Isn't It Obvious

In our last episode, K Sera discusses how our society's relationship to material/things are changing (not necessarily good nor bad). Micah talks about the implications it has from our current market forces, and Phil discusses the generational differences.   Show notes: N/A   K Sera's after thoughts: We keep buying stuff. So much stuff! We buy all these trendy things, like nespresso makers, fidget spinners, Hydro Flasks and cube storage shelves. They're stylish. They're affordable. They're easy to transport. They're useful. But by year 2 or 3, they end up on Marketplace or in landfills, either because we've moved on to the next trendy thing, or the product is too worn, too old-news, or no longer functional. Why bother trying to repair something when the cost of a new replacement is cheaper? Looking at you, inkjet printers!   And let's not even get into the time to develop the skills you need to fix the things that need repair. Ha.   The majority of people have stopped investing in quality because they can't afford the up-front cost. The things we've been manufacturing for the last two decades and change have been designed to last less than five years. Is this a bad thing? Yeah, for the environment, definitely. But the convenience of not having a 200-year-old solid oak bedroom set to lug along with you when you have to move every five years because the rent is too high, or you have to change jobs because that's the only way to effectively get raises these days… I mean, the individual trade off is certainly there.   Adjacent to this concept is “doom spending,” where people purchase themselves further into poverty because there is this anticipation of impending doom. Why invest in a doomed future? What retirement? What house? Can we even afford childcare? May as well spend money on what will bring immediate happiness, because there's no point in saving. Or at least, that's the mentality.    Really, I guess, what I'm circling around is the fact that the quality and durability of our manufactured goods is a reflection of how we feel about our futures. … which might be five years from ending up in a landfill. :       Phill's after thoughts: At one point in this episode Micah says that the value of this podcast produced was the time (and beverages) shared together. After 127 episodes I can attest that I do miss our recording sessions (this episode was originally recorded towards the end of 2022). Due to starting graduate school I had to postpone (and inevitable stop) the podcast. In the end, I agree with both Micah and K Sera that the experiences from little moments (of simple and fun discussions) ultimately mean much more to me than some simple trinket or bauble. I want to take some time to say thank you for listening to our podcast. Some of our topics and conversations may have been "non-value added" but they were enjoyable to us regardless! We hope you have enjoyed them too. Thank you for listening to us!

In this episode Micah proposes that all major releases of movies, games, books, and other forms of media should have a coordinate release. K Sera and Phil have questions.   Phil's after thoughts: I find it way more amusing than I should that in this episode we are wondering why don't these multi-billion dollar companies actually coordinate their marketing plan better?! To me it's super obvious that they should, the fact that they could 'synergize' and sell movies, games, books, comics, and all of that franchise material and transmute it into gold should be a driving incentivizer for these massive companies. Of course the point that I am trying to make is that if it was easy, it would have already been done.   The issue is that products that require creative inputs (such as a great story, or fantastic artwork, or wonderful world building) is way more difficult compared to non-creative (but functional) products such as ball-bearings and industrial level grease (both which are fascinating, mind you, but again NOT CREATIVE). I make this comparison because with "industrial goods" there is a very well defined specific output with tolerances, dimensions to measure, and performances that are readily checked and ensured that they meet the "voice of the customer" (and in terms of industrial customers, it's pretty clear that it is either good enough or not).   Obviously this is not the case with creative works. We don't know if a book (or game, or movie) will sell well or not. I laugh when some non-gaming executive shouts out nonsense about "what the gamers want" while their 100 million dollar budget produces a mediocre and semi-passable game (while indie games that are much closer to the pulse of the customer understand that we don't want a "paint by numbers" experience, we want something that is fun, unique, challenging, thought provoking, exciting, adventurous, and of course in all different varying degrees of it as well!).   Why am I talking in circles? Because the fact is we don't know what makes something "a hit" yet. And until we know, we cannot coordinate a massive campaign only for it to turn into a flop. Disney's Starwars comes to mind, but there are so many other franchises that either spring up out of nowhere (many of which are Japanese) and some that are just a flash in a pan (I don't think anyone talks about that Fall Guys game anymore).   Plus, to me, the fact that a giant corporate machine would just pump out a massive coordinated effort to merchandize another soulless product reminds me of some sad slop (or gruel) that the industry insists for us to consume. Perhaps I am turning into a hipster when I want experiences that feel more independent and outside the firm grasps of shareholders and dollar signs. I think this (among the other complexities of Art and Finance) make it a losing proposition to have a Franchise Synergy to the level that is so obviously not done. Maybe in the future our mathematical models can predict with great certainty which next "hot" thing will pop up (and then for the devouring masses to demand more and more of it), but until then the entire premise is too risky. To put it simply, it is better to diversify and then back up winners then to "put all your eggs into one basket while also counting your chickens before they hatch."   Alright, that's it for today. I hope you enjoy the episode and I'll send another message for the next one (when I can review it).     First, I stand corrected. One Piece isn't the longest manga. That apparently is Golgo 13, with over 200 published volumes. Wow! Who has that kinda time?? Also, bless the creators who share their stories with the world for our entertainment.  Now, I have opinions about marketing sorcery, and I have a lot of respect for how hard that job is. I also have no actual interest in it - as a job or a subject, really… I'm with you, Concerned Ape. You could make a franchise out of Stardew Valley (cozy farming sims are super in right now) but… meh…  Marketing campaigns are often insanely detail-oriented, long-term projects that require a huge team with high-level communication and project management skills - make that several huge teams all working on different pieces of the leviathan that is any hypothetical franchise. Plus, any contracted companies need to be big enough to handle the quantity and consistent quality of manufacturing and/or advertising. There's distribution logistics, too. And before ANY of that can happen, the creative story/script needs to be submitted, edited, and vetted. These stories can take years to plan, more to produce, and the incredible investment cost for all of this really means, in the end, that only companies like Disney with its ridiculously massive capital and a diverse portfolio of creative works under their ownership can hire the sheer number of people with the high-level skills to make any marketing magic for a franchise happen. Even then, there will be mistakes. Small inconsistencies.  So, I don't know, I think it's pretty obvious to me that most successful franchises do have stellar marketing teams already? And if a team gets a new director or something gets messed up… I mean… oh well? They'll learn and grow? Or get fired? Idk. I don't really care. Not my circus. I mostly ignore the “soulless gruel” on offer for entertainment these days. Maybe you're right, Phil, and AI will be able to predict the next big thing, and the soulless gruel will at least have a flavor packet of msg tossed in?    K Sera's after thoughts:  

In this episode Phil suggests that we are all bloopers (and that is OK). Micah and K Sera discuss this and other things. Show notes: Bloopers!   K Sera's after thoughts: So, I'm disappointed that we spent so much time talking about appearance, and that bloopers were conflated as being ‘flaws'. It just kills me a little that appearance ranks so high when assigning value to people and consumables. It does factor in, of course, but I wish it wasn't so heavy of an influence in our lives. I find value in bloopers. Actual blooper reels at the end of a story or episode of something are often entertaining. I love them. Keep them and share them. They are technically mistakes, but someone found them funny or novel and decided to share that with consumers. They aren't actually flaws, but curated failures with value stemming from experience. Life creates bloopers all the time. DNA mutations pop up within species giving useful and highly adaptive traits a chance of being passed down to the next generation. DNA bloopers facilitate evolution. We all come from bloopers. Also, Micah, let people finish their thoughts. ಠ_ಠ

Micah discusses the Supreme Court and the need to reform it. Phil will agree to anything. K Sera discusses the finer points.   Show notes: N/A   K Sera's afterthoughts: My pun at the top of the episode was excellent. Best part of the show imho.   [Insert energetic and passionate thoughts about the main topic here] Oh no. Where did those go?   I did enjoy our later chit chat about the lies Phil tells his children, and Micah simping for Bill Watterson.   The "Genie" I was referring to near the end was this Genie (not her actual name). I took an Anthropology class in college and her tragic story was required reading. She experienced extreme neglect, abuse and isolation. Reader's discretion is advised.

K Sera discusses that some portion of exams should be open. Micah and Phil discuss the corner cases.    Note: Phil is in charge of the release dates of the podcast, and he messed up the order! This is episode 122, it should have released before the Pizza one!   Show notes: N/A   K Sera's after thoughts: My opinions haven't changed. I think memory retention is a skill, of course, but so is researching and organizing data. I think most people in most situations don't need to know a fact or statistic off the cuff. Why can't we have at least some exams that reflect that?    How likely is it that the average person will ever need to recall the exact date Simone Biles won her first gold medal? How many people would need to know the exact chemical structure of olive oil? Sure, some people might need to know these facts, but do they need to have them memorized for a sudden pop quiz from their boss or the public? Probably not. I think it is more likely that they will research and compile the information and then report or use that information as needed.   Micah's example of needing to know history by rote is kind of ridiculous. “You know it or you don't,” he says. Really? History is history. It's a record of things that happened. Unless you are a professor giving a lecture or you are on a trivia game show, it's pretty unlikely you will need to know hyper specific historical facts in the moment. And if you don't know it, go look it up! Cross check with various sources!   Other subjects have higher consequences for mistakes and hard deadlines. It is actually vital for a surgeon to both understand and effectively communicate accurate information in the moment. Memorizing equipment names and knowing human anatomy can be a matter of life and death.   There also might be instances where you will want to have certain information memorized for emergency situations. What to do in an earthquake. Where to take shelter during a tornado vs. a hurricane. Basic survival information might be worth memorizing if you ever find yourself stranded without your phone or an internet connection. So, I stand by my initial premise. It is obvious to me that some exams should be open book/open notes.   Phill's after thoughts: I took my Midterm last week that had "2 pages of printed/handwritten notes" for the exam. I did achieve my minimum target grade (I only need C's to get reimbursed for the schooling from work). Honestly, it was nice not having to remember every single little formula, but I think that it also (for me) served as a crutch, because the exam is timed so it really does "slow things down" if you can't do things by heart. Basically, it's a balance between "how much can you learn things by heart" and "how much can you save time from needless studying/drilling" and I think that cheat sheets serve a good balance, but if there wasn't a cheat sheet available, I'd have devoted way more time in really mastering the problem sets. Basically I got a C (worth 20% of my grade) and I am not too happy but also not too unhappy about it.   I think that the homework, labs, and projects are meant to be the "open-book and cooperative" portion of the learnings. The exam has more of a "performance" flavor to it, where it quizzes on an individual level if they are understanding the fundamental concepts. When we first recorded this episode, I hadn't started my return to college classes yet, and so my hot take on the subject was from almost 20 years ago. Now, after revisiting the academic exams in a more recent timescale, I think exams are meant to be the "bare minimum a person should know on an individual basis per the fundamentals of this subject" and that may require a closed book and timed (with cheat sheets) test. That is assuming that the other parts of the class are really about the "learning of the subject" and not just busy-work/fluff material.   In corporate land, it would be crazy to not look at references, speak with other coworkers, and review the case with readily available data and up-to-date literature. We really do not have anything resembling "closed book exam" at all in a business setting. And I suppose in retrospect that makes sense: businesses are about making money, and if training their workers make them more money, then closed book (and timed) exams may not be a good use of their budget. Then again, some "trainings" are a complete waste of time (mainly just to satisfy some legal requirement, like "do not harass others" sort of thing), and clearly even then management are guilty of not learning from it either.   If anything, I think this shows the great divide between academia, industry, and personal learning. If I wanted to learn how to cook, I would not ever have "closed book exams" as part of my self-learning curriculum. But if I wanted to "work" for others I would have to endure someone else's exam (or silly hoop to jump through).   To me it is obvious that some exams should be "open book/open notes open references" but I think this underscores the weird part about exams in the first place. How much of this stuff is actually going to be retained ten years from now? Is the stuff on the exam even useful to know (or "truly fundamental knowledge of this class") and if the point of the exam is to "test one's knowledge" of the subject, it isn't going to be useful compared to just learning on the job (and working like social beings with others via teamwork) to help the company earn more revenue.   Exams don't really seem to "test" the passion, creativity, drive, motivation, and cooperation elements that are so important to industry. It also doesn't test the ability to "research, make reasonable assumptions on limited data, create defensible positions (or create challenging arguments for others)" that corporations need when shaping strategy and tactics.   The only thing I think exams do (in aggregate) is to simply act as a filter. It separates the candidates from "can complete the rigor of college" versus those that "cannot" as an efficient way of narrowing down the potential interviewees. In that case, to the employer looking for a good potential work force, I do not know if they care about open exams at all, since honestly most of the stuff we learn in college isn't directly applicable to the niche needs of that particular business anyway (this is where on the job training kicks in).   To me, it's obvious that strict exams and pop quizzes are uniquely academic, whereas in the real world these things matter very little. I think this is why people with "C-average" grades often end up doing much better in life (career wise) because the real world doesn't actually care about "how good your memory is" at all. C students know they must work with others to increase their chance of success, and so they work hard in relationships, building coalitions, communicating clearly, and assembling teams to survive. Somehow, this translates to poorer grades in school but these skills (that C students develop through survival) end up being very useful somewhere else that really benefits from "networking, leveraging other's abilities, schmoozing, and working well with humans" but I sarcastically can't quite summon where that place could possibly be.   In conclusion: Examining Exams is Exhausting. Also our politicians are not lizards, they are snakes (obviously)!

In this episode, Micah and K Sera and Phil go off the rails.   Shownotes: N/A   K Sera's after thoughts: On this week's episode, we all wish we were as cool as that one guy Phil witnessed at a parade.    We then proceed to go off the rails. I don't even know where the train is going. Topic? What topic? Who's she? Never heard of her.   Here, Phil, let me Google that 'how to blanket stitch' for you. I hope you finish your blanket. Please show it off when it's done!    

In this episode we discuss foreign justice and the obvious precautions a traveller must take. Or is it obvious? Show notes: N/A   K Sera's after thoughts: My feelings about this haven't really changed much. I still think in general, if you are visiting someone else's home, you do your best to abide by their rules. It gets complicated, however, when moral philosophies conflict. I suppose, for more complicated incidents, it comes down to negotiations. Or a fight. I don't know.   And maybe… maybe there are places I just won't plan to visit. Ever.

Phil talks way too much on his multiple stages of a business proposal. Micah and K Sera asks what the end game is all about.   Show Notes: N/A   K Sera's after thoughts: Once again, I am fascinated (and mildly horrified?) by the different ways we think. I like this real/fake company idea. It is interesting to think we could set up this elaborate scheme to move people out into corporate-land with real experience, postgrad. All with the goal of getting everyone a good job so we can all get on with living a comfortable life. I really don't think this is a new idea, however. In fact, I'm pretty sure this is a very old idea, but it's wearing a mustache and carrying an official “llc” status instead of, say, wearing a mitre and carrying a rosary; or wearing a badge and carrying a government sanctioned weapon; or wearing an American flag lapel pin and voting on government bills. They're really all just weird fraternity-hybrids. They all exist with the idea that forming an in-group will allow its members to collect power in one form or another so their members can more easily achieve their end goal - usually more power/influence. I still like it, though. It's better than letting people continue to flounder in the dumb cycle of: I want a job. But I need experience to get the job. But I need the job to get the experience. So how do I get the experience without the job?? Debt?   The answer is debt. Or just giving up on getting the job.    OR. Sign up with PGE, llc and we'll set you up with everything you need to gain experience to qualify for the job you want. We only ask that you remember us when you are making six figures and help our other members find their dream jobs as well.   … we could make a religion out of this!

K Sera discusses how homes are a fascinating mental reflection of its inhabitants. Micah and Phil proceed to make it into a gameshow.   Show notes: N/A   K Sera's after thoughts: “Cue doots” lmao And, ok, but I also secretly like “psychouse” because it sounds like “psychos” - but that probably wouldn't go over well. It also feels like a different show, like a deep dive into the homes of notorious serial killers? I don't have much else to add except that I would still watch the heck out of this reality game show, and this was a fun episode.    

Micah asks if we should reinstate the Fairness Doctrine. The conversation evolves into creating an entire town to rehab those that have been addicted to extreme partisan news and social media.   Show notes: Fairness Doctrine   K Sera's after thoughts: This was an interesting thought experiment. Unrealistic, but kind of fun to consider how it might work (or not work).     It was also interesting to listen to our different assumptions about what would happen in this experimental rehab town. (Which sounds more like a concentration camp the more I reflect on this episode, but let's pretend we are able to provide truly comfortable if modest dwellings for these fictional people who are definitely volunteering for this experience.)    Our perspectives and judgements about humanity as a whole was a brief look into our own psychology. For example, in this experimental town, I suggested that no music or books from the world outside be allowed. The folks in the town could create their own works, potentially, but no influences from outside the bubble, and nothing written down on paper or in permanence. This reflects how I view present and past media and pop-culture, and how strongly I believe these things are reflected in human behavior, including my own. It also reflects that I value creativity and believe that creative pursuits can heal a mind. Lastly, it reflects my views on permanence. I am not someone that highly values legacy or immortality in the memory of human existence.   This was fairly divergent from both Phil's and Micah's contributions on how this town could exist. I think both Phil and Micah value legacy and historical precedents more than I do. Not to say I think these things are unimportant. I do believe history is important and we should absolutely remember and learn from our mistakes. But in a town designed as an isolated rehab from political media radicalization, I think the absence of these pop-culture reminders of the world outside would do better to heal and separate a radicalized mind from triggering thoughts.   While I believe it is sometimes good to reflect on the past, clinging desperately to past hurts and refusing to let go will only stand in the way of healing.   All that said, I think listening to this thought experiment was more enlightening about the three of us as people rather than anything meaningful about how to correct radical indoctrination.     Phil's after thoughts (in response to K Sera's): I would like to elaborate my point a little bit more (and by the way, i did the majority of the talking in this episode and the fact that I need EVEN MORE TIME to discuss is a bit "extra" of me (facepalm)).   First, I love your take on the thought-exercise. I didn't realize that by removing existing books and music that the volunteers will have to develop and create their own culture. I like this viewpoint because (in my belief) the reason why we have so many problems is because the philosophy that is inserted (via social media and traditional news) is toxic AND ingrained in their past mindset. For the residents of this fictional town, the incentive to create their own works of culture may be the effort needed to break from the old mentality.   As for Micah's view, I think he is drawing from his collegiate education and his experiences from living in a very small town. To him, I can see how the culture will start to become tribal very quickly (and perhaps suffocatingly so). The future in this simulation would be very dark if his predictions were to come true, and I do believe that he has more of a balance in this thinking (both academically and personally) to reach this conclusion. The authoritarianism makes me very uncomfortable, even in the premise of a town-size premise of a rehab center.   My thinking: I realize just how flawed my thinking is now after reading your afterthoughts and understanding the premise of this question. For example, originally I was thinking how cool would it be to spend all this time doing arts and crafts and hobbies. Now, in order to do those things, I expect that a fully functioning library (with an interloan system) will be required. There will need to be a limit on "no new entries" for books (during Test Town) but in order to make new things, we need to look at the current wealth of knowledge. And, in pursuit of creation, note-taking is needed for me. I would love to make a crude calculator, for example (by using and-not-or gates) but without the ability to document and write things down, this would be incredibly hard. My desire to introduce books/music/technology is because without these, it severely hampers the future of learning new hobbies (and in some ways, the potential for innovating on those new hobbies). I want these things not just because of a desire to respect old traditions, but to gain the collective technical knowledge of generations before us.    And so here is my flawed thinking: I realized that it is near impossible to have both. Where does one draw the line between "learning and growth" and "banned books" for example? Florida and Texas are currently leading in book banning for supposedly "keeping our children safe" (much like our premise of detoxification; just obviously completely and transparently wrong as the politicians are using it to suppress the public's knowledge of the US history sordid past). Having a government CENSOR knowledge (or inflammatory points of view) is an age old question. I have not reached the widom level to unravel this at the current moment in my life. I may never will.   Finally, I like to think all of our assumptions are correct. It is very possible that running this experiment will yield very different results every time due to the nature of the chaotic systems involved. Originally I kept saying that people will mellow out once they are removed from the stresses of late bills and struggling to pay their rents and debts. The people of Test Town would still have employment and a basic economy (perhaps producing a chief superior good that is needed for the U.S Government); but that their new found free time would be used to pursue arts, crafts, education, and hobbies.   I think after some time of reflection (and a year later after we recorded this episode) that the results will be greatly varied every time the Test is run because people are not rational. I like to think that all our assumptions would be fairly true given how many times the experiment is run. I also (crudely) think that this experiment has been run since the beginning of the first humans; and that this explains how different originally isolated cultures and traditions have spawned to this day.   One other thing before I sign off: while wealth creation is a net-positive game; the same cannot be said about status and power. If humans are a bunch of jerks, the problem with rehab isn't that the toxins are from social media (or hyperbolic news in general), but because the problem is us. We are the problem. Humans are the problem. Humans are the toxins! I think deep down inside our monkey brains know this. And that is why we flock to lizards to save us all.

Phil asks if gyms are unhealthy. K Sera dislikes gyms. Micah discusses the gym of life (mixed zoning laws, civil engineering, the detriment of suburbs, and more). Note: This episode was originally recorded in the Summer of 2022, one year prior to the publishing.   Show Notes: N/A   K Sera's after thoughts: Welp.   Yeah, gyms are not for me. I'd rather be outside. Or just sitting. For me, exercise for the sake of exercising just doesn't give me that rush of dopamine. I love going for walks and being out in nature (so long as the flies and bees stay the heck away).   I do think gyms have the potential to be sacred spaces. For the folks who want a dedicated and safe place to go to move and strengthen their body, a gym can be great. You pay for access to special equipment to use for whatever strengthening goals you may have. So long as everyone is polite, sanitary and they pick up after themselves, gyms are awesome. There is a lot of potential for active community activities and forming health-focused social groups.   Most of my experiences with gyms have been of boredom and disgust, however. I don't personally like being around a bunch of sweaty people. I don't like the smell. I don't like being stuck inside, moving my body on a stationary piece of equipment with unchanging scenery. I definitely don't want to pay membership dollars for any of that, either. But that's me. I don't have to like it. These spaces are not built for me. Gyms are for the people who want to use them ... and can pay to use them. (Let's not forget capitalism!)   I also just really dislike the obsession people have about weight loss. If exercising brings you joy, do it. If you are doing it to justify eating brownies and ice cream, or because you think you're supposed to, or because someone else thinks you need to "be healthy" - whatever the fuck that means - then maybe have another think about the why of it. There is this constant conversation about weight and health that I'm just... kind of tired of having. I don't care if I'm thin. I don't care if you are either. Granted, I'm also not trying to attract a partner, either, so maybe my lizard-self is creeping in again.    There's so much unsaid meanness and shame surrounding the conversation of diet and exercise. It's obsessive and mentally unhealthy. It's frustrating to listen to people I know talk about how little they ate that day, or how their clothes aren't fitting right, or how embarrassed they are to not be a supermodel. It's okay to want to look nice. It's normal to want others to look at you with admiration or appreciation. It's also normal to want to be able to move easily and be strong enough to take care of yourself and house chores and whatever activities might require some physical exertion. I think if you are balanced and the choices you are making aren't coming from a place of shame, you are on a positive path.   Anyway, gyms. Can't do it. Not today.           Phil's after thoughts: Since starting my new job I have access to a free gym. Because of the "work-remote policy" this gym is rarely busy and most of the time much of the exercise equipment is freely available. There are times where it is busy and people do not wipe their equipment, but I do my best to make sure that everything is clean around me (before and after I use it). The nice part is that while the gym itself isn't super fancy or anything, it has all the stuff needed to stretch, warm up muscles, and do light cardio workouts. It also has showers, towels, and lockers; and for some reason it is not busy (I bring shower slippers) and each shower has their own individual door that offers a lot more privacy (and spacious enough to change in/out of in the shower stall).   I have come to realize that I only go to this gym because I have two options: either stay at work and do more work OR for an hour I can combine all my breaks and workout for 1 hour right in the middle of my shift. Honestly, I feel like this is equivalent to some strange "tobacco smoke break" but instead of contaminating my lungs with fumes, I am inhaling air from other people who are working out. Also, this facility (worksite) highly discourages people from coming in sick (the culture has definitely shifted on this, before if you didn't come in sick, you were considered not a team-player. Now it is extremely rude to come in sick). Also the production shift people (who may not have the luxury to work from home) aren't using the gym hours as the support staff do, typically because they cannot combine their breaks together (the perks of an office worker).   So why am I mentioning this? Because given the alternative of staring at a screen and doing more work, I can actually go move around and do something physical. And in this case, gyms are healthier for me. I still don't like the idea of going to the gym after work or late night hours, but at least in this case it isn't so bad. I still agree with you (and Micah) that gyms are gross and that the motivation behind working out is usually coming from an obsessive and mentally unhealthy space. And, the better alternative is to enjoy nature for a nice long walk (which my campus is next to a nice green park), so that is also an option (although not this summer since most of the time it is either too hot or too polluted with wildfire smoke).   So my conclusions that GYMS are still unhealthy remain valid with some caveats: people go to the gyms for the wrong reasons. It is mentally unhealthy compared to enjoying green space alternatives. It is also mentally unhealthy because of the motivations and desires of "being fit" for no other purpose of social pressures and compounding shame. Being healthy also includes being brain-healthy, and people that are obsessed are not exercising (ironically) moderation. In my belief, people need to reduce pain and suffering, and that includes ensuring that our brain, body (and apparently luxury bones like teeth) are in good condition, or at least maintained often).   Long story short: Gyms can be very bad for many strong reasons. But in some situations, it is better than the alternative. Just like a Big Mac.

Micah asks if having an "abstain/present" vote should be removed as an option. K Sera and Phil ponder the questions while also doing their very best not to get side tracked into other conversations. Note: this episode was originally recorded last year (from publication) in mid Summer of 2022. Things have changed, obviously.   Show notes: N/A   K Sera's after thoughts: In our podcast pasture, the sheep dog has adhd!   One correction: Talisker isn't the ‘only' distillery on the isle of skye, but it is the oldest! My 18-year is still in my booze closet, and I think I'll have a sip or two tonight for some reminiscence.   Now, abstaining on a vote, I think, is definitely a government official passing the buck, but I think there are things that the government doesn't actually need to rule on. Some things are moot. Some things are not worth enshrining in law. Some things don't need to be decided immediately, especially if more information and fact finding is necessary. Abstaining from a vote should be allowed.   I do think it is frustrating, however, and I would agree that it isn't a great look for our representatives showing up consistently to not work or make decisions on the things we elected them to decide on. If you choose to abstain, maybe you could make it annoying for the abstainer by requiring an explanation, similar to the way a Supreme Court judge writes dissenting opinions? I don't know.       Phil's after thoughts Our poor sheep dog is either exhausted from chasing our errant thoughts or has given up on life and found a bottle of scotch. Rest well, Sheepy.   When I re-listen to this episode I think of the classic line from an old satire movie Dr Strangelove where someone shouts "There is no fighting in the War Room!"   Playing the "PRESENT" or "ABSTAIN" vote is 100% politics. It is playing politics IN POLITICS at PEAK POLITICS. About a year later after the initial recording of this episode, Krysten Sinema ended up leaving the Democratic Party and becoming an independent. She shrewdly played her hand and now the Democratic party must face a difficult election: either they attempt to present a Democratic challenger (where Kyrsten Sinema will inevitably split the vote and have a Republican candidate enter the Senate) or support Krysten Sinema in Arizona in order to reduce the GOP voting power in government. Either way, her "ABSTAIN" and "PRESENT" votes were signals to Senate leadership AND to her voters (as many of AZ politics plays center/independent compared to the rest of the nation). Long story short: she is playing politics. The sad thing is that they had better primary candidates for the Democratic party when she was ultimately elected, and if they would have went with ANY OF THEM they would have avoided this whole mess. But that is what politics are, and unfortunately it will be a sad day when major life-saving laws "could have been enacted" but weren't because she wanted more power and sway.   The only way to mitigate this is to increase the voter motivation to actually care what is going on in their local and federal elections (and who is just playing for power, and who is actually representing Americans). I think we have gotten there in Minnesota at least, and it is my hope that other states realize that passing laws that only protect the rich while also binding the rest of us is no longer "good politics" anymore.   A human can dream, after all. 

K Sera discusses about subscriptions, access to digital multimedia, ownership versus license, generational differences, and the wider trends that will shape our future. Micah adds the capitalism perspective and how our current economic systems are accelerating the demise of the middle class. Phil goes a bit overboard with subscription lightbulbs.   Shownotes: N/A   K Sera's afterthoughts: Subscription Hell is an apt title.   Since recording this episode, I have continued to turn this subject over in my mind.   Maybe this speaks to my economic class (and the economic class of people I spend time with), but I notice a lot of fast fashion, fast furniture, and fast meals. The clothing we buy is low quality and flimsy, but also stylish and easy to mass produce - a LOT of clothing ends up in landfills. Fast furniture has some truly beneficial qualities for the consumer who moves a lot or wants something functional, trendy, and easy to replace when they decide to change up their decor. Being made of inexpensive, light material makes these pieces super convenient for the individual consumer, but again, these pieces don't last and also end up in landfills in higher numbers and more frequently than quality pieces. They are much easier to damage and they can't really be repaired in the same way a higher quality piece can - or, the cost to repair it is actually more than just tossing it and buying a new one to replace it. The magnitude of waste is really upsetting.   Fast food could probably have its own topic. Why would you ever bother learn to cook or even care about quality nutrition when you can save time and effort by just picking up take out? Why would you make and bring a home-cooked lunch to work when you can just buy microwavable box-dinners that can be ready in less than 3 minutes? The problem is that those foods are full of so much sodium and preservatives and who knows what else, which will have long term health impacts that will eventually catch up with you. BUT THAT'S FUTURE ME'S PROBLEM. Also, health care? Who's she? Have we met?   I guess, my hope for the future is that we can find a balance between convenience, quality, and the long term health and environmental impacts. I hope that we continue to work towards more sustainable consumption, which, in a way, digital access to entertainment is a significant contribution. You don't throw your library containing thousands of digital books, music and movies into a landfill, after all. So, that's good. But that brings us back to the issue at hand: subscription hell.   Dividing our paychecks into half a dozen subscriptions or more on top of other bills, which are, also basically monthly subscriptions if you think about it... Where the hell is the pie slice for our savings? How the hell are we ever going to build wealth or equity if we're trapped in a cycle of endless subscriptions bleeding us slowly from a thousand cuts?   This forces a consumer with a limited pool of resources to prioritize and cut out the excess. The problem is, for a lot of people, there isn't a lot of fat left to trim, and some of the "fat we can trim" might be extremely important in other interpersonal or emotional ways that make that choice a lot harder. Entertainment might sound like a luxury or a frill, but I'd argue that a healthy mind requires at least some enrichment.    And with that, I think I need some enrichment in the form of solving shrine puzzles in Zelda: totk for an hour or so.     Phil's after thoughts: I am, right now as I type, cancelling my Comcast internet service. This is how much this episode enraged me. Comcast decided, on their own, to just double the internet price for reasons. There is no speed improvement, or data quality or higher consistency or anything that actually makes it worth double the price, it is just simply: you pay us more now.   I would argue that the internet is not a luxury item, but that is beside the point. The truth is every company wants to be Comcast, and heaven forbid they start making everything that is necessary to sustain oneself as a subscription service. Perhaps it already is (depending on how we stretch the definition of Subscription).   So the silver lining (or positivity spin): we are training the next generation to be more aware of purchasing quality things. I had some "generation training" just yesterday about how Millennials and Gen-Z behave (stereotypically) differently compared to Baby Boomers (and Gen-X for that matter) when it comes to how we treat our health and work-life balance. Corporations realize that the younger white-collar workers will not be treated as wage-slaves and refuse to work 50+ hours a week for a job that shows no loyalty back. The fact that the younger generation is more health conscious is primarily due to the fact that they are being priced out of healthcare, so they have to "mitigate the risk" as much as they can (rather than eat the copious amounts of fast food the previous generation indulged in). I see this behavior of not eating the right foods or drinking in a healthy way in my parent's generation. More young people, for example, drink far less compared to their older colleagues.   Basically, because we are living in a two-speed economic system, the middle class is literally "showing, not telling" their children that we accept hand-me-downs as not as an embarrassing thing, but more of a shrewd and savvy thing. Parents are really "subscribing" (ironically) to the "buy-nothing culture" (on Facebook, of all places) to prevent things from piling into landfills. The children (from my vantage point) ask where these things come from, and they are tacitly understanding that the "Re-USE" part of "Reduce, Re-use, Recycle" part is important too.   Fast Fashion is of course the complete mirror opposite to the younger generation (with social media pushing out fashion tips at a rate faster than ever before), so it is not all good news here. But I do believe we are in the beginnings of a recycle renaissance because of the sheer necessity to just simply survive.   More people are cutting CABLE TV out of their lives, to the point where even FOX NEWS is concerned. It is only a matter of time before "going to the library to check out the DVD box sets" will replace Netflix, HBO, Disney Plus, and others. If not, the "VHS tips/tricks" of the 90's will come back, but this time with private servers, 1080/4k televisions, and networked intranet hard drives.   Oh, and the fact that "depression era recipes" like "how to cook 10 tasty dishes with rice and beans" is making a comeback means we are just speed running the 1920's, but at the same time it is going back to the roots of cooking healthier and basic proteins/carbohydrates too. Except this time we have far more convenient pressure cookers and other gadgets (which are sadly all too affordable due to where they are manufactured, but I digress) that help ease the cooking process.   And as far as entertainment goes, I find myself borrowing/lending more often. I am going to ask my old Mentor to see if he is willing to lend me a skateboard (his son is a trainer/coach/instructor). Why pick up skateboarding? Because that is what middle-age fathers do! But on a serious note, I believe that entertainment will be going back to its roots as well; which of course center around more primitive luxuries (like going to a friend's house to watch the latest sportsball). What I am trying to say is people will find a way to entertain themselves despite the massive downside/dopamine-reduction.   So as cheerful and as positive as I try to make this out to be, I feel that it is our duty as Americans to be as spiteful as possible, salut with our center finger, and relish in the great satisfaction that subscription services will die as they attempt to strangle the last of our pennies from our overtapped wallets. If the only logical choice is to trim the fat, Americans will always find new sources of free fat.   P.S. As for our digital access (not belongings, since the digital files DO NOT BELONG TO US), in the podcast it was already discussed on how to "preserve them" outside the reach of the internet. Just as farmers are hacking their John Deere Trackers to repair them (which was finally put through the courts, and the legal system admonished corporate sleaziness of locking their systems), we Americans can be very crafty in getting what we want. And if they make it difficult, the "Free Market" will have a "Grey Market" competitor. If they make it illegal, well we have a darker shade of grey for that unfortunately.    

Phil asks if the library system is "too good for us" while Micah and K Sera take the conversation in strange and wonderful places. Well, perhaps not wonderful but certainly strange.   Show Notes: N/A   After thoughts: N/A

Micah discusses how a better way to make international policies is to leverage the olympic athletes while incentivizing nations and gold medalists to shape the world for a better future. K Sera disagrees. Phil rants about the Supreme Court, again.   Show notes: N/A   K Sera's afterthoughts: My thoughts on this have changed a tiny bit. Mostly, I still don't personally care much about sports. I have no stake in these competitions. As for Micah's initial concept: still a firm and resounding absolutely not. Governing decisions shouldn't rely on “might makes right.”    For gender segregated competitions, we will definitely need to work this out with time and care, but I did have an idea that might be worth a try. Maybe we have 4 (or 5) categories for physical competitions? Particularly when there are cash prizes, scholarships, sponsorships or national recognition involved. Could we try having separate categories for bio men, bio women, trans men, and trans women? And make the cash prizes a percentage proportion of people participating in the categories? I'm sure there are flaws in this thinking, but it is a thought I've had. Possibly there could be a non-bianary/any person category, but the difficulty still lies with the fact we are a dimorphic species. Biological men still have a natural advantage when it comes to physical, strength-reliant competitions. Once people hit puberty, naturally produced hormones accelerate the athletic power gap. To keep up, a young girl could take hormones, but there are side effects other than strength gain that she may decide are not worth it to compete on the same level as boys her age. A trans woman (generalizing here) will more likely begin hormone treatments after puberty, because that's when people start to figure out who they are as people, and when they have the actual means to realize any changes they want to make. Timing, socioeconomic and physiological factors can really skew the baseline fairness when applied to any competition, but this is especially exacerbated in physical competitions.   If we aren't careful, the messages we will send to many women will either be “you aren't a real woman” or, “what is the point of competing at all if the odds are stacked against you from the beginning and you have to take hormones to even have a chance of winning a competition?” Why compete at all when the message is either of those?   If prize money, sponsorships and athletic scholarships weren't involved, I'd say it's no big deal, it's just people putting their skills and strength to the test. But these prizes and sponsorships do exist, they are another factor that complicates things.   Really, I don't have an answer that can wrap this up neat and tidy, but I suppose I can say with some confidence: Micah's idea was too absurd to consider.   Phil's afterthoughts: On the topic of the Olympic Athletes having a greater say of policy making: is it better than the status quo? Last year (when we recorded this on April Fools of 2022) I was so pessimistic about politics, governance, and the state of our democracy. It really felt that Special Interests dominated the seats of power and that the voice of the average American person is not just drowned out, but flat out non-existent. Fast forward to today and now cannabis will be legal in a couple of days, school lunch will be free for everyone in Minnesota, college tuition for Minnesota Residence (for those making less than 70k a year) will start in 2024, and abortion access for women is secured for the foreseeable future (in fact, we are now a state that attracts our neighboring states to come here). Of course there are other good progressive things happening here in our state too, but I am surprised how many amazing new laws are happening here in such a short time frame. So, long story short: my faith in our regional politics have been restored.   As for trans-rights and sports... I am too ignorant (still, even after more than a year after this conversation) to provide any meaningful discussion on this case. I think that the idea of having separate categories may be inevitable, especially if scholarship and business are mixed into sports (which of course almost always is). Basically, for a sport to be fun to watch, doesn't it need to have uncertainty? Otherwise who will want to watch baseball if the Yankees win every world championship until the end of time. If transgender athletes somehow make the game "boring" then the advertising/business will become unsustainable. If the conclusion of a match is already apparent before it started, it's not a sport: it is a process. And watching a process may not be as lucrative to fund scholarships, endorsements, and other big business operations. At the same time, I agree that sadly having a separate category for "other women" and "other men" isn't exactly a good message to send to the marginalized community that they belong with us, but please go play over there away from us. I don't have an answer for this either.   On my rant on the Supreme Court: I still have very strong feelings about this but that is for another day.

Phil discusses a major requirement of being a Suburban Princess. Micah and K Sera derail the subject almost immediately.   Show notes: N/A   K Sera's after thoughts: Sorry! This topic fell completely off the rails like... immediately, and it just kept tumbling down into the ditch in a fiery explosion of off-topic nonsense. I feel like we should really revisit some of the topics that didn't get a focused discussion. That, and sometimes our thoughts and understanding about these things evolve. Hence the afterthoughts, I suppose.   (Also, iio, we need to listen to Phil more and stop interrupting him? Yes. Yes we do.)   Visiting Disney World is a good checkbox to include on this arbitrary list that marks a person as a "Suburban Princess" but there are other items that should be included. Like maybe your high school graduating class being larger than 500 students? Or having grown up with more than 1 TV in the household? It's not a super well defined group to lump people into, really, now that I think about it. What else would be a good marker? Growing up at least 15 minutes away, but no more than 1 hour away, from the nearest international airport? I kinda like that one.   Also, Micah may rudely laugh at my driving, but he's passing judgement when he really ought not to be throwing stones. I'm not a bad driver. My record is excellent. (So go kick rocks, Micah!)   I still stand by my statement that you do not need to experience something to know that something isn't for you. For many people, first-hand experience is necessary and helpful in their journeys of self-discovery. I do not think this is true for all people, though, and certainly not for all experiences.

K Sera discusses the future of eating meat. Micah discusses the future of protein. Phil is sad about forced Russian conscription on the ongoing war.   Note: This episode was originally recorded in the Summer of 2022. Things have obviously changed. Unfortunately OTHER things have not (such as the war in Ukraine). Phil is also sad about the deaths of Ukrainian soldiers and civilians, and wishes for a free and independent Ukraine as soon as possible.   Show notes: N/A

This episode talks about abortion, hypothetical terrible situations, and our absolute disgust in the supreme court decision to reverse Roe vs Wade. Originally recorded in the summer of 2022, this "time capsule" of a podcast is a snapshot in time of how we felt back when the news first dropped.   Sadly, our feelings on the subject remain much the same.   Show notes: N/A   K Sera's afterthoughts: I don't have much to say except that all people should have access to healthcare, and that, to me, includes access to abortion. Women's health is a minefield of social bullshit that people will pick at and dissect ad nauseum, looking for reasons, exceptions, exemptions, justifications, and outside interests - as if a woman can't be trusted to make a decision for herself.   Being a woman is often not being listened to, not being believed, being told that their pain isn't real or that their “primal purpose” is to have children. It is learning that your value as a person is directly related to your perceived attractiveness or how many children you have.   If you are a woman, you are a “failure” if you aren't married with children by age 30. If you wear an arbitrary size 10 or larger, you are “ugly” and “unhealthy” and it is somehow also your fault. It is “normal” to starve yourself or exercise for hours to “make up” for eating.    We are kidding ourselves if we think we value and view women as socially equal to men. At best, women are treated like something between human and livestock. It's been a little over a 100 years since women could vote. It has been just under 50 years since women (married or not) could open a credit or checking account that they have sole control over.    Women are going to be fighting for a long damn time to taken seriously and to have our choices respected. And in the meantime, I expect a lot of women are going to suffer and die because there are still too many people who refuse to see woman as fully human - as people deserving the same respect and rights as men.   Phil's afterthoughts: I am sad and angry about this whole thing. A year has passed and the fact that women have either suffered horridly, died, and/or both because of this Supreme Court decision has me enraged. I am also sad because since recording, things have only gotten worse.   I hope for things to get better, but I fail to see any evidence to support wishful thinking. At some point I wonder how many more civil liberties will be stripped before the obvious question becomes the main question: "do I leave this country for the sake of my family?" I am saddened and disappointed in this country.

Phil asks about conversations. Micah discusses the art of winning a conversation. K Sera likes conversations, to a point.   Show Notes: N/A

Micah brings up an obvious need for gun control, K Sera develops a great marketing slogan, and Phil talks about controlling a gun   Show notes: N/A   K Sera's after thoughts: The truth is humans are a dimorphic species. There is a general, observable physical difference between biological men and biological women. Testosterone plays a major role in size and strength of the human body. Biological men naturally produce higher levels of this hormone beginning in puberty. Women can put 10x the amount of effort into strength training and self-defense, but the reality is, if you put the average woman up against the average man in a test of strength, the man is almost always going to win. Even if they are of a similar height and weight. Any self-defense instructor worth their salt will tell you that if you are smaller/weaker, the best strategy is to run away. Period.   Having a gun in certain circumstances is a good equalizer when strength is uneven, but not every circumstance is a good one for a gun. As soon as you bring a gun into a situation, it escalates and heightens the mutual danger of everyone in the vicinity. Without training or the mental preparedness to take a life (potentially of someone you love), you are more likely to see that gun turned on you.   I actually really like the idea of a gun that is only fireable by the owner or whoever is in possession of the “key” mechanism that permits it to fire. Maybe we should be treating firearms more like cars. The government could create a licensing and education program where gun owners who wish to operate a firearm must pass a written exam and have a certain number of supervised hours of training with a licensed training instructor (similar to driver's ed) in order to apply for and obtain a license and purchase firearms. Better yet, with an operational key designated to that weapon that is not easily removed from one's person. Just a thought. Obviously, there's a lot of loopholes with this idea. It's not perfect. There will always be people who will break the law or circumvent security measures. A locked door won't prevent a determined thief, but it tends to deter the lazier or heat-of-the-moment opportunists.   Anyway, there was a lot going on in this chat. I'm not even sure I can cover all of the tracks our trains derailed on. I will say, the company or campaign slogan “Y No Guns” is genius, even though it will never work in this country. But really, someone should steal some of our million dollar ideas and make them a reality. Someone with more energy and capital, that is.

K Sera discusses the need for better clothing options for professionals. Micah discusses first impressions. Phil realizes that in a world "make believe" he would still be a sad engineer.   Shownotes: JNCO: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/JNCO   K Sera's after thoughts: This didn't come up in the episode, but as I was listening to our conversation, Steve Jobs came to mind. He was certainly a trend setter in the business and tech world, but I wanted to point out that he also set trends for business fashion, wearing black mock turtlenecks, Levi's and New Balance sneakers. This was a little too casual, maybe, but I think dressier blue jeans or dress pants would look more professional, along with simpler, well made dress shoes - that would be my suggestions for improvement. It's unisex, simple and clean, which I think works well for a business setting. You can swap out the jeans for a modest skirt, or design a dress with a similar look and pair it with leggings or tights. More thoughts: will this wardrobe have the ability to look professional on all body types? Can you make changes to the design for different climates, keeping the same overall aesthetic, but adapting it to season and temperature? The biggest takeaway for this episode is that I think the professional aesthetic relies mostly on neatness and cleanliness with a nod to modesty. Minimalistic and well made. There's room for boldness, but subtlety and presence are at the heart of professionalism. I think the full on business suit is ridiculous and should go away. No more heavy blazers, no more pencil skirts, no more ties. High heels are the worst. I don't care if you think it makes your calves look amazing, they're terrible for your feet. Be kinder to your body! All this to say -  ties are vestigial bibs, change my mind.   Phil's after thoughts: - Do clothes "maketh the man" (to borrow a quote from Kingsman)? -Also, fashion is something that I currently struggle with understanding. 

Micah discusses sports. K Sera has insightful thoughts on this subject. Phil can only talk about football because that's all he knows, and he doesn't know much about it.   Show notes: n/a   After thoughts: N/A

Phil asks about "sell by dates" and the validity of those dates. Micah and K Sera have different thoughts.   Show notes: N/A   After thoughts: N/A

In this episode Phil discusses the obvious that people should not talk while pooping. Micah disagrees. K Sera brings up the infamous poop knife story.   Shownotes: N/A   After thoughts: N/A  

K Sera discusses the ANTI-WORK. Micah discusses capitalism. And as the time of this recording, Phil is still using his spite as both motivation to work.   Shownotes: N/A   K Sera's after thoughts: I feel two ways (as I often do) about anti-work/anti-ambition. One way is that, yes, of course people need to work for society to function, and we “like” society because it makes us safer (or makes us feel safer?) and there is this sense (indoctrination? philosophy?) that if people want to reap the benefits of society, they need to pull their own weight and put in a “fair share” of work towards society's upkeep. This isn't wrong necessarily - or hasn't been wrong - but let's put a pin in that for a moment.   The other way I feel aligns a bit closer to what other philosophers describe in their criticism of the work ethic. We are expected to ‘work for our bread' for the ‘right to live a decent life,' which can be both sad and discouraging. I live in a very privileged position. I've never been so desperate for basic needs that I would go to creative and terrible lengths to obtain them. I have a hard time understanding the reality of having to survive on little to nothing. But I can imagine it to a point. I have an idea of what that could be, which gives me enough of an incentive to continue to grind away at a job, to make money, to live comfortably - oh joy.    So let me grab that pin back now. There are a lot of jobs that few people will ever find fulfilling, and yet they “need to be done” so we can keep living comfortable and convenient lives. So we convince people to sell their time and effort to do these things for capital to purchase goods that provide (a sense of?) fulfillment as an incentive.    But what if we design machines to replace the dangerous and undesirable jobs? Not a lot of people actually want to work in retail or fast-food. People die doing things like fishing and logging. So, let's imagine that we replace those jobs with robots, or design a safe and sustainable system to produce and manage resources. Ok, I like this idea. You still need to maintain these machines and facilities. Human labor will need to be a factor at some level. So now what? Those undesirable jobs are suddenly gone. What work can those people who would have filled those positions do? Do they need to work? Will the ‘cost' to manufacture goods go down at all because the robot workers don't need to be paid? They still need to be maintained, but they don't need rest or food, they don't need healthcare benefits or a vehicle or a house to live in separate from the worksite. So, if the cost of manufacturing goes down, will the cost of goods go down? Will people who can't find an open job be able to afford the cost to live comfortably? Or will we need a UBI to keep the people who can't or won't work alive and safe and comfortable enough to not rise up and riot or steal just to survive? A person's sense of ‘fairness' is really tested here. (But life has never been fair.)   What if we take ‘cost' out of the equation?   Everything about the way our society functions reinforces the message that human lives are cheap. Individuals are only worth as much as they can add to the collective. You need some way to ‘prove' your worth to the collective. Right now that's money, but what if there was something a bit different? Something money adjacent? Now we are getting into creepy social credit territory. Nothing could possibly go wrong with recorded social credit, right? No one would ever cheat the system to establish power and control of the population for their own gain.    So… iio, humanity sucks and that's why our lives are cheap and why we will forever be wage slaves. The end.  Keep striving for that magical unicorn occupation that fulfills all the ‘ikigai' quadrants! And, if you can't manage that, well, find something you can tolerate that will pay the bills and give you enough time to rest and find fulfillment in recreation. Status quo for the… win… yeah.     Phil's after thoughts: This is what I would call a “timeless episode” because our views remain unchanged even after a year. I will argue that our views will not change even after a decade. I suspect it is because we are running into a foundational issue, albeit from a different angle, that the universal truth is that humans do indeed suck. Yet we humans are very resilient and versatile when no other choice presents itself. And so, with these two contrasting truths, I have no idea what to make of our situation. For example, I keep thinking about this question (after listening to the episode): While we suffer a decline in our quality of life, there are places where the promise of the social contract is at least recognized (e.g. Nordic nations). The idea of “work hard and you will be rewarded” is laughably naïve here in the States, but perhaps in other societies this still holds true. My inquiry is the following: for those that are a developed country that also have an upward trend in their quality of life, do they also harbor ill resentment of the status-quo system? Do they subscribe to the anti-work/anti-ambition mindset? Do they see the same universal truth that humans do indeed suck? Or are they happy with their social contract? While we keep moving up the technology ladder and upgrading from brutish machines to smart AI servo-motored robotics, we (as a nation) seem incapable of addressing the political and human issues. We Min-Maxed on Technology while leaving Wisdom at absolute zero. To borrow another analogy: we missed leg day for far too long. This combination of advancement in human labor replacement while also removing social safety nets and/or neglecting retraining  will not bode well for our immediate future, and it may prove to be nightmarish for the next generation if we continue to remain on autopilot. And I think this conclusion (in its own right) means that the second universal truth is that while money is fiction, power is most definitely not. And in many ways, individuals being deemed viewed as worthy via “productivity” is a cross-product from the current vectors of Money and Time. To answer your question about what else could be money-adjacent, I believe that Power is the closest corollary. And honestly that is much more disturbing in my humble opinion. As far as teaching my children what to do about our dystopian society, the answer is the same as what Japan has discovered decades ago: compete to win and try not to be a god damn psychopath.

In this episode, Micah discusses the idea of having full transparency (of the audio kind) for our elected officials. K Sera is against, Micah is for it, and Phil talks about mustard and tan suits.   Shownotes: N/A   K Sera's afterthoughts: On the one hand, no. On the other hand, really no.  That said… I kinda get where Micah is coming from with this topic? The more stories I hear about unsecured classified documents being discovered in elected officials' private residences, the less and less faith I have in them. The, “Oh, whoops, are those MY classified documents just chillin' on my kitchen counter?” isn't inspiring trust. I don't really care about what politicians do in their ‘off hours' - except, well, seems like I really should. What are ethics? Never heard of her? My feelings about and experience with no one wanting or willing to serve in a position of stewardship hasn't changed. It's incredibly hard to get people involved in social necessities when there's really no incentive. And the incentives are another problem… but I'm not going to digress down that rabbit hole right now. The sad fact is, there are just not enough good people with hardline ethics, flexible thinking, and who are intrinsically motivated to work for society's betterment. I don't blame them. It's thankless work for the most part. When everything is running smoothly, no one notices the effort.  I'm so tired of being outraged all the time. I'm tired of getting angry at things I have no intention of putting a foot forward to fix. This isn't a good place to be. Frankly, I don't need perfection out of my social leaders. But ideally, they should be a cut above in moral ethics and intelligence. Is that really so much to ask? Probably.  People are kind of terrible.   Phil's after thoughts: -At this point this would only hurt Democrats. From my experience living on this planet for almost 40 years, it is astounding just how little the voters hold the GOP accountable for anything. Perhaps I am old fashioned, but back in my day when our politicians at least pretended they care. Now, it seems that even when they are caught 100% doing terrible "against the law" things, they don't even have the common decency to deny it. Maybe someday we can go back to a world where republican politicians will respect the American people enough to lie to our face. Sadly now we just need to subside with their new version of deflection, which is as unpalatable as it is honest: "we don't care you caught us lying, and evidently  neither do you." -The strangest part about this is how paradoxical our situation is. WE LIVE off outrage-entertainment now (anger-based news is all the "rage" so to speak) but at the same time we have tons of firearms and weapons at our literal disposal. This is a very bad idea. For them and for us.

K Sera states that watching movies at home is better than going to the theater. Micah discusses the finer technical aspects that only movie theater offers. Phill discusses a completely different topic all together about dating.   Show notes: N/A   Should have named this episode Phil's dating advice 101.  What happened to my home movies? Also, Micah really likes the movie theater experience. I still can't figure out why? But there's a lot of things other people do and enjoy that I … really don't. So!  Maybe I should become a Buddhist monk? Just reject these earthly attachments and hermit myself away? Yeah. Except I have plenty of earthly attachments. Curses! It will never work. I love cheese way too much!  Pro tip: don't assume everyone likes the same things you like! Even if you can't really understand what kind of heathen doesn't like cheese? I mean, cheese is so good? Why wouldn't you have cheese with every meal? Still, it's okay if you don't like cheese. More for me!   Phil's after thought: This episode made me yell at myself (when listening/editing)! That being said, there is something important about having "a third place" and movie theaters seem like a decent enough spot for that. I think Micah really enjoys the technical aspects of movies and sometimes that experience is highlighted with going to a good theater. For me, going to the movies is a treat because of how costly the logistics are (hiring a baby sitter, finding the time to do it, going out and most likely eating at a restaurant near by). It's not that these are necessary things to enjoy a film, but they are nice to have.   Also, movies themselves are very much boring. Maybe because every story is the same story, or maybe I watched too many movies and now I am just hard to impress, but reading/listening to a good book (or entertaining book, or both) has more joy to me now. I think there is something about a good story (not ruined by Hollywood executives) that really shines through any medium, and right now books are less contaminated by "focus groups, return on investment, and non-value additions to plot to satisfy a new growing marker"   I have this same feeling for video games too. Small indie games feel more artistic and fun while AAA games are just a mass manufactured frozen dinner by comparison. Nintendo is an example where even their most successful franchise "Mario Kart" is literally a remake of a game from the previous generation. And don't get me started on Pokemon!   So perhaps "theater experience" is just a derivative of the decline of good films, and that low-budget indie films are enjoyable at home (as they are not going to be technically oriented due to costs anyway).   I should have led with this argument first, instead of my outdated take on what dating is (good grief). The last time I dated (this is with the editor) I was in High School and AOL instant messaging with a 56k modem was a large part of my courtship. My advice on dating tips should include "warning: these suggestions coincide with dinosaurs roaming the earth, caveat emptor!"

Micah discusses artificial intelligence and activates a trap card. Phil cannot comprehend the 2nd book from Ernest Cline. K Sera has plans.   Show notes: N/A   K Sera's after thoughts:  I don't have much to say for this episode except: “There are more things in heaven and earth, Horatio, than are dreamt of in your philosophy.” - W. Shakespeare. “You guys do planning?” - Phil (๑•ૅㅁ•๑)!? Guys! What?    Phil's after thoughts: In this episode we really beat down on the book Ready Player Two as a novel that is so terrible we spent half an hour discussing just how bad Ernest Cline was in writing this book during COVID-19 lockdown. While I still defend my position (that this book is terrible), I do want to say that at least he tried. A lot of people write terrible science fiction (to your point), but at least they attempted to promote their idea (even if the idea is a blatant money grab). I feel like it is far too easy to critique, and while Ernest Cline deserves it, he should get some credit for putting himself out there (because Craig Alanson of Expeditionary Force said that he started writing books because he read a science fiction book so bad, he said to his wife that "he could write a better book" and that is exactly what he did; the terrible book serves as a motivation that others can do this too, but just don't expect to make any money out of it).   Finally, as for making plans, with so many "once in a life time" events happening every 7 years, I think my "plans" in life are more like Bear Grylls "Improvise, Adapt, and Overcome" and I struggle in doing any of these, let alone being competent in all three. Now that I think about it, maybe there is a lot of merit in planning. Also, I know that the Editor has long range plans (of course) so thank goodness I can be on autopilot! Plan: be lucky.

Phil discusses the difficulty of critical thinking. Micah and K Sera also talk about pets!   Show Notes: N/A   K Sera's after thoughts: - It's good to leave your echo chambers every once in a while. It's also good to travel outside of your community and your country on occasion. Be a guest in someone else's land. After your travels, it's okay to return home, or alternatively, to move. - Friends shouldn't be your “cabinet of adversaries” unless you have long-standing trust and your friendship can handle the strain of disagreement. Mostly, friends should have your back and share your core values. Surrounding yourself with other perspectives is healthy, but if your inner values and philosophies don't align at least in a few fundamental areas, you won't have a very strong friendship. The best you can hope for is to have a civil and professional relationship with the people who don't share your core values. You may not trust or relax fully with those people, but you can still potentially do business or be respectful neighbors.  - There are definitely people you don't want to be your neighbors, though… some people are just assholes and certain fundamental values have no compromises.   Phil's after thoughts: - I assume I am normal. I am starting to have my doubts. - That being said, I do have trust issues when talking about silly and serious things to people I know. There is a certain level of trust that I need before I can feel open to talk about serious and silly things. I am certain that everyone has this barrier too. I also agree with K Sera that it is far easier to develop trust with people that have the same core values. I do wonder if that is how echo chambers are created.

Micah asks if it is obvious if we (as a society) are so interested in dystopias is because we are currently living in one. Will Micah convince K Sera and Phil?   Show notes: N/A   After thoughts: N/A

Phil asks if we should think twice on any given advice. Micah and K Sera then bust out their "smoker voices" which is both impressive and deeply disturbing.   Show notes: N/A   After thoughts: N/A

K Sera asks whether we really need last names. Micah discusses the importance of surnames and the necessity of middle names. Phil thinks that without last names we'll need to have genetic testing.   Show Notes: n/a   After thoughts: n/a

Phil asks if Christmas is for children. K Sera discusses her Christmas experience as a child, Micah talks about how he ruined it for his brother, and Phil has a plan for his Wii U.   Shownotes: N/A   K Sera's after thoughts: - Baby-lizard-me was a born skeptic. I remember lying to my brother and younger cousins about Santa so as not to "spoil the magic" or whatever. When I called my folks earlier this evening to ask if they recall whenabouts I stopped believing in Santa, the first thing out of my dad's mouth was, “Did you ever believe in things like that?” - so, there you have it. Nope.  My best winter and Christmas memories remain being up north, making snow forts and sledding with my cousins, playing cards with the family pinochle players, eating my grandmother's cooking, and rolling my eyes when uncle Kevin would turn on the Christmas Story and have it playing ALL DAY. ON REPEAT.  A full house, surrounded by people who I love. That was the best part of the holidays. - The worst part, in my recollection, was the gifting portion. Gift giving and receiving started out innocently enough for me. As a kid, it was always exciting to know there was something shiny and new just for me under that tree, building up my expectations, imagining all the cool things that might fit in a box this or that size… except, when I finally opened my gifts, I got punched in the gut by the disappointing reality. It was never as good as what I was hoping for, and yet I was expected to be grateful and gracious, and I was gracious, at least; but comparison is the thief of joy, and everyone else I knew got everything they wanted and more for Christmas (or their birthdays), and here I am with nice gifts, sure, but not the coolest, new game/toy/whatever that five and more of my closest friends had. My high expectations and crushing disappointments have been an ongoing learning curve in my life. Eventually, I learned to protect my fragile hopes with a high defensive wall of low-to-no expectations, surrounded by a deep protective moat of ‘let's not care about what other people have or are doing' with apathy-alligators ready and willing to eat up any left over fucks still floating around the edges. It took some time, but eventually I figured out that things are not happiness. Good people are happiness - at least, to me. - I feel like I have a lot of emotional traumas around holiday gifting. I hate it. It makes me feel anxious and awful, because it feels like a game I can't win. I could literally rant for ten paragraphs on this subject and how miserable it makes me feel, but… I think I'm going to leave it here. It's enough that I'm worked up over this coming holiday season. - On a completely different note: Phil eventually did drop off the Wii U so I could play Breath of the Wild. It really was an amazing game! So, thank you Phil, for sharing that with me!   Phil's after thoughts: - The fact that BOTW 2 will come out before Advance Wars (for the Nintendo Switch) still bothers me. - Also, the fun fact I forgot to mention about the coal: the Editor gave the same piece of coal THE NEXT YEAR. The long-range planning of this Editor is scary impressive, and also just SCARY.  

In this episode K Sera discusses the obvious needs of having multiple pillows. Micah helps formulate an equation.   Shownotes: n/a   K Sera's after thoughts: - Today there are 6 pillows on my bed. 2 more are off to the side requiring clean pillow cases. - I am also down 2 beds. Micah took my 2nd bed (Necessary. You heard him!). A few months later, my aunt took my pull out twin-to-king. No one stays the night here anymore - probably because they sense danger - so I ditched the extra furnishing.  - There might be a spiritual sequel to this episode in the future, but it will be about the appropriate number of blankets per household. The answer is, of course, a minimum of 10.    Phil's after thoughts: -I don't mind having more pillows than needed, in fact I don't mind having only one pillow! WHAT I want is a sequel to this episode about the correct number of blankets per bed. Obviously, I have a bet to settle with the editor on this subject.

Micah brings up capitalism, Phil asks Micah about history, and K Sera may have suggested that Micah's life is in jeopardy (from her), allegedly.   Shownotes: N/A    

Micah asks if we can have a police force on a rotational basis. K Sera brings up questions about how it could work and who would be qualified. Phil discusses (yet again) why he does not like downtown Minneapolis.   Shownotes: N/A   Phils' after thoughts: -This episode was recorded in the late Fall of 2021 (and published in the Fall of 2022) and I have to say that sadly we have not progressed as much as we should have (in regards to law enforcement in Minnesota).  

In this episode, Phil wants to be lazy but not feel guilty about it.   Show notes: N/A   K Sera's after thoughts: - It is okay to take breaks. It is okay to take time for yourself. You don't need an excuse to rest or enjoy a fun activity. But rest and recreation should not exceed the time, work and planning that goes into taking care of your responsibilities: your family, your home, your work. The goal should be to seek a balance that is sustainable.  - The “life script” is a good guide if you need a direction to achieve fulfillment. If your fulfillment comes from setting and meeting certain goals, there is nothing wrong with striving for those goals. A life script can be incredibly empowering, or it can be severely limiting. The trick is not tying your self-worth so strongly to meeting that timeframe that you crumble if your arbitrary deadline isn't met. Recognize that many deadlines are arbitrary and if you fail once in a while, that doesn't make you a failure. There are an abundance of life paths, alternative routes, and ways of existing.    Phil's after thoughts: -Rest is more important that we give credit for. Americans weirdly brags about "how little we sleep" while admonishing those that just want to relax. At least that is how I grew up (thank you Catholic church).   -I agree with K Sera on our All or Nothing nature. If people feel like they failed a milestone then apparently it's all over. Life is way more messy than that. I mean, realistically it's pretty much over before you even started unless you're lucky, rich, or both. But I digress.    -Maybe "work hard/party hard" should be "work hard/lazy hard" cause I can get behind that!   Micah's MARS rating -Bubblegum

Micah brings up a question about federalization at the global level. Phil wants to like this idea but is too cynical. K Sera tells us she is a lizard (without telling us she is a lizard).   Show notes: N/A   K Sera's after thoughts: Sarah Hartwick Sat, Oct 22, 2:14 PM (2 days ago)     to me             - Good luck convincing world powers to give up sovereignty to follow under one set of super broad rules. - To correct Micah's death penalty numbers (because Micah thinks the rest of the world feels like he feels about capital punishment, but he's wrong): In 2021, there were 55 countries that still used the death penalty for “ordinary crimes” (which includes murder, btw). Wikipedia has some updated information for 2022, bringing that number down to 53. The percentages are clearly favoring abolitionist views. And while 27% is still a significant chunk of the world retaining the death penalty, I feel a little vindicated in being right that the majority of the world does not view the death penalty as an acceptable punishment - at least under ordinary circumstances. This particular issue has two extreme philosophical sides that I predict would prevent the formation of a world federal order (or whatever Micah wants to call it). Or, it would at least be an issue that effectively guts any real authority the global legislative powers have - see exhibit A: the UN. - Maybe we'll get there someday, but I highly doubt we'll see that happen in our lifetimes.   Phil's after thoughts: -This episode was recorded in the early fall of 2021 (one year prior to the publishing of this episode). As you can see, having a centralized government would really help right now (in Ukraine, and possibly even in Taiwan in the future). Setting, 1880s America in the Wild West: -Micah: "hey, maybe we should get some law and order at the Federal level? -K Sera and Phill: "lol, no"   -Maybe we are in the wild west era at the global level, and maybe we will have accountability, but I know for sure that Capitalism will be involved (and not in a good way). Micahs MARS rating: -An ice cream sandwich

Phil discusses how upkeep costs need to be emphasized more when purchasing goods and services. Micah discusses our consumerism issues in America and how capitalism exploits (and eventually) destroys us. K Sera discusses her toaster!   Shownotes: -N/A   K Sera's after thoughts: -N/A   Phil's after thoughts: -I said "Biden Dollars" as far as costs in this episode, but please keep in mind that this episode was recorded in the early Fall of 2021, I had no idea how bad inflation was going to get.   Micah's MARS rating: Banana.

K Sera discusses the striking similarities between Nationalism and Religious Extremism. Micah argues over the differences and Phil flip flops.   Show Notes: -N/A   K Sera's after thoughts: - After listening to us ramble on, my thoughts on this haven't really changed. I still think of nationalism as an exclusionary love of country. Not just pride in one's country, but a belief that one's country is better than all others. Which is that same gross feeling I get from religious fanatics. They don't just love their god, their god is the best, most powerful, most amazing god and they are better and more right than anyone who believes differently. It's more than pride. It's exceptionalism. - I think it's harder for me to understand that as any kind of positive feeling. It is great to love something, and share the thing you love with others who are receptive. It's disrespectful verging on awful to intimate that others are shameful, inept or somehow less than because they don't share or participate in your beliefs... Or non beliefs. - Anyway… I am tired of people.   Phil's afterthoughts: -- In the Fall of 2022, we have seen political extremism, religious extremism, and extreme nationalism. Sometimes all combined. - I am hoping that for the most part, the vast majority of the people (99%) are normal, moderate, and reasonable folk that just want a better future for their family and that it is the small (and very vocal) group of fanatics (or extremists in any topic) that are yelling the loudest. - I say this because while some people are just going to be horrible human beings, I am really hoping that they do not represent who we truly are. That deep inside us, most people are just doing the best with what we have, and that we will help those in need (but we are afraid to because we do not want to be taken advantage of). That we are somehow tricked into believing that most of everyone are the loud and cruel extremists (but in reality many of us are just normal people, but now are concerned about "who is who"). - We often get our news and information outside of first principles. This is designed (we are overworked, overtired, and overdone) to ensure we do not challenge the status quo. The funny thing is, if we only had the energy to realize that most of us are also overworked, overtired, and overdone, we would realize how manipulated we all are. - Too Long; Didn't Read Version: We are too tired to realize we are all too tired. Only the extremists have been able to tap into rage and fear to gain energy. Yes, every kind of extremists are very similar in this regard (Nationalists fear their way of life is threatened, Religious Extremists fear that they will be punished in the afterlife). News Flash: we are all misled, not because we are stupid, but because we have no energy to fight back. Who are we fighting? Well isn't it obvious?

NOTE: Originally recorded in the summer of 2021, a year prior to the publication of this episode. Russia has not yet invaded Ukraine. Phil asks if it is obvious we need to rename the Cold War. Micah discusses the history of the cold war, the continuation of the impacts we face today, proxy warfare, and our American reluctance to look into the mirror. K Sera makes predictions of things to come.   Show notes: n/a   K Sera's after thoughts: - Well, I was wrong, though we were also kinda right. Russia is currently trying to annex Ukraine and there are absolutely guns and planes and people dying. Russians are fleeing the country right now to avoid conscription. It's a literal bloody mess and the USA and NATO allies want to help Ukraine, but we also are terrified of escalating this into a full on hot mess of nuclear war, even though I feel like that is just playing for time. Russia is struggling to take and keep territory. The Ukrainians have dug in their heels and are starting to push back. I would guess that Putin is starting to feel backed into a corner. He's that guy in the fight that is starting to realize he has no way out. In a recent interview on Dax Shepherd's Armchair Experts podcast, I heard Ice-T say this line: “And you know, we used to say in the hood, the worst person is the scared mother f*er, ‘cause the scared mother f*er will kill you. If you think you go'n bully him, he's like, well I can't fight you. I can't do anything. So you got my back up against the wall and I'll kill you.” The world is worried that Putin is the scared mother f*ker in this stupid war over his stupid ego. - Moving on… I don't think we can call this Cold War II until this conflict is over, because honestly… if it doesn't stay “cool” the war is going to have a very different name. Like the Boiling War or Spillover or The Great Radiation or… something. And the fallout is to be determined, but likely nothing positive. I hope it's nothing worse than the "Warm War" or the "Simmering War"… - Micah has given up on humanity. Phil has some hope still. And l… have a lot of ‘oh well, it's out of my control, so… guess we'll see' apathy.  - Also, the United States (and the world) needs therapy. Micah said something along the lines of: “We've been dealing with a way of insulting ourselves from our failures for 50 years, and when we didn't have an ‘other' of which to blame it on, where does that blame and anger go? It can only go back in. Because there is no outlet.” All I can say is, this is irrational thinking. We can find a better and more constructive way to accept our failures. Aggression (internal or external) being the reflexive response to failure is unhealthy, unproductive and totally stems from toxic masculinity. Stop being the scared mother f*ker afraid of looking like a fool with your ‘wounded' pride. Deal with your failures like a rational adult and stop being an aggressor. Stop hurting your partners, family, co-workers and allies. Looking at you, shitty toxic countries of the world. You know who you are. The USA is not exempt.   Phil's after thoughts: -A year ago the idea that Russia would annex rest of Ukraine was actually on our bingo card. Although everyone in the US thought that if Russia did invade it would be like Crimea 2.0 (where it would a complete takeover in less than a weekend). To be honest, it almost was (if the Ukrainian president would have fled, we'd be living in Cold War II still).   -I think Micah's assessment of the American psyche is very harrowing. Our southern states have a state-holiday literally called Heroes Day where schools and businesses take the day off to celebrate the heroes of the confederate army. In some southern states they want to remove references to slavery in US history. The "war of northern aggression" is not double speak for our fellow Americans south of the Mason Dixon Line. I agree with both of you: America, like every country, needs a therapist.   -The Ukrainian War is a proxy war. Nato weapons, with Nato intelligence, with Nato drones, with Nato ammunition, with 5 billion a month Nato cash, to a non-Nato nation. It really feels like that vintage tit-for-tat when compared with Vietnam War, Korean War, and Afghanistan War- Russian Season Pass.   -I think Cold War I is a fine name, but not without flaws. If we are to be so analytical, it should be called "Resource War, circa 1946 to 1991."   -As for being black-pilled, Micah's sentiment isn't wrong. But at the same point, if we can't even predict a year from now, how can we predict the entire span for the future of humanity? I still believe that humans will continue to do suboptimal moves to help one another, and despite some humans being the absolute worst, that most humans will go out of their way to help each other. I believe in this because I must.   K Sera's after thoughts on Phil's after thoughts -I am mostly disgusted when I hear our southern country folk talk about "Northern Aggression" and celebrate fallen "heros" - sadly, I stand by my statement: you can't kill an idea.   -This is a proxy war for NATO. And I believe your name for it is exactly correct. It's resources. It's always about resources. I'd say Micah is right that there is a very high probability that we will destroy ourselves. But, yeah... I hope not. We haven't so far, so hopefully we keep that going.     Micah's after thoughts: -MARS (Micah A**HOLE Rating Scale) = Bananas (pronounced Buh-NAH-NAHS)

In this episode we discuss the hot dog and bun ratios!   Shownotes: N/A   K Sera's after thoughts: - I still can't believe Micah doesn't use oil or even water in his non-stick pans. I mean, yes, you CAN do that, but, heck, I don't trust the non-stick-ness of my pans enough to risk that. - It was a beef chuck roast, pretty sure. Made a French dip sandwich. - Micah isn't allergic to bread. He's got fodmap sensitivities like me, only he seems way more sensitive, poor bean. - My toaster, btw, is still working great! It will never die. My toaster is immortal. It will have front row seats to the heat death of the universe. - My dishwasher, however… not so. :( - Someone shut us up. Ugh. - The conclusion is: hotdogs and their buns are fine as they are. No need to change quantities. It already works great! Like my toaster!   Micah's after thoughts: -The M.A.R.S. (Micah A**HOLE Rating Scale) for this episode is 3.14   Phil's after thoughts: -I honestly have no idea how we derailed so hard and fast in this episode. For those that are still listening, thank you!

In this episode, Micah discusses introducing laws to ban social media for the first minute of recording. Every minute after that is a total derailment. Note: This episode was originally recorded in the summer of 2021 (last year from the publication of this episode). We make predictions of things to come, and even our level of pessimism could not endure what Reality has for sale.   Show notes: N/A   K Sera's after thoughts: - “Humans are terrible predictors of the future.” - I have never felt so wrong a year later. Are we psychic? Let's pretend all we said was, “Humans are terrible.” - That's really all I have to say on this one.   Phil's after thoughts: -This episode was tough to revisit. The fact that we are moving backwards so fast (and with such vigor) it feels like every new day is a new depth reached of Republican leadership depravity. -But I remain hopeful of a better future, because despite all the evidence to the contrary, I truly believe that Americans are powered by two things: Innovation and THE POWER TO BE SO DAMN SPITEFUL THAT WE WILL REMAIN FOREVER HOPEFUL TO CHANGE OUR DESTINY FOR THE BETTER; IF ONLY TO SPITE THOSE THAT CONTINUE TO STRIP OUR FREEDOMS AWAY. I WILL BE SPITEFULLY HOPEFUL.

Phil wants to update Tic Tac Toe so that it is more fun. Micah finds a game breaking glitch, and K Sera offers much better substitutes for paperless games.   Show Notes: Tic Tac Toe Play Chess!   K Sera's after thoughts: - As for chess and its current solvelessness… here is what Wikipedia says “solved” means. This assumes “perfect play” or as Micah put it “optimal moves” - all that said, I think the jury is out right now on whether it might be a solved game some day. Probably not in our lifetimes at any rate. - Go is usually played on a 19x19 board, Micah. - Adding a gambling aspect to solved games like tic tac toe might make a game more fun and unpredictable for people who enjoy that kind of thing… I guess. Not really for me, though. I don't particularly care for gambling. If I participate in silly bets, it's more for the other party's amusement. - Also, the ratio of the circumference of any circle to the diameter of that circle is not the same thing as solving chess. An irrational number isn't the same thing as possible moves on a limited board from a limited set of pieces. Sorry Phil. Tic tac no!   Phil's after thoughts: -Good points Sarah (and well played!) -I really like Chess and Board Games, but that does not mean I am good at them (the Editor frequently beats me). That being said,  I love the challenge and the "act of playing" (if that makes any sense). -I just don't like it when it becomes too competitive. For me, once it reaches a point where you can't have friendly banter while playing, it feels more like work.

K Sera says that cats should remain indoors. Micah disagrees. Phil talks about Jared Diamond again.   Show notes: Cats are bad for wildlife Guns Germs and Steel Zebra domestication   K Sera's after thoughts: - Some poland scientists have classified the domestic house cat as “invasive alien species: - but before you get your tinfoil hats on, let's clarify: they don't mean cats descended from the heavens on space crafts (as awesome as that sci/fi story would be), they mean that the domestic house cat came from a different habitat and was brought into a place where it is not native, has no natural predators, and can quite easily decimate native bird populations if left unchecked. - Keeping your cat indoors protects your cat and the native wildlife. Also, be a responsible pet owner and have your cat fixed. Your entire household will appreciate it.   Phil's after thoughts: -I wish I could walk my cat around the neighborhood with a leash! I STILL WISH FOR THIS!

Micah asks about tunnels. K Sera and Phil have a very short attention span.   Shownotes: Boston highway system Saint Paul sad highway story of split neighborhood Eisenhower road system 2nd largest state fair   K Sera's after thoughts: - Tunnels are death traps waiting to happen followed by hours of clogged roadways with nowhere to go.  - Land bridges are a much better idea. - Minnesota is 4th in the US for most roads, but 13th for most roads per capita.  - Where is this conversation going? To a bar maybe? - We really went off the rails on this one. Trains are great, btw.   Phil's after thoughts: -Sorry for the audio quality on this one folks! For that one listener, I apologize! -It would be nice if Minnesota didn't have to rely so much on cars, but for now it seems that we'll all be driving electric auto-pilot cars before we have a subway in this state. -I also like trains!

K Sera asks if it is obvious that Merfolk (or any intelligent life that is stuck in the water) cannot advance their civilization because of their environment.   Show notes: Europa Clipper Medium article about this very subject   K Sera's after thoughts: - I have since learned that cement cures just fine underwater, so it may be that there is a way to build cement bricks underwater or somehow pour and set them underwater. Not sure how mixing the materials underwater would work, however. I wish I knew more about this! - Being able to successfully leave the current, “safe” environment might be a good measure of a species' evolutionary advancement. It seems like a good measurement for maturity advancement (on a smaller scale), when a child “leaves the nest” and graduates on to adulthood. It's kind of similar? The next step for us is space. After that? Who knows!   Phil's after thoughts: -I am excited for the Europa mission (should be in two years. from the time of publishing this episode)! -I do think that a life that is confined only to water (and does not have access to land resources) will never evolve past the stone age. -But my final question of "What is Humanities barrier to the next stage of civilization, and what would the next stage of civilization even look like?" still has me thinking.   

Micah discusses the fall of civilization and driving cars. Phil is terrible wrong with statistics, and K Sera has to listen to us all.   Show notes: -N/A   K Sera's after thoughts: - Fish with human-like teeth exist! - Phil was wrong about being in the top 1% in MInnesota. It's closer to 570k. You are in the top 5% if you make about 250k/year. *Cries poverty tears* - Don't listen to Micah, either. He has bad ideas.     Phil's after thoughts: -I am WRONG about the percentages of being in the top 1%, 10% and 20%. I am also WRONG about how the hell people can amass so much wealth in Minnesota. I see people driving nice cars with nice homes and having a nice (and large) family. How?! -The Editor says it's financed by debt.

Phil asks if it is obvious that potions in video games taste like Hawaiian punch. Micah and K Sera disagree.   Show notes: -N/A  

Micah enjoys accents. Phil enjoys them too. K Sera tells a story about the Editor.   Show notes: N/A   K Sera's after thoughts: - Ok, I love accents, they are lovely, sometimes funny, mostly charming and I love when people use interesting voices in story telling or dnd or acting out a part or doing an impression. So long as it isn't a malicious joke being made, or a caricature meant to be insulting or derogatory to a group. - One of my favorite narrators has a whole bunch of voices/accents for several dozens of characters in one of my favorite pop-corn military sci-fi stories. In the story, there are characters from all over the world (and other parts of the galaxy) serving in their respective country's military divisions. The narrator gives them an accent that's, to my uncultured ear, a reasonable representation of a non-native speaker from their respective countries speaking in English. - I haven't ever interpreted his narration as a derogatory or insensitive exaggeration for the sake of a “funny bit” in the story. Intent and intended audience are important. The rule of “punching up” is important. - As an aside to that. I also think it really is important to kindly reeducate others when or if they make a rude statement or do something that is offensive. The first reaction should be kind correction. However, if the asshole is still punching down after that, well, then they probably deserve a kick or two at that point, eh?   Phil's after thoughts: -Accents create the variation that makes life more charming. Fake accents are nice but like many things, if overdone it can ruin the fun for everyone.   -Also, it implies a level of intelligence too (for real accents) since it means they are conversing in a totally different language from what they were raised with.   -Finally, accents are very useful for story telling.   -But I agree with Micah that speaking with a fake accent doesn't have a lot of room outside of D&D and audiobooks/story presentations.

Phil discusses how we should frame everything as "if maybe" instead of "when this occurs, then that will happen (or the more traditional "if-then" mode of thinking). Micah and K Sera discuss examples of how our generation was misled from our elders due to this unfortunate use of wording.   Show notes: N/A   K Sera's after thoughts: - I asked my parents about their college years and tuition. They managed to get through 4 years of schooling for $8,000 total (Nixon/Ford Dollars). 2k a year! Adjusted for inflation, that's roughly 10k/year in Obama dollars. My contribution to my tuition via scholarships was 11k/year (Obama dollars), so I personally ‘paid' more than my parents did for college in only my scholarship grants. Thanks parents, for helping me afford private school tuition! I absolutely wouldn't have done it without you! - But back on topic, I really appreciate the nuance of our generation. I think we are a little more careful with our words than the previous generation – much to their annoyance given boomer comments about ‘pc culture'. We are a little more conscious of how our language impacts our society. This is, in part, a reflection of our generation being fed lies and vagaries about a future we can ‘build' and ‘own' for ourselves when the truth is our generation doesn't own shit. We pay for access, not ownership. We rent, lease, subscribe. We own debt. We own mortgages. To own something real is rare.  Like Phil said, life is rolling the dice and there are probabilities, but no certainties. (Unless you're playing with loaded dice, you cheater!). Our language should reflect that. That said, it sounds really creepy to ask a kid, "What do you want to be if you grow up?"   Phil's after thoughts: -One of the editors close friends is looking for a new job (as of time of this publication we are in THE GREAT RESIGNATION) but she is held back because she does not have a college degree (despite 20 years in the industry), and thus her career options are severely limited. I feel as a society we need to do away with using a bachelors degree as a gate keeping activity, as 80% of our jobs don't require this, and most of the real learning is done ON THE JOB. I am sure for accounting, lawyers, and the medical professions this wouldn't do well... but those all have something in common (CPA, JD, Bar Exam, Medical License), almost as if these jobs have a baked in solution to this "education inflation" problem already... fancy that. -Why do I mention this? Because the advice of "go to college" was the clearest example of "when this, then that" logic. The problem is that since so many of us went to college, it diluted the very meaning of it. Second, it started to prevent people who are well qualified to move further in their careers because of this stupid myth. It's a double-harmful adage, and all because we (as a generation) bought into this false premise of "when-then" that now we must all participate in this wasteful and debt-incurring adventure. -And this is just ONE example of "when-then" has in our society. We didn't mention much about housing, healthcare, policing, law politics, climate change, marriages, and everything in between. Americans push this fairy-tale story of "when-then" because it hides the dark and sinister truth of our lives: IF you are successful, MAYBE it is because you are very lucky