Behind the Bastards

CZM Rewind: How The Zizians Went Full On Death Cult & The Zizian Murder Spree (or Exactly How Harry Potter Fanfic Killed A Border Patrol Agent)

Part Three: Robert tells David about Ziz's glorious plan to take to the sea and sever the right and left brains of her followers in order to make them psychopaths god that sentence was weird to write trust us the episode is weirder. Part Four: Robert concludes the story of the Zizians with a spree of horrific violent crimes and deaths, culminating in a shoot out with the Border Patrol in Vermont of all places.   Sources:  1. https://medium.com/@sefashapiro/a-community-warning-about-ziz-76c100180509 [https://medium.com/@sefashapiro/a-community-warning-about-ziz-76c100180509] 2. https://web.archive.org/web/20230201130318/https://sinceriously.fyi/rationalist-fleet/ [https://web.archive.org/web/20230201130318/https:/sinceriously.fyi/rationalist-fleet/] 3. https://knowyourmeme.com/memes/infohazard [https://knowyourmeme.com/memes/infohazard] 4. https://web.archive.org/web/20230201130316/https://sinceriously.fyi/net-negative/ [https://web.archive.org/web/20230201130316/https:/sinceriously.fyi/net-negative/] 5. Wayback Machine [https://archive.is/hgTdD] 6. The Zizians [https://zizians.info/] 7. Spectral Sight [https://web.archive.org/web/20230201130302/https:/sinceriously.fyi/glossary#spectral-sight] 8. True Hero Contract [https://web.archive.org/web/20230201130302/https:/sinceriously.fyi/glossary#true-hero-contract] 9. Schelling Orders – Sinceriously [https://web.archive.org/web/20230202013351/https:/sinceriously.fyi/schelling-orders/] 10. Glossary – Sinceriously [https://web.archive.org/web/20230201130302/https:/sinceriously.fyi/glossary/#zentraidon] 11.  https://web.archive.org/web/20230201130330/https://sinceriously.fyi/my-journey-to-the-dark-side/ [https://web.archive.org/web/20230201130330/https:/sinceriously.fyi/my-journey-to-the-dark-side/] 12. https://web.archive.org/web/20230201130302/https://sinceriously.fyi/glossary/#zentraidon [https://web.archive.org/web/20230201130302/https:/sinceriously.fyi/glossary/#zentraidon] 13. https://web.archive.org/web/20230201130259/https://sinceriously.fyi/vampires-and-more-undeath/ [https://web.archive.org/web/20230201130259/https:/sinceriously.fyi/vampires-and-more-undeath/] 14. https://web.archive.org/web/20230201130316/https://sinceriously.fyi/net-negative/ [https://web.archive.org/web/20230201130316/https:/sinceriously.fyi/net-negative/] 15. https://web.archive.org/web/20230201130318/https://sinceriously.fyi/rationalist-fleet/ [https://web.archive.org/web/20230201130318/https:/sinceriously.fyi/rationalist-fleet/] 16. https://x.com/orellanin?s=21&t=F-n6cTZFsKgvr1yQ7oHXRg [https://x.com/orellanin?s=21&t=F-n6cTZFsKgvr1yQ7oHXRg] 17. https://zizians.info/ [https://zizians.info/] 18. according to The Boston Globe [https://www.bostonglobe.com/2025/02/11/metro/6-violent-deaths-tied-to-radical-vegan-cult-based-in-california/] 19. Inside the ‘Zizians’: How a cultish crew of radical vegans became linked to killings across the United States | The Independent [https://www.the-independent.com/news/world/americas/crime/zizian-murders-david-maland-curtis-lind-b2701101.html] 20. Silicon Valley ‘Rationalists’ Linked to 6 Deaths [https://www.rollingstone.com/culture/culture-features/ziz-silicon-valley-rationalist-deaths-1235278765/] 21. The Delirious, Violent, Impossible True Story of the Zizians | WIRED [https://archive.is/4HAtn] 22. Good Group and Pasek’s Doom – Sinceriously [https://web.archive.org/web/20230201130336/https:/sinceriously.fyi/good-group-and-paseks-doom/] 23. Glossary – Sinceriously [https://web.archive.org/web/20230201130302/https:/sinceriously.fyi/glossary/#zentraidon] 24. Mana – Sinceriously [https://web.archive.org/web/20230201130331/https:/sinceriously.fyi/mana/] 25. Effective Altruism’s Problems Go Beyond Sam Bankman-Fried - Bloomberg [https://archive.is/xhV0S] 26. The Zizian Facts - Google Docs [https://docs.google.com/document/d/1RpAvd5TO5eMhJrdr2kz43dxT3nNm0XtuPcaW9kBIZL8/edit?tab=t.0] 27. Several free CFAR summer programs on rationality and AI safety - LessWrong 2.0 viewer [https://www.greaterwrong.com/posts/LLQYp53vop5BuyKBF/several-free-cfar-summer-programs-on-rationality-and-ai] 28. This guy thinks killing video game characters is immoral | Vox [https://www.vox.com/2014/4/23/5643418/this-guy-thinks-killing-video-game-characters-is-immoral] 29. Inadequate Equilibria: Where and How Civilizations Get Stuck [https://web.archive.org/web/20230128221733/https:/equilibriabook.com/] 30. Eliezer Yudkowsky comments on On Terminal Goals and Virtue Ethics - LessWrong 2.0 viewer [https://www.greaterwrong.com/posts/gR6H3egpRPNYnoTrA/on-terminal-goals-and-virtue-ethics/comment/mZTPvwcA3DEDCcC7w]                                                                                                    31. Effective Altruism’s Problems Go Beyond Sam Bankman-Fried - Bloomberg [https://archive.is/xhV0S] 32. SquirrelInHell: Happiness Is a Chore [https://squirrelinhell.blogspot.com/2017/12/happiness-is-chore.html#more] 33. PLUM OF DISCORD — I Became a Full-time Internet Pest and May Not... [https://web.archive.org/web/20220217023845/https:/www.plumofdiscord.com/post/675855867193769984/i-became-a-full-time-internet-pest-and-may-not] 34. Roko Harassment of PlumOfDiscord Composited – Sinceriously [https://web.archive.org/web/20211009234142/https:/sinceriously.fyi/roko-harassment-of-plumofdiscord-composited/#comment-4671] 35. Intersex Brains And Conceptual Warfare – Sinceriously [https://archive.is/czxD3] 36. Infohazardous Glossary – Sinceriously [https://sinceriously.blog-mirror.com/infohazardous-glossary#debucketing] 37. SquirrelInHell-Decision-Theory-and-Suicide.pdf - Google Drive [https://drive.google.com/file/d/1MFJli_QLM75fF4yUGtllNJ-z76FeHZ7x/view] 38. The Matrix is a System – Sinceriously [https://web.archive.org/web/20230202013352/https:/sinceriously.fyi/the-matrix-is-a-system/] 39. A community alert about Ziz. Police investigations, violence, and… | by SefaShapiro | Medium [https://archive.ph/h7j3v] 40. Intersex Brains And Conceptual Warfare – Sinceriously [https://archive.ph/iOmFI] 41. A community alert about Ziz. Police investigations, violence, and… | by SefaShapiro | Medium [https://medium.com/@sefashapiro/a-community-warning-about-ziz-76c100180509] 42. PLUM OF DISCORD (Posts tagged cw-abuse) [https://web.archive.org/web/20220521125057/https:/www.plumofdiscord.com/tagged/cw-abuse] 43. Timeline: Violence surrounding the Zizians leading to Border Patrol agent shooting [https://archive.ph/mHiKh] See omnystudio.com/listener [https://omnystudio.com/listener] for privacy information.

CZM Rewind: The Zizians: How Harry Potter Fanfic Inspired a Death Cult & The Zizians: Birth of a Cult Leader

Part One: Earlier this year a Border Patrol officer was killed in a shoot-out with people who have been described as members of a trans vegan AI death cult. But who are the Zizians, really? Robert sits down with David Gborie to trace their development, from part of the Bay Area Rationalist subculture to killers.   Part Two: Robert tells David Gborie about the early life of Ziz LaSota, a bright young girl from Alaska who came to the Bay Area with dreams of saving the cosmos or destroying it, all based on her obsession with Rationalist blogs and fanfic. Sources:  1. https://medium.com/@sefashapiro/a-community-warning-about-ziz-76c100180509 [https://medium.com/@sefashapiro/a-community-warning-about-ziz-76c100180509] 2. https://web.archive.org/web/20230201130318/https://sinceriously.fyi/rationalist-fleet/ [https://web.archive.org/web/20230201130318/https:/sinceriously.fyi/rationalist-fleet/] 3. https://knowyourmeme.com/memes/infohazard [https://knowyourmeme.com/memes/infohazard] 4. https://web.archive.org/web/20230201130316/https://sinceriously.fyi/net-negative/ [https://web.archive.org/web/20230201130316/https:/sinceriously.fyi/net-negative/] 5. Wayback Machine [https://archive.is/hgTdD] 6. The Zizians [https://zizians.info/] 7. Spectral Sight [https://web.archive.org/web/20230201130302/https:/sinceriously.fyi/glossary#spectral-sight] 8. True Hero Contract [https://web.archive.org/web/20230201130302/https:/sinceriously.fyi/glossary#true-hero-contract] 9. Schelling Orders – Sinceriously [https://web.archive.org/web/20230202013351/https:/sinceriously.fyi/schelling-orders/] 10. Glossary – Sinceriously [https://web.archive.org/web/20230201130302/https:/sinceriously.fyi/glossary/#zentraidon] 11.  https://web.archive.org/web/20230201130330/https://sinceriously.fyi/my-journey-to-the-dark-side/ [https://web.archive.org/web/20230201130330/https:/sinceriously.fyi/my-journey-to-the-dark-side/] 12. https://web.archive.org/web/20230201130302/https://sinceriously.fyi/glossary/#zentraidon [https://web.archive.org/web/20230201130302/https:/sinceriously.fyi/glossary/#zentraidon] 13. https://web.archive.org/web/20230201130259/https://sinceriously.fyi/vampires-and-more-undeath/ [https://web.archive.org/web/20230201130259/https:/sinceriously.fyi/vampires-and-more-undeath/] 14. https://web.archive.org/web/20230201130316/https://sinceriously.fyi/net-negative/ [https://web.archive.org/web/20230201130316/https:/sinceriously.fyi/net-negative/] 15. https://web.archive.org/web/20230201130318/https://sinceriously.fyi/rationalist-fleet/ [https://web.archive.org/web/20230201130318/https:/sinceriously.fyi/rationalist-fleet/] 16. https://x.com/orellanin?s=21&t=F-n6cTZFsKgvr1yQ7oHXRg [https://x.com/orellanin?s=21&t=F-n6cTZFsKgvr1yQ7oHXRg] 17. https://zizians.info/ [https://zizians.info/] 18. according to The Boston Globe [https://www.bostonglobe.com/2025/02/11/metro/6-violent-deaths-tied-to-radical-vegan-cult-based-in-california/] 19. Inside the ‘Zizians’: How a cultish crew of radical vegans became linked to killings across the United States | The Independent [https://www.the-independent.com/news/world/americas/crime/zizian-murders-david-maland-curtis-lind-b2701101.html] 20. Silicon Valley ‘Rationalists’ Linked to 6 Deaths [https://www.rollingstone.com/culture/culture-features/ziz-silicon-valley-rationalist-deaths-1235278765/] 21. The Delirious, Violent, Impossible True Story of the Zizians | WIRED [https://archive.is/4HAtn] 22. Good Group and Pasek’s Doom – Sinceriously [https://web.archive.org/web/20230201130336/https:/sinceriously.fyi/good-group-and-paseks-doom/] 23. Glossary – Sinceriously [https://web.archive.org/web/20230201130302/https:/sinceriously.fyi/glossary/#zentraidon] 24. Mana – Sinceriously [https://web.archive.org/web/20230201130331/https:/sinceriously.fyi/mana/] 25. Effective Altruism’s Problems Go Beyond Sam Bankman-Fried - Bloomberg [https://archive.is/xhV0S] 26. The Zizian Facts - Google Docs [https://docs.google.com/document/d/1RpAvd5TO5eMhJrdr2kz43dxT3nNm0XtuPcaW9kBIZL8/edit?tab=t.0] 27. Several free CFAR summer programs on rationality and AI safety - LessWrong 2.0 viewer [https://www.greaterwrong.com/posts/LLQYp53vop5BuyKBF/several-free-cfar-summer-programs-on-rationality-and-ai] 28. This guy thinks killing video game characters is immoral | Vox [https://www.vox.com/2014/4/23/5643418/this-guy-thinks-killing-video-game-characters-is-immoral] 29. Inadequate Equilibria: Where and How Civilizations Get Stuck [https://web.archive.org/web/20230128221733/https:/equilibriabook.com/] 30. Eliezer Yudkowsky comments on On Terminal Goals and Virtue Ethics - LessWrong 2.0 viewer [https://www.greaterwrong.com/posts/gR6H3egpRPNYnoTrA/on-terminal-goals-and-virtue-ethics/comment/mZTPvwcA3DEDCcC7w]                                                                                                    31. Effective Altruism’s Problems Go Beyond Sam Bankman-Fried - Bloomberg [https://archive.is/xhV0S] 32. SquirrelInHell: Happiness Is a Chore [https://squirrelinhell.blogspot.com/2017/12/happiness-is-chore.html#more] 33. PLUM OF DISCORD — I Became a Full-time Internet Pest and May Not... [https://web.archive.org/web/20220217023845/https:/www.plumofdiscord.com/post/675855867193769984/i-became-a-full-time-internet-pest-and-may-not] 34. Roko Harassment of PlumOfDiscord Composited – Sinceriously [https://web.archive.org/web/20211009234142/https:/sinceriously.fyi/roko-harassment-of-plumofdiscord-composited/#comment-4671] 35. Intersex Brains And Conceptual Warfare – Sinceriously [https://archive.is/czxD3] 36. Infohazardous Glossary – Sinceriously [https://sinceriously.blog-mirror.com/infohazardous-glossary#debucketing] 37. SquirrelInHell-Decision-Theory-and-Suicide.pdf - Google Drive [https://drive.google.com/file/d/1MFJli_QLM75fF4yUGtllNJ-z76FeHZ7x/view] 38. The Matrix is a System – Sinceriously [https://web.archive.org/web/20230202013352/https:/sinceriously.fyi/the-matrix-is-a-system/] 39. A community alert about Ziz. Police investigations, violence, and… | by SefaShapiro | Medium [https://archive.ph/h7j3v] 40. Intersex Brains And Conceptual Warfare – Sinceriously [https://archive.ph/iOmFI] 41. A community alert about Ziz. Police investigations, violence, and… | by SefaShapiro | Medium [https://medium.com/@sefashapiro/a-community-warning-about-ziz-76c100180509] 42. PLUM OF DISCORD (Posts tagged cw-abuse) [https://web.archive.org/web/20220521125057/https:/www.plumofdiscord.com/tagged/cw-abuse] 43. Timeline: Violence surrounding the Zizians leading to Border Patrol agent shooting [https://archive.ph/mHiKh] See omnystudio.com/listener [https://omnystudio.com/listener] for privacy information.

Part Three: X-Mas Special: The Heroes Who Ended The Slave Trade

We conclude the story of how Britain ended its role in the Atlantic Slave Trade. Against the State by James Stout available for preorder here: https://www.akpress.org/against-the-state.html [https://www.akpress.org/against-the-state.html]  See omnystudio.com/listener [https://omnystudio.com/listener] for privacy information.

Part Two: X-Mas Special: The Heroes Who Ended The Slave Trade

In this episode we introduce two great heroes: freed slave and adventurer Olaudah Equiano, and crusading abolitionist lawyer Granville Sharp. Against the State by James Stout available for preorder here: https://www.akpress.org/against-the-state.html [https://www.akpress.org/against-the-state.html]  See omnystudio.com/listener [https://omnystudio.com/listener] for privacy information.

Part One: X-Mas Special: The Heroes Who Ended The Slave Trade

In our annual holiday reverse episode, Robert introduces James Stout to the heroes who fought to end the Atlantic Slave trade. (3 part series) Against the State by James Stout available for preorder here: https://www.akpress.org/against-the-state.html [https://www.akpress.org/against-the-state.html]  See omnystudio.com/listener [https://omnystudio.com/listener] for privacy information.