#266 | Redpilled: New Age Spirituality, Online Influencers, & QAnon w/ The Conspirituality Podcast
Intro: 11:24
In this episode, I speak with Derek Beres, Matthew Remski, and Julian Walker, hosts of the Conspirituality podcast.
In continuing my exploration into QAnon and the widespread proliferation of and cult-like adherence to conspiracy theory thinking in the United States, I felt it was time to have this discussion with the hosts of this timely, well crafted, and increasingly needed podcast project. Conspirituality uncovers the intricate dynamics at play in the merging of the Health and Wellness community and its online influencers with this far right conspiracy theory — including the cult dynamics at play in its popularity and spread, the role social media plays in disseminating these ideas, and what the popularity of these ideas means for political action and discourse in our time of rising authoritarianism and right wing populism.
As the alt-right and New Age horseshoe toward each other in a blur of disinformation, well-intentioned discourse and honest debate are being smothered. Charismatic influencers exploit their followers by peddling dangerous conspiracy theories. In the process, spiritual beliefs that nurture creativity and meaning are transformed into memes of a quickly-globalizing paranoia.
Conspirituality attempts to bring clarity to this conversation. A journalist, cult researcher, and philosophical skeptic discuss the stories, cognitive dissonances, and cultic dynamics tearing through the yoga, wellness, and new spirituality worlds. (https://conspirituality.net/about)
Derek Beres is a multi-faceted author, media expert, and fitness instructor based in Los Angeles. A former reporter and magazine editor, he has written for dozens of publications, including MTV, Rolling Stone, Women’s Health, Yoga Journal, and National Geographic online. He is currently a columnist for Big Think and a marketing writer for StackSocial. His new book, ‘Hero’s Dose: The Case for Psychedelics in Ritual and Therapy,’ will be published in Summer 2020.
Matthew Remski is a cult survivor and researcher. His 2019 book, ‘Practice and All is Coming: Abuse, Cult Dynamics and Healing in Yoga and Beyond,’ is the first systematic analysis of pervasive cultism in the modern yoga world. His current research is pivoting to look at cultic dynamics in conspirituality and eco-justice movements.
Julian Walker grew up in Zimbabwe and South Africa and has lived in LA since 1990. He is fascinated with the intersections of yoga/meditation, psychology, science, and culture. He has written extensively on cults and gurus, spiritual bypass and quantum woo in New Age circles, trauma and the body, and neuroscience and somatic psychology informing the practice and teaching of yoga.
Episode Notes:
- Learn more about Conspirituality and listen to and subscribe to the podcast: https://conspirituality.net
- Support the project on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/conspirituality
- Read Derek’s recent article about ‘How QAnon is monetizing child trafficking victims’ at Big Think: https://bit.ly/3lm4Bvx
- Also, read this Twitter thread from a QAnon researcher about how it has elements of both a cult and an addiction: https://bit.ly/2QjKFuC
- The song featured in this episode is “Dari Dalmam Kalbu” by Space Gambia Experience from their self-titled album: https://youtu.be/W_X8y7ReXJQ
