Critical Nonsense

How has neighborliness changed in the past five years? This week, Aaron and Jess talk about lost dogs, trash pandas, the pandemic, masking, isolation, and marble runs. They don’t talk about the McFeelys or Cousin Mary Owl. references keeps your head ringingfunks you upHoney, I Shrunk the Kids"Frozen in the Face of Tech"Petco's Love Lost pet finder7 Signs of Undiagnosed Autism in AdultsJelle's Marble RunsThe Lemonade Machine

Why should we be concerned wth generationally slow timebombs? This week, Joey and Jess talk about trees, the Bradford pear, city planning, Barcelona, pilot programs, and the candy bowl theory. They don’t talk about Cameo. references @jjvincentHidden giants: how the UK’s 500,000 redwoods put California in the shadeBRADFORD PEAR HAS MANY ASSETS; New Ornamental Fruit Offers Sturdy Form And Early BloomA Tree That Was Once the Suburban Ideal Has Morphed Into an Unstoppable VillainSuperillaBiological ControlThe Psychology of the Candy BowlDunbar's numberStreet activity sensors in NYDefinitely Maybe

What does this "trend-mill" mean, what does it say about us as people, and how bad is it, really? This week, special guests Claire and Chloe join Jess and Joey to talk about the mob-wife aesthetic, accessibility, TikTok, blueberry milk nails, social networks vs. social media, and Trader Joe's totes. They don’t talk about why the combination of peanut butter and jelly is a gotdamn abomination. references Blueberry Milk Nails Are Summer’s Most-Wanted ManicureHow the Comment Section became Duolingo's new Push NotificationThe Anxious Generation: How the Great Rewiring of Childhood Is Causing an Epidemic of Mental Illnessonika burgers

What happens if we're all deathly affraid of the cringe? This week, Jess, Joey, and Aaron talk about pain, yips, shame, fremdschämen, the Apple Vision Pro, and Michael Jordan. They don’t talk about Gracious K. references SkankingCritical Nonsense 253! Teaching AgencyFremdschämenThe actual King of Belgium

Why is cheating in some places treated differently than cheating in other places? This week, Joey, Aaron, and Jess talk about fairness, tribalism, insider trading, meritocracy, winning, and wallpaper. They don’t talk about Pete Shelley. references Veridis QuoWho is Shohei Ohtani and what is his connection to the gambling scandal that's rocked baseball?NBA eyes Raptors' Jontay Porter for betting issuesThe Meritocracy MythJayson TatumAnthropologieSpoonflowerHoviaJanovicLamps Plus

This week, a takeover! Joey shares his latest edition from SYLVAIN’s Progress Report newsletter: Awaiting the Eruption: Innovation Strategies for a Post-ZIRP Era. For more from SYLVAIN's Progress Report, see progressbysylvain.co.

Why are we always searching for the right answer? This week, Jess and Joey talk about gray spaces, equifinality, value judgments, hiring, multifinality, and quantum physics. They don’t talk about the Alignment Theory. references Progress Report: The State Of...Awaiting the Eruptionequifinalitymultifinalitythe secretary problem‘I’m Sick of Seeing My Face,’ Says the Internet’s Kombucha Connoisseur

What are the rules about crying in public? This week, Jess and Joey talk about benchmarking emotions, psychic tears, showing your belly, laughter yoga, pickled sadness, and ... farts. They don’t talk about Mary. references When Joeys cryLacrymatoryKristen Bell's Sloth Meltdown"The social impact of emotional tears"Psychic Tears and the Science of CryingLaughter yoga

How do we survive dopamine culture? This week, Aaron, Joey and Jess talk about neurotransmitters, The Good Place, Sheryl Crowe, Wall-E, Type 2 fun, and the mortal sins. They don't talk about the important nuance of the many antihistamines for all you allergic people out there. references On Neurotransmitters"Why Your Brain Prioritizes Instant Gratification Over Long-Term Goals, According to Science""The State of the Culture 2024"that dopamine culture chartNOLS Rocky Mountain Outdoor Educators Semester"What is Type 2 Fun?"the joy, and if you can believe it—newfound mess—of Marie Kondo

What's our responsibility to teach agency for the next generation of workers? This week, Joey and Jess talk about Scandinavian Swimmers, in-flight wifi, lawnmower parenting, consent, waffles and ice cream, and pipe cleaners. They don’t talk about ABBA. references Scandinavian Swimmers

Is it better to be a nerd with your analogies and attempt to be right, or is it better just to be relatable? This week, Joey and Jess talk about Mister Rogers and his (boring) neighborhood, The Big Bang Theory, nerds, the Baader–Meinhof phenomenon, linking things, and the Ig Noble Awards. They don’t talk about Lewis Skolnick or Gilbert Lowe. references "Stop trying to make 'fetch' happen!"Baader–Meinhof phenomenonconcatenateCONCAT(ENATE)The Ig Nobel Prize: Celebrating Science with Humour

Why do people love rituals so much? This week, Jess, Aaron, and Joey talk about medicine, Lunar New Year, habits, disease, leg washing, and flossing. They don’t talk about Jane's Addiction. references twitterpatedPhenylephrine, a Common Decongestant, Is Ineffective, Say FDA Advisors. It’s Not AloneGregorian calendarRitual, Play and Belief, in Evolution and Early Human Societies"Why do humans embrace rituals? Disease and danger may be at the root of the behaviors."cephalocaudalGonggongOSU microbiologists propose updates to the Linnaean SystemRecapitulation theory

What can we learn about reality from aquariums? This week, Jess, Joey, and Aaron talk about Barbie, virtual reality, augmented reality, Sphere, interactivity, and raccoons. They don’t talk about Phish. references Aquariums 'deliver significant health benefits'SphereThis Is WaterDisney Imagineer Makes History

When should we change the target? This week, Joey, Aaron, and Jess talk about SATs, grade inflation, games, goals, dating, and wine. They don’t talk about French Kiss. references Joey missed you.The Messy Fight Over the SAT@AnthonyLeeZhang on former-Twitter discussing the Goodhart OverhangvintnerConcord grapesHow Save Scumming Makes Baldur's Gate 3 Better

How did our predictions play out in 2023, and what's to come in 2024? This week, Joey, Aaron, and Jess serve a combo platter of Wild Prognostications, reviewing nogs past from Episode 206 and progging forward into the new year. They talk about influencers, chickens, stuffies, egg nogs, algae, and AI hardware. They don’t talk about quail eggs. references Happy New Year for CutiePuffer OnesieOmletsolidwigglesThe Secret Weapon of Celebrity Stylists? Comfortable Shoes.

Thank you for the love and support you've shown us in light of Alain's passing. If you want to make a donation in Alain's memory, his family suggested they be made to the following organizations: Family Defense Practicum at Main Street Legal ServicesAnseye Pou HaitiHaitian Education Leadership ProgramTypically, we close the year with our Wild Prognostications year in review, instead, we just wanted to leave you with a light-hearted episode to counter the heaviness with a bit of whimsy. When did we stop inventing sports? This episode, Aaron, Joey, and Jess talk about Cher, sports, spectators, Esports, cyberwarfare, and The Ocho. They don’t talk about the Techno Parrot. references I Hope You DanceScatmanEcholaliaChanneling EmersonFuture Tense Fiction: Stories of TomorrowPyramidPickleballQuidditch (real-life sport)Mayan Ball GameCalvinballJai alaiArmadaEnder's GameESPN8 The OchoблядьNorth Figueroa BookshopThis Is Why They Hate UsThe Player of GamesThank U

How do we loosen the reins? This week, Joey and Jess talk about latchkey kids, parenting, protectiveness, perfectionism, social narrative, and lawnmowers. They don’t talk about driveways vs. parkways. references Latchkey kids"Decline in Independent Activity as a Cause of Decline in Children’s Mental Wellbeing: Summary of the Evidence"'All work, no independent play' cause of children's declining mental healthHidden Potential: The Science of Achieving Greater ThingsParental rights movement

How much is too much, and how far do you take it for your pets? This week, special guest Amanda Medina joins Joey and Jess to talk about chicken tenders/tendies (again), dogs in baby-carrying apparatuses, therapy, working dogs, diets, and parenting. They don’t talk about pet chickens. references A New Hampshire Restaurant Says it Invented Chicken Tenders in 1974Belgian Malinoisanthropomorphize

Where are you sourcing your criticism? This week, Joey, Aaron, and Jess talk about critics, movie reviews, Dan Gilbert, unintentionally laxative candy, mind bleachers, and overcorrecting. They don’t talk about criticizing nonsense. references The Aaron and Joey of WineNorio OhgaDisney’s Downfall: The Rise and Fall of an Entertainment GiantStumbling on HappinessDaniel Gilbert Ted Talk: The surprising science of happinessStop watching movie trailersSugarless Haribo Gummy Bear Reviews On Amazon Are The Most Insane Thing You'll Read TodayCall Me Al(ain)

Where haven't we unlocked the fifth gait? This week, Jess and Joey talk about Icelandic horses, Stardew Valley, Japanese craftsmanship, molecular gastronomy v. farm to table, biohacking, and "the source code." They don’t talk about how galloping is an elongated canter, because we only just found this out. references Horse Gaits"The Five Gaits of the Icelandic Horse"video"5000 Candles"Plato's Allegory of the CaveMagic PuzzlesPerfectionIs licorice (ammonium chloride) the sixth taste?DOCAOCmany other foodsBryan Johnson's Quest for ImmortalityGithub