TRIGGERnometry – Our Thoughts on 2025
Released: December 19, 2025
Hosts: Konstantin Kisin & Francis Foster

Episode Overview

In this reflective year-end episode, hosts Konstantin Kisin and Francis Foster look back on the major cultural, political, and global events that defined 2025, offering candid insights into societal shifts, Western politics, generational anger, and the challenges ahead. With their trademark directness, they discuss everything from the wars in Gaza and Ukraine, generational divides, the state of British politics, to how outrage is commodified—laying out their vision and concerns for the coming year.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. The Unpredictable Pace of 2025 & Major Trigonometry Moments

• Both hosts express astonishment at the frenetic pace of the year, noting how episodes and world events feel much longer ago than they are, due to a relentless schedule and year filled with high-profile guests.
• Notable guests included Benjamin Netanyahu, Boris Johnson, Dana White, Dave Smith, Tommy Robinson, and Richard Min. ([03:27])

2. The Gaza War: Ceasefire, Aftershocks, and Media Attention

• The lasting impact of the Gaza conflict dominates their reflections, highlighting its abrupt disappearance from media narratives after a ceasefire and hostage release brokered by Trump—a move even Sam Harris praised:

  "Donald Trump deserves the Nobel Peace Prize for that." – Kisin ([04:26])

• They critique the fleeting activism of both left and right:

  "There's been this... herd thing... people follow the crowd and talk about stuff they don't know much about... then that thing is still going on, but they don't talk about it anymore because the new things come up. It's so strange." – Kisin ([05:10])

3. The U.S. Role in Global Conflicts & Trump Administration

• The 12-Day War (US-Iran conflict) is discussed as a success, contrasting Trump’s Middle Eastern achievements with a lack of progress in Ukraine.
• Jared Kushner is singled out for effective diplomacy, whereas Steve Witkoff is less successful regarding Russia. ([07:19])

4. Global Instability and a Shifting World Order

• The hosts explore how America's retreat from being "world policeman" enables instability, challenging simplistic ‘trade equals peace’ assumptions. ([08:15])
• Discuss Biden's perceived weakness contributing to the start of conflicts, with Trump’s arrival only partly stemming the tide. ([09:14])

5. Western Political Culture: Generational Anger & Assassination of Charlie Kirk

• A somber account of Charlie Kirk’s assassination as a symptom of societal anger and a turning point in political discourse:

  "Charlie Kirk actually gave a lot of very bad actors...an excuse...to go, well...debate died with Charlie Kirk. And it's such a terrible thing to do to his legacy..." – Kisin ([12:22])

• They sharply criticize those weaponizing tragedies for personal gain, condemning figures like Candace Owens:

  “Her behavior after Charlie's murder is, let's be honest, it's been despicable.” – Foster ([14:31])

6. Social Media, Outrage, and Cancel Culture

• The hosts decry the manipulation of outrage, noting both left and right now channel anger into money and clout.
• They chastise public figures conflating criticism with 'cancellation', referencing Tucker Carlson:

  “Tucker does this all the time. He deliberately conflates being criticized for the stupid and wrong and factually incorrect things that he says with people trying to cancel him...” – Kisin ([15:25])

7. The Collapse of Western Cultural Myths & Identity

• They delve into how hyperbole around 'fascism' and 'Nazism' has diluted meaningful discourse, referencing Nick Fuentes as a literal (self-identified) Nazi, highlighting the problem of labels losing their meaning. ([16:28])

8. Current Political Influencers and the ‘Angry Young’

• They articulate the dilemma of Gen Z's anger—young men drawn to figures like Nick Fuentes, young women to far-left politics (Zoran Mamdani, Zach Polanski), reflecting deep societal alienation:

  "They were told, you're a piece of shit, you’ve got male privilege, you’ve got white privilege... when they actually didn't... So that anger... is totally justified. But... can they learn to channel that into positive action?" – Kisin ([22:47])

9. Destructive Rage vs Constructive Solutions

• Using the analogy of destructive riots and their aftermath, hosts urge channeling anger into constructive action, not nihilism or immature ‘board-flipping’:

  "Eventually, you are going to have to build it back up again, unless you want to live in a ruin. And that's a choice we're all facing." – Foster ([25:28])

10. UK Politics: Brain Drain, Immigration, and Tax Policy

• Sharp criticism of the UK’s high tax regime driving out top talent:

  "There is a giant brain drain going on in Britain..." – Kisin ([28:47])

• The duo highlight exodus of high-earners, business owners, and even service professionals due to punitive taxes and unattractive economic prospects. They connect this to a failing welfare state and an unsustainable fiscal policy. ([29:47])

11. Winning Culture Wars, but Facing Political Inertia

• The hosts believe public opinion has shifted to their perspective on illegal immigration, economic reality, and cultural malaise:

  "All the stuff we've been saying and people have pretended we're right wing for saying, now those very people are coming over to our side..." – Kisin ([26:28])

• However, political change is slow:

  "It's going to be a while before that turns around politically because there's not a scheduled election for the next three years..." – Kisin ([28:00])

12. "Accelerationism" and the Hope for Necessary Pain

• Kisin embraces being a (moderate) accelerationist, hoping the worsening situation will break denial and provoke action:

  "Most people...will not wake up and take painful action until inaction becomes much more painful than not acting. And that's kind of where we've got to." ([32:52])

13. Prospects for Reform & the Civil Service Challenge

• Looking forward to a potential electoral shake-up via Reform UK (Nigel Farage’s party)—but worry that organizational challenges and civil service inertia could stymie real change, even under new leadership:

  "...there's still a difference between being a public figure...and running a huge thing, much of which...hates you, thinks you're evil and wants to sabotage your agenda." – Kisin ([36:06])

• The problem of an “unresponsive” civil service is flagged as a major impediment to democracy. ([37:22])

14. Economic Literacy, Youth Vulnerability & the Magic of Trade-Offs

• They lament widespread economic illiteracy, arguing it makes the population susceptible to populists like Zach Polanski:

  "We're raising this generation of young people who are economically and financially illiterate, which makes them incredibly vulnerable to the nonsense, in my opinion, that Polanski spouts, because it sounds good." – Foster ([42:15])

15. The Future: Reform, Political Possibilities, and the Need for Pragmatism

• References high hopes for incoming Reform UK talent; worry left populists are a "symptom" of citizen confusion, not the cause of malaise.
• Emphasize trade-offs (Thomas Sowell):

  "There are no solutions, only trade-offs." – Kisin paraphrasing Thomas Sowell ([43:20])

16. Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• "Debate died with Charlie Kirk. And it's such a terrible thing to do to his legacy because this was a man who... demonstrated... the right way to approach these things, which is to argue, to win the argument..." – Kisin ([12:22])
• "You are forcing all those people out, the talented, and you're bringing in 55,000 illegal immigrants a year at the same time." – Kisin ([31:34])
• "If you don't maintain the current world order, a new one will emerge, and that will be a world order in which the west and the United States in particular, are no longer the dominant force." – Kisin ([10:06])
• "Everything that's bad for the world is good for trigonometry." – Former partner of Foster ([48:42])

17. The Year Ahead & Closing Sentiment

• The hosts express gratitude for their growing audience and staff, reflecting on the paradox that turbulent global events fuel their show's relevance:

  "I do feel like we are starting to make, like I said, winning the arguments. That's where you start. Then it has to take political shape..." – Kisin ([49:08])

• They excitedly anticipate the coming year’s debates, episodes, and the evolving audience.

  "Next year is probably going to be even better...the guests that we're gonna get, they're gonna be even bigger. They're gonna be even better. So I can't wait for 2026." – Foster ([49:08])

Timestamped Highlights

• 03:27 — Review of top guests and episodes of the year
• 04:26 — Praise for Trump’s role in the Gaza ceasefire and hostages; Sam Harris comment
• 05:10 — Commentary on the fleeting attention span of online activism
• 10:06 — On American isolationism and global order
• 12:22 — Reflections on Charlie Kirk’s assassination and its impact
• 14:31 — Candid discussion of Candace Owens’ controversial response
• 15:25 — Critique of Tucker Carlson’s conflation of criticism and cancel culture
• 16:28 — “Nazi/fascist” accusations losing meaning; Nick Fuentes cited
• 22:47 — The anger of young men; societal scapegoating and consequences
• 25:28 — The perils of nihilistic destruction vs. need for building
• 28:47 — Brain drain and tax flight from the UK
• 32:52 — Embracing necessary “accelerationism”
• 36:06 — The immense challenge facing potential new Reform PM
• 42:15 — Economic illiteracy and vulnerability to political fads
• 43:20 — Ongoing employment and economic policies hurting opportunity
• 49:08 — Optimism (tinged with irony) about ‘winning the argument’ and podcast growth
• 50:28 — Looking forward to 2026

Tone and Language

Conversational, often blunt and irreverent, the hosts blend personal anecdote with sharp critique, freely naming both allies and adversaries as they see them. They are unapologetically opinionated, with an emphasis on logic, pragmatism, and a rejection of tribal political identities.

For Listeners New to the Episode

This episode is a comprehensive, freewheeling state-of-the-union from TRIGGERnometry—reflective, provocative, and at times darkly humorous. It’s a snapshot of the UK and Western world at a volatile moment, offering context for both the big picture and the granular stories shaping our times. The hosts critically address the left, the right, and the very mechanisms of public debate—making it essential listening for those interested in where the West is headed as 2026 looms.