The Cultist's Digest - Tariffs, Tradition, and DC’s Insider Scoop

A digest for the cult of free thought

April 25, 2025

Welcome to The Cultist’s Digest

Because questioning the mainstream apparently makes me a cultist. Wink.

Welcome back to the second edition of The Cultist's Digest! The feedback from our first issue has been incredible—it seems there are plenty of us out there hungry for something beyond algorithm-fed viewpoints.

Here's the thing about cults: they thrive on isolation and limited information. Real independent thinking requires exposure to diverse ideas—even (especially!) ones we might initially disagree with. That's exactly what this newsletter aims to provide: a curated collection of thought-provoking content from across the political spectrum that challenges our assumptions and expands our thinking.

In this edition, you'll find fascinating debates of opposite sides, investigations that defy easy partisan categorization, and cultural analyses that reveal more nuance than the trending headlines suggest. From Silicon Valley's unexpected religious awakening to the evolution of new media ecosystems on both the right and left, these pieces offer windows into perspectives you might not encounter in your daily media diet.

After all, you can't be a good cult member if you're constantly exposed to a wide array of ideas and opinions.

So consider this your bi-weekly deprogramming session.

Let's dive in.

“To be ignorant of what occurred before you were born is to remain always a child.”
— Marcus Tullius Cicero, Roman statesman

Videos I Watched

Explore thought-provoking videos tackling new media dynamics, policy debates, and cultural perspectives.

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Media Debates

Analyzing the evolving role of new media in shaping public discourse.

Joe Rogan Interview with Dave Smith and Douglas Murray
This explosive debate between Dave Smith and Douglas Murray over the Israel-Hamas conflict and Ukraine war exposes deeper questions about expertise and responsibility in new media. Murray challenges Smith and Rogan on platforming certain voices, asking whether someone who's never visited a region should speak with authority about it. It's a fascinating window into the growing pains of our new media landscape.

Konstantin Kisin Responds to Murray and Smith
In his thoughtful commentary "Dispatches from Podcastistan," Kisin examines how new media platforms sometimes blur entertainment with serious commentary. Using the Rogan debate as a starting point, he raises important questions about expertise and truth in our media ecosystem. Even as someone who championed democratized information, Kisin wonders if we've lost something essential along the way.