Topic: Credit Scores

Strategy 18 involves attacking the "soft flank." The hosts identify personal finance as the primary soft flank for most individuals. They deconstruct "Buy Now, Pay Later" schemes (like Klarna), describing them as "fingerhook" models designed to trap people in debt through equal installments that accrue massive interest if a single payment is missed.

Jordan Peterson is presented as a modern counterweight to beauty myths, often citing evolutionary psychology to explain high heels and makeup. The hosts discuss the "corporate credit score" (ESG) and its role in promoting "body positivity" through figures like Lizzo. They reference a conflict between Lizzo and trainer Jillian Michaels to illustrate how health concerns are often sidelined in favor of inclusive marketing narratives.

Adam brings up a recent "scandal" involving libertarian figure Tom Woods to illustrate the growing trend of searching for "pedophiles everywhere" as a political weapon. Mo warns that the "apparatus" of social credit scores and purity tests is dangerous regardless of which party wields it. They discuss the fear that the far right could use the same silencing tactics currently associated with the left.

The hosts explore the concept of mass psychosis, comparing modern mask mandates and vaccine status to historical segregation. They argue that social pressure to wear masks, even when not believed to be effective, is a form of mental submission to the system. The discussion predicts a future where social credit scores and digital beacons on phones will replace physical markers of "otherness," creating a new tier of disenfranchised citizens.

Mo defends the use of financial apps as a means of education for a community that was historically "credit illiterate." He argues that while surveillance is a reality, the access to information and global markets allows Black entrepreneurs to bypass traditional gatekeepers. Adam remains skeptical of the trade-off between privacy and the benefits of these digital systems.

In a 2008 clip, Michael Bloomberg appears to defend redlining, suggesting that the elimination of the practice led to the housing market collapse. He argued that forcing banks to lend in poor neighborhoods resulted in loans being given to individuals with poor credit, which he blamed for the subsequent economic instability.

A year-long investigation reveals that black and Latino homebuyers still face significant hurdles in obtaining mortgages. One applicant in Philadelphia was repeatedly denied until she had her "white adjacent" girlfriend apply with her. Despite the girlfriend's unstable income, her presence and credit score allowed the loan to proceed smoothly.