194: Conspiracy Theories & More w Chelsey Weber-Smith!

Chelsey Weber-Smith is the host of Rachael's new favorite podcast, American Hystertia.  It might be safe to call this podcast a new obsession for Rachael, as she binge listened to the entire catalog of episodes in less than a week.  American Hysteria is a podcast that explores the moral panics, conspiracy theories, and fantastical thinking of American culture from the puritans to the present. Chelsey uses history, sociology, psychology, and even biology to try to get at the heart of why we fear the wrong things and how the long history of these fears inform our current politics and culture. On the show, Chelsey examines in detail the lost oddities of America history, how race, gender, class, and sexuality have molded our beliefs, and how these themes have been continuously expressed and spread through pop culture and the media. From the Satanic Panic of the 1980s, the conspiracies around the Gay Agenda and the Illuminati, to our obsession with Stranger Danger and Poison Halloween, and much more. Chelsey also looked at our long term beliefs in Mind Control, Quackery, and the ability to Talk to the Dead, as well as the Toy Riots that rocked the nation when Beanie Babies and Tickle Me Elmo caused brawls in the street.  Let's get in our best shape ever in 2020 with Future! Sign up for Future today at tryfuture.com/behere and get 50% off your first month! Clean, healthy teeth are so important and Quip is the answer! And right now if you got to getquip.com/behere you'll get your first refill FREE! Give yourself a resolution you can actually keep this year… stop going to the Post office and go to Stamps.com instead. Just go to www.stamps.com , click on the Microphone at the TOP of the homepage and type in BEHERE