-
Trans Issues and Gender Relations
Join hosts Samantha and Jason plus special guest Sophia Hottel as they discuss Capitol Hill bathrooms, the patriarchal bargain, and how trans issues have become the bleeding edge of the crisis in gender relations worldwide.
-
Against Hyperlocalism
Join Samantha and guest Ned Resnikoff as they discuss why Americans are so cynical about politics—and how a movement that began with the goal of returning control to the people has spiraled into the opposite outcome. Along the way they talk Robert Moses, "citizen voice" politics, how free markets and functional governments support each other—and why we have neither of them in America today.
-
We CAN Fix Housing
Samantha and guest David Vatz, founder of Pro-Housing Pittsburgh, discuss the meaning of the housing crisis, the death of the "asset economy," and what we liberals can do to fix housing despite Trump.
References
Pro-Housing Pittsburgh's website: https://www.prohousingpgh.org/
The Asset Economy: https://www.amazon.com/Asset-Economy-Lisa-Adkins/dp/1509543465
The Crisis of Democratic Governance: https://www.liberalcurrents.com/the-crisis-of-democratic-governance/
-
A Turn Toward Taiwan?
Taiwan is a free country, a powerhouse in technology, and it has about one-twentieth the population of Europe less Russia. JD Vance talks about the U.S. possibly disengaging with Europe, but is such disengagement necessary for, and does it really herald, increased engagement with Asia, and particularly with China and Taiwan? Liberal Currents contributing editor Matthew Downhour joins Samantha and Jason to talk about Taiwan's history and importance.
-
Minneapolis Under Siege (with Will Stancil)
Samantha and guest Will Stancil talk the murder of Renée Good and the Trump administration's larger assault on Minneapolis. Will is on the front lines of monitoring ICE in Minneapolis, working with his neighborhood rapid reaction group, and remains a vital commentator and activist in this disturbing time.
Will recounts witnessing ICE abductions, confronting ICE agents, and the personal experience of living in a city under siege. He also talks the larger questions of how resistance has been organized, why this isn't 2020 all over again, why this isn't about immigration, but terror—and how we can beat them.
-
Tell Me a Story
Join Samantha and author Robert Jackson Bennett as they discuss the power of fiction to shape politics, from 20th-century detective fiction to modern-day QAnon. Along the way they discuss the fiscal-military state, the meaning of liberal society, and why it matters that conservatives have fun engaging with conservative narratives.
-
Coups: How Do They Work?
What makes for a successful coup, and wouldn't South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol like to know? Adam Gurri joins Samantha and Jason to talk about one of the biggest stories of the week, and whether America is on the path to a personalist dictatorship.
-
What Is Personalism? (with Xavier Márquez)
Samantha and guest Professor Xavier Márquez talk the nature of non-democratic politics, and why the concept of "personalism" is the key to understanding the dynamics and dysfunctions of the second Trump administration. Along the way they discuss the difference between totalitarianism and authoritarianism, the ongoing importance of elections to non-democratic regimes, and how authoritarian regimes can nevertheless fail.
-
An Army Is a Dangerous Thing to Play With (with Kori Schake)
Join Samantha and guest Kori Schake, author of The State and the Soldier, as they discuss the history of civil-military relations in America—and how that relationship is being pushed to the breaking point. National Guard units are deployed in the streets; DHS rappels from Black Hawks onto civilian homes. Why does George Washington still matter—and why was Samuel Huntington wrong about everything?
Disclaimer: This episode was recorded on November 20, before some new details of the Venezuelan strikes had become public.
-
A New Nuclear Age
Since the end of the Cold War, it's been easy to see nuclear competition as a thing of the past. As the dust settles over Iran—as Russia rattles the nuclear saber in Ukraine—it's increasingly clear that the question of nuclear weapons has been re-opened. Join Samantha and guest Matthew Downhour as they talk the fundamentals of nuclear strategy, how "red lines" are not natural but socially constructed—and how Trump's reckless actions have degraded the social order that has kept the world from nuclear war since 1949.
-
The Battle for Ottawa
Is Donald Trump going to give Americans an education in war on the homefront? Samantha, Jason, and guest Matthew Downhour evaluate new challenges to the liberal international order and assess the incoming administration's taste for territorial aggrandizement.
-
The State of the Resistance (with Omar Wasow)
Samantha interviews Professor Omar Wasow, challenging him to reflect on the first year of the second Trump administration. What forms of resistance have worked? What forms have been less successful? Why is the regime trying to "recreate 2020," and why are they failing? Professor Wasow tells a story about why nonviolence, adaptation, and creativity are essential building blocks for retaking power.
-
The Culture War Eats Foreign Policy (with Joe Stieb)
Join Samantha and guest Joe Stieb, assistant professor at UNC Chapel Hill, as they talk about Donald Trump's 2025 National Security Strategy. This strange document treats the European Union as our enemy, Russia as an afterthought, and obsesses over the dangers of "DEI." Stieb argues that this reflects a fundamental belief that American strength is founded on White Christian nationalism, at home and abroad, and a fundamental break from previous Republican foreign policy. What does this mean for the future of the world order as we know it?
Help us take Liberal Currents to the next level: https://www.gofundme.com/f/the-liberal-currents-startup-fund
And read Stieb's piece in Liberal Currents here: https://www.liberalcurrents.com/sovereignty-for-me-none-for-thee/
-
Radical Liberalism?
Join Samantha Hancox-Li and guest Alex Zakaras, author of Freedom for All, as they discuss the idea of liberalism as a radical political project, the differences (if any) between liberalism and (market) socialism, and the "playbook" for radical liberals in the age of Trump II.
Freedom for All: https://bookshop.org/a/115699/9780300281767
-
What Is America?
According to Vice President Vance, America is not an idea: America is a nation. A people. And there are some here who don't belong. Join Samantha and guest Guillaume Attia as they discuss the contrast between America as a nation and America as an idea, the philosophical foundations of liberal politics, and the long—and messy—arc of American history.
You can also read Guillaume's essay on these subjects, "The Fixed Theme of American History": https://www.liberalcurrents.com/the-fixed-theme-of-american-history/
-
We Are Going to Win (with Adam Gurri)
Take a step back and recall where you were on election night 2024. Recall the way the future looked in January 2025 at Trump's inauguration. In this episode, Samantha and Adam Gurri, editor-in-chief of Liberal Currents, evaluate the long game against Trump—and argue that the Trump revolution is stalling out, even as he flails his way through imperial misadventure in Venezuela.Read Adam's essay We Are Going To Win: https://www.liberalcurrents.com/we-are-going-to-winSupport the Reconstruction Papers: https://www.gofundme.com/f/the-liberal-currents-startup-fund
-
Taking Trump Voters Seriously
Join Samantha and guest Toby Buckle of the Political Philosophy Podcast as they explore the foundations of Trump's enduring popular support, the legacy of the Southern Strategy, and the importance of taking people's beliefs seriously.
-
Is Platner the Face of a Democratic Tea Party? (with Chance Phillips)
According to all current polling, Graham Platner will be Maine's next senator--despite a Nazi tattoo, a history of "controversial" social media posts, and an almost-total lack of political experience. To try and understand what this tells us about the direction of the Democratic Party, Chance Phillips recently traveled to Maine to speak with Platner's supporters. Chance and Samantha Hancox-Li discuss his findings on this episode of Neon Liberalism. Democratic elites may want moderation and conciliation--but the Democratic base has different opinions. You can read Chance's full essay here: https://www.liberalcurrents.com/platners-supporters-in-their-own-words/
-
How to Fix Democracy
Join Samantha and guest Kevin J. Elliott as we talk about the history of democracy as a form of government, why it has no longer has any competitors, and how the structure of our democracy has nevertheless become a site of political contestation. Elliott also swings for the fences and offers some deep reforms we need to restore fairness and competition to our system—a fascinating conversation!
-
Winning a Rigged Game
The Civil Rights Movement, which stretched across decades, caused big changes in society that persist today. As some of the gains it brought about are now threatened by racists in the White House, what can we learn from the tactics and, more importantly, the strategy pursued by the movement's leaders and activists? Samantha and Jason are joined by Liberal Currents editor-in-chief Adam Gurri.
-
Why Did the Soviets Fail? (with Yakov Feygin)
As we stand on the brink of a new Cold War, it's time to look back at the first Cold War and try to understand why America won—and, more importantly, why the USSR lost.
Samantha and guest Yakov Feygin, author of *Building a Ruin*, talk about the fundamental story of Soviet economic success, stagnation, and ultimate implosion. What does this have to teach us about China today? How can party states create economies that are simultaneously world-beating and profoundly dysfunctional?
Feygin's book is available at https://bookshop.org/a/115699/9780674240995
-
The Spectacle of Cruelty
Join Samantha and guest Alan Elrod, president and CEO of the Pulaski Institution, as they talk about how the spectacle of deliberate cruelty—troops on the streets, deportations of firefighters, the public performance of vileness—is not an accident or a distraction, but is a core part of the Trumpian project to remake American culture. Creating the mass basis for an authoritarian movement has always involved generating a certain "enthusiasm" for the project beyond direct command and control.
-
The Trouble With Realism
Samantha and Professor Phillips O'Brien have a wide-ranging talk, including Trump's abandonment of Ukraine, the failures of "realism" as a theory of international politics, and the shape of the future in a Europe without American leadership.
-
The Sulla Fantasy
Samantha and guest Bret Devereaux talk the fall of the Roman Republic, Elon Musk's obsession with the dictator Sulla, and what it takes to make constitutional change stick.
The posts on Musk's X mentioned in this episode can be found at:
https://x.com/elonmusk/status/1873976624812876048
https://x.com/elonmusk/status/1883417427813499158
https://x.com/elonmusk/status/1756479393470226561
https://x.com/elonmusk/status/1668673066115711011
-
Strange Bedfellows
In recent years, a number of prominent right-wingers have moved left dramatically. In particular, a surprising number of libertarians have abandoned their "fusionist" association with the Republican Party, and become more closely affiliated with the progressive movement. How did this happen? What was fusionism and why did it break down? And, most importantly, what—if anything—can libertarians and progressives learn from each other? Join Samantha and guest Aaron Ross Powell, host of Reimagining Liberty and former Cato Institute scholar, as they discuss all this and more.
-
Rethinking International Trade
Are Trump's tariffs a personal madness, or a response to deeper dysfunctions in the world trade system? Yes. Join Samantha and guest Steven Randy Waldman as we talk about why global trade has become so imbalanced, what kinds of dysfunctions that creates, and why a tax on the flow of capital rather than goods is a policy to work towards.
The takeaway: it's still John Maynard Keynes' world, we're just living in it.
As promised, the book whose name Samantha blanked on in the episode: Robert Allen's *Global Economic History* https://www.amazon.com/Global-Economic-History-Short-Introduction/dp/0199596654
-
Is the Fed Okay?
Join Samantha and guest Maia Mindel as they talk about Trump's latest attack on the Federal Reserve, give some historical context for central bank independence, and struggle with the difficult question of how to balance technocratic expertise with democratic accountability. Plus some cats.
-
Envy, Greed, and Billionaires (with David Lay Williams)
Samantha Hancox-Li and guest David Lay Williams, author of The Greatest of All Plagues, discuss the nature of extreme wealth inequality in America and across history, from Plato to Occupy Wall Street. Williams argues that extreme wealth warps the soul, leading to "pleonexia"--a restless desire for more and more that will never be fulfilled. Reducing wealth inequality is therefore not about redistribution or envy, but rather self-protection against overweening power.
-
Can HTS Land the Plane?
Hay'at Tahrir al-Sham has dislodged the regime of Bashar al-Assad after a lightning offensive, raising new hopes for Syria's future. Having won on the battlefield, can HTS implant a successful government in Damascus? Liberal Currents contributing editor Matthew Downhour joins Samantha and Jason to talk about war, autocracy, and democracy.
-
Do Women Need Men?
Are we living through a crisis in gender relations? Maia Mindel joins Samantha and Jason to talk about abortion bans, trans rights, MeToo, "male loneliness," declining birthrates, and most of all the decline of the patriarchal bargain and what might replace it.
-
Beyond Abundance? (with Becky Chao)
Join Samantha and guest Becky Chao, Director of Policy and Research at the Economic Security Project, as they talk about the never-ending conflict between YIMBYs and anti-YIMBYs—and how we can get beyond it. Broken markets and broken incomes both shape American dysfunction. What can we do about it?
https://economicsecurityproject.org/resource/affordability/
-
Does the Narrative Matter?
Join Samantha and guest Will Stancil as they talk the vexed question of whether politics is driven by merely material conditions, ask why tyrants are obsessed with their own popularity, and assess why the Democratic budget standoff fizzled while Chris Van Hollen's trip to El Salvador broke through—and shifted public opinion on Trump's immigration policies.
Link to Stancil's essay, referenced in the podcast: https://www.offmessage.net/p/kilmar-abrego-garcia-public-opinion
-
The Case for Public Electricity (with Ryan C. Smith)
Samantha Hancox-Li and guest Ryan C. Smith, author and economic historian, discuss the possibility of publicly-owned electric utilities in America. Smith argues that there is a strong case for public power. Electricity distribution is a "natural monopoly," and existing private companies—like Pacific Gas and Electric—are often inefficient and incompetent. Meanwhile, Nebraska and other states already include some publicly-owned power companies, which provide affordable and reliable electricity. Is it time to switch to a new model of power?
-
Liberalism 101: Liberalism and Limited Government
If you remember anything from high school civics, it's the phrases "separation of powers" and "checks and balances." That separation and those checks are under the greatest attack we've seen in our lifetimes. But why does that matter? How does it affect the character of society? Join Samantha Hancox-Li and guest Robert Black, constitutional scholar and author of "The Evening Constitutional," as we dig into the origins of the concept of limited government, the essential paradox of how limitations on sovereign power are even possible, and what that means for resistance in our fraught era.
Robert's newsletter: https://eveningconstitutional.net/
-
Zuck Starts Throwing His Weights Around
Become a Ctrl-Alt-Speech supporter to get extended episodes of the podcast plus the chance to submit stories for us to cover.
In this week's episode, Mike and Ben cover:
And in the extended episode for Patreon supporters, they cover:
Our fun links this week are a replica of Scooby Doo’s Mystery-Machine and the Saltburn cricket scandal because we need more satire right now.
If you’re already a Patreon supporter, you can get the extended episode on Patreon.
Ctrl-Alt-Speech is the podcast where we make sense of the major debates shaping online speech, platform power, content moderation and the future of the internet. It’s co-hosted by Mike Masnick (Techdirt) and Ben Whitelaw (Everything in Moderation).
-
The Cult of Hollywood
From TV executives abusing kids on sets to Scientology's "Celebrity Center," the cult of the entertainment business can getcha from about 6,000 different angles. After all, what other mainstream American industry is glamorized and lusted-after to this extreme degree, only to betray its most successful acolytes with financial and physical exploitation, social isolation, dehumanization, and a destroyed sense of self-worth to the point that entertainers dying early tragic deaths of despair is not only accepted, it's practically a meme??? This week, host Amanda offers a lil history lesson on the cult of Hollywood before getting into some juicy personal stories and an analytical discush with the one and only Maria Bamford, iconic comedian and author of Sure, I'll Join Your Cult: A Memoir of Mental Illness and the Quest to Belong Anywhere. Who are Hollywood's true "cult leaders," and do their worst behaviors earn it the title of a GTFO-level cult? Tune in to find out!!!
Follow us on IG @soundslikeacultpod @amanda_montell
To order Amanda's new book, The Age of Magical Overthinking: Notes on Modern Irrationality, click here. To subscribe to Amanda's new Magical Overthinkers podcast and/or watch full episodes on YouTube, click here :)
Thank you to our sponsors, who make this show possible:
Go to stopscooping.com/SLAC and enter promocode SLAC to save an EXTRA $50 on any Litter-Robot bundle.
Head to Squarespace.com for a free trial, and when you’re ready to launch, go to https://www.squarespace.com/CULT to save 10% off your first purchase of a website or domain.
Earn points by paying rent right now when you go to joinbilt.com/cult.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Reply source -
The Cult of Free Birthers
Munch on some ice chips and PUSHHHHH (sorry) play on this week's episode, in which we dare to apply our culty analysis to the ever-polarizing "free birther" community. Free birthing is a controversial catch-all term in and of itself, generally describing a style of medically unassisted birth that has turned into not just a movement but possibly a cult—why? Because this is America, and if something has the potential to turn culty, then it probably will! Doula (and loyal listener of the pod) Hehe Stewart joins for a discussion of power dynamics, misinformation, and why so-called free birthers have been pitted against the traditional medical establishment in a way that puts everyoneeee in danger. Trying our best to bring both cheekiness and empathy to this very casual and low-stakes discussion (joke). Love you culties!!!
Follow us on IG @soundslikeacultpod @amanda_montell @reesaronii @chelseaxcharles
Watch the new season of Sounds Like A Cult on YouTube!
To subscribe to Amanda's new Magical Overthinkers podcast, click here :)
Further reading:
Listen to the Whispers before They Become Screams: Addressing Black Maternal Morbidity and Mortality in the United States
Racism During Pregnancy and Birthing: Experiences from Asian and Pacific Islander, Black, Latina, and Middle Eastern Women
When Giving Birth, Opting to Go It Alone
Insights into the U.S. Maternal Mortality Crisis: An International Comparison
Born Free: Unassisted Childbirth in North America
Just ‘birth’: the phenomenon of birth without a healthcare professional
She Wanted a ‘Freebirth’ at Home. When the Baby Died, the Attacks Began
Thank you to our sponsors!
Head to Squarespace.com for a free trial, and when you’re ready to launch, go to https://www.squarespace.com/CULT to save 10% off your first purchase of a website or domain.
Go to the App Store or Google Play store and download the FREE Ibotta app to start earning cash back and use code CULT.
Earn points by paying rent right now when you go to joinbilt.com/CULT.
Cut your wireless bill to 15 bucks a month at mintmobile.com/cult.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Reply source -
The Cult of Waldorf Schools
If you’ve ever met a kid who could knit a scarf before they could read, you might already be familiar with this week's "cult." With their dreamy, arts-infused approach to education (think: seasonal festivals, storytelling over standardized testing), Waldorf schools promise a ~holistic utopia for young minds~. But behind the fairy tale façade lurks a past (and present) steeped in, oh y'know, anti-science ideology, claims of clairvoyance, weird "karma" stuff, problematic hierarchies, and a suspiciously rigid devotion to its 1920s founder, Rudolf Steiner. And that's just the beginning! This week, Amanda and Reese break down the culty undercurrents of Waldorf Schools with the help of former Waldorf educator Maggie Smith, who was kicked out of the movement and lived to tell the tale. Is Waldorf a harmless hippie haven? Or an expensive lesson on us vs. them dynamics? Tune in as we unravel its hand-spun, naturally dyed, organic threads!
Subscribe to Sounds Like A Cult on Youtube!
Follow us on IG @soundslikeacultpod, @amanda_montell, @reesaronii, @chelseaxcharles.
Thank you to our sponsors!
As a special offer to listeners of the show, go to https://stopscooping.com/ SLAC and use promo code SLAC to save an ADDITIONAL $50 on any Litter-Robot bundle.
Find exactly what you’re booking for on https://Booking.com, Booking.YEAH!
Please consider donating to those affected by the Los Angeles Fires. Some organizations that Team SLAC are donating to are:
https://mutualaidla.org/
https://give.pasadenahumane.org/give/654134/#!/donation/checkout
https://shorturl.at/SGW9w
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Reply -
The Cult of Purity Rings
Anyone who grew up evangelical Christian and/or plugged into teen celebrity news circa 2008 will be familiar with today's cult: Purity Rings. You know, the dainty piece of jewelry placed ritualistically on a teen girl's wedding finger to signify her vow of chastity until marriage, or else?? Purity rings are not just an accessory—they're a bonafide industry, complete with rules, ceremonies, secrets, veiled threats, and religious trauma up the wazoo... but are they a cult? This week, a very special (ex-evangelical) guest, Normal Gossip's Kelsey McKinney, is joining host Amanda to unpack just that!
Follow us on IG @soundslikeacultpod
To check out Amanda's new book, The Age of Magical Overthinking, click here! The Magical Overthinkers newsletter can be found here.
Thank you to our sponsors!
Go to thefarmersdog.com/cult to get 50% off your first box.
Go to Zocdoc.com/CULT and download the Zocdoc app for FREE.
The Cotton collection and more are available now at SKIMS.com.
This episode reflects solely the opinions and work of Amanda and special guests.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Reply source -
The Cult of Leonardo DiCaprio
From ‘90s teen heartthrob to yacht-hopping, model-dating, climate-crusading enigma, Leonardo DiCaprio isn’t just an actor—he’s an institution. But at what point does the behavior of this Oscar-winning icon cross into something a little more… cultish? This week, Amanda is joined by Caitlin Durante of The Bechdel Cast to take a deep dive into the Church of Leo, unpacking the eerie loyalty of his fans, the oddly specific habits of his inner circle (no one over 25 shall pass), and the ways in which his environmental activism is both inspiring and contradictory. Why does Hollywood treat Leo like the last true movie star? Is he just an A-lister with a type, or is there something deeper (and maybe a little weirder) going on in his revolving door of Victoria’s Secret protégées? And most importantly—are we in the cult of DiCaprio just by watching Titanic for the 100th time? Tune in as we break down the mythology, the memes, and the man in the iron mask. 🚢🌍🔥
Subscribe to Sounds Like A Cult on Youtube!
Follow us on IG @soundslikeacultpod, @amanda_montell, @reesaronii, @chelseaxcharles.
Thank you to our sponsors!
Head to https://www.squarespace.com/CULT to save 10% off your first purchase of a website or domain using code CULT
Find exactly what you’re booking for on https://Booking.com, Booking.YEAH!
Start earning points on rent you’re already paying by going to https://joinbilt.com/CULT
Please consider donating to those affected by the Los Angeles Fires. Some organizations that Team SLAC are donating to are:
https://mutualaidla.org/
https://give.pasadenahumane.org/give/654134/#!/donation/checkout
https://shorturl.at/SGW9w
Source Shownotes:
https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2022/sep/03/leonardo-dicaprio-girlfriend-breakup-25-week-in-patriarchy
https://www.bustle.com/articles/9543-leo-dicaprio-was-the-most-ridiculous-human-in-1998-and-this-profile-proves-it
https://nymag.com/nymetro/movies/features/2793/
https://www.latimes.com/entertainment-arts/movies/story/2023-10-20/leonardo-dicaprio-killers-of-the-flower-moon-martin-scorsese-titanic-leomania-kate-winslet
https://nypost.com/2016/01/24/why-leo-dicaprio-is-just-another-climate-hypocrite/
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Reply -
The Cult of Corporate America
It's time to dynamically synergize mission-critical alignments. Let's go ahead and fungibly communicate client-centric potentialities. If you can even half-way understand either of these sentences, then you might be a member of this week's "cult": Corporate America. With the help of special guest, Jamie Jackson of the cult-followed @humorous_resources Instagram account, Amanda and Isa are picking apart corporate culture's hyper-controlled rules, rituals, and hierarchies to tease out if this "leading-edge, credibly cultivated, turnkey market" is a life-ruiner or not.
To support Sounds Like A Cult on Patreon, keep up with our live show dates, see Isa's live comedy, buy a copy of Amanda's book Cultish, or visit our website, click here!
Thank you to our sponsors!
Go to Zocdoc.com/CULT and download the Zocdoc app for FREE.
Visit ritual.com/CULT to start Ritual or add Synbiotic+ to your subscription today.
Dipsea is offering an extended 30 day free trial when you go to DipseaStories.com/CULT
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Reply source -
The Cult of Digital Marketing Scams (The New MLM)
Are you overwhelmed by the amount of ‘side hustles’ being advertised to you on social media? Feel undue pressure to ‘build passive income,’ even if you aren’t entirely sure what that means, or how to do so? Maybe the siren song of ‘digital assets’ and ‘financial freedom’ gives you déjà vu— haven’t we heard these buzzwords before? But maybe you’re just getting your first taste of the #GirlBoss side of the internet, which is so very wide and full of opportunity, after all. And justttttt maybe, this digital marketing course is the key to your transcendent financial future!…..Yeah, no. This week on Sounds Like a Cult, Reese and Amanda take a scroll through the beige world of the cult of Digital Marketing and all of its malicious tactics, from emojis to emotional manipulation. Follow us as we ask: do these courses actually teach anything useful? WTF even is a digital asset? Are these just MLMs in trendy Gen-Z clothing? If you couldn’t tell, we aren’t exactly ~math experts~ over here, so joining us to help debunk some of the hashtaggable rhetoric of digital marketing are Maggie Patterson (@bsfreebusiness) and Michelle Mazur (@drmichellemazur), cohosts of Duped: The Dark Side of Online Business. Log into your Canva account and get ready to (L)earn!
Subscribe to Sounds Like A Cult on Youtube!Follow us on IG @soundslikeacultpod, @amanda_montell, @reesaronii, @chelseaxcharles.
Thank you to our sponsors!
Earn points on rent and around your neighborhood, wherever you call home, by going to https://joinbilt.com/CULT
Go to https://ThriveMarket.com/SLAC to start saving. The sale ends 8/31—don’t miss it
Go to https://Quince.com/slac for free shipping on your order and three hundred and sixty-five -day returns.
Please consider donating to those affected by the ongoing humanitarian crisis in Gaza. Team SLAC are donating to the PCRF, a nonprofit organization providing vital medical care, food, and humanitarian aid to children and families in need.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Reply -
The Cult of The Bachelor
A heavily controlled, totally isolated group of polygamists who worship one charismatic figure and aren’t allowed to read magazines, watch TV, or speak to their families… is this a cult or the most popular reality dating show in history? This week on Sounds Like A Cult, we’re discussing the “cult” of The Bachelor Franchise with a very special guest, former contestant Kendall Long… and she did not hold back. We got the juicy inside scoop on how culty The Bachelor *really* is to try and figure out whether this objectively bizarre pop culture phenomenon is a Live Your Life, a Watch Your Back, or a Get the Fuck Out-level “cult.”
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Reply source -
The Cult of Tony Robbins
Super-wealthy motivational speaker Tony Robbins physically towers over his thousands of adoring acolytes, boasting a booming voice and omniscient life advice about everything from love to business to trauma, which he espouses at his world-famous conferences… but in light of recent abuse allegations, his cult status is starting to look a lot more predatory than inspiring. Special guest Kate Kennedy of the Be There In Five podcast joins us this week to unpack the cult of motivational speaking and Tony Robbins, discussing peer pressure and forced vulnerability, the connection between Robbins and disgraced self-improvement star Rachel Hollis, and so much more.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Reply source -
The Cult of Peloton
Did the first episode of HBO Max's Sex And The City reboot turn you off of Peloton? That makes one of us. This week, Amanda and Isa unpack the fanatical riders, worshipped instructors, and dystopian nature of the highly fetishized fitness brand that has been described as “SoulCycle via Zoom.” Peloton is definitely hardcore, but does that make it dangerous? With the help of insightful listener call-ins, your hosts explore just that.
To support Sounds Like A Cult on Patreon, keep up with our live show dates, see Isa's live comedy, buy a copy of Amanda's book Cultish, or visit our website, click here!
Thank you so much to our sponsors!
To receive 50% or more off your first month of therapy, go to modernfertility.com/CULT.
Dipsea is offering an extended 30 day free trial when you go to DipseaStories.com/CULT.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Reply source -
The Cult of Essential Oils
Lavender can cure headaches and tea tree oil can clear your acne (and heal Covid/your whole life)? The cult of essential oils blurs the line between fact and fiction and this week, Amanda and Isa team up with a special guest, Buzzfeed reporter Stephanie McNeal, to learn about these controversial little potions, their “cult following,” and the snake oil salespeople who weaponize them.
Head to MeritBeauty.com/CULT to get their free signature reusable makeup bag with your purchase.
Go to DailyHarvest.com/cult for up to forty dollars off your first box!
Get Honey for FREE at JoinHoney.com/CULT
Listeners get 10% off your first month by visiting our sponsor at BetterHelp.com/CULT
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Reply source -
The Cult of Joe Rogan
This week, Amanda, Reese, and Chelsea are joined by writer and comedian Akilah Hughes (@akilahh) to unpack The Cult of Joe Rogan, the podcast empire that’s convinced millions it’s the last bastion of free thought while quietly shaping how they see science, politics, masculinity, and truth itself. From “I’m just asking questions” rhetoric to the anti-establishment cosplay, we dig into how Rogan became less of a host and more of a cult leader. Is this curiosity culture… or a pipeline dressed up as open mindedness? Grab your protein powder and your critical thinking skills. We’re talking about influence, vibes, and why this very chill podcast sounds a lot like a cult.
Subscribe to Sounds Like A Cult on Youtube!Follow us on IG @soundslikeacultpod, @amanda_montell, @reesaronii, @chelseaxcharles, @imanharirikia.
Come see Sounds Like A Cult LIVE at The Bell House in New York on April 21st! Tickets at amandamontell.com/events
Thank you to our sponsors!
Get 20% off your first order with code CULT at https://LIQUIDIV.COM
Visit https://functionhealth.com/CULT and use gift code CULT25 for a $25 credit toward your membership.
Head to https://acorns.com/CULT or download the Acorns app to get started.
To learn more about how to support Minnesota’s immigrant communities, check out this MSP Mag article, which shares several ways to offer help or find support.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Reply -
The Cult of Veganism
Veganism isn’t just a diet, it‘s not just a lifestyle, it’s a whole identity, aesthetic, community, religion, and even a career for some people… like our special guest, Lauren Toyota, creator of “hot for food,” a vegan blog, YouTube channel, and series of cookbooks. Veganism has a cultish reputation, but with Lauren’s help, Amanda and Isa unpack all the upsides and downsides of this seemingly “extreme” way of life to determine what the cultiest aspects of veganism really are (especially in the age of social media) and what they say about us all.
Check out Lauren's Blog: https://www.hotforfoodblog.com/
Go to DailyHarvest.com/cult to get up to $40 off your first box!
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Reply source -
The Cult of Teachers
Class is in session and boy oh boy is it perturbing. Teaching is not just a profession, it's a calling to shape young hearts and minds—one that looks all wholesome on the outside, but once you're lured in, actually comes with labor exploitation, emotional manipulation, weird power dynamics created by the tenure system, and other sinister qualities that high-key resemble a cult. The cult of teaching is perhaps our single most passionate and consistent listener request in Sounds Like A Cult history, and to help us bring it to life, we're doing another "Interview A Listener" episode, featuring current New Jersey public school teacher, Charlyn Magat. Today's topic is of course massive and complex, and this conversation is just a small piece of it, informed by Charlyn's individual experience. We'd love to continue exploring the topic further, including potential episodes about the cults of Teach for America, boarding school, etc.!
Follow us on IG @soundslikeacultpod @amanda_montell
To order Amanda's new book, The Age of Magical Overthinking: Notes on Modern Irrationality, click here :) To subscribe to her new Magical Overthinkers podcast click here!
Thank you to our sponsors, who make this show possible:
Head to Squarespace.com for a free trial, and when you’re ready to launch, go to https://www.squarespace.com/CULT to save 10% off your first purchase of a website or domain.
Get 20% off your first order of Liquid I.V. when you go to LiquidIV.com and use code CULT at checkout
Earn points by paying rent right now when you go to joinbilt.com/cult.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Reply source -
The Cult of Disney Adults (With Bonus Q&A!)
Before we return with regularly structured episodes next week (stay tuned for the "cult" of Burning Man!), here's another ad-free bonus episode featuring a rerun of our most-listened to episode of all time, The Cult of Disney Adults. Re-listen and/or skip to the 52-minute mark for a bonus Q&A with your hosts, Amanda and Isa!
To support Sounds Like A Cult, keep up with our live show dates, see Isa's live comedy, buy a copy of Amanda's book Cultish, or visit our website, click here!
Or follow us on IG @soundslikeacultpod @isaamedinaa @amanda_montell
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Reply source