web01.fireside.fm Wed, 15 Apr 2026 15:41:22 -0500 Fireside (https://fireside.fm) Outsider Theory - Episodes Tagged with “Theory” https://outsidertheory.fireside.fm/tags/theory Mon, 26 Dec 2022 13:00:00 -0500 Outsider Theory is an interview-based podcast exploring the mutations of theories outside of the authorized spaces of intellectual life as well as theories of that ever-alluring figure, the outsider, and related subjects. en-us episodic Theory on the outside, theory of the outside, outside of the theory Geoff Shullenberger Outsider Theory is an interview-based podcast exploring the mutations of theories outside of the authorized spaces of intellectual life as well as theories of that ever-alluring figure, the outsider, and related subjects. no critical theory, conspiracy theory, outsider intellectuals, outsiders, the outside Geoff Shullenberger gshullenb@gmail.com Exiting the Vampires' Campus with Blaise Bayno https://outsidertheory.fireside.fm/exiting-the-vampires-campus a0773f69-6a6c-48d2-b2c2-98c6ef62a390 Mon, 26 Dec 2022 13:00:00 -0500 Geoff Shullenberger full Geoff Shullenberger I discuss academic fecklessness and propaganda with former critical theory PhD student Blaise Bayno. 1:19:54 no Blaise Bayno (@urgurlblaise), former critical theory PhD student and co-organizer of the conference "Society Must Be Inoculated," joins me to discuss how critical theory became uncritical cheerleading for biopolitical authoritarianism, academic labor issues, the history of the UC Santa Cruz History of Consciousness program, and more. critical theory, theory, academia, covid, propaganda, biopolitics Blaise Bayno (@urgurlblaise), former critical theory PhD student and co-organizer of the conference "Society Must Be Inoculated," joins me to discuss how critical theory became uncritical cheerleading for biopolitical authoritarianism, academic labor issues, the history of the UC Santa Cruz History of Consciousness program, and more.

]]> Blaise Bayno (@urgurlblaise), former critical theory PhD student and co-organizer of the conference "Society Must Be Inoculated," joins me to discuss how critical theory became uncritical cheerleading for biopolitical authoritarianism, academic labor issues, the history of the UC Santa Cruz History of Consciousness program, and more.

]]> Deep Internet History with Default Friend https://outsidertheory.fireside.fm/deep-internet-history 9dc5d4d6-22d3-4220-9538-a02930b8fa93 Wed, 24 Nov 2021 14:00:00 -0500 Geoff Shullenberger full Geoff Shullenberger Default Friend joins me to discuss Sherry Turkle's early sociological studies of the effects of the internet on identity, community, and the popularization of theory. 1:26:22 no Default Friend is a writer investigating the deep history of the internet on her substack, Default Wisdom. She joins me to discuss one of our mutual interests: the work of the sociologist Sherry Turkle, and the light her pioneering 1995 study Life on the Screen sheds on the early history of the internet and the way the 90s internet anticipated present realities. We also explore the implications of Turkle's argument that the internet rendered concrete the abstractions of postmodern theory, as well as Default Friend's own work on fandom, Tumblr and other facets of "the millennial internet." https://defaultfriend.substack.com/ http://www.mit.edu/people/sturkle/Life-on-the-Screen.html Sherry Turkle, the internet, Multi-User Domains, fandom, Tumblr, identity, theory, postmodernism Default Friend is a writer investigating the deep history of the internet on her substack, Default Wisdom. She joins me to discuss one of our mutual interests: the work of the sociologist Sherry Turkle, and the light her pioneering 1995 study Life on the Screen sheds on the early history of the internet and the way the 90s internet anticipated present realities. We also explore the implications of Turkle's argument that the internet rendered concrete the abstractions of postmodern theory, as well as Default Friend's own work on fandom, Tumblr and other facets of "the millennial internet."

https://defaultfriend.substack.com/

http://www.mit.edu/people/sturkle/Life-on-the-Screen.html

]]> Default Friend is a writer investigating the deep history of the internet on her substack, Default Wisdom. She joins me to discuss one of our mutual interests: the work of the sociologist Sherry Turkle, and the light her pioneering 1995 study Life on the Screen sheds on the early history of the internet and the way the 90s internet anticipated present realities. We also explore the implications of Turkle's argument that the internet rendered concrete the abstractions of postmodern theory, as well as Default Friend's own work on fandom, Tumblr and other facets of "the millennial internet."

https://defaultfriend.substack.com/

http://www.mit.edu/people/sturkle/Life-on-the-Screen.html

]]> RETVRN TO FOUCAULT with Blake Smith https://outsidertheory.fireside.fm/retvrn-to-fovcavlt b09b8e0d-a54b-494b-811d-b8eb5499de9f Wed, 31 Mar 2021 08:00:00 -0400 Geoff Shullenberger full Geoff Shullenberger Blake Smith joins Outsider Theory to discuss the teaching of theory, the formation of elites, and why Foucault was the original Bronze Age Pervert. 1:24:05 no Historian and writer Blake Smith joins Outsider Theory to discuss the teaching theory and the formation of elites; the surprising affinities between Strauss and Foucault; the parallel grooming practices of Straussians and Derrideans; the perverse economy of enjoyment in the Trump era; Obama’s failed use of theory as seduction prop; and why Foucault was the original Bronze Age Pervert. Blake on "Foucault Through Strauss": https://im1776.com/2021/02/19/foucault-through-strauss/ Blake's writing at Tablet: https://www.tabletmag.com/contributors/blake-smith Geoff's seminar on Foucault and Covid: https://www.speakeasy.com/e/biopolitics-covid theory, pedagogy, elites, biopolitics, Michel Foucault, Leo Strauss, Jacques Derrida, Donald Trump, Barack Obama Historian and writer Blake Smith joins Outsider Theory to discuss the teaching theory and the formation of elites; the surprising affinities between Strauss and Foucault; the parallel grooming practices of Straussians and Derrideans; the perverse economy of enjoyment in the Trump era; Obama’s failed use of theory as seduction prop; and why Foucault was the original Bronze Age Pervert.

Blake on "Foucault Through Strauss": https://im1776.com/2021/02/19/foucault-through-strauss/

Blake's writing at Tablet: https://www.tabletmag.com/contributors/blake-smith

Geoff's seminar on Foucault and Covid: https://www.speakeasy.com/e/biopolitics-covid

]]> Historian and writer Blake Smith joins Outsider Theory to discuss the teaching theory and the formation of elites; the surprising affinities between Strauss and Foucault; the parallel grooming practices of Straussians and Derrideans; the perverse economy of enjoyment in the Trump era; Obama’s failed use of theory as seduction prop; and why Foucault was the original Bronze Age Pervert.

Blake on "Foucault Through Strauss": https://im1776.com/2021/02/19/foucault-through-strauss/

Blake's writing at Tablet: https://www.tabletmag.com/contributors/blake-smith

Geoff's seminar on Foucault and Covid: https://www.speakeasy.com/e/biopolitics-covid

]]> Meming Theory and Theorizing Memes with Beyond Woke and Problematic https://outsidertheory.fireside.fm/theory-memes 78132611-ba75-499e-83b8-740c1912fc97 Wed, 17 Feb 2021 08:00:00 -0500 Geoff Shullenberger full Geoff Shullenberger The popular dissemination of theory now occurs primarily in the form of the meme. One of the premier posters in the "theorygram" space joins me to theorize the theory meme. 58:57 no In recent years, memes have risen to prominence as a medium for witty, irreverent, surreal engagement with the canon of High Theory. At the speed of the internet, memes now circulate the ideas of thinkers from Deleuze to Dugin, from Land to DeLanda, in humorous and fragmentary forms, instantiating in their mode of dissemination the sorts of positive feedback loops, rhizomatic growth, and strata hopping that some such thinkers have theorized. Beyond Woke and Problematic, a premier poster in the "theorygram" space, joins Outsider Theory to survey the dramatic ascent of the theory meme in the new millennium and explore the relationship of this popular form to the ideas it purveys. With reference to François Cusset's "French Theory," we also compare the meme to earlier vehicles of pop theory. Follow Beyond Woke and Problematic: https://linktr.ee/beyondwokeand_problematic François Cusset, French Theory: https://www.upress.umn.edu/book-division/books/french-theory theory, memes, structuralism, Gilles Deleuze, Manuel deLanda, Nick Land, Reza Negarastani In recent years, memes have risen to prominence as a medium for witty, irreverent, surreal engagement with the canon of High Theory. At the speed of the internet, memes now circulate the ideas of thinkers from Deleuze to Dugin, from Land to DeLanda, in humorous and fragmentary forms, instantiating in their mode of dissemination the sorts of positive feedback loops, rhizomatic growth, and strata hopping that some such thinkers have theorized. Beyond Woke and Problematic, a premier poster in the "theorygram" space, joins Outsider Theory to survey the dramatic ascent of the theory meme in the new millennium and explore the relationship of this popular form to the ideas it purveys. With reference to François Cusset's "French Theory," we also compare the meme to earlier vehicles of pop theory.

Follow Beyond Woke and Problematic: https://linktr.ee/beyond_woke_and_problematic

François Cusset, French Theory: https://www.upress.umn.edu/book-division/books/french-theory

]]> In recent years, memes have risen to prominence as a medium for witty, irreverent, surreal engagement with the canon of High Theory. At the speed of the internet, memes now circulate the ideas of thinkers from Deleuze to Dugin, from Land to DeLanda, in humorous and fragmentary forms, instantiating in their mode of dissemination the sorts of positive feedback loops, rhizomatic growth, and strata hopping that some such thinkers have theorized. Beyond Woke and Problematic, a premier poster in the "theorygram" space, joins Outsider Theory to survey the dramatic ascent of the theory meme in the new millennium and explore the relationship of this popular form to the ideas it purveys. With reference to François Cusset's "French Theory," we also compare the meme to earlier vehicles of pop theory.

Follow Beyond Woke and Problematic: https://linktr.ee/beyond_woke_and_problematic

François Cusset, French Theory: https://www.upress.umn.edu/book-division/books/french-theory

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