WHYlennial Podcast

In this episode Nick and Kelly talk about media literacy. WHY in the year 2023 do we have people that think the earth is flat? WHY in an age of information where we have everything at our fingertips does it feel like people are less educated and less interested in knowledge, expertise, and truth? Nick and Kelly share their thoughts on media literacy, truth, and try not to rant too much about how dumb things seem to be right now. They also discuss actions that can be taken to boost your media literacy muscles and close with recommendations for books to read and other resources to lean on.  

In this episode Nick and Kelly talk about the Me Too movement, gender norms, and deconstructing how men and women are socialized. WHY does it feel like more young people are embracing the idea of gender as a spectrum? In a 2022 article by Pew Research they found that 50% of 18-29 year old young adults surveyed said that a person can be a man or woman even if their gender expression doesn't match their sex. Nick and Kelly share their thoughts on the good, the bad and the ugly when it comes to gender norms, as well as share their personal stories about putting in the work to deconstruct how we think about them and what we want for our own children. We close with some recommendations for books to read and other resources to lean on.

In this episode Nick and Kelly talk about adult friendship. In recent surveys by Pew research they find that more and more Americans have fewer friends and close relationships. WHY is it so hard as adults to make new friends? Nick and Kelly share their personal approaches to friendships and relationships, make a pitch for joining their cult, and close with some recommendations for books to read and other resources to lean on.  

In this episode Nick and Kelly talk about the loneliness epidemic. On May 3, 2023 the United States Surgeon General put out an advisory warning calling attention to the public health crisis of loneliness, isolation, and lack of connection. WHY in the age of social media, are more and more Americans reporting having fewer friends and feeling more alone. Kelly and I talk about our personal struggles with loneliness and isolation, the difference between being alone and feeling lonely, and we close with some recommendations for books to read and other resources to lean on.  

In this episode Nick and Kelly talk about happiness. We ask WHY happiness can be elusive and discuss some techniques and strategies that we find helpful for maintaining a sense of well-being. We also talk about our personal struggles with stress and happiness, and we close with some recommendations of books to read and other resources to lean on.  

In this episode Nick talks about the labor movement, the rise of unions, the strikes that are happening currently in America, and why unions are so important. Unions play an important role in providing a countermeasure to corporate greed. They are an opportunity to make our collective voices as workers heard when our economic system isn't working for us. The middle class was built by unions and if we want it back, we need to come together in solidarity.

In this episode Nick and Kelly ask the big questions about religion, spirituality, and philosophy. We get existential and ask WHY Americans are turning away from church and traditional religion and what are some ways to fill that void of community and connection. Humans are social creatures, but in our current climate of rising levels of anxiety, depression, and political and economic uncertainty, what are some ways we can feel connected and content?

In this episode, Nick and Kelly go a little deeper on the topics of patriarchy, masculinity, and raising boys. We ask why are men experiencing a loneliness epidemic? Why are male suicide rates trending up? And if there are ways out of a social structure that doesn't feel like it works for anyone. Is patriarchy inevitable? Or can society move forward toward a more equal, enlightened, and community driven future?

In this episode, Nick and Kelly talk about "The Barbie Movie". We ask why the movie has resonated so well with audiences and discuss the message of the movie, feminism, patriarchy, and how to feel...Kenough.

WHYlennial is back for Season 3! In this episode Nick is joined by his friend and coworker Kelly and they spend time talking about intellectual curiosity, K-12 education, and why being a know-it-all is a good thing.

In this episode, Nick scratches the surface of the metaverse and as an older millennial provides a beginner's guide for anyone who is confused about Mark Zuckerberg's announcement that his company will be changing its name from Facebook to Meta.

In this episode, Nick gets a little personal and discusses his Faith and his belief in God.

In this episode, Nick takes a dive down the rabbit hole and presents some physics thought experiments and talks about some metaphysical and philosophical ideas. Resources: Morpheus Speech https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t-Nz6us7DUA Soul “Jerry” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1vdoSOmHkts Dr. Strange vs Dormammu https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LrHTR22pIhw Boltzmann Brain https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Boltzmann_brain String theory https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/String_theory Simulation Theory https://builtin.com/hardware/simulation-theory

In this episode, Nick discusses Socrates and the Socratic Method as well as Epistemology and what knowledge is. Nick finishes by discussing some economic concepts like: utility, Opportunity Cost, the Decision Matrix and the Life Cycle of Financial Planning, and true randomness. Resources: https://huntertafe.libguides.com/c.php?g=763875&p=5478896 https://toughnickel.com/personal-finance/The-Life-Cycle-of-Financial-Planning https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9L4bRXL94Ws https://www.random.org/  

In this episode, Nick discusses what it means to "be the best". He talks about his favorite motivational books, and invites the listener to think about "being the best" in a different way. Resources: https://www.amazon.com/Takes-What-Think-Neutrally-Control/dp/0062947125 https://www.paulekman.com/projects/lie-to-me/#:~:text=The%20main%20character%2C%20Dr.,Me%20feature%20references%20from%20Dr https://personalexcellence.co/blog/talent-stack/ https://www.amazon.com/Power-Habit-What-Life-Business/dp/081298160X

In this episode, the first of Season 2, Nick discusses Storytelling. What makes a story good? Why do some stories/movies capture our attention while others flop? Resources: https://savethecat.com/ https://sydfield.com/ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4_RUgnC1lm8  

In this episode Nick discusses Bitcoin. What it is, how it works, why it has surged from a low of $6,000 per bitcoin back in April 2020 to its current $37,000 per bitcoin price today in January. If you’re not currently invested, you should be as the price may soon reach a high of $100,000 or more per Bitcoin.

In this episode Nick discusses WATER. Why it's a unique and amazing substance, and why we should all be drinking more of it. Stay hydrated my friends!

In this episode Nick discusses the book "Amusing Ourselves to Death" by Neil Postman and The Social Dilemma documentary on Netflix.

In this episode Nick takes a look at the feminist movement, toxic masculinity, and engages with the question asked by Rebecca Solnit in her collection of essays "Men Explain Things To Me".

In this episode, Nick shares his thoughts on the idea of Perfectionism. Exploring whether it's helpful or harmful and talking about what success means, and what successful parenting looks like during this time of distance learning and the corona virus pandemic.

In this episode, Nick shares his thoughts on the Black Lives Matter movement, taking a look back at the history of the aftermath of the Civil War, and sharing thoughts on the essays of W. E. B. Du Bois as written in his "The Souls of Black Folk" collection.

Episode 6 of the WHYlennial podcast. In this episode, Nick describes his recent bout with the coronavirus, and talks about being admitted to the hospital for a week, and surviving once the virus hit his lungs.

Nick talks about how we get our information, what sources do we trust, and how we can eliminate "fake news".

In our current time of sheltering in place, Nick and Jen discuss the binge-watchable show sweeping the nation. The Netflix documentary Tiger King.

Episode 3 of the WHYlennial podcast. Nick discusses the coronavirus pandemic, the death of Kobe Bryant, and takes a look at the uncertainty and anxiety of our current times. Nick shares his personal philosophy on life and death, and offers an optimistic outlook on how to cope with what we're facing.

Episode 2 of the WHYlennial podcast. Nick and Kelly discuss the challenges of being a career oriented woman with a discussion of an article that appeared in The Atlantic titled "Who's Afraid of Ambitious Women".

The pilot episode. Nick discusses the goals of the podcast and talks about sustaining motivation and creating new habits.