Libsyn Directory

Episode 12 | Education and Total Institutions (Surprise producer appearance)

Release Date: 10/15/2024

Hey White Women w/ Knitting Cult Lady & White Woman Whisperer | 61 | Moral Superiority Binaries

Hey White Women

In this episode, Daniella and Rebecca unpack the backlash following Jasmine Crockett’s announcement that she’s running for Senate, focusing on how quickly public support—especially from white women—turned into purity testing. They examine why Black women in power are routinely held to impossible moral standards, particularly around U.S. support for Israel, while white politicians are rarely scrutinized the same way. The conversation expands into how whiteness flattens complexity into good/bad binaries, how “moral superiority” becomes a performance, and how this dynamic ultimately...

Hey White Women with Knitting Cult Lady and White Woman Whisperer | 60 | De-radicalization

Hey White Women

In this episode, Rebecca and Daniella dive into how cult dynamics show up way beyond just “cults.” Daniella shares pieces of her childhood in the Children of God and how those patterns of coercion, shame, and identity erasure followed her into adulthood—including her time in the military. They compare notes on how institutions, extremist movements, and even online communities use the same tactics to control people, and why so many folks get pulled into these systems in the first place. The conversation stays honest, nuanced, and very human as they talk about deradicalization, belonging,...

Hey White Women w/ Knitting Cult Lady & White Woman Whisperer | 59 | In-Person Special Episode

Hey White Women

In this in-person episode, Daniella and Rebecca dive deep into racial dynamics, whiteness, group behavior, cult patterns, and the ways white women, white culture, and American norms create invisible and often unexamined hierarchies. They explore how racism shows up in everyday interactions — such as being asked to “prove” a lived experience, being demanded to provide citations, or being treated as less credible unless a white source confirms it. They move through topics including camera/lens racism, anti-Blackness in beauty and hair culture, the Puritan roots of American “purity,”...

Hey White Women w/ Knitting Cult Lady & White Woman Whisperer | 58 | Puritan Whiteness

Hey White Women

This episode is a wide-ranging conversation between Daniella and Rebecca about the everyday and systemic ways whiteness shapes culture, identity, and behavior. They discuss how beauty standards, camera technology, tanning culture, and even small tech features like autocapitalization reflect racial bias. A major theme is how white women often derail or center themselves in conversations about race, sometimes unintentionally, through whitesplaining or over-explaining. They explore beauty labor, the politics of hair and appearance, and how the same practices (such as time-consuming beauty...

Hey White Women w/ Knitting Cult Lady & White Woman Whisperer | 57 | Who's Speaking Matters

Hey White Women

This episode features a deep, nuanced conversation between Daniella Mestyanek Young and Rebecca about whiteness, power, community, cultural disconnection, and the complicated dynamics of speaking about social issues publicly. They explore how race, gender, and perceived authority shape who is “allowed” to say what, and how society reacts differently depending on the identity of the speaker. Their discussion spans topics such as the weaponization of “niceness,” internal policing within white communities, the loss of joy in white American culture, the effects of cult-like systems,...

Hey White Women w/ Knitting Cult Lady & White Woman Whisperer | 56 | Enablism

Hey White Women

In this wide-ranging and incisive conversation, Daniella Mestyanek Young and Rebecca (White Woman Whisperer) examine how white womanhood functions within patriarchal and white supremacist systems. They discuss cultural habits like performative complaining, body-shaming as small talk, and the defense of harmful relationships as coping mechanisms inherited from historical gender norms. The two connect these behaviors to broader enablism within oppressive systems, drawing parallels between interpersonal and systemic patterns of abuse. They explore the emotional labor of deconstruction—how...

Hey White Women w/ Knitting Cult Lady & White Woman Whisperer | 55 | Weaponizing Whiteness

Hey White Women

In this episode, Daniella Mestyanek Young (Knitting Cult Lady) and Rebecca (White Woman Whisperer) unpack the process of recording the audiobook version of Daniella’s upcoming book and explore how their collaboration reflects deeper dynamics of race, privilege, and creative responsibility. They discuss rejecting the “easy” or most cost-effective route in favor of ethical decisions that honor Black voices and resist capitalist shortcuts. The conversation then broadens into weaponizing whiteness for good—how white women can leverage social privilege to confront injustice—and the...

Hey White Women w/ Knitting Cult Lady & White Woman Whisperer | 54 | White Rapture Day

Hey White Women

Rebecca (White Woman Whisperer) and Daniella (“Knitting Cult Lady”) explore how white American culture is shaped by control, conformity, and suppression of individuality—from the witch trials to modern social norms. They connect white supremacy’s emphasis on stoicism and sameness to military culture, patriarchal family structures, beauty standards, and cult dynamics. Their conversation also unpacks the social coding of “whiteness” as denial of self, contrasting it with cultures where expression, emotion, and difference are normalized. The episode concludes with reflections on...

Hey White Women w/ Knitting Cult Lady & White Woman Whisperer | 53 | It Can Be That Easy

Hey White Women

In this episode, Daniella (“Knitting Cult Lady”) and Rebecca (“White Woman Whisperer”) have a deep, layered conversation about deconstructing whiteness, celebrity culture, and over-identification through the lens of Taylor Swift. Daniella shares her personal process of deconstructing her identity as a lifelong Swiftie and connecting it to her broader work dismantling white womanhood and American cultic structures. Rebecca brings in a critical Black feminist lens, exploring the difference between individualism and community, white women’s relationship to innocence and denial, and how...

Hey White Women w/ Knitting Cult Lady & White Woman Whisperer | ep52 | Consumer Privilege

Hey White Women

In this episode, Rebecca and Daniella explore the intersections of race, consumer privilege, tone policing, and digital labor—particularly how these dynamics play out for women of color online. Rebecca revisits her viral “caption gate” controversy, unpacking how white women often use moralized accessibility language (“just add captions”) as a covert way to assert dominance and demand labor. The two also dissect the cultural discomfort around Black women expressing anger, the dehumanizing expectations placed on female creators, and the myth that public educators or creators owe...

More Episodes

In this suprise guest episode, the speakers explore the challenges of traditional education, particularly for neurodivergent individuals. They discuss the concept of total institutions and how societal norms can impact personal identity and acceptance. The dialogue shifts to the importance of navigating life beyond conventional paths, embracing change, and redefining expertise. The speakers also touch on the dangers of cult-like structures and apocalyptic thinking in society, emphasizing the need for personal narrative and the evolution of tools in human adaptation. In this conversation, the speakers explore the challenges and opportunities of self-publishing versus traditional publishing, the impact of social media on self-worth, and the complexities of safety and uncertainty in today's world. They discuss the societal expectations surrounding work, the illusion of choice in education, and the importance of community and shared experiences. The conversation also delves into the implications of the worship of the written word, the intersection of race and narrative, and the need to deconstruct societal norms and expectations.

Connect with Rebecca at:

Website

Patreon

TikTok

Connect with Daniella at:

Uncultured by Daniella Mestyanek Young

Takeaways

Haley is dropping out of school to pursue her interests.
Total institutions can create harmful group norms.
Neurodivergent individuals often struggle in structured systems.
Acceptance in groups can be superficial and manipulative.
Life paths are rarely linear; zigzagging is common.
Self-definition is crucial in navigating personal identity.
Cults can exploit feelings of rejection and need for belonging.
Apocalyptic thinking is prevalent in American culture.
New tools can provoke fear but also lead to adaptation.
Personal narratives are powerful in shaping identity.
Self-publishing offers innovative ways to reach audiences.
Social media can create a transactional view of self-worth.
Uncertainty does not equate to unsafety.
Life expectancy for neurodivergent individuals is alarmingly low.
The traditional work ethic is being challenged by younger generations.
Education often limits true choice in career paths.
Community support is vital for personal growth and understanding.
The written word is often revered without questioning its origins.
Racial narratives are often shaped by historical biases.
Societal norms can be deconstructed for a more inclusive future.

Sound Bites

"Group norms in total institutions really matter."
"The master's tool will not tear down the master's house."

Chapters

00:00 Breaking Free from Traditional Education
04:12 Understanding Total Institutions
06:53 The Struggles of Neurodivergence in Structured Systems
09:55 The Complexity of Identity and Acceptance
12:56 Navigating Life Beyond Conventional Paths
15:55 The Challenge of Self-Definition
19:04 The Dangers of Cult-like Structures
22:03 Apocalyptic Thinking in Society
24:53 The Evolution of Tools and Human Adaptation
28:11 The Power of Personal Narrative
31:03 Embracing Change and Uncertainty
33:58 Redefining Expertise and Identity
41:44 Navigating Traditional Publishing vs. Self-Publishing
44:40 The Impact of Social Media on Self-Worth
47:43 Understanding Safety and Uncertainty
50:51 Challenging the Work Culture Paradigm
53:46 The Illusion of Choice in Career Paths
56:35 Redefining Value Beyond Traditional Metrics
59:45 The Role of Education and Societal Expectations
01:02:06 The Power of Community and Shared Experiences
01:05:12 Navigating Conversations on Race and Whiteness
01:08:40 Deconstructing the Worship of the Written Word
01:11:26 The Intersection of Sexuality and Identity
01:21:50 Closing Thoughts on Empowerment and Change

TOPICS