The Paranoid Strain

And so we move on to the fourth installment of our Secret Societies series, where we get to the heart of the historical story of the rise and fall of the Knights Templar. Thrill to tales of papal interrogation! Hiss at the dastardly Prince Philip IV, and his sinister plans for the holy knights! Unearth the whispered rumors of the Knights' strange initiation rituals! Be slightly confused by a quick digression to 21st Century Oklahoma! I tells ya, this episode has it all. Enjoy, and as always, check out our sister shows on That's Not Canon.The Templars by Dan JonesThe Templars by Michael HaagAll music copyright 2021 The Paranoid Strain Orchestra Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Day late, but definitely no dollars short, we bring you the beginning of our in-depth analyses of historical secret societies with one of the most interesting and legendary of them all--the Knights Templar. Before we fill you in on these guys, though, we also provide a capsule biography of the conflict that brought them into existence, the Crusades. Oh, and we also used the term "weltanschauung" in this episode when we meant to say "zeitgeist", but live by the unnecessary German expression, die by the unnecessary German expression, as they say. See you in two weeks with a continuation of the Templar saga. And check out our sister show Books Boys, while you're at it.The Templars by Dan JonesThe Templars by Michael HaagAll music copyright 2021 The Paranoid Strain Orchestra Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

When the new episode train starts runnin', you know you best get out of the way. And so we barrel down the tracks to episode 2, which is still technically part of the introduction to this monster of a topic, if you can believe it. Here, we cover a bit more of the Eleusinian mysteries, some additional weirdness involving Pythagoras, the ideas behind hermeticism, and of course the mysteries of Solomon's Temple. We learn some more about how ancient secret societies may have influenced, and been influenced by, Christianity, and how this intermingling of ideas would impact future secret societies. Plus, we've got some dumbfucks saying dumbfuck things about all of the above. Enjoy, and we'll see you in another couple of weeks. Oh--and please do check out our sister show, Bros and Brews, whose promo is at the end of this episode.Great Courses: The Real History of Secret Societies, By Richard D. SpenceHistorical Introduction to the New Testament and Lost Christianities by Bart D. EhrmanAll music copyright 2021 The Paranoid Strain Orchestra Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Holy shit, we're BACK, BAYBEE! This is the first of a projected we-have-no-real-idea-how-many shows we're doing on Secret Societies. All we do know is that from now until we wrap up the Illuminati, it's all new content for a long while. Thanks for sticking with us during our production hiatus. We couldn't be more excited to share what we've learned about all of the various real and imaginary groups that conspiracy theorists think are behind everything that happens in the world. In standard Paranoid Strain fashion, though, we've got some table setting to do, and so in this episode we do that, along with defining secret societies, going as far back into history as records allow to discuss the very earliest of these groups that we can speculate about, and introduce our guide through this series, Dr. Richard Spence. We hope you love exploring this stuff as much as we have.Great Courses: The Real History of Secret Societies, By Richard D. SpenceCults, Conspiracies, and Secret Societies, by Arthur GoldwagAll Music Copyright 2021 The Paranoid Strain Orchestra Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

And now, the end is near, and Episode 17, Reality Show 1's archive presentation faces...the final curtain. The important thing to know is that this part, part seven--the final part...it did it seven's way. This is, indeed, the final part of our archive shows for now, and it deals with one incredibly silly book, which we enjoyed beating up once, and will probably have the opportunity to take some shots at again in the future. That finality also means that this is the last week of old content before the new shows hit your feed. Secret Societies part one is seven days away, and we can't wait to share it with you. Also, please do check out the very clever show Therapy for Monsters, on the That's Not Canon network, where each episode, one monster, villain, or other gets on the couch and tries to figure out where it all went wrong, safely in the care of a concerned clinician. It's a super-clever concept, and we think you should take a gander. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Coming into the home stretch, it's part six and seven neck and neck. Seven surges ahead but NO! LOOK AT THAT! Six has come up behind and wins by a nose! And that's the story of how part six of our originally much larger Reality Show part 1 burst into your feed. Better luck next time, seven! This time, we cover some completely nonsensical conjectures about reality, like The Mandela Effect and the Time Cube, explore some real bummer philosophy about the evolution of consciousness, and talk somewhat about that one really good True Detective season. Enjoy. Our podcast plug this week is for Oof, Right in the Childhood!, on the That's Not Canon network. The show, week by week, tackles every single Disney animated film from a historical, narrative, and sociological context. And it's got purty pictures. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Number Five...IS ALIVE! That joke meant nothing to the vast majority of you, but for a few middle-aged listeners, it brought the kind of smile that only a Fisher Stevens in brownface can induce. This piece of our shattered Reality Part 1 episode deals with more sciencey stuff, addressing the longstanding issue of why, exactly, there is anything at all, much less the grandeur of the universe we see. Could it have been otherwise? Listen in and find out (spoiler--we still don't know). Plus, we make fun of that dickhead Deepak Chopra. Fun for all. And check out our fellow TNC show Mistholme Museum of Mystery Morbidity and Mortality. It's one of the best fiction shows we've encountered, and its third season has just gotten started. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Part 4 has nestled safely into your podcast feed, just as your horoscope predicted. Today's segment of what was originally Episode 17, Reality Part 1 deals in a snack-sized way with how our most brilliant scientific minds have tried to poke, prod, and analyze reality using every tool at their disposal, only to find it continuing to wriggle away every time. But it turns out the real reality was the friends they made along the way. Our podcast partner in crime this week is Faunacation, a show about animals humping. But it's audio only, you sicko. It's a really cool show, so check it out. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Third time's the charm? Well, that's definitely the case here, as we settle into the third segment of our archive presentation of what was originally Episode 17, Reality Part 1. This segment features our full interview with Professor Martin Jay, a guy who has forgotten more about idealist philosophers than we will ever hope to learn. He offers some valuable insights on our topics, for which we are very grateful. Also, we throw in a little bit of Eastern philosophy stuff at the end. This week, we implore you to check out our sister show Nerds Amalgamated, which covers all kindsa stuff that geeky folks would like. Obviously, their show has the good taste to be a part of the That's Not Canon network. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The time has come for the second part of our Archive presentation of Episode 17. This segment of our Reality Part 1 Episode is mostly concerned with the ideas of philosophers who are thought of as idealists, rather than materialists. These folks include Plato, Hume, Berkeley, Kant, and others who think that the mind is the primary thing we need to think about when we're dealing with reality, since that's the only way that anything gets thought about in the first place. We hope you enjoy it. While you're listening to podcasts, have you checked out 20-minute history, also on the That's Not Canon network? This show does a bangup job giving you bite-sized biographies of important historical figures you don't know, and even some you think you know, but could know better. You know? Check it out here: 20 Minute History — That's Not Canon Productions. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

It's a new year! And it's time for new content! But not quite yet. We're working hard on the new Secret Societies series, but to keep your feed full in the meantime, We've broken one of our longest episodes up into digestible chunks, each with a new intro. This is the first part of our 2019 episode questioning the whole concept of reality. Enjoy. And while you're at it, please check out our sister show on the That's Not Canon network, the We Don't Talk About That podcast. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

I know. I know. I've got to be kidding with another goddamned Qanon episode. But I'm not, because they keep doing dumber and dumber shit. Unfortunately, as we saw on January 6th, that includes destruction, insurrection, murder, and mayhem. In this QUICK HIT, we fill you in on everything that happened with Q since the summer. Well, not everything, because this shit keeps happening on a daily basis. But this is all the Q we're doing for a while. After this, we're putting out a couple of months of archive episodes, and then it's full speed into secret societies. That stuff is gonna be great. Hope you enjoy this one. And thanks so much to listener and former Q devotee Ian Rose for granting us an illuminating interview. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The prophecy is fulfilled--the oracle's glass has shattered. The darkness emerges from its stygian pit and crawls across the desert floor. The Stupid slouches toward Bethlehem--to be REBORN.In other words, the Stupidland guys are back.I know. How did we get so lucky? Wait--that's not the word. Cursed. How did we get so cursed? Just lucky, I guess. Those of you who have joined us in recent years may not have been exposed to the beautifully produced, improvised nonsense that comes from the two men named Chad. But if this is your first exposure, at least it will be softened by the fact that the boys are talking about, between, and around the magnificent sounds of the Paranoid Strain Orchestra. If you enjoy this sample, please do visit them at their site, www.stupid.land for much, much more.Attributions: Free Music Archive: The Joy Drops - RollJordanRoll-stem-RhythmGtr-mandolinFree Music Archive: Lobo Loco - Woke up This Morning - Jazz Organ (ID 1293)Free Music Archive: Reeder - rigonfiamento del cuore (piano solo)All other music copyright 2017-2020, The Paranoid Strain Orchestra Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hi, everybody. This is our first show with our new hosting service, so hopefully you're receiving this the same way you did previously, and nothing wonky has happened with your feeds. If it has, all apologies. This, as promised, is the complete, full-length politics episode, with all six previous short episode stitched together into a giant Frankenstein's monster of an audio behemoth--three and a half hours of previously released glory. There are a few new things to enjoy here. For example, we did a little wrap-up and the full credits at the end. Then, after the theme song, we included full-length versions of all of the new music the Paranoid Strain orchestra created for this series. And finally, at the very, very end, we may have a little easter egg from Ms. Unicorn.We suppose we've got some new folks listening to us, thanks to our brand new podcast network. If another show in the That's Not Canon roster sent you our way, we're glad to have you. We'll be returning the favor by promoting some of our new favorites on future episodes.Finally, we may have been able to insert a couple of advertisements into the show, if we figured it out correctly. Hope they don't bother you, but we're happy to hear what you think about all of these changes going on with your favorite anti-conspiracy podcast. Drop us a line, won't you, at [email protected] Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

By the title of this super-short update, you can tell that we have decided to throw our lot in with the That's Not Canon podcast network out of Australia. What does this mean for you? Not a lot--except we're gonna mention some other shows you might like periodically, and there may be some short ads when you download the episodes. We're super-excited, and think this is a great way to introduce the show to lots of new people. We hope you agree. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Finally, we come to the end of our epic political conspiracy series, taking on the legacy of the happy conspiracist, Ronald Reagan. Not only is his name nearly synonymous with America in the '80s, but he's also the figure who, more than anything, overcame his conspiracist leanings to develop a persona and reputation that somehow ignores his longtime, deeply held paranoid fantasies of Commies and liberals destroying Americans' freedom with dastardly plans like Medicare. We've still got Rick Perlstein along for the ride, as well, discussing the subject of his most recent book, Reaganland. We hope you've enjoyed listening as much as we've enjoyed creating this series. We've got some more surprises to end out the year, as we gear up for next year's secret societies series. Until then, see you on the Facebook group, hope to hear from you at theparanoidstrain at gmail dot com, and tell a friend. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

VOTE VOTE VOTE VOTE VOTE VOTE VOTE VOTE VOTE VOTE VOTE We're back after only 1 week with some piping hot content for you to listen to in your interminable voter lines on this historic Tuesday. This one's a QUICK HIT about the conspiracies of the Trump era--and some of them weren't even promulgated by Trump! (Spoiler--almost all of them were, though). We'll be back in your ears in two weeks, but for right now, no special messages, except you should listen to the very end for a special voting day message from Daniel Arizona. Oh, there was one other thing...what was it? OH YEAH--FUCKING VOTE. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Must we already say goodbye to Nixon? Yes, alas. But we're sending him off with a barnburner of an episode. More Rick Perlstein! Less Barry Goldwater! More CREEP, Plumbers and infamous D.C. luxury hotels. Thanks as always for coming along for the journey. We'll be back in your ears sooner than you expect, with an extremely timely show. Thanks for listening, tell a friend, and feel free to drop us a line at theparanoidstrain at gmail dot come. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Finally, we've reached the moment we've all been waiting for. Well, the moment that I've been waiting for: The Nixon portion of the proceedings. Here is where we begin sharing in earnest our interview with Rick Perlstein, preeminent chronicler of the rise of the conservative movement in the mid-20th century. We talk about the conspiracist lunacy that underpinned Goldwater's '64 campaign, and how paranoia and suspicion fueled the rise of the Trickster. Next time, Watergate. Until then, join the Facebook group, email us at theparanoidstrain at gmail dot com, and spread the word. Notes: Rick Perlstein: Just buy all of his books, already. They're great. But especially buy Nixonland. Trust me. All music Copyright 2020, The Paranoid Strain Orchestra Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Back for round three, we're taking on three quick topics this time--the early nineteenth century's obsessions with the nefarious doings of the Masons, the mid-nineteenth century panic about Catholics overrunning our precious, lily-white Protestant republic, and the pre-WWII anti-semitic fervor that frankly couldn't have come at a worse time. It's a cavalcade of ridiculous historical paranoid nonsense to temporarily distract you from the contemporary, ridiculous paranoid nonsense that haunts your every waking moment. Email us at theparanoidstrain at gmail dot com, join the FB group, and keep spreading the word about us to your cleverest friends and neighbors. Notes: Bernard Bailin: The Ideological Origins of the American Revolution Thomas Konda: Conspiracies of Conspiracies David Brion Davis: Fear of Conspiracy All music Copyright 2020, The Paranoid Strain Orchestra Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

We're back again, with the next installment of our historical review of American political conspiracy theories. This time, unfortunately, we have to talk about the hideous history of conspiracy theories centered around slavery, and the ways that they impacted both slaveowning, and even abolitionist societies prior to the Civil War. This one is, of course, upsetting. But, we hope, also super interesting. And, as our nation strives to reckon with its unfortunately and intensely racist history, we think it's really important. We hope you agree. Email us at theparanoidstrain at gmail dot com, join the FB group, and please tell anyone you think might enjoy the show that...well, you enjoy the show. See you in a couple of weeks. Notes: Seen on Radio: Seeing White Kerry Walters: American Slave Revolts and Conspiracies Thomas Konda: Conspiracies of Conspiracies Jill Lepore: New York Burning All music Copyright 2020, The Paranoid Strain Orchestra Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Brand. Spanking. New. Content. Welcome back. This episode inaugurates a nice, long run of new stuff that should lead all the way up to the U.S. Presidential election, assuming we're still gonna go ahead and hold that thing. We figured that, for the back half of this historically weird year, it might be appropriate for us to focus on the fact that throughout our history, all the way back to the colonial period, Americans (especially white Americans) have been obsessed with conspiracies that they imagine one or another group to be scheming about in one or another smoke-filled back room. In this first part, we not only do our introductory skit thing, but go over a couple of important conspiracy phases of pre-America--Native American, and later the Salem Witch conspiracies. We hope you dig it. More to come in a couple of weeks. In the meantime, join our Facebook group, subscribe on Youtube, and drop us a line at theparanoidstrain at gmail. Bibliography: The United States of Paranoia, by Jesse Walker All music copyright 2020, The Paranoid Strain Orchestra Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

We're back, just a week(!) later, with the last third of the show's original, 2017 first episode. We could have cut it into two chunks of even length, but that would have split the interview in half, which seemed like a weird thing to do. So rather than give you a ten-minute episode this week, we've also tacked on a fascinating discussion with historian Rick Perlstein, the author of some of the best ever books about this history of the conservative movement. You'll be hearing from him for the rest of the year, especially when we talk about Nixon. Enjoy, and look for the first part of our brand new episode in a couple of weeks. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

PHASE TWO IS UPON US. Please do not panic. We're ready for this. As promised, we're starting our new, more frequent content feed with the first two-thirds of our very first episode. It includes high-falutin discussions of what, exactly, we mean by conspiracy theories, why people believe them, and what this whole show is supposed to be about. The last bit of this one comes out in a week or two, with some special bonus content. As always, thanks for listening, and let us know what you think of the updated format. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

As noted above, this isn't a real episode, but it is a real announcement. You're gonna start hearing this show every two weeks. Or sometimes, if we're feeling frisky, every week. But don't count on that second thing. Everything's gonna be shorter and punchier, but we'll still put out big long compilations of our topics. But why are we telling you this here? You can learn all about that in our seven minute mini-sode. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hey--remember, like, five or six months ago, when we told you the next episode would be a recap? And that we'd go over all the stuff that had happened to the topics in our old episodes since we created those episodes? And then it turned out we lied about that, twice, because COVID conspiracies were just too transcendently weird and timely to pass up? Well, it's finally time to put out that long-delayed, much promised show from late last year, with a few timely updates for stuff that's happened in the intervening months. Hope you enjoy it. Next time you hear from us, we'll be shaking up the format of the show. But don't worry--you'll be hearing from us even more frequently. For now, sit back and enjoy the crazy. Talk to you again soon. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Yeah, I know. This wasn't the episode we promised last time. But coronavirus is, in addition to being a real asshole of a disease, also the gift that keeps on giving when it comes to frightened dipshits generating an endless panoply of new conspiracy theories. This is another "Quick Hit", but it's over an hour. No, our nomenclature doesn't even make a lot of sense to us, but hopefully this is pretty up-to-date and comprehensive in terms of the biggest highlights of the current lay of the virus conspiracy land. We'll be back with you soon, and we're still working on some big, exciting, totally non-virus-related stuff for the rest of the year. We hope this makes your sheltering in place more enjoyable, and as always, thanks for listening. Oh, and if you wanna see that ridiculous video explaining how you can cure COVID with a blow-dryer, knock yourself out. All original music copyright 2020 The Paranoid Strain Orchestra. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Whaaaaaa? A new episode? But it's been just a few weeks? That's right, Strainiacs. We're back in the saddle, albeit an indoor, socially distancing, "shelter in place" kind of saddle, to spread some facts and debunk some nonsense around the pandemic plague that suddenly has the world's undivided attention. This is a true "quick hit", production to your ears in just a couple of weeks. We hope you enjoy it, and we look forward to sharing more quickly produced, up-to-the-minute content with you in the future. Only one link this time, to a Vox story that explains all the reasons you shouldn't believe this virus is man-made All original music copyright 2020 The Paranoid Strain Orchestra. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Sorry about the delay, but we’re very pleased to present you, via our brand new podcast feed (which should, from your perspective, be completely indistinguishable from our original feed), the second half of our reality episode. This time, we’re orienting our discussion around the singular perspective of one of the most interesting and influential writers of the 20th century, Philip K Dick. You may know him as the Blade Runner guy, or the Total Recall guy, or just the guy who gets (rightly) credited with inspiring basically every good sci-fi idea you’ve ever heard of. But it turns out that Phil was a strange and fascinating dude, a man who believed the universe’s greatest secrets had been revealed to him in a bolt of pink light, and who then spent the rest of his life figuring out what the hell that light was trying to tell him. In the process of explaining his life and works, we’ll also incidentally delve into gnostic christianity, the modern theory of consciousness, and the work of some other super-influential, similarly mind-expanding writers. Hope you enjoy it. And if you do, let us know at theparanoidstrain at gmail dot com. Bibliography: Philip K Dick books referenced in the episode: The Exegesis Man in the High Castle Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep Ubik A Scanner Darkly The Three Stigmata of Palmer Eldritch Valis Other books and such: Divine invasions, A Life of Philip K Dick, by Lawrence Sutin Science Fiction: A Hopeless Case, With Exceptions, by Stanislaw Lem Beginner’s Guide to Reality, by James Baggott What Is It Like to Be a Bat?, by Thomas Nagel V.S. Ramachandran: The Tell-Tale Brain A Brief Tour of Human Consciousness The Phantom Brain Great Courses: Gnosticism, by David Brakke Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

We came, we saw, we conquered, and we rendered it all into an mp3 file. Welcome back to the Paranoid Strain. This is the first of a two-part series that is not, technically, about conspiracy theories per se. We see this show as a proud defender of reality against conspiracist nonsense. But we felt it would be unfair if we didn’t spend a couple of episodes exploring exactly how little we understand about reality, when you really get down to brass tacks. This time, we’re going over philosophy and science, and then discussing some very out-there ways to interpret reality…some intriguing, some ridiculous. This is our new favorite episode. Hope you feel the same, and hope that you’ll check out some of the extensive bibliography below to learn more. Bibliography: Great Minds of the Eastern Intellectual Tradition by Grant Hardy A Beginner’s Guide to Reality by Jim Baggott Reality, Art,... (read more at TheParanoidStrain.com) Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Welcome back. We hope you enjoyed the silliness of our previous, Moon landing episode, because unfortunately, this topic is deadly serious. Yes, unfortunately, in spite of the almost unbelievable number of lives that have been saved by vaccinations over the past couple hundred years, a still-growing number of well-intentioned, but deeply ill-informed parents continue to avoid or delay vaccinations for their children. The result, as anyone who watches the headlines knows, is an ever-increasing incidence of outbreaks of measles and other preventable diseases. This makes us incredibly angry. And so we want to arm you, our beloved Strainiacs, with the info you need to positively influence anyone who might fall under the siren song of thhe anti-vaxxers, to help keep vulnerable people healthy. But as always, we’re gonna make bad jokes, ridicule conspiracists, and enjoy some rockin’ tunes courtesy of the Paranoid Strain Orchestra along the way. We hope you... (read more at TheParanoidStrain.com) Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

That’s one small episode for a Jesuit…one giant leap for a podcast feed. Howdy, and welcome to oneathem fun, lighthearted episodes of Ye Olde Paranoid Strain. This one covers the silly, silly idea that we didn’t land on the moon. A bunch of times. But we did. We could have stopped there, but we think you’ll be glad we didn’t. We also covered a bunch of others moon-related stuff. Where did it come from (both scientist and lunatic versions). What moon hoax was ginned up back in the 19th century about it? What other silly non-landing-related conspiracies do people believe in? We answer all of these and more. This also marks the return of our friendly resident artist and conspiracy-curious friend, WIllem UFO. He doesn’t think we landed on the moon. Will we convince him? I dunno. But he’s fun to talk to anyway. Thanks, as always, for listening. Let us know... (read more at TheParanoidStrain.com) Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hi. Miss us? The Chads say “Hi”–they weren’t with you last month because…you know, actually, I have no idea why. They were raving something about the Quantum Malarkey discombobulating the flat Earth and preventing their transmissions, but I think they were just drunk. We, on the other hand, have returned as promised with the second of our assassination episodes. This one, though, is something really special. It’s our biggest, and in our humble opinion, best episode ever, and it tackles the granddaddy of all modern conspiracy theories–who killed JFK. We are well aware that many of you may already have decided there was a conspiracy involved, even if just in this one case. But if you have just a scant three and a quarter hours, we think we can change your mind. Seriously, sorry about the length, but if you’re going to try to refute every lie in Oliver Stone’s... (read more at TheParanoidStrain.com) Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

My, my, my. Have two months flown by already? Where does the time go? Thanks for all of your concern–I safely escaped from the clutches of the Chads, though at the loss of significant dignity (and sanity). And to celebrate, I made you a piping hot podcast episode. Hold on. It needs to cool for a few minutes. Don’t burn yourself. This is the first of our two assassination episodes. In part one, we cover a huge swath of very bloody history, culminating in the senseless murders of two important Americans within a few months of each other in 1968. Along the way, we explain why we can know that some victims of assassination were the target of conspiracies (Caesar and Lincoln), while others weren’t (MLK and RFK). We also explore some conspiracy theory cinema in our new Paranoid Strain goes to the Movies segment. Next month, as you would probably... (read more at TheParanoidStrain.com) Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Guys, I’m not gonna lie. Some stuff went down in this one. Yes, it’s once again a Stupid Land episode. And yes, that once again means you won’t find a single reliable fact in it. But this one…this one was different. it was an experience so intense that at the end, I felt like I needed a Silkwood shower. It went to new, different, and horrifying places. What makes this episode different from all other episodes? I…can’t tell you. I mean, there are legal implications. The proper authorities have asked me not to comment about an active investigation. But perhaps you can figure out what happened by listening to the recording I managed to smuggle out… And Frances…I’m sorry. Attributions: “The Water and the well” by Nihilore: http://freemusicarchive.org/music/Nihilore/Broken_Parts/Nihilore_-_Broken_Parts_-_04_The_Water_and_the_Well “Artifice” by Nihilore: http://freemusicarchive.org/music/Nihilore/Truth_and_Justification/Nihilore_-_Truth_and_Justification_-_10_Artifice “La Vie en Rose” by Edith Piaf: https://archive.org/details/78_la-vie-en-rose_edith-piaf-louiguy-luypaerts_gbia0011638b All sound effects: https://freesound.org/ (read more at TheParanoidStrain.com) Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hey there, Strainiacs. Today, we bring you another of our Quick Hit episodes. Yes, that means the return of the Quick Hit guy. PARANOID STRAIN! QUICK HIT!!!!! Yeah. We missed him, too. It’s also a weird sort of hybrid. We were planning to do a show based on our interview and tour at Denver International Airport in 2017, where we were able to carefully document the true stories behind the unmitigated spew of nonsense you’ll get from conspiracists about the place’s sinister origins and purpose. But at the same time, we realized we had more to say about Alex Jones that we didn’t fully cover in our False Flags episode last year. So rather than choose, we just kinda…glued them together. We hope you enjoy, then, a quick catch-up on the long, ongoing fall of Alex Jones and Infowars, as well as a fun overview of the DEN nonsense. As... (read more at TheParanoidStrain.com) Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Ok. Nobody panic. It’s happening again. But we’ve been through this before, haven’t we? We understand that sometimes terrible things happen. Wars. Plagues. Disasters. Stupid Land. Yes, they’re back. And it appears they’re multiplying–this episode relates a report from a hitherto unsuspected third Chad. Whether this 50% increase in Chadness is through ideological reprogramming, some sort of slimy parthenogenesis, or simply the cruel whim of a callous deity, we now must experience their collective take on our previous episode. Flat Earth. Which, to be fair, is nearly as stupid as the Land they call home. Enjoy or endure, and we’ll see you next month with a regular episode. Attributions: https://freemusicarchive.org/music/Borrtex/Distant_Sphere/ http://freemusicarchive.org/music/Daniel_Birch/Minimal_Bells_From_The_Deep SwingWhale - S Strong - Whitestick https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H86MZb_eDx4&feature=youtu.be http://freemusicarchive.org/music/Podington_Bear/Piano_III_-_Minor_Keys/Degradation http://freemusicarchive.org/music/Podington_Bear/Soul/Smooth_Actor (read more at TheParanoidStrain.com) Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Welcome back to your home away from home, the Paranoid Strain. This time, we squash flat earth beliefs…well, flat, I suppose. Stupid English language. We both know that flat earthers are all over the place these days. But why? And how? And where did all of these ideas come from? As you might expect, since we’re raising all of these rhetorical questions, we have rhetorical answers. We’ve been through some dark, strange stuff over the past few episodes, what with 9/11 and the disturbing rantings of Qanon fans. This time, we’re tackling a belief that truly deserves the sobriquet “wacky”. We had a lot of fun with this one. Hope you will, too. Find us on the social medias, join our Facebook and Youtube pages, and spread the word. Thank you kindly. Bibliography: Flat Earth: The History of an Infamous Idea by Christine Garwood Flat Earth—Are you serious? By Barry... (read more at TheParanoidStrain.com) Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Wait–we’re doing this again? Many have approached me, deep concern on their eager faces. “Why, Fearful?” they plead. “Why do you let them do such awful, unspeakable things to your beautiful podcast feed?” I always know what they’re talking about. They’re referring to the Chads, and their eldritch power over me. I wish I could give them a better understanding–I lack that understanding myself. Perhaps I should never have angered the Swamp Witch. Maybe it was a bad idea to plunder that unmarked grave in the abandoned cemetery at the end of the dirt road. Arguably, I shouldn’t have dropped that bloody hitchhiker off, as he requested, next to the girls’ sleepaway camp. I definitely shouldn’t have offered him a free sharpening for his knife. I mean, what was I thinking? We can’t be sure of the cause. All we can know at this point is that the Chads have... (read more at TheParanoidStrain.com) Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Back in record time, we’re here to provide closure for our 9/11 story. Last time we touched on this national tragedy and its discontents, we dealt with stuff that, while fundamentally incorrect, was at least based on reasonable suspicions. This time, we’re only dealing with 9/11 truthers who are either unbelievably racist, completely unhinged, or both. And yes, we are finally pleased to unveil THE CRAZIEST BOOK WE’VE EVER READ. Enjoy, find us on the social medias, join our Facebook page, and spread the word. Thank you kindly. Bibliography: Debunking 9/11 Myths by the Editors of Popular Mechanics Debunking 9/11 Debunking by David Ray Griffin Voodoo Histories by David Aaronovich A Search for Truth: 9/11 by Terence Smart The Great Derangement by Matt Taibbi Planes Without Passengers by Dean Hartwell The Most Dangerous Book in the World: 9/11 as Mass Ritual (aka The Craziest Book We’ve Ever Read) by SK Bain “My Pet... (read more at TheParanoidStrain.com) Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

I know what you’re thinking. This was supposed to be 9/11 Part 2. And don’t worry–it’s still coming. But this super-stupid Qanon thing was just begging for a good ol’ ass-whuppin’, and we decided to oblige. For those of you who’ve somehow missed it, Qanon is a seriously deranged conspiracy theory in which some of Donald Trump’s most fervent supporters assert without evidence that he is cooperating with the Mueller investigation, whose real purpose is to take down an international, child sex trafficking ring, among other things. Over the past couple of months, as the chuckleheads who believe this have become more visible at Trump rallies, drawing confused looks from the media–and the non-insane generally, they have moved up our list of must-address topics until we decided to create a whole episode around them in about half the time it normally takes us. If you like this kind of up-to-the-minute... (read more at TheParanoidStrain.com) Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

A brand-new, steaming heap of whatever it is that the Chads do is now here for your delectation. Following through on our lifelong, three-month commitment to delivering monthly content, we present the second of our collaborations with the weirdos at Stupid Land. This time, they’ve done… something… terrible with the previous episode, Part 1 of our 9/11 discussion. I’d try to explain it better, but…just listen. You’ll understand. Anyway, as with the previous PS/SL collaboration, the audio production is impeccable, while the content is deeply bizarre. Keep it up, you oddball bastards. See you next month. Oh, and I don’t want to forget–the Chads got they-selves a website. Now, you can visit, listen, and subscribe at the aptly named stupid.land. Won’t you? Attributions: Chicago Rhythm Kings: “I Found A New Baby” (The Internet Archive) Mystery Mammal: “Wonders of Modern Technology” (Free Music Archive) Nihilore: “Broken Parts” (Free Music Archive) (read more at TheParanoidStrain.com) Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Just in time for the 4th of July, we’re back to our regularly scheduled programming. This time, we’re bringing you the story of 9/11, and the Truthers who are only too happy to remind you that jet fuel can’t…well, you know. As you can discern from the title, our next full episode is going to handle the second part of this story–this one’s all about reasonable people’s doubts about 9/11. The next one is all about the pure-D batshit craziness. We hope you’ll enjoy both. In between, next month, expect another edition of our Stupid Land collaboration, only this time on the subject of our nation’s largest recent tragedy. I’m sure they’ll be very sensitive. Oh, Jeez. As always, we deeply appreciate your listening, and anything you can do to spread the word about us. Bibliography: The 9/11 Commission Report The Looming Tower by Lawrence Wright Debunking 9/11 Myths by... (read more at TheParanoidStrain.com) Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

I can already hear you: “It’s been two months. Where’s the new episode of our favorite anti-conspiracy theory podcast?” What? We’re not your favorite? You’ve been seeing other anti-conspiracy theory podcasts? How could you? Think of the children. Anyhoo, what we bring to you today is not a new standard-issue episode. In fact, you can think of this as episode 7.5. Mostly because that’s what we’ve called it. And to bring it to you, we’ve partnered with the Chads over at the brand new–as in, so new that it doesn’t technically have a website or any current episodes yet–podcast Stupid Land. This is the first of what will be an ongoing series. Every other month, we will post a new audio…what are we calling these things? Let’s go with “pastiche” based on the previous month’s episode topic. This one, for example, deals with False Flags and Alex Jones. Sort of. Anyway, expect short-form, absurdist... (read more at TheParanoidStrain.com) Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Call it Easter, call it April Fool’s…either way, we’ve got one helluva present for you. It’s the seventh episode of the Paranoid Strain. This time, we’re dealing with the concept of False Flags. And with the world’s most (in)famous purveyor of said concept, Alex Jones. Among the many surprising things you may learn in this episode is that, in spite of the fact that Mr. Jones is one million percent full of horseshit, false flags are actually a real thing. Just not the ones he talks about. Jones isn’t our only target, though. Many folks out there make hay out of the idea that the ever-nebulous “they” are always out there, plotting violent events that will pave the way for the public to give up their freedoms, so “they” can feast on our precious bodily fluids. Or something. Anyway, enjoy. As always, if you’ve got comments, suggestions, or really any... (read more at TheParanoidStrain.com) Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Look! Up in the sky! It’s a bird! It’s a plane! It’s a plane spraying evil, toxic, murderous chemtrails! Nope. It’s the Paranoid Strain. Howdy! Having rested up after our three-part exploration of the right-wing Sovereign Citizen and Posse Comitatus movements, we’re ready to move onto attacking a conspiracy that is far more popular with the other side of the aisle. If you’ve ever wondered why some folks seem to believe those vapor trails that planes emit are a threat to our very way of life, we’ve got the answers. And no, none of them are “they’re RIGHT!” Oh, and the “HAARP” acronym in the title refers to the High Frequency Active Auroral Research Program, an ionospheric research station in Alaska. Why are we talking about that? If you guessed that some misguided conspiracists have decided it is also a threat to our very way of life, give yourself a... (read more at TheParanoidStrain.com) Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hey there, strangers. We’re publishing our fifth episode. And on time, no less. This is our fifth episode, and the third of our series on the history of right wing, racist movements, and their evolution into the Sovereign Citizens. But most importantly, this is the episode where we explain why Wesley Snipes went to jail. That may seem like a weird point to harp on, but that’s actually the conundrum that we sought to explain when we originally conceived of this podcast, lo these many years ago. Honest to god, we love this episode. It’s got a bunch of great Youtube videos where Sovereigns act crazy, including the all-time grand champeen of Sovereign insanity. It’s got an interview with the guy who traced the spread of Sovereign ideas from white racists to black federal court defendants. And an actual, honest-to-god letter from a real reader who isn’t our daughter! We... (read more at TheParanoidStrain.com) Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hey there, loyal listener. First, we’d like to apologize. This show is coming to you several weeks after we had originally intended. We plan to make it up with you in two different ways. First, we’ve set up a public Google Calendar. We invite you to use it to stay up to date on our unfortunately still sporadic publication schedule. Second, the reason that we are late is that we spent a large chunk of our summer traveling across the United States visiting every conspiracy-related location we could find. We can’t wait to share all of the interviews and other audio we recorded, and we’ll start doing so very soon. Anyhoo, since we’re all back together now, I’m so very pleased to introduce our fourth episode, and the second in our three-part series on the history of U.S. right-wing extremism over the past seventy years or so. In this episode,... (read more at TheParanoidStrain.com) Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Welcome to the inevitable third episode of The Paranoid Strain. “Well. Took you long enough.” That’s what I hear you thinking. Yes, it’s been a couple of months since our last episode. And for the moment, that’s about the pace you should expect. Each of these shows represents a huge amount of research and production time, and we have a day job, and a kid, and other distractions. Eventually, we hope to come to you on a more frequent basis, but until then, let’s just enjoy our time together. This episode has a special place in our hearts. It’s the first of three parts on the conspiracy-minded, frequently violent, deeply paranoid right-wing extremist movement, which has been known as the “militia”, “freeman on the land”, and currently the “sovereign citizen” ideology, but which started out back in the 1950s with one angry, anti-semitic, delusional man named Bill, who wanted to... (read more at TheParanoidStrain.com) Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The Protocols of the Elders of Zion: Interview with Professor John Efron Hello and welcome to the second episode of The Paranoid Strain, your skeptical guide to conspiracy theories. “Wait,” you may be thinking. “Did you guys release two episodes at once?” Yep. We sure did. Going forward, we’ll be putting out single episodes, one every other month. But since the first episode is basically an introduction to the topic, we decided to put out a more representative single-topic show as well. Enjoy. This episode, we’re covering the history and impact of the Protocols of the Elders of Zion, a notorious anti-semitic lie that was conclusively debunked nearly a century ago, and yet is still widely believed and hugely influential today. We’ll lead you through the history of this screed, some of the many monsters it influenced, and how it has ruined people’s lives around the world. We’ve got an... (read more at TheParanoidStrain.com) Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.