Inside the Empire of Orgasm: A Conversation with Ellen Huet

Inside the Empire of Orgasm: A Conversation with Ellen Huet.

There are stories we read, and there are stories that read us. Our conversation with journalist and author Ellen Huet belongs to the second category. What begins as an exploration of the now-controversial OneTaste community becomes a meditation on desire, belonging, power, vulnerability, and how easily a transformational practice can slide into exploitation. Ellen’s new book, Empire of Orgasm, opens the door to a world where healing and harm are often intertwined—and where human longing becomes both catalyst and trap.

In this episode, Ellen reveals the path that led from a 2018 Bloomberg article to a years-long investigation, a federal criminal trial, and a deeper inquiry into why humans are drawn to charismatic leaders, intimate communities, and bold promises of transformation. Marc and Greg share their own experiences with OM, including the gifts, the shadows, and the emotional complexity that still lingers years later.

The conversation reaches far beyond OneTaste. Ellen discusses how similar psychological patterns are emerging in the AI world where people are forming intense emotional bonds with chatbots, often without recognizing the deeper implications. She draws a vital parallel: any system that promises transcendence—sexual, spiritual, technological, has the potential to liberate or to control, depending on our awareness and boundaries.

Journalist and author Ellen Huet joins Marc and Greg for a deep dive into Empire of Orgasm, her definitive investigation into OneTaste and the world of orgasmic meditation. Together they explore the intersections of sexuality, power, liberation, exploitation, and the universal human longing for transformation. Ellen reveals what she discovered after seven years of reporting, from personal breakthroughs to federal indictments and how these patterns echo into today’s AI-driven relationships and collective psychology. A rich, layered conversation for anyone curious about desire, influence, and the gray spaces where growth and harm coexist.

This episode explores:
• The true history and inner workings of OneTaste
• Why OM was, for many, both healing and hazardous
• How charismatic leadership shapes desire and identity
• The emerging “cult dynamics” inside AI relationships
• What it means to hold conflicting truths without collapsing into black-and-white thinking

“A person can walk away from OneTaste saying, ‘I was healed,’ and someone else can walk away saying, ‘I was harmed’—and sometimes that’s the same person.” — Ellen Huet

5 TAKEAWAYS

The story of OneTaste reveals how desire, belonging, and psychological vulnerability can be shaped—sometimes illuminated, sometimes exploited—by charismatic leadership.
Ellen’s investigative journey uncovers the uncomfortable truth: a single community can offer healing, harm, awakening, and manipulation, all at once.
OM (orgasmic meditation) is shown both as a meaningful intimacy practice and a gateway to pressures that blurred autonomy, consent, and power.
The conversation draws parallels between cult dynamics in spirituality, sexuality, and emerging AI relationships, revealing universal human patterns.
Ellen shares the emotional and ethical weight of reporting a story that changed lives, influenced a federal trial, and reshaped how we understand liberation and control.

GUEST LINKS
Ellen’s Website Website
https://www.ellenhuet.com

X
https://x.com/ellenhuet

Instagram
https://www.instagram.com/ehuet

Ellen’s Podcasts, Articles, and Writing.
https://www.ellenhuet.com/work

Ellen Huet’s Website and access to the book Empire of Orgasm
ellenhuet.com

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 1:12:19 — 165.5MB) | Embed