Inflammation Pseudoscience (Conspirituality podcast #321)

Inflammation is an important and necessary part of the body’s healing process. It’s also long been a wellness buzzword used to sell products that do very little to treat it. This week, we look at inflammation through the lens of a new Mother Jones article, “The Great Inflammation Panic,” including an interview with the author, Julia Métraux, in segment two. We’ll also discuss what inflammation is, how wellness influencers weaponize it, and what it represents in the context of Ayurveda.

Interview: 

https://www.conspirituality.net/episodes/321-inflammation-pseudoscience

The Next Plague (Conspirituality podcast #312)

A plague is coming. We don’t know when or which one, but we do know that since humans started gathering in groups numbering in the thousands, plagues became a consistent feature of existence. So a plague is always on the horizon, and public health is the response of a healthy society.

How healthy is America right now? Given that a recent NY Times investigation found that RFK Jr is laser-focused on vaccines and food dyes and not much of anything else, the news is not great. Today we look at candidates for the next plague, how unprepared the government is, and, in classic Conspirituality fashion, the wellness influencers selling products they just know will help your immune system stave off any little virus destined to become a plandemic.

In This Week in Conspirituality, Matthew checks in on someone else’s health: Donald Trump, and the online prediction market that’s emerged to appease a cultural wish fulfillment.
Interview: 

https://www.conspirituality.net/episodes/312-the-next-plague

The AI Slop Machine is Worse Than You Think [feat Mallory DeMille] (Conspirituality podcast #308)

Many of the ads and videos you see for supplements and health and fitness products (which might be scams) are being churned out using AI, and generating huge incomes for the creators of the videos, in addition to sales for the vendors.

Two months ago, we recorded Episode 291: My Chinese Buddhist Israeli AI Guru, surveying the growing field of AI slopfluencers churning out wellness supplements via Amazon affiliate links. At the time, we weren’t clear on who was behind these accounts.

Then Mallory DeMille went down a YouTube and TikTok rabbit hole and found the men making millions from these accounts. Today we’re going to look at what they’re doing, how they’re doing it, and the cultural and racial dynamics at play in their slop.
Interview:

https://www.conspirituality.net/episodes/308-the-ai-slop-machine-is-worse-than-you-think-mallory-demille

Americans are waking up. A grand reckoning awaits us

America's so-called "leadership class" is a sham. Most of them do not care a whit for the rest of the US. They are out for themselves. 

…It's likely to get worse in 2026 as Trump and his sycophants, and many of America's "leaders", realize 2026 may be their last unrestrained year to inflict damage and siphon off the spoils. 

But the nightmare has awakened much of the US to the truth about what has happened to this country – and what we must do to get it back on the track toward social justice, democracy and widespread prosperity.

https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2025/dec/29/american-reckoning

 

Trump Wants Money More Than Anything |#paulapoundstone #comedy #trump

https://www.youtube.com/shorts/WZ9jwRA05F4

 

Investigating America's Richest Pastor: Kenneth Copeland

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5WxVC5n0QIs 

BREAKING NEWS: Bernie Sanders Issues Epic Takedown Of Trump, Musk, And 'the greed of the oligarchy’

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7EirWe1z3kk

 

Is it greedy for a Christian to own 20 houses?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EWGN6F21Bjs

MAGA Preacher’s GREED Unmasked In Sermon To Non-Trump Voters

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DU6-aYC6EMA

40 Acres and a Lie Part 1 (Reveal podcast)

Our historical investigation found 1,250 formerly enslaved Black Americans who were given land – only to see it returned to their enslavers.

Union General William T. Sherman’s Special Field Orders, No. 15 – better known as 40 acres and a mule – implied a better life in the waning days of the Civil War. Hutchinson is among the formerly enslaved people who received land through the field orders, which are often thought of as a promise that was never kept. But 40 acres and a mule was more than that.

Interview: 

https://revealnews.org/podcast/40-acres-and-a-lie-part-1/

Christian Nationalists use religion to mask their corruption and greed |...

https://www.youtube.com/shorts/uetNAmNaUuM

Greedflation: corporate profiteering ‘significantly’ boosted global prices, study shows

Jung and the Common Wealth economist Chris Hayes said a tax on the estimated $4tn of excess global profits was needed alongside moves to break up monopolistic practices that allowed firms to exploit their market power...

https://www.theguardian.com/business/2023/dec/07/greedflation-corporate-profiteering-boosted-global-prices-study

David Fahrenthold on The Trump Organization’s Long History of Corruption (Al Franken podcast)

The New York Times Reporter Puts the Current Trial Into Perspective.

Interview: 

https://www.alfranken.com/listen/david-fahrenthold-on-the-trump-organizations-long-history-of-corruption

Rightwing activist helps fund ‘predatory payday lenders’ in supreme court case

In her statement ahead of CFPB v CFSAA, Ciccone, of Accountable.US, said: "If Leo has his way, the supreme court will toss American consumers overboard to loan sharks and predatory lenders hungry to line their pockets by any means necessary."…

https://www.theguardian.com/law/2023/oct/02/rightwing-activist-leonardo-leo-payday-lender-supreme-court-case

Slavery is Not a Form of Hustle (Conspirituality podcast)

One piece of connective tissue between the right and wellness influencers we cover is their liberal use of the language of Civl Rights to describe their completely incomparable grievances. Derek covers a few recent examples, centered around one particularly troublesome analogy by a tech-bro entrepreneur using slavery as an analogy for his hustle.

Interview: 

https://www.podbean.com/ew/dir-5y4g7-1a90bef6

Heather McGhee – My Favorite Is Back!!!! (Al Franken podcast)

On Racism as Greed, Book Banning & Other Fun Topics.

Interview: 

https://alfranken.com/listen/heather-mcghee-my-favorite-is-back

US Minimum Wage Would Be $42 Today If It Rose as Much as Wall St. Bonuses: Analysis

Citing newly released data from the New York State Comptroller, IPS noted that the average Wall Street bonus has increased by 1,165% since 1985, not adjusted for inflation…

https://www.commondreams.org/news/minimum-wage-wall-street-bonuses

Trump, Bankman-Fried and Musk are the monsters of American capitalism

If this past week presents any single lesson, it's the social costs of greed. Capitalism is premised on greed but also on guardrails – laws and norms – that prevent greed from becoming so excessive that it threatens the system as a whole...

https://www.theguardian.com/business/2022/dec/24/trump-bankman-fried-and-musk-are-the-monsters-of-american-capitalism

Biden calls for assault weapons ban in fiery speech: ‘how much carnage will we accept?’ | Joe Biden | The Guardian

In a primetime gun control address, the president pushed stronger background checks and repealing gun manufacturer immunity...

https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2022/jun/02/joe-biden-speech-assault-weapon-ban-gun-reform

Inflation strategy at White House fuels debate - The Washington Post

In recent weeks, the White House has amplified its case that price increases for gasoline and meat are connected to corporate consolidation and greed, castigating meatpackers, gas companies, and other firms for passing higher prices onto consumers.
https://www.washingtonpost.com/us-policy/2022/01/10/white-house-inflation-strategy/