Themes And Memes

Adam and Aaron review both of the Dune films. These have been some of the only stand out films of the past few years, and are definitely worth talking about.  Topics include: soundtrack, movies worth watching, Bladerunner, Villeneuve, desert landscape, mining, civilization, relative scale, architecture, aristocracy, bloodlines, eugenics, empire, politics, secret societies, intelligence, manipulation, occult powers, ritual, sex magic, grooming, banned computers, analog technology, nature, sand worms, pop culture influence, high priestess, priesthood, indigenous people, esoteric sides of different religions, plans of social control, dominant minority, self-fulfilling prophecy, tragedy

Adam and Aaron have returned with a new episode of Themes & Memes recorded live on Thanksgiving, 2024. During Aaron’s holiday special, War on Christmas Thanksgiving Spectacular, they did a review of the fairly new Francis Ford Coppola movie “Megalopolis.” A very unorthodox piece, this film raises a lot of questions.  Topics include: podcast hiatus, Fall of Rome, decadence, elite, aristocracy, dominant minority, dystopia, compositing, new digital filmmaking techniques, Elon Musk, time, NYC, Manhattan, Megalon, dreams, tepid response at release, little character development, Coppola and classic cinema, classic narrative structure, David Lynch, telling story with image and sound, augmented reality, technocracy, current American politics, rabble rousing, idealism, virtual reality, we are in the future now, media is now changing, media is the message, narration, color, shot and missing one eye, Times Square, building, eugenics, future of podcast

Adam and Aaron recorded a new episode of Themes & Memes in February. It is posted here as an exclusive to the Patreon bonus podcast feed.  Tenet, state of entertainment media, Covid, Great Reset, Club of Rome, global tensions, US and China, ethics, technology, artificial intelligence, Elon Musk, lockdowns, changing economic system, online services, QAnon, micro-targeted influence operations, Post Truth World, propaganda, data, algorithms, mistrust of all media, privacy, Capitol siege, Alex Jones, Donald Trump rally, alternate reality games, fringe political groups, War on Terror, domestic terrorism, revolution, fringe mixed with mainstream, puppet masters, denouncing conspiracy mindset while using its very methods to prove your own point, cognitive dissonance, learning from alternative sources

Independent broadcasting legend, Alan Watt, died on March 4th, 2021. In this episode of Themes & Memes, Adam and Aaron remember Alan. A unique voice in the wilderness, his message resounded and permeated much further than most realize.  topics include: Alan Watt, Cutting Through The Matrix, independent media, patriot radio, RBN, Jackie Patru, disinformation, new age, shortwave radio, internet shows, podcasts, alternative research, music, spiritual views, esoteric religion, callers, Andre Myspace page, Outlaw Journalism, Internet forums, Glen Kealey, Daily Stormer, Canada, sharing information for its own sake, first to talk about certain topics, transhumanism, eugenics, psychopathy, Thomas Sheridan, Jon Ronson, alternative ideas going mainstream, Club of Rome, from overpopulation crisis to fertility crisis, Alan's ideas lifted for profit, Dr Deagle, black helicopter incident, intimidation tactics of the establishment, serious subject matter, effecting mainstream narratives, having the work stand on its own

Adam and Aaron talk about the strange current atmosphere during this global panemic. From the bizarre present, to the unknown future, there are serious changes and moves being made all around us. Some of the more obscure topics that few talked about before, are now becoming undeniably important.  topics: strange times, Covid19, new normal, America 2.0, mandatory vaccines, police state, comparisons to 9/11, technology, Elon Musk, Neuralink, brain machine interfaces, NIH, CDC, artificial intelligence, big data, Joe Rogan, transhumanism, tracking chips, China’s Ai initiative, NSCAI, national security, surveillance, Bill Gates, disinformation online, Google, Amazon, meat shortage to veggie burgers, sustainability, iPhone health app, predictive programming, medical martial law, pandemic movies, different reactions from people in daily life

Pearse Redmond joins Themes & Memes as a return guest. The Covid19 quarantine classic, Tiger King documentary, is the topic of discussion. A variety of issues such as high control groups, media analysis, and politics are discussed on this different kind of review.  topics include: Tiger King, Joe Exotic, Carole Baskin, big cats, animal rights, tigers in captivity, true crime editing tactics, documentary, entertainment, media analysis, relatable characters, life on the edge, cults, high control groups, free labor, changing names, Bhagavan Antle, undue influence, devotion, Scientology, L Ron Hubbard, repression, Barbara Fisher, disadvantaged people, Rick Kirkham, Joe Exotic’s son Brandon, prison, animal abuse, Saff, Tiger as a symbol, conquest of Nature, fetishizing of firearms, love of power, destructive energy, Jeff Lowe, beastiality light, animal print clothing, Blackfish, Steve-O, no one cares about the animals, reality show techniques, making you hate characters, death threats, Don Lewis death, Carole

Adam and Aaron return to do a review of Joker. This is a different sort of comic book movie to be sure. What sort of social commentary is this film trying to make? What esoteric themes are there? These questions and more are discussed on this episode of Themes & Memes. topics include: incels, domestic terrorism, comic book movies, Scorsese, Gotham City, social unrest, poverty, mental illness, anti hero, DC cinematic universe, Tim Burton Batman movie, Dark Knight, Robert De Niro, relationships with media, psychology, psychosis, rite of passage, becoming a man, depression, Wayne family, the Fool, ritual, symbolism, manic run, journey for truth, violence, color, angry mob, creation and destruction, chaos, fire

Adam and Aaron return for a casual, but serious conversation about digital media, censorship, free speech, and many other overused and misunderstood terms.  topics include: Themes & Memes continues, Alex Jones deplatformed on social media, censorship, fake news, Sandy Hook, lawsuits against Jones, election of Donald Trump, mainstream media, conspiracy ideas going mainstream, more extreme rhetoric gaining more publicity, alt right, alternative media, free speech, censorship, Facebook, YouTube, the Great Purge, social media giants as both public and private entities, Google owning the internet, monopolies, online world, digital media production and distribution, democratization of media, Netflix, military contracts, Apple and FBI, privacy, CIA, big data, targeted ads and searches, mobile device microphones used for targeted ads, normalization over time, Alexa as a character in sitcoms, new advertising, Amazon, 80s cartoons, Ai, convergence, UK Strat Trends report, confusion, Orwellian thought crime, loss of

Adam and Aaron review the recent Steven Spielberg film, Ready Player One. The past, present and future of virtual worlds are explored in depth in this book adaptation. What current, real world realities are present in this work of fiction? What occult "Easter eggs" have the filmmakers left for us to uncover?  topics include: Steven Spielberg director, book adaptation, rights, licensing, special effects, virtual reality, Columbus OH, Easter egg, Steve Jobs, creation, video games, time, corporate gaming companies, MMO games, pop culture, nostalgia, nerds, trivia as knowledge, 80s films, movie magic, IOI like IGN, advertisements, Oasis, debtors prison, The Shining, future of virtual worlds, regret, Atari, revolution, signing away rights, initiation rituals, threes, love, male and female creative aspects, predictive programming, technology, dystopia, value of the real world, immersive artificial environments

Adam and Aaron record their first live show on Ochelli.com. They take the occasion to review season 3 of the Netflix series Black Mirror.  topics include: live radio, Netflix, new distribution for entertainment, short films, media, technology, futurism, happy endings vs dark endings, Nosedive, social media, polite society, repressed emotions, sexual frustration, superficiality, social status, passive aggression, social networking, ulterior motives, epiphany, transcendence, analytics, denial, San Junipero, virtual reality, period piece, nostalgia, uploading consciousness, choices, Shut Up and Dance, phishing, blackmail, moral ambiguity, Men Against Fire, video games, super soldiers, dehumanizing the enemy, military involvement in video game production, T&M podcast history

Adam and Aaron weigh in on Jim Carrey's recent interviews which have baffled his fans the world over. Apparently there is no such thing as Jim Carrey at all. What might this mean? Has JC lost his mind, or is he onto something? topics include: identity, psychology, persona, Eastern religion, metaphysics, philosophy, Norm MacDonald, sexual alchemy, occult, Gnosticism, conspiracies, alternative research, truth, woke, E! network, Dionysus, world stage, masks, celebrity culture, prestige, creative freedom, artists, entertainment industry, performance art, manic depressive, depression, actors, feeling empty, fulfillment, ego, mainstream media, Hollywood small talk, cringe worthy, meditation, nothing is real, comedy, humor, epiphany, truth seeking, Andy Kaufman

On this episode we return for a casual discussion on the Hollywood Sex Scandal, looking at the prominent narratives and what they could mean for the future of Hollywood and Pop Culture.  We look at the issue from a number of different angles, highlighting the numerous ways in which this scandal is stoking outrage over questions of patriarchy, social justice and corruption, and the potential that exists for further polarisation and social breakdown.  We also look at the symbolic ramifications that these revelations bring to light, particularly in relation to the betrayal of trust and the fall of iconic institutions. We also touch on questions of opportunism on all sides, from those making allegations to narcissistic media pundits who thrive on drama.  Is this scandal further provoking a war of the sexes? Is patriarchal Hollywood being undermined to make way for a new epoch of open source entertainment? We discuss all of these questions and more.  Topics discussed include: Hollywood, Weinstein, Kevin Spacey, Lo

We return with a highly esoteric discussion on Blade Runner 2049, the 2017 sequel to Ridley Scott's cult-classic from 1982. Despite not doing well at the Box Office, this film succeeds in artfully suggesting a number of stories within one, and like the first film, leaves the audience feeling they have witnessed something profound.  Set in the titular year in dystopian Los Angeles, the film follows the replicant LAPD officer 'K' as he uncovers hidden evidence that replicants are capable of reproducing autonomously. After being ordered by his superiors to investigate and destroy the evidence, K is led to believe that he himself may be the offspring of a union between replicants, and so disobeys his orders in search of his origins.  We start by summarising the plot and the story, before diving into the multi-layered elements of the film, looking at the heavy use of biblical motifs and creation mythologies in both the script and the subtext. As humanity has fallen from grace in foolishly pursuing godhood, the nex

The very first Bonus Podcast episode of Themes & Memes is a review of Captain America Civil War. The review strays from the movie as Adam and Aaron talk at length about media, current antagonist politics, and The Age of Transitions.  topics include: Captain America Civil War, bad movie year, shift in entertainment industry, Marvel, cinematic universe, TV and films converging, Disney, franchise films, Iron Man, Avengers,
Spider Man, comics, DoD Entertainment Liaison Offices, conspiracy themes, Hydra, current political climate, symbolism of Captain America character, individualism, John Birch Society, International Law, bureaucracy, global culture, Western Philosophy, political market trends, World War 2, archetypes, Charlottesville, Unite the Right, Antifa, Red Ice, Gavin McInnes, Vice, leaders bounce from pole to pole, flip flopping, Russian interference in American politics, spectator events, media convergence, The Age of Transitions, ash mobs, SJWs, mass distraction, media, unplugging, infotainment, con

While widely panned, The Circle is a film that does a good job at presenting some very important ideas. Adam and Aaron talk about its commentary on corporate life, cults, sousveillance, and real life Silicon Valley tech giants.  topics include: extra unpublished podcast episode, The Circle, Tom Hanks, Emma Watson, novel, popular fiction, Silicon Valley, work life balance, young urban professional, See Change, transparent, sousveillance, social ideals, corporate cults, total surveillance, privacy, secrets are lies, marketing, exploitation, critique of yuppie lifestyle, social climbing, networking, branding, lifestyle marketing, work campus, brand loyalty, technology as revolutionary change agent, Mercer, critics of technology, SJWs, no escape, Soul Search, car crash, press conferences, political aspirations of tech companies, simplified portrayals of politics, terrible casting, few bad apples motif, brainwashing, separation from family, self driving cars, terror attacks

After an extended hiatus, we return to give an update on the podcast; talking about what has been going on behind the scenes, and giving listeners a glimpse of what to expect from future shows.  We start out by discussing changes and distractions in our personal lives, before mentioning some of the films and TV shows that have caught our attention recently, including the 2006 B-Movie Southland Tales and the 2017 Tech-Thriller The Circle. We also touch on the apparent lack of worthwhile films coming out at the Box Office; looking at whether digital streaming services have now superseded the cinema, and whether on-demand serials are outperforming Hollywood films.  From there, we continue looking at random oddities from the world of entertainment and media, such as the enigmatic David Lynch, Transcendental Meditation, the recent Oscar Awards blunder, and the various methods that those in Hollywood will employ to create publicity. We touch on the viral success of certain TV shows, and how a changing industry is c

On this episode, we return to the 'conspiracy classic' genre in looking at the 1989 Sci-Fi B-movie 'They Live' by John Carpenter.  The film introduces 'John Nada', a drifter working manual labour in LA, as he stumbles across a special pair of sunglasses which allow him to see a very different version of reality than the 'American Dream' he is accustomed to. As it is ultimately revealed that humanity's perceptions are being controlled by a camouflaged alien race; Nada tries to convince those around him of the truth, thus alerting the aliens to his existence.  Despite being pursued by the authorities on a vigilante rampage, Nada manages to recruit one of his co-workers, whereby the two work to expose the aliens and reveal their system of control to the world.  We talk about the film as it relates to both popular and conspiracy culture, looking at how the sentiments and motifs found in the film were used and referenced so frequently in the early days of the 'truth movement'. Despite being a deliberately silly fi

Another conspiracy classic movie review comes to the Themes and Memes podcast. Network has been quoted endlessly throughout conspiracy culture, and with good reason. This review fits right into the past few podcast episodes which have focussed on television news, and mass media in general. Topics discussed include: antiestablishment film, conspiracy, nightly news, Howard Beale, sensationalism, exploitation, media, radical political movements, dehumanization, too much dialogue, truth, similarities to Nightcrawler, decor, lighting, speeches, commerce, Jordan Maxwell, David Icke, religious awakenings, waking up the same as being born again, religion, dogma, integrity, medium effects the messenger, mass appeal, Alex, Jones, stages of awakening, inciting anger in audience, mad as hell, grief, boredom, YouTube, internet media platforms, target marketing, Sir Anthony Hopkins, cinema in decline, novelty

On this episode, we return to the film Nightcrawler; looking at how social tensions are fostered by false or misleading media narratives, and how alternative media networks are now playing the mainstream outrage game to their own ends.  In the film, the fictional KWLA-6 news station actively targets white, upper-middle class audiences by selectively running stories about affluent demographics being threatened by urban criminals, so that the station can promote an ongoing narrative of fear and victimhood. We look at how the Alt-Media and the Alt-Right are now exploiting these methods, by dispensing with integrity and championing sensationalist 'panic porn' about threats to the western middle class.  We discuss the use of statistics in pushing agendas, where numbers and percentages can be worked to suggest any conclusion or point of view. The fictional character of Lou reveals that urban crime rates are actually going down, and that he must work hard to find crimes that support the opposite conclusion; tamperin

On this episode, we review the 2014 thriller Nightcrawler, Directed by Dan Gilroy and starring Jake Gyllenhaal.  The film follows enterprising psychopath Lou as he scouts the nocturnal underbelly of Los Angeles looking for opportunity. After being inspired to become a 'Stringer'; filming urban drama for local news stations, Lou's talent for exploiting tragedy garners him fame and fortune on the LA morning news circuit. But without empathy or conscience to temper his ambitions, he soon crosses the line between neutral observer and active participant.  We discuss the portrayal of psychopathy and how this personality type is perfectly suited to news media, where exploitation is the very currency of the industry. The character of Lou finds himself at home amongst carnage and calamity, and has no inhibitions about manipulating both people and situations to his own advantage.  We look further at the film's portrayal of the industry and the obvious references it makes to Los Angeles and Hollywood culture. By setting