Armstrong & Getty On Demand – The A&G Replay Friday Hour Two (August 29, 2025)

Overview

In this episode, Jack Armstrong and Joe Getty dive deep into the intersection of geopolitics, ideological alliances, technology risks, and shifts in American culture. The hosts draw provocative connections between historical and current movements on the political left, concerns over rising neo-Marxism, espionage via consumer apps, changing social behaviors, and contentious health policy debates. The episode is rich with both sharp commentary and wry humor, embodying the show’s trademark tone of concern, skepticism, and irreverence.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. The “Red-Green Alliance” – Leftist Politics & Political Islam (04:07–16:49)

• Opening Discussion: The show starts with coverage of Palestinian militants disguising themselves as World Central Kitchen workers to avoid Israeli airstrikes, sparking outrage at the denial by Western media of similar practices involving journalists (04:07–05:47).
  • Jack: “It’s absolutely documented undeniable that Hamas guys were masquerading as food relief guys…NPR considers it completely impossible that they would impersonate journalists. Or at least that’s what they’re saying in essence. And those views are supported practically to a person by the American left…” (04:45)
• Eli Lake and the ‘Red-Green Alliance’:
  • Jack references journalist Eli Lake's writing about the strange alliance between Western leftists and fundamentalist Islamists—a combination dubbed the “Red-Green alliance.” (05:52–06:18)
  • Joe: “Who’s red and who’s green here?” (06:18)
    Jack: “Reds as in communists; green, the color of Hamas and radical Islam.” (06:21)
• Historical Context: They trace the alliance back to Iran’s Islamic Revolution, referencing Ayatollah Khomeini’s manipulation of Western media, who portrayed him favorably in spite of his obvious extremism (06:18–09:16).
  • Jack highlights how Western intellectuals and politicians mischaracterized Khomeini as progressive and saintly, quoting Richard Falk and Andrew Young (07:58–08:34).
  • Joe: “Is it just as simple as the enemy of my enemy is my friend...?” (08:34)
• Postmodernism, Critical Theory, and Foucault:
  • Jack explains how French philosopher Michel Foucault’s postmodernist philosophy underpins much of today’s critical theory and is central to understanding current leftist movements (09:19–12:46).
  • Foucault’s influential role in promoting anti-Enlightenment ideas and celebrating Khomeini’s revolution is highlighted as foundational to today’s cultural Marxism.
• Critique of Critical Theory and Western Progressivism:
  • The hosts argue that the dominance of critical theory and postmodernism undermines the belief in objective truth and rational debate (13:11–15:08).
  • Jack: “The key philosophy of critical theory is that there is no objective truth. Don’t even seek it. It doesn’t exist...And since Western culture is dominant, it has created a narrative that says the Ayatollah Khomeini is a monster, but that’s just because they’re threatened by him. So they’re racists. They’re othering him.”
• Impact on Society & Education:
  • Joe expresses concern over the prevalence of these ideologies in American schools and their threat to cultural and social stability (15:04–15:36).
  • Jack: “It’s the most important problem that faces America. Bigger than China. It’s this century’s nightmare.” (15:08)
• Notable Quote:
  • Jack (on critical theorists): “These effing people wrote effing books. Their effing names are on the effing spines and they effing describe precisely what they’re effing going to do. And they’re doing it precisely as they effing described.” (15:55)
• References & Recommendations:
  • Joe recommends James Lindsay’s YouTube videos and the book Cynical Theories for those interested in a deeper dive on these trends (16:33–16:43).

2. Social Trends: Decline in Alcohol Consumption & Ubiquitous Background Music (17:07–20:22)

• Decline in Alcohol Consumption:
  • Gallup reports only 54% of U.S. adults now say they drink alcohol, the lowest rate in 90 years (17:07–17:22).
  • Joe: “That’s really interesting. Americans are consuming alcohol at the lowest rate in 90 years.”
  • They discuss possible causes – legal alternatives, shifting generational preferences, and health consciousness (17:22–17:51).
  • The hosts note the paradox of declining alcohol use despite increased societal stress and anger (17:51–18:07).
• Rise of Background Music:
  • Joe reminisces about eating in restaurants before piped-in music became ubiquitous, debating whether constant background noise is necessary (18:43–20:22).
  • Golf is highlighted as an exception for some – with Jack expressing disappointment at the loss of silence on the golf course.

3. National Security & Chinese Tech Influence (25:20–32:52)

• Chinese-Owned Land Near U.S. Military Bases:
  • Concern raised over Chinese entities buying farmland near 19 American military bases, possibly for espionage or sabotage (25:20–26:54).
  • Jack: “If the Chinese communists can use a capability against us, they will use it. It’s just a question of when.” (26:54)
  • Joe (joking): “If I ever took off my shirt and someone said, what does that tattoo—‘If the Chinese government can exploit a situation, they will.’ That’s your tattoo?”
• China’s ‘Surveillance Apps’:
  • The hosts scrutinize the true purpose behind popular Chinese apps such as TEMU, TikTok, SHEIN, and Pinduoduo—asserting they’re primarily data collection and surveillance tools despite their commerce appearances (27:53–28:39).
  • Jack: “The answer for all of them is collecting your data…they are data collection and surveillance apps.” (28:13)
  • Joe: “They are really hoisting us on our own petards with the whole we like cheap crap…so hungry for their cheap crap…and it is crap, most of it, that they’ll allow us to spy on everybody.” (30:57)
• Android App Permissions & Programmed Evasion:
  • Pinduoduo requests up to 83 permissions, including biometrics and network information; TEMU is specifically programmed to obscure what data it collects (28:39–30:39).
• Chinese Law & Obligations:
  • Article 7 of China’s National Intelligence Law requires private companies and citizens to cooperate with state surveillance, tying all these issues directly back to the Communist Party (31:18–32:49).
  • Jack: “We are fools. We are.”
  • Joe: “It’s very maddening.”
• Call for U.S. Action:
  • The hosts question why TikTok hasn’t been shut down already and speculate about the influence of lobbying and political contributions (29:45–30:07).

4. Gift to the Pope: Economics & Markets (32:52–36:19)

• Javier Milei’s Gift to Pope Francis:
  • The libertarian Argentine president gave the Pope Friedrich Hayek’s The Fatal Conceit along with other gifts, prompting discussion (33:42–35:12).
  • Jack celebrates Hayek’s defense of free markets, quoting:
    • “Man is able to shape the world around him according to his wishes—that is the fatal conceit of humans.”
  • The duo distinguishes between Hayek the economist and actress Salma Hayek in a playful moment (36:12–36:19).

5. COVID Shots for Kids & Vaccine Messaging (40:13–44:27)

• Debate Over Pediatric COVID Vaccines:
  • Discussion of the Academy of American Pediatrics’ continued recommendation of COVID vaccination for children, despite changes in CDC policy and lack of clinical data supporting repeated boosters (40:13–41:15).
  • Joe: “Less than a quarter of adults got a booster last year—under 10% of children…So more than 90% of children did not get the booster last year before RFK Jr ever came on the scene.” (42:00)
  • The hosts challenge the media’s narrative blaming vaccine hesitancy on RFK Jr., suggesting lack of data and credibility are real causes.
  • Skepticism toward government and media messaging, and ridicule of inconsistent COVID-era policies (42:38–43:31).
  • Jack and Joe note that COVID posed virtually zero direct risk to healthy children (43:38–43:56).
  • Joe: “We all need to keep this in mind for the next crisis that comes along—that you can be incredibly misled by both the media and your government.” (44:08–44:21)
  • They further discuss how eroded public trust opens the door for actual crackpots and misinformation, making truth harder to find.

6. DEI, Education, and Institutional Capture (44:27–47:10)

• Jack on Teachers & DEI Training:
  • Jack, dealing with sleep disruptions from prednisone, jokes about mentally composing a practical economics curriculum and a fiery speech for teachers forced into DEI (Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion) training (44:27–45:30).
  • Jack: “This is racist garbage…it is a Marxist technique to capture institutions.” (45:32–47:10)
  • Emphasizes that DEI, in his view, has “nothing to do with race;” instead, it is a strategy for consolidating power within organizations.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• “You got jihad in my queer studies. You got queer studies in my jihad.”
  — Joe Getty (09:16)
• “These effing people wrote effing books. Their effing names are on the effing spines and they effing describe precisely what they’re effing going to do. And they’re doing it precisely as they effing described.”
  — Jack Armstrong (15:55)
• “If the Chinese communists can use a capability against us, they will use it. It’s just a question of when.”
  — Jack Armstrong (26:54)
• “They are really hoisting us on our own petards with the whole we like cheap crap…so hungry for their cheap crap…and it is crap, most of it, that they’ll allow us to spy on everybody.”
  — Joe Getty (30:57)
• “We all need to keep this in mind for the next crisis that comes along—that you can be incredibly misled by both the media and your government.”
  — Joe Getty (44:08)
• “DEI needs to end wherever it exists everywhere in America today. It has nothing to do with race. It is a Marxist technique to capture institutions.”
  — Jack Armstrong (46:00)

Timestamps for Important Segments

• Red-Green Alliance, Khomeini, & Western Leftists – 04:07–16:49
• Alcohol Consumption & Constant Music – 17:07–20:22
• Chinese Apps, Land, and Data Collection – 25:20–32:52
• Javier Milei, Hayek & Market Economics – 32:52–36:19
• COVID Shots for Kids & Public Trust – 40:13–44:27
• DEI & Institutional Capture in Education – 44:27–47:10

Tone & Style

Armstrong & Getty blend pointed satire, deep skepticism, robust historical references, and a conversational style. They are adamant in their critiques of ideological extremity, government overreach, tech security threats, and educational trends—often leavening their serious alarms with sharp wit and comedic asides.

This summary removes advertisements, promo spots, and unrelated non-content, focusing on the hosts’ substantive conversations and narrative flow.