In this dense and uncompromising episode of XYZ Philosophies, Kevin Hohe is joined by Matthew Mescoli for a wide ranging examination of conspiracy thinking, free thought, and the modern information environment. What begins as a response to a previous conversation on conspiracies becomes a philosophical deep dive into psychology, history, power, and the human need for certainty in an uncertain world.

Matthew introduces key ideas from cognitive psychology, including priming, availability bias, and naive realism, to explain how people come to feel certain about beliefs that are shaped less by facts and more by environment. He argues that many who see themselves as independent thinkers are in fact deeply conditioned by media ecosystems that reward outrage, transgression, and belonging. The conversation explores how modern conspiratorial thinking often functions not as inquiry, but as a coping mechanism for confusion, powerlessness, and rapid cultural change.

From there, Kevin and Matthew step back into a much longer historical lens. Drawing on thinkers like Nietzsche and Oswald Spengler, they discuss civilizational decline, identity, nationalism, and what happens when people cling to dying ideas rather than developing the internal strength to face an evolving world. The episode challenges listeners to consider whether conspiracy theories offer truth, or simply relief from uncertainty.

Rather than offering easy answers, this conversation wrestles with harder questions. What does it mean to think well in an age of endless information. How should we relate to ideas that feel emotionally satisfying but intellectually hollow. And what does a meaningful human life look like when certainty is no longer available.

This is not an episode about debunking individual claims. It is an exploration of the conditions that make certain ways of thinking appealing, contagious, and difficult to escape. It invites listeners to slow down, tolerate uncertainty, build discipline, and take responsibility for how they engage with the world.

In this episode

• Why environment shapes belief more than most people realise

• How conspiracy thinking functions as a response to uncertainty and powerlessness

• The illusion of free thought in algorithm driven media ecosystems

• Why facts alone rarely change deeply held beliefs

• The psychological appeal of being told you possess hidden knowledge

• How history repeats itself through recycled fears and scapegoats

• Nietzsche and Spengler on decline, identity, and cultural decay

• The difference between knowledge, information, and wisdom

• Why reading, embodiment, and real world experience still matter

• What it means to live well without certainty

Stay connected:

• Kevin Hohe | LinkedIn

And let us know what you think with our feedback form.

Produced by Pineapple Audio Production.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this intense, sprawling, and deeply candid conversation, Kevin sits down with a close friend for a raw exploration of fatherhood, masculinity, family, and the world we are all trying to raise children in. What begins as a simple question about the importance of being present as a father expands into a sweeping examination of modern culture and the forces that have shaped how men and women show up in family life.

Our guest speaks openly about waiting until his mid thirties to have a child and how becoming a father transformed every priority he once held. His reflections on time, sacrifice, regret, and the irreplaceable years between zero and five challenge the busy, ambitious pace of modern entrepreneurs. He argues that presence matters more than productivity and that a distracted or absent parent spends the rest of their life trying to repair what they missed.

From there, the conversation moves into a wider and often uncomfortable discussion about the changing meaning of masculinity, the role of men in the home, the rise of boys growing up without fathers, and the growing confusion around what men are meant to be. He describes what he believes a capable man should know, from fixing what breaks to following through on promises, and questions a culture that measures worth by wealth rather than by responsibility and presence.

Together, Kevin and his guest wrestle with big questions. When did society drift away from strong families and self sufficient communities. How did the pursuit of money overpower the pursuit of meaning. What expectations should we place on men and women. And what version of masculinity actually helps families and children thrive.

The exchange is fiery, emotional, and unfiltered. It pushes into the tensions between tradition and modern life, between equality and identity, between independence and community. And beneath it all sits a shared desire to raise children who feel secure, grounded, and truly loved.

In this episode

• Why the first five years of a child’s life shape everything that follows

• Presence versus productivity and why many fathers feel torn between the two

• How modern culture influences the roles of men and women in the home

• The consequences of homes without present fathers and the boys who grow up without guidance

• The difference between providing financially and showing up emotionally

• The rise of identity confusion in young men and why capability still matters

• How the pursuit of wealth can fracture family connection

• Why rural life, nature, and quiet reflection shape our guest’s worldview

• What he believes it means to be a good man in today’s world

• Why strong families remain the foundation of a flourishing society

Stay connected:

• Kevin Hohe | LinkedIn

And let us know what you think with our feedback form.

Produced by Pineapple Audio Production.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

n this candid and searching conversation, Kevin sits down with two close friends, Matt McCoy and Dr Carl, for an unfiltered look at antidepressants, mental health, and what it actually means to suffer well in a world that feels increasingly overwhelmed and overstimulated. What begins as a simple question about prescribing medication unfolds into a thoughtful exploration of diagnosis culture, attention disorders, institutional mistrust, and the values that shape how we define wellness.

Together, they ask why so many adults suddenly see themselves in labels like ADHD and trauma, and whether we are pathologising the basic human experience of distraction, pain, and growing up. Dr Carl brings a grounded medical perspective to the ethical tension between respecting real suffering and resisting the cultural pull toward over diagnosis. Matt challenges the idea that productivity is our highest value, raising the question of who benefits when society teaches us to optimise rather than understand ourselves.

The conversation turns deeply personal as the three wrestle with the realities of grief, crisis, and the moments when a person is simply unable to climb out of darkness on their own. They explore the difference between temporary sadness and soul-crushing despair, the role of community, and the complicated truth that some people need medication to stay alive for the people who depend on them.

They close by asking a bigger question beneath all the others. What helps us build the kind of inner resilience that keeps us from reaching the brink in the first place. And what does it mean to live with gratitude, humility, and a clear-eyed understanding that none of us are entitled to a painless life.

In this episode

• The rise of self diagnosis and why so many people identify with ADHD and trauma

• How institutional mistrust shapes decisions around medication

• When antidepressants help and when they may not

• The tension between productivity culture and true wellbeing

• How expectations, values, and worldview influence mental resilience

• What it means to suffer honestly without collapsing into despair

• The role of purpose, agency, and community in staying emotionally healthy

• Why discomfort is not always pathology and why acceptance matters

Stay connected:

• Kevin Hohe | LinkedIn

And let us know what you think with our feedback form.

Produced by Pineapple Audio Production.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.