Vassalage: Truth, Lies, and Power
When I was five years old, I watched my father threaten to drive off a bridge. Years later, I began to understand the truth: my father — a respected school headmaster and teacher, beloved by families and students — was not who he seemed to be.
Vassalage: Truth, Lies, and Power is a true story of how one man’s lies and unchecked power tore his family apart, and my quest to understand why so many chose to believe him instead of the truth.
Told through the actual letters exchanged during my parents’ bitter divorce, and the memories I can’t forget, this podcast examines the loyalty, manipulation, and deception — and what happens when you try to challenge the one who controls the board.
Season 1: The Prologue sets the stage. The pieces are arranged, the players take their positions, and a family prepares for a battle that will change everything.
📖 Companion Book & Exclusive Content
This podcast is the companion to my upcoming book. To be the first to know when it’s released, join my mailing list on my website: mjmaeyers.com
🎧 To hear the full, unedited letters featured in these episodes — plus behind-the-scenes insights — visit my Patreon: patreon.com/mjmaeyers
In a world where power protects lies… speaking the truth is how you change the game.
Disclaimer: All names, locations, and identifying details have been changed to protect privacy.
Vassalage: Truth, Lies, and Power
Time To Be Selfish
After months of silence and emotional stalemate, my father finally writes a letter that sounds less like a plan and more like a performance. In this episode, we examine how “being selfish” becomes a weapon in the hands of someone who uses emotional collapse as control — shifting from aggression to pathetic fragility in a way that would make Gollum himself proud.
But this episode isn’t only about manipulation. It’s also about clarity. When my teenage brother — the most neutral, easygoing person in our family — finally steps in with a letter of his own, he becomes the truth-teller. His words cut through the chaos like a lifeline, urging our mother to choose herself after a year of living in a home that felt like a Monty Python sketch gone dark: denial, exaggeration, theatrics, and endless circular arguments..
⚠️ Content Note:
This episode discusses sensitive themes, including suicide, abuse, and coercive control, and may not be suitable for all listeners. If you or someone you know is struggling, call or text 988 in the U.S. for the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline.
🎵 Music Credit:
Moonlight Sonata by Paul Pitman