Shows
Psychobabble with Joe NucciFrom Woke to Awake | Anthony Rispo on Political Polarization, Psychology, and Breaking the MoldIn this provocative episode of Psychobabble, Joe Nucci sits down with Anthony Rispo—Columbia graduate, writer, and rising content creator—to unpack his intellectual evolution from progressive activism to political heterodoxy. Rispo shares how the events of 2020 triggered a wave of cognitive dissonance, prompting him to explore overlooked voices, challenge academic dogmas, and examine the psychological underpinnings of political behavior.A candid, research-backed exploration of polarization, this episode is a must-listen for anyone questioning the status quo or struggling to discuss it openly.🔎 Topics include:Left vs. righ...
2025-08-191h 00
Discourse LabDr. Joe Duarte (Microagression Skeptic)In this episode the boys are joined by Dr. Joe Duarte. Joe is a Social Psychologist who's work centers on political diversity, open inquiry, and methodological rigor in the behavioral sciences. He is perhaps best known for being the lead author of the 2015 paper Political diversity will improve social psychological science. Joe has been a prominent voice on how political bias undermines research outcomes and erodes public trust in science. Listen to this episode if you want to hear what Joe thinks of the current state of social psychology, his opinions on so-called "microaggressions," why he believes...
2025-08-181h 40
ManTalks PodcastThe Collapse of Social Cognition with Anthony RispoI sit down with Anthony Rispo to dive deep into social cognition, human behavior, and the cultural shifts affecting men and women today. We explore how disagreements can fracture relationships, the erosion of nuance in public discourse, and the role social media plays in polarizing people. Anthony also shares his insights on gender dynamics, the state of therapy for men, and the growing narrative around being “better off alone.” This is a thought-provoking conversation that isn’t afraid to push into complex and sometimes controversial territory.SHOW HIGHLIGHTS00:00 – Anthony’s background and journey into psych...
2025-08-111h 12
Discourse LabSam Nahins (Loves Ukraine, Hates ISIS)If you want to support Ukraine please donate to Ukrainian Relief Fund. In this episode the boys are joined by Sam Nahins. Sam is a writer and former Air Force drone operator. He is currently pursuing an MFA at Columbia University. Sam has been featured on Fox News, Newsmax, French 24, and other programs, where he has been outspoken about his views on Israel, Ukraine, and campus protests. In the Summer of 2025 he spent a month traveling around Ukraine to get a better sense of what life is like for soldiers and civilians alike.Listen to...
2025-08-111h 27
Discourse LabDaniel Idfresne (A Real New Yorker)In this Episode the boys are joined by Daniel Idfresne. Daniel is a moderate-conservative thinker and commentator who’s writing has been featured in Real Clear Politics, The Free Press, and The New York Post, among others. He’s also a native New Yorker and rising senior at Syracuse University. Tune in to hear Daniel’s opinion on NYC Charter Schools, rent control, Zohran Mamdani’s primary victory, and much more!You can check out some of his writing here:Mamdani’s Trump-Proof New York: Safe Haven for Criminal Migrants?Zohran Mamdani: ‘Working-Class’ Mayor for Upper...
2025-08-041h 39
Discourse LabThe Big Beautiful EpisodeIn the first part of this episode Clay flies solo. He humbly requests guest suggestions, and also offers a good faith response to some very critical instagram comments. In the second part the lads discuss the "Big Beautiful Bill" (finally!), or at least the parts of it that they found particularly interesting. This one is a bit long, so bonus points to anyone who makes it all the way to the end. Please DM us on Instagram at @the_discourselab or email us at contactdiscourselab@gmail.com for guest suggestions (especially left-leaning ones)!
2025-07-282h 13
Bajada DialoguesAnthony RispoIn this episode of the Bajada Dialogues, Anthony Rispo shares his journey from musician to psychology graduate with a keen interest in political behavior. He discusses the impact of his musical background on his life, his motivations for creating content on social media, and the shifting political landscape among youth. The conversation delves into the complexities of navigating political discussions, the dynamics on college campuses, and the role of community and religion in today's society. Anthony also reflects on personal experiences with political ideologies and the rise of left-wing violence, providing insights into the psychological underpinnings of these phenomena....
2025-07-221h 24
Discourse LabJonas Du (Not a Fascist)In this episode the boys are joined by Jonas Du, a Free Press Fellow and founder of Sundial, Columbia University's newest, most ideologically diverse student publication. Jonas shares his personal experience as a young conservative surrounded by mostly left-wing peers, and talks about what lead him to found Sundial. He also shares details about his latest article,Young, Hot, and Triumphant: Welcome to MAGA Summer. Tune in to get Du's takes on the rise of conservatism in Gen Z, the takeover of journalism by elites, and much more! If you want to hear/read more from Jonas...
2025-07-211h 55
Discourse LabFascists, Commies, and Dudes Riding ElephantsIn this episode of Discourse Lab, the boys dive into how ideology distorts research, discuss the strengths and weaknesses of moral foundations theory, and struggle (but ultimately succeed!) to explain P-values and P-hacking.
2025-07-151h 44
Discourse LabWhat had happened was...In this episode the boys explain why you're not getting a full length episode this week. Stay to the end to hear what Anthony and Clay love about the good ol' US of A!
2025-07-0833 min
Discourse LabThe Mamdani EffectIn this episode, Anthony and Clay discuss NYC mayoral candidate Zohran Mamdani's socialist platform. Listen to this episode if you want hear about the merits of rent control (or lack thereof) , the psychological predisposition of the authoritarian left, the nuggets of gold in Zohran's platform, and much more! Sincerest apologies to Mr. Mamdani for mispronouncing his name on a number of occasions.Oh, and the boys squeeze in a quick discussion about the innate differences between men and women in the last twenty minutes. Clay explains why he's recently become a bit more sexist, so listen until...
2025-07-011h 54
Discourse LabWelcome to Discourse Lab!In this intro episode co-hosts Clay and Anthony introduce themselves and explain what they hope to do with Discourse Lab. Expect to learn why they stopped making The Columbia HxA Podcast, when new episodes will drop, why they chose the name "Discourse Lab," and more!
2025-06-171h 00
Columbia HxALeft Out ... Until Now: Exploring Left-Wing Authoritarianism With A PioneerDr. Luke Conway is a professor of Psychology at Grove City College and a leading voice in the study of the psychology of culture and politics. With a Ph.D. in Social Psychology from the University of British Columbia, Dr. Conway has authored over 80 articles, commentaries, and book chapters. He is the author of the book “Liberal Bullies: What Psychology Teaches Us About the Left’s Authoritarian Problem— And How To Fix It” His work has appeared in outlets like The Washington Post, The New York Times, and Psychology Today, and he’s been featured on platforms such as the Ben Sh...
2024-11-201h 04Columbia HxAFreud Got Everything Right: A Conversation with Dr. Lucas KleinIn this episode Anthony and Clay speak to Dr. Lucas Klein. Dr. Klein is a clinical psychologist, psychoanalyst, and host of the Real Clear Podcast. Listen to this conversation if you want to learn about why Sigmund Freud was a genius, how DEI is infecting the field of psychotherapy, why mentalization is a crucial skill, how medicare for all could kill private practice, and much more!Links for this episode…The Holmes CommissionThe Open Therapy Institute The Death Nail of Psychotherapy“The Anxious Generation” by Jonathan Haidt“Bad Therapy” by Abigail Shrier
2024-11-1100 minColumbia HxADu-ing Student Journalism Right: A Conversation with Jonas DuIn this episode, Anthony and Clay speak with Jonas Du. Jonas is a senior at Columbia College, the editor and chief of Sundial, and one of the first ever Free Press Fellows! Tune in here to learn how and why Jonas co-founded Sundial, what it’s like to go on Fox News, what last semester’s protests were like for CC students, and much more!Links from this episode….Jonas on XJonas on Fox and Friends FirstThe hit piece!Jonas on NewsmaxSeriously, subscribe to Sundial!!!!
2024-10-2100 minColumbia HxAAccidents of Birth and "Symbolic Capitalists"In this episode Anthony and Clay brag about crashing the America Debates after party, kinda-sorta defend Ta-Nehisi Coates (but also criticize him), struggle to define the term “symbolic capitalist”, and much more!Links for this episode…Should the US still police the world?Coleman Hughes’ review of The MessageTa-Nehisi’s controversial statement“If my Grandmother had wheels she would have been a bike”We Have Never Been Woke: The Cultural Contradictions of a New Elite
2024-10-1400 minColumbia HxAOn the Eve of a Terrible AnniversaryIn this impromptu episode Anthony and Clay are joined by Sydney Johnston and Professor Scott Barry Kaufman to discuss the upcoming protests on Columbia's campus. The tetrad talk about the psychology, ideology, and differing motivations of the protesters, and much more!Don't forget to check out The Psychology Podcast and read Professor Kaufman's article on group narcissism!
2024-10-0700 minColumbia HxAFacing the Mob and Recognizing our Common Humanity: A Conversation with Ariana Pinsker-LehrerIn this episode Anthony and Clay speak with Ariana Pinsker-Lehrer. Ariana is an Israeli attorney, activist, and student at Columbia University's school of social work. Last winter, a video of her addressing a mob of anti-Israel protesters went viral. In it, she implores the protesters to be advocates for peace and to see the common humanity of everyone who lives between the river and the sea. Listen to this episode if you want to know more about the story behind that viral clip, learn more about Ariana's fascinating background, get her perspective on the school of social work's power...
2024-09-3000 minColumbia HxAR-E-S-P-E-C-T, Find Out What it Means for Democracy: A Conversation With Beth Theiss-Morse and Jeff Spinner-HalevIn this episode Anthony and Clay speak with Professors of Political Science Beth Theiss-Morse (UN Lincoln) and Jeff Spinner-Halev (UNC Chapel Hill). Jeff and Beth are the co-authors of the fantastic new book Respect and Loathing in American Democracy: Polarization, Moralization, and the Undermining of Equality. In it, they argue that the polarization we see in modern American politics is due largely to the fact that conservatives and liberals moralize different issues. Listen to this episode to learn about the difference between tolerance and respect, the "liberal respect paradox", how to talk politics with your “crazy uncle Joe,” and much mo
2024-09-2300 minColumbia HxAGenetics, Dennis Rodman, and the Key to Happiness: A Conversation with Joe TerwilligerIn this episode, Anthony and Clay speak with Joe Terwilliger. Joe is technically a professor of neurobiology at Columbia University… except he doesn’t actually know anything about neurobiology. What he’s really an expert at is using statistical analysis in genetics research. Listen to this episode if you want to learn why studying genetics is so difficult, why accounting for ethnicity is crucial for dietary and medical research, why poor people in India are often happier than poor people in the US, and much, much more!Oh, and did we mention that Joe has sp...
2024-09-1600 minColumbia HxAThe Word of the Day is "Vibes": A Conversation with Harvey Pennington and TJ GillIn this episode, we speak with Harvey Pennington and TJ Gill. Harvey and TJ are two of the founders of the Columbia Chapter of BridgeUSA, a multi-partisan student movement that champions viewpoint diversity, responsible discourse, and a solution-oriented political culture. Expect to learn about BridgeUSA’s mission and methods, including their four “norms of discussion.”Since we’re all Columbia students, we had to discuss what we expect for the Fall semester!Links:Bullshit JobsDoes Columbia need 5,000 administrators? (Clay's article for Sundial...
2024-09-0900 minColumbia HxABears, Kamala, and Extremist SympathizersWe're back after a two-week break!In this episode, we gush about the wonderfulness of peace and quiet, teach you how to deal with bears, point out the hypocrisy of West-haters, and much more!Our recommendations from this episode:Respect and Loathing in American DemocracyMidnight MassMeditations
2024-09-0100 minColumbia HxAHotlines and Open Minds: A Conversation with Shira HofferIn this episode, Anthony and I speak with Harvard Undergraduate Shira Hoffer. Shira is the founder of The Hotline for Israel/Palestine, a resource for people to ask questions about the Israeli-Palestinian conflict anonymously and get well-researched, nuanced answers in return. She is also the founder of The Institute for Multipartisan Education, a 501(c)(3) organization that, per the website, offers “education consulting services to teachers, professors, and administrators looking to foster dialogue and curious and constructive disagreement, improve the quality of discourse, or initiate culture shifts toward curiosity inside and out of their classrooms.”And...
2024-08-1200 minColumbia HxAGone to Carolina in Our Minds: A Conversation with Dr. Matthew MetzgarGone to Carolina in Our Minds: A Conversation with Dr. Matthew MetzgarViewpoint diversity AND a booming economy? North Carolina is absolutely crushing it right now.In this episode, Anthony and Clay speak with Dr. Matthew Metzgar, a Clinical Professor of Economics at UNC Charlotte’s Belk College of Business. Matt received his PhD in Economics from the University of Tennessee, an MBA from Wheeling Jesuit University, and his Bachelors from West Virginia University. His research and teaching cover topics such as the economics of obesity, the relationship between em...
2024-08-0500 minColumbia HxAPositively Psyched: A Conversation With Dr. Orin DavisAn expert in self-actualization explains why advice is often too generalized, what people get wrong about DEI, and why many of you shouldn't go to college. In this episode, Anthony and Clay speak with Dr. Orin Davis, the first person to earn a PhD in Positive Psychology. Dr. Davis is, just to name a few things, a self-actualization engineer, HR and DEI consultant, life coach, and a professor of creativity and innovation, entrepreneurship, business, and psychology. He is also the principal investigator at the Quality of Life Laboratory, which, according to the website, engineers s...
2024-07-2900 minColumbia HxADivine InterventionIn this episode of The Columbia HxA Podcast, Anthony and Clay discuss Biden's recent withdrawal, why some people erroneously view HxA as a conservative organization, why there might be trouble on the horizon for American universities, and more!As we mention at the end of the episode we want you! If you're interested in coming on the podcast please shoot us an email (columbia.hxa@gmail.com) or message Clay on Substack. We're open to discussing a wide range of topics. Links to the stuff we referenced:
2024-07-2200 minColumbia HxAIdeology In The Arts: A Conversation With Brent MordenIn this episode, Anthony and Clay speak with Brent Morden, a man who wears many hats. Brent is a professional gigging musician, the Pep Band Director at Columbia University, the Director of FAIR in the Arts, and the Arts Caucus Chairman of the New York Young Republicans Club. Unique among his peers, Brent is a conservative Republican. In our conversation, we delve into Brent's political journey, FAIR's (The Foundation Against Intolerance and Racism) efforts against identity politics in the arts, the challenges of being in the ideological minority in a predominantly progressive industry, and much more!
2024-07-1500 minColumbia HxAHooked On PhonicsIn our sophomore episode, we bring you some updates on what's in the works for HxA Columbia, riff about the recent presidential debate, and bad-mouth consultants while praising phonics (what can I say? I'm hooked!). We've also added a new segment where we recommend books and articles to add to your reading list. Also, you might be wondering why episode 2 took so long. Well, that comes down to the fact that we started this podcast with no plan whatsoever.... but we've finally gotten our act together!From now on, you...
2024-07-1000 min
Columbia HxAColumbia HxA's First Steps: Lessons and InsightsIn this debut episode, co-hosts Clay Smith and Anthony Rispo provide an overview of what to expect from the series and cover some housekeeping items. They discuss the challenges and activities of Heterodox Academy (HxA) from the last semester, including difficulties launching the community, trouble booking rooms for events like the Coddling Screening, and struggles to gain official recognition. Potential solutions are explored, such as booking venues through the GS Student Council, collaborating with other student organizations and professors, and booking venues off-campus. They also share their experiences from the HxA Conference in Chicago and touch on recent developments...
2024-06-1344 min
Columbia HxAColumbia HxA's First Steps: Lessons and InsightsIn this debut episode, co-hosts Clay Smith and Anthony Rispo provide an overview of what to expect from the series and cover some housekeeping items. They discuss the challenges and activities of Heterodox Academy (HxA) from the last semester, including difficulties launching the community, trouble booking rooms for events like the Coddling Screening, and struggles to gain official recognition. Potential solutions are explored, such as booking venues through the GS Student Council, collaborating with other student organizations and professors, and booking venues off-campus. They also share their experiences from the HxA Conference in Chicago and touch on recent developments...
2024-06-1344 minColumbia HxAColumbia HxA's First Steps: Lessons and InsightsIn this debut episode, co-hosts Clay Smith and Anthony Rispo provide an overview of what to expect from the series and cover some housekeeping items. They discuss the challenges and activities of Heterodox Academy (HxA) from the last semester, including difficulties launching the community, trouble booking rooms for events like the Coddling Screening, and struggles to gain official recognition. Potential solutions are explored, such as booking venues through the GS Student Council, collaborating with other student organizations and professors, and booking venues off-campus. They also share their experiences from the HxA Conference in Chicago and touch on recent developments...
2024-06-1300 min