Upwingers Fighting Downwingers (Rebroadcast)

Upwingers Fighting Downwingers (Rebroadcast)

Author: Andrew Heaton September 15, 2026 Duration: 59:32

Dr. Steve Fuller of Warwick University says the meaningful split in society is not Leftwing vs. Rightwing, but rather Upwing vs. Downwing. Both have radically different attitudes to both risk and human nature, which informs their policy decisions and the direction they want to steer society. 

SUPPORT THE SHOW! www.patreon.com/andrewheaton

Dr. Fuller's book at: www.mightyheaton.com/featured

Referenced in the show today: 

TPO: "Was Abraham Lincoln Leftwing or Rightwing?" https://politicalorphanage.libsyn.com/hyrum-lewis

"Transcendant Man" – Documentary by Ray Kurzweill about the Singularity https://www.amazon.co.uk/Transcendent-Man-Ray-Kurzweil/dp/B016V7WCLA

ATA: The Bioethics of Gattica – Discussed on Alienating the Audience https://alienating.libsyn.com/gattaca

ATA: How Cryonics Works – Interview on Alienating the Audience https://alienating.libsyn.com/we-can-freeze-you-how-cryonics-works

ORIGINAL AIR DATE: August, 2023


Finding a sensible conversation about politics that doesn't devolve into partisan shouting can feel like a lonely endeavor. That's the space The Political Orphanage occupies, hosted by comedian and self-described independent Andrew Heaton. This isn't a debate show; it's a series of long-form discussions where curiosity replaces contempt. Each episode, Heaton sits down with authors, policy experts, and various thought leaders to unpack complex ideas without the usual animosity. The goal is to explore the substance behind the headlines-the "big thinky stuff," as he puts it-while remembering that the absurdity of the political world is often best met with a laugh. You'll hear genuine conversations that delve into policy nuances, historical context, and the philosophies shaping our world, all filtered through a lens of wit and a distinct lack of bile. The result is a podcast that feels like a respite from the noise, a place for the politically curious who don't find a comfortable home in the entrenched camps of left and right. It’s news, comedy, and politics blended into something uniquely engaging, proving that serious topics don't require a solemn tone. Tune in for the kind of thoughtful, humorous dialogue that reminds you why these discussions matter in the first place.
Author: Language: en-us Episodes: 50

The Political Orphanage
Podcast Episodes
How Do Other Countries do Healthcare? [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:11:55
Healthcare in America is more expensive than anywhere else in the world—but what are other countries actually doing differently? Physician and Slice of Life MD author Sally Primus joins me to tour healthcare systems from…
Guys with Swords Control the French Language [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 49:10
Donald Trump has renamed Lake Ontario "Lake America" for federal purposes—but can a president actually rename a place, or only change what the government calls it? Andrew Heaton traces the strange history of who gets to…
I Read the DSA's Platform. They're Socialists. [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 59:38
The DSA recently released a policy platform establishing the goals of their political movement. In this episode we got through the main planks of that document, namely the bits about "socialism" and "democratic." We like…
Chinese Lobbyists Hate California Pig Laws [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 57:14
The Save Our Bacon Act, now repackaged into the Farm Bill, would upturn state rights in favor of federal prohibitions on animal cruelty laws. It's being pushed, in large part, by Chinese-owned conglomerates irritated by…
What Does Nolan Owe The Odyssey? [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:14:17
What is The Odyssey actually about beyond a clever guy trying to get home? Classicist Isabella Reinhardt joins to dig into the poem's deeper themes of civilization, hospitality, identity, belonging, and what it means for…
Why Can't We Have Nice Trains? [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:07:30
It's not that America won't spend money on mass transit, it's that we piss it away when we do. Our transit system is a mess, with a lot of problems in spending, procurement, NIMBYism and good 'ol fashioned idiocy. Will P…
Richard Hanania on Populism Eating America [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:05:21
Should you trust experts—or trust yourself? Richard Hanania, author of Kakistocracy: Why Populism Ends in Disaster joins to discuss why populism has become one of the defining forces in modern politics. We discuss whethe…
Why Nobody Trusts the News: Isaac Saul [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:01:23
Why has trust in the news collapsed—and is it really all the media's fault? Tangle founder Isaac Saul joins for a candid conversation about the incentives driving modern journalism, from clickbait and audience capture to…
I Ask an Amish Guy about Everything [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:44:25
Is Rumpsringa real? Are Amish people happier than you? Let's visit Amish country! Heaton visits Muhlenberg County, Ohio, to investigate America's unique subculture of pacifistic, techno-phobic Anabaptists. We meet Marcus…
Revenge of the Non-Profits [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 33:04
Brian Dunning of the Skeptoid podcast returns to The Political Orphanage for a spirited pushback episode on the modern non-profit industry. In a previous conversation, we argued that sprawling tax-exempt organizations ca…