The Dark Subcultures of Online Politics - Joshua Citarella - #1032
Modern Wisdom
12/13/25
•113m
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Joshua Citarella is an artist, writer, and cultural researcher focused on internet subcultures and online politics.
We’ve all doom-scrolled our fair share of online politics, some of it funny, some unsettling, and some surprisingly insightful. But which internet subcultures are actually shaping political ideas, how serious are they, and do they truly influence real-world policy?
Expect to learn what’s happening with young people and politics at the moment and why it’s qualitatively different than the past, the weirdest subcultures on the internet that move politics, how online redicalisation actually happens, how internet subcultures actively produce or accelerates political beliefs and identity formation, why Joshua thinks “conservatism is the new punk rock” and much more...
Timestamps:
(0:00) The Impressionable Minds That Decide Our Destiny (5:31) The Radicalisation Train is Speeding Up (19:04) How Radicalisation Evolves (26:13) How Small, Strange Communities Control Beliefs (37:33) What Memes Reveal About Modern Ideology (49:06) The Most Important Ideas to Watch Out For (53:24) How Dark Does the Left Go? (01:04:14) Power, Authority and the Trump–Mamdani Showdown (01:09:08) Do Environmental Protests Do More Harm Than Good? (01:20:15) Does the Left Have Space for Men? (01:31:55) How Chris’s Health Has Impacted His Worldview (01:52:38) Staying Informed in Uncertain Times
Sponsors:
See discounts for all the products I use and recommend: https://chriswillx.com/deals
Get a free bottle of D3K2, a Welcome Kit, Travel Packs, plus bonus gifts (US only) when you first subscribe at https://ag1.info/modernwisdom
New pricing since recording: Function is now just $365, plus get $25 off at https://functionhealth.com/modernwisdom
Get a Free Sample Pack of LMNT’s most popular flavours with your first purchase at https://drinklmnt.com/modernwisdom
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Extra Stuff:
Get my free reading list of 100 books to read before you die: https://chriswillx.com/books
Try my productivity energy drink Neutonic: https://neutonic.com/modernwisdom
Episodes You Might Enjoy:
#577 - David Goggins - This Is How To Master Your Life: lnkfi.re/SN-Goggins
#712 - Dr Jordan Peterson - How To Destroy Your Negative Beliefs: lnkfi.re/SN-Peterson
#700 - Dr Andrew Huberman - The Secret Tools To Hack Your Brain: lnkfi.re/SN-Huberman
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Get In Touch:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/chriswillx
Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/chriswillx
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/modernwisdompodcast
Email: https://chriswillx.com/contact
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Previous Episode
18 Harsh Realities of Modern Dating - Macken Murphy - #1031
December 11, 2025
•161m
Macken Murphy is an evolutionary biologist at the University of Melbourne, a writer and a podcaster.
Modern dating is in the middle of a cultural reset. Attraction science is evolving, men and women are changing how they show up, and everyone is trying to build healthier relationships. What does the data actually say, and is a more balanced way of dating within reach?
Timestamps:
(0:00) Does Size Really Matter? (14:37) Shocking Celebrity Body Transformations (29:05) Why the ‘Dad Bod’ Debate Goes Deeper Than We Think (37:34) What Music Can Teach Us About Intrasexual Competition (45:43) Do Men Care More About Looks Than Body Count? (01:05:56) How a High Body Count Can Affect Your Relationship (01:18:59) The Tension Between Ambition and Attraction (01:34:55) The Danger of Turning a Passion into a Career (01:46:16) How Evolving Preferences Shape Healthier Connections (02:01:46) Do Unattractive People Have Less Successful Relationships? (02:17:20) The Emotional Reality of Non-Monogamy (02:30:58) Exploring the Rich Gay Uncle Hypothesis (02:39:57) Where to Find Macken
Sponsors:
See discounts for all the products I use and recommend: https://chriswillx.com/deals
Get a Free Sample Pack of LMNT’s most popular flavours with your first purchase at https://drinklmnt.com/modernwisdom
Get a free bottle of D3K2, a Welcome Kit, Travel Packs, plus bonus gifts (US only) when you first subscribe at https://ag1.info/modernwisdom
Get 35% off your first subscription on the best supplements from Momentous at https://livemomentous.com/modernwisdom
New pricing since recording: Function is now just $365, plus get $25 off at https://functionhealth.com/modernwisdom
Extra Stuff:
Get my free reading list of 100 books to read before you die: https://chriswillx.com/books
Try my productivity energy drink Neutonic: https://neutonic.com/modernwisdom
Episodes You Might Enjoy:
#577 - David Goggins - This Is How To Master Your Life: lnkfi.re/SN-Goggins
#712 - Dr Jordan Peterson - How To Destroy Your Negative Beliefs: lnkfi.re/SN-Peterson
#700 - Dr Andrew Huberman - The Secret Tools To Hack Your Brain: lnkfi.re/SN-Huberman
-
Get In Touch:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/chriswillx
Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/chriswillx
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/modernwisdompodcast
Email: https://chriswillx.com/contact
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Next Episode
Why Comedies Suck Now - Judd Apatow - #1033
December 15, 2025
•95m
Judd Apatow is a filmmaker, producer, comedian, and writer.
The movies that shaped so many of us were unapologetically funny and often pushed boundaries. As the culture has changed and concerns around political correctness and cancellation have grown, how has that affected modern comedy, and what still feels possible?
Expect to learn how to have gratitude for pain, how comedy saved Judd and why “you only learn by not being funny”, why bombing on stage is just R&D, how to keep your ego in check when being friends with someone whose career is suddenly outpacing your own, what it takes to harness more creativity, if the “comedy collective” model still works or if social media ended the long-table-read era, why comedy movies aren’t funny anymore and much more...
Timestamps:
(0:00) Turning Trauma into Material (12:01) Does Comedy Carry Higher Stakes Than Music? (19:33) Confidence, Doubt and the Fear of Not Knowing (23:49) When the Room Turns Against You (35:12) Success, Comparison and Holding Your Own (46:02) Why Being Funny and True is So Hard (59:02) How Streaming is Reshaping Movies (01:09:24) Do People Still Say No? (01:17:43) The Importance of Shaping New Careers (01:25:39) Trusting Yourself When the Stake are High (01:33:38) Keeping Up to Date with Judd
Sponsors:
See discounts for all the products I use and recommend: https://chriswillx.com/deals
Get 35% off your first subscription on the best supplements from Momentous at https://livemomentous.com/modernwisdom
Get a Free Sample Pack of LMNT’s most popular flavours with your first purchase at https://drinklmnt.com/modernwisdom
New pricing since recording: Function is now just $365, plus get $25 off at https://functionhealth.com/modernwisdom
Get a free bottle of D3K2, a Welcome Kit, Travel Packs, plus bonus gifts (US only) when you first subscribe at https://ag1.info/modernwisdom
Extra Stuff:
Get my free reading list of 100 books to read before you die: https://chriswillx.com/books
Try my productivity energy drink Neutonic: https://neutonic.com/modernwisdom
Episodes You Might Enjoy:
#577 - David Goggins - This Is How To Master Your Life: lnkfi.re/SN-Goggins
#712 - Dr Jordan Peterson - How To Destroy Your Negative Beliefs: lnkfi.re/SN-Peterson
#700 - Dr Andrew Huberman - The Secret Tools To Hack Your Brain: lnkfi.re/SN-Huberman
-
Get In Touch:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/chriswillx
Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/chriswillx
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/modernwisdompodcast
Email: https://chriswillx.com/contact
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Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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