Rationalish

Here's a paradox: The best way to fix the House of Representives is have even more representatives in the House. I know what you're thinking: "You want more politicians?!" Hold your horses, hear us out. We did real research for this one. Here is the article that led to this idea: U.S. population keeps growing, but House of Representatives is same size as in Taft era Also referenc...

Deadpan delivery. Monotonal narration. Provocateur. Brilliant cultural critic of postmodern America. Funniest man alive. Sound familiar? Perhaps you are thinking of one the hosts of this podcast. Or perhaps you are thinking of Nathan Fielder, the Canadian who got his start on "This Hour has 22 Minutes" then went onto the Comedy Central show "Nathan For You" then to the bright l...

You may be wondering whether this is a movie podcast now. Truth is: We don't know! The important thing is that Martin Scorsese has a new picture out: "Killers of the Flower Moon." It's a formidable film, one that warrants discussion. Please enjoy this conversation between two cinephiles. We reference the following resources in the episode: Martin Scorsese: I Said Marvel Movies Ar...

Christopher Nolan's latest film chronicles the life of J. Robert Oppenheimer, aka "Father of the Atomic Bomb." Morgan and Eddie, film scholars as they are, reflect on the merits of the film, the life of its protagonist, the oeuvre of Nolan, interspersing witticisms and erudite musings along the way. Some of the materials were reference: Derek Thompson: ⁠Oppenheimer: The Genius, the F...

In this episode, your two favorite researchers talk about the Writers Guild of America's strike and some shocking comparisons to the Luddites, courtesy of The Atlantic: The Luddites of Hollywood - Gavin Mueller

In this episode, our two favorite young researchers discuss how to improve cities through great ideas that are not widespread but should be . We talk about how to diversify police forces, intergenerational housing, proportional representation, publicly funded arts programs and many more ideas. Here are some pieces we reference: NY Times: Ireland Asks: What if Artists Could Ditch Their Day Jobs? PB...

I was too lazy to write cheeky show notes for this episode, so instead I asked ChatGPT (a machine-learning Artificial Intelligence) to write it for me. Here's what the AI wrote: "In today's episode, we have two brilliant young researchers who have taken it upon themselves to uncover the mystery behind ChatGPT, the language model of the future. After much research and deep diving into the vast expa...

Ever wonder how film executives find their material? Well, here's a peak behind the curtain. "The Black List" is a compilation of screenplays that are the most-mentioned by film executives. Three hundred film executives to be exact. Turns out, executives might have bad taste. Or maybe it's just really hard to write a great screenplay. Who knows. Gotta say, our socks were not blown off by the plot...

Not all evidence is created equal. But in conversation it can appear that way.... In this episode we explore why anecdotal evidence is so appealing to people and how narrative and emotion speaks to human reasoning more than data and cold hard facts.  We discuss the following article by Jens Eger, Sebastian H. Schneider, Martin Bruder and Solveig H. Gleser: Does Evidence Matter? The Impact of...

I anticipate your eye-rolls and sighs of disgust. I get it. You don't think the world needs more Star Wars. Well -- turns out you are WRONG. This show rocks. It's the best thing on TV. 'Andor' is ten episodes of narrative perfection and exhilarating storytelling. Acting is pitch perfect. The scenes are shot on-location; the dialogue is whip-smart.  Withhold your judgment until you watch the f...

The World Cup is currently being played in Qatar, a country completely undeserving to host the event given that a reported 6,000 migrant workers died to build its stadiums. Also, they criminalized homosexuality. Also, they are terrible at soccer. And yet, here we are with the most important tournament being held in Doha.  In this episode, we discuss Team USA's performance in the group stage a...

What's that? You couldn't wait for Morgan and Eddie to break down the new Martin McDonagh flick? Well you are in luck, mister! And we threw in a littel 'Andor' because it's the best thing to grace the small screen since 'Succession.'  Morgan and Eddie descend into a civil war of friendship set on a remote Irish island. Will we leave with our hands? Will Morgan want to quit our friendship to f...

Qatar is hosting the World Cup next month, human rights abuses be damned. In this episode, we discuss how human atrocities can happen in broad daylight as the Qatari regime bribed their way to hosting the 2022 World Cup. We discuss the term "sportswashing" and how authoritarian governments use a beloved sporting event to promote themselves, attract investors, or bury a negative reputation.  W...

We're about midway through the Formula 1 season. You must be wondering what's going on. You must be wondering what Morgan and I make of the Red Bull dominance and the Mercedes acquiescence. The Ferrari blunders and the Danny Ric/McLaren situation. Well, we touch on each of these in a crisp 35 minutes. Enjoy.

In 2025, Diablo Canyon Power Plant on the central coast of California is scheduled to go off-line. Have we given up too soon on nuclear energy? We debate the dividends and drawbacks of nuclear power as a means of combatting climate change and kicking that nasty fossil fuel habit once and for all!  In this episode, we discuss this insightful article by Ivan Penn: Nuclear Power Gets New Push in...

Vietnam vets. German Nihilists. White Russians. Dance quintets. Kidnap. Ransom. Gulf War. The 1998 Coen Brothers' film "The Big Lebowski" has it all. This is one of the greatest American films ever made (but that's just, like, my opinion man). We analyze this absurdly entertaining film through the lens of the Gulf War, which is frequently referenced throughout the film, though often in the backgro...

Fast cars. Big money. International locations. Netflix. No, I am not talking about my personal life, I am talking about the competitive motorsport Formula 1. In this episode, we break down what this sport is and why you should watch it. We talk "Drive to Survive" and discuss all the recent drama. We make predictions and speculate. Join the fun. 

[Read the following sentences in the iconic tone of Twilight Zone narrator Rod Serling]: Are you aware of the fifth dimension?  That of imagination?  The place where 'The Twilight Zone' resides?  In this episode, we discuss "The Monsters Are Due On Maple Street," an episode from the first season of 'The Twilight Zone,' an episode where aliens invade and need to only cut the lights f...

If you had control of the world’s most powerful force, how would you use it? In this literary escapade, Morgan and Eddie discuss Kurt Vonnegut’s short story “Report on the Barnhouse Effect.” It’s a story about a “superweapon with a conscience.” Does it have espionage? Yes it does. Dynamopsychism? You bet. Bored thesis advisors? Sure thing. On this episode we ask the big questions. Here's a link to...

Is history linear? Are we making incremental improvements that are bettering humankind? Or are we repeating the same mistakes in an unending cycle? Morgan and Eddie answer all the big questions once and for all in this definitive episode. Listen to these young lads discuss Francis Fukuyama's theory of the "End of History" as well as what the great works of literature have to say on this question.&...

Ukraine is being invaded by Russia under Vladimir Putin's dictatorship. We invited Dr. Allyson Edwards , Teaching Fellow at Warwick University, to discuss Putin's rise to power, the formation of Russian democracy in the 1990s, it's dissolution under Putin, and the historic myth-making of Russia's military that led to this moment. We cover the resilience of the Ukrainian people and mention several...

In 2008, British playwright Martin McDonagh released his first feature-length film ... and the world was never the same. Or, at least, Morgan and Eddie's world was never the same. Listen to an episode where they recount their favorite movie, one that chronicles the time two hitmen spent a Christmas weekend hiding out in Bruges, Belgium, waiting for the wrath of their boss and the atonement for the...

What's the Enneagram, you ask? Well, it's a method for interpreting human personality. And it tracks (in my opinion, Eddie speaking here). In this episode, we give the rundown of the nine Enneagram "types" and the attributes of each, while doing a deep dive on Types 3, 4, and 5. Maybe you have that weird uncle who always starts conflicts and no one knows why and you just think he's crazy. Or maybe...

In this episode, Dr. Niko Switek joins us to discuss the transition of power Germany is currently experiencing. After 16 years of Angela Merkel as German Chancellor, there's a new sheriff in town, Olaf Scholz, with a new coalition government. Dr. Switek is an expert in Germany's green party and gives us some background on what this election means for the future of Germany.  So grab your neare...

In this episode, Morgan and Eddie discuss Facebook's rebrand as "Meta" a company that is seeking to create the next iteration of the internet, which they call the "metaverse." If you're as scared about Mark Zuckerberg being on the frontlines of the next wave of tech innovation, then you're in good company. We discuss the implications of what this means for society and for technology. We read and r...