The Cave Project

In this episode of The Cave Project , Jenny and Greg Swan dig into the privilege of opting out of screens, social media, and AI, and why “just put your phone down” is not the moral flex people think it is. From working parents using tablets as survival tools to social media becoming job infrastructure, community infrastructure, and sometimes emotional regulation infrastructure, they argue for more...

When everyone online suddenly loves the same band, meme, creator, or viral moment… is that culture happening naturally, or is someone manufacturing it behind the scenes? This week, Jenny and Greg Swan dive into the strange world of “clipping,” bot networks, manufactured virality, and the growing feeling that the internet is becoming less authentic by the day. From Justin Bieber at Coachella to Tik...

Teens are not using social media wrong. They’re just using it in ways that make adults feel ancient, confused, and mildly attacked. In this episode of The Cave Project , Jenny and Greg Swan unpack new data on teen social media habits, why parents keep side-eyeing Snapchat, TikTok, and group chats, and what adults can do besides trying to parent the algorithm. It’s a funny, honest conversation abou...

We rewatched Her. Listened to Esther Perel do couples therapy with a chatbot. And had a fight about whether AI can love you back. Inside: the "flirty voice" debate, the mannequin reframe, and the question that would not leave us alone. Who is the robot? 🎧🤖

Is the AI industry even talking to the rest of us? In this episode, Jenny and Greg Swan unpack  The AI Doc, or How I Became an Apocaloptimist. It's a new documentary that puts the biggest names in AI in one room and asks: is this good or bad? Should we be having kids? And does anyone actually have a plan? From Sam Altman to Geoffrey Hinton to the doomers who think your children won't survi...

In this episode, Jenny and Greg Swan pull up their real Screen Time stats on mic, break down the American Academy of Pediatrics’ newest guidance, and watch the Toy Story 5 trailer to ask the obvious question: are we really doing “tech bad” again? We talk about why we don’t feel guilty, why we’ve never been a “no screens” family, and why restriction without relationship doesn’t teach kids how to li...

Are we absolutely sure that what we’re seeing is even real? In this episode, we dig into the increasingly blurry line between real and fake online—from AI-generated bunny videos to deepfakes of ourselves, and the billion-dollar platforms that are encouraging all of it. We explore how tech companies like Meta and OpenAI are normalizing synthetic content at scale and what that means for trust, ident...

Are we all just… not okay? In this episode, Jenny and Greg Swan unpack the emotional and digital overwhelm of the past few weeks — from political violence and algorithmic trauma to school shootings and the unbearable pressure to post through it all. They dig into the cultural churn, social media's emotional toll, and the growing desire to simply log off. This isn’t a hot take. It’s a human one...

Are we being mean to robots? Is it just internet snark or the start of something deeper and more dangerous? In this episode, Jenny and Greg Swan explore the sudden rise of “clanker” as an anti-robot slur. They dig into whether discrimination toward AI is harmless fun, a new moral frontier, or just a mirror reflecting how we treat anything with less power than us (including each other). Along the w...

Did an MIT paper really prove that ChatGPT is scrambling our brains? Or did 54 Boston adults + a flashy press push just scramble the headlines? In this episode, Jenny and Greg Swan tear into the now-viral “Your Brain on ChatGPT” study. Along the way they tackle moral panics, blue-book nostalgia, and why blaming tech is easier than changing how we teach, parent, and work. We unpack: 📰 Headline vs....

What happens when Barbie gets a large-language-model brain? Jenny and Greg Swan crack open Mattel’s new deal with OpenAI and take you on a 50-year joyride through “smart” toys—from the Speak & Spell to Teddy Ruxpin to the Furby that the NSA literally banned. Then they unbox Gabo , a $99 GPT-powered plushie, and see if its kid-safe guardrails can survive three teenagers and Greg’s hacker heart....

What if joy, whimsy, and surprise weren’t distractions—but design principles? In this episode, Jenny and Greg Swan sit down with educator, engineer, and deep sea explorer Dr. AnnMarie Thomas to talk about the power of play —and why we all need more of it. AnnMarie has helped LEGO invent new tools for learning, collaborated with the band OK Go to create STEM curriculum, and taught college students...

Jenny and Greg Swan have been married five times—to each other. In this raw and funny episode, they unpack how tech, therapy, and shared calendars helped them redesign their relationship instead of ending it. It’s not about making it work. It’s about making it work better. -- 🔥 Follow & Subscribe for More Tech, Culture & Chaos: 📖 Subscribe on Substack 📺 Watch on YouTube 📸 Follow on Ins...

Everyone says they’re busy. But what does that even mean anymore? In this episode, Jenny and Greg Swan dig into the cultural chaos of “The Busy Trap”—from calendar overload and contaminated time to why canceled plans are basically a love language. Inspired by Tim Kreider’s now 13-year-old viral essay, they ask: what if being busy isn’t a problem to solve, but a reality to navigate—with intention?...

South by Southwest 2025 just wrapped, and this year wasn’t just about what’s next in tech—it was about how much of it we’re actually okay with. AI chatbots are getting really personal. Deepfake fraud is up 2137% . Social media is broken ( again ). And even the people building the future are freaking out. In this episode, Jenny and Greg Swan unpack: 🤖 AI’s existential crisis —Is it a tool for huma...

This week, Jenny and Greg Swan put their living room (and their personal data) on the line in the name of science. Meet Telly —a free 55-inch TV that comes with a mandatory second screen running ads 24/7. The catch? If you unplug it, move it, or refuse to connect it to WiFi, you get charged $1,000. Welcome to the future, where even your TV is tracking you. 🤝 Free Isn’t Free Social media already m...

This episode, we’re tackling three big themes—tech, gifts, and the state of our brains in 2024. Buckle up (or turn on adaptive cruise control)! 🚙  Buy a Car via Text in 2020 vs. Buying a Car with AI in 2025 Remember when buying a car via text felt revolutionary? Fast forward to now: AI tools like ChatGPT are helping us decode trim levels, compare window stickers, and even predict insurance costs....

In this episode of The Cave Project , Jenny and Greg Swan dig into the AI dilemma in education: is it a powerful learning tool or just an easy way to cheat? As schools struggle with this digital shake-up, they explore how generative AI is rewriting the rules—from boosting homework help to sparking plagiarism concerns that could impact college dreams. Be sure to subscribe for future episodes, follo...

From TikTok bans to school cell phone policies, Jenny and Greg Swan break down the chaos and contradictions of raising kids in a tech-driven world—minus the overwrought reactions. Be sure to subscribe for future episodes, follow us on Instagram ( @the.cave.project ), and sign up for updates at thecaveproject.substack.com .

In this episode of The Cave Project, we sit down with stand-up comedian and creative director Matt Keck to chat about the human side behind viral social media phenomena. Known for his witty contributions to the Wendy's Twitter persona and his viral "I'm a Snake" video, Keck shares insights on leveraging humor and social media for global engagement from his home base in Kansas Cit...

Social media can both connect us and also push us apart. In this live recording of The Cave Project podcast, hosts Jenny and Greg Swan discuss the social media dilemma, its impact on our daily lives, and how we can reclaim our digital spaces with a human-centric approach. Special thanks to Social Media Breakfast for hosting and Skelly Video Productions for capturing audio and photos. Be sure to su...

We're sorry for your loss. This episode of The Cave Project explores the management of digital legacies, the role of AI in recreating memories of the deceased, and how these advances affect our mourning practices. Join Jenny and Greg Swan for a thought-provoking discussion on the ethical dilemmas and emotional impacts of living and dying in a digital age. Be sure to subscribe for future episod...

As the first generation to be fully born into the 21st century, Generation Alpha is the most technologically integrated group of humans ever — growing up in a world of advanced digital technology, social media, and artificial intelligence. And they are already getting a bad rap about their digital and social media habits. Join Jenny and Greg Swan for a conversation about who Gen A is, what makes t...

If 85% of the population uses the internet (and are online an average of 7 hours per day), how is it that we’re still having conversations about whether being online is good for us or not? Instead, let’s talk about how to be extremely online in a healthy way. Join Jenny and Greg Swan for a conversation about 6 filters to consider for your online lifestyle: safety, heart, the space between them and...

Social media marketers can be a paradox. Evangelizing the marketing power of social media during the day and then decrying its negative effects at night. Or even further, restricting their own kids from social media when it’s paying the bills at home. Join Jenny and Greg Swan for a conversation about the social dilemma, how Greg changed his mind about social for kids after having kids, and the nee...