Why We Do What We Do

Happy New Year! This is a re-cap of the year we just completed. What we talked about in the various episodes this year, what we read and watched, in memorium, and other fluff. Did you have a favorite moment? Message us and tell us what it was! Recommendations Abraham: A Knock at the Cabin ( https://tv.apple.com/us/movie/knock-at-the-cabin/umc.cmc.7fetnok7ou3e2dhp9808fprnt ) Shane: Kookie Now ( htt...

Give that cerebrum a good scrubbing. There are two conditions under which we can get a handle on the phenomenon of brainwashing: What conditions produce the effect we might call brainwashing, and the what kind of behaviors or conditions would prompt us to label something as brainwashing. We also explore the idea that this effect isn't even really real. Of course, brainwashing has some not-so-subtl...

Think of the most talented person you have ever known or known about. Now think about what it means to say that that person is talented. In this discussion, we try to bring a skeptical, behavioral view of the description that we love to apply to the highest performing people of any skill. We define talent, give examples, and then deconstruct the concept until we think we understand it as well as w...

The uncanny valley started as a futurists fear about the future of robotics. But we have seen multiple instances of unsettling imagery in CGI that has us employing the uncanny hypothesis. There is also some skepticism about whether this phenomenon is even real. We explore the various suggestions about what accounts for the uncanny valley, whether it is real, and what behaviorism might contribute t...

Everybody wants to influence the world (to the tune of Tears for Fears). Being an influencer is one of the most enticing jobs out there for many people right now. Old, mostly young, and in between, the draw of a fame and fortune for self-made hobbyists is irresistable to many. But this is a job that requires a lot more work than it might seem, and fame is a double-edged sword. From where did this...

Let's take a trip back in time to our discussion on the bystander effect, as well as an update on what has happened in research since. What other variables can account for the bystander effect? What about when there is no bystander effect? There is such as a thing as too many cooks in the kitchen, as they say. Recommendations: Abraham: A Haunting in Venice (movie: https://www.20thcenturystudios.co...

Most people report feeling that the TSA is successfully protecting against threats. Are they right? Some argue that not flying pushes people toward driving which is exponentially more fatal. What can we do about it? Many have some radical ideas. We'll unpack what there is to understand about the TSA. Recommendations Abraham: Sounds Fishy ( https://bigpotato.com/products/sounds-fishy ) Shane: Hotli...

Transportation is an enormous part of any economy. Airplanes are one of the more recent inventions that have changed the landscape of security around the world. In addition, the consequences of a plane failing accidentally or through the intentional destruction by bad actors is catastrophic. Therefore, the security of airplanes is of the utmost importance. Yet, the instances of terrorist actions o...

What makes someone a troll? We are all a little bit troll-y sometimes. We dive into how and why it works, when it is good and bad, and a brief history of trolls. Join us for the psychology of troll behavior. Recommendations Abraham: Guillermo Del Toro’s Cabinet of Curiosities ( https://www.netflix.com/title/80209229 ) Shane: Blink 182 - One More Time… ( https://open.spotify.com/album/1OteY9OFTmoZ0...

Why are some people evil? What is evil anyway? Is evil even real? We discuss the philosophy of what evil is and why it occurs... if it occurs. Recommendations Abraham: No One Will Save You ( https://www.hulu.com/movie/no-one-will-save-you-9e96f51e-6806-4306-9773-e96b68d25305 ) Shane: Electric Shark Tattoo Studio ( https://www.instagram.com/electricsharktattoo/ ) Links and References : https://plat...

In the 1970s in the US and other parts of the world, a great fear was blossoming in the hearts of normal, every day people. The very real threat of the conspiracy of the satanic cults! Dun Dun DUN! Except... the fear about satanic cults is actually pretty old. Why was there a new fear? What was really going on during the satanic panic? You've got questions, or at least we assume you do... and we'v...

Spooky season 2023 continues with this dive in to actual Satanism. It is a lot newer than you might think. Also, there are different kinds of satanism broadly categorized as "theistic" and "atheistic." Are you a stanist? You might become one after this episode... jk Recommendations Abraham: Hail Satan? (documentary; http://www.hailsatanfilm.com/ ) Shane: Asohka ( https://www.imdb.com/title/tt13622...

Welcome to our spooky, Halloween-themed kick-off! We went even more specific than usual and will be talking about Satan the whole month of October. Have you heard of left-hand path magic? Probably in one form or another. We unpack the history of left-hand path, how it is presumed to be used, and how it relates to Satan... if at all. Recommendations Abraham: Yeung Man Cooking ( https://yeungmancook...

What does the world look like when you are color deficient? Why are more men color deficient than women? Can glasses really help color deficient people see? Why is it color "deficient" and not color "blind?" These are all of the questions we assume you have and will want to have answered... so that's what we spoke about! Hopefully we were right... Recommendations Abraham: Electric Vehicles Shane:...

Sorry for Abraham's poor mic quality this episode! It'll be back to normal next time. Why do people become pro wrestlers? Why do people watch professional wrestling? This semi-ancient/semi-recent theatre is underrated for the real risk and exploitation of the performers. But it ropes people in with it's narrative story, athletic performances, and incredible stunts. Listen in for the deep dive into...

David Henry Breaux was a kind, beloved person with a tragic story. In a rare instance of profiling a single individual, we use this inspiring story to talk about what compassion is. Recommendations Abraham: Bros ( https://www.uphe.com/movies/bros ) Shane: The Fisherman by John Langan ( https://www.goodreads.com/en/book/show/29901930 ) Links: https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2023/may/03/californ...

Plant-based food and hygeine products are gaining in popularity. What is behind this trend in vegan leaning? We explain the history of veganism, the names that almost took the place of veganism, critique Peta, and talk about why people do it? Recommendations Abraham: Liquid Death ( https://liquiddeath.com/ ) Shane: Ringworm - Seeing Through Fire ( https://open.spotify.com/album/5dzpqn8zTNW6lMYuiCf...

The conditions of slavery, the current state of modern slavery, and other things we need to talk about. Check out our conclusion to this dicussion. Recommendations Abraham: Schindler’s List ( https://www.universalpictures.com/movies/schindlers-list ) Shane: W.E.B. Du Bois’s work ( https://www.britannica.com/biography/W-E-B-Du-Bois ) Links: https://youtu.be/Ajn9g5Gsv98 https://restavekfreedom.org/2...

As new policies are attempting to revise history by rebranding slavery in a more flattering manner, we decided to review the history of slavery to get a retrospective analysis of this practice. We pull no punches in our discussion about what slavery entailed and how it developed. WARNING: Contains topics that some listeners may find upsetting (torture, child abuse, sexual assault) Recommendations...

From the archive, we have dusted off this old discussion in which we explain how Asperger Syndrome came and went. Further, we provide a few updates on things that have happened since this episode published, including a serious revelation about Dr. Hans Asperger himself... Recommendations Abraham: Garlic Festivals Shane: The Bear ( https://www.fxnetworks.com/shows/the-bear ) Links: Barahona-Corrêa,...

Divine gift? Neurological breakdown? Sims? No matter what you think is the attributible variable, speaking in tongues involves humans doing things, and therefore falls into the realm of psychology and into our diabolically skeptical hands. We explore the facts and features of speaking in tongues and its history. Recommendations Abraham: Chumajor 6-in-one dog seat cover for your car ( https://www.a...

Have you heard of the mental diagnosis that literally causes death? Or, at least that is what some would like you to believe. We uncover the conspiracy of neurobabble pseudoscience used to justify thousands of murders every year. Join on us on our debunking mission. Recommendations Abraham: The Out-Laws ( https://www.netflix.com/title/81193794 ) Shane: Chamber - A Love to Kill For ( https://open.s...

There are a few things we all have in common as humans, and one of those is that we all have a naked body at some point. Some people make that "some point" most of the time. We explore nudism, where it came from, where it is, and why people do it. Nudists, we salute you! Recommendations Abraham: Is It Cake? (Season 2; https://www.netflix.com/title/81333845 ) Shane: Jaye Jayle - Don’t Let Your Love...

Killer whales have been making the news lately for attcking boats. This is particularly notable because they seem to have spread this trend to other orcas. But orcas have been demonstrating a few interesting difficult-to-explain trends since people have started paying attention. We describe what orcas have been doing, why it's interesting, and what we understand about it so far. Recommendations Ab...

Your tongue is special. It might taste a lot or a very little. Some people have extra super-sensitive tongues packed with many taste receptor cells and they can taste flavors that other people can't detect at all. These are the super tasters! How does it work? Why do some people have it? How can you test yourself? Find out here. Recommendations Abraham: Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom ( https://www.ni...