Rachel Wilson

Date: 2026-02-26 | Duration: 2h 21m

Category: Politics & Media, Paranormal & Conspiracy

Episode Overview

Rachel Wilson, author of "Occult Feminism: The Secret History of Women's Liberation," joins Joe Rogan for a deep dive into the hidden ideological and spiritual origins of second-wave feminism. Joe opens by admitting he had almost no strong opinion on feminism until listening to her audiobook — which he describes as "fucking crazy" — and inviting her to walk through the history. Wilson traces the women's liberation movement to figures with explicit occult and Marxist connections, including séance practitioners who claimed to receive market-moving financial tips from the dead (while actually running prostitution rings), CIA-funded publications like Ms. Magazine's early backing, and Gloria Steinem's connections to liberal democracy soft-power operations during the Cold War. She argues that the movement's key economic effect was doubling the labor supply and pulling women into taxable employment, effectively replacing domestic and community labor with corporate labor — a structural outcome that benefited government tax revenue and corporate interests regardless of ideological framing. Wilson shares her own backstory: raised between a Rush Limbaugh Republican father and a Marxist feminist mother, she always wanted to marry and have children, which conflicted sharply with the framework she was raised in. She is a firearms instructor, competitive weightlifter, and former bodybuilder. The conversation covers masculine vs. feminine traits across a spectrum, the consequences of sexual liberation on male incentives to be reliable partners, and what it means to raise children in a world where the traditional family is still framed as regressive.

About Rachel Wilson

Rachel Wilson is a prominent neuroscientist known for her groundbreaking research in neuroplasticity and cognitive development. With a Ph.D. from Stanford University, she has published numerous influential papers in prestigious journals, earning her recognition as a leading expert in the field. Beyond her academic achievements, Rachel captivates audiences with her ability to translate complex scientific concepts into relatable ideas, making her a sought-after speaker and educator. Her recent work explores the intersection of neuroscience and mental health, focusing on innovative approaches to enhance emotional resilience. Rachel's insights on the human brain's adaptability have made her a notable figure in both scientific and public discourse, inspiring countless individuals to reimagine their understanding of mental health and personal growth.

Key Moments

– Occult Feminism: Secret History of Women's Liberation
– CIA Funding of Feminist Publications
– Gloria Steinem and Ms. Magazine
– Women Entering the Workforce: Tax Base Expansion
– Occult and Séance Roots of Early Feminism
– Sexual Liberation and Male Incentives
– Rachel Wilson's Personal Journey
– Traditional Family vs. Corporate Labor
– Femininity, Masculinity, and the Spectrum
0:00:20 – Joe Listened to Audiobook: 'This Is Kind of Bonkers'
0:01:01 – Rachel's Story: Raised to Have Career, Always Wanted Marriage and Kids
0:01:22 – Rush Limbaugh Dad, Marxist Feminist Mom — Divorced When She Was Nine
0:09:58 – Education Is Not an Information Problem: The Internet Proved That
0:24:48 – Women Entering Workforce: Doubled Labor Supply, Created Tax Revenue
0:44:34 – Spiritualist Who 'Consulted the Dead' Was Actually Running a Prostitution Ring
1:04:39 – Gloria Steinem and Ms. Magazine: CIA Cold War Liberal Democracy Push
1:24:23 – Rachel Is a Firearms Instructor and OG Meathead Who Loves Weightlifting
1:44:33 – Writing the Book for Her Grandchildren: Wanted Them to Know the Truth
1:59:52 – Sexual Liberation's Consequence: What Motivation Do Men Have to Step Up?
2:20:52 – Want People to Make an Informed Choice About the Feminist Framework
2:21:15 – Closing: Occult Feminism Available Now — Founding Mothers Were Monsters

Transcript Excerpt

Starting point is 00:00:01 Joe Rogan podcast, checking out. The Joe Rogan Experience. Train by day, Joe Rogan podcast by night, all day. What's out, then? Hello, Joe. Very nice to see you again. Good to see you. So when your husband, Andrew, came in here, he told me about your book, and then I talked to you, Starting point is 00:00:20 and you seemed very interesting, and you gave me a little brief synopsis of it. And so then I listened to it on audio tape, and it's fucking crazy. And it is the occult feminism, the secret history of women's liberation. You know, I didn't really have much of an opinion on feminism. My opinion was, you know, unfortunately, run into some feminist that just seemed to not like men for whatever reason. And, you know, there's a lot of people in this world that aren't happy with their position or station in life. But I didn't really think too much into how this all got started until I listened to your book. And I'm like, this is kind of bonkers. Starting point is 00:01:01 So before we get into your book, like, how did you decide to write about this? Like, what was your little journey? Oh. Or big journey. Yeah, it's kind of a big journey. So when I was growing up, I was like in all the advanced kid classes. And from the time I was in like kindergarten, it was just pounded into my head. Like, you're going to college. Starting point is 00:01:22 You're going to have a career. You know, you're smart and you have to do something with that. It was like the only option that was put before me. And so I followed that path, like, all the way. through school. And by the time I got done with 12 years of regular school, I realized a couple things. One is school is not where you go to learn things. School isn't, public school is not so great for smart people, for the most part. And that I really didn't like, like another four years of school just sounded like hell to me. And I really just wanted to get married and have kids. Starting point is 00:01:55 Tha...

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Who was the guest on Joe Rogan Experience #2460?

Rachel Wilson was the guest on JRE #2460. This page includes the episode overview, topics discussed, and related resources.

What topics were discussed on JRE #2460?

On Joe Rogan Experience #2460 with Rachel Wilson, topics include Occult Feminism: Secret History of Women's Liberation, CIA Funding of Feminist Publications, Gloria Steinem and Ms. Magazine, and Women Entering the Workforce: Tax Base Expansion.

Where can I read the transcript for JRE #2460?

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