Today we discuss “gender affirming surgeries”, AI and the future of cognition, and wild foxes. Kaiser Permanente is pausing surgery on trans-presenting children—we discuss sex and gender, meaning and identity, delusion and madness. Then: unlike the physical multiverse, mental multiverses are common, and becoming more so, as AI makes it ever more difficult to know what is true. We discuss grief, and how our worlds must fork when we think, but do not know, that someone has died. Similarly, when events are unclear—who was responsible for the death of President Kennedy in 1963? Are aliens visiting Earth—we must keep multiple mental universes alive in our heads at once. Correctives to this include meeting people in person, and embracing belief systems that have timeless value. Finally: more wild foxes, this time trying to eat a raccoon carcass. Included: discussion of the evolution of territoriality, parental care, and animal behavior more generally.

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Join us on Locals! Get access to our Discord server, exclusive live streams, live chats for all streams, and early access to many podcasts: https://darkhorse.locals.com

Heather’s newsletter, Natural Selections (subscribe to get free weekly essays in your inbox): https://naturalselections.substack.com

Our book, A Hunter-Gatherer’s Guide to the 21st Century, is available everywhere books are sold, including from Amazon: https://amzn.to/3AGANGg (commission earned)

Check out our store! Epic tabby, digital book burning, saddle up the dire wolves, and more: https://darkhorsestore.org

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Mentioned in this episode:

Kaiser Permanente pauses “gender-affirming surgery” for minors: https://x.com/BillboardChris/status/1948119275094552610

Do not affirm, do not comply: https://darkhorsestore.org/products/do-not-affirm-do-not-comply-t-shirt-unisex

From Myths to the Multiverse: How Knowledge Evolves w/ Bret Weinstein & Brett Hall: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kp8DevWKCic

Malaysia Airlines 370: https://www.nbcnews.com/news/world/search-missing-malaysia-airlines-flight-suspended-end-year-rcna199653

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Today we discuss organ donation, and parenting in the animal world. Organ donation: how can we modify incentives so that people who need organs have a good chance of getting them, but people with healthy organs are never sent to an early death because their organs are valuable? Then: a natural history primer on parental care and feeding ecology of some local mammals and birds. What can be learned from observing the successful parenting of both barn swallows and red foxes?

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Jolie: Beautiful showerheads that filter out the garbage without reducing water pressure. Go to http://jolieskinco.com/DarkHorse to get free shipping; free returns within 60 days.

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ARMRA Colostrum is an ancient bioactive whole food that can strengthen your immune system. Go to http://www.tryarmra.com/DARKHORSE to get 15% off your first order.

*****

Join us on Locals! Get access to our Discord server, exclusive live streams, live chats for all streams, and early access to many podcasts: https://darkhorse.locals.com

Heather’s newsletter, Natural Selections (subscribe to get free weekly essays in your inbox): https://naturalselections.substack.com

Our book, A Hunter-Gatherer’s Guide to the 21st Century, is available everywhere books are sold, including from Amazon: https://amzn.to/3AGANGg (commission earned)

Check out our store! Epic tabby, digital book burning, saddle up the dire wolves, and more: https://darkhorsestore.org

Thumbnail Solskin/DigitalVision via Getty Images

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Mentioned in this episode:

NYT 2025: Push for more organ transplants puts donors at risk: https://www.nytimes.com/2025/07/20/us/organ-transplants-donors-alive.html

NYT 2003: Bret letter to the editor on organ donation and incentives: https://www.nytimes.com/2003/11/18/opinion/he-gave-of-himself-so-that-i-could-live-3-letters.html

Monty Python’s The Meaning of Life on organ transplants: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Sp-pU8TFsg0

Cornell on barn swallows: https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Barn_Swallow/overview

Avian Architecture: https://amzn.to/4f4Hxh5 (commission earned)

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Bret Weinstein speaks with Dr. Jonny Hudson and Dr. Michael S. Bryant on the subject of Nazi doctors.

Dr. Jonny Hudson has a PhD in Holocaust and Genocide Studies and Dr. Michael S. Bryant has a PhD in Modern European History and is a Professor of History and Legal Studies at Bryant University. He is also the author of “Confronting the ‘Good Death’: Nazi Euthanasia on Trial, 1945-53” and Nazi "Crimes and their Punishment."

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Sponsors:

Fresh Pressed Olive Oil Club: Scrumptious & freshly harvested. Go to http://www.GetFreshDarkHorse.com to get a bottle of the best olive oil you’ve ever had for $1 shipping.

VanMan: Tallow and honey balm, deodorant, and many other amazing animal based personal care products. Go to http://www.vanmanscompany.com/darkhorse and use code darkhorse10 for 10% off your first order.

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Join DarkHorse on Locals! Get access to our Discord server, exclusive live streams, live chats for all streams, and early access to many podcasts: https://darkhorse.locals.com

Check out the DHP store! Epic tabby, digital book burning, saddle up the dire wolves, and more: https://www.darkhorsestore.org

Support the show