Kind of a Lot with Matt Ruby

Despite what the prevailing so-called captains of industry, it’s perfectly fine if your job isn’t your passion. We all have to pay rent and bills, so sometimes it’s just about punching a clock and getting through the day. And as Matt discusses, we also don’t need to build up our day jobs into inspirational journeys that save the world – they’re just jobs, and that’s fine. Produced by Stereoactive...

One odd thing about having parents who passed away at a relatively young age is how much you become a downer for the rest of your life when other people bring up parents as a topic. Matt shares his experience as someone who often has to defuse the guilt others seem to have about still having their parents when they’re around him, as well as what it’s like for him on Mother’s Day. Produced by Stere...

Fox News recently settled their lawsuit with Dominion Voting Systems for nearly $800 million, then fired Tucker Carlson. But let’s face it: Fox is unlikely to change its ways and will probably just install another Tucker-like cog in their machine. And will that new cog actually be that different? Why would you take a nuanced, middle-of-the-road stance when you see all your edgy, hot-taking peers g...

“Time on screen” has become the metric that tech companies use to measure success. But “time on screen” seems to really be doing something to our brains – and our society for that matter. Matt suggests there’s a different metric of success for your soul: How long has it been since you last looked at a screen? Produced by Stereoactive Media

Matt evangelizes on behalf of the power of ferries, sculpture gardens, shoulder season, and why agendas are for suckers as he offers up 10 travel secrets he’s learned from years of backpacking around the world, all while avoiding the most well-worn roads. Produced by Stereoactive Media

Wabi Sabi is a philosophy that encourages the acceptance of imperfection and impermanence. As Matt points out, imperfections and impermanence are very often the qualities that make something interesting. And conversely, it’s often our attempts to strive for complete, implacable perfection that causes the things we make and care about to come off as inauthentic. Produced by Stereoactive Media

Morning people propaganda is everywhere. Billionaires, star athletes, and other world conquerors are seemingly all evangelists for the tired cliché, “the early bird gets the worm.” But Matt is sick of it, because who wants worms, anyway? Some people just thrive in darkness and are tired of being night-shamed for it. So open your heart to night owls – they’re people, too! Mentioned in the episode:...

A step-by-step recipe so you won't get fooled again by edibles… Plus a check in about Matt’s special, ‘Substance,’ and how the world of feed-the-beast content creation should be upended to let good work have more time to find an audience. Ingredients for the recipe: 1 cup unsalted butter 1 cup crunchy peanut butter 1 cup white sugar 1 cup packed brown sugar 2 eggs 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour...

Rick Rubin/Johnny Cash. François Truffaut/Alfred Hitchcock. Quentin Tarantino/John Travolta. We live in a world obsessed with youth and the freshest new faces that come with it – just look at all the “30 Under 30” lists out there. But despite the latent ageism across much of society, as Matt points out and plenty of examples prove, those who came before us often have plenty more to offer and it&#3...

ChatGPT, Bing AI, and similar artificial intelligence bots are seemingly all the rage these days. But the popularity – or, at least, heightened interest – is a symptom of our ongoing naiveté about the future. Matt has thoughts on how we always get sold new futures by tech companies and whether they ever pan out as anyone planned (as if anyone had a plan to begin with). Produced by Stereoactive Med...

The language of trauma cracked the code of the attention economy and turned mental health into the new luxury item.  Produced by Stereoactive Media

Matt shares memories of the two people who influenced his life the most… and just maybe reveals some things about himself along the way. Produced by Stereoactive Media

An essay about life pre-iPhone addiction, before maps were an app, and before "Move Fast and Break Things" was an ethos that delivered on its message and didn't care about the consequences. But also, before we could all see how often cops did bad sh*t, or knew how often powerful old men entered rooms with open robes. Produced by Stereoactive Media

Tom Petty understood America and that's why he could reach hipsters/hicks, north/south, and coastal elites/NASCAR rednecks alike. Matt gets into his deep love of Petty's music and how it's been a constant in his life. Produced by Stereoactive Media

My journey from hardcore atheist to torah-studying Jew, and how my career in comedy helped get me there... Produced by Stereoactive Media

Now it’s hold onto ‘em for as long as you can – and it sucks. On the relative brevity of World Cup matches versus the bloat of Beatles reissues, Art Basel, and Coachella. Whatever happened to the lost art of finding the sweet spot? Produced by Stereoactive Media

Hand dryers, QR codes, and bluetooth speakers are all more efficient. Also, they suck. An ode to foreplay and taking your time. Produced by Stereoactive Media