Unusual Cults: Cargo Cults & Bikram Yoga

What are ghost stories really telling us? What makes a city haunted? We explore local histories and share some scary mysteries. Topics covered: -Ghost stories as a vehicle for overlooked histories -The commercialization of suffering and dark tourism -New Orleans ghost stories (LaLaurie Mansion, Ursuline Convent, Marie Laveau), black history, and Hurricane Katrina aftermath -The creation of voodoo and its misperception -Savannah’s haunted history (Mercer Williams House, Grietely Ship) Sources available to anyone at our ⁠⁠Patreon⁠⁠ ❤️

Spooky season has us thinking about ghosts, demons, and the dead. We look into the ancient roots of Halloween and see what other cultures can teach us about the afterlife. Topics covered: -The history of Halloween -Celtic Samhain + Roman Feralia and Pomona + Christian All Souls Day and All Saints Day -Dia de los Muertos celebrations in Mexico -Oban in Japan and friendly ghosts -Ghanian funeral rites and novelty coffins Sources available to anyone at our ⁠⁠Patreon⁠⁠ ❤️

Anyone else wondered how the Pumpkin Spice Latte was born or what happens to Spirt Halloween stores on November 1st? This week, we dig into seasonal products and businesses to understand how and why they thrive. Topics covered: -Starbucks Pumpkin Spice Latte and the power of seasonal products -Spirit Halloween’s founding story and business model Sources available to anyone at our ⁠⁠Patreon⁠⁠ ❤️

The Barbie movie’s critical lens on dolls was just the beginning…We dive into adult fan communities of American Girl Doll and reborn dolls to understand the enduring cultural impact of these pillars of girlhood. Topics covered: -The reborn doll community -American Girl Doll’s cultural impact and its adult fans -The Jellycat craze -The rise and fall of Beanie Babies -The psychology of collecting Sources available to anyone at our ⁠⁠Patreon⁠⁠ ❤️

Looking to justify your reality TV habit? Listen in as we explore why this genre deserves to be taken seriously, with both its positive and frightening impacts on our society and psychology. Topics covered: -The history of reality TV—how the format and drama originated -Behind the scenes: how casting, scripting/prompting, and editing really work -Why we find reality TV addicting and its psychological impact on the cast and audience -How trends in reality TV viewership have changed over time -The difference in content and approach between Western produced reality TV and Eastern (Korean, Japanese) Sources & transcript available to anyone at our ⁠⁠Patreon⁠⁠ ❤️

You’ve heard of Jonestown and Heaven’s Gate, but what about cargo and hot yoga cults? We dive into two unusual cults we didn’t know existed: the Cargo Cults of Melanesia and the Bikram Yoga cult. Topics covered: -Fitness and health cults like YouTube high carb low fat vegans and Soulcycle -Amanda Montell's book Cultish -The history of Bikram yoga and its founder Bikram Choudhury -The crimes, scandals, and ongoing cultish behavior from the Bikram community -The origins of Cargo Cults and the John Frum Movement Sources & transcript available to anyone at our ⁠⁠Patreon⁠⁠ ❤️

Ever wondered how Olympic host cities are selected and how much they have to spend? We dig into the big budgets behind the gold medals. Topics covered: -The history of the Olympics and its revival in modern day -Why the International Olympic Committee says countries should host -What independent research shows about the economics of hosting -Deep dive into the economics of the Beijing 2008 Summer Olympics + Paris 2024 Summer Olympics Sources & transcript available to anyone at our ⁠⁠Patreon⁠⁠ ❤️

We quit our jobs in tech to work for ourselves and in the last 7 months, built Pagebound, a web app that combines the best of Goodreads and Reddit. Listen in as we get our first users and share lessons learned from our journey. 📚 ✨ Create a free account at https://pagebound.co/ Join the Everything I Know About pod book club on Pagebound!

From mukbangs to what I eat in a day vlogs, why are we so fascinated with what other people eat? This week, we dive into the origins of mukbang, its transformation when it hit mainstream America, and what the implications are of sensationalizing food and eating online. (Bonus—check out Patreon for us making mukbang content 🍗 🍪) Topics covered: -The origins of mukbang in Korea -Entrance into the American mainstream -The commercialization of mukbang and the new incentive structure -Discourse around Nikocado Avocado, Jelly Bean Sweets: promoting binge eating, feeder content, wastefulness -ASMR crossover -Why people love mukbang, how it affects our mental health and eating habits Sources & transcript available to anyone at our ⁠⁠Patreon⁠⁠ ❤️

Our first episode with a guest! We bring our Enneagram skepticism to an expert. Will she convert us? Topics covered: -The intersection of mental health, therapeutic techniques, and the Enneagram -How to understand your Enneagram type: from triads to stances to wings, discover how your type approaches the world, how it uses energy, and how all this information can help you better understand yourself and those you care about -Christina’s journey growing a social media following and publishing two books Sources & transcript available to anyone at our ⁠⁠Patreon⁠⁠ ❤️