Consensus Unreality

Photographic Hauntings, SORRAT, and American Parapsychology with Shannon Taggart

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In this interview with returning guest, artist and writer Shannon Taggart, we discuss her recent article and continued work on SORRAT, one of the most misunderstood and fascinating groups in parapsychological history. From their founder John Neihardt’s important Black Elk Speaks and Cycle of the West, through the tragedy which inspired the founding of SORRAT and the inner workings and later works of the group, we dive deep into this strange history. We also chat at length on Shannon’s thoughts on photography’s artistic legacy in the modern era, its inherent paranormality, her work at Lily Dale, and the photographic manifestations of Ted Serios. A lengthy and wide ranging conversation with one of the best in the biz! 

⁠https://www.shannontaggart.com/

Finality Loops; Broken Time: Tempunauts; Dodleston Messages; Scole Experiment

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Dave and Ben are stuck in a time loop... this episode presents the 500,000th precise replica of a conversation on Philip K. Dick's "A Little Something for Us Tempunauts," time weirdness and existential novelty, eternal returns, seances from the future, the inevitable return of IPAs, and more. We revisit the strange future incursions in The Dodleston Messages and compare similar interference channeled through the Scole Experiments.

Witchcraft, Occult Relics, and More with Steven Intermill of Buckland Museum of Witchcraft

Steven Intermill, curator and director of the Buckland Museum of Witchcraft, joins us for a wide ranging conversation on Ray Buckland, Michael Bertiaux, Nema, American occultism, occult book and object collecting, his work in noise project Telecult Powers, leg lamps, and more. Make sure to check out the astounding Buckland Museum next time you’re in Cleveland, or visit them online at ⁠https://bucklandmuseum.org⁠

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Space Age Relics, Ghost Automata, New Paranoid Cinema

A brief summary of our latest Journal of Shells: cybernetics and automata, spirit and machine. There’s still time to join our Print Club on Patreon! 

 

Plus, on Patreon: The space age’s corpse treated as a saint in Ballard’s Dead Astronaut; another diagnosis of the paranoid American in recent film Bugonia; syncs and thoughts galore. 

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Virtual Incursions: Neuromancer, Cyberpunk, Close Futurism

In this continuation of our discussions on artificial unrealities, we visit William Gibson's cyberspace. We talk Neuromancer, its influence and prophecies, and the feedback loops fiction and reality create when they meet in the human mind. 

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Reality Deterioration: Ubik, Serial Experiments Lain, AI Psychosis, Fake Worlds

With some help from Philip K. Dick’s classic novel Ubik and cult favorite anime Serial Experiments Lain, we discuss the intellectual genealogy and current situation of our slipping reality. AI psychosis, corporate rulers, gods from the machines, and more..

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Paranormal Year in Review: Research and High Strangeness Patreon Plus Episode

2025 in the rearview, 2026 a big tunnel painted on the side of a mountain. Here's our lengthy public/ Patreon split episode recapping highlights and weirdnesses from a mixed up, wacky year. Plasmoids, out of body experiences, and tons of great interviews. It's like a whole year in under two hours! Patreon discussion of our personal strange experiences, looking forward to '26, and much more. 

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Solid State Intelligence, John C. Lilly Revisited, ECCO, 3I/Atlas PATREON PREVIEW

ECCO is calling. Will you answer? SSE is at your door. Do you let it in? Hear our advice in this breezy discussion of our beloved mad scientist mystic John C. Lilly. The spiritual insights of a Vitamin K. psychonaut; eerie AI prophecies; coincidence and synchronicity; and more! 

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ESP, Remote Viewing, Parapsychology + Patreon: Savior Battles, Gnosticism, Punched by Bigfoot

SRI, PEAR, Duke, Monroe, and all that! An episode on remote viewing, ESP, psychics, and more. We even try it out ourselves, with an interesting result. This is your brief primer on the expanded mind. Plus: a lengthy Patreon addendum on Gnostic emo, further mindreading experiments, Bigfoot straight up punching you, and more!

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Out of Body Experiences, Hemi-sync, and the Loosh Harvest

The loosh harvest was good this time! A conversation on Robert Monroe's Far Journeys, including its role as a 20th century paranormal "theory of everything," its introduction of the concept of "loosh," its strange worldbuilding, and more. Plus: our own thoughts and experiences on Hemisync, the Gateway Experience, etc. 

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