<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?><rss xmlns:dc="http://purl.org/dc/elements/1.1/" xmlns:content="http://purl.org/rss/1.0/modules/content/" xmlns:atom="http://www.w3.org/2005/Atom" version="2.0" xmlns:itunes="http://www.itunes.com/dtds/podcast-1.0.dtd"><channel><title><![CDATA[Illusions Not Included Podcast]]></title><description><![CDATA[Alex Buday • Essays on illusion, loyalty, and the art of disobedience. Because thinking shouldn’t be a rebellious act. <br/><br/><a href="https://illusionsnotincluded.substack.com?utm_medium=podcast">illusionsnotincluded.substack.com</a>]]></description><link>https://illusionsnotincluded.substack.com/podcast</link><generator>Substack</generator><lastBuildDate>Mon, 13 Apr 2026 16:45:20 GMT</lastBuildDate><atom:link href="https://api.substack.com/feed/podcast/5554072.rss" rel="self" type="application/rss+xml"/><author><![CDATA[Illusions Not Included]]></author><copyright><![CDATA[Illusions Not Included]]></copyright><language><![CDATA[en]]></language><webMaster><![CDATA[illusionsnotincluded@substack.com]]></webMaster><itunes:new-feed-url>https://api.substack.com/feed/podcast/5554072.rss</itunes:new-feed-url><itunes:author>Illusions Not Included</itunes:author><itunes:subtitle>Independent essays and satire — reflections and sharp opinions on politics, society, culture, and illusion, without slogans, noise, or comforting lies.</itunes:subtitle><itunes:type>episodic</itunes:type><itunes:owner><itunes:name>Illusions Not Included</itunes:name><itunes:email>illusionsnotincluded@substack.com</itunes:email></itunes:owner><itunes:explicit>No</itunes:explicit><itunes:category text="News"/><itunes:category text="History"/><itunes:image href="https://substackcdn.com/feed/podcast/5554072/34556491690d0976560a2997e8a24684.jpg"/><item><title><![CDATA[Weekly Chronicle - …when the campaign is already warming up at the border…]]></title><description><![CDATA[<p>Now also available in audio: a darkly satirical <em>Weekly Chronicle</em> from Hungary, where troops, Moscow, gold, grievance, and campaign theatre somehow ended up in the same week — and, naturally, in the same story. Some texts are written to be read. Others sound even more familiar when spoken aloud.</p><p><p>This Substack is reader-supported. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.</p></p><p></p> <br/><br/>This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit <a href="https://illusionsnotincluded.substack.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&#38;utm_campaign=CTA_2">illusionsnotincluded.substack.com/subscribe</a>]]></description><link>https://illusionsnotincluded.substack.com/p/weekly-chronicle-when-the-campaign-533</link><guid isPermaLink="false">substack:post:190419118</guid><dc:creator><![CDATA[Illusions Not Included]]></dc:creator><pubDate>Mon, 09 Mar 2026 18:11:12 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://api.substack.com/feed/podcast/190419118/51746af91361cd6a820863a5c2a78b28.mp3" length="6571965" type="audio/mpeg"/><itunes:author>Illusions Not Included</itunes:author><itunes:explicit>No</itunes:explicit><itunes:duration>548</itunes:duration><itunes:image href="https://substackcdn.com/feed/podcast/5554072/post/190419118/34556491690d0976560a2997e8a24684.jpg"/></item><item><title><![CDATA[Weekly Chronicle — When Conflict Arrives in Its PR Version…]]></title><description><![CDATA[<p>Because if modern conflicts arrive dressed as press releases, perhaps they deserve to be heard in the same tone in which they are sold. In this episode, we listen closely to words like “limited” and “controlled” — and to the reassuring calm with which escalation is often announced.</p><p>The audio version is available on Patreon, Spotify, and via RSS feeds.</p><p>Today, however, it is free for everyone.</p><p>Press play before the next adjective launches.</p><p><p>This Substack is reader-supported. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.</p></p><p></p> <br/><br/>This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit <a href="https://illusionsnotincluded.substack.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&#38;utm_campaign=CTA_2">illusionsnotincluded.substack.com/subscribe</a>]]></description><link>https://illusionsnotincluded.substack.com/p/weekly-chronicle-when-conflict-arrives-822</link><guid isPermaLink="false">substack:post:189797742</guid><dc:creator><![CDATA[Illusions Not Included]]></dc:creator><pubDate>Tue, 03 Mar 2026 19:01:49 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://api.substack.com/feed/podcast/189797742/de0159af3ff813f3ec2061d39c2c05f5.mp3" length="3163604" type="audio/mpeg"/><itunes:author>Illusions Not Included</itunes:author><itunes:explicit>No</itunes:explicit><itunes:duration>264</itunes:duration><itunes:image href="https://substackcdn.com/feed/podcast/5554072/post/189797742/34556491690d0976560a2997e8a24684.jpg"/></item><item><title><![CDATA[Weekly Chronicle …when the world economy becomes a poker table]]></title><description><![CDATA[<p><strong>Weekly Chronicle — Without Illusions</strong></p><p>This week’s Chronicle is now available in audio.</p><p>A Supreme Court ruling.$175 billion in potential refunds.Tariffs raised from 10% to 15% within a day.And a Peace Council with a one-billion-dollar annual membership fee.</p><p>Listen as the world economy turns into a poker table — and a superpower keeps raising the stakes.</p><p>The full satirical commentary is now streaming free on Spotify and across RSS platforms.</p><p>Because sometimes it’s easier to hear the tension than to read it.</p><p><p>This Substack is reader-supported. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.</p></p><p></p> <br/><br/>This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit <a href="https://illusionsnotincluded.substack.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&#38;utm_campaign=CTA_2">illusionsnotincluded.substack.com/subscribe</a>]]></description><link>https://illusionsnotincluded.substack.com/p/weekly-chronicle-when-the-world-economy-0f3</link><guid isPermaLink="false">substack:post:189183011</guid><dc:creator><![CDATA[Illusions Not Included]]></dc:creator><pubDate>Wed, 25 Feb 2026 20:57:03 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://api.substack.com/feed/podcast/189183011/be3b41f005e5fc348faf76278f5e0e57.mp3" length="2300311" type="audio/mpeg"/><itunes:author>Illusions Not Included</itunes:author><itunes:explicit>No</itunes:explicit><itunes:duration>192</itunes:duration><itunes:image href="https://substackcdn.com/feed/podcast/5554072/post/189183011/34556491690d0976560a2997e8a24684.jpg"/></item><item><title><![CDATA[Weekly Chronicle The Privilege of Exception – or How a Derogation Becomes Policy]]></title><description><![CDATA[<p>The pipeline didn’t just stop.The narrative shifted.</p><p>When a damaged line becomes a political argument, and responsibility travels faster than oil, the question is no longer technical — it is directional.</p><p>Listen to the audio version of this week’s <strong>Weekly Chronicle</strong> and decide for yourself:In a time of war, who do we believe — and why?</p><p><p>This Substack is reader-supported. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.</p></p><p></p> <br/><br/>This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit <a href="https://illusionsnotincluded.substack.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&#38;utm_campaign=CTA_2">illusionsnotincluded.substack.com/subscribe</a>]]></description><link>https://illusionsnotincluded.substack.com/p/weekly-chronicle-the-privilege-of-f30</link><guid isPermaLink="false">substack:post:188284387</guid><dc:creator><![CDATA[Illusions Not Included]]></dc:creator><pubDate>Tue, 17 Feb 2026 17:08:18 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://api.substack.com/feed/podcast/188284387/aef61f9e1b52a973e2eed6b5b9a4fb53.mp3" length="3180853" type="audio/mpeg"/><itunes:author>Illusions Not Included</itunes:author><itunes:explicit>No</itunes:explicit><itunes:duration>265</itunes:duration><itunes:image href="https://substackcdn.com/feed/podcast/5554072/post/188284387/34556491690d0976560a2997e8a24684.jpg"/></item><item><title><![CDATA[Weekly Chronicle – Global Perspective ]]></title><description><![CDATA[<p><strong>Peace is an easy word.</strong>It sounds humane, reasonable, mature. It asks no uncomfortable questions and demands no responsibility. It simply wants the noise to stop.</p><p>But there is a version of peace that always points in the same direction.Not toward the aggressor.Toward the one who refuses to give up.</p><p>This is the peace that blames the victim—for resisting, for speaking, for making things inconvenient. The peace that values silence over justice, stability over truth, and comfort over accountability.</p><p>What looks like pragmatism from a distance often turns out to be something else entirely when examined up close.</p><p><p>This Substack is reader-supported. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.</p></p><p></p> <br/><br/>This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit <a href="https://illusionsnotincluded.substack.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&#38;utm_campaign=CTA_2">illusionsnotincluded.substack.com/subscribe</a>]]></description><link>https://illusionsnotincluded.substack.com/p/weekly-chronicle-global-perspective-e35</link><guid isPermaLink="false">substack:post:187557918</guid><dc:creator><![CDATA[Illusions Not Included]]></dc:creator><pubDate>Tue, 10 Feb 2026 20:31:00 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://api.substack.com/feed/podcast/187557918/aa533cd4b506a6c81bf895999424d344.mp3" length="4016243" type="audio/mpeg"/><itunes:author>Illusions Not Included</itunes:author><itunes:explicit>No</itunes:explicit><itunes:duration>335</itunes:duration><itunes:image href="https://substackcdn.com/feed/podcast/5554072/post/187557918/34556491690d0976560a2997e8a24684.jpg"/></item><item><title><![CDATA[Weekly Chronicle -
The Discreet Charm of the Bourgeoisie]]></title><description><![CDATA[<p>Nothing was exposed last week.No system collapsed. No one fell.Only documents surfaced — partially.And for a moment, it became easier to see how power works when, on the surface, nothing seems to happen.</p><p><p>This Substack is reader-supported. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.</p></p><p></p> <br/><br/>This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit <a href="https://illusionsnotincluded.substack.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&#38;utm_campaign=CTA_2">illusionsnotincluded.substack.com/subscribe</a>]]></description><link>https://illusionsnotincluded.substack.com/p/weekly-chronicle-the-discreet-charm-991</link><guid isPermaLink="false">substack:post:186657720</guid><dc:creator><![CDATA[Illusions Not Included]]></dc:creator><pubDate>Mon, 02 Feb 2026 20:15:14 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://api.substack.com/feed/podcast/186657720/63d95598765a78737491856ff0f91973.mp3" length="4026294" type="audio/mpeg"/><itunes:author>Illusions Not Included</itunes:author><itunes:explicit>No</itunes:explicit><itunes:duration>335</itunes:duration><itunes:image href="https://substackcdn.com/feed/podcast/5554072/post/186657720/34556491690d0976560a2997e8a24684.jpg"/></item><item><title><![CDATA[Trump, God, the Dove of Peace]]></title><description><![CDATA[<p>Peace has been upgraded. It now comes with a membership fee, a revocable invitation, and a ceremonial dove carrying paperwork. On the streets, obedience is enforced with masks and silence; at the table, it’s negotiated with access and grace. If Trump is God, then peace isn’t a goal — it’s a privilege.</p><p><p>This Substack is reader-supported. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.</p></p><p></p> <br/><br/>This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit <a href="https://illusionsnotincluded.substack.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&#38;utm_campaign=CTA_2">illusionsnotincluded.substack.com/subscribe</a>]]></description><link>https://illusionsnotincluded.substack.com/p/trump-god-the-dove-of-peace</link><guid isPermaLink="false">substack:post:185877505</guid><dc:creator><![CDATA[Illusions Not Included]]></dc:creator><pubDate>Mon, 26 Jan 2026 19:14:46 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://api.substack.com/feed/podcast/185877505/afbfc034e89d338ad35b8bb473f3ad62.mp3" length="2811273" type="audio/mpeg"/><itunes:author>Illusions Not Included</itunes:author><itunes:explicit>No</itunes:explicit><itunes:duration>234</itunes:duration><itunes:image href="https://substackcdn.com/feed/podcast/5554072/post/185877505/34556491690d0976560a2997e8a24684.jpg"/></item><item><title><![CDATA[Weekly Chronicle- The World Doesn’t Happen Anymore — It Just Scrolls Forward]]></title><description><![CDATA[<p><strong>Welcome to the Weekly Chronicle.</strong></p><p>This is the week when the world didn’t move forward —it simply refreshed itself.</p><p>Politics didn’t decide.It performed.Tariffs became a language of affection,the Nobel Prize turned into a stage prop,revolutions faded into background noise,and Europe — briefly — remembered it could still act.</p><p>This is not a news recap.It’s a pattern recognition exercise.A record of a world where rationality still exists —just no longer in a leading role.</p><p>Pour your coffee.Lower your expectations.And listen — without illusions.</p><p><p>This Substack is reader-supported. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.</p></p><p></p> <br/><br/>This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit <a href="https://illusionsnotincluded.substack.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&#38;utm_campaign=CTA_2">illusionsnotincluded.substack.com/subscribe</a>]]></description><link>https://illusionsnotincluded.substack.com/p/weekly-chronicle-the-world-doesnt-d86</link><guid isPermaLink="false">substack:post:185220829</guid><dc:creator><![CDATA[Illusions Not Included]]></dc:creator><pubDate>Tue, 20 Jan 2026 19:56:06 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://api.substack.com/feed/podcast/185220829/7e3359b2716954bcd2a173e4dfdfb90f.mp3" length="4742871" type="audio/mpeg"/><itunes:author>Illusions Not Included</itunes:author><itunes:explicit>No</itunes:explicit><itunes:duration>395</itunes:duration><itunes:image href="https://substackcdn.com/feed/podcast/5554072/post/185220829/34556491690d0976560a2997e8a24684.jpg"/></item><item><title><![CDATA[Weekly Chronicle - Only America, Only Itself — soon]]></title><description><![CDATA[<p>This week’s <em>Weekly Chronicle</em> looks at a world where power no longer asks questions — it assigns roles. Venezuela becomes a filming location, democracy fades into background noise, and success is measured in oil, applause, and domestic performance. When interests align, even the loudest figures discover discipline — just long enough to sell victory back home.</p><p><p>This Substack is reader-supported. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.</p></p><p></p> <br/><br/>This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit <a href="https://illusionsnotincluded.substack.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&#38;utm_campaign=CTA_2">illusionsnotincluded.substack.com/subscribe</a>]]></description><link>https://illusionsnotincluded.substack.com/p/weekly-chronicle-only-america-only-560</link><guid isPermaLink="false">substack:post:184346139</guid><dc:creator><![CDATA[Illusions Not Included]]></dc:creator><pubDate>Mon, 12 Jan 2026 18:20:35 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://api.substack.com/feed/podcast/184346139/b53a0cd0deba45b7cbbfcb49b7379ce8.mp3" length="4262025" type="audio/mpeg"/><itunes:author>Illusions Not Included</itunes:author><itunes:explicit>No</itunes:explicit><itunes:duration>355</itunes:duration><itunes:image href="https://substackcdn.com/feed/podcast/5554072/post/184346139/34556491690d0976560a2997e8a24684.jpg"/></item><item><title><![CDATA[📜 Weekly Chronicle - Only America, Only Itself]]></title><description><![CDATA[<p>This week’s <strong>Weekly Chronicle</strong> looks at a world where the spotlight is monopolized, aid has become a switch, and power increasingly speaks in single words like <em>soon</em>.</p><p>From America’s growing taste for solo acts and territorial appetite, through Gaza where humanitarian aid is no longer a right but a lever, to a quieter Europe moving forward while others shout — this week wasn’t about surprises. It was about confirmation.</p><p>You’ll also find a silent economic shift behind the noise: the electric throne quietly changing hands, and the uncomfortable reminder that markets still prefer hope over fundamentals.</p><p>This is not breaking news.It’s a chronicle of patterns — written for readers who don’t confuse volume with meaning.</p><p><p>This Substack is reader-supported. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.</p></p><p></p> <br/><br/>This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit <a href="https://illusionsnotincluded.substack.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&#38;utm_campaign=CTA_2">illusionsnotincluded.substack.com/subscribe</a>]]></description><link>https://illusionsnotincluded.substack.com/p/weekly-chronicle-only-america-only-f52</link><guid isPermaLink="false">substack:post:183576171</guid><dc:creator><![CDATA[Illusions Not Included]]></dc:creator><pubDate>Mon, 05 Jan 2026 17:57:25 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://api.substack.com/feed/podcast/183576171/26f42a414244a268c29563bac8eec998.mp3" length="4196808" type="audio/mpeg"/><itunes:author>Illusions Not Included</itunes:author><itunes:explicit>No</itunes:explicit><itunes:duration>350</itunes:duration><itunes:image href="https://substackcdn.com/feed/podcast/5554072/post/183576171/34556491690d0976560a2997e8a24684.jpg"/></item><item><title><![CDATA[When Trump speaks, Putin nods — and the world pretends not to notice.]]></title><description><![CDATA[<p>This week’s <em>Weekly Chronicle</em> looks at power as performance, diplomacy as choreography, and silence as strategy.Not as breaking news, but as a pattern we’ve all learned to recognize — and quietly accept.</p><p>Today’s post is <strong>free and open to everyone on Substack</strong>, as part of the <strong>Illusions Not Included</strong> collection.No paywall. No optimization. Just the uncomfortable questions.</p><p>Read it while it’s still allowed to sound this way.</p><p><p>This Substack is reader-supported. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.</p></p><p></p> <br/><br/>This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit <a href="https://illusionsnotincluded.substack.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&#38;utm_campaign=CTA_2">illusionsnotincluded.substack.com/subscribe</a>]]></description><link>https://illusionsnotincluded.substack.com/p/when-trump-speaks-putin-nods-and</link><guid isPermaLink="false">substack:post:182901600</guid><dc:creator><![CDATA[Illusions Not Included]]></dc:creator><pubDate>Mon, 29 Dec 2025 22:56:38 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://api.substack.com/feed/podcast/182901600/51efd07e3e6818102ece306945d305f6.mp3" length="3636004" type="audio/mpeg"/><itunes:author>Illusions Not Included</itunes:author><itunes:explicit>No</itunes:explicit><itunes:duration>303</itunes:duration><itunes:image href="https://substackcdn.com/feed/podcast/5554072/post/182901600/34556491690d0976560a2997e8a24684.jpg"/></item><item><title><![CDATA[Weekly Chronicle – When Ego Is Inflation-Indexed and Law Is Deferred]]></title><description><![CDATA[<p>This episode of <em>Weekly Chronicle</em> looks at a world where numbers grow faster than responsibility, where egos are priced like assets, and where the rule of law is endlessly postponed in the name of caution.</p><p>From billion-dollar grievances to trillion-dollar visions, from staged press performances to Europe’s fear of crossing lines already erased, this reflection traces a single pattern: power speaks in numbers, while accountability waits.</p><p>This audio is part of the <strong>Illusions Not Included</strong> series — a weekly, illusion-free observation of politics, power, and moral delay.</p><p>This episode is <strong>freely available to everyone</strong>.</p><p><p>This Substack is reader-supported. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.</p></p><p></p> <br/><br/>This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit <a href="https://illusionsnotincluded.substack.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&#38;utm_campaign=CTA_2">illusionsnotincluded.substack.com/subscribe</a>]]></description><link>https://illusionsnotincluded.substack.com/p/weekly-chronicle-when-ego-is-inflation-80b</link><guid isPermaLink="false">substack:post:182370381</guid><dc:creator><![CDATA[Illusions Not Included]]></dc:creator><pubDate>Mon, 22 Dec 2025 22:34:42 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://api.substack.com/feed/podcast/182370381/44bdab44bc173d34e64286cf2141ca97.mp3" length="5174832" type="audio/mpeg"/><itunes:author>Illusions Not Included</itunes:author><itunes:explicit>No</itunes:explicit><itunes:duration>431</itunes:duration><itunes:image href="https://substackcdn.com/feed/podcast/5554072/post/182370381/34556491690d0976560a2997e8a24684.jpg"/></item><item><title><![CDATA[Weekly Chronicle – Europe Deconstructed, Live on Air]]></title><description><![CDATA[<p><strong>This week’s </strong><strong><em>Weekly Chronicle</em></strong><strong> is now live.</strong></p><p>Europe is being explained, corrected, rearranged — live on air.All with perfect composure, professional lighting, and carefully coordinated disagreement.</p><p>In this episode, the transatlantic friendship gets a kitchen-table makeover, frozen assets remain politely frozen, markets panic on schedule, and the only thing that behaves predictably is the night sky.</p><p>A satirical chronicle of a week where geopolitics felt less like strategy and more like set design — and irony remained the most reliable public service.</p><p><p>This Substack is reader-supported. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.</p></p><p></p> <br/><br/>This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit <a href="https://illusionsnotincluded.substack.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&#38;utm_campaign=CTA_2">illusionsnotincluded.substack.com/subscribe</a>]]></description><link>https://illusionsnotincluded.substack.com/p/weekly-chronicle-europe-deconstructed-675</link><guid isPermaLink="false">substack:post:181709643</guid><dc:creator><![CDATA[Illusions Not Included]]></dc:creator><pubDate>Mon, 15 Dec 2025 17:53:20 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://api.substack.com/feed/podcast/181709643/a3e58395a64c87bc43cd0c9d3d2890ee.mp3" length="3451343" type="audio/mpeg"/><itunes:author>Illusions Not Included</itunes:author><itunes:explicit>No</itunes:explicit><itunes:duration>288</itunes:duration><itunes:image href="https://substackcdn.com/feed/podcast/5554072/post/181709643/34556491690d0976560a2997e8a24684.jpg"/></item><item><title><![CDATA[🎭 Weekly Chronicle — The Week When Peace Became a Discounted Product]]></title><description><![CDATA[<p>This was the week when peace officially went on discount.Trump & Family™ launched a world tour of geopolitical improvisation, Hungary debated which end of the political egg to crack — while the egg itself has been empty for years — and London held peace talks as drones rained on Kyiv.</p><p>Israel passed a peace plan no one showed up for, Netflix merged with half of Hollywood and tried to flirt its way into my wallet, and somewhere in the chaos… humanity actually accomplished something good.</p><p>The full chronicle is inside — and today, it’s free for everyone.</p><p><p>This Substack is reader-supported. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.</p></p><p></p> <br/><br/>This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit <a href="https://illusionsnotincluded.substack.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&#38;utm_campaign=CTA_2">illusionsnotincluded.substack.com/subscribe</a>]]></description><link>https://illusionsnotincluded.substack.com/p/weekly-chronicle-the-week-when-peace-a61</link><guid isPermaLink="false">substack:post:181119830</guid><dc:creator><![CDATA[Illusions Not Included]]></dc:creator><pubDate>Tue, 09 Dec 2025 07:03:18 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://api.substack.com/feed/podcast/181119830/930eeca7f47e41e02fe355e52fab55aa.mp3" length="6030290" type="audio/mpeg"/><itunes:author>Illusions Not Included</itunes:author><itunes:explicit>No</itunes:explicit><itunes:duration>502</itunes:duration><itunes:image href="https://substackcdn.com/feed/podcast/5554072/post/181119830/34556491690d0976560a2997e8a24684.jpg"/></item><item><title><![CDATA[🎭 Weekly Chronicle – The Week When a Peace Plan Was Scribbled on a Napkin Between Champagne, Vodka, Caviar… and a Good Cigar]]></title><description><![CDATA[<p>This week’s political satire takes you from Moscow’s champagne-and-cigar “peace plan” scribbled on a napkin, straight to Brussels’ beautifully wrapped but mysteriously empty policy packages — all while the major players argue, posture, and pretend they’re reading from their own script.</p><p>It’s a week where geopolitics looks less like diplomacy and more like late-night dark comedy.If you enjoy sharp irony, heavy symbolism, and the kind of absurdity only global politics can produce, you’ll feel right at home.</p><p><strong>The episode is free today.</strong></p><p><p>This Substack is reader-supported. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.</p></p><p></p> <br/><br/>This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit <a href="https://illusionsnotincluded.substack.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&#38;utm_campaign=CTA_2">illusionsnotincluded.substack.com/subscribe</a>]]></description><link>https://illusionsnotincluded.substack.com/p/weekly-chronicle-the-week-when-a-071</link><guid isPermaLink="false">substack:post:179854611</guid><dc:creator><![CDATA[Illusions Not Included]]></dc:creator><pubDate>Mon, 24 Nov 2025 20:10:48 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://api.substack.com/feed/podcast/179854611/b546ec438a8bf9e0d269b9c4888c946e.mp3" length="5291129" type="audio/mpeg"/><itunes:author>Illusions Not Included</itunes:author><itunes:explicit>No</itunes:explicit><itunes:duration>441</itunes:duration><itunes:image href="https://substackcdn.com/feed/podcast/5554072/post/179854611/34556491690d0976560a2997e8a24684.jpg"/></item><item><title><![CDATA[🎭 Weekly Chronicle – The Week Reality Forgot How to Behave]]></title><description><![CDATA[<p><p>This Substack is reader-supported. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.</p></p><p></p><p>A new episode of the <strong>Illusions Not Included</strong> podcast is out today — and this time it is <strong>available to everyone for free</strong> on Substack, Spotify, and all RSS platforms.</p><p>In this week’s audio edition of the <em>Weekly Chronicle</em>, I walk you through everything reality managed to exaggerate, misplace, or completely forget to handle properly.If you’d like to hear how common sense slipped out of the world’s pocket yet again, tune in now — wherever you prefer to listen.</p><p></p><p></p> <br/><br/>This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit <a href="https://illusionsnotincluded.substack.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&#38;utm_campaign=CTA_2">illusionsnotincluded.substack.com/subscribe</a>]]></description><link>https://illusionsnotincluded.substack.com/p/weekly-chronicle-the-week-reality-764</link><guid isPermaLink="false">substack:post:179162664</guid><dc:creator><![CDATA[Illusions Not Included]]></dc:creator><pubDate>Mon, 17 Nov 2025 17:41:50 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://api.substack.com/feed/podcast/179162664/7853f793ff265f20d72c165e497bd632.mp3" length="5750355" type="audio/mpeg"/><itunes:author>Illusions Not Included</itunes:author><itunes:explicit>No</itunes:explicit><itunes:duration>479</itunes:duration><itunes:image href="https://substackcdn.com/feed/podcast/5554072/post/179162664/34556491690d0976560a2997e8a24684.jpg"/></item><item><title><![CDATA[Weekly Chronicle: The Week the World Voted, Panicked, and Faked Innovation.]]></title><description><![CDATA[<p>This week’s <em>Illusions Not Included Podcast</em> takes on global absurdity with a sharp dose of irony — from America’s democratic dress rehearsal and Hungary’s “oil diplomacy,” to China’s charm offensive, the AI bubble burst, and science quietly saving what’s left of reason.</p><p><p>This Substack is reader-supported. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.</p></p><p></p> <br/><br/>This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit <a href="https://illusionsnotincluded.substack.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&#38;utm_campaign=CTA_2">illusionsnotincluded.substack.com/subscribe</a>]]></description><link>https://illusionsnotincluded.substack.com/p/weekly-chronicle-the-week-the-world-479</link><guid isPermaLink="false">substack:post:178491360</guid><dc:creator><![CDATA[Illusions Not Included]]></dc:creator><pubDate>Mon, 10 Nov 2025 12:03:04 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://api.substack.com/feed/podcast/178491360/9dcb0af46155bcac4f2434af9017b734.mp3" length="4301508" type="audio/mpeg"/><itunes:author>Illusions Not Included</itunes:author><itunes:explicit>No</itunes:explicit><itunes:duration>358</itunes:duration><itunes:image href="https://substackcdn.com/feed/podcast/5554072/post/178491360/34556491690d0976560a2997e8a24684.jpg"/></item><item><title><![CDATA[🎧 World Politics Cabaret – Please, Don’t Take It Seriously]]></title><description><![CDATA[<p>This week’s <em>Weekly Chronicle</em> takes the global stage where politics meets performance — and the results are, as always, somewhere between comedy and tragedy.From Trump’s tariff tantrums to Sarkozy’s prison cameo, from Netanyahu’s guest list to the AI’s latest “beta masterpiece,” the world keeps proving one thing: reality doesn’t need a scriptwriter, just a spotlight.</p><p>👉 <strong>Today’s episode is available for everyone</strong></p><p></p> <br/><br/>This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit <a href="https://illusionsnotincluded.substack.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&#38;utm_campaign=CTA_2">illusionsnotincluded.substack.com/subscribe</a>]]></description><link>https://illusionsnotincluded.substack.com/p/world-politics-cabaret-please-dont</link><guid isPermaLink="false">substack:post:177267620</guid><dc:creator><![CDATA[Illusions Not Included]]></dc:creator><pubDate>Mon, 27 Oct 2025 13:37:54 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://api.substack.com/feed/podcast/177267620/a68875165d980115b5f8349f72083e72.mp3" length="5247864" type="audio/mpeg"/><itunes:author>Illusions Not Included</itunes:author><itunes:explicit>No</itunes:explicit><itunes:duration>437</itunes:duration><itunes:image href="https://substackcdn.com/feed/podcast/5554072/post/177267620/34556491690d0976560a2997e8a24684.jpg"/></item><item><title><![CDATA[Weekly Chronicle: Diplomatic Merry-Go-Rounds and Peace Bubbles]]></title><description><![CDATA[<p>This week’s <em>Weekly Chronicle</em> spins through the world’s latest diplomatic circus — from Gaza’s fading ceasefire to Trump’s AI coronation and Putin’s Budapest poker.A ride full of irony, déjà vu, and one very orange dove.</p><p>🎙️ <em>This is the new episode of the </em><strong><em>Illusions Not Included</em></strong><em> podcast.</em>💫 <em>Today’s episode is free for everyone — available on Substack, Spotify, and all RSS channels.</em></p><p></p> <br/><br/>This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit <a href="https://illusionsnotincluded.substack.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&#38;utm_campaign=CTA_2">illusionsnotincluded.substack.com/subscribe</a>]]></description><link>https://illusionsnotincluded.substack.com/p/weekly-chronicle-diplomatic-merry-5c5</link><guid isPermaLink="false">substack:post:176629969</guid><dc:creator><![CDATA[Illusions Not Included]]></dc:creator><pubDate>Mon, 20 Oct 2025 10:37:26 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://api.substack.com/feed/podcast/176629969/ccccdabe2d70aabf9b4ee692837bbc85.mp3" length="5030325" type="audio/mpeg"/><itunes:author>Illusions Not Included</itunes:author><itunes:explicit>No</itunes:explicit><itunes:duration>419</itunes:duration><itunes:image href="https://substackcdn.com/feed/podcast/5554072/post/176629969/34556491690d0976560a2997e8a24684.jpg"/></item><item><title><![CDATA[Weekly Chronicle: Diplomatic Soap Operas and Economic Circuses]]></title><description><![CDATA[<p>Dear listeners — step right up to the latest act of <em>Illusions Not Included</em>, where global politics meets the big top. From Nobel prizes to trade wars and European survival theatre, it’s another week under the spotlight — same stage, same chaos, new punchlines.</p><p>🎪 <em>Available today for everyone Substack, Spotify, and all RSS channels.</em></p><p></p> <br/><br/>This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit <a href="https://illusionsnotincluded.substack.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&#38;utm_campaign=CTA_2">illusionsnotincluded.substack.com/subscribe</a>]]></description><link>https://illusionsnotincluded.substack.com/p/weekly-chronicle-diplomatic-soap-e6a</link><guid isPermaLink="false">substack:post:176017666</guid><dc:creator><![CDATA[Illusions Not Included]]></dc:creator><pubDate>Mon, 13 Oct 2025 17:02:39 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://api.substack.com/feed/podcast/176017666/acb5dc2f834ccb2434aac0aeafee0241.mp3" length="5547236" type="audio/mpeg"/><itunes:author>Illusions Not Included</itunes:author><itunes:explicit>No</itunes:explicit><itunes:duration>462</itunes:duration><itunes:image href="https://substackcdn.com/feed/podcast/5554072/post/176017666/34556491690d0976560a2997e8a24684.jpg"/></item><item><title><![CDATA[📰 Weekly Chronicle ]]></title><description><![CDATA[<p>The world’s still spinning, the governments are still glitching, and yes — I recorded it so you don’t have to read it.</p><p>The latest episode of <em>Illusions Not Included</em> is out now — <strong>free for everyone</strong> on Substack, Spotify, and RSS.This week: shutdowns, bureaucratic poetry, oil-soaked logic, and Hungary’s favorite hobby — claiming other people’s victories.</p><p>Plug in, zone out, and let sarcasm do the coping for you.</p><p></p> <br/><br/>This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit <a href="https://illusionsnotincluded.substack.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&#38;utm_campaign=CTA_2">illusionsnotincluded.substack.com/subscribe</a>]]></description><link>https://illusionsnotincluded.substack.com/p/weekly-chronicle-7c2</link><guid isPermaLink="false">substack:post:175416985</guid><dc:creator><![CDATA[Illusions Not Included]]></dc:creator><pubDate>Mon, 06 Oct 2025 11:32:46 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://api.substack.com/feed/podcast/175416985/133a987b2bb5324e8fd72065dd4b7bf2.mp3" length="3758257" type="audio/mpeg"/><itunes:author>Illusions Not Included</itunes:author><itunes:explicit>No</itunes:explicit><itunes:duration>313</itunes:duration><itunes:image href="https://substackcdn.com/feed/podcast/5554072/post/175416985/34556491690d0976560a2997e8a24684.jpg"/></item><item><title><![CDATA[Munich, 1938 ]]></title><description><![CDATA[<p><em>“Peace for our time.”</em> Chamberlain’s words in 1938 promised security, but delivered only illusions. In this episode, we revisit Munich, where the ink on a paper reshaped a nation — and where the illusion of peace became the prelude to war.</p><p></p> <br/><br/>This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit <a href="https://illusionsnotincluded.substack.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&#38;utm_campaign=CTA_2">illusionsnotincluded.substack.com/subscribe</a>]]></description><link>https://illusionsnotincluded.substack.com/p/munich-1938-bc6</link><guid isPermaLink="false">substack:post:174951371</guid><dc:creator><![CDATA[Illusions Not Included]]></dc:creator><pubDate>Tue, 30 Sep 2025 18:05:35 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://api.substack.com/feed/podcast/174951371/6e5a3f64f887022c4259c50d37366368.mp3" length="1299062" type="audio/mpeg"/><itunes:author>Illusions Not Included</itunes:author><itunes:explicit>No</itunes:explicit><itunes:duration>108</itunes:duration><itunes:image href="https://substackcdn.com/feed/podcast/5554072/post/174951371/34556491690d0976560a2997e8a24684.jpg"/></item><item><title><![CDATA[Diplomatic Thunderstorms and Creatures of Thin Air]]></title><description><![CDATA[<p>From Trump’s “helicopter diplomacy” at the UN, to UFO-IKEA flatpacks over Denmark, and a typhoon unsubscribing half of China – the world didn’t just spin, it spiraled.</p><p>Full satirical recap now live.</p><p></p> <br/><br/>This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit <a href="https://illusionsnotincluded.substack.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&#38;utm_campaign=CTA_2">illusionsnotincluded.substack.com/subscribe</a>]]></description><link>https://illusionsnotincluded.substack.com/p/diplomatic-thunderstorms-and-creatures</link><guid isPermaLink="false">substack:post:174836419</guid><dc:creator><![CDATA[Illusions Not Included]]></dc:creator><pubDate>Mon, 29 Sep 2025 13:50:16 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://api.substack.com/feed/podcast/174836419/104f44bc45109b18d145b222583873a7.mp3" length="5305542" type="audio/mpeg"/><itunes:author>Illusions Not Included</itunes:author><itunes:explicit>No</itunes:explicit><itunes:duration>442</itunes:duration><itunes:image href="https://substackcdn.com/feed/podcast/5554072/post/174836419/34556491690d0976560a2997e8a24684.jpg"/></item><item><title><![CDATA[Weekly Chronicle: ]]></title><description><![CDATA[<p>🌍 Another Monday, another ride on the stormy ship we call geopolitics. From climate karaoke in New York to fighter jet ballets over the Baltics, diplomacy keeps dancing — but who’s really holding the wheel?</p><p></p> <br/><br/>This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit <a href="https://illusionsnotincluded.substack.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&#38;utm_campaign=CTA_2">illusionsnotincluded.substack.com/subscribe</a>]]></description><link>https://illusionsnotincluded.substack.com/p/weekly-chronicle-6c0</link><guid isPermaLink="false">substack:post:174331222</guid><dc:creator><![CDATA[Illusions Not Included]]></dc:creator><pubDate>Tue, 23 Sep 2025 11:29:33 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://api.substack.com/feed/podcast/174331222/bbb62e000c503f9581d1081e353f6d12.mp3" length="2652337" type="audio/mpeg"/><itunes:author>Illusions Not Included</itunes:author><itunes:explicit>No</itunes:explicit><itunes:duration>221</itunes:duration><itunes:image href="https://substackcdn.com/feed/podcast/5554072/post/174331222/34556491690d0976560a2997e8a24684.jpg"/></item><item><title><![CDATA[🎙️ Dispatch from the Titanic’s Deck]]></title><description><![CDATA[<p>Part of the <em>Weekly Chronicle</em> in the <em>Illusions Not Included</em> collection. Every Monday in audio: last week’s absurdities—from drones over Poland and Trump’s EU “sanctions” to Israeli knights by the Jordan.</p><p></p> <br/><br/>This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit <a href="https://illusionsnotincluded.substack.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&#38;utm_campaign=CTA_2">illusionsnotincluded.substack.com/subscribe</a>]]></description><link>https://illusionsnotincluded.substack.com/p/dispatch-from-the-titanics-deck</link><guid isPermaLink="false">substack:post:173670980</guid><dc:creator><![CDATA[Illusions Not Included]]></dc:creator><pubDate>Mon, 15 Sep 2025 15:27:08 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://api.substack.com/feed/podcast/173670980/e3e1a977f5a3df6de9b5771a4daa00b3.mp3" length="4472654" type="audio/mpeg"/><itunes:author>Illusions Not Included</itunes:author><itunes:explicit>No</itunes:explicit><itunes:duration>373</itunes:duration><itunes:image href="https://substackcdn.com/feed/podcast/5554072/post/173670980/34556491690d0976560a2997e8a24684.jpg"/></item><item><title><![CDATA[Weekly Chronicle:]]></title><description><![CDATA[<p>From Google’s untouchable status to Vladimir’s carefully protected pasture, this essay explores how politics turns hypocrisy into a global religion—complete with sacred cows, sacred bears, and a shepherd in an orange suit.</p><p></p> <br/><br/>This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit <a href="https://illusionsnotincluded.substack.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&#38;utm_campaign=CTA_2">illusionsnotincluded.substack.com/subscribe</a>]]></description><link>https://illusionsnotincluded.substack.com/p/weekly-chronicle-f6e</link><guid isPermaLink="false">substack:post:173089296</guid><dc:creator><![CDATA[Illusions Not Included]]></dc:creator><pubDate>Mon, 08 Sep 2025 12:43:20 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://api.substack.com/feed/podcast/173089296/981901ad135f28a32b3c2a2231636941.mp3" length="3156368" type="audio/mpeg"/><itunes:author>Illusions Not Included</itunes:author><itunes:explicit>No</itunes:explicit><itunes:duration>263</itunes:duration><itunes:image href="https://substackcdn.com/feed/podcast/5554072/post/173089296/34556491690d0976560a2997e8a24684.jpg"/></item><item><title><![CDATA[Weekly Chronicle]]></title><description><![CDATA[<p>From Monty Python-style peace summits to Trump’s economic barbecue, from burning streets to Renaissance palaces funded with public money — power meets vanity while responsibility quietly exits the stage.</p><p></p> <br/><br/>This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit <a href="https://illusionsnotincluded.substack.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&#38;utm_campaign=CTA_2">illusionsnotincluded.substack.com/subscribe</a>]]></description><link>https://illusionsnotincluded.substack.com/p/weekly-chronicle-bfa</link><guid isPermaLink="false">substack:post:172504013</guid><dc:creator><![CDATA[Illusions Not Included]]></dc:creator><pubDate>Mon, 01 Sep 2025 18:02:31 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://api.substack.com/feed/podcast/172504013/50fd4e1094474489d5a6ca25e2f5fb81.mp3" length="3727196" type="audio/mpeg"/><itunes:author>Illusions Not Included</itunes:author><itunes:explicit>No</itunes:explicit><itunes:duration>311</itunes:duration><itunes:image href="https://substackcdn.com/feed/podcast/5554072/post/172504013/34556491690d0976560a2997e8a24684.jpg"/></item><item><title><![CDATA[Weekly Chronicle: Ceasefire Dreams & Concrete Realities]]></title><description><![CDATA[<p>f geopolitics is a theater, then last week’s script was written by a surrealist playwright with a taste for cliffhangers. From Lavrov demanding a veto on reality itself, to Zelensky waiting for a summit that never comes, to bulldozers rebranded as “peacebuilders” — the stage was crowded with actors who only know one line: “Nyet.”</p> <br/><br/>This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit <a href="https://illusionsnotincluded.substack.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&#38;utm_campaign=CTA_2">illusionsnotincluded.substack.com/subscribe</a>]]></description><link>https://illusionsnotincluded.substack.com/p/weekly-chronicle-ceasefire-dreams</link><guid isPermaLink="false">substack:post:171883493</guid><dc:creator><![CDATA[Illusions Not Included]]></dc:creator><pubDate>Mon, 25 Aug 2025 12:40:45 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://api.substack.com/feed/podcast/171883493/22330d0b05c931aa780ab4b0e385eb8b.mp3" length="2911548" type="audio/mpeg"/><itunes:author>Illusions Not Included</itunes:author><itunes:explicit>No</itunes:explicit><itunes:duration>243</itunes:duration><itunes:image href="https://substackcdn.com/feed/podcast/5554072/post/171883493/34556491690d0976560a2997e8a24684.jpg"/></item><item><title><![CDATA[Peacemaker]]></title><description><![CDATA[<p>What’s really brewing at next week’s Trump–Putin meeting in Alaska?Is it just a “peace talk,” or a quiet auction of Ukraine’s future?Why Alaska, and who truly gains from this so-called “Peacemaker”?</p><p>Biting irony, political twists, and a version of peace that could make even doves spit out their olive branches.</p><p></p> <br/><br/>This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit <a href="https://illusionsnotincluded.substack.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&#38;utm_campaign=CTA_2">illusionsnotincluded.substack.com/subscribe</a>]]></description><link>https://illusionsnotincluded.substack.com/p/peacemaker-5bc</link><guid isPermaLink="false">substack:post:170544035</guid><dc:creator><![CDATA[Illusions Not Included]]></dc:creator><pubDate>Sat, 09 Aug 2025 16:28:12 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://api.substack.com/feed/podcast/170544035/d98ceb8d151fd4a79cf2e18e7fbfb280.mp3" length="1296554" type="audio/mpeg"/><itunes:author>Illusions Not Included</itunes:author><itunes:explicit>No</itunes:explicit><itunes:duration>108</itunes:duration><itunes:image href="https://substackcdn.com/feed/podcast/5554072/post/170544035/34556491690d0976560a2997e8a24684.jpg"/></item><item><title><![CDATA[🤝 When diplomacy becomes theater, and Europe plays the understudy…]]></title><description><![CDATA[<p>Trump smiled. Ursula curtsied. And the EU called it a success.</p><p>In this biting satirical essay, we dissect the “historic” EU–US trade deal that handed Washington the pen and Brussels the invoice.If you've ever wondered what submission looks like in a pantsuit — this one's for you.</p><p></p> <br/><br/>This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit <a href="https://illusionsnotincluded.substack.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&#38;utm_campaign=CTA_2">illusionsnotincluded.substack.com/subscribe</a>]]></description><link>https://illusionsnotincluded.substack.com/p/when-diplomacy-becomes-theater-and</link><guid isPermaLink="false">substack:post:169433194</guid><dc:creator><![CDATA[Illusions Not Included]]></dc:creator><pubDate>Mon, 28 Jul 2025 07:34:16 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://api.substack.com/feed/podcast/169433194/aac4844ace069af673afda2dca67be2c.mp3" length="2597138" type="audio/mpeg"/><itunes:author>Illusions Not Included</itunes:author><itunes:explicit>No</itunes:explicit><itunes:duration>216</itunes:duration><itunes:image href="https://substackcdn.com/feed/podcast/5554072/post/169433194/34556491690d0976560a2997e8a24684.jpg"/></item><item><title><![CDATA[🎙️ Illusions Not Included – with Alex Buday]]></title><description><![CDATA[<p></p><p>Politics, power, culture — without the sugar-coating. A voice shaped by history, spoken with irony. Now also with a face. ➡️ Listen on Substack & Spotify. Because the world doesn’t need more noise.</p><p></p> <br/><br/>This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit <a href="https://illusionsnotincluded.substack.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&#38;utm_campaign=CTA_2">illusionsnotincluded.substack.com/subscribe</a>]]></description><link>https://illusionsnotincluded.substack.com/p/illusions-not-included-with-alex</link><guid isPermaLink="false">substack:post:169328969</guid><dc:creator><![CDATA[Illusions Not Included]]></dc:creator><pubDate>Sat, 26 Jul 2025 20:00:41 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://api.substack.com/feed/podcast/169328969/62dd78e64f74c6b75bd34d7c11d2b01e.mp3" length="2156087" type="audio/mpeg"/><itunes:author>Illusions Not Included</itunes:author><itunes:explicit>No</itunes:explicit><itunes:duration>180</itunes:duration><itunes:image href="https://substackcdn.com/feed/podcast/5554072/post/169328969/33c3b2763dffa4ef250bb49cdf5775e6.jpg"/></item><item><title><![CDATA[What happens when freedom becomes a slur?]]></title><description><![CDATA[<p>Once, to be a liberal meant you stood for rights, reason, and responsibility. Today, it means you're a threat, a meme, or worse — a punchline.</p><p></p> <br/><br/>This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit <a href="https://illusionsnotincluded.substack.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&#38;utm_campaign=CTA_2">illusionsnotincluded.substack.com/subscribe</a>]]></description><link>https://illusionsnotincluded.substack.com/p/what-happens-when-freedom-becomes</link><guid isPermaLink="false">substack:post:168857952</guid><dc:creator><![CDATA[Illusions Not Included]]></dc:creator><pubDate>Mon, 21 Jul 2025 13:45:52 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://api.substack.com/feed/podcast/168857952/11fe94790ecba1011dd5435de414421c.mp3" length="3561370" type="audio/mpeg"/><itunes:author>Illusions Not Included</itunes:author><itunes:explicit>No</itunes:explicit><itunes:duration>297</itunes:duration><itunes:image href="https://substackcdn.com/feed/podcast/5554072/post/168857952/34556491690d0976560a2997e8a24684.jpg"/></item><item><title><![CDATA[📣 America vs. Everyone – When tariffs become weapons and diplomacy turns into a monologue.]]></title><description><![CDATA[<p>Donald Trump is back at the table, reshuffling the global trade deck with threats, bravado, and economic disruption.From BRICS to Brussels, from Ottawa to Osaka — no one’s safe, and the question remains:👉 <em>Does he have a master plan… or just a microphone?</em>👉 <em>And which would be more dangerous?</em></p><p>This new essay dives into the irony, the chaos, and the uncomfortable truths behind the headlines —served with sharp wit, bitter realism, and a touch of dark humor.</p><p></p> <br/><br/>This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit <a href="https://illusionsnotincluded.substack.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&#38;utm_campaign=CTA_2">illusionsnotincluded.substack.com/subscribe</a>]]></description><link>https://illusionsnotincluded.substack.com/p/america-vs-everyone-when-tariffs</link><guid isPermaLink="false">substack:post:168292132</guid><dc:creator><![CDATA[Illusions Not Included]]></dc:creator><pubDate>Mon, 14 Jul 2025 13:19:33 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://api.substack.com/feed/podcast/168292132/f23908430c6cd61ec28c6bca022b289d.mp3" length="2954180" type="audio/mpeg"/><itunes:author>Illusions Not Included</itunes:author><itunes:explicit>No</itunes:explicit><itunes:duration>246</itunes:duration><itunes:image href="https://substackcdn.com/feed/podcast/5554072/post/168292132/34556491690d0976560a2997e8a24684.jpg"/></item><item><title><![CDATA[The Crown Weighs Heavy or, A Slice of Cake for Every Little Emperor ]]></title><description><![CDATA[<p></p><p><strong>🪙 Power, pride… and pastry.</strong>On Julius Caesar’s birthday, we take a bite out of ambition—from marble busts to meme kings.</p><p>My latest essay explores what connects emperors, influencers, and everyone who ever mistook applause for greatness. Smart, satirical, and just sharp enough to draw (symbolic) blood.</p> <br/><br/>This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit <a href="https://illusionsnotincluded.substack.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&#38;utm_campaign=CTA_2">illusionsnotincluded.substack.com/subscribe</a>]]></description><link>https://illusionsnotincluded.substack.com/p/the-crown-weighs-heavy-or-a-slice-df2</link><guid isPermaLink="false">substack:post:168216822</guid><dc:creator><![CDATA[Illusions Not Included]]></dc:creator><pubDate>Sun, 13 Jul 2025 14:44:05 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://api.substack.com/feed/podcast/168216822/84410c4a7ce952970a9ff24e816237d7.mp3" length="3559176" type="audio/mpeg"/><itunes:author>Illusions Not Included</itunes:author><itunes:explicit>No</itunes:explicit><itunes:duration>297</itunes:duration><itunes:image href="https://substackcdn.com/feed/podcast/5554072/post/168216822/292698a2786f395c68d0b66c965f4edd.jpg"/></item></channel></rss>