Why We Do What We Do

It has been suggested that consuming too much ultra-processed food can lead to a decrease in cognitive abilities, particularly in areas such as decision-making and impulse control. Some experts even say that these foods are like "brain junk food," filling your stomach but leaving your brain feeling unsatisfied. There are also critics who point to flaws in this argument including inconsistencies, a...

This is not about authors. Authoritarians represent an oppressive governmental structure including "communism" and dictatorships. Although different in theory, they are similar in practice. We describe what authoritarianism is, how it works, why it works, and why a relatively substantial amount of people absolutely love it. And Abraham says "... and that sort of thing" a lot. Recommendations Abrah...

WARNING: There is some discussion about suicide. John Broadus Watson was a giant historical figure in the history of psychology and is often referred to as the father of behaviorism. He developed several hypothesis, experiments, and strategies that advanced the science of psychology. In many things, he was at least partially correct, but often politically or scientifically incorrect. We highlight...

This second conversation gets into the more widely discussed arguments about immigration. Countries that receive legal and illegal immigrants can profit from them. Countries that lose citizens may benefit from their people leaving, but they may also suffer. It's a complicated issue, but there's a fairly clear winner... if you want to be the winner. Recommendations Abraham: Moneyball ( https://www....

Transnational immigration is a major talking point and vote-motivating topic among many people around the world. People migrate due to push and pull factors, meaning motivation to go to a country or to leave a country. Doing this "legally" is a complicated, confusing, and arbitrary. In part 1, we mostly tackle the logistics of migrating. In part 2, we will tackle the implications for the departing...

We celebrate 5 years as a podcast with some then and now reflections. We review some of the topics we have covered, entertainment we have enjoyed, science achievements, major events, scientists we have lost, and all of the people who have helped us along the way. Unfortunately, Abraham wasn't feeling well during recording and sounded a little inarticulate. A nice fun bow on the podcast for the yea...

What is steampunk? Why is steampunk? Who is steampunk? This is the future as imagined through the fashion and technology of victorian era zeitgeist, or Japanese, or cowboys, or any number of other takes on retro-futuristic cosplay and motifs. Also, it's national short story day, don't make your bed day, coquito day, ribbon candy day, flashlight day, look on the birght side day, and crossword puzzl...

Some people can eat nearly anything (or actually anything) without becoming ill. One man's digestion was so severe that he would eat four times the average person and lose weight. Also, another person could take punishing blows to the abdomen, some people swallow all sorts of foreign objects for entertainment, and of course, competitive eating. Stories of the unique and often sad. Recommendations...

Ketamine is a new and still controversial medical intervention being explored for its utility in mental health treatment. Is there something of substance here or just another false promise? We dig into the current status of Ketamine and speak to the parent of a child who is receiving medicinal Ketamine. Recommendations - Abraham: Yoplait dairy-free yogurt ( https://www.ouibyyoplait.com/products?gc...

Below the ribs. Hypochondriasis, now illness anxiety disorder, is the debilitating fear that symptoms or the potential for symptoms will lead to more severe disease. It is different from those who imagine being sick and make themselves sick, and different from those who just want attention or sympathy or to get out of obligations. You might be surprised! Recommendations: - Abraham: Maitake Mushroo...

The party of national programs, federal regulations, and taxes: The republicans! If you're in the 1700s-1800s. At some point, the policies of the parties switched from the democrats to the republicans and the other way around. What happened? How? And Why? Let's dig into the history. Recommendations - Abraham: Ghosts (TV Series; https://www.cbs.com/shows/ghosts/) - Shane: Wakanda Forever ( https://...

This treatment involves moving your eyes back and forth while engaging in systematic desensitization. And maybe a purple hat. Does EMDR work for PTSD or other mental health issues? We unpack the "philosophy" and science behind EMDR. What's there, what isn't, and how we might tell the difference. Recommendations - Abraham: Verdant (game: https://www.flatout.games/verdant) - Shane: IT by Stephen Kin...

If we had to ask... This is a revisit of our discussion from April 2018 with a little more conversation with the new host (Shane). Recommendations - Shane: Sell Out (Book by Dan Ozzi; https://www.danozzi.com/books/sellout) - Abraham: Hocus Pocus 2 ( https://www.disneyplus.com/movies/hocus-pocus-2/4Q5cWHlnVCun) Links and resources: Links Bannerman, D. J., Sheldon, J. B., Sherman, J. A., & Harchik,...

While shrugging is a common expression, used by many cultures, the explanation as to why we shrug is still vague and for the most part an unanswered question. Perhaps warranting a shrug to answer its own question. While empirical data and theories are limited, a few people, most notable Darwin, did try to provide theories such as why. Theories extend from it being an expression of one’s emotions t...

These are the strange, often horrifying, sometimes cuddly mythical creatures of lore. Sometimes they are meant to scare us away from dangers, sometimes to gain obedience, and sometimes to explain the unexplainable. We talk about several cryptids throughout history and what role they served. The season finale of our halloween-themed topics! Recommendations Abraham: Endless Winter: Paleoamericans (...

The one you've all been waiting for. Maybe. Where did the term "serial killer" come from? Where have serial killers been active around the world? Most importantly, why do they kill people? We do our best to unpack the ins and outs of serial killers for this years installment of our halloween-themed topics Recommendations Abraham: Culina Plant-Based Yogurt ( https://www.culinayogurt.com/) Shane: We...

We're not sure what it is... It's unidentified! In this Halloween spooky pod, we take on the history of the pursuit of extraterrestrial visitors. We talk about where the idea of "flying saucers" came from, and several key pieces of "evidence." We also explain cattle mutilation and crop circles. Even if you knew all of that, there are still a few surprises! Become a supporter of this podcast: https...

VooDoo isn't sticking pins in dolls to cause pain to a victim. Actually, it's highly cultural and unique and often helpful. Madam Marie (Paris) Laveau is a fascinating character to tell the story of VooDoo in New Orleans. Welcome to our Halloween Season 3! Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/why-we-do-what-we-do--3419521/support . Support our podcast: www.patreon.c...

Humans having been keeping animals around for a long time as workers and pest control. Do they serve another purpose all these centuries later? We explore the proportion of our lives that pets consume, why we keep them, and other ways animals/pets participate in our lives. Recommendations Abraham: Bullet Train ( https://www.sonypictures.com/movies/bullettrain) Shane: The Woman King ( https://www.t...

People are frequently imprisoned when the pose a threat to the authority of people in power. Most of these were people who did little or nothing besides criticize those in power or something even just know someone who criticized those in power. We discuss several examples of this and many of the implications. Recommendations Abraham: The Devil All The Time (Netflix Movie) Shane: Noam Chomsky’s On...

This is a nostalgic look at our episode on Gender and Sexuality with our first ever guest. We follow-up the episode with an updated discussion on this topic. Enjoy this look back in time. Recommendations - Abraham: Lost City (movie; https://www.imdb.com/title/tt13320622/) - Shane: Greenlights by Matthew McCoaisd;aektbsy ( https://greenlights.com/) Links: 1. https://advocatesforyouth.org/wp-content...

In this face-off between hope and logic and reason vs blustering confusion and nonsense, who will emerge victorious? We discuss the motives and tactics of denialists as well as what, if anything, we can do about it. Recommendations: Abraham: Zoom (zoom.us) Shane: Dead Tank Records ( https://deadtankrecords.com/) Links: 1. https://www.theatlantic.com/daily-dish/archive/2010/05/denialism-vs-skeptici...

Denialists like to claim that they are skeptics and engaging in critical thought. They require ever more evidence from their opponents, but little to no evidence to confirm their own beliefs. This is the opposite of the skeptical position. We are taking denialisms down a peg, listen in to part 1! Recommendations - Abraham: Do something nice for someone - Shane: Do something nice for yourself, too!...

Sarcasm can be found in nearly every language and culture and throughout much of human history. Is it because we are all passive aggressive jerks? Or maybe we are all aspiring comedians? We breakdown what is said about sarcasm and what sarcasm says about you. Recommendations - Abraham: Villainous (game; https://www.ravensburger.us/discover/games/disney-villainous-game/index.html) - Shane: Goodfell...

The disaster at the Chornobyl (yes, I spelled that correctly) nuclear power plant was a culmination of human errors, faulty design, and poor leadership. A slight departure for us, but an interesting exploration into the levels of the event. Recommendations - Abraham: Kirby Vacuums ( https://www.kirby.com/) - Shane: The Storyteller: Tales of Life and Music by Dave Grohl ( https://www.davegrohlstory...