4 chapters across the catalog
The military's use of IQ tests during World War I to sort recruits is compared to the modern ASVAB test. A host shares a personal story about "tanking" an IQ test in fourth grade to avoid being recruited into the "academically gifted" track, which they perceived as a form of elite grooming. They argue that the "Boulay" system uses these tracks to capture influential individuals early in life.
A clip from the 1974 film "Trick Baby" explains a social engineering strategy where "smart ones" from the ghetto are moved up into white society to neutralize them as potential leaders. By providing creature comforts and Ivy League educations, the elite turn these individuals into "safe" versions of themselves who are alienated from their original communities. This model is applied to figures like Bill Clinton and his path as a Rhodes Scholar.
The hosts examine Pete Buttigieg's "Douglas Plan," which aims to tackle racial inequality through economic uplift and social protection. Adam Curry expresses skepticism, labeling Buttigieg a "CIA candidate" and a "spook" due to his background as a Rhodes Scholar and his high-level donor connections. They also note the hostile reception Buttigieg has received from progressive media outlets like The Young Turks.
Alain Locke, the first Black Rhodes Scholar and a Harvard-educated philosopher, is known as the "Godfather of the Harlem Renaissance." Locke promoted the concept of the "New Negro," encouraging Black artists to transform folk traditions into high art to gain international respect and understanding.
