227. Cognitive Warfare, Moral Inversion, and the War on Children with Simon Esler
You Must Be Some Kind of Therapist · Aug 17, 2026 · 1:12:48
You Must Be Some Kind of Therapist
You Must Be Some Kind of Therapist · Aug 17, 2026 · 1:12:48
Listen in the Podli app 🎧
Follow your favourite podcasts, listen offline and in the car with CarPlay and Android Auto, and always pick up where you left off. Free to try.
I'm welcoming back filmmaker Simon Esler, who first appeared on this podcast back on episode 54 to discuss his documentary Cut: Daughters of the West. This time, we're diving into his new docuseries You Are Here, which explores the landscape of cognitive warfare—the idea that human cognition itself has become the most contested territory in modern conflict.
We start with the chilling case of Barry Neufeld, a Canadian school board trustee who was fined $750,000 for refusing to believe that children can be born trapped in the wrong body—what the judge's ruling called "existential denialism." From there, we explore how Canada's human rights laws and conversion therapy legislation have embedded gender identity ideology into the legal framework, silencing detransitioners and punishing dissenters. Simon and I discuss how our minds are conditioned by narratives we've never examined, how meta-perceptions warp our view of political opponents, and what Iain McGilchrist's work on brain hemispheres reveals about Western cognitive vulnerability. We also get into the concept of cognitive entrenchment, moral inversion, and the historical parallels between modern ideological capture and ancient child sacrifice in Carthage. Simon shares what's next for his series and talks about the Reclaiming Birth Conference, where he's working to empower families to take back sovereignty over pregnancy and birth.
Books mentioned in this episode:
Simon Esler is a committed defender of families & the lost art of free thought. A winding career path as an actor, theatre maker, ordained minister and mindfulness entrepreneur lead him to becoming a professional content creator & independent filmmaker. His latest docuseries, You Are Here - Reconnaissance for the War on Perception, is now streaming at dauntlessdialogue.com. The rest of Simon’s work can be found at simonesler.com, where he hosts an array of films, series, courses & resources focused on leveraging the pressures of modern war to foster personal growth and collective resilience.
[00:00:00] Start
[00:01:27] Cognitive Warfare as the New Battlefield
[00:03:10] Barry Neufeld and the SOGI 123 Curriculum
[00:05:15] Fined $750K for "Existential Denialism"
[00:07:57] Gender Identity as Compelled Religious Belief
[00:10:11] Canada's Human Rights Laws and Bill C-16
[00:13:18] Gender Identity as a Shield Against Accountability
[00:19:17] Detransitioners Silenced in Canada
[00:24:33] Recognizing Our Own Cognitive Conditioning
[00:28:06] How Media Narratives Mirror Personal Anxiety
[00:29:45] Meta-Perceptions and the 400% Violence Gap
[00:35:32] What Is Fifth Generation Warfare
[00:40:01] Moral Inversion Through Cognitive Manipulation
[00:47:25] Cognitive Entrenchment and Thinking Outside Your Domain
[00:49:18] When Ideological Capture Endangers Children
[00:53:31] Child Sacrifice in Carthage as a Modern Warning
[00:59:05] Collective Morality and Centralized Culture
[01:02:34] The Reclaiming Birth Movement
[01:08:47] Finding Purpose in Defending Free Thought
ROGD REPAIR Course + Community gives concerned parents instant access to over 120 lessons providing the psychological insights and communication tools you need to get through to your kid. Now featuring 24/7 personalized AI support implementing the tools with RepairBot! Use code SOMETHERAPIST2026 to take 50% off your first month.
PODCOURSES: use code SOMETHERAPIST at LisaMustard.com/PodCourses
PRODUCTION: Looking for your own podcast producer? Visit PodsByNick.com and mention my podcast for 20% off your initial services.
MUSIC: Thanks to Joey Pecoraro for our song, “Half Awake,” used with gratitude & permission.
To support this show, please leave a rating & review on Apple, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts. Subscribe, like, comment & share via my YouTube channel. Or recommend this to a friend!
Episodes: You Must Be Some Kind of Therapist
