It Could Happen Here Weekly 207

Nov 8, 2025

Guest

Reverend Jeff Hood

Guest

Stephen Monticelli

Guest

Michael Phillips

Michael Phillips, a historian focusing on capital punishment, joins investigative journalist Stephen Monticelli and Reverend Jeff Hood, a priest who has witnessed executions, to delve into the troubling realities of lethal injection. They explore its origins, public perception, and the morbid spectacle of early executions. Hood shares harrowing experiences accompanying condemned men, while the group discusses the high cost and political implications of the death penalty, revealing systemic flaws and moral dilemmas deeply embedded in America's justice system.

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ANECDOTE

LLMs Used As Translators For Severators

At Occulture, practitioners used LLMs as translators to communicate with 'severators'—magical constructs with nonhuman language.
They trained localized models to mirror a created entity's personality for intermediation between magician and severator.

INSIGHT

Two Currents: Chaos Versus Tradition

Chaos magic and traditional practices form two major currents: experimental deconstruction versus living communal traditions.
The tension reflects differing goals: cultural production and novelty vs. maintaining continuous communal rites.

ADVICE

Pair Practice With Cultural Production

Balance solitary practice with cultural projects to amplify occult influence beyond personal experience.
Use artistic media and public work to translate esoteric ideas into widely felt cultural change.

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