Bonus Sample: Calling Out Bullsh*t

Summary

Conspirituality Podcast: Bonus Episode - "Calling Out Bullsh*t"

Hosts: Derek Barris, Matthew Remski, Julian Walker
Release Date: January 20, 2025
Episode Type: Bonus Sample

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Introduction

In the bonus episode titled "Calling Out Bullsh*t," Conspirituality hosts dive into a critical examination of recent reporting surrounding COVID-19 vaccine trials. The episode focuses on dissecting claims made by journalist Alex Berenson and the subsequent discussions that highlight potential flaws and dangers in sensationalized reporting within the conspiracy-laden spiritual landscape.

Key Discussions and Insights

1. Analysis of Alex Berenson's Reporting on Moderna's Vaccine Trials

The episode begins with Alex Berenson's alarming report about a young child who allegedly died from a COVID booster during Moderna's vaccine trials. Berenson claims that Moderna did not inform regulators about the incident promptly, instead incorporating it into a vast dataset two years after the event.

• Alex Berenson (00:03):
  "Did you hear about the young child who died from the COVID booster during Moderna's vaccine trials? And that Moderna didn't even let regulators know, quietly slipping it into a huge data set only recently, even though the child died about two years ago."

Barris critiques the lack of transparency and the vague details provided in Berenson's account. He points out the absence of crucial information such as the child's gender, race, age, location, and the exact timeframe between the vaccination and the adverse event.

• Derek Barris (00:55):
  "We have no idea how it made that determination. What other underlying facts there are. We don't even know the gender of the child, the race of the child, the age of the child, where this happened, how many days or weeks after the shot it occurred."

2. Examination of FDA's Involvement

Barris extends his critique to the FDA, suggesting complicity in the concealment of the child's death. He underscores the potential negligence or intentional oversight by regulatory bodies in handling adverse events related to vaccine trials.

• Derek Barris (00:55):
  "We just know the child died and they sat on it and FDA sat on it."

3. Unveiling the Holes in the Narrative

Transitioning from Berenson's reporting, Barris introduces his analysis influenced by the book "Calling the Art of Skepticism in a Data Driven World" by Carl T. Bergstrom and Jevin D. West. He emphasizes the importance of skepticism, especially when encountering sensational claims that may lack substantive evidence.

• Derek Barris (01:27):
  "If you're an anti vaxxer searching for more reasons to distrust the [COVID] job, Berenson provides plenty of them, data and science be damned."

Barris warns listeners about the dangers of unverified reporting and the potential spread of misinformation that can undermine public health efforts and foster paranoia within spiritual and wellness communities.

4. The Role of Conspirituality in Combating Misinformation

Throughout the episode, Conspirituality aims to bridge the gap between skepticism and spirituality by challenging narratives that exploit conspiracies for personal gain or ideological agendas. The hosts advocate for critical thinking and evidence-based analysis to counteract the spread of disinformation within the New Age and wellness sectors.

Conclusions

"Calling Out Bullsh*t" serves as a cautionary discourse on the perils of unverified sensationalism in reporting, especially concerning public health issues like vaccine trials. By dissecting Berenson's claims and highlighting the lack of transparency, the hosts underscore the necessity for diligent skepticism and accountability among journalists and influencers alike. The episode reinforces Conspirituality's mission to dismantle harmful conspiratorial narratives and promote informed, rational discourse within the spiritual and wellness communities.

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Note: This summary is based on a transcript sample provided and aims to encapsulate the key discussions and critiques presented in the episode. For a comprehensive understanding, listening to the full episode is recommended.

Transcript

[Alex Berenson]

Did you hear about the young child who died from the COVID booster during Moderna's vaccine trials? And that Moderna didn't even let regulators know, quietly slipping it into a huge data set only recently, even though the child died about two years ago. On January 3, Twitter files journalist Alex Berenson published a A young child died of cardiac arrest after being jabbed during Moderna's key COVID vaccine trial on his substack 12 days later. Children's Health Defense. You know the organization RFK Junior runs? Well, they hosted him on their Children's Health Defense TV program to learn more about this outrageous scandal. Turns out, according to Berenson, the FDA is even complicit in this horror.

[Derek Barris]

Moderna claimed in its submission to the Europeans that it had not that it had found that the death was not related to the vaccine, but we have no idea how it made that determination. What other underlying facts there are. We don't even know the gender of the child, the race of the child, the age of the child, where this happened, how many days or weeks after the shot it occurred. We just know the child died and they sat on it and FDA sat on it.

[Alex Berenson]

It's just awful, isn't it? But no idea. Alex, I think your reporting might reveal something else. By now you might have guessed there's a hole in this story. Several, in fact. I'm Derek Barris, and this is a Conspirituality bonus episode calling out bullshit. And today I want to cover a few of those holes and why outlandish titles and reporting like this are so dangerous. And I'm going to do it through the lens of a 2020 book by professors Carl T. Bergstrom and Jevin D. West called Calling the Art of Skepticism in a Data Driven World. And I finished reading the book on the very day that the Berenson article and that interview came across my desk. So it's been on my mind. Their book offers particular insights into what Berenson and Children's Health Defense are doing here and why we as the public need to keep our detector on at all times. One principle they share in their book if it sounds too good or too bad to be true, it probably is. And if you're an anti vaxxer searching for more reasons to distrust the job, Berenson provides plenty of them, data and science be damned. Let's get into it. You've been listening to a Conspirituality bonus episode sample. To continue listening, please head over to patreon.com conspirituality where you can access all of our main feed episodes ad free, as well as four years of bonus content that we've been producing. You can also subscribe to our bonus episodes via Apple subscriptions. As independent independent media creators, we really appreciate your support.