Historical Blindness

If you've ever wondered about common beliefs about what's good or bad luck and what might be a portent of doom, then this episode is for you. In it, I look at the murky origins of superstitions and th...

8 Nov 202249min

In the conclusion of my Halloween series on the folklore of vampires, I explore the origin and evolution of the legend from folklore to fiction and on to modern myth, looking at the changing appearanc...

25 Okt 202245min

The second part of my series has been delayed a week. In the meanwhile, please enjoy this episode of The Conspirators podcast that serves as a perfect bridge between parts one and two of my series on ...

18 Okt 202233min

As we move into October, let us look at the legend and folklore behind the most horrifying creature ever imagined by mankind: the vampire! This is the start of a two part series for the Halloween seas...

4 Okt 202245min

I continue my meditation on demagoguery in this new episode, looking at a controversial Depression-era politician variously called a reformer or a demagogue, a hero or a despot. What should we make of...

20 Sep 202249min

With noted historians advising the U.S. President that American democracy may currently be in jeopardy, I look at other times in history when democracy was at risk, and I look closely at Donald Trump'...

6 Sep 202251min

In the conclusion of this series examining the historical and pseudohistorical basis of the Netflix program Stranger Things, I explore urban legends about two supposed secret experimental programs, Th...

23 Aug 202256min

In the second part of this series examining the historical and pseudohistorical basis of the Netflix program Stranger Things, I look at U.S. government sponsored psychic experimentation programs focus...

9 Aug 202247min