Interview with Douglas Rushkoff and Richard Metzger
Today we’ve got something special—two deep dives into the world of magic and role-playing!
We sit down with Douglas Rushkoff—media theorist, writer, and host of the Team Human podcast—to explore how RPGs, especially Mage: The Ascension, serve as tools for reality manipulation and self-discovery. We talk about the changing face of magic in society, its impact on public figures, and how Storytellers can weave magical sensibilities into their campaigns.
Then, we chat with Richard Metzger, lifelong explorer of the occult and host of the Magic Show. He takes us on a journey through the cultural evolution of magic, its place in pop culture, and intriguing ideas like radionics that could bring a whole new layer to modern RPGs.
Show Notes
Douglas Rushkoff
Vampire: The Masquerade, GURPS, and Magic: The Gathering.
Genesis P-Orridge and Psychic TV.
Ursula K. Le Guin’s A Wizard of Earthsea and Taoist philosophy
Douglas’s book,Survival of the Richest: Escape Fantasies of the Tech Billionaires
Donald Trump, Norman Vincent Peale and The Power of Positive Thinking.
Douglas’s Substack newsletter.
Richard Metzger
Bewitched and mythical figures like Merlin.
Aleister Crowley’s magick as act of willpower
Radionics: electronic devices believed to manipulate reality, as explored by figures like John W. Campbell and William Burroughs (search on Etsy).
The Magick Show, featuring interviews with 55+ magicians, witches, and scholars!
Arden Leigh, chaos magician and Grant Morrison’s magical heir
Alan Moore’s The Great When
Grant Morrison’s The Invisibles
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44:21
Interview with Bill Bridges
Adam sits down to talk with Bill Bridges, developer and author for Mage the Ascension. Bill talks about the early days of White Wolf, his work on Werewolf & Mage, his thoughts on Mage's directions over the years and Mage the Awakening. Check out his work on Fading Suns.
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49:37
Announcement of Terry's Passing
We are sad to announce Terry Robinson is no longer with us.
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1:49
Christmas Special - Three Facts About the Syndicate
A bonus episode featuring some wisdom from the Syndicate.
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14:09
Tomes of Magick: M20 Lore of the Traditions
Twenty one years after the last Tradition Book, Lore of the Traditions gives an update to the Nine Traditions. Adam and Pook walk through where each Tradition is in the 2020s, their favorites, and what they wish they saw more of.
Lore of the Traditions on DriveThruRPG
Brasil