In this episode the boys are joined by Aum Desai and Nikos Mohammadi. Aum is a student at Columbia College studying Political Science and Economics. He is the president of The Columbia Open Discourse Alliance (CODA), a senior editor at the Columbia Political Review, and a board member for the Columbia Hindu Students Organization. Nikos is also a student at Columbia College, where he is majoring in American Studies. He's a staff writer at Sundial and the vice president of CODA.
Listen to this episode to learn why the protests at Columbia have died down, hear about the great work the folks at CODA are doing, and much more!
You can read some of what Aum has written here:
You can read some of Nikos' writing here:
Mentioned in this episode:
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In this episode the boys are joined by not one, but TWO returning guests: Jonas Du and Daniel Idfresne. They discuss the what Zohran Mamdani's recent victory means for NYC, whether or not it's a sign of things to come across the nation, and what the heck happened in the surprisingly cordial meeting between the mayor elect and Trump.
Mentioned in this episode:
To see more from Daniel, follow him on X and Instagram. You can sample some of his writing below:
To see more from Jonas, follow him on X, Instagram, and Substack. You can sample some of his writing below:
Please rate and review us on your podcast player of choice! It’s the best way to support us.
Subscribe on Apple, Spotify, and YouTube
Our Book Recommendations:
In this episode the boys discuss the fringe right, with a special focus on Nick Fuentes' recent interview with Tucker Carlson. They also touch on the fact that Candace Owens has completely lost the plot. The far right is going very, very wrong.
Mentioned in this episode:
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Subscribe on Apple, Spotify, and YouTube
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In this episode the boys are joined by Joe Nucci. Joe is a psychotherapist, social media influencer, and writer who recently published his first book, Psychobabble: Viral Mental Health Myths & the Truths to Set You Free.
Listen to this episode to hear Joe's thoughts on ADHD, the overuse of the word "trauma," the relationship between therapy and politics, and much more!
Be sure to follow Joe on Instagram and YouTube, sign up for his free newsletter on Substack, and subscribe to his podcast Psychobabble.
In this episode the boys are joined by Erin Hagood. Erin is a History PhD student at Columbia University and president of the Platypus Affiliated Society. Erin is a wealth of knowledge regarding the history and philosophy of the left. Listen to this conversation if you want to learn about the origins of leftism, the definition of Marxism, and much more!
If you walk away from this episode with more questions than you started with, that's ok! We cover A LOT in a relatively short period of time. After we stopped recording we all agreed Erin would have to come back on a few more times so we can really get into the weeds.
In this episode the boys discuss Greta Thunberg’s claim that she was tortured in Israeli custody, why they think Israeli statehood is legitimate, the recent “Young” Republicans group chat leak, and more!
Mentioned in this episode:
- Politico article about the leaked YR group chat
Support us:
- Follow us on social media, and rate and review us on your podcast player of choice.
- Buy from our recommended reading list!
Note: There was a ~20 minute section toward the end that the lads decided wasn't very good and would have been a bore to listen to, so they cut it out. That's why you hear that funky lo-fi tune at the 1:19:47 mark.
In this episode the boys discuss why it's difficult for the pro-Palestine crowed to get excited about the possibility of peace in Gaza, the merits of the Chiles v. Salazar conversion therapy case, and wether or not "woke right" is a real thing.
Mentioned in this episode:
- This is what the Woke Right is by Ani O'Brian
In this episode the boys discuss the recent Gaza peace plan and the newly released AI video generator, Sora II. They also give you their book recommendations!
Mentioned in this episode:
Anthony's 5 books to help you master you emotions:
Clay's 5 books to help you understand the how the modern world order emerged:
If you want to support what we're doing and help us grow, there are a few quick and easy ways to do so...
In this episode the boys are joined by Tony Vanderhoef. Tony is currently studying at Florida State University College of Law, where he is specializing in constitutional law. When he's not hitting the books, he is posting political news updates on his Instagram, or writing his newsletter, Common Ground (for which he has another Instagram). Tony's on a mission is to provide unbiased, reliable news, and to do his part to combat political polarization.
Listen to this episode to get insights on the need for a more inclusive and centrist approach in politics, hear about the importance of communication between differing viewpoints, the impact of media framing on public perception, and much more!
In this episode, the boys are joined by Nadine Strossen. Nadine is a civil liberties lawyer, legal scholar, activist, and author who's notable accomplishments are too numerous to list in totality. However, she is perhaps most famous for serving as the first female president of the ACLU from 1991 to 2008. Her books include such titles as Hate: Why We Should Resist It with Free Speech, Not Censorship and, most recently, The War on Words: 10 Arguments Against Free Speech — And Why They Fail.
Listen to this episode to hear about the chilling effects of cancel culture, the nuances of first amendment law, why censorship is not the answer to hate speech, and much more!
Some of Nadine's other books:
- Defending Pornography: Free Speech, Sex, and the Fight for Women's Rights
- Free Speech: What Everyone Needs to Know
IMPORTANT UPDATE! -> If you want to support what we're doing, please use the links we provide in the show notes to purchase any of our guests' work. If you do, Amazon will give us a little kickback that we can use to improve the pod and grow our audience. Thank you!
In this episode the boys discuss the tragic assassination of Charlie Kirk. They explore the reactions from both the left and right and the psychological underpinnings of political violence. Listen to this episode to also hear about the different types of empathy, the latest FIRE college free speech rankings, Jungian archetypes, and much more.
Don't forget to follow us on social media, and subscribe on YouTube and Substack!
In this episode the boys are joined by Nikos Mohammadi. Nikos is a rising sophomore at Columbia College and an aspiring writer. His work can be read in Sublation, Sundial, and the Substack Cracks in Postmodernity. Nikos offers insightful takes on Neoliberalism, Trump, Mamdani, and much more!
Some examples of Nikos' writing include...
- MAGA Won. It Gave Us Zohran Mamdani.
- Deporting Mahmoud Khalil Is Anti-American
- How Ben Shapiro Lost My Generation
In this episode of Discourse Lab, the boys are joined by Mike Luso. Mike is a writer, content creator, and journalist. He hosts News Theory on YouTube, a video essay show that brings to light the different narratives and biases in media. Mike has also made several appearances on the Jubilee series Surrounded, most recently in a video titled 1 LGBTQ+ Activist vs 25 Conservatives (ft. Zander Moricz).
Listen to this episode to hear what it's like to be in a Jubilee video, learn what Mike thinks is what's wrong with modern media, and get his take on what it means to be a true Christian.
You can follow Mike on X and Instagram.
And don't forget to follow us on social media, and subscribe on YouTube and Substack!
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 most academics are scumbags, and much more!
Don't forget to follow us on social media, and subscribe on YouTube and Substack!
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 this episode to hear about Sam's experience in Ukraine, his hot take on who the leader of Russia should be, his thoughts on the war in Gaza, and much more!
You can read Sam's writing on The Line, where you'll find pieces such as Stage Names and A Choir of Crickets.
You can follow Sam on...
Oh, and here is the article Clay wrote that features Sam and covers the tragic passing of Brandon Christie.
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:
Apologies for Anthony’s bad audio quality! He had some unexpected technical difficulties.
In 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)!
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, you can follow him on...
- X
- Instagram
- Substack
In 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.
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!