The Regular People Podcast

Follow The Regular People Podcast
Share on
Copy link to clipboard

Discussions with regular people about their passions and interests. Hosted by Wade Allen. Episodes are typically around 2 hours long and are released about once a month or so. Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/theregularpeoplepodcast/support

Wade Allen


    • Dec 20, 2023 LATEST EPISODE
    • monthly NEW EPISODES
    • 2h 7m AVG DURATION
    • 38 EPISODES


    Search for episodes from The Regular People Podcast with a specific topic:

    Latest episodes from The Regular People Podcast

    38. The National Guard, Being in a Band, and Thrifting

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 20, 2023 122:45


    A conversation with Kendall Karpinski. We talk about being in the National Guard, deployment and war games, basic training, shark attacks, how things have changed in the military, riot control, Kendall's college experience, Kendall's band Human Ant Farm, the importance of marketing, the need to always be doing something and whether we'd give up sleep, playing musical instruments and playing with other people, learning how to fix things on your own, the difficulties of being in a band, Kendall's vintage business, fashion trends and Carhartt, the gentrification of thrifting and the ethics of reselling clothes, Goodwill and why people don't resell their stuff, the effect of Thrift Shop by Macklemore, activation in the National Guard and the Jacob Blake riots, re-signing with the National Guard, and more. Find Kendall at https://www.instagram.com/kendall.karpinski/ Find the band at https://www.instagram.com/humantfarm/ --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/theregularpeoplepodcast/support

    37. Being a Stand Up Comedian

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 30, 2023 113:31


    A conversation with stand up comedian RV. We talk about RV's experience at Full Sail University, The National Guard, video games as an art form, routine versus freshness in stand up, stand up comedy and RV's biggest bomb, the comic's life, why we laugh, big life changes, indecision, and "making it," teaching english as a foreign language, bars and bar fights, the impossibility of having no regrets, being in a band, pursuing your creative dreams, and traveling and self-growth. An alternative title for this episode was "Overcoming Self-Doubt." The TEFL organization that I got accredited through that I couldn't think of the name at the time is called TEFLFullCircle. --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/theregularpeoplepodcast/support

    36. Christianity and Tribalism

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 23, 2023 117:47


    An episode with Josue Peralta. We talk about Josue's romance novel, trying to unlearn the need to always be productive, Josue's travels, traveling solo, what Josue does for a living, Josue and my religious upbringings, when I left christianity, our schooling history and the impact of books on our thinking, what would it take for me to believe in god, my perspective on people who do believe in god, the benefits of religion, physicalism and determinism, anthropocentrism, narcissism, and caring about one's offspring, religion's place in the founding of the U.S. and church taxation, the bad parts of Christianity and Catholicism, the “religious” tendencies of the political left, the politicization and polarization of society, words losing their meaning, the lack of accountability for those in power, and critical thinking and the greatest generation. You can find Josue on instagram at https://www.instagram.com/itsattractive/ Edits: Correction at 15:30, after thinking again about my odometer the 10,000 miles number is not right. I probably put like 30,000 on it (I think I bought it around 80k and sold it at around 120k). So not as low, but still 10x less than Josue put on his car in the same time. Note for the section starting at 37:48, as I think about it now junior year of high school might've been more of a transition away from christianity than senior year not least due to the appeal of hanging out with my then girlfriend with minimal parental supervision over going to youth group. Here's another way of putting what I was trying to say around 1:02:00. On the one hand (believing in god) is like thinking that somebody loves you, and on the other hand (trying to think yourself out of depression) is like trying to convince yourself that somebody loves you when you know nobody does. Your knowledge of the truth inhibits your ability to believe a falsehood, and maybe that falsehood is beneficial to your emotional state. Ignorance is bliss basically.  For the conversation at 1:44:19, in case anybody is worried that we're dog whistling about pronouns and gender identifiers (because I realized I just used an example, “pond,” without stating what was probably Josue's main concern itself): I've talked about this topic more directly at least twice before on the podcast. I want to say in episode 27 “Dangerous Ideas” and in episode 35 “Identity, Friendship, and Wonder.”  I think I said it poorly but around 1:50:00 what I was trying to say is that you can vote with your wallet and with your attention to live mindfully and only give to things that you think are good, but you don't have to end or ruin your personal relationships over these things. Books to read: The Tao of Pooh by Benjamin Hoff The Stranger by Albert Camus 1984 by George Orwell --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/theregularpeoplepodcast/support

    35. Identity, Friendship, and Wonder

    Play Episode Listen Later May 8, 2023 135:12


    A conversation with Brian Ore. We discuss names and their meanings, sex and gender, whether children are being influenced to be transgender, how much of a say other people should have in one's identity, memetics and the survival of ideas, untouched discussion topics and the consistency of people, trauma, the power of belief, and my changing feelings on therapy, eureka moments, drug-induced wonder, and appreciation, what love is and love languages, how to make friends of different generations*, friendship, trust and authenticity, fear and spiders, and the joyful process of creation. Things to watch: Show: Avatar: The Last Airbender Movie: Everything Everywhere All at Once Video: Absurdism | How to Party at the End of Meaning by exurb1a, link: https://youtu.be/Jv79l1b-eoI Books to read: The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F*ck by Mark Manson *Another thought on the topic discussed at 1:26:31 is: if old people want to befriend young people it would help if they adopted styles, language, interests, and behaviors that the young people do, and of course in a genuine and committed way so it doesn't come off too much like that Steve Buscemi “how do you do, fellow kids?” meme. That way older people won't seem so different, and won't seem so old, if they're pretty much just like you and your friend group. --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/theregularpeoplepodcast/support

    34. Social Media, Marathon Running, and Anorexia

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 28, 2023 123:55


    A conversation with Emma Handschke. We discuss social media and the commodification of authenticity, Instagram, Be Real, Tiktok, Reddit, advertising, artificiality, social media addiction, the negative effects of social media and technology, information overload, marathon running, the COROS watch, the dilemma of public gyms, people's hatred of winter, anorexia and sport, multi-day trek trails, what anorexia looks like, mukbangs, and recovery from anorexia and the connection between anorexia and veganism. At 1:43:00 I meant to say Queenstown, not Wellington. Wellington is in the south of the North Island, while Queenstown is in the south of the South Island, which is where the Routeburn track is. Movies to watch: The Secret Life of Walter Mitty The Florida Project Emma's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/emma.handschke/ The podcast's website: https://theregularpeoplepodcast.wordpress.com/ Anchor: https://anchor.fm/theregularpeoplepodcastor Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/7C0aH7785qfxWXVtDM3QwRor Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-regular-people-podcast/id1535365422 Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/@wadeallen001 --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/theregularpeoplepodcast/support

    33. Destroying the Natural World

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 21, 2022 122:38


    A conversation with Aaron Taylor. Aaron has appeared on two previous episodes. To listen to those, check out episodes 11 and 24. In this episode, we discuss: Aaron's thoughts on his previous two episodes, marijuana use and abuse, updates in Aaron's life since the last time he was on, the line between keeping conversation friendly and pushing back against bad ideas, environmentalism and ecosystem collapse, solar and wind power, peak oil and nuclear energy, methane and carbon sinks, asteroid mining and long-term sustainability, the loss of the natural world, population decline and women's rights, Aaron's newfound religiosity/spirituality, and Aaron's parting advice. World War 1 lasted for four years. I don't think what I said about oil companies being some of the biggest leaders in renewable energy is true. I do think it's true that they're investing into it in order to be profitable in a post-oil world, but not that they're “some of the biggest” leaders or investors in the industry. I think for the most part they're still trying to beat the dead horse of oil until it stops spitting out money. At around 59:00 I'm not sure what I said about nuclear waste is correct. I said something like “nuclear waste isn't a thing anymore, we've found a way to use it” and I think the more accurate statement would be “nuclear waste is still a thing, however the risk it poses it significantly smaller than ever due to advances in nuclear waste management.” Basically, there still is nuclear waste, but the concerns about it are inflated. At 1:06:05 I said “whereas if you have a rainforest, that's emitting carbon for as long as the rainforest exists…” here I meant to say "sequestering" carbon rather than "emitting". Books to read: Ishmael by Daniel Quinn Beyond Civilization by Daniel Quinn Endgame by Derrick Jensen Silent Spring by Rachel Carson The End of Oil by Paul Roberts --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/theregularpeoplepodcast/support

    32. Two Bros Talk About Wisdom, Atheism, and Music

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 1, 2022 136:00


    A conversation with Teage Allen. We talk about whether younger people have less interesting things to say, learning first-hand versus second-hand and the sphere of human knowledge, me and Teage's learning trends, the difference between wisdom, intelligence, and knowledge, Teage's backstory, multitasking and hearing differences between ears, withdrawing from the world and the global decrease of attention span, becoming an atheist in a christian environment, the Cosmological argument for God's existence, why we care if people believe unsubstantiated or illogical ideas and more on Teage's backstory, what sparked Teage's interest in music, the concept of the "angry atheist," Presuppositionalists, necessary presuppositions, and the problem of induction, and CosmicSkeptic's (possible) slow slide into christianity. More differences between wisdom, knowledge, and intelligence (according to me and others): -Intelligence is the ability to solve a problem. Wisdom is the ability to avoid a problem. -Greater and greater intelligence allows you to solve harder and harder problems. Greater and greater wisdom allows you to have fewer and fewer problems. -Those with knowledge know the things they should do; those with wisdom do them -To attain knowledge, add things every day. To attain wisdom, remove things every day. -Knowing others is intelligence; knowing yourself is true wisdom. Mastering others is strength; mastering yourself is true power. -Wisdom is not a product of schooling but of the lifelong attempt to acquire it. The Cosmic Skeptic podcast episode we talk about at 2:07:15 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1Vc1AiY_0Ts Books to read: The Moral Landscape by Sam Harris Stealing from God by Frank Turek The Ancestor's Tale by Richard Dawkins Youtube channels mentioned: Peanutbutter Gamer Game Grumps NinjaSexparty Genetically Modified Skeptic CosmicSkeptic Matt Dillahunty --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/theregularpeoplepodcast/support

    31. Podcasting and Politics

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 7, 2022 113:16


    A conversation with Will Koebel. Will is a fellow podcaster and UWM student. He runs the Milwaukee DSA (Democratic Socialists of America) podcast, called Cream City Social, and is in his last semester toward getting his master's degree in electrical engineering. He also spends his time volunteering at the central library for Milwaukee narrating audiobooks. One of his goals is to be the public service commissioner of Wisconsin. Sorry for the shakiness on Will's microphone, it might be distracting. I didn't notice it while recording and couldn't fix it in editing. (I left the first few minutes in because I figured this episode is a bit meta, so perhaps the pre-show rundown enhances the “podcast about podcasting” thing) We discuss the survival guide to the Midwest, podcast guest instructions, my audience statistics, noise absorption, Will's background, our need to have a creative outlet, and not finishing projects, narrating audiobooks and creating videos on youtube, Will's podcast, podcasting with multiple guests, Ryan Clancy and Darrin Madison, DSA and politics, WE energies and city-run utilities, Tom Nelson (who has now dropped out of the senate race), how large portions of society can't seem to learn the lesson, ranked choice voting and state elections, socialism, problems with our government, publicly funded campaigns, rehabilitation and nature vs. nurture, and how Milwaukee came to be. *At 4:40 I say the most popular episode is episode 20. This is no longer true. Episode 30 eclipsed it basically immediately after airing. I recorded this podcast before releasing episode 30. Cream City Social: https://creamcitysocial.libsyn.com/ Books to read: The Nurture Assumption by Judith Rich Harris A Colorful History of Milwaukee (I couldn't find the book, so I don't know the author. Check the library I guess?) Monkeys spinning monkeys by Kevin Macleod --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/theregularpeoplepodcast/support

    30. Economics, Geopolitics, and Religion

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 3, 2022 119:10


    A conversation with Jarrad. We discuss economics, antibiotic resistance, boom and bust cycles, tyranny, geopolitics, pseudoscience, religion, ideological division, nature vs nurture, the intellectual dark web, free will, and many other things. I was considering titling this episode "Dangerously Close to Being a Conspiracy Theory at Nearly Every Turn." Books to read: Sapiens by Yuval Noah Harari The Lucifer Principle by Howard Bloom The Great Wave: Price Revolutions and the Rhythm of History by David Hackett Fischer Aion by Carl Jung The End of the World is Just the Beginning by Peter Zeihan One-Dimensional Man by Herbert Marcuse Pedagogy of the Oppressed by Paulo Freire Hard Times Create Strong Men by Stefan Aarnio The Fourth Turning by William Strauss and Neil Howe A Hunter-Gather's Guide to the 21st Century by Brett Weinstein and Heather Heying The Selfish Gene by Richard Dawkins Global Brain by Howard Bloom Articles about atheism in the 20th century: https://dailynexus.com/2012-02-22/wasnt-atheism-responsible-20th-century-atrocities/?fbclid=IwAR05lWjWKtxsCZhRLchL73P-q9XUefnn6WFRqtOBxvweHfFfJFHu6iZ_2e0 https://infidels.org/kiosk/article/the-fallacy-of-the-20th-century-atheist-regimes/ https://richarddawkins.net/2014/10/the-atheist-atrocities-fallacy-hitler-stalin-pol-pot/ --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/theregularpeoplepodcast/support

    29. Pelvic Floor Physical Therapy

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 29, 2022 106:51


    A conversation with Christina. Christina has a doctorate in physical therapy (with a pelvic floor specialization) and that topic comprises the bulk of this episode. Our conversation includes some pre-episode banter followed by a discussion of Christina's background, why Christina went to Marquette, ballet, when Christina knew she wanted to be a physical therapist, Christina's college experience, vocal fry, what getting a physical therapy degree looks like, sibling order, why Christina wanted to specialize in pelvic floor physical therapy, pelvic floor physical therapy, what makes a good PT, physical therapy during pregnancy, transitioning from school to the work place, cracking your joints, love and pathfinding in your 20s, and Christina's book recommendations and parting words. Due to the fact that I don't record this podcast in a studio, there are sometimes unavoidable noises that happen. Unfortunately, this time there were a lot. Someone in the apartment below us decided to turn on their tv extremely loudly for about half of the recording. I'm sorry if it's distracting; I fixed it as much as I could. Maybe listen to this in a place with ambient noise rather than a quiet room, if you can. Twinkies are not vegan. Books to read: The Body in the Moonlight by Katherine Hall Page Redeeming Love by Francine Rivers --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/theregularpeoplepodcast/support

    28. Anti (work, consumption, and natalism)

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 27, 2022 106:36


    A conversation with Adrianne Pintar about anti-work, anti-consumption, and anti-natalism. We discuss: anti-work and $15/hour, absurd job qualifications, the r/antiwork subreddit, the pros and cons of working from home, the goals of anti-work and exploiting the understanding of your boss/professors, the pay gaps between CEOs and their employees, the (at least partially) democratic nature of capitalism and whether people know the harm they're causing, how change is made, anti-consumption and advertising, search engine optimization, targeted advertisements, and how to fix Youtube, sweatshops, debt, and the reasons to consume less, how Ronald Reagan ruined the country, why Adrianne doesn't want to have kids, the overestimation of the importance of parenting, risk aversion and whether it's better to be or not to be, having evil or disabled children, religion and combatting ignorance, thinking you won't be a good parent, and your children being born in a ruined world. Documentary: Inequality for All --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/theregularpeoplepodcast/support

    27. Dangerous Ideas

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 16, 2022 174:53


    A conversation with Kaden Endres. We discuss the untrustworthiness of memory, the recidivism rate of sex offenders, free will, determinism, and compatibilism, the overinflated danger of drugs, how a healthy social life provides resilience to addiction and criminal behavior, the evils of capitalism and individualism, communism, centralized economies, corporate lingo and speaking ironically, whether competition is a bad thing and whether communism functions, the wastefulness of capitalism and unfair comparisons between capitalism and communism, book reading ASMR, the Texas Tower Shooter, Kluver-Bucy Syndrome, and the culpability of sex offenders (I realize that Bucy should probably be pronounced like bew-see rather than boo-see), possible solutions to pedophilia, whether certain discussions need to be had at all, the problem with an earlier discussion, platforming people with evil ideas, stupidity and the limitations of human cognition, environmental activism and eco-terrorism, whether it's better for cows to be slaughtered or eaten by wolves, Kaden's argument for the abolishment (or dissolution) of gender, whether gender is at all tied to biology, gender norms and individualism, why we use pronouns to refer to gender rather than sex, equality and the hierarchy of values, and Kaden's book recommendations. Turn Leftist Podcast Books to read: The People's Republic of Walmart by Leigh Phillips and Michal Rozworski How to Blow Up a Pipeline by Andreas Malm Note that while I would not call myself a communist, I'm not as anti-communist as I may sound in this episode. Some critiques of communism that I throw at Kaden are sincerely held, while others I just want to hear his response. My comment at 1:31:13 is in reference to the very loud siren in the background. Earlier I was telling Kaden the annoying part of recording in my apartment is that I live very close to a fire department. I was straight up wrong about the FBI's definition of terrorism. https://www.fbi.gov/investigate/terrorism --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/theregularpeoplepodcast/support

    26. Teaching English and Free Will

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 10, 2022 122:41


    A conversation will Bill Krueger. Bill is a high school english teacher and hockey/baseball coach. We discuss Bill's time in the air national guard, the ethics of joining the armed forces, what do you do in the national guard, why Bill left the air national guard, why Bill wanted to become a teacher, changes in society over the decades as seen through TV shows, why Bill got into english, the disproportionate attention that high school sports get vs academics, the classes that Bill is teaching, the (non)importance of essay-writing, remedial english classes and the bad behavior of english students, coaching high school sports, the violence of hockey and other contact sports, the roles of different body types in sports and the algorithm-izing of baseball, inequality in sports, why hockey players often have January birthdays, free will and how everything comes down to luck, lobsters, the consequences of not having free will, how you don't create your thoughts, at what point someone becomes not regular enough to be on this podcast, and Bill's advice to spend time with your grandparents. *when referring to a movie with George Lopez teaching math to kids, I was combining two different movies in my head. One is the 1998 movie “Stand and Deliver” where Edward James Olmos teaches math to underperforming Latino students. The other movie really does star George Lopez but it's about a robotics team, not mathematics. It's called “Spare Parts.” That one came out in 2015. *At 1:34:00 I say “when you get to the professional level [of hockey] something like 90% of the players have January birthdays.” It is not nearly so high as 90% of players, more like 30%. But the point still stands that a disproportionate number of professional players have January birthdays. Book to read: Outliers by Malcolm Gladwell --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/theregularpeoplepodcast/support

    25. Traversing the Taboo

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 1, 2021 141:43


    A conversation with Brian Ore. We discuss live music, art, honesty, the difficulty of conveying your emotions to other people, the ethics of taboo subjects, and many other things. In order, we talk about: live music vs recorded music, Taylor Swift's re-recordings, Summerfest and going on tour, how people and different generations connect to different music, how new slang comes about, why things become popular and conforming your thoughts and opinions to society, what we get out of movies and art in general, space travel and how long humanity will survive, The Three Body Problem book series (skip to next section to avoid spoilers for the books), is it really a good thing to save lives?, the environmental harm that comes from third world countries developing, over-planning life and where thoughts come from, the difficulty of convincing people to change their aspirations or values, what makes a good leader and taking from the rich, is it better to speak your mind or keep things to yourself? Is it better to be honest or kind?, the exact right thing to say and Wu Wei, receiving compliments and being known, homosexuality and the ethics of incest, how we seem to always tie up love with sex, the ethics of necrophilia and the repression of sex and death, cannibalism, what the word supernatural even means, and whether humans are capable of coming to their own conclusions independently. *At 1:03:20 I say that Bhutan is the happiest country in the world. Bhutan is not the happiest country in the world according to most rankings (though I would dispute the inclusion of GDP per capita as a useful measure of happiness). But Bhutan is the 8th happiest country in the world, and the top non-European one. https://worldpopulationreview.com/country-rankings/happiest-countries-in-the-world. They're also not one of the most impoverished, but they are one of the least developed. https://unctad.org/topic/least-developed-countries/list. The Dictionary of Obscure Sorrows: https://www.dictionaryofobscuresorrows.com/ --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/theregularpeoplepodcast/support

    24. Working Less and Living More

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 31, 2021 78:08


    A conversation with Aaron. We talk about: why Aaron quit his job, working fewer than five days a week and making only as much money as you need, lifestyle creep, Aaron's new lifestyle, college debt and the possibility of student debt cancellation, how Aaron generates income, working less and going to college, environmentalism and a low energy society (lean economics), unplugging from technology and not paying attention to the news, working for passion rather than money, the resiliency of communes, whether the progress of technology is helpful or harmful to humans, my grievances with techno-optimists and the necessity of environmental alarmists, and books we've recently read. Books to read: Surviving the Future by David Fleming The Long Descent by John Michael Greer Lean Logic by David Fleming Shows to watch: Star Trek: The Next Generation --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/theregularpeoplepodcast/support

    23. Suburban Education and Mental Health

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 28, 2021 114:06


    This episode kind of acts as a companion to episode 1. You don't have to listen to episode 1 first in order to follow along, but you'll get the most out of it if you do. **I made a mistake at 0:38. I said “it's going to be episode 22,” but obviously this is episode 23.** We discuss: my new cat and animal domestication, suburban education vs urban education, whether giving more money to urban schools would improve them, how suburban schools handle student misbehavior vs. urban schools, the age where students are considered responsible for their own problems, brain breaks and block schedules, teacher coaches and supervisors, the pledge of allegiance, critical race theory, and ideologies in education, student seating arrangements and 504 plans, lesson planning, curriculum, and the parallels between teaching and DMing, dynamic characters vs static characters, overanalyzing art and where meaning in art comes from, school boards, racism and some problems with wokeism, mental health and anxiety, and therapy. The kid bringing a watermelon to school: https://www.reddit.com/r/funny/comments/b92599/kid_received_permission_from_the_teacher_to_eat_a/ Ted Talk about student misbehavior: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bM6Kb2q8Dho Correction about the pledge of allegiance. It was written in 1892, officially adopted by Congress in 1942, and the words “under god” were added in 1954. The documentary on the blue eyes/brown eyes class experiment by Jane Elliot. “A Class Divided.” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1mcCLm_LwpE Book to read: The Name of the Wind by Patrick Rothfuss --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/theregularpeoplepodcast/support

    22. Head Start, Early Childhood Development, and Unions

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 21, 2021 106:51


    In this episode of The Regular People Podcast I'm joined by Leslie. Leslie has a degree in Early Childhood Education and Development and works for a Head Start program. We discuss (in order): a bit about Leslie, Leslie's job working for a Head Start program, how low-income families need to somehow have open schedules to participate in Head Start, necessary social/emotional skills, speaking skills and tracking a child's progress through Head Start, teaching children vs teaching adults and how our view of responsibility shifts as kids get older, play and its purpose, does the Head Start program work?, whether just giving people money would be more effective, how hard is it to sign up for Head Start?, incompetent managers and the Peter Principle, the difference between the Head Start program and agencies that provide Head Start services, labor power and unions, the difficulty of forming unions, automation and the future of work, having a general strike, halbwissen and the bidirectional teaching relationship, Reaganomics and monopolies, the popularity of socialism, the benefits of being in a union, and Leslie's book recommendations. Books to read: Beaten Down, Worked Up: The Past, Present, and Future of American Labor by Steven Greenhouse A Troublemaker's Handbook: How to Fight Back Where You Work - And Win! By Dan La Botz Understanding Socialism by Richard D. Wolff Authors to check out: Richard D. Wolff Robert Reich Documentaries to watch: Inequality for All Saving Capitalism --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/theregularpeoplepodcast/support

    21. Fashion and Catholicism

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 6, 2021 160:14


    A conversation with fashion design student Rachel. We discuss fashion and creating, minimalism, Catholicism, and fitness. More specifically (and in order), we discuss: the struggles of coin-operated laundry, Rachel's college experience, how much of a scam is college and how to get a good job, Rachel's old job at a boutique, Rachel's new job at an online fashion service, fashion marketing and design, artistic evolution over time and the trickle-down of fashion, Nike Air Force 1s and what makes things cool, timeless fashion, how coupons and loyalty cards try to trick you, credit cards, life in the olden days, Undercover Boss and nepotism, the creative side of fashion design, sustainable fashion and outsourcing labor, creating and the problem of never-ending iteration, minimalism, social media minimalism, Rachel's Catholicism, the importance of the institution to a Catholic, what differentiates Catholicism from other denominations of Christianity, Catholic mass, the eucharist and whether one has to attend church, nuns, Franciscans, and Saints, miracles, the purpose of purgatory, the contradiction between god's omniscience and free will, whether faith or evidence is more important, running and overstimulation, vegan comfort food vs vegan health food, meditation and prayer, and Rachel's recommendations. The fashion show Rachel was in: https://youtu.be/TgZiGZ11s_A Poco a Poco Podcast: Franciscan Friars of the Renewal https://www.franciscanfriars.com/pocoapoco Book to check out: Compendium of the Miraculous by Deacon Albert E Graham --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/theregularpeoplepodcast/support

    20. Perspective, Reality, and Horror

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 25, 2021 153:50


    A conversation with Brad Allen. We discuss Brad's perspective, how we can't avoid having opinions and Brad's ideal of being without opinions, how your perspective shapes your reality, how we decide what is true in history and how our reality is shaped by what we're taught, the ideal ratio of pride and guilt for history class, how your hatred for something grows in proportion to your love of it, the spiral of your perspective altering your reality and dangerous delusions, the dark triad personality type, accidentally correct Trump cartoons, how to dispose of a body, why serial killers fascinate people, villains and the paradox of the hero's journey, H.H Holmes and the book The Devil in the White City, Jeffrey Dahmer and how serial killers often appear so normal, if it was easier it was to get away with crimes back in the day, horrific life-ruining videos, dark tourism, how the popularity of horror changes with society, The Purge, inequality, and socialism, photo diaries and how our desires are formed by other people, the pros and cons of traveling alone, witch burnings, demonic possession and hauntings, people jumping to supernatural conclusions and the unreliability of eye witnesses, astral projection, lucid dreaming and how reality might be a dream, CHIM and inception, why I think that religious belief is insanity, going to heaven and whether people genuinely believe, religion and how to achieve a uniform perspective, ending and Brad's recommendations. ***It appears I accidentally cut out a few words at 2:04:29. What I said there is "have you ever played the Elder Scrolls games? Like Skyrim, Morrowind..." The Trump Don Quixote Cartoon: https://www.reddit.com/r/SelfAwarewolves/comments/ogbbuh/ben_garrison_accidentally_reveals_he_has_never/ --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/theregularpeoplepodcast/support

    19. Modern Mythology, Memory, and Nerd Culture

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 25, 2021 149:22


    A conversation with Shiloh Cyan (formerly known as David). We discuss topics in the realm of nerd culture, modern mythology, memory and memory loss, reboot culture, and several other things. Specifically (and in order), we talk about: the artist-formerly-known-as-David's new name, Shiloh's past five years, animation and indie games, Star Wars, Bionicles and multimedia storytelling, how storytelling can become less genuine with each retelling, memory and how each time you recall a memory you're really recalling your last recollection of that memory, Shiloh's memory issues, amnesia in video games like Final Fantasy 7 and Knights of the Old Republic, false memories, the memory bubble we live in and the ship of Theseus, destiny, free will, and compatibilism, consciousness and Shilo's “unshakable” belief in souls, the contradictory way in which we are our own worst critics but are often blind to our flaws, dead-naming, modern myths and how myths are made, why dragons appear in mythology so much and why we're so good at distinguishing colors, how language affects our thinking, animal intelligence, reboot culture, Final Fantasy 7, and Star Wars, the dumpster fire that is Game of Thrones season 8, comparing things to the original, character-driven stories and realistic plot lines, Azor Ahai (Game of Thrones), the progression of human morality, and Howl's Moving Castle and Justice League. Creature Creek: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m2WZu1Vt7S8 Cyanimation on Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCb6ek4LDVL4OsfOoc8Yw-WA/playlists Shiloh Cyan on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/Cyanmachinations/ Books to read: But What If We're Wrong by Chuck Klosterman Castle in the Air by Diana Wynne Jones --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/theregularpeoplepodcast/support

    18. Motherhood, Birth Control, and Fast Fashion

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 30, 2021 115:00


    A conversation with Emma. The general topics we discuss are atheism, motherhood, birth control and abortion, fast fashion and sustainability, and veganism. Specifically, we discuss: A bit about Emma, the unwritten requirement of motherhood, Emma's christian upbringing and her transition to being an atheist, how ignorance and conservatism go hand in hand, emotional manipulation at Christian summer camps, going to church, spirituality, religious schools, how motherhood negatively affects careers and how men do less housework on average, gender norms in housework, how birth order plays a role in who does the most housework, the role of nature and nurture in shaping gender norms around child-raising and putting effort into a relationship, why Emma won't be having kids, how much decreasing happiness with each kid is related to getting poorer, birth control and the Catholic baby machine, universal basic income, types of birth control and their side effects, abortions and pro-choice, the possibility of Roe v. Wade being overturned, the lack of accurate representation of the populace in congress, Emma's argument for pro-choice, whether the pro-life idea will die out, rural vs urban and how your ideas change to fit your surroundings/peers, how fast fashion affects the environment, thrifting and sustainable clothing, Dunkin' Donuts' 41 new vegan flavors, being as ethical as possible with your purchases, buying from Target and working at Target, whether you can be sure a company that claims to be ethical or sustainable really is, developing countries who have yet to experience their industrial revolution, freeganism and how your purchases influence companies, how giant meat companies like Tyson will take over the lab-grown meat industry rather than going out of business, whether it's worse to order online than in-store, food deserts and how easy it is to be vegan, and Emma's book recommendation. Sorry for the audio quality in this one. There was some sort of malfunction with my microphone throughout the recording that I couldn't fix. At times it sounds like I'm speaking through a towel, and at times there are weird crackling noises. Movies and videos to watch: Yes, God, Yes (on Netflix) Letting Go Of God (by Julia Sweeney on Youtube) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C74-f4ZV-ss&t=1s Simulating alternate voting systems (by Primer on Youtube) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yhO6jfHPFQU The True Cost (Documentary) The Ugly Truth of Fast Fashion (Patriot Act Season 5, Episode 3 on Netflix) Seaspiracy (Documentary on Netflix) Cowspiracy (Documentary on Netflix) Books to read: The Feminine Mystique by Betty Friedan A Preface to Morals by Walter Lippmann Waking Up: A Guide to Spirituality Without Religion by Sam Harris Herland by Charlotte Perkins Gilman Sustainable (or at least more sustainable) clothing companies: Girlfriend Collective - https://www.girlfriend.com/ Everlane - https://www.everlane.com/ Vessi - https://vessi.com/ Pact - https://wearpact.com/ Avesu - https://www.avesuveganshoes.com/ Nothing New - https://nothingnew.com/ NAE - https://www.nae-vegan.com/en/ Urban Flowers - https://shopurbanflowers.com/ Will's Vegan Store - https://www.wills-vegan-store.com/ Matt & Nat - https://us.mattandnat.com/ Kotn - https://kotn.com/ Frank and Oak - https://www.frankandoak.com/ --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/theregularpeoplepodcast/support

    17. The Complete* Guide to Atheism

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 4, 2021 173:08


    *This is not actually a complete guide to atheism. It's just a title. There's much we didn't talk about, many good arguments we didn't make, many arguments we made poorly, and many theistic arguments we didn't address or didn't address completely. Kaden and I discuss theism. Our conversation starts with definitions of god, then moves on to the following subjects: Mormonism, believing in belief, definition of atheism, agnosticism vs Gnosticism, god's divine attributes, the problem of evil, a few reasons why the concept of hell doesn't seem to make much sense, some logical fallacies that come up in theological arguments (ambiguity, burden of proof, appeal to emotion, bandwagon, no true Scotsman, black or white, special pleading, false cause, personal incredulity, argument from ignorance, straw man, begging the question), using god as a way to not kill yourself, why people kill themselves, how being raised religiously might mess you up, religious fear-mongering, Pascal's wager, Kierkegaard's leap into faith, absurdism, meaning and empathy, the Kalam cosmological argument, Anselm's ontological argument, whether originality exists, Aquinas' unmoved mover, intelligent design and Paley's watchmaker analogy, evolution, god of the gaps, mind-body dualism, Nick Bostrom's simulation argument, Plato's allegory of the cave, unseen colors, quick-fire arguments: the argument from comfort, the argument from utility, the argument from tradition, using the lack of evidence as evidence, the argument from morality, the argument from improbability, the argument from miracles and the argument from scripture. Due to not wanting to make this episode longer than 3 hours, there were a few things we didn't get to, including the argument from desire, the argument from archaeology, the argument from historical corroboration, the argument from revelation, the argument from personal experience (which we really should've talked about as it's probably the biggest reason that most people believe), the argument from beauty, and the argument from irreducible complexity. To see Paley's watchmaker analogy debunked much better than we did it in this episode watch this video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PHmjHMbkOUM For those of you who are doubting your faith or just want a good chuckle, I recommend Julia Sweeney's one-woman play Letting Go of God: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C74-f4ZV-ss&t=1s Books worth checking out: The God Delusion by Richard Dawkins Outgrowing God by Richard Dawkins The End of Faith by Sam Harris Letter to a Christian Nation by Sam Harris God is Not Great by Christopher Hitchens The Portable Atheist by Christopher Hitchens Breaking the Spell by Daniel Dennett Why I Am Not a Christian by Bertrand Russel The Gospel of the Flying Spaghetti Monster by Bobby Henderson Atheist Universe by David Mills God: The Failed Hypothesis by Victor Strenger Youtube channels worth checking out: Rationality Rules: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCqZMgLgGlYAWvSU8lZ9xiVg CosmicSkeptic: https://www.youtube.com/user/alexjoconnor Genetically Modified Skeptic: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCG1uayRlzz3ahT8ISRdyw7Q The Atheist Experience: https://www.youtube.com/user/TheAtheistExperience --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/theregularpeoplepodcast/support

    16. Plants, Dogs, and Fear

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 28, 2021 126:19


    A conversation with Quinn. Quinn has a degree in horticulture, is very interested in plants, and has two dogs. We discuss: Quinn's past five years, doing things even if you're not good at them, caged animals on the freeway, how Quinn became interested in plants, natural laxatives, that time I ate too many Ricola cough drops and that time I poisoned my 8th grade English class, tree-blindness, the dangers of cracked trees, how we don't need to know about plants and whether we are dumber now than we were before agriculture, how invasive plant species harm ecosystems, pesticide use and the silent decimation of animal life over the past several decades, the fragility of native plant species, responsible foraging, how to identify edible plants, the seemingly paradoxical evolutionary defense mechanisms of plants, giving thanks to nature, plant poaching, how people do bad things out of ignorant self-interest more often than out of evil intentions, how we need to research where products are coming from and the ethics of them before we buy, owning too many things, the great college textbook scam, the mental health benefits of being around plants, how women are more likely to be plant owners, the parallels between being a parent and being a dog-parent, nature vs nurture in gender differences and in dog behavior, how owning pets and/or plants might make you want children, parents getting more relaxed in their parenting the more children they have, attention and love, why I pity dogs, having an abusive father, fear of loss and fear of death, how it's hard to know if you're doing something out of fear or not, societal pressures to be "successful" and the rise-and-grind lifestyle, and Quinn's favorite book. --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/theregularpeoplepodcast/support

    15. Adoption, Drugs, and Mental Health

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 1, 2021 126:06


    A discussion with Erin Lyddane. We talk about mythology, adoption, whether it's worse to find out you were adopted later in life or to always know, sex education and times our parents confronted us about sex and masturbation, the funeral industry, donating your body to science, death and mental health, bipolar disorder, being a brown person in a white catholic school, dads hating socialism, whether poorer countries have happier people, Paraguay and Peru, cats dying, cigars and our first time doing drugs, alcohol and huffing paint, our experiences on acid, bad trips, right and left brain and how the right brain plays an important role in psychedelic trips, split brain phenomena, meditation, How to Change Your Mind by Michael Pollan, attachment styles, Myers-Briggs and astrology, and the Big 5 personality test. --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/theregularpeoplepodcast/support

    14. MLMs, Relationships, and the Myth of Meritocracy

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 14, 2021 109:33


    A conversation with Adrianne Pintar. Adrianne has a degree in Journalism and Media Studies and works in advertising; she is also my girlfriend. We discuss multi-level marketing schemes, MLM parties, Vector knives, what makes an MLM an MLM, how MLMs are pyramid schemes, how MLMs don't make sense in terms of market economics, Herbalife targeting poor hispanic women, Betsy DeVos and Amway, how MLMs target religious stay at home moms and military moms, Pure Romance, Touchstone Crystal, the John Casablancas modeling school scam, the illusion of being your own boss or even owning your own company when you work for an MLM, Gamestop and r/Wallstreetbets, Robinhood and market manipulation, relationships and dependence, the key to a long-lasting relationship, compatibility and compromise, whether people can remain friends without developing romantic feelings, the difficulties of cutting onions, whether cooking is worth the time investment, why people cook less than they used to, people's preference for convenient food, being a picky eater, the cycle of brothers bullying younger brothers, childhood punishments and video games, how we aren't responsible for our own intelligence, the myth of meritocracy, how college can feel like a scam, and why meritocracies don't exist. Find Adrianne on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/adriannepintar/?hl=en Find Adrianne on Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCpx-VIY6V6m7kGevyVZmBig --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/theregularpeoplepodcast/support

    13. The Principles of Imperial Triarchy

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 26, 2021 138:30


    The Principles of Imperial Triarchy is a book written by Isaiah Gorski. Imperial Triarchy is a system of government proposed by Isaiah (as well as a critique of modern democracy and the notion of democratic republics) that establishes three central tenets for society to uphold: Liberty, Order, and Prosperity. Each tenet also contains three points that are necessary. Liberty's three points are: Equality, Inquiry, and Truth. Order's three points are: Meritocracy, Strength, and Honor. Prosperity's three points are: Capitalism, Imperialism, and Education. In this episode we discuss: teaching Marxism to students, what Imperial Triarchy is, the tenet of liberty and its three points, equality of opportunity and how success means different things to different people, inquiry and banning people from social media sites and censorship, whether propaganda is okay, morality, how Isaiah defines communo-socialism and Marxism, the success of socialist systems in Scandinavian countries and their lack of strong military, Britain leaving the EU, nationalism and potential problems with it, Imperialism and my misgivings, what Imperial Triarchy looks like in practice, how a Triachist society would come to be, the shortcomings of Imperial Triarchy and the good parts of communo-socialism in Isaiah's eyes, the difference between doubt and questioning, citizenship tests and the difference between citizens and subjects in Triachist society, the voting age, meritocracy and a few of my issues with it, free college, wealth inequality and homelessness in a Triachist society, a couple of my issues with capitalism, monopolies, and the right to health care. There were many more questions I wanted to ask and things I wanted to discuss, but we didn't get to them. Get the book: https://www.amazon.com/Principles-Imperial-Triarchy-Isaiah-Gorski/dp/B08M8CRRXW/ref=tmm_pap_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=&sr= --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/theregularpeoplepodcast/support

    12. Stories, Balance, and Truth

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 9, 2021 139:54


    A conversation with Brian Ore. We discuss saying the alphabet backwards and drunkenness, the longest walkable road, traveling alone or with another person, sharing your experiences with others, The Three Body Problem, adapting books into tv shows or movies, Lin Qi's poisoning, Dan Weiss and David Benioff, entertainment made by one mind versus many minds, modern myths and the lack of a unifying story, the current breakdown in epistemology and trust in evidence, logic vs intuition (rational vs emotional thinking), how intuition has its basis in logic, how the heart doesn't actually feel emotion, how the brain works according to Thinking Fast and Slow by Daniel Kahneman, whether you can be incorrect in a good way, whether civilization is worth it, whether intelligent life is planned or accidental, determinism, taking things literally, static characters and staying true to what you believe, Lord of the Rings and how things aren't black and white, the possible necessity of evil, addressing problems incrementally, coming to terms with your real nature and your shadow, sexual repression and how it fuels sexual obsession, differing but equally true truths and good goods, whether it might be better to split the country in half rather than have civil war, freedom vs truth, free will and compatibilism, what emotions are, how everything is the same, CHIM and having a lasting impact on the world, why we can reread the same book over and over, and the benefit of forgetting. The longest walkable road in the world: https://www.outlookindia.com/outlooktraveller/explore/story/71078/worlds-longest-walkable-route-stretches-from-cape-town-to-russia Lord of the Rings analysis video (part 1): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ndEWof-8xTY&t Lord of the Rings analysis video (part 2): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3HYlbg6RKMA The Dictionary of Obscure Sorrows: https://www.dictionaryofobscuresorrows.com/ Video about CHIM (Elder Scrolls): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dWmCmxi2e28 --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/theregularpeoplepodcast/support

    11. Good and Evil

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 2, 2021 134:43


    A conversation with Aaron Taylor. We discuss Aaron's background in college and as a science teacher, being a carpenter, political canvassing, teaching people, ignorance as the root of all evil, natural evils, what is evil, good suffering and evil joy, selfishness and selflessness, being wisely selfish, fairness and wealth inequality, charity and mutual aid, effective altruism, reciprocal altruism and selflessness (doves) or selfishness (hawks) in evolutionary biology, whether it's good to kill bad people, consequentialism vs deontology, what is happiness and how do we create it, fairness, democracy and majority rule, whether most people are smart or good, The Good Place, scientific materialism, whether psychopaths are evil, determinism and the necessary illusion of free will, multiple worlds theory, whether evil is exclusive to humans, moral nihilism, whether freedom is good, whether it's worth it to destroy the environment, considering the well-being of non-human animals, why Aaron isn't vegan, reduced meat diets, lab grown meat, hunting, the rareness of intelligent life, dimensions of goodness and the ability to do bad while remaining a good person overall, moral relativism, cultural relativism and Islam, criticizing people, Ben Shapiro and Sam Harris, Buddhism, Aaron's notion of an afterlife, fractals and infinity, burdens and chaos, whether people have enough free time to make good decisions, religion and ignorance, decision paralysis and having too much choice, and Aaron's book recommendations. Effective Altruism: https://www.effectivealtruism.org/ --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/theregularpeoplepodcast/support

    10. Color Blindness, God, and Eternity

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 12, 2020 150:36


    A discussion with Ian Curtis. We talk about the followings things: being recorded and how that changes your behavior, Ian's color blindness, how other animals see color, possible similarities between color blindness and dyslexia, colorblind mode on video games, all the unfathomable colors that supposedly exist in heaven, heaven getting filled up, how Timmy Turner remained 10 years old for 15 years, trying to sleep as little as possible, the absurdity of paying for parking and insurance, being a liberal, Jeff Bezos and his billions, successful losers and whether Donald Trump is a bad dude, the future of coronavirus, the consequences of coronavirus on theaters, Disney and the merging of streaming services, the eternal disappointment that is Game of Thrones, Ed Sheeran's ruinous appearance on Game of Thrones, how deeply and utterly terrible the last Star Wars movie was, Daniel Craig James Bond movies, famous Ians, dying young, having too many children, the 10 commandments, God's jealousy, parents as God, God as a concept of the highest value, Abrahamic religions, religious narcissism and reality denial, conservation of energy, eternal consciousness, mysticism, the purpose of religion, death and the god of the gaps, the divine spark and the origin of life, the illusion of the gravitational force poorly explained, the word "theory" in science, time and whether it's an illusion, the end of The Good Place, what heaven actually is, comprehending your own death, panpsychism, and the historical trajectory toward atheism. --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/theregularpeoplepodcast/support

    9. Ballet and Wealth Redistribution

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 21, 2020 117:32


    A conversation with professional ballet dancer Craig Freigang. Our discussion includes topics such as: ancestry, Craig's time in Germany, Craig's childhood and teenage years, how Craig got into ballet, childhood hyperactivity, dancing as a sport rather than an art form, dancing and acting, the self-critique required of being a ballet dancer and how dancing is as physical as it is mental, the body type expectations for ballet dancers, the lengths people will go to make their feet the right shape, the extreme competitiveness of ballet, the role of audience appreciation in self-esteem, sponsors and job security in ballet, the absolute power of the artistic director, unemployment in the off-season, how to improve ballet to make it healthier for people's mental states, how lucky Craig was to get a spot in the ballet company, how Craig deals with the stress and competition of ballet culture, the role of art in society and why dancers dance, art as escapism vs art as a critique of society, the 2020 presidential election (I'm sorry for the background noise during this part), political division and the electoral college, anti-trump conservatives, if the runner-up became Vice President, ranked choice voting, how Craig feels about fiscally left-leaning issues such as unemployment and coronavirus relief funds and increasing minimum wage, universal basic income and financial responsibility, whether taxing corporations more is a good idea, the balancing act of how much regulation there should be, Joe Biden's plan to raise taxes on the super rich, not wanting to tax the rich because you imagine one day you'll be rich, equality of opportunity and trying to decrease wealth inequality, Kurt Vonnegut and Tom Robbins, and the benefits of reading books over watching movies. Milwaukee Ballet: https://www.milwaukeeballet.org/ --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/theregularpeoplepodcast/support

    8. Music, Improv, and Sustainability

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 8, 2020 124:57


    A conversation with Josh Frederick. We discuss: the Alaskan town of Sitka, the special skill required of three-man bands, one of Josh's old bands: Idle Empress, the studio recording process, Agbekor (a music/dance style of Ghana), Jazz, my musical background as a very bad drummer, the soullessness of typical piano lessons, the 10,000 hours rule, talent vs effort, Josh's experience learning to play guitar, electric vs acoustic guitars, harmonicas and embouchure, Rush, singing in front of people, improv comedy, Glassworks Improv, how it seems counterintuitive to practice improv, integrity in improv, teaching and stand-up comedy, improvisation vs composition, scat singing, Josh's time living in Eau Claire and in Minneapolis, Josh's band Softly Dear, Outliers by Malcolm Gladwell, how Bill Gates and the Beatles became experts, how Josh became interested in sustainability and ecology, global warming and the prospect of future conflict because of it, the Planthropocene era, community gardens, intersectionality, Milwaukee's socialist mayors, democratic socialism, taxing the rich and how middle class republicans work against their own interests, misinformation and political polarization, aspects of conspiracy thinking, and Josh's book recommendation: Braiding Sweetgrass by Robin Wall Kimmerer. Idle Empress: https://idleempress.bandcamp.com/ Softly, Dear: https://softlydear.bandcamp.com/album/softly-dear --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/theregularpeoplepodcast/support

    7. Trauma, Addiction, and Death Acceptance

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 31, 2020 116:55


    A conversation with Brooklyn. We discuss such things as: why I don't drink coffee, the 10 minute version of Brooklyn's life story, having a shallow sense of purpose, the hyper-effective escapism of heroin, the antidote to addiction, Brooklyn's joy of life, the rat park addiction experiment, the role of determination in overcoming addiction, the importance of accepting help from others and saying yes, the importance of spending time with friends, viewing trauma as the source of mental/emotional health problems, Erik Erikson's eight stages of human development, mental health problems as a result of genetics, antisocial personality disorder, how the word trauma is applied to too many things, the nurture assumption by Judith Rich Harris, parent to child effects vs child to parent effects, problems with the trauma view, death acceptance and the beauty of death, the root of all fears, meditation and whether consciousness is eternal, pantheism, how things all throughout the universe have similarities, atheist spirituality, the experience of being dead, being in the present moment, the benefits of meditation, technological immortality, cancer and doing what's natural, the benefits of exercise, rewiring your brain, journaling, the death of other people, being too accepting of death, Notes from Underground by Fyodor Dostoevsky, declining rates of violence, and what Brooklyn and I think everyone should do at least once in life. --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/theregularpeoplepodcast/support

    6. Veganism and Abortion

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 18, 2020 110:14


    In this episode I have a discussion with Matt, who is a vegan and a theology teacher. We discuss our long transitions to veganism, the b12 counterargument among others, beginner's doubts, the main point of veganism as Matt sees it, deontological veganism, deontology vs consequentialism, hierarchical veganism, the possible conflict between veganism and pro-choice, abortion, whether human life has inherent value, the point a fetus becomes unabortable, speciesism and the unique dignity of humanity, why there aren't more conservative vegans, how traditions can be compatible with veganism, whether changes in a tradition come from within or without, whether truth is inherently good, whether existence is inherently good, artificially extending human life, the balance of how to effectively argue for veganism to your friends, abortion again, and Matt's book recommendation. --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/theregularpeoplepodcast/support

    5. Food and Technology

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 11, 2020 123:53


    In episode 5 of the podcast I have a discussion with Josie. She is a history major who is interested in vegan cooking and baking; she even has her own vegan cake business (and I've tried her cakes, they're very good). We discuss Josie's background, cake decorating, vegan cooking, originality in cooking, how knowledge should be free, creative writing and creativity, procrastination, whether true originality actually exists, the spiritual experience of nature, survivalism, the dysfunctions of social media and the modern world, Instagram and validation-seeking, candid photos and artificiality, the need to take more pictures than you need, how people don't call each other anymore, edible images, speeding and roads in other countries, self driving cars and how technology is making us worse, the value of learning and doing things yourself, the spread of misinformation, how weird Santa is, lying to children, the freedom of childhood and how children have less freedom these days, jaywalking and the self driving car trolley problem, marijuana possession and alcohol, aging and how to slow it, lobbying and whether dairy is good for you, diet and ADHD, our favorite food textures, and Josie's favorite book, tv show, and musical artist. Find Josie's delicious vegan cakes here: https://www.instagram.com/wild_flora_bakery/ --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/theregularpeoplepodcast/support

    4. Philosophy, Politics, and Economics

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 11, 2020 131:55


    In episode 4 I'm talking to PPE student Kaden Endres. We discuss a wide range of subjects, including Kaden's background as a student, my issue with reddit and social media and search algorithms, confirmation bias, Trump, climate change deniers, immigration and religious refugees, worries about Islam and religion in general, how racist America is compared to other countries, Christianity, god as a metaphor, moral relativism, how likely people are to act heroically, rape and whether there is any action that is always bad, whether or not we should steal Trump signs, environmentalism, eco-fascism, U.S foreign policy regarding Yemen and Saudi Arabian arms deals, UBI, defunding the police, and abolishing prisons. --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/theregularpeoplepodcast/support

    3. Critical Theory, Conservatism, and Christianity

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 11, 2020 136:58


    In this episode my guest is Nate Godfrey, a history graduate student who is currently working on his master's thesis. We discuss Critical Theory and Nate's issues with it, critical race theory, liberalism, conservatism, Thomas Sowell, CS Lewis, abortion, and Christianity. I don't agree with Nate on several things, however my mindset while making this podcast is less to have arguments with people and more to simply understand what my interlocutors think. Perhaps I should engage in more debate though. You let me know. I hope you enjoy this episode of the Regular People Podcast. --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/theregularpeoplepodcast/support

    2. We Are the Dreamers of Dreams

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 11, 2020 124:41


    In the second episode of the Regular People podcast I'm joined by Brian Ore. Brian and I discuss a wide variety of topics. We discuss the unpleasant smell of Mcdonald's parking lots, our musical childhoods, psychology, language and why people disagree and misunderstand one another, whether brains create consciousness, the possibility that we're living in a dream, CHIM and amaranth, Carl Jung, movies such as Shutter Island and Arrival, and much more. --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/theregularpeoplepodcast/support

    1. Urban Education

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 11, 2020 109:08


    Welcome to the Regular People Podcast! In this inaugural episode of the podcast I am joined by one of my good friends. At the time of recording, she was finishing her literature review to complete her master's degree program in education. She is currently an english teacher. We discuss her experience as a teacher, the problems that many urban schools face, the discipline measures used against black girls in schools and the consequences they have, the trouble with homework, unconscious biases, and much more. Also, I apologize for any oddities in the audio quality. Points that may be too quiet, points that may be too loud, bumps, noises, etc. Making a podcast is a learning experience and I hope to improve the quality over time. Thanks for being understanding. --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/theregularpeoplepodcast/support

    Claim The Regular People Podcast

    In order to claim this podcast we'll send an email to with a verification link. Simply click the link and you will be able to edit tags, request a refresh, and other features to take control of your podcast page!

    Claim Cancel