Unprompted

New year, same silly crew. Jarod, Luke, and Misha are back at it talking about why we have nostalgia for the past and how it is so common for people to try to preserve ourselves as they age.

Merry Christmas, dear listener, while you are just one of our billions, we want to give you this special gift on this special day. Join the boiz as they talk about how technologies that once looked promising can wither away with all the holiday cheer and spirt of people who recorded this podcast over a month ago and took collective weeks to get it edited. Please enjoy every mid-winter holiday you choose to celebrate, and remember, always listen responsibly.

Have you ever wondered where Misha gets all his weird quotes? Or what classics Jarod watched with his dad? Or why Luke can count the number of movies he's seen with 2 hands? Grab your popcorn, take your bathroom break, and silence your cellphone. This feature length episode is full of formative films from the trios life.

Your favorite 3 hooligans take another trip down memory lane. This time, Luke eats his own shoe with his AI predictions from 2021. Misha drank the CoPilot kool-aid. And Jarod thinks text-based AI interactions are too slow for his big, smart brain. Stick around for the end where the lads test each other for whose got the minerals to break away from the algorithm overlords. Things we talked about:

 - https://openai.com/blog/chatgpt-can-now-see-hear-and-speak - https://blogs.microsoft.com/blog/2023/09/21/announcing-microsoft-copilot-your-everyday-ai-companion/ - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1396

Is an electric vehicle realistically worth owning for the modern tech nomad or are hybrid plugins the only sane choice? Jarod and Luke have spent some considerable time with new electric vehicles and share their personal thoughts on how the adoption of EVs will go moving forward. Also, who's the new guy? Links to the stuff we talked about: https://www.tesla.com/supercharger https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chevrolet_Volt https://powersports.honda.com/motorcycle/standard/scl500 https://topelectricsuv.com/news/ford/ford-maverick-hybrid/ https://www.britannica.com/place/Venice/History

Luke and Jarod are back! And Luke is back in Nebraska. The boyz revisit an early topic and discuss how their views on life and what is important and how these views have changed in the last year.

For the first time in Unprompted Pod history, Luke and Jarod welcome back-to-back special guests. Dom joins the (in-person!) pod to ponder what inspires us. Is “being inspired” the best way to make, think, or do something new? And are there really any “new” ideas left? Links: https://austinkleon.com/steal/ Romans copying Carthaginian ship: Roman Naval Warfare - World History Encyclopedia -

Luke and Jarod welcome special guest Michail to the Unprompted Pod family. In the spirit of Luke & Michail meeting for the first time live on air, the guys discuss what it takes to get to know someone new—and what it take to get to truly know yourself. Links: https://www.history.com/.amp/topics/world-war-i/christmas-truce-of-1914

Luke and Jarod explore the collision of polar-opposite personal finance movements: FIRE (Financially Independent, Retire Early) or Die With Zero—or the possibility of a hybrid between. Links: https://www.diewithzerobook.com/ https://www.npr.org/2013/08/01/207272849/how-andrew-carnegie-turned-his-fortune-into-a-library-legacy John D. Rockefeller | Biography, Industry, Philanthropy, Facts, & Death | BritannicaAndrew Carnegie - HISTORY Andrew Carnegie's Story

Luke and Jarod share some of their thoughts about the chatter of a possible recession/economic downturn in the near future. What does it mean for the current job market, society, and them personally? Links: [Alan Blinder predicts 50% to 60% chance of a mild recession next year (cnbc.com)](https://www.cnbc.com/2022/05/24/alan-blinder-predicts-50percent-to-60percent-chance-of-a-mild-recession-next-year.html#:~:text=A recession is a period,and fell into a recession.) PayPal laid off 83 employees as it reduces Bay Area presence | TechCrunch Layoffs.fyi - Tech Layoff Tracker and Startup Layoff Lists Bonus Army | History & Significance | BritannicaThis was not really a “communist uprising” as we said in the show. There was probably some socialist sentiment in the group, but it wasn't the main objective.

Luke and Jarod start by talking about the ways that companies selling DNA data could impact society and quickly veer off. They discuss how quickly technology has advanced, how it has affected our societies and where things might go from here. Jarod also quotes Shakespeare. Links 23andMe sold the rights to a drug it developed from its genetic database - The Verge How Drug Companies Are Using Your DNA To Make New Medicine - WSJ The myth of Pandora's box - Iseult Gillespie - YouTubeNote from Jarod: In this version of the myth “Hope” is left in the box after all of the evils burst out. I was surprised by this since I had learned it as foreboding. After doing some research it seems like this is the subject of much debate, and it has been since ancient times. Both translations of the story work. In the story where it is “Hope” Pandora lets it out which helps mankind. In the foreboding version she keeps it trapped inside which keeps mankind from experience that, which is considered the worst evil. In this podcast I obviously use the foreboding version and I feel that works best with the analogy I make. [Oppenheimer quotes: the story behind 'Now I am become Death, the destroyer of worlds' | WIRED UK](https://www.wired.co.uk/article/manhattan-project-robert-oppenheimer#:~:text=The story of Oppenheimer's infamous quote,-The line%2C from&text=As he witnessed the first,%2C the destroyer of worlds”.) [Act III Scene 4 Act III Scene 4 Macbeth: AS & A2 (yorknotes.com)](https://www.yorknotes.com/alevel/english-literature/macbeth-alevel/study/plot-action/01150104_act-iii-scene-4#:~:text=Key quotation%3A I am in,on than to turn back.) Homo Deus - Yuval Noah Harari (ynharari.com) Thomas Edison Predicts the 20th Century // Kindles and Bumblebee Helicopters // Cosmopolitan (1911) - YouTube The Great Bifurcation – Stratechery by Ben Thompson Edison Financed the Electric Chair (businessinsider.com) Tesla vs. Edison — and what the never-ending battle says about us - VoxJarod Note: It is important that though I said a lot of bad things about Edison, he was not a devil or evil. There is a lot of hype making Tesla out to be an angel who just wanted to make the world better and Edison was just a businessman. Like most times, reality is not the same as the story and both men were more complicated and nuanced than myth makes them out to be.

Luke and Jarod welcome their second ever guest: their good friend Connor Jolley. The boyz talk about Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG). What even is ESG, how is it effecting investing right now, and is it even the right way to look at business opportunities. Links [ESG Investing and Analysis (cfainstitute.org)](https://www.cfainstitute.org/en/research/esg-investing#:~:text=ESG stands for Environmental%2C Social,material risks and growth opportunities.) Matt Levine - Bloomberg Corporate sustainability reporting | European Commission (europa.eu) Texas - Annexation and statehood | BritannicaAn important thing that I (Jarod) missed when discussing the pre-oil history of Texas was how long ago the oil industry started in Texas. Oil was being pumped since the 1860s. I had mentioned it was much later in the 19th century. Nonetheless, Texas was dominated more by cattle than oil until the late 19th and early 20th century when demand for oil really started surging. Also, would still highly recommend Lonesome Dove. Lonesome Dove: A Novel: McMurtry, Larry: 9781439195260: Amazon.com: Books

Luke and Jarod are back at it in the second year of Unprompted. They talk about the biology of the human microbiome. Is the microbiome an integral part of the human body and where do we draw the line at what is part of our microbiome and what isn't. They also discuss possible ways that we could use our microbiomes to improve our lives. Links: I Contain Multitudes: The Microbes Within Us and a Grander View of Life: Yong, Ed: 9780062368591: Amazon.com: Books Current understanding of the human microbiome | Nature Medicine Fecal Microbiota Transplantation: An Update on Clinical Practice - PMC (nih.gov) The mystery of the lost Roman herb - BBC FutureI was going to do a history fact about a roman spice that they drove to extinction. I mentioned that I thought it was asafoetida, which is actually a spice that grows in Iran. I was incorrect there. The Roman spice was silphium and asafoetida was the closest substitute that existed when it went extinct in the Classical era and still is the best substitute we have today. Asafoetida - Wikipedia Some details on the Columbian exchange: The Columbian Exchange: How the New World Affected the Old | Panoramas (pitt.edu)

From buying a house to moving cross country, Luke and Jarod take a look back on the past year of Unprompted episodes to reflect on the many hot takes (and some changed opinions) through the past 16 episodes on technology, society, history, life and more.

Luke and Jarod discuss the future of warfare and how its form and definitions may change. They also briefly discuss the current tensions between Ukraine and Russia and Jarod makes some predictions that might come back to bite him in the next couple weeks. Links: Dan Carlin's Hardcore History: Addendum: EP19 Asymmetrical Perspectives (libsyn.com) Hospitals say cyberattacks increase death rates and delay patient care - The Verge Ransomware attack might have caused another death - The Washington Post Should cyberattacks be considered an act of war? – NAOC (natoassociation.ca) Explainer-U.S. government hack: espionage or act of war? | Reuters The REAL Reason Putin is Preparing for War in Ukraine - YouTube Russia's Vladimir Putin : Throughline : NPR Note from Jarod after a week of reflection: When I made comments about how I didn't think that Russia would invade Ukraine I was only taking into account the economic/social benefits and costs but not the emotional drivers for Russia's possible invasion. As discussed in the Johnny Harris video above, Russia and Ukraine have a deeply intertwined history and the two are seen as inseparable by many Russians, and especially those who grew up during the Soviet period. Many of the early Soviet cosmonauts as well as other Soviet heroes were ethnically Ukrainian. Part of the calculus working into Putin's ultimate decision is the hope to reunite what he likely sees as one cultural people. In many an American can try to understand a Russian (Former Soviet) perspective by doing the following thought experiment. If in 30 years the United States fell apart with most of the country remaining intact as the USA, but the Northeast breaking off as an independent country, would you feel that we were still culturally one American people? Would you feel any drive to reintegrate the Northeast into the greater USA to restore it to its “true” form? Most of the early US history centers around the Northeast US just like much very early Russian history centers around Ukraine and the Kevian Rus. While this scenario does not take into account the larger cultural differences between Ukrainians and Russians and many hundreds of years more of history, it does help us try to understand what is going through Putin's head. I think with this information I see a Russian invasion more likely, but still don't see it as a certainty.

Luke surprises Jarod with his new purchase. Then, the boys discuss whether Space is going to be the next frontier of human exploration and economic activity. Links: Konstantin E. Tsiolkovsky | NASA SpaceX Starship - Wikipedia [Colonization of Mars - Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Colonization_of_Mars#:~:text=Organizations have proposed plans for,about conditions on the ground.) Beyond: The Astonishing Story of the First Human to Leave Our Planet and Journey into Space: Walker, Stephen: 9780062978158: Amazon.com: Books Dutch East India Company - Wikipedia How many astronauts have died in space? | Astronomy.com (Only 3 humans have actually died in space, the crew of Soyuz 11).

First, Jarod tells Luke about his new laptop. Then, Luke and Jarod spend a long time ranting and arguing about the meaning and impact “Web3” will have on the world. Links: Web3 - Wikipedia What is the metaverse, and do I have to care? - The Verge How Technology From the Space Race Changed the World – Now. Powered by Northrop Grumman

Luke and Jarod start by talking about historical forms of justice but quickly veer off into talking about AI and its implications for our lives, free will, and societies. Links: Trial by ordeal - Wikipedia Peter the Great - Wikipedia

After a long delay, Jarod and Luke talk about how they are settling into their new homes, jobs, and routines. They discuss systems they have built up during their transition to "real life" and ones they have lost. Links: Atomic Habits: Tiny Changes, Remarkable Results by James Clear The Screwtape Letters: Lewis, C. S.: 9780060652937: Amazon.com: Books Nemi Ships: How Caligula's Floating Pleasure Palaces Were Found and Lost Again | Discover Magazine

As Luke and Jarod settle down into their new cities they discuss moving away (permanently), what it means to find a home and become part of a community, and when they feel that will be the right move for them.

While "super apps" like WeChat and Alibaba are commonplace in China, it can be hard to fathom how a single platform has such a large market share on consumers' lives. Yet, Jarod and Luke discuss: Why doesn't WeChat succeed in America? And does the U.S. have our own version of super apps? Links: https://a16z.com/2018/01/13/super-apps-china-product-innovation-wip/ https://newsroom.tiktok.com/en-us/find-a-job-with-tiktok-resumes https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2020-08-07/why-tencent-and-wechat-are-such-a-big-deal-in-china-quicktake https://www.history.com/news/why-was-it-called-the-spanish-flu

For the first time ever, Luke and Jarod are both unprompted and invite a guest, Sheng-Jie, to bring a topic. Three guys talk about what game theory is, offer historical examples, and how it can be applied to everyday life. Links to stuff we talked about: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nash_equilibrium https://plato.stanford.edu/entries/game-theory/ https://blog.thecenterforsalesstrategy.com/burn-your-ships-how-to-be-a-great-leader https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NdITTDl5coE https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Selfish_Gene https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Evolutionarily_stable_strategy https://psyche.co/ideas/what-jibes-about-caesar-tell-us-about-sex-in-ancient-rome https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pederasty History Correction: Jarod said that sexual relationships between adults men and young boys were not really present in classical Greece, but mainly in Rome. This was not the case, these relationships "originated" in Greece and the practice spread to Rome through Greek influence.

As Apple's 2021 WWDC comes to a close, Jarod and Luke discuss if the utility (productivity, happiness, etc.) the infamous "Apple Ecosystem" brings to its users is real or imagined—and if it's worth the price tag. Links to stuff we talked about: https://www.getquip.com/ https://www.harrys.com/en/us https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0TD96VTf0Xs https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pAOjDXdiUzM https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B-Nou-xhWGI https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nikola_Tesla#Estate History Correction: Nikola Tesla was born in Serbia, not Hungary like Jarod thought.

Is the 2022 Ford F-150 Lightning enough to convince the "typical truck guy" to switch to electric? Jarod and Luke discuss Ford's electric vehicle investments and its implications on the future of Tesla, Rivian, and the future of EVs. Links to stuff we talked about: https://www.ford.com/trucks/f150/f150-lightning/2022/ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J2npVg9ONFo https://rivian.com/ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m7atGkba-Z8 https://www.torquenews.com/13417/tesla-s-planned-25k-car-could-end-being-half-price-when-incentives-kick https://carbuzz.com/features/ford-f-150-lightning-vs-rivian-r1t-electric-truck-wars https://www.goethe.de/ins/gb/en/kul/ser/arc/vll/21618144.html Anglo-Norman language - Wikipedia https://www.history.co.uk/articles/the-kaiser-the-tsar-and-king-george-v-cousins-at-war-in-ww1 History Correction: While Queen Victoria did frequently speak German with her family and some German friends, she did not regularly use it in official business. In fact, English was the predominant language of the royal court throughout the modern era. During the early years of the English monarchy, though, French was the official language of the royalty. This was the case from William the Conqueror in 1066 until Henry IV in 1413. From then onward, English was the predominant language of the nobility with French and German being a second language in the upper classes. It seems as though Jarod needs to read a book or two on British Nobility.

Will fear of destruction keep the peace in the future? Are rocket defense systems defensive or offensive? Jarod starts by rambling about WW1 Zeppelins, but the boyz quickly switch to talking about nuclear weapons, Israel's Iron Dome, and the future balance of peace.

Is it inevitable that friendships fade over time and space? Are their ways to stay close to college friends as you move around the country. As Luke and Jarod get ready to graduate they reflect on the friendships they have had in the past and how those friendships might evolve in the future.

Is there a difference between the Aztecs, Egyptians, or Mayans? When did horses become important to the Native Americans of the High Plains? Luke and Jarod start by talking about Pre-Columbian Native American societies, but quickly diverge to talk about history in general.

Does the rise in NFTs represent a shift in the way that we define our sense of self? Luke and Jarod discuss collectible items, NFTs, virtual museums, and other exciting topics.

Is the energy crisis in Texas a moment or the start of a movement? Luke and Jarod talk about virtual power plans, decentralized grids, and renewable energy in the second episode of Unprompted.

Luke and Jarod kick off the podcast by exploring the ideas of generalists and specialists. From discussing Elon Musk's contributions to the world to examining the fields of science and technology in general, Luke and Jarod discuss how generalists and specialists think, act, and change the world.