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Historical Blindness

The Myth of the Thuggee Cult

Historical Blindness

Nathaniel Lloyd

Politics, News, Religion & Spirituality, History, Religion

4839 Ratings

🗓️ 16 May 2023

⏱️ 50 minutes

🧾️ Download transcript

Summary

In the next leg of my journey through the lore and history behind the Indiana Jones films, I explore the historical reality of Thuggee strangler bandits in 19th-century India and refute the myth that they were a blood cult devoted to the worship of Kali. Go to HelloFresh.com/historical50 and use code historical50 for 50% off plus free shipping! Direct all advertising inquiries to [email protected]. Visit www.airwavemedia.com to find other high-quality podcasts! Find a transcript of this episode with source citations and related imagery at www.historicalblindness.com sometime before the release of the next episode. Pledge support on Patreon to get an ad-free feed with exclusive episodes! Check out my novel, Manuscript Found!  And check out the show merch, which make perfect gifts!  Further support the show by giving a one-time gift at paypal.me/NathanLeviLloyd or finding me on Venmo at @HistoricalBlindness. Some music on this episode is by Kai Engel, licensed under Creative Commons (CC BY 4.0), including "daemones," "Remedy for Melancholy," "Low Horizon," "Oneiri," "daedalus," "Salue," and "Run." "Adventure Theme" by Adam Monroe was licensed commercially through Pond5. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transcript

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1:05.2

In American culture, the meaning of the term thug varies depending on your background and the cultural context.

1:14.2

By its modern dictionary definition, the word refers to violent criminals, or some kind of

1:20.6

vicious ruffian. But among many who identify with urban street life and black hip-hop culture, the term has taken on a

1:29.6

different meaning, reflecting the idea that systemic racism creates gang culture. This use of the term

1:37.4

was championed by rapper Tupac Shakur, who touted a quote-unquote thug life as a kind of determined response to the setbacks and

1:47.7

obstacles that the disadvantaged face. For Tupac, thug was an acronym derived from the hate you give,

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