Dave Troy Presents
Dave Troy, a technologist, historian, and researcher, presents a podcast that explores disinformation and extremism online. Drawing on his extensive research since the early days of the internet, he offers insights into how misinformation spreads and its impact on society. The show features conversations and analyses that help listeners understand the digital landscape and the challenges it poses.
Episodes
End Times for Oil — Crypto, Gold, Radicalization, and January 6th
SEASON 1: OIL, GOLD, CRYPTO & FASCISM: HOW WE GOT HERE AND HOW TO FIX IT
As the age of oil winds down, a variety of interlinked forces are in play. Dave outlines a framework spanning roughly the last 100 years that helps put oil, gold, cryptocurrency, disinformation, radicalization, and the pandemic in perspective, and offers ideas about how we might overcome the looming climate emergenc
The Wizard Of Oz, The Gold Standard, and Crypto
SEASON 1: OIL, GOLD, CRYPTO & FASCISM: HOW WE GOT HERE AND HOW TO FIX IT
In 1964, Henry Littlefield proposed that the wildly popular book and film "The Wizard of Oz" by L. Frank Baum could be read as an allegory about the gold standard, silver, and other political themes present in the 1890's when Baum was conceiving of the book. Others suggest it could be read as a theosophical story as
The Libertarian Roots of January 6th with James Scaminaci
SEASON 1: OIL, GOLD, CRYPTO & FASCISM: HOW WE GOT HERE AND HOW TO FIX IT
Most people may not be aware that the modern Republican Party has been overtaken in recent decades by libertarian extremists that hail from the anti-communist, gold-obsessed John Birch Society. Dave Troy talks with Dr. James Scaminaci III, who is a noted expert on the extreme Christian Right and the American liberta
The Fascist Playbook from Mussolini to Today with Ruth Ben-Ghiat
SEASON 1: OIL, GOLD, CRYPTO & FASCISM: HOW WE GOT HERE AND HOW TO FIX IT
Ruth Ben-Ghiat is the author of the book "Strongmen: Mussolini to Present". She joins Dave Troy in conversation about the history of fascism in Italy, its offshoots around the world and connections with the Catholic Church. Ben-Ghiat studied how multiple dictator strongmen came to power, the tools they used to keep
The Roots and Legacy of Fascism with Monique Camarra
SEASON 1: OIL, GOLD, CRYPTO & FASCISM: HOW WE GOT HERE AND HOW TO FIX IT
Continuing discussion from November 23 with Ruth Ben-Ghiat, Dave talks with Monique Camarra, an instructor at the University of Siena and co-host of the Kremlin File podcast. Dave and Monique have a wide-ranging conversation spanning the origins of Italian fascism, its asthetic roots, and its spread and adoption aro
The Cult Roots of American Fascism with Joe Szimhart
SEASON 1: OIL, GOLD, CRYPTO & FASCISM: HOW WE GOT HERE AND HOW TO FIX IT
The 1930's was a time of incredible upheaval in world politics, and the United States was no exception. Financial uncertainty, the New Deal, and anxiety about FDR's departure from the Gold Standard accompanied the flourishing of cult practices that aimed to address fundamental questions around the direction the coun
Oil, Data, and Psychological Warfare with Brent Allpress
SEASON 1: OIL, GOLD, CRYPTO & FASCISM: HOW WE GOT HERE AND HOW TO FIX IT
Anyone studying online disinformation will eventually come to the realization that much of it can be traced back to the oil and gas industry — specifically to groups like the Council for National Policy, created by and for oil and industrial interests. These networks have a deep history of fascist activity in the Un
The Hidden Agendas Behind January 6th with Anne Nelson
SEASON 1: OIL, GOLD, CRYPTO & FASCISM: HOW WE GOT HERE AND HOW TO FIX IT
The Council for National Policy was created in 1981 with funds from the oil and gas industry to operationalize goals of the libertarian and Christian Right movements which had joined forces to elect Ronald Reagan as president. The CNP went on to play significant roles with the Iran Contra affair as well as to signif
The Oil Industry's War on Reality with Christine Arena
SEASON 1: OIL, GOLD, CRYPTO & FASCISM: HOW WE GOT HERE AND HOW TO FIX IT
Christine Arena is a public relations veteran, climate activist, and filmmaker based in San Francisco. For the last several years she's been studying the funding of influence campaigns by the carbon fuel industry, looking at ways to expose and disrupt their strategies.
She and Dave discuss the history of how the oi
Inside the Catholic Fascist Right with Frank Cocozzelli
SEASON 1: OIL, GOLD, CRYPTO & FASCISM: HOW WE GOT HERE AND HOW TO FIX IT
The Catholic Church is a complicated organization with many internal divisions, political affiliations, intelligence connections, and banking functions. Frank Cocozzelli has written extensively about the factions inside the church, their connections to economic libertarianism, and Steve Bannon and Vladimir Putin’s a
The Crypto Lie with Stephen Diehl
SEASON 1: OIL, GOLD, CRYPTO & FASCISM: HOW WE GOT HERE AND HOW TO FIX IT
Bitcoin first emerged on the world stage in 2009, in the wake of the 2008 financial crisis. But the story of where cryptocurrencies came from goes back decades. Dave talks with software engineer and prominent cryptocurrency critic Stephen Diehl about the libertarian roots of crypto and NFTs, why it’s anti-democratic
Oil, Climate, and The War with Wesley Clark, Jr.
SEASON 1: OIL, GOLD, CRYPTO & FASCISM: HOW WE GOT HERE AND HOW TO FIX IT
Wesley Clark, Jr. is a US Army Veteran, climate activist, and sometimes screenwriter who got pulled into a strange world filled with oil contractors, private military companies, fake activists, and cults as part of a veteran action at the Standing Rock protests in 2016. And as it happens, this milieu is at the heart
Christian Nationalism and Religion in American Politics with Fred Clarkson
SEASON 1: OIL, GOLD, CRYPTO & FASCISM: HOW WE GOT HERE AND HOW TO FIX IT
The term "Christian Nationalism" has been used to describe a broad range of religious and political belief systems in America, but we lack a detailed understanding of their belief systems and motivations. Journalist Frederick Clarkson has been bringing both nuance and clarity to the study of the interface of religio
Political Violence And Radical American Partisanship with Dr. Lilliana Mason
SEASON 1: OIL, GOLD, CRYPTO & FASCISM: HOW WE GOT HERE AND HOW TO FIX IT
Dr. Lilliana Mason, an associate professor of political science at Johns Hopkins University is the author of two books that shine a light on why and how America is so divided politically, what it means, and what we might do about it. And her most recent book focuses on why Americans are increasingly willing to justi
Cults & Disinformation with Dr. Steven Hassan
SEASON 1: OIL, GOLD, CRYPTO & FASCISM: HOW WE GOT HERE AND HOW TO FIX IT
Dr. Steven Hassan, a longtime collaborator, joins me to talk about the overlap between cults and disinformation. Steve was a member of the Unification Church, or Moonies, as a young man, and we dive into the deep history of the group, its historical anti-communist agenda, its role in popularizing sushi (!) and much
Paranoia On Parade, Part 1: The "Directors Cut" with Jack Bryan and Hamilton Fish
What if January 6th was... all about gold?
Sure, it sounds improbable at first, but since last year, Dave has been digging into the improbable backstory that got us here. From goldbugs to the "I AM" cult to libertarianism, crypto, and QAnon, this story has it all.
In this episode, Dave talks with Hamilton Fish, editor of The Washington Spectator to introduce the show, and then reads the fir
Paranoia On Parade, Part 2: The "Directors Cut" with Jack Bryan
What if January 6th was... all about gold?
Sure, it sounds improbable at first, but since last year, Dave has been digging into the improbable backstory that got us here. From goldbugs to the "I AM" cult to libertarianism, crypto, and QAnon, this story has it all.
In Part 1, Dave and Jack covered the origins of goldbuggery, from the New Deal to the Reagan era.
In this episode, they cover t
Paranoia on Parade, Part 3: Bonus Interview with Hamilton Fish
What if January 6th was... all about gold?
Sure, it sounds improbable at first, but since last year, Dave has been digging into the improbable backstory that got us here. From goldbugs to the "I AM" cult to libertarianism, crypto, and QAnon, this story has it all.
In this episode, Dave continues his conversation with Hamilton Fish, editor of The Washington Spectator, which published his pie
The Pope At War: Hitler, Mussolini and the Church with David Kertzer
David Kertzer is the Pultizer-prize winning author of several books, including several about the rise of fascism in Europe and its interface with the Catholic Church. His latest book, The Pope at War: The Secret History of Pius XII, Mussolini, and Hitler, chronicles the complex history of the Church during World War II. Dave talks with Kertzer about his research, much of which was only possib
The Red-Brown Alliance with Alexander Reid Ross
People talk about "horseshoe theory," but where does it come from? The idea of a "red-brown alliance" has been part of political discourse for decades, and plays up on the notion that the very far left and very far right have common interests in countering the status quo. Alexander Reid Ross is a geographer and political historian who has written about this phenomenon extensively. Tracing it
On The Front Lines in Ukraine with Nate Mook
For the last five years, Nate Mook has led World Central Kitchen, the ground-breaking humanitarian charitable organization founded by award-winning chef José Andrés. Helping to build the organization from scratch to over $400 million in projected 2022 revenues, Nate has been on the front lines of relief efforts around the world for years. And for the last six months, he's been in Ukraine help
Big Oil's Big Lie with Amy Westervelt
Amy Westervelt is an investigative journalist, radio reporter, and podcast storyteller who has been tracking the oil and gas industry's climate denialism for over twenty years. Her podcast series, "Drilled" and "Rigged" tell the story of how the oil industry and big business have used influence to shape public discourse, perception, and regulation. Dave talked with Amy about the history of Bi
Against Longtermism with Émile Torres
Most people have never heard of "Longtermism." Long term? That sounds like it might be a pretty good thing. But many critics are suggesting that it is a dangerous philosophy, with many societal and social risks connected with it. And it's also been adopted by many wealthy and influential people, including Elon Musk.
In this episode Dave sits down with Émile Torres, a philosopher at Leibniz U
The New Apostolic Reformation with Jennifer Cohn and Bruce Wilson
The New Apostolic Reformation is a Christian movement that most people have never heard of, but it has an out-sized influence in American, and even global, politics and culture. Bruce Wilson has been researching and writing about religion and its influence on politics and culture for decades, and Jennifer Cohn has been working to document threats to democracy and election integrity. They join
Libertarian Exit with Raymond Craib
The idea of leaving society to start up a new one isn't exactly new... history is full of people leaving to go start new countries. But the idea became especially fashionable in 20th century America and was jump-started as a reaction to the counterculture in the 1960's, and given new life by Silicon Valley entrepreneurs in the 2000's.
Dave talks with Raymond Craib, professor of history at Co
The Cult of Bucky Fuller with Alec Nevala-Lee
Buckminster Fuller was a designer, inventor, thinker, and a true American original. Alec Nevala-Lee is the author of a new detailed and deeply honest biography of Fuller, "Inventor of the Future: The Visionary Life of Buckminster Fuller."
Dave talks to Alec about Bucky's life, the unusual cast of characters he attracted, and starts to get into some questions that help inform why Bucky's outs
Mysteries of Eurasia with Joe Szimhart
Russian Nationalism — a heady mix of Eurasianism, Russian Cosmism with esoteric and occult beliefs — is reflected in the Putin regime's information warfare.
In recent episodes we covered a diverse range of topics, from longtermism to libertarian exit, to Bucky Fuller. But what do these things have in common, and what does it all mean?
Dave is joined by Joe Szimhart who helps unpack the deta
The Year that Was, and The Year Ahead
Dave wraps up 2022 with a roundup of the most important stories in meta-politics. This is the show to listen to if you want to get ramped up on what to expect in 2023. Topics covered include Ukraine, Elon Musk, Russian Cosmism, Twitter, Dollar, Crypto, Debt Ceiling, Noosphere, Politics, the "how to fix it" part, Mastodon, and honestly a whole lot more. Along with some interesting audio clips
The End of Twitter and The War on the Dollar
SEASON 2, "The War on the Dollar"
We begin season two by following the ongoing assaults on the dollar by Xi, Putin, and the BRICS nations, and looking at how that might play into Elon Musk's long game with Twitter.
Rich with clips from across the media spectrum, we'll be exploring the underlying forces that shape our world — and what we might do to respond to them.
Segments: The End of Twi
The North/Paul Strategy and the Cycle of Doom with James Scaminaci and Frederick Clarkson
As the United States faces yet another showdown over the federal debt ceiling, we examine the roots of the conflict by looking at the "North/Paul Strategy," a decades-old plan to provoke a financial collapse and then seize power. Rooted in libertarian economic theory and Christian Reconstructionist doctrine, Gary North and Ron Paul's ideas laid the foundation for the Tea Party and later, Janu
Understanding TESCREAL with Dr. Timnit Gebru and Émile Torres
Everyone's talking about AI, how it will change the world, and even suggesting it might end humanity as we know it. Dave is joined by Dr. Timnit Gebru and Émile Torres, two prominent critics of AI doomerism, to cut through the noise, and look at where these ideas really came from, and offer suggestions on how we might look at these problems differently. And they also offer a picture of the da
UNION NOW with Tiziana Stella
The League of Nations was established in the wake of The Great War to prevent another war like it from ever happening again. While it was a noble effort, it became clear as Hitler and Mussolini rose to power, that such a design would not be capable of curbing rampant nationalism and conflicting national interests.
And Clarence Kirschman Streit saw it all unfold before his eyes. As a journali
"Number Go Up" with Zeke Faux
No discussion of the ways that the dollar and the United States are under attack would be complete without a contemporary exploration of the world of cryptocurrencies.
Zeke Faux, an investigative journalist with Bloomberg News, joins Dave to discuss his new book, "Number Go Up: Inside Crypto's Wide Rise and Staggering Fall," which is part research, part travelogue, and filled with bizarre sc
Psychedelic Fascism with Neşe Devenot
Psychedelic drugs are having a moment, like SSRI's and Valium did decades before. What if there's a simple way for people to feel happier and more connected to the world while ushering in world peace at the same time? That's what many advocates of psychedelic drugs claim, but the reality is a lot more complicated.
Dave talks with Neşe Devenot, a writer and early psychedelics advocate who has
Geopolitical Outlook for 2024
On January 8, 2024, Dave hosted a space on "X" (formerly Twitter) for an overview of what to expect in geopolitics in 2024. In this wide ranging monologue, Dave covers many topics including the US elections, Russia's war against Ukraine, the brewing conflict in the Middle East, and rising tensions in Asia between Taiwan, China, and Japan.
Keywords: geopolitics, 2024, election, Russia, Ukrain
Better Conflict with Jonathan Stray
American society seems to be devolving into two bitterly opposed and diametrically polarized camps. Not just around politics, but around culture as well.
Jonathan Stray studies conflict, and tries to identify ways in which we can learn to conflict with each other more productively. He is a researcher at the Center for Human Compatible AI at the University of California Berkeley, where his wo
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
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 f
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
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 ban
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, 2
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
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.
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
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 analyst
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 th
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,
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 daug
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 co
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. T
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
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 thos
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.
T
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 a
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
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 co
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