Listen:
Beyond Binary Thinking Podcast
Discuss:
Support:
A psychologist, a philosopher, and an anthropologist walk into a Podcast.
We hope to offend anyone that holds entrenched views, pop some bubbles, air out some echo chambers, see if we can tackle familiar controversies, while trying to find a third way.
The principle of this podcast is simple. We maintain that any time someone has trapped their thinking in a false dichotomy (Left vs. Right, Us Vs. Them, Good vs. evil...) then they’re reducing conversation to a competition, oversimplifying and preventing dialogue by limiting what could be a rich and nuanced conversation.
Season 4 Episode 9
Lucky Dip: NFTs, Hobbies, and Comfort
The original crew each brings a topic, and we have a good old chat.
Great fun.
Enjoy!
Season 4 Episode 6
What do Anarchists and Marxists Have in Common?
Some say the left have no unity!
Yet Toby and Chris had the pleasure of discussing the nuance in the differences between Marxist and Anarchist thought from Comrades: Brenton Lengal (Snow White Zombie Apocalypse, & Buenaventura Durruti), and Duncan Moore and Ryan Aldred (National Committee of the Socialist Party).
We managed to avoid it descending into a confrontation, and an inspiring discussion was had.
Season 4 Episode 7
Are Monarchies a Threat to Democracy?
We debate the merits and pitfalls of democracy and abolishing monarchies with Jacob from BigYellowPraxis and Underrated/ Overhated
Check him out here
Season 4 Episode 8
African American Trump Voter
Pat's political observations are as passionate as they are astute. He voted for Trump the first time, but was disillusioned as yet another President failed to exact any real change.
Chris, Paul (Southern Podcast Authority) and Brent (Snow White Zombie Apocalypse) joined him for a debate on Centrist Vs. Left Wing politics.
We were all surprised by how much we had in common.
Four people from different political perspectives agreeing on the problems of the current political system, instructs us all about the need for Beyond Binary discussions.
Check out the following links for more: https://brentonlengel.com/
https://www.pbs.org/wgbh/frontline/film/united-states-of-conspiracy/
Season 4 Episode 5
Will China Rule the World Better than America?
Is the Chinese Dream starting to crack at the seams? Last time we talked China, we discussed the silk and belt road initiative and how China is buying up debt world wide. It seemed like they had a 100 year plan, and "The West" was falling apart.
Now it seems like everyone is equally struggling.
We talk to two Americans (including Connor from the Prove Me Wrong, Please podcast) who have lived in China for several years. To discuss whether China will rule the world better now the US is fading as a superpower.
The discussion was impressively nuanced, and took a few fascinating turns.
Season 4 Episode 4
Beyond the Blockchain Hype and Cynicism
Peter Kris has built several successful startups in the block chain, and has a no nonsense, plain speaking approach to demystifying what is often an unnecessarily jargon filled space.
What's overhyped? Where are the risks for retail investors? Why does it use so much energy? And what are some practical applications for blockchain technology that will actually help transform the internet of money from an investment bubble to a practical tool?
Find out more about Peter's work at: https://mangata.finance/
Season 4 Episode 3
Moral Dilemmas
The OG crew get weird and discuss traditional moral dilemmas such as the trolley problem, whether you should speak up at a wedding if you don't think the couple should marry. If our moral revulsion to certain acts is evolved, when is that instinct helpful, and when is it not?
Season 4 Episode 2
Transformative Realism for Politics with Marc Saxer
Breaking through the tired culture wars with a third approach.
German Political Analyst and Strategist Marc Saxer bring his experience in Asia and a unique perspective on how to transform Western politics.
If Neo-Liberalism is dying, why has the Left failed to capitalize on it? How can climate change activism become more effective?
We get into Identity Politics, the Culture Wars, and why polarized activism gets cancelled out by its tribal polar opposite.
How can we break out of our political gridlock, and change the things that need fixing?
Season 4 Episode 1
Beyond Buddhist Sectarianism and Dogma
We discuss the need to avoid religious dogma on the path to enlightenment and Nirvana. A fascinating exploration of Buddhism from two perspectives often presented as conflicting opposites. What does Buddhism have to teach us about history, philosophy, our reality, history, and ourselves.
Hear more from Brenton here:
Season 3 Episode 12
Is Religion Damned? Is it Worth Saving?
Starring Matthew Distefano of the Heretic Happy Hour.
As America joins most developed nations with Church attendance no longer a majority activity, we ask: Is organized religion doomed, and what's worth saving?
Matthew Distefano has been a shining light in a church that seems to have lost its way. Jesus was a person of color, killed in an act of state violence, but how often is moral leadership seen from those who would claim religious authority?
Pablo and Chris share their experiences of why religion is worth saving.
Season 3 Episode 13
Space Travel and Extraterrestrial Communication
From the Fermi Paradox to Dyson swarms, the gang talks is joined by our resident science expert to discuss gravity assists, solar sails, recent developments in astrophysics, and the final frontier.
What's the chance of life on other planets? How easy would it be to communicate with them, and would we want to?
Music from Art-X & Sumac Dub (free download at odgprod.com)
Season 3 Episode 14
You're Either a Feminist or a Misogynist
Feminists often assume you’re either with them, or you're wrong, and
IMHO this is a a big reason why many fail to be persuasive.
However, Becs, my favorite and most charming Feminist friend was willing to come on for another round, and persuade me otherwise.
At the halfway point, we get into INCELs, and true and false claims of sexual harassment, and violence.
A history of and a future for misogyny and misandry.
This conversation is not for the faint of heart, but needs to be had more often.
Season 3 Episode 10
The Future of the Labour Party
After a decade of a party split by New Labour centrists, Momentum, Jeremy Corbyn, Brexit, and terrible election results, what is next for the Labour party in the UK?
We're joined by a superbly well informed guest to dive deep on how the Labour party can rebuild, and come back stronger.
Season 3 Episode 11
Colonialism's Legacy and Consequences
Leftube's rising Solarpunk Anarchist Saint Andrew delivers impactful essays on the problems and needs to go beyond Colonialism's legacy, and the inequities it continues to promote.
We discussed the history and future of European Colonialism, and the backlash all of its critics face. If there is no winding back the clock, how do we move forwards?
A superbly passionate and optimistic conversation on a topic that people are often too uncomfortable to dive deep on.
Music by: salmontheghost
Season 3 Episode 9
Do White Opinions on Black Lives Matter?
Featuring Ranting Minority and Rosario Blue
An American and British Perspective on modern racism, and why so many continue to argue at every opportunity against the Black Lives Matter movement.
How racist is it to deny the existence of systemic racism? Aren't things better than they've ever been?
Are terms like White Supremacy, Fragility, and Privilege helpful to dialogue?
What can White People do to ally themselves in the struggle against racism?
Is racism a bigger problem in America, or are they having a more open debate than in Europe?
Check out linktr.ee/RosarioBlue and youtube.com/user/kdavis081 for more!
Season 3 Episode 8
Futurology: Reading the Tea Leaves
The Crew Get Optimistic About the Future
We predict the end of the housing crises, the globalization of healthcare as a human right.
and AI taking over from short-sighted middle managers, and leading us into space
Season 3 Episode 7
The Australian Government's Anti-Social Media Smack-down
We're joined by Grahame Lynch, Editor, Publisher, Journalist, and Raconteur Extraordinaire of the Australian Telecommunications Industry, for a behind the scenes discussion of why Facebook stopped showing News on its news-feed, and the history behind it.
What does this all mean for the future of media, social media, and the tech giants?
If this is just the beginning, how can they expect to be treated by other countries, and what moves do they have left?
A deep dive on an issue with surprisingly broad consequences from a very-well informed and insightful guest.
Season 3 Episode 6
Beyond Death
We are mortal, and one day we will all die.
Whilst navigating this thorny discussion through tales of personal experience, uplifting philosophical musings and the occasional flippant attempt at brevity we find ourselves exploring some surprisingly meaningful insights into our own psyches, to find ways of dealing with the concept of mortality.
All while confronting the nihilistic hedonism that steers so much of contemporary western thought regarding death.
In today's episode the Beyond Binary Thinking crew sit down to address one of the greatest philosophical questions that has plagued humanity throughout the ages: For how long can someone intentionally derail a conversation about death?
Can long anecdotes that go nowhere really be the best way to obfuscate the one universal truth that binds us all together?
Season 3 Episode 5
Tacticool Girlfriend Debates Gun Control
The American Gun Control Debate seems fiercely polemic;
Liberals frame the gun lobby as right-wing rednecks with blood on their hands.
Conservatives point to the gang shootings in Democrat run cities caused by the failed attempts at gun control.
This leaves gun-rights activists on the left in an uncomfortable minority.
A deep dive on a fascinating topic war, from one of gun cultures most well-spoken proponents.
Follow and support Tacticool Girlfriend on
www.patreon.com/TacticoolGF
Check out her YouTube for cool gun safety advice, and follow Armed Margins and Autonomous Alternative.
Image from @NighthawkCustom
Outro music by https://soundcloud.com/jamie-mackie-20259246
Season 3 Episode 4
Next Generation Nuclear Power and Beyond
Nuclear Energy is deeply misunderstood, shrouded in technical jargon, and all the secrecy you'd expect from Cold War weapon technology.
Uncertainty breeds misinformation, and so we were blessed to have Sean Kenny, an expert guest on the next generation of nuclear molten salt reactors.
An enlightening and intriguing conversation was had on the risks and rewards environmentally, and geo-politically for investing in the next generation of Nuclear reactors, and the need to stop lobbyists, political apathy, NIMBYism, and regulatory monopolies
check out for more at rocklogicwithseankenny.com/where-to-find-us/
Season 3 Episode 3
Chinese Colonialism and Soft Power
The Chinese, and their apologists point to how relatively peaceful China's modern expansion has been in comparison with the Western Superpowers.
Activists from Hong Kong to the Uyghurs beg to differ.
The Belt and Road Initiative, the Silk Road 2.0, worldwide trade deals, and buying up of foreign debt in return for massive construction partnerships make for a aggressively growing China.
Meanwhile for stalling economies, with plans only until the next election, Democracy appears less and less appealing.
Is China destined to dominate, and how worried should we be about that?
Season 3 Episode 2
Chris finally has the nuances of Feminist theory explained to him in a thought provoking debate.
Why do only a minority of people consider themselves Feminist?
What does the movement get right, where can it improve, and why is this still a controversial topic?
Why are we still talking about Jordan Peterson!? Two insightful guests help Beyond Binary Thinking finally broach, one of our more polemic topics.
Outro music by the phenomenally talented Florence Glen, releasing this song on Friday 18th December, and her album early next year. All updates can be found on:
Season 3 Episode 1
The promise of the Arab Spring has been tainted by genocides in Myanmar, and Ethiopia, accelerated by dictator sponsored Facebook ads.
The technological revolution built on innovation has grown so monopolistic, that few dare to build close to Google's "kill-zone".
We talk to PeteyVid's Craig Stadler about alternatives, how David takes on Godzilla, why song covers get taken down quicker than ISIS beheadings, and whether regulation will hurt the big monopolies, or help them. www.peteyvid.com
Season 2 Episode 15
Content Warning: Abortion, Blasphemy, and Revolution.
We spoke to Gabriel to get a handle on what's happening with women's rights, politics, protests, and the Catholic Church in Poland.
Funny, alarming, enlightening, and disturbing.
If you wondered WTF is going on in Poland, I'd recommend you check out this frank discussion.
In the last two minutes you'll hear a protest song by Zbigniew Stonoga, a polish entrepreneur and activist.
Season 2 Episode 14
Can a few minor tweaks to our current system make the world a much better place?
We tried to steelman Capitalism and Democracy, and ended up with Mr. Koch holding court with some practical changes grounded in political and economic theory that none could argue with.
Another wonderful crossover with the Real Politik gents, and a very impressive guest.
Season 2 Episode 13
A Bernie Bro, and a Reformed Republican discuss the future of American politics.
Both have changed their minds several times in recent years, and spend time reaching across the aisle to people with differing political opinions having seen the benefit of getting involved in local politics.
It's time for a change, but it starts with you, and it requires local action.
Season 2 Episode 12
The War on Drugs has exacerbated most of the problems it claimed it could fix, costing the United States $1 trillion dollars and wrecking millions of lives, while disproportionally targeting black men.
This episode we look deeper into the reality of modern day prohibition and discuss the drawbacks of a lack in drug education and the ramifications of strong drug laws.
How dangerous are drugs?
Would you want all drugs to be legalized?
Season 2 Episode 11
Real Politik is our favourite podcast, so we jumped on a cross-over to deep dive into how most economic theory is a nonsense mythology based on demonstrably false misunderstandings of people and markets.
We also get into the religion of "Leftist" politics and why the Democratic Party stopped representing the working class, paving the way for Trump (and his potential re-election).
Visit their Patreon at patreon.com/realpolitik
and keep the conversation going on twitter @real_politik.
Outro music Silence, by Andrew Sloman.
Check out more of his music at: https://andrewsloman.bandcamp.com/
Season 2 Episode 10
Evan Anderson, head of Grey Faction does inspiring work taking on pseudoscience and conspiracy therapists in the mental health industry.
We discuss how Satanic Panic made an industry of hysteric Conspiracy Therapists, implanting false memories, and interfering with criminal cases.
Does privatized healthcare corrupt therapy as quickly as a nationalized service trying to scale costs? Does the replication crisis invalidate most of psychology, and if so, are the therapies it's based on quackery?
Please visit the Grey Faction Official Forum to keep this wonderful and vital discussion going:
https://www.facebook.com/groups/160426834676556
Outro Music by kas: https://youtu.be/LbllnOHCbqg
Season 2 Episode 9
We discuss everyone's vision of Utopia, and how anyone can be happy when so many aren't.
Must everyone sacrifice their freedom for someone else's vision of the greater good?
Israeli Kibbutzim and apocalyptic sex cults aren't the only ones that have planned for a better future. Most revolutionaries plot for a better future, but how can there be a Utopia, if only a minority want it?
As is often the case when we chew on a huge topic, we don't have all the answers, but we have a great discussion around the big questions.
Music by Stack Rack
Season 2 Episode 8
JK Rowling's blog defending TERFS and the letter that followed promoted another round of discussion on Trans and non-binary rights, the problems with Cancel Culture, and worries of 1984 wrongthink wokescolding.
We discuss with Trans Activist and stand up comedian Insanely Shane from the Holy Tranity what JK got wrong, and whether people are allowed to make mistakes in these conversation without moral panic?
Despite the Left's recent claims that cancel culture is just feedback for bigotted comments, there are cases such as Trans Youtuber Contrapoints getting cancelled that prove it's alive and awful.
There are plenty of cancellers on the right too, with 4chan trolls and conservative Christian groups trying to ban everything.
Is Dave Chapelle cancelled? What did he get wrong, and what nuance is required to understand what he said?
Season 2 Episode 7
The disproportionate murder of people of colour by police forces, and poverty has triggered a series of Black Lives Matter protests around the world.
Are the police racist, or merely policing a structurally racist inequality?
Will the arrest of "a few bad apples" fix the problem?
Does "playing the race card" and toppling statues make things worse in a multicultural society? And if so, why has decades of peaceful protesting been so poorly received? Will more active demonstrations achieve more?
For a nuanced discussion, of all of the above, we're joined by the enormously talented Jamie Mackie, whose song features at the end.
Season 2 Episode 6
The Beyond Binary team debates whether it's possible to be a conscious consumer, how evolutionary psychology, social media, and a desire to succeed and be conscious drive us all to be more conspicuous in our spending habits, and whether the scorn of this all is helpful.
From Zizek to Kim Kardashian via Elon Musk, Jeff Bezos, and Bill Gates, we talk about poverty shaming, the politics of envy, whether greed is good, and whether progress is possible.
Season 2 Episode 5
From harmless tales of Bigfoot and aliens, a mistrust of everything, and social media has mutated conspiracy theories into a monster. The Beyond Binary Thinking crew are joined by Jonny Miller to discuss how scientific illiteracy, skepticism, algorithms and echo chambers have us dying from preventable diseases, burning down 5g masts, and completely unsure who's running our elections any more.
Will Newton's flaming laser sword save us? Do we really hate our own politicians so much, we'd rather leave Russian trolls and billionaire oligarchs in power? Does anyone actually believe Jeffrey Epstein killed himself?
We try to go beyond the conspiracy theories.
https://yourlogicalfallacyis.com/
https://goodthinkingsociety.org/
Also, for a funny takedown, check out https://rationalwiki.org/
Season 2 Episode 4
We invite knowledgeable and eloquent guests for a beyond binary discussion, and we knew we'd outdone ourselves as soon as we started talking with Philosopher Lewis Williams from our favorite podcast Searching for It.
What followed was a free and open conversation, following the most interesting tangents intersecting philosophy, psychology, and culture. Why did Simulism capture the public's imagination and what does it have in common with death cults? How does meditation become a religion, and an ego-driven competition? Is a utilitarian perspective on ethics against our evolution? Are Buddhism and absurdism, two sides of the same coin? Do Chinese students study Nietzsche, and Schopenhauer to be edgy?
We don't have all the answers, but we ask the fun questions.
Support Lewis' Patreon here
Season 2 Episode 3
The current pandemic is so controversial, we had to abort our first attempt at recording this episode. It devolved into a pretty heated argument.
So we came back vaccinated against disinformation, and ready for a calmer, more entertaining discussion, on how skepticism in the face of social media clickbait, our stone-age misunderstandings of statistics, and a mistrust of government has doomed us.
Will everything be all right? Well it won't ever be the same!
Thanks to Kit Zellerbach for the wonderful outro music.
Season 2 Episode 2
America’s history has always combined colonialist expansion with entrepreneurial spirit. Is Lockheed Martin sponsored war with Iran the inevitable logical step?
Following another longstanding tradition of Europeans critiquing American foreign policy, the Beyond Binary Team have a go.
We’re joined by an American political hip hop artist to help explain whether there’s method to the madness of the orange president, and whether Christian Evangelicals are intentionally catalyzing world war three, and how America continues to see its role in the world so differently from everyone else.
We struggle to play devil’s advocate, and discuss how much America will be missed now it’s losing its position of respect as a world power, and running out of money after spending trillions on losing profitable but illegal wars.
Season 2 Episode 1
I was surprised when two senior leaders of The Satanic Temple agreed to a chat, especially given the organisations’s dramatic growth following the warts and all documentary (now on Netflix).
I came prepared to play devil’s advocate. How can a group whose values include the right to offend be inspiring and thoughtful? How does a growing and popular organisation stop themselves from becoming the powerful theocracy they’re protesting against?
The Satanist label clearly gets a lot of press attention, but isn’t it counterproductive for their work in schools and with mental healthcare? I tried to hold up the mirror to some criticism of their members’ groupthink, and hypocrisy.
They responded thoughtfully, and left us awestruck by the depth of their understanding of religion, psychology, philosophy, and how to change the world for the better.
Please donate to help them keep up their vital community work. TST TV: https://thesatanictemple.tv/
Grey Faction: https://greyfaction.org/
TST Donation: https://www.thesatanictemple.org/dona... Reproductive Rights Donation: https://donate.thesatanictemple.org/s...
Artwork by Shirley Pipps: https://www.pinterest.com/pin/3802727...
And here’s a link to Denied Grace’s music! https://www.deniedgrace.com/media