Macrodosing: Reincarnation – Past Lives & Present Questions

Podcast: Macrodosing, Barstool Sports
Hosts: Arian Foster, PFT Commenter (PFT), Big T, and Guests
Episode Date: September 18, 2025
Main Theme: An exploration of reincarnation and past lives, blending scientific research, famous cases, skepticism, and personal philosophizing—with the show’s signature blend of humor, digression, and debate.

Episode Overview

The Macrodosing crew dives into the concept of reincarnation, discussing scientific investigations into past life memories, famous case studies, and the philosophical implications of consciousness after death. Alongside this main topic, the crew meanders through engaging conversations about golf matches, scams, video game simulators, heist movies, and classic debates—always maintaining their tongue-in-cheek, relatable tone.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Updates and Banter (03:11–21:20)

• Golf Recap: The hosts recap recent Barstool golf matches, including their team chemistry, stress of alternate shot formats, and playful admissions of mistakes.

  • Arian: “I wanted to take, like, a six iron. And I'm talking. I'm three inches away from that bitch. Hitting the green perfectly. Exactly. I wanted. It just clipped a leaf and fell down.” (04:29)

• Life Updates: Big T shares a scam story (paying a fake car repairman), ongoing bets with Hank, and a potential ‘manservant’ arrangement over unpaid debts.

• Everyday Life Issues: Laundry preferences, back pain, and acupuncture experiences are discussed with trademark self-deprecation.

2. News of the Day: Oddities and Simulators (21:22–39:35)

• Alien Meteorite Potato?: The crew debates a viral story about a ‘moving’ meteorite found in Panama, speculating if it’s an alien, just a potato, or silicone reacting with chemicals.

  • Notable moment:
    • Big T: “I actually also think it just might be a potato. I think it might be a potato that's sprouting and maybe rotten...” (25:08)

• Household Dangers: Discussion turns educational as PFT issues a PSA on lint traps, mold, and ‘Oops, that’s deadly’ Reddit.

• Simulator Video Games: The crew brainstorms and jokes about mundane and bizarre life simulators—from ‘podcaster simulator’ to ‘judge simulator’—and play an umpire simulation browser game live.

  • Arian: “Podcaster simulator... Hold down Y to have Benjamin Netanyahu on the show. Hold down B to decline.” (30:14)

3. Pop Culture & Heist Movies (41:30–80:00)

• Hip-Hop Feuds: A lighthearted tangent on the lore of rapper beefs, especially Bill O'Reilly’s public conflicts with Ludacris and others, and how art is often misunderstood by outsiders.

  • Arian: “I think art should be your raw emotions... That’s what art is, man.” (48:35)

• Heist Movie Debate: The group ranks and debates best heist movies, with the main point of contention being whether National Treasure qualifies as a heist film.

  • Big T: “That's a heist!” (63:18)
  • Arian: "Their goal was never to steal it... The goal was to reveal it." (63:39)
  • Meta: The debate resumes multiple times, drawing in definitions and logic.

• Simulators & Pop Culture: Diversion into the value of actors versus story in films, with Arian and Big T lamenting Big T’s lack of appreciation for ‘the art’ of acting.

4. Main Topic: Reincarnation—Research, Case Studies, and Skepticism (81:33–147:46)

a) Scientific Investigations at UVA (81:51–87:57)

• Dr. Ian Stevenson & Dr. Jim Tucker: The hosts discuss the UVA Division of Perceptual Studies, which investigates cases of alleged reincarnation, primarily in young children.
  • Notable findings: Reported memories typically emerge ages 2–6, and fade afterward.

b) Case Studies

• James Leininger (WWII pilot, Louisiana): Child recalls details of a WWII fighter pilot’s death; his memories are cross-verified by war records.
  • PFT: “...his son stopped on a page and was like, that's where I died.” (87:32)
• Ryan Hammons (Hollywood actor): Kid remembers being a 1930s Hollywood agent, confirms detailed, obscure facts when meeting the family.
• Atlas (murdered NYC child): Recalls former life, provides full names and picks out associated people/places from photographs.
• Shanti Devi (India): Remembers a prior life as a woman, accurately describes spouse, family, home layout, and hidden money.

c) Patterns, Skepticism, and Mechanisms

• Patterns: 70% of cases in UVA’s files recall violent/traumatic deaths; more prominent in males—a statistic that matches real death rates.
• Skepticism: The crew weighs confounding variables—parental influence, confirmation bias, regional prevalence related to cultural beliefs, and how, especially in India, celebrated cases may encourage false claims.
• Possible Explanations:
  • DMT/psychedelic experiences and consciousness as a ‘vibration field’ (Arian).
  • Possibility of coincidental matches due to billions of former lives.

d) Personal Beliefs & Philosophy

• Arian: "If I was to subscribe to an after death experience, it would be something like what people describe when you do DMT..." (97:15)
• PFT: “I'm like fully agnostic about that... there's no way for me to know.” (119:06)
• Heaven Debate: If given the choice between reincarnation, nothingness, or heaven, the hosts express everything from agnosticism to skepticism and playful cynicism.
  • Arian: “I do agree with that... I would not be looking forward to an afterlife in heaven. It would be so boring.” (120:16, 120:22)

e) Pollock Twins (U.K. Case) (134:17–145:12)

• Famous for claims of being the reincarnation of their deceased sisters. However, the hosts lean skeptical: the girls’ father was a heavy believer in reincarnation, possibly biasing the case.

f) Wrap-up: Favorite Animals to Be Reincarnated As, Penguin Trivia

• Arian: Orca whale (“no question”)
• Big T: Maybe a bird or penguin (after hearing about their romantic habits)
• Penguin trivia and debate leads to a digression on odd animal facts and niche choices for reincarnation.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• Arian (on DMT and consciousness):
  “When you take them... you feel like you are the world. Like when you listen to music, you feel like you are the music.” (97:29)

• PFT (on proof & skepticism):
  “There are some people that are hoaxing... but [some cases] come from families that did not believe in reincarnation. Usually pretty religious families that thought that had no place in Christian doctrine and they examined them for fraud.” (100:40)

• Big T (on the joy of physical sensations):
  “Using a Q tip when you haven't used a Q tip for a long time, that feels really good, doesn't it?” (115:05)

• Arian (on heaven):
  “I enjoy life. I enjoy doing things I like who I am. I like my people. I would like to see them in another place. That'd be cool, But I just don't think that that was happening.” (146:13)

• Penguin Mating Rituals Discussion:
  “Male penguins search for the perfect pebble. Smooth, round, flat, ideal for nesting. To present to a female by placing it at her feet or adding it to her nest.” (148:42)

Timestamps for Important Segments

• Opening Banter & Golf Recap: 03:11–09:50
• Big T’s Scam Story: 09:37–10:46
• Simulator & Umpire Game Segment: 27:01–39:35
• Heist Movie Debate: 61:00–80:00 (particularly 63:00–67:00 for National Treasure tangent)
• Main Reincarnation Topic Begins: 81:33
• Dr. Tucker/UVA Research Explained: 81:51–87:57
• James Leininger and Other Child Cases: 87:57–97:15
• Arian’s DMT/Consciousness Theory: 97:15–100:32
• Shanti Devi Case: 102:47–104:49
• Pollock Twins Discussion: 134:17–145:12
• Wrap-up: Favorites for Reincarnation, Penguin Facts: 147:01–153:49

Tone and Style

• Playful Skepticism: Hosts mix curiosity with skepticism, emphasizing the need for evidence but open to wonder.
• Conversational Digressions: Frequent, good-natured sidetracks, rambunctious debates on pop culture, and storytelling.
• Original Language and Humor: Keeps to the hosts’ informal, banter-filled style, with candid admissions and silly hypotheticals.

Summary for New Listeners

This episode of Macrodosing is part philosophical salon, part classic barbershop argument. The crew explores reincarnation through science, famous cases, and personal reflection, all while debating the true definition of a heist movie and pondering the joys of sneezing, Q-tips, and penguin courtship. You’ll get enough wild tangents, skeptical takes, and entertaining back-and-forth to feel like you’ve just spent hours hanging with a group of friends who don’t take themselves—or the mysteries of the universe—too seriously.

For deeper dives, seek out the Division of Perceptual Studies at UVA and the “classic” reincarnation case studies (James Leininger, Shanti Devi, Pollock Twins). For the full experience, listen for the ongoing National Treasure vs. Inception heist debate and the hosts’ irreverent takes on life, death, and everything in between.