Society In Question

We use nuance to explore the social and cultural forces shaping the human condition.

Through freethought, philosophical inquiry, and intellectual rigor, we seek to improve ourselves, our society, and our sanity.

Recent Episodes

#6 – Justin Murphy: The Intellectual Who Left Academia for the Internet

(Originally recorded in the Spring of 2020) In this episode we sit down with social scientist and political theorist, Justin Murphy, who spent five years as a lecturer at the University of Southampton before realizing that academia was ironically stifling his ability to be...

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#5 – Aella: Awkward Social Dynamics, Authenticity, & Enlightenment

(Originally recorded in the Spring of 2020) On this episode, we’re joined by Aella, previously one of the world’s top-paid cam girls who is now a prominent figure in the online intellectual community. We enjoy an incredibly playful conversation surrounding her background, social dynamics,...

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#4 – Erik Davis: Psychedelics, Coronavirus, & Post-Religion Spirituality

(Originally recorded in the Spring of 2020) On this episode I’m joined by the ever-articulate scholar, Erik Davis, who wrote one of my favorite non-fiction books of all time: Techgnosis: Myth, Magic, and Mysticism in the Age of Information (seriously, it’s remarkable). Erik also...

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#3 – Jay Mutzafi & Donovan James: Climate Change, Basic Income, & Death

In this episode, I’m joined by Donovan James and Jay Mutzafi, two friends who I meet with several times a month for challenging and thought-provoking conversations. You can expect to see them as frequent guests on the show discussing myriad topics, but this time...

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#2 – Donovan James: The Importance of Nuance Amongst the Culture Wars

In this episode, I sit down with my dear friend, Donovan James, who kicks off the conversation by asking me why I decided to start this podcast. This takes us on a massive tour through many of the current controversies and challenges facing our...

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A Short Introduction to Society in Question

Welcome to Society In Question (SiQ).  In this episode, I provide a brief (5min) overview of the motivation behind SiQ, the topics we’ll commonly be discussing, and why such conversations are crucial to our well-being as individuals and as a society.

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Getting Social

I’m bad at social media, but if you want to stay in the loop, these channels are your best options outside of email.

Show Host

Since studying artificial intelligence, psychology, and computer programming at university, Steven Parton has been obsessed with understanding the human condition and society as a whole.

This has resulted in over a decade of experience as an independent psychology and neuroscience researcher, the lessons of which he’s channeled through numerous articles, podcasts, on-stage plays, science fiction novels, presentations, and many other forms of media and education.

Much of his work is now focused on removing the evolutionary, social, and psychological pressures that undermine our health, our freedom, and our ability to engage in the kind of civil discourse necessary to improve our society.