In this eye-opening episode of Positively Pedestrian, our hosts discuss their past aspirations, share dad jokes, and explore the often alarming nature of modern media. Kris Tyte and Sean Snodgrass skillfully blend humor with serious topics as they navigate discussions about childhood pranks and cults. This episode offers an honest, unscripted glimpse into two minds thinking aloud, engaging in real-world conversations that are both funny and heartfelt.
Quotable
“"I was convinced that I came up with dick weed. Like, I was convinced that that was mine. Like, I made it up, and, you know, maybe I did, or maybe I didn't."
”
Reflection on uniquiness of jokes and determining originality. The hosts discuss how it's hard to prove that a joke is truly original, as many jokes are based on common themes and ideas.
Quotable
“"I care about the fucking product. I'm results oriented. Does it really matter what the process? I don't give a fuck if you cut and paste and shit six months ago and then fucked with it for six months in Photoshop, I don't care."
”
Hosts discuss the importance of final product rather than the creative process, noting the end result is what truly matters.
Follow Up Notes
Host shares experience of wanting to be an artist as first major, but changed after hearing statistics that only 1 in 10 artists can make it commercially. Lost entire portfolio (150 drawings).
Follow Up Notes
Host describes washing car and noticing soap bubbles creating patterns that look like Morse code or binary, wondering if messages from the universe could be decoded through image processing using OpenCV frameworks.
Image of Morse code translation.
Image of binary code translation.
Online Colleges That Pay You to Attend
Referenced in context of getting paid to study and learn, relating to the fantasy of being compensated for intellectual pursuits and attending academic salons.
Someone Actually Tested the Infinite Monkey Theorem
Referenced during discussion of why the infinite monkey theorem is flawed, monkeys wouldn't hit space bars, plus external stimuli would affect their "randomness."
Platform discussed as "spectacle for profit without purpose" Trump's social media platform created after being kicked off Twitter, essentially described as a Twitter clone with a funny name.
Quotable
“"Once your mind has agreed that that's the narrative that you're going to kind of believe and it gets integrated into your identity, you know it's like smoking."
”
Analogy comparing political ideological addiction to smoking addiction, noting how your mind is contaminated with false narratives and it's hard to break free.
Referenced in context of media manipulation and how different outlets use specific language to frame narratives, such as Fox News.
Follow Up Notes
"Dead people don't talk" - referring to DeSantis commercials featuring people thanking him for not shutting down Florida during COVID, noting that those who might disagree are no longer alive to rebut.
Quotable
“There's probably like 1 to 3% of the population that is mostly immune to misinformation.”
Estimation of how many people are resistant to misinformation and media manipulation, noting that the majority of people are susceptible to these tactics.
Listener Q&A
How can we combat misinformation and media manipulation?
Stay informed, question sources, and be aware of how language is used to frame narratives.
Comment
This is very important. We need to be more aware of how media manipulates us and how we can protect ourselves from misinformation.
Quotable
“"We look up to those that, you know, just basically the system is rigged to work for them. They're living their lives on perpetual debt and just leverage asset after asset that they acquired."
”
Commentary on how society glorifies wealthy individuals who benefit from systemic advantages while looking down on those who work within social safety net systems.
Spotting Disinformation - Six Tactics Used to Fool Us
Relevant to the extensive discussion about media manipulation, echo chambers, and how language is used to frame narratives in news media.
Follow Up Notes
Discussion of disability benefits as a form of basic income that "we really kind of have already," noting how many people combine disability payments with under-the-table work, while acknowledging the system's limitations and complexity.
#dadjokes #mediamanipulation #pastaspirations #studying #carwashing #binarycode #politicalcorrectness #truthsocial #spirituality #doomsdayprep #cults #addictiveideas #language #childhoodpranks #humor #modernmedia
Comment
Liliana Coste says...
Discussion of atomic structure and the difficulty of comprehending that atoms are mostly empty space, with the analogy of a pea in a stadium representing the scale difference between nucleus and electron shells.