Last Podcast On The Left
Last Podcast On The Left
"The healthy ones are going to have to go towards the rich ones. So the hot ones are going to move towards the ones with the resources. So now is the time to start setting the table for yourself. What kind of mate are you going to bring to yourself in the post-apocalyptic world?" — Ben
"The fact that it's just so, like, it's so mundane. It's sadly so, like, easy. It's so effortless what he did that there's almost no story there. It's just two, almost 200 people just like, went away." — Ben (discussing Harold Shipman)
"The internet really does create things that are, for all intensive purposes, real." — Henry
The episode opens with hosts Ben and Henry discussing the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic, noting the shift in societal behavior and personal coping strategies. They touch upon the absurdity of certain public reactions, like the rush for toilet paper, and explore more philosophical ideas about survival and partnership in a potential post-apocalyptic scenario, highlighting the focus on physical attractiveness and resources.
A significant portion of the discussion delves into the concept of "bug chasers" and "gift givers," individuals who intentionally sought to contract HIV. They examine documentaries and psychological theories behind these behaviors, linking them to the rise of the internet and the search for identity and community in the mid-1990s. This leads into a broader conversation about extreme psychological phenomena and the internet's role in amplifying or even creating these realities, touching on the "Cannibal Cop" case as an example of online fantasy bleeding into perceived reality.
The hosts also cover several real-world stories, including a brutal mass killing in Japan, and a disturbing case of a woman who decapitated her mother, with her girlfriend vowing to remain supportive. They reflect on the psychological profiles of perpetrators and the role of enablers. The conversation then shifts to the unusual online persona of a man who created a Facebook profile for a sex doll named Stephanie East, documenting their "relationship" and even a simulated childbirth. This narrative sparks a debate about the line between fantasy, loneliness, and potential real-world warning signs. The episode concludes with segments on listener submissions, including a "Hero of the Week" for securing toilet paper during shortages, and a discussion of ancient Egyptian baboons used as police animals, all framed within the context of navigating uncertainty and finding distraction through storytelling.