Against the Grain

Louise Perry is one of the most perceptive observers of the trends that are transforming the West. Matthew and Julia talk to her about the migration boom, the fertility bust, and the quiet resurgence of religion—in society and her own life. For more like this, become a member at patreon.com/againstthepod.

Alicia Nieves, a lawyer and longtime pro-immigrant activist who built rapid-response legal networks and worked on Texas campaigns, discusses why Democrats have drifted from a working-class identity. She talks about weak local infrastructure, fundraising gaps, the GOP’s stronger candidate recruitment, the rise of outsider vibe politics, and how party control and primaries shape who gets power.

The release of the Epstein files has been met by an outpouring of paranoid speculation—and a growing chorus of expressing justified skepticism. Matthew and Julia welcome the newcomers to the party and rebuke the holdouts. For more like this, become a member at patreon.com/againstthepod.

They debate why a Melania Trump documentary drew crowds despite criticism. They explore her fashion professionalism, fittings, and relationship with designers. They argue about fashion as serious work and compare her aesthetic stance to other first ladies. They trace culture-war reactions, class taste judgments, and how Melania’s discretion and branding unsettle expectations.

Ross Douthat, a New York Times columnist and author of *Believe*, delves into the evolving landscape of belief in America. He discusses the intriguing rise of spiritual alternatives like tarot and astrology as traditional organized religion wanes. Douthat analyzes the emerging fascination with UFOs and AI as potential new forms of spirituality. He also highlights an unexpected interest in Catholicism among Gen Z on elite campuses. With fresh perspectives, he poses thought-provoking questions about the future of faith in a changing world.

Orgies, amphetamines, stabbings, and an even more scandalous turn to the right: Matthew and Julia discuss how Norman Podhoretz survived the sixties and defined the decades that followed. For more like this, become a member at patreon.com/againstthepod.

Join writer and commentator Jacob Savage as he explores the impact of diversity policies on white millennial men. He reveals how 2014 marked a turning point, sidelining this demographic in favor of rapid diversity goals. Jacob discusses stark generational disparities in opportunities and highlights changing political dynamics linked to these shifts. He candidly shares personal losses from pursuing thwarted career paths and insights from a revealing class reunion, shedding light on the broader consequences of institutional exclusion.

The discussion explores how hipsterism, with its organic food obsessions and nostalgia for rural white aesthetics, anticipated the rise of Trumpism. Jim Goad’s influence is examined, revealing his provocative style and controversial background. From the evolution of hipsters borrowing marginalized aesthetics to the transition of rebellious energies from left to right, the hosts link masculine, white markers celebrated by hipsters to contemporary populist movements. They also trace artisanal food culture's crossover into right-wing ideologies, showcasing the complex interplay of subcultures and politics.

Are women ruining the workplace? Are meme-makers ruining conservative intellectual culture? Is our literature better off without litbros like David Foster Wallace? Matthew and Julia talk with Helen Andrews, author of the viral Compact essay “The Great Feminization.” For more like this, become a member at patreon.com/againstthepod.

The legacy of World War II seems unsettled as never before. Figures on left and right flirt with fascist iconography, and influencers question who the war’s true villain was. Are these signs of a growing discontent with the conventional lessons of the “Good War” and the postwar settlement they support? To sort fact from falsehood, Sean McMeekin, professor of history at Bard College and author of Stalin’s War, joins Matthew and Julia. For more like this, become a member at patreon.com/againstthepod.