In this exhausting deep dive, Matt and Chris take a break from counting their billionaire stipends to devote (what some might call) an inordinate amount of time to Gary Stevenson’s recent appearance with a challenging interviewer: Tomás from Despolariza. They grapple with the indeterminacy of Schrödinger’s Gary, who oscillates between being an economic and mathematical genius revealing what THEY don’t want you to know on YouTube, and a pragmatic but selfless political activist who oversimplifies complex problems and sacrifices nuance (and himself) in the name of urgent reform.

Despite insisting that he hates fame and has no desire to promote his best-selling book or be a popular YouTuber, Gary takes the time to remind us all of how often he’s recognised on the street and precisely how many millions of views his channel racks up each month. These are depressingly familiar guru tropes, as are his sweeping claims that you can’t trust politicians, economists, academics, journalists, the media, his old colleagues… or even graphs.

Gary’s core message that growing inequality is economically and politically unsustainable is an important one. And his ability to communicate the stakes of that problem to a large audience could be beneficial. So the criticism lies not with his stated goals but with the guru-tastic packaging and unwillingness to deal with complexity.

Luckily, there is a solution... Gary. Only he and his YouTube channel can save your grandchildren from abject poverty and Nigel Farage. And if you doubt him, just look at how many millions he made for himself and the bank with his uncanny predictions… or those monthly viewer stats. Oh, and did we mention he has an elite education from LSE?

Links

• #89 GARY STEVENSON - Economics, Trading, Inequality, Wealth, Populism, Tax, Depolarize.
• Zucman, G. (2015). The hidden wealth of nations: The scourge of tax havens. In The hidden wealth of nations. University of Chicago Press.
• Francis-Devine, B. (2025). Income inequality in the UK. House of Commons Library.
• Francis-Devine, B. (2025). Wealth in Great Britain. House of Commons Library.

In this mini-decoding, Matt and Chris examine Sabine Hossenfelder's recent fervent defence of Eric Weinstein and her sharp rebuke of his critics, including Sean Carroll. Sabine suggests that Eric poses a genuine threat to the physics establishment and that he is terrifying them by exposing their weak points. Moreover, according to Sabine, Geometric Unity, Eric's homegrown Theory of Everything, is on par with String Theory, if not better, since it wastes less money! This episode takes a critical look at those claims and Sabine's own heated rhetoric and performative outrage, examining how her defence of Eric aligns with a broader online anti-science contrarian ecosystem.

So join us as we ponder whether Sabine is a brave, truth-telling rebel challenging a stagnant scientific orthodoxy and defending an honest man who is under attack for simply daring to question the powers that be... or whether she is just another contrarian YouTuber pandering to anti-science sentiment, defending fellow influencers, and playing the game of algorithm-driven clickbait outrage.

Links

- Sabine Hossenfelder: Physicists are afraid of Eric Weinstein -- and they should be

- Sabine Hossenfelder: Do we need a Theory of Everything?

- Decoding the Gurus: Sabine Hossenfelder: Science is a Liar ... Sometimes

- Professor Dave Explains: Sabine Hossenfelder Joins the Eric Weinstein Damage Control Parade

- Sabine cheers on Bryan Johnson on Twitter

- Tim Nguyen discusses Sabine's response on Twitter

- Dr. Brian Keating: What Is A Theory of Everything? Featuring Sabine Hossenfelder, Lee Smolin, & Eric Weinstein

In this packed supplementary episode, we tackle all of the urgent global issues, ranging from Epstein file conspiracies to Matt’s immense love of a fantasy game where dwarves punch ducks for fun. Along the way, we’re joined by a stellar cast of commentators, including some old favourites. Strap in… it’s a long one.

Supplementary Material 33

00:00 Introductory Banter: Old Squeaky and Matt's Wall

04:40 Mecha Hitler's rampage

07:46 Grok's Controversial Behavior

11:12 Linda Yaccarino's grinning departure from X

13:05 Elmo's anti-semitic conspiracy tirade

14:11 Connor McGregor taints the timeline

15:03 Eric joins Diary of a CEO to give some advice

23:07 The Weinstein enigma

28:11 Eric Weinstein on Jeffrey Epstein

33:02 Eric vs. Mick West Round 2

35:15 Plastic Bag Wearing Philosophers, Pornographic AI Companions, and Neo-Liberalism

41:45 Weinstein vs Sean Carrol: Further Developments

43:57 Professor Dave's New Video on Eric with Christian Ferko

50:44 A Physicist's view of Geometric Unity

54:06 Debating Prof. Dave on Eric's Motivations

59:04 Peter Thiel and Ross Douhat on the Antichrist

01:08:31 Professor Dave Summarises Eric

01:20:49 Mockery and Different Styles of Criticism

01:25:18 Jeffrey Epstein Scandal Introduction

01:28:09 Trump's Response and Conspiracy Theories

01:31:18 Andrew Schulz' Cognitive Dissonance

01:38:32 Trump's Deep State Assassination Attempt

01:40:01 Megyn Kelly has another explanation

01:46:15 The Court Intrigues of MAGA

01:50:02 The Epstein Online Economy

01:57:54 Tim Pool's spin: It's the Democrats!

02:00:26 Destiny and Contrapoints get Conspiracy Theories

02:01:53 The Weinstein takes on Epstein: Welcome to the Infinite Truman Show

02:03:33 Scott Adams' Take: A Commander In Chief Issue

02:04:42 Epstein: The Foreign Agent?

02:07:20 Coffeezilla's Anomaly Hunting

02:11:47 Destiny Reacting to Coffeezilla and the Fluidity of Conspiracies

02:18:06 Doing Your Own Research on the Acosta Quote

02:20:29 Epstein Takes From QAnon Anonymous to Red Scare

02:25:18 Critical Evaluation of Claims: Consulting Reports on Epstein's Suicide

02:35:55 Hasan demonstrates responsible Conspiracy Hypothesising

02:39:34 New Conspiracy Lore

02:42:19 Tribal Matters

02:43:31 Matt's Gaming Grotto: Baldurs Gates, Dwarf Fortresses, and Rogue Traders

02:53:40 Matt's Sick Mind

02:54:57 Outro

The full episode is available for Patreon subscribers (2hrs 57 mins).

Join us at: https://www.patreon.com/DecodingTheGurus

Sources

• Jeremy Howard’s Tweet
• Mecha Hitler Twitter (The Guardian)
• Elmo Hacked (The Guardian)
• Conor McGregor Shares Unsolicited Pics (Daily Mail)
• Stephen Bartlett Reprimanded by ASA (Marketing Week)
• Eric Being Mysterious with Mick West (Twitter)

In this episode of "Decoding Academia: Required Readings", Chris and Matt take a joint stroll through the history of Buddhism through Donald S. Lopez Jr.'s latest book, 'Buddhism: A Journey Through History.' We discuss the unexpected historical and cultural facets of Buddhism, how modern interpretations can often romanticise ancient practices, and whether Matt's mind has been blown. We also consider important issues like the Buddha's retractable penis, incredibly long tongue, and just how strongly we should condemn monks scribbling pictures of their would-be brides. So join us in the cycle of samsara as we strive to earn some merit and at least crawl a little closer to enlightenment.

Book Reviewed

• Lopez, D. S. (2025). Buddhism: A Journey through History. Yale University Press.

Required Readings - Buddhism A Journey Through History

00:00 Introduction to Decoding Academia

01:51 Current Book Selection: Buddhism a Journey Through History

02:56 Initial Impressions and Apologies

06:00 Buddhism's Complexities and Contradictions

07:59 Western Perceptions vs. Historical Realities

11:27 The Historical Buddha?

17:09 Buddhist Approaches to Texts

22:09 Comparisons with Other Religions

26:38 Orthopraxic Buddhism

29:53 Petty Buddhism

34:20 Matt's Religion Hot Take

37:17 Ashoka: The Buddhist King?

39:02 Buddhism's Syncretic Nature

39:35 The Syncretic Approach

42:49 Anti-Colonial Buddhism

43:44 Buddhist Modernism and Science

46:58 The Buddhist Canon

51:26 Matt's History Thoughts

53:06 Buddhism's Cultural and Social Role

55:55 Gods and Supernatural Beings

56:48 The Attitude towards Women

59:36 The Value of Buddhism

01:03:35 Religions as Cultural Technologies with Social Functions

01:05:54 Monastic Issues

01:12:51 Religious Motivations

01:14:38 Outro

The full episode is available for Patreon subscribers (1hr 17 mins).

Join us at: https://www.patreon.com/DecodingTheGurus

In this academic-themed interview episode of Decoding the Gurus, Matt and Chris sit down to chat with Dorsa Amir and Chaz Firestone (@chazfirestone) about their recent paper 'Is Visual Perception WEIRD? The Müller-Lyer Illusion and the Cultural Byproduct Hypothesis.'

In a conversation that serves as a welcome tonic to the endless lamentations of the gurus about academic groupthink and closed-minded silos, Dorsa and Chaz discuss the interdisciplinary nature of their work, debates around universal vs. culturally specific psychology, and the strength of evidence that visual perception varies between cultures.

We also learn about the dangers of being STUPID: Studying Topics Uninformed by Prior Investigations in the Discipline, and attempt to uncover just how much Chaz enjoys popping balloons.

A fun one that might even leave you a little bit more optimistic than usual!

Links

• Amir, D., & Firestone, C. (2025). Is visual perception WEIRD? The Müller-Lyer illusion and the cultural byproduct hypothesis. Psychological Review.
• Dorsa's Homepage and Mind and Culture Lab.
• Chaz's Perception & Mind Lab Homepage, his instagram, and his BJJ victory video.
• Decoding Academia 33: The Great Müller-Lyer Debate from Fish Tanks to Eye Operations
• Mickey Inzlicht's Substack on the Paper and the Debates around it.
• Henrich, J., Heine, S. J., & Norenzayan, A. (2010). The weirdest people in the world?. Behavioral and brain sciences, 33(2-3), 61-83.
• Lucca, K., Yuen, F., Wang, Y., Alessandroni, N., Allison, O., Alvarez, M., ... & Hamlin, J. K. (2025). Infants’ Social Evaluation of Helpers and Hinderers: A Large‐Scale, Multi‐Lab, Coordinated Replication Study. Developmental Science, 28(1), e13581.

We wallow in the mud with some of the worst gurus of the gurusphere. Join us and lament the guru paradise that we all live in.

Supplementary Material 32

00:00 Introduction and Banter

01:22 Old Squeaky and Daily Life

03:53 Matthew McConaughey Episode Recap

08:13 The Liver King Controversy

16:14 Nazi Propaganda on YouTube

21:11 Historical Revisionism: Darryl Cooper and David Irving

27:46 Huberman's very public hardcore research

32:25 Huberman sells out

34:32 Chris Langan: The Bottom (Racist) Tier of Gurudom

36:03 Langan on Weinstein

42:21 Langan's grievances against Elon Musk and Jordan Peterson

49:47 Matt Goodwin visits London

55:59 Gary Stevenson hates Graphs and Data

01:10:33 Gary compares himself to Russell Brand

01:15:12 THEY won't let you talk about the economy

01:17:22 Matt invokes Goodwin's Law

01:25:08 The All In Podcast Besties launch a Tequila Brand

01:28:32 Matt's Modest Utopian Plan

01:31:12 Lab Leak Discourse continues at the Guardian

01:35:55 Matt attacks the Mainstream Media

01:39:11 Dugin's Forum of the Future 2050 and the Guru Horseshoe

01:45:57 Extended Outro

The full episode is available for Patreon subscribers (1hr 50 mins).

Join us at: https://www.patreon.com/DecodingTheGurus

Sources

• 2Lazy2Try: The Liver King Gets Arrested For Trying To Hunt Down Joe Rogan
• Rob Mohr tweets out an iconic photo of Huberman
• Scott Carney: Documenting Andrew Huberman's Lies
• Chris Langan's thoughts on Eric Weinstein
• Chris Langan's thoughts on Elon Musk & Jordan Peterson
• Matt Goodwin's visit to London
• Despolarisa: #89 GARY STEVENSON - Economics, Trading, Inequality, Wealth, Populism, Tax, Depolarize
• The All-In Podcast guys being bastards
• Tsargard Institute: The Forum for the Future 2050

In this episode, Matt and Chris try to get from where they are to where they want to be, accepting their hidden strengths and dismantling their egos as they immerse themselves fully in the wild world of Matthew McConaughey's burgeoning self-help empire. Join them as they uncover the true Art of Livin’ and learn how it is that an Academy Award-winning Hollywood star finds himself sharing life advice alongside the likes of Tony Robbins and Dean Graziosi.

With bongos, heartfelt confessions, and a sales pitch that'll make your wallet quiver, we break down the one-and-only event where journaling and wet dreams are your ticket to self-actualisation. Brace yourself for some heavy-duty motivational speeches, meaningful shared stories, and just a pinch of canned audience responses, as we ride shotgun on this once-in-a-lifetime self-help seminar.

And how much will all this cost you? You ask? It should be $3000, but for today only, we give it all for free.

Links

• McConaughey's segment from the The Art of Livin' Event
• KeyasWorld: Matthew McConaughey's self-help event WAS INSANE
• KeyasWorld: Is Matthew McConaughey Starting a Cult?
• Rolling Stone: Matthew McConaughey Will Dispense ‘Lyrics of Livin’ in New Weekly Newsletter
• The Monastery in the Desert
• Mikhaila Peterson: #32 Matthew McConaughey
• Lex Fridman: Matthew McConaughey: Freedom, Truth, Family, Hardship, and Love | Lex Fridman Podcast #384

Welcome to another enlightening episode of Decoding Academia. In this bonus preview of our highly secretive Patreon content, we are discussing a controversial paper by Dorsa Amir and Chaz Firestone that challenges the established notion of the Müller-Lyer illusion being a product of cultural environments.

Prepare yourself for some high-level discussions of the visual processes of guppy fish and bearded lizards, as well as the remarkable lengths that psychologists will go to in order to get people to complete their tests. Will our seasoned scholars unravel the illusion, or is this debate another eye-catching mirage?

Sources

• (forthcoming) Amir, D., & Firestone, C. Is visual perception WEIRD? The Müller-Lyer illusion and the Cultural Byproduct Hypothesis. Psychological Review.
• Dorsa's summary thread on the paper
• Joe Henrich's critical thread on the paper
• Chaz's response to the Joe Henrich thread
• Paul Bloom's Substack articles on Nature vs. Nurture debates and clever experiments