding the Gurus
Supplementary Material 38: Toxic Mould Symbiosis, Mild Phrenology, and the Best People in the World
We end the futile struggle, embrace the toxins, and become one with our mould brethren.The full episode is available to Patreon subscribers (2 hours, 38…
- Decoding the Gurus
A Sense-Making Odyssey, Part 2: Jordan Peterson, John Vervaeke & Jordan Hall
Matt and Chris once again take up their oars and plunge deeper into the recursive whirlpools of contemporary sensemaking. Picking up where Part 1 left off…