Episode Details
Back to Episodes#115 | Scott Carney on Wim Hof, Summiting Kilimanjaro, and Debunking Charlatans
Description
In today's episode of Backpacker Radio presented by The Trek, we are joined by Scott Carney. Scott's early career as an investigative journalist had him debunking fake gurus and charlatans. When he was put on assignment by Playboy Magazine more than a decade ago to do the same with a Dutch daredevil- named Wim Hof- Scott assumed this would be more of the same. What ensued was Scott being enthralled by Wim, his famous breathing and cold exposure techniques, as well as the circus that surrounded the Wim Hof experience. We talk all about Scott's time with Wim, what it was like to summit Kilimanjaro with him in just 28 hours (when it typically takes closer to 5 days), how Wim is potentially becoming more of a charlatan today, and much more. I found this conversation to be fascinating, I hope you do too.
We wrap the show with Chaunce having an undesirable virus, a debate on the proper number of times to knot your shoelaces, a triple crown of toys from when we were young, and much more.
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[divider]
Reminders: BPR is looking for an intern.
Interview with Scott Carney:
00:07:05 - QOTD: What's the coldest you've ever been?
00:16:00 - How did you get into investigative journalism?
00:20:33 - You mentioned trekking around Nepal — what kind of trekking were you doing?
Content warning: Discussion of suicide.
00:21:13 - So can you talk about how you specifically became involved with debunking fake gurus and charlatains?
00:24:09 - Is it mostly westerners that the effects you were studying impacted?
End content warning.
00:25:08 - Were people literally watching a corpse rot?
00:28:42 - Is Tantra tied to psychotropic breathing at all?
00:29:27 - Is there anything else you want to add about your career of debunking gurus? Would you say it's more so tied to philosophy or the people?
00:32:22 - Why is there a theme of gurus having sex with people?
00:35:48 - How did you get set up on the assignment to debunk Wim Hof?
00:37:13 - Have people ever died of hypothermia trying to do this?
00:38:31 - Did you keep an open mind at all? Or were you sure Wim Hof was a fake?
00:39:00 - Is drinking part of the retreats?
00:40:52 - Can you pinpoint wh