Armstrong & Getty On Demand

Episode: "Nothing Feeds My Soul Like Doomscrolling"
Date: January 29, 2026
Hosts: Jack Armstrong & Joe Getty

Episode Overview

In this episode, Armstrong & Getty dive into the state of modern politics, media absurdities, the ongoing erosion of literature and intellectual culture, and the peculiarities of everyday American life. Touching on everything from Bill Belichick's Hall of Fame snub and the Trump era’s political aftershocks to clickbait culture, FedEx frustrations, and the decline of literary appreciation, the hosts engage in their trademark mix of sharp commentary, humor, and exasperation. Using real-life anecdotes, media stories, and guest clips, they analyze why doomscrolling is so addictive—while lamenting its cultural consequences.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

Bill Belichick and The Hall of Fame Snub

[01:27 - 02:24]

• Discussion begins with Bill Belichick reportedly not being inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame during his first year of eligibility.
• The hosts joke about the "dating" angle and speculate on the politics and grudges fueling the snub.
• Armstrong points out Belichick’s record: “The guy has eight Super Bowl rings. He has double the next closest coach in NFL history. Eight super bowl rings. Six as a head coach and two as an assistant.” (Jack Armstrong, 02:02)
• The hosts agree the animosity is largely due to Belichick's poor relationship with the press.

Post-Trump Political Normalcy: Possible or Not?

[02:51 - 08:09]

• Joe raises the perennial question: “Will we get back to a more normal feel of politics in the post Trump era?”
• They reference a Wall Street Journal piece suggesting regression toward political "normalcy" after Trump leaves the scene.
• Armstrong expresses skepticism, suggesting new politicians (like J.D. Vance) could be Trumpian in attitude:

  “J.D. Vance could be pretty close in behavior.” (Jack Armstrong, 04:38)

• Joe is hopeful, proposing that politicians will learn from Trump’s methods, but focus on productive elements—suggesting a rise in "moderate, sane Democrats" embracing civility.

Josh Shapiro Clip & The Dilemma of Ineffective Policy

[08:10 - 10:15]

• Plays a clip from Josh Shapiro recounting how a Biden administration broadband initiative delivered zero tangible results in Pennsylvania:

  “Do you know how many people… have been connected... Thanks to President Biden’s law in Pennsylvania? Zero.” (Josh Shapiro, 09:26)

• The hosts discuss systemic inefficiency in government projects—programs get funded but often fail to deliver real-world improvements.
• Jack: “We have these policies and then nothing ever actually gets fixed... I don't think WiFi is a human right.”

Clickbait Culture & The “Corgasm” Story

[10:20 - 15:23]

• Transition to mocking viral trends and clickbait, using the example of "corgasms" (orgasms from core workouts).
• Joe reacts to the absurdity:

  “Yesterday at choir practice I almost had coral sex… what are we doing here?” (Joe Getty, 12:00)

• Jack rants against influencer culture:

  “You people are morons… If you follow influencers like this, you only get one life. Are you aware of that?” (Jack Armstrong, 13:02)

• They link audience susceptibility to clickbait and frivolity to cultural and political decline.

Voter Competence & The Dimwit Dilemma

[13:55 - 14:21]

• Thought experiment: Should truly uninformed people vote?
• Joe: “Do you think people who… do not have the intellectual capacity to understand any of the issues… should they vote?”

Personal Anecdote: The FedEx Lost Bag Saga

[16:14 - 19:19]

• Jack recounts losing a checked bag and the Kafkaesque ordeal encountered trying to recover it via FedEx—an example of frustrating modern bureaucracy.

The Federal Reserve & Monetary Policy Gray Zones

[19:44 - 21:20]

• Joe explains recent Federal Reserve decisions and the institution’s ambiguous constitutional role.
• Jack notes contradictions in its structure and independence, likening it to “the French system where… you have a lover and it's just not spoken of.”

Literature, Moby Dick Marathons & Shakespearean Identity

[21:20 - 26:59]

• Segment on declining appreciation for literature—highlighted by a 25-hour public reading of “Moby Dick.”
• Jack laments:

  “There’s not a single thing that I get more… feeds my soul… than good literature. But it is a dying thing.” (Jack Armstrong, 23:48)

• Joe lampoons a new theory claiming Shakespeare was a black Jewish woman, connecting it to postmodern critique and “critical theory”:

  "The point of critical theory... is to destroy everything through completely unfair critiques of it... until people are either exhausted or completely flabbergasted." (Joe Getty, 27:05)

Guilt, Elites, and the Impulse to Tear Down

[28:07 - 29:34]

• The hosts discuss how wealthy elites, driven by guilt over their privilege, become susceptible to radical ideology:

  “I feel guilty because I was a rich kid… So now I'm trying to tear down the system for some reason.” (Jack Armstrong, 29:09)

Sports, Trans Issues & The Disconnect with Public Opinion

[30:40 - 33:36]

• Discussion of Democratic silence on hot-button issues like transgender athletes.
• Joe:

  “67% of voters oppose biological men competing in women's sports and only 22% support it. That 22% are delusional…” (Joe Getty, 31:44)

• Hosts predict a political opening for moderates willing to reject activist orthodoxy.

Free Market Victory: The Go-Getter and CON Laws

[34:53 - 37:21]

• Uplifting story of an Army vet denied the right to run a waste-hauling business by anti-competition "certificate of necessity" laws—until the Pacific Legal Foundation helped win a court battle:

  “Nothing makes me insane... it's just so antithetical to everything we supposedly believe in...” (Jack Armstrong, 36:16)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On influencer culture and clickbait:

  “If you follow influencers like this, you only get one life. Are you aware of that? …What the hell is wrong with people?”
  (Jack Armstrong, 13:02)

• On doomscrolling and literature:

  “Nothing feeds my soul like Doom scrolling through Twitter.”
  (Jack Armstrong, 24:27)

• On the illusion of political consensus:

  “It’s amazing, right? Given the coverage of it… it certainly doesn't fit in with national opinion at all.”
  (Jack Armstrong, 32:19)

• On elite guilt:

  “I feel guilty because I was a rich kid… So now I'm trying to tear down the system for some reason.”
  (Jack Armstrong, 29:09)

• On Shakespeare and postmodern critiques:

  “The point of critical theory… is to destroy everything through completely unfair critiques of it… until people are either exhausted or completely flabbergasted.”
  (Joe Getty, 27:05)

• On economic freedom:

  “Nothing makes me insane… it's just so antithetical to everything we supposedly believe in…”
  (Jack Armstrong, 36:16)

Timestamps for Important Segments

• [01:27 – 02:24]: Belichick & Hall of Fame discussion
• [02:51 – 08:09]: Post-Trump political climate, lesson-learning politicians
• [08:10 – 10:15]: Josh Shapiro, Democratic inefficiency, policy discussion
• [10:20 – 15:23]: Corgasms, influencer/ clickbait culture lampooned
• [16:14 – 19:19]: Jack’s lost bag saga, bureaucratic runaround
• [19:44 – 21:20]: Federal Reserve’s strange role
• [21:20 – 26:59]: Literature decline, “Moby Dick” reading, Shakespeare identity debate
• [28:07 – 29:34]: Guilt, wealth, activism, and elite culture
• [30:40 – 33:36]: Trans issues, public opinion vs. activist power
• [34:53 – 37:21]: CON laws, entrepreneur’s victory for free enterprise

Tone & Style

The episode is conversational, fast-paced, and acerbic, marked by a mix of wit, exasperation, and skepticism. The hosts balance sharp cultural and political analyses with sardonic humor, personal stories, and a refusal to pull punches when discussing media trends, political correctness, or bureaucratic frustration.

Summary prepared for listeners seeking a comprehensive and engaging breakdown of the episode’s substance and spirit, with attribution of significant lines, themes, and timestamps for ease of reference.