Podcast Summary: TRIGGERnometry — The Radicalisation Of America with Gregg Hurwitz

Date: January 18, 2026
Guests: Gregg Hurwitz (novelist and political commentator)
Hosts: Konstantin Kisin and Francis Foster

Main Theme/Purpose

This episode explores the roots and mechanics of political radicalization and violence in America, focusing especially on the assassination of Charlie Kirk. Gregg Hurwitz joins TRIGGERnometry to discuss "assassination culture," the toxic influences of both far-left and far-right extremism, and the social, psychological, and technological engines driving polarization. The conversation traverses online radicalization, the role of algorithms and foreign actors, failures in diversity and anti-oppression training, the impact of economic inequality, and offers suggestions for restoring democratic dialogue.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Background and Context: Political Violence in America

• The episode responds to the murder of Charlie Kirk, probing the cultural and political factors behind his assassination and how society is processing such violence.
• Gregg Hurwitz shares his background in covert research, his transition from writing thrillers to being deeply engaged with political culture, and his efforts to counter extremism from both the right and the left.
  • "The real lines are not red or blue. The real lines are really going to be psychopaths and extremists and profiteers versus everybody else in the middle." (Gregg, 02:59)

2. Mechanisms of Radicalization

a) Foreign & Domestic Influences ([03:49])

• Hostile foreign regimes (Russia, China, Iran) deploy troll farms and propaganda to inflame division in U.S. society, with young men as particular targets.
• Domestic profiteers and bad faith players exploit the situation for personal gain.
• Social media algorithms amplify outrage, onboarding users into more extreme positions for profit and attention.
  • "The real aim with these mechanisms is to get the far left and the far right... to meet at that horseshoe of nihilism. And that's where 'no lives matter' is." (Gregg, 08:25)

b) The Psychological Profile of Extremists ([06:01])

• Discussion of the "dark tetrad" — Machiavellian, sadistic, narcissistic, and psychopathic personalities gravitate to wherever power is ascendant.
• Mainstream responses to violence have shifted: compared to the 1990s, horror at political violence is now frequently caveated or qualified.
  • "The bad guy never thinks he's the bad guy. You never think you're the one who's radicalized." (Gregg, 07:10)

3. Online Isolation and Mind Control ([09:24])

• Social media use, not just "edgy" platforms but also mainstream safe spaces, is highly predictive of radical views.
  • Example: BlueSky users were more likely to support "mangeon" (presumably Mangione) than Discord/Reddit users.
• Young people’s underdeveloped neural systems make them uniquely vulnerable to algorithmic manipulation.
  • "Prefrontal cortex doesn't myelinate till they're 23 or 24... that's full-blown mind control. That's more powerful than we are." (Gregg, 10:58)

4. Young Men, Masculinity & Recruitment ([12:04])

• Warnings against a culture that shames healthy expressions of masculinity, narrowing young men's social options and making them susceptible to extremist narratives.
• Mainstream left has demonized figures (e.g., Jordan Peterson, Charlie Kirk) who could act as bulwarks against radicalization:
  • "The message that [Peterson] is giving is the message that these young men can hear that's going to be functional. He's an ally. And we've lost an ability to look at a chessboard because we pick out one thing that somebody said... and we dismiss them unequivocally." (Gregg, 12:45)

5. Is Political Violence a "Both Sides" Problem?

• Explores the debate: is violence evenly distributed or skewed?
• Hurwitz emphasizes mirroring dynamics — each side, feeling threatened, aligns with its own extremists; this is fueled by psychological and algorithmic traps.
  • "They're a mirror side of the other because somebody sees something happen and they say we have no choice but to align with the worst allies that we have on our side." (Gregg, 18:45)
• Host clarifies: precise analysis requires naming/understanding specific threats (assassination culture, armed militias, etc.).

Big Five Personality Theory ([19:39]):

• Liberals: high trait openness = more open to new experiences, people, ideas.
• Conservatives: higher trait conscientiousness = prefer order, boundaries, predictability.
• Both axes are essential to a thriving, adaptable society.
  • "We desperately need each other... that's why there is an even distribution of trait structures, whether from evolution or from God." (Gregg, 21:00)

6. Economic Inequality & Radicalization ([38:32–39:24])

• Vast transfer of wealth (approx. $50–60 trillion since the 1980s) from the bottom 90% to the top 1% fosters nihilism and resentment.
  • "Since Reagan, 50 to 60 trillion dollars... moved from the bottom 90%... to the top 1%... That's a rigged game." (Gregg, 39:31)
• Economic insecurity, especially among young men, feeds grievance and fuels populist movements across the political spectrum.

7. Cultural Solutions & Dangers of DEI/Anti-Oppression Training ([49:39])

• Hurwitz contends that DEI and anti-oppression/microaggression training statistically increase hostility and anti-Semitic attitudes, referencing research with the NCRI.
• Creating forbidden topics makes them taboo and, paradoxically, attractive.
  • "What you foreclose, you make forbidden. And what you make forbidden becomes taboo. And what becomes taboo becomes sacred and alluring." (Gregg, 52:45)
• Real, measurable improvements happen by focusing on universal, shared values — not by stoking comparative grievance.

8. Restoring Agency, Community, and Meaning ([45:33])

• Abstraction (e.g., "saving the world") disempowers individuals, while small local action restores a sense of control.
• Cites Solzhenitsyn: change requires examining one’s personal contributions to societal decay, rather than waiting for a "great man."
• The "drama triangle" (victim/rescuer/persecutor roles) keeps society in a dysfunctional feedback loop.
  • "We all stitch the fabric of the culture together around us. We all have a role in that. And when it disintegrates..." (Gregg, 46:03)

9. Social Media: Problems & Solutions ([62:20])

• Key proposals:
  • Algorithm Transparency: Platforms must reveal how algorithms shape user experience; only transparency creates trust.
    • "Freedom of speech is not freedom of reach for profit.... What we want is more transparency... You need truth first before you can have reconciliation." (Gregg, 62:44)
  • Real Name Authentication: Users who engage under real names should have platform privileges to curb toxic anonymity.
  • Human Moderation: Replace full reliance on AI moderation with common sense, human arbiters.
  • Flag/Eliminate Bot Activity: Identify coordinated inauthentic behavior and foreign interference.
    • "If it's a bot swarm... we should be able to identify that and call it what it is. Freedom of speech does not mean unlimited access for foreign adversaries..." (Gregg, 67:23)

10. Final Reflections: Secular vs. Symbolic World ([67:54])

• Modern culture has dangerously split secular/fact-based and symbolic/religious/mythic approaches to meaning; the two must be reintegrated for a healthier society.
  • "There's been a disconnection between, I think, the secular and the symbolic world and wisdoms and means and methods of making meaning..." (Gregg, 67:54)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• "The bad guy never thinks he's the bad guy. You never think you're the one who's radicalized." (Gregg, 07:10)
• "The biggest predictor [of radicalization] is a ton of social media use... If you take them out of a system where they're not educated... that's full blown mind control." (Gregg, 10:07)
• "We desperately need each other... that's why there is an even distribution of trait structures, whether from evolution or from God." (Gregg, 21:00)
• "What you foreclose you make forbidden. And what you make forbidden becomes taboo. And what becomes taboo becomes sacred and alluring." (Gregg, 52:45)
• "Freedom of speech is not freedom of reach for profit. That's not what freedom of speech means." (Gregg, 62:44)
• "We all stitch the fabric of the culture together around us. We all have a role in that. And when it disintegrates..." (Gregg, 46:03)

Key Timestamps

• 02:15 — Gregg Hurwitz describes his background and entry into political analysis
• 03:49 — The major factors in American radicalization: foreign troll farms, psychopathic algorithms, domestic profiteers
• 06:01 — Defining "dark tetrad" personalities
• 09:24 — Social media, young men, and the "no Lives Matter zone"
• 12:04 — The demonization of mainstream conservative masculine figures
• 19:39 — Big Five personality theory and ideological traits
• 38:32 — Economic inequality as a principal driver of grievance and radicalization
• 49:39 — The failure and backfire of DEI and anti-oppression programs
• 62:20 — Steps towards reforming social media and algorithmic radicalization
• 67:54 — The disconnect between secular/rational and symbolic/mythic minds

Flow & Tone

The conversation is urgent, probing, and occasionally personal, yet retains TRIGGERnometry’s trademark clarity and willingness to challenge received wisdom on all sides. Gregg Hurwitz weaves together scholarship, personal anecdotes, and practical solutions to paint a sobering but actionable portrait of America’s polarization and its possible remedies.

This episode is a must-listen for anyone concerned with political polarization, the rise of online radicalization, the failures of current anti-extremist methods, and the daunting project of rebuilding social trust and actionable, shared meaning in democracy.