Alok Kanojia, better known as Dr. K, is a charismatic psychiatrist and online streamer who offers a unique blend of psychological, self-help, and spiritual advice to guide individuals through the complexities of modern life, aiming to help them become Healthy Gamers™. Join Matt and Chris as they embark on a multi-part journey through the diverse biomes of Dr. K's content and try to ascertain the meta.

In this first episode, Matt and Chris take a critical look at a 2019 video in which Dr. K discusses his views on Ayurvedic medicine, the problems with Western medicine, and the unacknowledged scientific evidence for Ayurvedic claims. We consider whether the evidence provided matches the rhetoric and relive youthful follies as we immerse ourselves in the all too familiar water of complementary and alternative medicine discourse.

So join us as we learn about the universal mind and single type of depression proposed by modern medicine, how a tripartite classification is actually incredibly individualistic, how the shape of your nose and kink in your hair predicts the food you should eat and the quality of your bowel movements, and the surprising benefits of drinking elephant milk.

In Part 2, we will delve into Dr. K's recent discussion/debate over Ayurvedic medicine with Dr. Mike, another popular YouTube doctor. And finally Part 3 will focus on the dynamics of Dr. K's long-form, somewhat controversial, mental health-themed interviews with influencers.

Links

• Dr. K's Healthy Gamer GG website
• Healthy Gamer GG- Ayurveda Pt. 1: Gunas, Cognitive Fingerprint, Personality
• Science is Dope: Should we adopt Ayurveda | An Indian's response | Dr. Mike vs Dr. K
• List of Studies mentioned in the episode
• Simon Singh's court case that Chris mentioned
• The Iced Coffee Hour: Harvard Psychiatrist on How To Get Ahead of 99.9% of People (Starting NOW)
• Some of Matt's related papers: 1) Thomson, P., Jones, J., Browne, M., & Leslie, S. J. (2014). Why people seek complementary and alternative medicine before conventional medical treatment: a population-based study. Complementary therapies in clinical practice, 20(4), 339-346. & 2) Browne, M., Thomson, P., Rockloff, M. J., & Pennycook, G. (2015). Going against the herd: psychological and cultural factors underlying the ‘vaccination confidence gap’. PLoS one, 10(9), e0132562.

We stare into the abyss and welcome darkness into our souls as we discuss:

• Feedback on the Žižek episode
• Middle Aged Men's Health Update
• Alina Chan and the newest round of Lab Leak Discourse
• Discourse Surfing Pundits
• Alex O'Connor cornering Jordan Peterson on the resurrection
• The philosophical and Marxist implications of Peppa Pig
• Potential Alternatives to Hipster Christianity and New Atheism
• Andrew Gold's Heretics Channel and Toxic YouTube Dynamics
• Editorializing and Responsible Criticism
• Balaji Srinivasan's Waffling Defence of Huberman
• The 'Elite Defector' Pose
• Verbal Fluency vs. Substance
• Heterodox and Anti-Vaxx Incentive Structures
• James Lindsay's most recent idiocy
• Desperate Call to Action

Links

• Alina Chan's NYT Article on the Lab Leak
• Our episode addressing Alina and Matt Ridley's points with relevant experts
• Jordan Peterson's Podcast: Navigating Belief, Skepticism, and the Afterlife | Alex O'Connor @CosmicSkeptic | EP 451
• Andrew Gold - Heretics: EXPOSED: I Didn't Show THIS in Viral 'Woke' Debate with Eni Aluko (4K)
• Balaji's huge Twitter thread defending Huberman
• Summary of Huberman's Math Meme
• Top Earning Substacks

The full episode is available for Patreon subscribers (1 hr 14 mins).

Join us at: https://www.patreon.com/DecodingTheGurus

Join Matt and Chris as they plunge into the heady mental universe of Slavoj Žižek, the Slovenian philosopher known for his eclectic and provocative ideas. The duo parses Žižek's 'unconventional' takes on ideology, consumerism, and revolutionary theory, peppered with his playful movie criticism of films like Jaws and a Clockwork Orange and even a few that he hasn't even watched.

We delve into snuffle-laced discussions of transgressive acts, revolutionary politics, moderate conservative communism, consumerist psychology, and musings on whether Jaws is really about a shark. Throughout all Žižek's dramatic flair is shining through, but is he actually as provocative and hated as he likes to suggest? Matt and Chris have some thoughts...

Expect to reconsider everything you thought you knew, listen to some edgy book blurbs, and finally collapse in a puddle with the deconstruction of your ideology.

Links

• Novara Media: Our World Is Coming To An End | Aaron Bastani Meets Slavoj Žižek | Downstream
• The Pervert's Guide to Ideology (2012) - Slavoj Žižek
• Jacobin: Žižek’s Left-Wing Case for Christian Atheism
• Philosophize This- Episode #196 - The Improbable Slavoj Zizek - Pt. 1 (Also, there are three other Žižek episodes in this series!)
• Article on the speech Žižek gave at the Frankfurt Book Fair

Join us at: https://www.patreon.com/DecodingTheGurus