In the seventeenth episode, Robert and guest Adil Kabbaj, Professor of Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence at the National Institute of Statistics and Applied Economics (INSEA), Rabat, Morocco, discuss the illusory character of matter, exploring the core thesis of Kabbaj's book Science Declares the Death of Materialism: From Substantialism to Non-Substantialism. The conversation moves fluidly from the technical abstractions of Newtonian absolute space and time to the mind-bending reality that physical objects are merely a mirage of ceaseless, dynamic systems. They examine the profound historical consequences of the materialist worldview, tracing how a "dead and mechanical" perspective of the universe laid the foundation for the interconnected crises of capitalism, consumerism, and our current ecological destruction. Topics range from the plausibility of ghosts as distinct agents and the metaphysical implications of Jack Parsons's ceremonial magic to the mind's ability to survive death, and they explore concepts like the quantum vacuum acting as a cosmic dynamic memory, the urgent necessity for a global spiritual evolution of consciousness, and the potentially terrible consequences of merging quantum computing with artificial intelligence.

In the sixteenth episode, Robert and guest Lewis Woolston discuss the theory of absolute retention rates, a chemistry concept detailing the potential energy required for reactant molecules to attain a critical transition state. The conversation moves fluidly from the quasi-alchemical abstractions of molecular transformation to the gritty reality of Lewis’s harrowing past, escaping a Jehovah's Witness cult and navigating a subsequent heroin addiction. They examine the roots of Australian literature, from early pioneers like Banjo Patterson to modern debates over cultural appropriation, alongside the dark history of the segregation of Aboriginal communities. Topics range from Lewis’s liberating, solitary years working at remote roadhouses on the desolate Nullarbor Plain to Robert’s intense personal anecdotes regarding his parents' fatal battles with addiction and an aborted suicide trip to Egypt, and they explore the shared cultural touchstones between America and Australia by swapping memorable stories about an early AC/DC pub riot and an enraged Mel Gibson storming out of a Hollywood AA meeting.

Woolston's books can be found: HERE

Woolston's Substack can be found: HERE

IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO BE ON CROSS THEORY, EMAIL crosstheorypod@gmail.com.

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In the fifteenth episode, Robert and guest F. Gardner (Frank) discuss absolute pitch theory, the ability to recognize and define the pitch of a tone without the use of a reference tone. The conversation moves fluidly from Gardner's controversial horror novels—such as Kaballah of the Crocodile predicting the synagogue tunnel news events—to deep dives into geopolitical prophecies, conspiracy theories, and Zionism. They examine the historical origins and overlap of religious mysticism, tracing concepts from Canaanite rituals and the Epic of Gilgamesh to Gardner's own spiritual transition from a Catholic seminarian to a Buddhist. Topics range from the esoteric lore of Tartaria, the flat earth, and the "Samson option" to personal anecdotes of encountering shape-shifting reptilian entities at a YMCA and a college campus. They also explore the performative nature of mainstream media as a tool for distraction and "predictive programming"—discussing video games like Shadowrun and the 1990s Super Mario Bros. movie—while examining the necessity of separating the art from the artist through the lens of authors like Stephen King and J.K. Rowling.

Gardner's Horror's Call Novels can be found: HERE

Gardner's Rumble Show "F. Gardner's Penthouse" can be found: HERE

IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO BE ON CROSS THEORY, EMAIL crosstheorypod@gmail.com.

ALL ARE WELCOME. I DON’T CARE WHO YOU ARE OR WHAT YOU’RE SELLING.

In this episode, Robert and guest Austin Train (a stand-up comedian and longtime friend) discuss Absolute Advantage, an economic theory concerning the superior productivity of individuals or nations in specific industries. The conversation shifts rapidly from Adam Smith’s "invisible hand" to the "mortal jealousy" inherent in the comedy world, exploring the dynamics of "fairy godmother" mentors and the struggle of the "door guy" hierarchy at The Comedy Store. They traverse the "grimy" underbelly of Los Angeles, recounting visceral memories ranging from Robert’s childhood walk past the scene of River Phoenix’s overdose to the surreal isolation of Austin’s pandemic lockdown, where he watched a homeless neighbor smoke meth in a recliner on Christmas Day. Topics range from the "performative" nature of Oscar-bait films like The Post and the decline of Joe Rogan from a supportive peer to a "gullible" cog in the "propaganda machine", to the personal toll of addiction, highlighted by Robert’s "sombrero" phase of cocaine use. They conclude by examining the "diminishing returns" of drug use and the tension between the "solitary" nature of the creative process and the demands of parenthood.

IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO BE ON CROSS THEORY, EMAIL crosstheorypod@gmail.com.

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In the thirteenth episode, Robert and guest Matthew Simmons discuss Immanuel Kant’s philosophical theory of absolut, which is a theory regarding the limits of reality and the necessity of looking at the world through specific frameworks like substance and cause. The conversation moves fluidly from the "terror and beauty" of the Kantian sublime to the gritty reality of Robert’s "eating disorder" and the anxiety-inducing guilt of wasting food instilled by his mother. They examine the complex nature of empathy as a form of "double consciousness," questioning whether true understanding of another is possible or if it merely leads to a "pathway to relativism". Topics range from the "waste of time" glory of World of Warcraft and Counter-Strike to the "mundane bullshit" of AI replacing creative arts instead of household chores, and they explore concepts like the "benality of evil" in nature and the "violence" of digital surveillance where the "objective" data profile usurps the subjective self.

IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO BE ON CROSS THEORY, EMAIL crosstheorypod@gmail.com.

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In this special 9+ hour twelfth episode, Robert is joined by fimmakers Matthew Rocca (Bullets, Fangs and Dinner at 8) and Brian Patrick Butler (Friend of the World & Hemet, or the Landlady Don't Drink Tea) for a discussion on the absence paradox, a concept that explores the tension between the existence and non-existence of objects. They delve into the philosophical implications of this paradox and its relevance to our understanding of reality. And after the discussion, they share their lists of the 20 best movies of the 21st century.

You can find Matthew's IMDB HERE and Brian's IMDB HERE.

IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO BE ON CROSS THEORY, EMAIL crosstheorypod@gmail.com.

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In the eleventh episode, Robert and guest Brad Kelly (author of the book The Earthen Dark and host of the Method and Madness Podcast) discuss absence, a literary theory by French Marxist critic Pierre Macherey regarding the "significant absences" or unspoken voids within a text that expose its contradictory relationship to ideology. The conversation moves from the psychoanalytic implications of the "dead parent" trope in Disney films to the visceral, sensory reality of Brad’s tenure as a sewer engineer in Detroit. They examine the volatile shifting of political goalposts, where formerly leftist stances on anti-interventionism and pharmaceutical skepticism have migrated to the right, anchored by Robert’s personal trauma regarding the AIDS crisis and the medical establishment. Topics range from the "fatbergs" and slaughterhouse runoff encountered in city sewers to the "cosmic horror" of H.P. Lovecraft’s xenophobia and the frontier philosophy of Cormac McCarthy’s The Crossing. Ultimately, they explore the performative nature of literary realism, the emotional volatility of creative writing workshops, and the necessity of independent publishing in the face of institutional gatekeeping.

You can find Brad's book, The Earthen Dark, HERE. You can find his Podcast, Method and Madness, HERE.

IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO BE ON CROSS THEORY, EMAIL crosstheorypod@gmail.com.

ALL ARE WELCOME. I DON’T CARE WHO YOU ARE OR WHAT YOU’RE SELLING.

In the tenth episode, Robert and guest Yusef Boulanouar (ZAYD) discuss Abney’s Law, a physics concept describing how adding white light to a spectral color shifts its perceived hue. The conversation moves fluidly from the "dangerous" informality of their past student-teacher dynamic to the modern cat-and-mouse game of detecting AI plagiarism in essays. They examine the "snaky" economics of the music industry, contrasting Yusef’s optimistic "synthy jazz fusion" ambitions with Robert’s gritty memory of a death metal bandmate’s wife fleeing to Las Vegas with their earnings. Topics range from the aesthetic influence of directors like Wes Anderson and Akira Kurosawa to the racial performativity of Robert’s grandfather playing the "bad guy of the week" in classic westerns, and they explore the existential threat of the "infinite slop machine" of generative AI and the cyclical theory that society is drifting into a new "Middle Ages".

You can find Yusef's music on SPOTIFY.

IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO BE ON CROSS THEORY, EMAIL crosstheorypod@gmail.com.

ALL ARE WELCOME. I DON’T CARE WHO YOU ARE OR WHAT YOU’RE SELLING.