Seasons of Obsession

Death’s Doings - Richard Dagley, 1827. Erik and Potatowire discuss Alan Watts’s book The Wisdom of Insecurity, looking at what is real, the challenge of being present, the origins of the self, the origins of true moral action, and its consequences for society. Alan Watts - The Wisdom of Insecurity Alan Watts Platonic Theory of Forms Eames Lounge Chair Ouroboros Total Perspective Vortex Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy Next episode’s book for discussion: Viktor Frankl - Man’s Search for Meaning

Glass Goblets, American Homes and Gardens, 1905. Using the Enchiridion as a jumping off point, Erik and Potatowire talk about what’s really under our control and how to use that knowledge to live a more balanced and constructive life. Epictetus - Enchiridion Stoicism Arrian of Nicomedia James Stockdale Hanoi Hilton James Stockdale - Thoughts of a Philosophical Fighter Pilot James Stockdale - Courage Under Fire Seneca - Letters to Lucilius Marcus Aurelius - Meditations Ryan Holiday - The Obstacle Is The Way Ryan Holiday - Ego is the Enemy Next episode’s book for discussion: Alan Watts - The Wisdom of Insecurity

Bell Telephone Magazine, Spring 1951. Erik and Potatowire return from summer travel to discuss The Rational Optimist by Matt Ridley. Using the book as a jumping off point, they discuss the case for optimism, the impact of our consumption, and the value of running scared. Nepenthe Big Little Lies Matt Ridley - The Rational Optimist Air Pollution and the 2008 Summer Olympics Invisible Hand Annual PV Additions: Historic Data vs. IEA WEO Predictions Yuval Noah Harari - Sapiens Next episode’s book for discussion: Epictetus - Enchiridion

Slot Machines, 1946. SDASM Archives Erik and Potatowire discuss risk, intuition, unpredictability, and how to use them to your advantage. Nassim Nicholas Taleb Nassim Nicholas Taleb - Black Swan Nassim Nicholas Taleb - Fooled by Randomness Nassim Nicholas Taleb - Antifragile Jim Paul - What I Learned Losing a Million Dollars Larry Niven - Ringworld Bullet Journal

Kingbird Family at Nest, 1919. Herbert K. Job Erik and Potatowire discuss the new recording machine, nuclear weapons, the singularity, theory vs. reality in government, representation, and elections, and the value of an open mind. The most powerful version of the newest headless desktop Mac Nassim Nicholas Taleb Nassim Nicholas Taleb - Black Swan Nassim Nicholas Taleb - Fooled by Randomness Nassim Nicholas Taleb - Antifragile Eric Schlosser - Command and Control The Damascus Incident Richard Rhodes - The Making of the Atomic Bomb Richard Rhodes - Dark Sun Richard Rhodes - Arsenals of Folly Peter F. Hamilton - The Void Trilogy Charles Stross - Accelerando Ezra Klein Electoral College (United States)

Wave, 1891. Bibliothèque de Toulouse Erik and Potatowire talk about trying to keep your head above water on the internet, what makes a good biography, the corrupting lens of the present moment and the written word, what happens when the incomprehensible talks back, and building a doghouse from first principles. Robert Caro Robert Caro - The Years of Lyndon Johnson Robert Caro - The Power Broker William Manchester - The Last Lion Hindsight Bias Douglas Hofstadter Douglas Hofstadter - Surfaces and Essences Douglas Hofstadter - Gödel, Escher, Bach Douglas Hofstadter - I Am a Strange Loop Douglas Hofstadter - The Mind’s I Jeff VanderMeer - Southern Reach Trilogy Neal Stephenson - Snow Crash Nassim Nicholas Taleb - Fooled by Randomness Nassim Nicholas Taleb - Antifragile Nassim Nicholas Taleb - Black Swan Stanislaw Lem - Solaris Arkady and Boris Strugatsky - Roadside Picnic Eric S. Raymond - The Cathedral & The Bazaar

Stacked Cars In City Junkyard, 1973. US National Archives Erik and Potatowire celebrate a birthday, then talk about what they read, why they choose what they read, how they try to escape the bubble, reading faster, and keeping an open mind. Erik’s New Keyboard Timothy Ferriss - 4-Hour Workweek Timothy Ferriss - 4-Hour Body Timothy Ferriss - 4-Hour Chef Timothy Ferriss - Tools of Titans Scott Adams - How to Fail at Almost Everything and Still Win Big The Economist Seth Godin - What to Do When It’s Your Turn Robert Caro - The Years of Lyndon Johnson Robert Caro - The Power Broker Ryan Holiday - Trust Me, I’m Lying Robert Greene - 48 Laws of Power StartUp Ryan Holiday - The Obstacle Is The Way Ryan Holiday - Ego is the Enemy Epictetus - Enchiridion Letters to Lucilius - Seneca Meditations - Marcus Aurelius Time Chapter 00:00 Happy Birthday 01:21 A Complete Timothy Ferriss N00b 15:28 A Towering Stack of Guilt 19:33 It’s Your Turn 23:00 Let’s Talk about Writing 32:18 Forays into Stoicism 38:00 Philosophy and Faith 51:59 Active Acceptance

The crew of Gemini 9A aboard USS Wasp, 1966. NASA Erik and Potatowire are back, discussing anonymity and pseudonymity, themes of recurrence, book series vs. television series, audiobooks vs. ebooks vs. paper, non-fiction vs. fiction, classics vs modern fiction, and more. Dawn Patrol 011 - The Collector Gene Stephen King - On Writing Robert A. Caro - The Power Broker: Robert Moses and the Fall of New York Mohandas Gandhi - Satyagraha