Best Rory Varrato Podcasts (2024)

1
Encounter #16 — Young v. Spotify, Psychopathologies of COVID-Era Politics, and Questioning the Existence of Elite Universities 2:19:54

2+ y ago2:19:54

2:19:54

In this episode, Jack and Rory begin the conversation by dissecting the current state of public discourse regarding the COVID-19 pandemic, especially in light of the recent dispute about misinformation between Neil Young and Spotify, the platform that hosts Joe Rogan’s popular podcast. Among other things, the two consider whether or not this spat c…

1
Encounter #15 — Social Media, the Art of Living Beautifully, and a Generational Call to Arms 2:29:07

3y ago2:29:07

2:29:07

In this episode—their final encounter of 2021—Jack and Rory begin the conversation with a brief discussion of the current state of the COVID pandemic. Then, Jack poses a question to Rory about his social media use, particularly regarding the kinds of posts Rory makes on Instagram and the purpose or intentionality behind them (if any). In response, …

1
Encounter #14 — Rory‘s New Project, Existentialism and Absurdism, and Nondual Phenomenology 2:21:51

3y ago2:21:51

2:21:51

In this episode, the discussion begins with Rory wriggling out of Jack's earlier demand that he come prepared with at least one joke to tell; to compensate for this failure, Rory explains to Jack a new social media project he has been developing, tentatively titled 'Philosophy in a New York Minute.' After some brainstorming about this project, the …

1
Encounter #13 — Student Assessment, the Death of the Author, and Riffing on Comedy 2:00:42

3y ago2:00:42

2:00:42

In this episode, the conversation begins with a brief exchange about jazz music before turning to a consideration of the recent television series Only Murders in the Building. From there, the interlocutors return to a topic that has been of considerable interest in recent encounters—best practices in the classroom—this time with a special focus on …

1
Encounter #12 — Time Perception, the Proper Way to Lecture, and Plato‘s ”City for Pigs” 2:20:08

3y ago2:20:08

2:20:08

In this episode—their first after a three-month long hiatus—Jack and Rory begin the conversation by discussing the nature of time perception. In particular, Rory reflects on the phenomenological differences between Sedona and New York—the former a quiet, sleepy village; the latter, a dense, bustling metropolis—and Jack suggests that similar differe…

1
Encounter #11 — Near-Death Experiences and Consenting to Metanoia 2:12:55

3y ago2:12:55

2:12:55

In this episode, the conversation begins with an exploration of Jack’s thoughts on near-death experiences (NDEs) and similar phenomena, about which he has written extensively, including in his book, 'Stalking White Crows.’ Rory then raises the case of Pam Reynolds, a woman who claims to have had a vivid out-of-body experience while undergoing surge…

1
Encounter #10 — The Imposition of Autonomy and the Prospect of a Transformative Rite of Political Passage 2:00:34

3+ y ago2:00:34

2:00:34

In this episode, Rory initiates the conversation by informing Jack that, during the time between their last encounter and this one, he has had an intriguing thought that he’d like to explore together now. To that end, he begins by digging into an issue from Jack’s published work that, he says, has always bothered him: Jack’s claim, as Rory understa…

1
Encounter #9 — Capitalist Hyperrealism, Transformative Education, and Sinema & 'The Squad' 2:13:26

3+ y ago2:13:26

2:13:26

In this episode, the conversation begins with a few brief forays into topics relating to the ongoing wildfires near Sedona, AZ (where Rory is located); the soulless hyperreality of Las Vegas; and the corporatization of Arizona State University specifically and higher education generally. From there, Jack and Rory turn their attention to pedagogy, i…

1
Encounter #8 — Speaker Trump, Israel & Palestine, and The Great ‘Russiagate’ Debate Begins 2:05:36

3+ y ago2:05:36

2:05:36

In this episode, Rory begins the conversation by mentioning to Jack what he says is the most terrifying political news he’s heard in some time: the possibility that Donald Trump may run for Congress in Florida in 2022 with the intent of becoming Speaker of the House of Representatives. Rory sees this as a plausible path to catastrophic constitution…

1
Encounter #7 — Third Parties, Reconstituting the United States, and Political Vision 2:20:01

3+ y ago2:20:01

2:20:01

In this episode, Rory starts by sharing with Jack that he has submitted a self-nomination to the Movement for a People’s Party, an emergent third party that is currently soliciting its first crop of candidates for the 2022 midterm elections. This initiates a conversation about the viability of third parties in the American political system, includi…

1
Encounter #6 — The Necessity of Revolution, Models for Social Reorganization, and the Importance of Storytelling 2:13:05

3+ y ago2:13:05

2:13:05

In this episode, Rory begins by asking Jack for his thoughts on what Rory had previously suggested as the ‘necessity’ argument for political revolution in the face of impending climate catastrophe. Out of that discussion emerges a two-pronged conversation about, first, how the Mondragon worker cooperative in the Basque region of Spain could serve a…

1
Encounter #5 — COVID-19 and Systems-Level Thinking, the Classroom as Polity, and an Army of Socrateses 2:08:55

3+ y ago2:08:55

2:08:55

After some housekeeping and a brief revisit of police violence, Rory and Jack begin this episode with a consideration of COVID-19, especially focusing on its possible origins and the widespread resistance in the US to vaccination. This topic then segues into a larger discussion of systems-level thinking, including particularly the absence of that c…

1
Encounter #4 — Nuclear Holocaust, Police Violence, and Authority 2:11:01

3+ y ago2:11:01

2:11:01

In this episode of The Bullshit Artists, Jack and Rory begin the conversation by considering the connections between what Noam Chomsky has identified as the twin existential threats facing humanity: climate breakdown and nuclear holocaust. Then, Rory raises the issue of police violence in the United States, and the pair undertake a lengthy explorat…

1
Encounter #3 — The Anthropocene, the 'Benevolent Despot,' and Transformational Education 2:07:47

3+ y ago2:07:47

2:07:47

In this episode of The Bullshit Artists, Rory begins the conversation by detailing his recent therapeutic experience with psilocybin mushrooms. Then, Jack inquires about some of Rory's research interests—including his position regarding the likelihood of human survival in the Anthropocene—as well as his activism with the NYC chapter of Extinction R…

1
Encounter #2 — Cancel Culture, the Golden Rule, and Psychedelics 2:03:19

3+ y ago2:03:19

2:03:19

In this episode of The Bullshit Artists, Jack begins the conversation by pressing Rory on his use of the ideological label "anarcho-communist." Then, the interlocutors turn to a long, winding discussion of what Rory had previously called the 'epistemic divide' in America, which includes aspects of 'cancel culture' and the #MeToo movement. From ther…

1
Encounter #1 — Introductions and Ideologies 2:10:42

3+ y ago2:10:42

2:10:42

In this inaugural episode of The Bullshit Artists, Rory and Jack begin with some passing comments on Neera Tanden's recently-failed nomination for the Biden Administration's Office of Management and Budget directorship, then move into deeper conversation about their biographies and ideologies. Finally, they conclude the conversation with some discu…

Podcasts Worth a Listen

Rory Varrato Podcasts

Podcasts Worth a Listen

1
The Bullshit Artists

Rory Varrato

1
Encounter #16 — Young v. Spotify, Psychopathologies of COVID-Era Politics, and Questioning the Existence of Elite Universities 2:19:54

1
Encounter #15 — Social Media, the Art of Living Beautifully, and a Generational Call to Arms 2:29:07

1
Encounter #14 — Rory‘s New Project, Existentialism and Absurdism, and Nondual Phenomenology 2:21:51

1
Encounter #13 — Student Assessment, the Death of the Author, and Riffing on Comedy 2:00:42

1
Encounter #12 — Time Perception, the Proper Way to Lecture, and Plato‘s ”City for Pigs” 2:20:08

1
Encounter #11 — Near-Death Experiences and Consenting to Metanoia 2:12:55

1
Encounter #10 — The Imposition of Autonomy and the Prospect of a Transformative Rite of Political Passage 2:00:34

1
Encounter #9 — Capitalist Hyperrealism, Transformative Education, and Sinema & 'The Squad' 2:13:26

1
Encounter #8 — Speaker Trump, Israel & Palestine, and The Great ‘Russiagate’ Debate Begins 2:05:36

1
Encounter #7 — Third Parties, Reconstituting the United States, and Political Vision 2:20:01

1
Encounter #6 — The Necessity of Revolution, Models for Social Reorganization, and the Importance of Storytelling 2:13:05

1
Encounter #5 — COVID-19 and Systems-Level Thinking, the Classroom as Polity, and an Army of Socrateses 2:08:55

1
Encounter #4 — Nuclear Holocaust, Police Violence, and Authority 2:11:01

1
Encounter #3 — The Anthropocene, the 'Benevolent Despot,' and Transformational Education 2:07:47

1
Encounter #2 — Cancel Culture, the Golden Rule, and Psychedelics 2:03:19

1
Encounter #1 — Introductions and Ideologies 2:10:42

Quick Reference Guide