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Dave Troy Presents

David Troy

Dave Troy is a technologist, historian, and researcher who has studied disinformation and extremism online since the earliest days of the internet.

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S4 · E4
August 8 · 1 hr 10 min
Midterms, AI, and MAGA with Dr. Jen Golbeck
Half a percent doesn't sound like much. In a close midterm, it is everything. Dr. Jen Golbeck has spent two decades as a computer scientist studying what the internet can figure out about you without being told — and she now spends her nights as a working journalist inside the most extreme corners of American politics. Both halves of that job point at the same machine: an economy built on collecting everything about everyone, and online communities that offer people the one thing they most want, which is belonging. Dave and Jen talk about how far surveillance has actually gone, why she thinks the AI bubble is at its top edge, what a decade inside far-right forums has taught her about how ordinary people radicalize, what she saw on the street in Minneapolis during the ICE protests, and what is genuinely worth doing between now and November. Guest Dr. Jen Golbeck — Professor at the University of Maryland's College of Information and director of the Social Intelligence Lab. She writes the daily MAGAReport newsletter and reports for HuffPost and Esquire. MAGAReport | UMD faculty page | HuffPost | Esquire: a weekend with the Proud Boys | TED: Is AI progress stuck? Also mentioned: the Electronic Frontier Foundation's legislation tracker. Chapters 00:00 - Cold open and intro 01:28 - Meet Dr. Jen Golbeck 03:52 - Surveillance, extremism, and the American ideal 06:07 - How bad has surveillance actually gotten 07:49 - The phone-number trick and the data-broker machine 10:01 - The TEDx talk that made the tech bros angry 13:46 - A 24-hour amnesty: 40 percent of the class confesses 17:05 - Data centers, bad neighbors, and democratic control 19:18 - The dot-com parallel: is this a bubble? 20:26 - Open source, local models, and the business-model problem 24:52 - Typing pools and the job-apocalypse story 27:37 - The antisocial internet: from privacy to radicalization 29:19 - A weekend with the Proud Boys in North Carolina 32:43 - The symbolic show of strength 36:56 - What cults know about belonging 38:58 - Minneapolis, ICE, and the feel of a civil war 44:26 - What the Charlie Kirk killing revealed 47:13 - Civil war, or Costco? 49:31 - The Facebook experiment: half a percent 52:09 - Citizens United, money, and media consolidation 56:07 - Into the midterms: troops, fraud claims, and lawsuits 58:59 - Why the election infrastructure should hold 1:02:00 - Flock cameras and warrantless tracking 1:03:24 - EFF's tracker: pick one thing and be annoying 1:08:33 - Outro and links Dave Troy Presents is published by America 2.0. america2.news
S4 · E3
July 2 · 1 hr 3 min
The Case for National Service with Scott Reich
Scott Reich recently took the TED Democracy stage in Philadelphia to argue that a renewed ethos of service could help repair our fractured country. He joins Dave Troy for a conversation that runs from ancient Athens to a modern "GI Bill for civic service," by way of Robert Putnam, the 1917 baseball All-Star Game, and the simple, radical idea that citizens owe something to one another. Reich and Troy arrived at similar conclusions by different paths: that social mixing across background, region, and class — not screens and headlines — is how a democracy rebuilds trust. Together they make a hopeful (and stubbornly non-partisan) case for citizenship as a practice, not merely a slogan. (Production note: a couple of brief internet dropouts affected Scott's audio; we've worked around them.) Guest: Scott Reich - presidential historian and attorney; author of "The Power of Citizenship: Why JFK Matters to a New Generation" and the forthcoming "One Day in September: Baseball, Brotherhood, and the Birth of the All-Star Game"; board member of the JFK Library Foundation and a lecturer at the University of Pennsylvania. https://www.scott-reich.com/ Chapters: 00:00 Cold open: why national service 01:18 Meet Scott Reich and the TED Democracy talk 04:34 Citizenship: rights, but also obligations 05:43 From "impossible" to practical: connection and service 07:45 The baseball "farm system": start with the young 10:18 What we stopped teaching: civics and Western civ 12:30 The proposal: a modern GI Bill for civic service 14:03 Ancient Greece and the making of a citizen 15:29 Mandatory or voluntary? Incentives over mandates 18:01 Reviving civic life: Peace Corps, clubs, and lost associations 19:55 The commoditization of youth sports 22:53 We've always argued: Adams, Jefferson, and healthy disagreement 24:49 "One Day in September": how Americans used to gather 29:02 Putnam, disinformation, and the loneliness crisis 30:29 Social mixing as national security 32:54 Cohorts across difference: rural Iowa to the Bronx 37:42 Service, not servitude: beyond the military 43:59 Overestimating the other side 46:05 Leaders as vehicles: JFK and the power of citizenship 50:22 What tragedy teaches: our capacity to unite 54:29 What can one person do? Small acts of citizenship 1:01:13 Outro and links Host Dave Troy writes at https://america2.news and https://washingtonspectator.org Dave Troy Presents is published by America 2.0. https://america2.news
S4 · E2
June 12 · 54 min
The Power of Predictions with Carissa Véliz
Most of the predictions you encounter every day are closer to the realm of power than the realm of knowledge — and once you see that, you can't unsee it. Oxford philosopher Carissa Véliz joins Dave to talk about her new book Prophecy: Prediction, Power, and the Fight for the Future, from Ancient Oracles to AI. From the Oracle of Delphi (less a holy shrine than a thriving business) to court astrologers, credit scores, and large language models, Véliz argues that predictions are speech acts — veiled commands that bend reality toward themselves. Whoever owns the prediction machines is making a bid to own the future. Dave and Carissa dig into the rise of prediction markets like Polymarket and Kalshi — anonymous wallets funded hours before an attack on Iran, journalists bullied over bets, newsrooms reporting odds as news — plus AI's "monoculture of sameness," why existential-risk panic distracts from AI-enabled authoritarianism, and why refusing to obey in advance starts with refusing the self-fulfilling prophecy. The conversation ends where it must: democracy is never won, only fought for and built every single day. Carissa Véiz — Associate Professor at Oxford's Faculty of Philosophy and Institute for Ethics in AI; author of Privacy Is Power and Prophecy. Get the book - https://www.goodreads.com/en/book/show/239151058-prophecy TED 2026 talk - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OS4wHmKtH-Q X - @CarissaVeliz Chapters 00:00 - Cold open & intro 01:30 - Meet Carissa Véliz & the origins of Prophecy 04:37 - Ancient oracles: prediction has always been a business 07:10 - Dread, marketing & why predictions are never facts 09:51 - What makes an honest forecast? Weather vs. people 12:31 - Prediction markets: from PredictIt to Polymarket 15:27 - Insider wallets & the bet on the Iran attack 17:39 - Betting markets meet super PAC politics 20:10 - When newsrooms report bets as news 21:35 - AI as prediction machine: the monoculture of sameness 26:00 - How a digital ethicist actually uses AI 30:50 - Breaking out: serendipity, reading, defying the curve 33:47 - Philosophy as the antidote to prophecy 36:19 - Bayesian priors, agency & refusing to obey in advance 40:44 - Democracy, community & the inconvenient good life 45:17 - From Privacy Is Power to Prophecy 47:49 - Past the event horizon? Against defeatism 51:06 - Reading as an act of defiance 52:33 - Outro & links Dave Troy Presents is published by America 2.0.
S4 · E1
May 21 · 1 hr 10 min
Crypto Is Interested in You with Molly White and Tonantzin Carmona
You may not be interested in crypto, but crypto is interested in you. Cryptocurrency has stopped being a finance story. In 2026 it's a political-money machine - woven into our elections, our regulators, the President's family balance sheet, and the everyday plumbing of how Americans get paid, borrow, and save. You can decide never to buy a single token and still be exposed to the fallout. To open Season 4, Dave Troy talks with two of the sharpest people on this beat: independent researcher Molly White, who tracks the industry transaction by transaction, and Brookings fellow Tonantzin Carmona, who maps the structural harm - who gets targeted, who gets hurt, and how policy makes it possible. A plain-English tour of where crypto stands heading into the 2026 and 2028 elections: the collapse of regulatory enforcement; the Trump family's crypto web (World Liberty Financial, the USD1 stablecoin, memecoins, Trump Media); the GENIUS Act that passed and the CLARITY Act the industry wants next; the super PACs that spent $130M in 2024; and the quiet creep of crypto into mortgages, 401(k)s, and checkout pages. Plus wildcat banking, predatory inclusion, the death of Web3, the Strategic Bitcoin Reserve, the Celsius collapse, and the case for treating our financial system as a choice, not an inevitability. Guests Molly White - writer and researcher; Citation Needed, Web3 Is Going Just Great, and the election-money tracker Follow the Crypto. mollywhite.net | followthecrypto.org | web3isgoinggreat.com | citationneeded.news | Bluesky @molly.wiki | X @molly0xff Tonantzin Carmona - fellow at the Brookings Institution; writes on wealth, inequality, and how crypto is marketed to and harms minority communities ("predatory inclusion"). TEDxMidAtlantic talk forthcoming. Tonantzin Carmona at Brookings Institution: https://www.brookings.edu/people/tonantzin-carmona/ Chapters 00:00 - Cold open & intro 01:44 - Meet Molly White & Tonantzin Carmona 06:42 - Regulatory capture: the SEC's 180 09:09 - The $130M lobby; the GENIUS & CLARITY Acts 11:26 - Money out of politics: the Illinois primary 14:29 - The Trump crypto web - and buying influence 19:48 - Stablecoins explained; dollar dominance 24:08 - Tether, audits, "Amazon bucks" & deposit flight 28:04 - Wildcat banking: financial history in reverse 29:03 - Young men, speculation & predatory inclusion 33:19 - Whatever happened to Web3? 37:52 - The Strategic Bitcoin Reserve & "End the Fed" 48:38 - Crypto creeps in: mortgages, 401(k)s, mines 50:50 - The crypto playbook becomes the AI playbook 53:17 - Payments rails: Stripe, Block, "boiling the frog" 56:29 - When it looks like a bank but isn't: Celsius 59:24 - A public alternative: FedNow & Brazil's PIX 01:01:09 - The CBDC question 01:04:27 - What you can actually do 01:08:38 - Outro & links Dave Troy Presents is published by America 2.0. More at america2.news.
S3 · E9
Jul 29, 2025 · 1 hr 34 min
Ghost Nation: Taiwan's Struggle for Survival with Chris Horton
If you've been following world events, you know that Taiwan's future has become a major question, and a fulcrum for the future of democracy. Chris Horton is the author of "Ghost Nation: The Story of Taiwan and Its Struggle for Survival," a new book that offers a unique view into Taiwan's complex history, its precarious present, and its potential futures. "Ghost Nation" is a must read for those interested in the future of democracy, not just in Asia but around the world, and Dave's conversation with Chris is a great introduction to this complex set of topics. More info: https://chrishortonwriter.com Book: https://www.amazon.com/Ghost-Nation-Taiwan-Struggle-Survival/dp/1035034026 00:00 Introduction to Taiwan's Complex History 00:52 Meet Chris Horton: Author of Ghost Nation 03:15 The Dutch and Spanish Colonization 07:27 The Ming and Qing Dynasties 17:53 Japanese Rule and Modernization 23:48 The ROC and the 2-28 Incident 48:18 Martial Law in Taiwan: A Dark History 50:00 Democratization and Political Shifts 51:39 Taiwan's Identity and International Relations 01:00:56 Taiwan's Economic Transformation 01:04:10 TSMC: Taiwan's Semiconductor Giant 01:08:37 China's Military Threat and Taiwan's Defense 01:23:34 US-Taiwan Relations and Strategic Ambiguity 01:33:07 Conclusion and Final Thoughts
S3 · E8
Jun 11, 2025 · 57 min
Project Russia and the Future of Western Democracy with Jason Pack
In this episode, we dive into geopolitical tensions, focusing on Russia’s influence on global politics and its ideological underpinnings. David Troy and Jason Pack from the Disorder Podcast discuss Russian nationalism, the continuity of Soviet-era tactics, and the extensive influence of Project Russia. The conversation also delves into the intersections with Western ideologies and strategies to combat disinformation, as well as the peculiar connection between Russian Cosmism and contemporary tech culture. The Disorder Podcast - https://linktr.ee/disorderpod 00:00 Introduction and Overview 00:51 Conversation with Jason Pack Begins 02:18 Russian Nationalism and Historical Context 03:40 Post-Soviet Russia and the KGB's Influence 10:27 Challenges of Democratization in Russia 18:24 Project Russia: Ideological Framework 26:18 Western Misunderstandings of Russian Motivations 29:10 The Essence of Project Russia 30:06 Bannon's Vision and Russian Interests 30:30 China's Role in the Ukraine War 31:52 Introduction to Russian Cosmism 32:40 The Origins and Ideas of Russian Cosmism 34:32 Cosmism's Influence on Modern Tech 37:51 Libertarian Ideologies and Russian Cosmism 40:51 Trump's Actions and Russian Interests 42:50 Chaos in Tariff Policies 45:56 Strengthening Democracy in the West 52:48 Engaging Global South Democracies 53:49 Conclusion and Future Vision
S3 · E7
Mar 21, 2025 · 1 hr 9 min
The Nerd Reich with Gil Duran
Journalist and political communications specialist Gil Duran joins Dave for a discussion of The Network State, the latest in a long line of Libertarian Exit ideologies. Based on the ideas of people like Patri Friedman, Balaji Srinavasan, and Curtis Yarvin, the movement ultimately aims to dismantle the American government in favor of a network of federated states, all competing for citizens. The ideology has found a home in the second Trump administration and is gaining momentum quickly. Dave and Gil discuss what it is, where it came from, and how to go about stopping its spread. Interview starts at 02:47 00:00 Introduction and Guest Welcome 00:05 Exploring the Network State Concept 02:47 Mainstream Media's Reluctance 03:40 Historical Context and Silicon Valley's Influence 04:42 Local Politics and Billionaire Influence 05:22 Acceleration of Network State Ideologies 07:54 Freedom Cities and Corporate Dystopias 11:59 Exit vs. Voice: Libertarian Ideals 17:36 Cultish Movements and Apocalyptic Visions 22:48 Autocracy Inc. and Global Implications 33:12 Bitcoin and Right-Wing Politics 34:02 Network State and Democracy 34:29 Media and Political Awareness 35:37 Democrats and Cryptocurrency 43:51 Technocracy and Historical Parallels 51:43 Substack vs. Ghost Platform 55:00 Future Political Landscape 01:02:45 Grassroots Movements and Conclusion Links: https://thenerdreich.com https://x.com/gilduran76 https://theframelab.org
S3 · E6
Feb 25, 2025 · 1 hr 6 min
Henry Wallace and the World that Wasn't with Benn Steil
Donald Trump wasn't the first presidential candidate to be groomed by the KGB to advance Russian interests. That dubious honor belongs to Henry A. Wallace, who ran for president in 1948. Dave interviews Benn Steil, an economist and historian from the Council on Foreign Relations. They discuss his latest book, 'The World That Wasn't, Henry Wallace and the Fate of the American Century.' The conversation explores Wallace's intriguing political and personal life, his contributions as Agriculture Secretary under FDR, his mystical beliefs, and his controversial political career. The discussion includes the impact of Wallace's policies, his interactions with and influence from historical figures like Nicholas Roerich, and his eventual fall from political grace leading up to the 1944 Democratic Convention. The guest also draws parallels between Wallace's complex legacy and contemporary political narratives, including potential influences on modern American politics. Links: https://america2.news/donald-trump-isnt-the-first-presidential-candidate-groomed-by-the-kgb/ https://www.foreignaffairs.com/united-states/genuine-case-collusion?ref=america2.news https://www.cfr.org/expert/benn-steil https://x.com/bennsteil https://www.nytimes.com/2022/09/14/nyregion/nyc-911-calls-riverside-drive.html https://www.roerich.org/ Interview begins at 02:47. 00:00 Introduction and Guest Background 00:20 Henry Wallace: A Counterfactual History 02:27 Henry Wallace's Early Life and Agricultural Innovations 06:39 Wallace's Mystical Pursuits and Political Controversies 12:39 Wallace's Political Ideologies and Economic Views 23:25 Wallace's Vice Presidency and Political Challenges 29:06 Wallace's Diplomatic Missions and Downfall 33:51 Manipulating Visits: The Russian Blueprint 34:30 The DNC's Maneuvering for a New VP 37:47 The 1944 Democratic Convention Chaos 41:02 Wallace's Downfall and Truman's Rise 45:50 Wallace's Post-VP Career and Conflicts 48:43 Wallace's 1948 Presidential Run and Communist Ties 54:40 Parallels Between Wallace and Trump 58:38 The Masonic Dollar Bill Redesign 01:00:49 Conclusion and Future Prospects
S3 · E5
Feb 20, 2025 · 50 min
Money, Lies, and God with Katherine Stewart
Dave interviews Katherine Stewart about her new book 'Money, Lies, and God,' which explores extremist movements in the United States, particularly focusing on the rise of anti-democratic sentiment and Christian nationalism. Katherine shares her background in reporting over the past 16 years and discusses how she began investigating these movements after a 'Good News Club' appeared at her daughter's school. She categorizes the key players in these movements into 'funders,' 'thinkers,' and 'foot soldiers' and discusses how their interactions threaten the foundations of American democracy. The interview also touches on the disinformation campaigns, the international dimension of these extremist networks, and the importance of engaging in local politics and voting to sustain democracy. 00:00 Introduction and Book Overview 00:19 Katherine's Background and Initial Interest 00:38 The Good News Club and Its Impact 02:57 Researching the Legal Advocacy Groups 04:03 The Larger Agenda and War on Public Education 04:59 Categorizing the Networks: Funders, Thinkers, and Foot Soldiers 07:45 Christian Nationalism and Its Political Machine 12:51 The Role of Spirit Warriors and Spiritual Warfare 16:56 Influence of Thinkers: Leo Strauss and Carl Schmitt 22:02 The Concept of a Red Caesar 31:24 Global Reactionary Movements and Religious Nationalism 37:38 The Role of Funders and Money in Politics 42:19 Pro-Democracy Initiatives and Individual Actions 46:38 Conclusion and Final Thoughts
S3 · E4
Jan 30, 2025 · 1 hr 5 min
Russia's Third Empire with Dina Khapaeva
Dave interviews Dina Khapaeva, Russian culture expert at Georgia Tech, about the book "Third Empire: Russia as it ought to be," written by Mikhail Yuriev, one of the authors of Project Russia, which we have also covered in the last two episodes. Dina specializes in Russian historical memory and contemporary issues. She provides an in-depth background on her research and her personal history, including her family's experience with Stalinist terror. The discussion focuses on the troubling, far-right ideologies that have been shaping Russia's political strategy, particularly explored through the lens of Mikhail Yuryev's novel 'Third Empire, The Russia That Ought To Be' and the Project Russia texts. Dr. Penkrmanova explains how these narratives, rooted in neo-Eurasianist ideology and medieval Russian history, inform Putin's geopolitics and expansionist aims. The conversation also touches on the implications of these ideologies for Western policymakers and the political landscape, emphasizing the urgent need to recognize and respond to these Russian ambitions. The Utopian Russian Novel that Predicted Putin's War Plan, March 26, 2022 The West Doesn't Realize How Much Danger It's In, August 24, 2022 Putin's Dark Ages, 2023 Dina Khapaeva website 00:00 Introduction and Guest Background 00:17 Early Career and Shift to Sociology 01:00 Focus on Historical Memory 02:24 Current Role at Georgia Tech 02:59 Discussion on Mikhail Yuryev's Book 03:49 Yuryev's Influence and Political Connections 07:05 Fortress Russia and Far-Right Ideology 10:18 Neo-Eurasianism and Western Perception 19:57 Summary of 'Third Empire' Plot 23:07 Implications of Yuryev's Vision 32:04 The Devastation of War: Casualties and Destruction 32:58 Russian Ideology: Antichrist and Apocalypse 33:42 Western Perception and Putin's Strategy 34:34 The Primakov Doctrine and Nuclear Threats 38:14 Yuriev's Vision: A New Social Order 45:58 The Role of Memory Politics in Russia 51:49 Yuriev's Influence in the United States 57:21 The Patriarchal Society and Gender Issues 01:00:41 The Urgency of Recognizing the Russian Threat 01:03:10 Conclusion: The Future of Russia and Global Implications
S3 · E3
Jan 30, 2025 · 1 hr 19 min
The Geopolitics of the Russian Orthodox Church with Lucy Ash
Dave interviews noted British journalist and documentarian Lucy Ash about her new book, The Baton and the Cross: Russia's Church from Pagans to Putin. They discuss intricate relationship between the Russian Orthodox Church and the modern Russian state. The interview explores the history of Orthodoxy in Russia, tracing its origins from medieval times through periods of upheaval, including the Bolshevik Revolution and the Stalinist era. Lucy discusses the personal connections that inspired her to write the book, her early perceptions of the church's potential for good, and how current events are influenced by historical precedents. The conversation examines key figures such as Patriarch Kirill and President Vladimir Putin, highlighting how orthodoxy has been used to underpin Russian nationalism and policy. The dialogue also touches on the broader social impacts of this relationship, including attitudes towards LGBTQ+ issues and women's rights. The interview concludes with reflections on Putin's personal religiosity and his regime's strategic use of the church to consolidate power. The Baton and the Cross Lucy Ash on X Lucy Ash Website 00:00 Introduction and Personal Connection to Russia 03:55 Historical Background of the Orthodox Church in Russia 08:27 Ivan the Terrible and the Oprichniki 11:40 Peter the Great and Catherine the Great's Influence 29:13 The Bolshevik Revolution and Its Impact on the Church 40:54 Smuggling Bibles into Eastern Europe 42:33 Religion and State in Russia 44:06 Russian Mysticism and Superstition 46:09 Orthodoxy and Russian Identity 47:44 LGBTQ Issues and Russian Orthodoxy 50:49 Pussy Riot and Church-State Relations 53:03 Domestic Violence and the Church 57:01 Putin's Spirituality and the Church 01:00:45 The Military Cathedral 01:06:47 Conclusion and Final Thoughts
S3 · E2
Dec 13, 2024 · 56 min
Project Russia and the Kremlin's War on the West
You've heard of Project 2025, but there's another framework that may be even more important for understanding the current assault on Western democracies. "Project Russia" is a series of books published between 2005 and 2010, and it outlines a strategic vision for total war on the West, against democracies, and against the US dollar and other fiat currencies. Nearly unknown to Western analysts, the concepts described in Project Russia increasingly reflect the events we see playing out on a daily basis: a war over competing worldviews with capture of media, the use of podcasts and other alternative media to challenge the mainstream press, and the emergence of a new class of unelected 'elite' demagogues who seem to be taking control of global affairs. This episode analyzes the four original Project Russia books with the help of Google's NotebookLM, and offers 'deep dives' into specific areas of the texts. More on Project Russia from Dave Troy: https://washingtonspectator.org/project-russia-reveals-putins-playbook/ Keywords: Project Russia, conservatism, nationalism, religion, Orthodoxy, geopolitics, ideology, Antichrist, apocalypse, conspiracy, collapse, future, prediction, The Idea, world order, West, elites, manipulation, control, change, modernity, post-modernity, capitalism, consumerism, society, state, power, authority, history, monarchy.
S3 · E1
Nov 26, 2024 · 53 min
The Tech Coup with Marietje Schaake
Big tech companies are playing an outsized role in our world and are increasingly involved in creating policy that has negative impacts on democracies. In her book The Tech Coup, Marietje Schaake argues that companies need to be reined in, and that democracies need to organize themselves in ways that can withstand the challenges posed by these companies and their increasingly imperious owners. Marietje joins Dave for a spirited post-election conversation about how the Tech Coup is playing out right now, and what we can do about it. MarietjeSchaake (X, Bluesky, Mastodon) "The Tech Coup: How to Save Democracy from Silicon Valley" https://press.princeton.edu/books/hardcover/9780691241173/the-tech-coup Keywords: Tech Coup, Democracy, Elon Musk, Regulation, Cryptocurrencies, Bitcoin, Global Governance, Public Stack, Resilience, Alternative Platforms, Geopolitics, Cybersecurity, Social Inequality, Ukraine War, Authoritarianism, Disinformation, Digital Infrastructure, Data Centers, Procurement, Investments, AI, Cables, Data Centers
S2 · E15
Oct 31, 2024 · 43 min
How to Win an Information War with Peter Pomerantsev
In this special bonus episode, Dave interviews author Peter Pomerantsev about his new book "How to Win an Information War: The Propagandist Who Outwitted Hitler." The book explores the work of Sefton Delmer, a journalist who developed unique ways to destabilize Hitler's propaganda programming. Their conversation was recorded on October 28, 2024, at Bird In Hand Books in Baltimore, Maryland. Pomerantsev is the author of two other books on disinformation and propaganda, "Nothing Is True and Everything is Possible," and "This Is Not Propaganda." He is currently based at the SNF Agora Institute at Johns Hopkins University. Pomerantsev also delivered a TED Talk at TEDxMidAtlantic in Washington, D.C. in June 2024. Links: TED Talk (2024) How To Win an Information War (2024) This Is Not Propaganda (2019) Nothing Is True and Everything Is Possible (2014)
S2 · E14
Oct 21, 2024 · 1 hr 7 min
The October Surprise with Craig Unger
The term "October Surprise" has come to mean any kind of shock that might upend a November election. But the original October Surprise was in 1980, when Ronald Reagan's campaign operatives conspired with the fundamentalist Iranian regime to keep 52 American hostages in Tehran until after the presidential election of 1980 — all but ensuring a loss for incumbent candidate Jimmy Carter. This is the account provided by author Craig Unger, who has been following the "October Surprise" story since 1991, and during that time has been able accumulate evidence to confirm that yes, the October Surprise really happened. This almost unbelievable story is documented in his new book, "Den of Spies: Reagan, Carter, and the Secret History of the Treason That Stole the White House, " recently published by Harper Collins. Craig joins Dave for a fascinating discussion of this complicated history, and its implications on American politics today. Purchase: Den of Spies Follow Craig Unger on X
S2 · E13
Oct 15, 2024 · 1 hr 56 min
Crypto Is Bad, Actually
No joke: Peter Thiel envisioned PayPal as a way to challenge to the global political order. And that vision is just now coming into place in 2024. In this election cycle, cryptocurrency interests have surpassed $120 million, surpassing even big oil, in trying to capture candidates from both political parties. This episode features a recording of a Twitter (X) space recorded on September 12, 2024 exploring this set of topics. The space was coordinated by Jake Donoghue, and includes several leading crypto critics: me, David Gerard, Mark Hays, John Reed Stark, and Mark R. Smith. Follow on X: @JDonoghueAuthor, @JohnReedStark, @DavidGerard, @AmScream, @Miercoles_Hays, @davetroy Jake Donoghue Twitter Space Peter Thiel at Libertopia 2010
S2 · E12
Oct 14, 2024 · 1 hr 9 min
Opus Dei with Gareth Gore
The secretive Catholic sect Opus Dei seems to be popping up everywhere. But what is it? Many people are familiar with it from depictions in fiction like "The Davinci Code," but the reality is both more mundane and in many ways, more sinister. Dave is joined by financial journalist Gareth Gore, who got into the story by covering the failure of Spanish bank Banco Popular. He found that the bank led to a rabbit hole — and in the center of it was Opus Dei. Part classic authoritarian mind control cult, part spiritual organization, part fraud, and part geopolitical powerhouse, Gore's new book "Opus: The Cult of Dark Money, Human Trafficking, and Right-Wing Conspiracy inside the Catholic Church" is a page-turning account of one of the most influential groups in the last 100 years.
S2 · E11
Jul 31, 2024 · 1 hr 15 min
Popping the AI Bubble with Gary Marcus
Generative Artificial Intelligence has topped tech headlines for the last two years, but it's possible we may be reaching a limit of what can be achieved using current approaches. Concerns about reliability and now, return on investment for the countless billions invested in the sector, may put AI's short-term future in doubt. Dave interviews AI expert Gary Marcus, a psychologist, cognitive scientist, and author, known for his research at the intersection of cognitive psychology, neuroscience, and artificial intelligence. He's also a professor emeritus of psychology and neuroscience at New York university. While both Gary and Dave notably have a pro-tech stance, they also want to ensure that we build tools that work well, are sustainable, and are ethically sound. They explore this topic and more in a wide ranging discussion. Gary Marcus: X Substack TED GenAI: Too Much Spend, Too Little Benefit? (Goldman Sachs) The Hardware Lottery by Sara Hooker KAN: Kolmogorov-Arnold Networks (multiple authors) Keywords: AI, LLMs, OpenAI, GenAI, Gary Marcus, ROI, truth, System 1, System 2, Kahneman, hardware lottery, Sara Hooker.
S2 · E10
Jul 10, 2024 · 58 min
The Summer of our Discontent with Jack Bryan
It's shaping up to be the hottest July on record, and things couldn't be more strange in the political realm. From multiple bombshell rulings from the Supreme Court to widespread speculation about whether Joe Biden should step aside after his halting debate performance, it feels like things couldn't get any crazier. Yet, that's entirely possible. Dave talks with Jack Bryan, director of the film ACTIVE MEASURES and creator of the podcasts AMERICAN PSYOP and LAWYERS, GUNS, and MONEY about what's happened, what's at stake, and where things might go next. Recorded during the July 4th holiday, at the beach in Delaware. Keywords: SCOTUS, Immunity, Chevron, SEC, Jarkesy, debate, Biden, convention, institutions, rule of law, democracy, autocracy, authoritarianism, Trump, fascism.
S2 · E9
Mar 13, 2024 · 2 hr 8 min
The UFO Hoax with Jack Brewer and Art Levine
For decades, a highly entrepreneurial group of researchers, scientists, and journalists has been at the center of the movement to “disclose” the existence of extraterrestrial visitors to Earth — and they’ve scored what may be their biggest legislative victory yet. The 2024 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), passed in December, includes a provision that requires the federal government to provide any and all records on UAP. Activists hope that a deluge of new UAP information will be disclosed later this year — smack in the middle of election season. The new law requires that all UAP-related records created more than 25 years ago must be made public — unless personally blocked by President Biden. Dave talks with researcher Jack Brewer and veteran journalist Art Levine in two separate interviews, to hear each of their perspectives on what's going on. It's a rich, detailed conversation you won't want to miss. Is a UFO Hoax a Ticking Time Bomb for Biden by Dave Troy, Washington Spectator Spaceship of Fools by Art Levine, Washington Spectator AARO Historical Report (March 2024) Expanding Frontiers Research Keywords: Danny Sheehan, NDAA, Robert Bigelow, Brandon Fugal, Skinwalker Ranch, Luis Elizondo, Hal Puthoff, Russell Targ, Institute of Noetic Sciences, Christopher Mellon, Timothy Mellon, RFK Jr., Robert F. Kennedy Jr., Donald Trump, Michael Flynn, Roger Stone, Pierre Teilhard de Chardin, Noosphere, Vladimir Vernadsky, Vladimir Putin, KGB, UFO, UAP, Noosphere.

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