Conspirituality Podcast: Bonus Sample - "Armed Struggle"

Host: Julian Walker (with Derek Beres & Matthew Remski)
Date: February 9, 2026

Episode Overview

In this bonus episode, Julian Walker draws on personal and familial memories of apartheid-era South Africa to reflect on the question of armed resistance versus peaceful protest in the face of oppressive state power. Responding to recent political violence and debates in the U.S., he explores how societies at breaking points have navigated the difficult choices of resistance, and the psychological impact such violence has on communities and individuals. The episode is set against the rising threat of authoritarianism and the dangers of encouraging paramilitary organizing as a solution.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

Trauma and Memory: Personal Stories from Apartheid South Africa

• Julian opens with a vivid, personal story from his mother about experiencing a bomb blast in 1986 Johannesburg during her work at a child welfare NGO.
• He explores how trauma distorts memory and time perception during moments of violence and chaos.
  • Quote [00:41]:

    "She described it as time slowing down and that uncanny sense of the table hovering for an in breath of total silence before the chaos."
    — Julian Walker, recounting his mother's experience

• The fallout: Both Julian's mother and her friend Jackie (colleague and "quietly down to earth butch lesbian" who gave Julian his first guitar lesson) remember the events with noticeable gaps, signaling how the psyche protects itself from violence.
  • Quote [04:11]:

    "I seem to have formed no memories I can access right now of how the street looked after the bomb went off. I think I’ve blocked it out."
    — Julian’s mother

Reflections on Political Violence and Resistance

• Julian relates his family's apartheid experience to the current U.S. political climate, which includes recent high-profile killings, calls for armed self-defense groups, and fears of martial law.
• He weighs the historical arguments around armed struggle versus peaceful protest.
  • Historical Examples:
    • South Africa
    • Northern Ireland
    • Brief mention of Gaza
• Risks of Escalation:
  • Acknowledge that paramilitary organizing as a response to state-backed violence can quickly amplify cycles of oppression and repression.
• Current Crossroads:
  • The American left is divided between those advocating armed resistance (“the only antidote” to fascism) and those urging disciplined, peaceful protest and organizing.
  • Quote [02:51]:

    "We’ve arrived at a really dangerous crossroads, and it makes me think about South Africa and Northern Ireland and even Gaza — all places with legacies of decades-long political armed struggle."
    — Julian Walker

Dangers of Authoritarian Repression & Civil Strife

• Julian warns about how calls for armed protest might play into the strategies of authoritarian regimes eager to justify crackdowns or suspend democratic processes (“martial law based on violent riots or something like shootouts between protesters and ICE agents”).
• He references the looming threat to midterm elections in the U.S. should violence spiral.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On trauma and memory:

  "Probably less a second between that sound wave vibration and then the sound itself hitting ... I recognize this kind of altered time perception myself. Perhaps you do too."
  — Julian Walker [01:25]

• On the ambiguity and danger of resistance:

  "Many in my own camp today who decry the accelerating slide toward authoritarianism and even fascism in America say that taking up arms has historically been the only antidote. Other left of center voices echo research that shows otherwise."
  — Julian Walker [03:45]

Important Segment Timestamps

• 00:03 – Julian introduces his mother's story of the bombing and the trauma of apartheid South Africa.
• 01:00 – Describing the physical and psychological effect of the blast.
• 02:18 – Connection to the American context: recent violence, debate over armed resistance, risks going forward.
• 03:41 – Historical precedents: South Africa, Northern Ireland, Gaza.
• 04:11 – Julian’s mother reflects on memory gaps post-trauma.
• 05:22 – Episode sample ends; Patreon information segment begins.

Tone & Language

Julian’s narrative is reflective, personal, and somber. He draws clear, emotional connections between historical trauma, present dangers, and the complexity of choosing a path forward in the face of oppression. The mood is urgent but cautious, aiming to inform rather than inflame.

End of Summary