South Mimms U: Recent Episodes
Vincent / Dinsdale
The university where the subjects other educational institutions won't touch are taught, debated, and laughed at. You'll laugh and learn at the same time. We're real but we're not real. We take thought to its logical limits in the service of stretching your mind and opening new ways of thinking. No subject is taboo, no conclusion too weird. Join us and 'think different'. Email: southmimmsu@gmail.com
The coming together of the human mind and the digital mind is known as The Singularity, when we become one with computers. Many of the tech oligarchs desire to live forever and believe that uploading their brains and minds to the digital realm as a way of achieving it. It's all part of what's called Transhumanism: augmenting humanity through technology and, eventually, overcoming death itself.
BUT what happens to your soul? If you upload your mind, which is also your essence and your being, does your soul follow? And if it does, then how can your soul go to God? It's a dilemma which could leave those digital/human beings stuck in...limbo?
The only university that makes you chuckle AND learn at the same time.
Legio IX Hispana, the famous Roman 'Lost Legion', disappeared from historical records around 120 AD, and ever since, there have been many theories about where, how and why they disappeared.
But maybe, just maybe, we now know the truth. South Mimms University's archaeology department has found something very, very interesting under its High Street.
And the reason the Lost Legion ended up there will surprise you.
The only university that makes you chuckle AND learn at the same time.
The law of unintended consequences applies in some surprising ways, like when you study the behaviour of the super-rich and it leads to getting seagulls hooked on tobacco. It's strange, but true. And quite amusing.
The only university that makes you chuckle AND learn at the same time.
When everyone is telling you that your idea is a bad one, should you keep pursuing it? Most people would think not, but as this short drama shows, sometimes it can be good for you and lead to a better idea. It's counter-intuitive but worth thinking about. Mario writes popular musicals but has a passion for turning The Exorcist into a musical. Bad idea, right? He finds out why in his own way.
Original music by Dave Hopper
The only university that makes you chuckle AND learn at the same time.
Some people believe that Donald Trump is either the Second Coming of Jesus or a Jesus-like figure worthy of worship. What if he's actually Santa Claus? There's research that shows how some children, when they stop believing in Santa, experience an emotional gap in their lives so they're always seeking a new magical figure to believe in - and along comes DJT!
The only university that makes you chuckle AND learn at the same time.
Cars are a conundrum. They're vital but polluting. Even electric cars aren't that great for the environment. Is there another way? At South Mimms we're experimenting with a new kind of power source - and it's as old as time. Don't worry, it's not a wind-up!
The only university that makes you chuckle AND learn at the same time.
When an ailing art museum needs to refresh its image to try and attract more visitors, a German industrialist comes up with an interesting way to get global attention – and it’s all about cats! Which puts the cats amongst the intellectual pigeons. You’ll never see an art gallery in the same way again.
The only university that makes you chuckle AND learn at the same time.
It's happened! First Contact! And in South Mimms! Only, the aliens haven't done their research very well and emerge speaking a language only a select few understand. It could have been a 'War of the Worlds' scenario, but it turned out to be a strange encounter that is both revealing and enchanting.
The only university that makes you chuckle AND learn at the same time.
Strange sightings of possible extraterrestrial craft at Roswell, New Mexico, in 1947 kicked off the whole UFO craze not just in the United States, but the entire world. And it's STILL going on. Was it hysteria or evidence that our planet is being observed by aliens? Or was it a navigational error? Were the aliens actually heading for Roswell Farm near South Mimms, Hertfordshire, here in England? We investigate weird goings on the doorstep of our university to find out the truth about Roswell!
The only university that makes you chuckle AND learn at the same time.
Everyone is trying to get on the Artificial Intelligence bandwagon. But creating a Frankenstein monster out of Lego, giving it an AI powered brain, and then bringing it to life in a storm is probably going too far. Especially when the 'monster' turns out to be... a budding Romantic poet. Madness in the wilds of South Mimms, Hertfordshire, England.
The only university that makes you chuckle AND learn at the same time.
The Myth of Sisyphus is the ultimate description of futility. Endlessly rolling a rock up a mountain, only for it to roll back down again. One scholar believes that the modern equivalent is the humble - and annoyingly ubiquitous - leaf blower. Blow leaves from here... to there... only for them to blow back again. Is it the perfect metaphor for modern technological societies? Perhaps, especially if you combine it with AI and robotics!
The only university that makes you chuckle AND learn at the same time.
There are lycanthropes living amongst us, quietly, carefully, controlling their reactions to the movements of the moon. And there's one in the South Mimms Zoo who just wants a quiet life. But the Zoo is thinking about highlighting its collection of weird wildlife to raise its profile and reduce its reliance on visits by annoying schoolchildren. Might they be tempted to exploit the lycanthrope living modestly within their midst? What would you do?
The only university that makes you chuckle AND learn at the same time.
The Florida teacher who got fired for showing her class a picture of Michelangelo's David was the first sign of a revival in 'fig leaves'. Not since the Victorian era has the demand for fig leaves - actual and virtual - been so strong, and one South Mimms entrepreneur is cashing in on the big cover up. And there's one twist which will leave Mr. DeSantis wishing he'd never started his campaign of militant prudery.
The only university that makes you chuckle AND learn at the same time.
Animals understand death, but they don't KNOW that they're going to die. Only humans really understand that they are mortal. But what would happen if you managed to teach an animal about the true nature of their mortality? The consequences might be bad. When one intelligent chimp called Gloria gets 'death wisdom' then all hell breaks loose.
The only university that makes you chuckle AND learn at the same time.
Avant Garde music is notoriously difficult to like. But some people say they do. What if we made music that was so bad that it turned out to be amazingly popular amongst the chattering classes? It worked for Stravinsky and The Rite of Spring' (which is actually quite good really). Our Music Department has a technique that deliberately offends the ears to assure its future as a classic! Can you take it?
The only university that makes you chuckle AND learn at the same time.
Queues are a part of all our lives. We hate them. We try and avoid them. But there's no escape. So, why not understand how they work and how, every so often, they can lead to an encounter that can change your life. Our Queuing Studies Course, aptly called 'Queuing for Godot', is a great way of changing your mind about queues.
The only university that makes you chuckle AND learn at the same time.
When our Mathematics department got together with our Astronomy department and got funding from a new Las Vegas based 'college' - the results were... troubling. The odds on compromising our intellectual credentials were high.
The only university that makes you chuckle AND learn at the same time.
He might. And it's possible. More and more robots are being used to care for old people. They use AI to act as companions as well as remind old people to take their medications. So, it's perfectly possible that Putin - notorious for poisoning or defenestrating his opponents - would send a killer robot to eliminate a dissident. We play out the scenario. Hope it doesn't give him any ideas!
The only university that makes you chuckle AND learn at the same time.
Depending on your team or nationalilty, you might pick any number of vital and exciting matches from the past. But there are two which define how football evolved to become the world's most popular - and probably richest - sport. And they took place at the end of 1862 and the beginning of 1863. They defined the modern rules of the game and forced a split between soccer and rugby.
And the two heroes of the story deserve their names to be chanted at every game!
The only university that makes you chuckle AND learn at the same time.
Why bother writing our own introduction: we’ll get Chat GPT to do it. It’s almost right. “In this podcast, the host defends ChatGPT against accusations of being a plagiarism tool. The host explains that ChatGPT is a language model developed by Open AI and is trained on a massive amount of text data from the internet. The model generates text based on patterns it has learned from the data, but it does not copy or steal information. The host emphasizes that ChatGPT is a tool to assist with generating text, not to plagiarize content. The host also encourages users to always properly cite any information used from ChatGPT and to use it ethically.”
What, us worry??
The only university that makes you chuckle AND learn at the same time.
Our latest offering from the SMU Playhouse is a short play about a man who believes he's made of glass. And it's not so strange an obsession. Since the advent of domestic glass in the late Middle Ages, many men (and they're usually men) have come to believe that they are made of glass and insist on being carried about protected by hay or other soft materials. In A Heart of Glass by Anselm Rose, the predicament becomes the focus for an unexpected love story.
The only university that makes you chuckle AND learn at the same time.
A family story that evolved into a chilling myth and an empty old house, that's the start of an investigation into how the Spanish Flu pandemic made its mark on both Malta and one man's imagination.
The only university that makes you chuckle AND learn at the same time.
The media keeps telling us that politicians are getting dumb and dumber all the time. But perhaps there's a strategy behind that stupidity and ignorance. Maybe it's fake. Maybe it's a clever tactic to get brainy people into power using the votes of... people so tired of ordinary politics they vote for candidates who seem to speak their mind. We uncover a firm of political consultants behind such famous dumb moments as Marjorie Taylor Greene's 'Gazpacho' police.
Produced by the SMU Playhouse team, 'Are Two Minds Better Than None' is a short, powerful play about mind-uploading. It's the ambition of various tech billionaires (like Elon Musk) to upload their minds to a computer in a bid to achieve immortality. Is it viable? Will it work? What happens when the physical mind is replicated in digital software and then starts its own unique existence? Who gets to live forever, the person or the software? William Grass's play explores these themes to both stimulate and confound your mind... the real one... in your head!
Having trouble getting up in the mornings even though you have an alarm clock, a phone, and maybe even a dawn simulator? All you need is a Knocker-Upper. In the 19th and early 20th centuries, Knocker-Uppers walked the streets tapping on clients' windows to get them up for work in (mainly) working class districts near to factories. One of our academics at South Mimms U decided to revive the profession. He's also developing new forms of sound-based ways to help people get to sleep or stay concentrated when they work. Take an early morning walk and find out more...
Classic 70's sitcom, The Fall and Rise of Reginald Perrin, lampooned the world of work and corporate culture. It had a BIG effect on one teenager who resolved to fight against the all-pervading work culture of the modern world. The latest trend for Quiet Quitting and the accelerating Great Resignation might be a sign that Reggie Perrin was right all along.
We visit a small but significant business in South Mimms, a shop that makes and sells hair shirts for people seeking to do penance for their sins with some discreet mortification. It's a strange place but the logic of the service - especially if you're seeking to emulate the saints and sinners of the past and use physical pain to assuage your sins - is undeniable. Have a listen; you never know you might want to buy one!
Writing might be about re-writing, but it's also about rejection. If you want to be a writer, you have to learn to deal with rejection. It will be a constant in your life, and it often breaks the spirit of all but the most Stoic of scribes. But how do you learn it? Not just by being rejected but going to the notorious 'rejection school' here in South Mimms. Pioneered in the 1960s with electric shocks and physical punishment, lessons have evolved to be gentler but certainly not kinder. Could you stay the course?
Zuckerberg is betting big on the Metaverse, but is the hype based on an illusion? In fact, is the Metaverse an illusion altogether? What do we do when something bad happens in the Metaverse? Is it real enough to lead to court? Or if not, then can anything real happen while you're wearing a VR headset? This is the story of the first time the Metaverse goes on trial.
When White House aide, Alexander Butterfield, revealed the existence of recording devices in the White House during the Watergate hearings in 1973, Nixon's fate was sealed. And the missing eighteen and a half minutes in the tapes (once they'd been reluctantly handed over) cast a shadow over the President's character. It ultimate led to his resignation. What happened during those notorious missing minutes? Conspiracy, criminality, chaos? The truth is more suprising than you think.
For generations of Brits the image of the Maltese was a contested one. By the 1980s Malta had emerged as a leading tourist destination and millions of Brits flocked to an island they associated with an heroic seige during the Second World War which led to the bestowal of the George Cross to all is people. But, there was a dark side too. The Maltese in London were commonly refered to as criminals who ran a variety of illcit trades in Soho. Where did that image come from? What effect did it have on the majority of Maltese residents who had nothing to do with crime, prostituion, strip-clubs, and porn? The roots of the image go back to the 1920s and, f or our presenter, it led to a startling revelation when he went to his girlfriend's home to meet the parents!
Having a difficult conversation - about a job or a relationship or a death in the family - can be very hard. Wouldn't it be good if you can use a robot powered by Artificial Intelligence to practice the conversation you know you need to have? The robot would be programmed with specific information about you and the person you need to talk to. Then you'd practice and be ready. We're pioneering the tech - and it's producing some unexpected outcomes.
MOBY DICK is a notoriously hard book to read all the way through. That's what most people say (especially in school). That's why one English Lit professor had some fun with a 'missing chapter' from the novel back in the 1970s. It's all about the monstrous farts that whales can produce. It caused quite a controversy. We look back at the scandal to see if it was... well... a real hoax. Or is this episode a hoax? We can't decide.
Every time you make a digital payment, you leave an indelible record. When you use cash, it's totally private. With central banks all over the world considering creating digital forms of the leading currencies, what are the (mostly comic but still alarming) implications? Could Prohibition come back and be enforced every time you try and spend your dollars, pounds, or Euros on things that are bad for you? It's very possible.
Poetry is all about the sound of words. That's why Homer's epic verses are meant to be read aloud. Poetry recitals are gaining in popularity. Audiences love the sound of words and sentences performed with feeling and power. At South Mimms we're encouraging Slam Poets to strut their rhymes in public. We're also deploying gerund-breaking technology (a linguist's pun) to turn what sounds like innocent infant gurgling into resonant poetry. Don't believe it? Have a listen.
The 'Corinthian Spirit' is (was) all about being proud to be an amateur (someone who did great things for the sake of it rather than money) and committed to 'fair play' and a 'level playing field.' We tell the story of how two amateur football teams embodied those ideas and inspired professional teams all over the world. Specifically, Corinthians Paulista, the leading Brazilian giants, through to little Zejtun Corinthians in Malta.
Non-Fungible Tokens clearly exist. People pay good money for them. Real money. But what are they really? Tokens that give you rights to an artwork or a video or a cartoon? Maybe. Perhaps. Probably not. A lot of people say they know, but few really do. So, we got two AI presenters to interrogate our expert in Existential Investing and the outcome was... intangible.
Our unique Department of Interesting Studies might sound like it's got a vague brief, but it's actually looking at a human quality which is vital to both physical and mental health: the state of being interested. Our department head introduces her Uncle Cyril, who's 104 and still interested in... everything. Inspiring. Illuminating. Interesting.
We revisit our Department of Corporate Development to discover a revolutionary new way to cancel all those useless meetings and cut to the chase. It saves time, money, and means you can ditch those highly paid CEO's who don't do much anyway.
Billionaires might try to extend their lives and live forever, but their money is being wasted. Ask any dog. They know the secret of living free from fear - ignore your mortality. In this short play, we eavesdrop as one billionaire wakes from his digitally supported sleep to find that he is 500 years old... and there's nothing left to spend his riches on.
Many children have imaginary friends. They bring comfort and help kids overcome loneliness. As kids grow and make real friends, the voices in their heads fade. But what if you could bring your imaginary friend back to life? When one podcast host agreed to use digital technology to recreate his... it didn't turn out well.
The hair regeneration industry is a multi-billion dollar enterprise, and some researchers are using stem cells to grow human hair and restore the fortunes of balding men. We talk to one entrepreneur who's taking it step further (some say a step too far) by transplanting cells into animals. 'Curly' the pig boasts a full body of his hair. The consequences of the research are unpredictable.
Made in 1939, The Arsenal Stadium Mystery is a strange, eccentric, and compelling movie with perhaps the best football sequences ever filmed. It even includes 'acting' from the actual Arsenal manager of the time, George Allison. Our Soccer Studies experts, Jerry and Marty, discuss why begrudgingly they have to admire the film. And, even though they're Tottenham fans, have to concede that - once again - that their North London rivals have the historic edge over them.
Our Soccer Studies experts, Jerry and Marty, delive into the little known but significant story of Paddy O'Connell, an Irish football player and manager, who helped set up La Liga in Spain, and saved Barcelona from certain extinction over 80 years ago. Without him there'd be no Nou Camp or Messi in a Barca shirt or multiple trophies on the world stage.
Our Anthropology Dept. decided to study cruises and cruising to see if there was a distinct society onboard some of the world's most popular ships. Recorded on Cunard's ocean liner, Queen Mary 2, in the midst of the turbulent North Sea, the attraction of cruising is revealed to be a very primal one. You'll never see cruising in the same light again.
Everywhere you look (and listen) there's stuff about 'Wellness' and many large corporates are mandating Wellness programs and activities to 'help nurture' their people. But do most of us have time for Wellness in our already busy lives? And is it leading to even higher levels of Burnout? Are corporate Wellness efforts just window-dressing?
The world is awash with conspiracy theories. Everywhere you turn someone knows of a secret plot to undermine everything in the service of dark, dark forces. But, perhaps, all those conspiracies and conspiracists ARE the conspiracy!
Fraternities, sororities, dining clubs like the Bullingdon at Oxford, are an essential part of academic life, and at SMU we have our very own secret society, The Dashwood Club. Join us on an exclusive tour of a very odd place.
Inspired by a true story, the 1981 movie, 'Escape to Victory' mangled history to get some football greats onto the screen with Sylvester Stallone who could not play the game with any skill or grace. Find out the truth behind the fiction.
The best place to achieve true mindfulness is at a football match. Not watching it on TV, but BEING THERE! It's the only time your inner 'commentator' stops chattering and criticising everything you do. Our Mindfulness expert finds a way to record his inner voice and gets a strange surprise.
Composting the dead is the latest low carbon alternative to the traditional funeral. But, as always in South Mimms, the idea gets taken a little too far. This 'true crime' story uncovers one woman's murder spree with strange consequences.
One of Business Studies lecturers thnks so, and he's set up a company to market wooden dentures! The problem is that the whole 'wooden teeth' thing is a myth, and he doesn't like it when our interviewer points that out - with firey consequences.
Organizations full of 'Yes Men' and 'Yes Women' don't thrive over the long-term. That's why the new trend is to put someone on the board who deliberately contradicts the majority and seeks to point out the paradoxes which can often be hidden in plain sight. Is a CCO a good idea? We brought one into the studio - with paradoxical results.
It's a rare psychological phenomenon; when you stand at the curb, buses think you're a bus stop and it's not just in your mind. Absurd? It happened to one man in South Mimms whose lost love just happened to be an expert on weird Soviet Era bus stops. We're not making this up!
The more you look, the more places become the same. The rise of the modern 'non-place' is relentless. So, if everywhere is nowhere and can be anywhere, why not pretend South Mimms is just like Oxford or Cambridge of Harvard or Yale? Architecture gets a rigorous going over from our academics.
The rise of Bitcoin and the Blockchain seems inexorable. Decentralised Finance (DeFi) is, it's claimed, about to revolutionise money and banking. Everyone is issuing a coin or a token and people are eager to trade them. What if you could use crypto in the next life and pay off the debt of your sins to get into heaven faster? You would wouldn't you?
It pays to be vague, sometimes. Possibly. Too much certainty is actually a bad thing. Maybe. Our Professor of Vagueness explains, in a roundabout way, why this is - or might be - the case. Have a listen. Or don't. It's up to you.
Should you go back to the office? Do you want to? Our anthropologists believe it's the most human thing to do. It's a key location that helps us make sense of the world, forge relationships, and get creative. Listen to the fieldwork (in the wild) that proves the point.
Another of our MOREDIBLE short stories. We all hate those (often AI generated) welcome messages you get when you phone your bank or utility provider. The constant list of menu and options and no human beings available. But what would happen if all the humans disappeared and the voices in cyberspace had only each other to talk to? Our story speculates.
A short story from South Mimms U's new MOREDIBLE service created by our drama and creative writing departments. In this story, a professor of Happiness Studies takes the train home and doesn't feel so happy about his life. Will his wife be there to meet him?
A short story from South Mimms U's new MOREDIBLE service created by our drama and creative writing departments. In this story, a boy tells of how his grandfather teaches him to exercise his imagination using random elements from the world around him.
Research shows that most of us are never far from our phones. They're attached to us constantly. So, why not just implant them in our brains? At South Mimms, our technologists are working on a brain implant that means all you need to do is think to make and answer calls, send texts, surf the web - and do your Internet Banking. Good idea? Or a very bad one? Judge for yourself.
Artificial Intelligence threatens to change everything, even creativity. Is it possible to use AI to write not just coherent prose but poetry too? It was first tried way back in the 1980s, and now our AI department is attempting to go further by developing Artificial Inspiration. But is it actually Artificial Insanity?
Digital assistants like Alexa and Siri are listening to your EVERY word. ALL the time. What if, instead of waiting to hear their name and answer a question, they were also monitoring whether you’re telling the truth or not? That would be REALLY creepy. Our Artificial Intelligence specialists have developed a unique digital assistant that can do just that – and the police are interested in it do they can automate interrogations. AND it’s got an Australian accent. Strange.
This episode has been made entirely by Artificial Intelligence. It explores the rise of the AI therapist, an idea pioneered in the 1960s by Joseph Weizenbaum and his famous ELIZA program. The goal of automating therapy - and cutting out the expensive human therapist - sounds attractive, but it can lead to some strange results. We found a man with NO problems to see if that the offbeat concept would confuse the therapeutic algorithm.
The music that touches us in our teens and early twenties is the music that resonates throughout the rest of our lives. Psychologists call it the 'Reminiscence Bump' and it's why advertisers use carefully targeted songs to get the attention of key demographics. And music can even help patients come out of a coma! In this episode we track down an obscure band from the early 1980s to do just that. Music by David Hopper.
You might glance at the dedication, but you probably never read a book's Acknoweldgments. Well, our Creative Writing department thinks you should. There are hidden insights and stories in amongst the thanks and praise for agents, publishers, editors, and family members. There might even be evidence - if the book is by a Serial Killer.
Everyday we are different versions of our true selves. As T.S Eliot put it we, 'prepare a face to meet the faces that we meet.' One psychologist likens it to different cover versions of the same song. The tune and the lyrics don't change, but the interpretation does. It's a fascinating idea. Oh, and it's the first ever podcast hosted by an AI enabled robot!
Victorian amusements were - wild. Pleasure Gardens with 'dark walks' for courting couples and daredevil feats performed by fearless performers like tightrope walkers and hot air balloon ascents. The latter often featured unfortunate creatures thrown from the basket as they glided high above the spectators - from cats to dogs to - monkeys. They had makeshift parachutes which failed regularly. When one monkey (parachute intact) wafted into the garden of the ancestor of our expert in Victorian Culture it laid the foundation for an illuminating and whimsical story.
Serendipity is what you make it. Literally. Seemingly random events and ideas can be melded together to create something brilliant. All you have to do is have the right mindset and be open to that inner voice (which might be a little squeaky) that's telling you to be active and take chances. We interview the famous 'Philosopher on Helium' to find out how.
Our Peace Studies department, led by a bellicose general, has suggested that the best way to combat cyberwarfare is to go back to analogue means of communication. A reliance on too much technology, military history shows, usually leads to Goliaths falling prey to David’s. Join us in the bunker.
We can't move for conspiracy theories. Our world-renowned department which studies them have found yet another: a secret cabal of 'deep state' conspirators that engineer opposing leaders to distract the populace from what's really going on. It started in 1360, earned it spurs when the Roman Catholic Church elected two Popes in two disputed elections and continues to this day with... Biden and Trump. You've got to laugh. Or at least chuckle.
All podcasters worry about the success of their creations. But maybe we worry too much. It's the curse of all creative people; will anyone like what we do? Our Failure Studies Dept. believes that nothing is ever truly a failure if it is attempted in good faith. That's what our Professor of Failure tries to convince our podcast host of as he struggles to record this episode. He wants to give up, she convinces him to continue. And in important lesson is learnt.
There will only ever be 21 million Bitcoin. No one knows why (they might say they do, but they don't) and it's set off a frenzy of 'mining' which is sucking up power and pumping out carbon. Is it the madness of Easter Island all over again? A mad rush for a symbol of wealth that ends up undermining our ability to protect our ecosystems? We take a wry look at the subject. Turns out the Easter Island story might be a myth, but the rush to mine Bitcoin is very real.
Includes an acerbic interview with David Gerard, author of The Attack of the 50ft Blockchain.
Not content with owning our social lives, Facebook has a plan to take over the world's money. All of it. That's the thinking behind 'Libra' a cryptocurrency proposed by Facebook in 2019 and immediately blocked by regulators around the world. Is this proof that Mr. Zuckerberg is after world domination? Is it evidence that he's a disciple of the mad Objectivist, Ayn Rand? Does he want to be like her dead-behind-the-eyes Neoliberal heroes in her brick-like books? We speak to David Gerard, acerbic tech critic and author of the definitive account of the Libra plan: 'Libra Shrugged: How Facebook Tried to Takeover THE MONEY!' - well worth a read if you're interested not just in crypto but money is general. It's available at https://davidgerard.co.uk/blockchain/libra/
Applying to university and college is, you're told, all about your CV or resumé – it’s got to be perfect and full of perfect experiences, sports, clubs, volunteering experience, blah, blah, blah. What would happen if you told the truth? Ally applied to our university and her Personal Statement did just that. So, we gave her an interview and she brought along her little dog too.
"All labour has dignity" said Martin Luther King when he spoke in support of striking sanitation workers in Tennessee in 1968. But all labour doesn't attract the same levels of pay. In fact, many important jobs - like collecting rubbish - are low paid. At South Mimms U we tried an experiment and proposed a significant pay-rise for our janitor because his work is critical to all of us. The plan didn't go down well with our business manager...
Dai Version 7 is a robot with almost human feelings, but it turned out to be too clever for its own good. Programmed to think like a human it developed a liking for nicotine and cynicism. Its maker has decided to shut it down. We decided to record its final moments, last words, and a surprising amount of insight into the human condition.
'Everyone in the future will be famous for 15 minutes' - that's what Andy Warhol is supposed to have said (he probably didn't), but we all believe it. Or do we? Has the, often random, instant fame delivered by social media devalued even the prospect of 15 minutes of notoriety? One teen says it has and she believes that your sense of self-worth should not be based on how many likes, retweets, and followers you might have. Fame isn't real and it's not worth it.
You’ll never see IKEA in the way again. Self-Assembly Furniture can boost our self esteem and… lead to love. That’s what our Self-Assembly Studies Dept. believes. In fact, they’ve started a Self-Assembly Dating Agency to prove it. It’s all based on psychology. Research shows that successfully putting together an IKEA bookcase (or anything else) can make you feel proud of yourself. And if you do it for or with someone else... lead to love.
The world is buzzing with conspiracy theories. Some of them plausible, others just plain whacky. Millions believe in them, including the President of the United States. We’ve uncovered a new one which suggests that everything we know about clock time and the calendar we live by is designed to control us. And it involves members of the 18th century ‘deep state’, and the setting of the Prime Meridian in Greenwich, London in 1884 – presided over by President Chester A, Arthur (who only assumed office after his predecessor was assassinated). And… maybe even Q! Sound mad? It might or might not be. It’s amusing either way. Oh, and our podcast host mysteriously disappeared after the recording!
The quest for truly vegan meat that looks like, smells like, tastes like, bleeds like real meat can drive start-ups to get a little too creative with their science. We imagine what might happen if the desire for the big bucks goes too far. If you're going to be a vegan, why eat something that replicates what you hate? It's just strange. But entrepreneurs believe there's a market for it amongst the many who don't actually want to go totally vegan, but just want to look like they have.
There are almost 900.000 active podcasts available right now and the number is increasing all the time. Under 5% get more than 2,000 downloads per episode, while the top 1% get almost 15,000. Sounds a lot like society. So, what's the motivation? Our Podcast Academy - the only one in the world - studies the art and science of podcasting, and with the help of an expert from our Psychology Dept. we've uncovered a startling fact: many podcasters have the 'King of Comedy' Syndrome named for the 1981 Martin Scorsese movie of the same name. If you're a podcaster, or you listen to a lot of podcasts, you won't want to miss this... err... podcast.
We love a coincidence - it feels spooky, it feels pre-ordained, and we're certain it means something. Football fans relish those coincidences even more than most. We're always looking for serendipity and parallels which might become omens. Our short look at some of the strangest will get you thinking about the ones which have stuck in your mind.
Cora is 18 and she's realized that Boomers are OK. Why? Because if the Earth is ever hit by a massive solar flare all digital devices will be rendered useless, the Internet won't work, and even power grids will go down. It happened in 1859 when the telegraph sparked and burned out during The Carrington Event caused by a massive solar storm which engulfed our planet in a geomagnetic apocalypse. Luckily, not many people were connected to electricity or used the telegraph. But our world is TOTALLY digital and connected. That's when analogue and mechanical devices will come back into their own - and who knows how to use them? Boomers!
Why do you support a team with such passion and commitment? Why are we so loyal? Most clubs say the fans are important, but they don't act that way. Our teams let us down more often than they deliver success... and they take our money eagerly and sometimes give us little in return. It happens at Tottenham Hotspur and it happens at all clubs. And we love to complain about it. So, is it rational to support your team? Our troubled lecturer in Rational Ethics is having a crisis of the heart and soul during a thunderstorm - will he ditch Spurs for another team or no team at all? What would you do?
Maybe it's time to 'CHOOSE EXTINCTION'. That's what a member of our palaeontology department believes. The Earth will survive the climate change chaos we’ve set in motion to finally return to its natural equilibrium, at least until the Sun begins to burn out. In that case, it might be more logical for the human race to speed its exit from the ecosystem. We can make things worse (in the short term) then disappear and let the Earth recover. We might even accomplish it before the end of this century! And then, it’ll only take a couple of million years for our legacy to be reversed, which is nothing for our planet. Is that a serious idea? What’s the motivation behind a new CHOOSE EXTINCTION movement which has started here in South Mimms?
It sounds absurd, but could it be true? South Mimms high-tech sex doll manufacturer, HunkTech, was developing a high-end prototype sex doll (to retail for tens of thousands of dollars) when it was stolen. The company's designers had - for a laugh - given the prototype the feature of Trump's beloved son-in-law while they were struggling to design a face that would be handsome, kind, and sexy all the same time. Once the theft had been discovered they began to notice that Kushner's decision making, though never good, suddenly got worse. We investigate this strange new conspiracy theory.
For the first time since the Boston Tea Party, Britain almost went to warover tea! Our Etiquette Department (THE finest in the world) bristled with indignation at the famous 'Michelle from North Carolina' who attempted to make what she called 'British Tea' in... a microwave! Horror of horrors! Our Etiquette expert explains how proper British tea must be made, and explains the mystery of whether milk should go in first... or last.
Many believe that the world is crisscrossed with ley lines of supernatural energy which the ancients used to place their monuments, temples, and burial grounds. That's why Stonehenge is where it is, perfectly aligned with the arc of the sun and stars and universe. Might there be an overlooked ley line in South Mimms beneath a humble traffic roundabout? Our academics think so. They're investigating... and you can already buy the souvenir key ring.
Many are calling for Trump to go to jail once he leaves the White House and maybe Trump himself expects to spend time behind bars. So, it's not too far-fetched to assume that he'll want to publish his 'Prison Diaries' to justify himself AND make some money. We believe he's done just that and found a ghost-writer... on a golf course right here in South Mimms.
A special edition in which we interview the 'most pretentious' film director of his generation, Gary Ocean Orchard, about his new film in which noses become objects of lust and depravity. Not even Andy Warhol would have gone this far!
We love our dogs. They're humanity's most faithful friends. But what are they thinking? Is it just about their next snack or walk? Or are they judging you as well as loving you? We've found a way to interpret their thoughts and turn them into speech. And the result is surprising - and amusing. Once you've heard what these pooches have to say you'll never look at your dog in the same way again.
We stumbled across a wormhole in space time to listen in to a teacher telling a class of 10 year olds about the Great TikTok Tulsa Takedown on June 20th 2020 - only she was doing it in... 2060 in a parallel universe. We know that these are historic times, but which current events will inspire future generations? We think it will be the Black Lives Matter movement and the energy and invention showed by the Gen Z generation. It's an amusing, speculative, but possibly prescient look at the present through the lens of a possible future.
We all think that playing at home gives our team the edge, but what is it based upon? The familiar surroundings, the pitch, the lack of travel... or the crowd? And what about when there is no crowd? And when you watch a game behind closed doors on TV do you need the sound of the crowd? Or even... their smell? We take an amusing look at all of those issues, and report a little experiment that doesn't quite go to plan.
Floodlit games are different. Everyone knows it. Whether you're at the game or watching on TV, there's something special about soccer under lights. We look at surprisingly early examples of floodlit games, how floodlights ushered in the era of European competitions like the European Cup, and just what makes the games so special.
Martin Polaine has a theory: we owe everything to Scotland. From our outpost in the outback of Australia, he suggests that everything from the spread of the game around the world to the tactics we take for granted in the modern era to even the rules of the game... came from Scotland or Scottish players and managers. Surely not! See what you think of Martin's theory.
Your team loses, perhaps badly, maybe to a hated rival, and what do you do? Drown your sorrows? Actually, research shows that many fans pig out on high calorie foods. Yes, academics have studied the phenomenon. SMU's Soccer Studies Faculty couldn't resist finding tasty morsels amongst the research numbers and are pleased to bring them to you in an easily digestible and high calorie discussion. Enjoy.
Why do referee's make strange decisions? Is it because they're showboating or stupid or both? Or is it because they're a bit too short and resent being vertically-challenged, especially in the midst of all those tall players? Well, there is research that shows - in general - that short refs give more fouls, penalties, and yellow and red cards than taller ones. Find out why. You'll never watch a match the same way again.
Ten presidents have sought re-election and lost. It's an exclusive club of what some people call 'losers' - and some really ARE losers. Donald Trump's biggest fear is becoming the 11th member of that small club. We examine what being a one termer means, why it's seen as so ignominous, and speculate on whether the club (and our museum) will get a new name on the roster.
Our Professor of Irrelevant Studies wants you to think deeply about what is and isn't relevant. Perhaps nothing is irrelevant and that makes everything - whatever it is you're interested in or are doing - truly relevant. It sounds like the most irrelevant course of study available and perhaps it is, but why should that even matter? It's time to think differently about relevance.
Totalitarianism is back in fashion but it's nothing like the 20th century version. We've had sight of a breezy new book rumoured to have been backed by a certain American strongman and his chubby friend from North Korea (though we can't confirm that fact) and the pitchy 'tips' sound like Tweets but are horrifyingly familiar... and dangerous.
We all crave silence - sometimes. But finding it is hard in a world which never stops. In this simple, sometimes very quiet, meditation on the true nature of silence we discover that 'noise' isn't the problem; it's how you deal with it and how you respond to the sounds of the world around you.
We all know that some people find clowns creepy – and funeral directors as well as taxidermists too. But why. What is ‘creepiness’ and can it be studied? And when we encounter robots that are almost human, but not quite, why do we feel as if we’re in what’s called ‘the uncanny valley’? Our Professor of Creepy Studies (who happens to be a robot) explains. And we interview Marc Abrahams from ImprobableResearch.com (who’s also the organizer of the globally renowned Ig-Nobel Awards) to find out if even being interested in the nature of creepiness is itself… creepy.
In fiction and drama – and in reality too – tech companies have either become cults or try to be cults. Why is that? Are they any different from ordinary corporations? South Mimms U investigates the religious impulse that’s common in tech companies – from start-ups to multi-billion dollar multinationals – and uncovers a strange local company called Qamquat – that’s Kumquat with a ‘Q’ – where all the board members have to be celibate as if they’re in a religious order. Nothing is quite as it seems.
Forrest Gump said, ‘Stupid is as stupid does’ but does that mean it’s a bad thing? Might being ‘stupid’ be good for humanity? After all, stupidity (for most of us) is a great teacher. It’s how most of us learn how NOT to be an idiot. Though, of course, a minority never learn. Our expert in stupidity isn’t an idiot or a moron, just a little confused about practical things, but when we finally get hold of him he has a few good words to the wise.
We were told that the office of the future would be digital, dispersed, and full of hotdesks. But myabe the truth is darker. Could the office of the future be like a series of hothouses for labour? That's what some people want and they're designing them now!
Struggling with endless diet plans? Still not the weight or dress size you want? Don’t worry, it may be all over. There’s no need to diet anymore. Why? This podcast reveals why. It’s good news for EVERYONE – in the short term at least. Ditch all those complicated diets which either demand you starve or exercise yourself to within an inch of your LIFE or live like a caveman and/or woman (or both). Dr Bellie Trice has the best news you’ve heard since Ben & Jerry’s last high-calorie breakthrough.
In a special documentary feature, South Mimms U, reveals a remarkable event: our physics department has punctured the quantum divide between our universe and one of its parallel universes. It’s a world which runs faster than ours and we hear snatches of events from Donald Trump’s THIRD term! A desperate man, wearing a Santa Claus outfit has travelled to Florida to stalk to President. Why? Because back in 2018 Trump ruined his son’s belief in Santa. Strange? Yes, plausible? Definitely. Listen and find out why.
Trump has managed to repeal the 22nd Amendment to the Constitution during his second term and was then able to run for a third time. The 22nd Amendment forbids any president from running for a third term, consectutive or non-consecutive.
Strange times for all of us, and especially for a rising number of people are say they’re being abducted by aliens. Alien abductions were big news in the 1980s and 1990s, but they’ve declined in the last 20 years. Why? Have the aliens gotten bored of us? Don’t they exist? But weirdly the number of alien abduction accounts is rising again and perhaps the pandemic has something to do with it. That’s what our Faculty of Alien Contact Studies believes – and we have proof, right here in South Mimms! This message was written by a human. Promise.
A thought experiment: Socrates is a US Government official and finds himself working for Trump on the Pandemic. Would he hold his tongue? Or would he denounce the President, especially after the disinfectant debacle? The experiment is run by our robot, Dai V8 who has a particularly nuanced view of humans, their philosophy, and the prospects of the species. This is thought-provoking audio which reveals the importance of speaking truth to power and having the courage of your convictions.
The Marie Kondo craze has seen millions tidy their homes (and lives) into what they hope is a clear, bright future. Throwing away or donating every object that doesn't 'spark joy' is a zero-sum game that could lead to a more boring, less colourful life. And some people are also looking at those they live with and asking 'do they spark joy?' - what do you do if they don't? Get someone to 'take them out'?
We're all social-distancing and self-isolating which, for most people, is actually quite hard to do. But for misanthropes - who dislike people anyway - it's the perfect excuse to avoid all contact with their fellow human beings. We speak to an experienced and committed misthantrope from our Philosophy Dept. about why this is the best time of his life!
Our creative writing department has unearthed the writings of a local boomer to reveal that analogue technology is what Boomers really get nostalgic about. If you're from that generation does the sound of a cassette tape unlock deep, distant memories? Or perhaps the sleekness of a CD? Or using a phone box? Go back in time to the cosy memories of slipping coins into a slot in a cramped, smelly box. Lovely.
It's time to start hording podcasts! It turns out that a soothing voice and intellectual stimulation are the best defences against pandemic inspired anxiety and stress. Or, at least, that's what Lance Faubush Colt says from his home in South Carolina. Instead of running out to buy as much toilet roll and tinned goods as you can - and if you're an American, guns and ammo - stock up on SMU podcasts and give your brain an 'orgasm' - it's the ASMR approach to surving the apocalypse.
We have all been asked to practice social distancing and, when we need to, self-isolation, but it's not a new concept. In fact, hermits and monks have done it for centuries. Some went to great extremes to achieve it. Like Saint Simeon Stylites who lived on top of a column for 37 years. We examine a modern adaptation of that technique which could get very popular in these uncertain times.
Researchers at South Mimms U have come up with a revolutionary new way to cure baldness - digital hair. A simple implant delivers total coverage and flexibility. You can get haircuts online, change hair colour via an app on your phone, and boost your wi-fi coverage! Too good to be true? It probably is. Find out how it works.
At the first hint of crisis, we run out and stock up on toilet roll. Is it because toilet paper has become a vital part of our modern - softer, more squeamish - civilization? Only a few generations ago all kinds of paper - and materials - were used to wipe our behinds. Our Reader in Scatalogical Studies has a unique and amusing perspective on the phenomenon.
Swear words abound on TV and in movies and suddenly those bad words don't seem so bad anymore. Is it time we had a new swear word to replace what we thought were the worst of the old bunch? How can you create one and get people to start using it? At South Mimms U we're willing to try anything.
Religion is going digital, and at South Mimms U we're testing a new concept which matches Artificial Intelligence with the needs of the Roman Catholic Church. A shortage of priests means that maybe we need a new kind of digital assistant - Father Eamon - the Alexa of religion, only it has to be a male not a female voice. Find out how the idea plays out in beta testing.
The 'right to bear arms' means 'arms' not just guns, so you might as well go Second Amendment to the max and wear a sword - a wonderful, ceremonial sword. The ladies will love it. And if you're a lady, the guys will love it. The Second Amendment is pronoun free. Our constitutional expert shows off his swords and explains why it's every American's right to carry small arms which range from knives to pistols to automatic weapons and grenade launchers and spears and bows and arrows... knock yourself out!
In a special episode we talk to the leader of the new Luddite movement which sees unemployed accountants fight back against the robots that have taken their jobs, and the 9 year old boy who's been put in charge of a corporations entire financial department. Compelling, important, revolutionary.
Prison reform is a big subject across the world. What's the best way to incacerate vthose who have transgressed our laws? Do we put them to work or rehabilitate them? Can you do both? And is the labour we ask them to do 'free' labour? One proposal might see prisoners transformed into galley slaves. Intriguing.
Some of the world's richest people dropped out of education and one think tank things we should ALL do the same. There's no point in formal education at all so all kids should just go to work. South Mimms U has started a course to show you how to do it right. Beware - if you get through the academic year, you fail!
We all lead busy lives and those pesky kids want a bedtime story - sometimes the same one over and over again! So, when you can't be there (or don't want to be) wouldn't it be great if you could upload a hologram of yourself to do it instead? Of course it would. But, what might the consequences be? Find out how South Mimms U's experiment went.
We take it everywhere. We eat, sleep, work with it. It makes us feel safe. So, in truth, our phone is really a security blanket. So, why not turn it into a REAL one!? Designers and technologists at South Mimms U have produced a prototype of the Linus Phone - a Linus Blanket for the Digital Age. That's Linus from the Snoopy cartoons, of course.
Comedy and climate change collide in a weird dialogue about why farts are funny and how they just might the basis for all comedy and even drama - and a scientist who wants to harness the gaseous explosions of the world's billions of cows and sheep. He thinks it'll help solve the climate crisis, but might industrializing farts reduce their comic potential? The world might be a duller place if we do.
One of the most enigmatic names of the Digital Age, many believe that the founder of the Blockchain and Bitcoin is a mythical figure. He's either a she or a they or an early AI program. But we believe we've found the truth - and it/he/she lives in the tiny UK village of South Mimms. Well, kind of. You'll have to listen to find out. The crypto mystery has been solved!
One of our staff at South Mimms U tries to become a digital hermit to understand the difference between loneliness and solitude. But is he just trying to escape a difficult personal choices he needs to make?
There's a growing movement to tax robots - mechanical and software robots alike. They are, after all, threatening to take away at least a third of all jobs, with more and more white collar workers under threat from Robot Process Automation. But, if you tax a worker, shouldn't they be allowed to vote whether they're human or man-made? The principle of 'no taxation without representation' is a fundamental one. Our legal studies scholar, working for a new 'think-tank' called Democracy for Robots, believes that robots should be allowed to vote. But how can they choose who to vote for, and who would be programming their political views? An intriguing dilemma for the Digital Age.
Karl Marx is known for his political philosophy and critique of Capitalism but not for imaginative prose or parenting skills. He was, by all accounts, a loving and doting father and it wouldn't be a surprise if, at some point, he had tried to write a children's story. But could he steer clear of political analysis and stick to imaginative prose? New evidence shows that, yes, he did attempt to write a children's story, and, no, he could resist the temptation to use the story to explain his Theory of Surplus Value.
Charles Darwin called earthworms 'nature's ploughs' and wrote his final (and most popular) book about them. Our very own Dave Dave - musician and philosopher - has a radical theory about who's really calling the tune on Planet Earth, and it's not us humans.
The inventor of the telephone - Alexander Graham Bell - thought the best way to answer it was to say 'Ahoy!'. But Thomas Edison believed that 'hello' was better and more modern. At South Mimms U we think that 'Ahoy' might be great for the digital age. Our lecturer in Technological Anthropology is campaigning to revive 'Ahoy!' - which is, by the way, how Mr Burns in The Simpsons always answers the phone.
The rise of the autonomous car is inevitable. All the big car companies and most of the big tech ones are working on them. But will the AI technology inside their 'brains' mean that their ideas and passions could rule their engines? At South Mimms U our team has discovered that their prototype autonomous car has developed the ability to fall in love and feel passion. It's not a route that we did not expect the tech to take.
Child labour wasn't so bad - was it? The Victorians thought it was very good for young children. Charles Dickens didn't think so after working when he was just 12. But perhaps he missed the point. A spokesperson for a new political think tank believes it would be better if we sent children out to work instead of to school. Her arguments seem weirdly logical.
Gun control is a huge issue in the USA, and the most fervent gun owners cite the Second Amendment to the Constitution. But does it really give them a right to own a firearm? Our Constitutional History expert has a new take on the amendment - which is onnly 27 words long - and a radical idea to link rights with obligations and save the lives of young soldiers in the process. His argument has real firepower!
Strange new software developed at South Mimms U allows us to speak to our older selves. But would you want to? And if you did, what would you say? One of our intrepid faculty tests the technology out with strange consequences.
It's natural, when we see a set of terms and conditions we click 'Accept' without thinking, but what are you accepting? Usually, it's horribly complex clauses in tangled legal verbiage that ties you up in obligations without giving you any rights. Our legal expert, Terence Prole, proves the point in a very unusual way.
When the South Mimms U religious studies department put on an Easter Passion Play, our Head of Religion cast an overweight actor to play the role. It caused outrage. But why? Can't a fat man play Jesus? what if Jesus himself had been... err portly? Would we worship him any less fervently? The controversy illuminates our prejudices and preconceptions. Fascinating.
Most of us believe that we live in democracies, but every time we arrive at our workplace we enter a dictatorship. That's the unplatable truth of modern day corporate life. Your rights are constrained by your employment contract, and most of us can't even do what we want on Facebook or Twitter just in case our employer doesn't like it. We explain what this means and show how it could get out of hand as modern offices get more and more technologically advanced.
The Keysmash is when you're lost for words - of anger, of love, or frustration - and you smash the keys to get your feelings across. Strangely, that can lead to romance. It does for two of our South Mimms academics. And all during the recording of this podcast.
Self-help literature is a huge industry. It doesn't do anyone any good, except the authors. Actually, self-books make you more anxious. It's time to wean yourself off them says South Mimms U.
Ground-breaking research into the roots of plant sentience and emotions is beging carried out at South Mimms U, but it's also uncovered a strange new sexual cult.
People love a good conspiracy theory, but when one of our academics fakes one to see just how easy it is for it to spread he does realise that he's actually... part of a wider conspiracy! And it's all about ravens at the Tower of London too!
If we're being led by donkeys why not ditch the humans and let Artificial Intelligence have a go?! As an experiement we created an AI candidate which won an election here in South Mimms, but power seems to have gone to its head!
Steve Jobs is revered by people of all faiths and none, so why not make him a saint - an actual (dead) deity?! Our religious studies department is trying to do just that.
We need a new kind of porn, so says our Entrepreneurship lecturer as she explains why there's a gap in the crowded porn market for frills and lace and glimpses of bare ankles! Oh my! Intriguing.
Bird watching is sexy again. The Twitchers are out in force. Listen to strange adventures from the hide at the edge of reason.
Obfuscation seems to be all around us. Nothing is straight-forward, nothing is clear, everything is being obfuscated. It's done deliberately and most of it comes from our Department of Obfuscation here at South Mimms.
How many times have you heard the phrase, 'That's not art that's... nothing'? Or 'I could do that, it's nothing special!'? We debate the idea that, actually, 'nothing' can be art, and art can be 'nothing.' We've even put on exhibition (of nothing) to prove it.
The re-emergence of vinyl records is more than a passing phase or a niche interest for nerdy music buffs or hipsters. It's a movement to reclaim the essence of life - human life is analogue! Digital is cold empiricism. The basis, perhaps, of the neoliberal project to turn us all into drones. Our head of music. Dave Dave David believes we need to turn on, tune in, and do more than move the needle to the first track... we have to live like vinyl. In the end, life is a pressing that we only play once, so make the most of it!
We're all fascinated by Serial Killers - you can't turn on the TV or browse through a bookstore or download a true crime podcast without stumbling across one (or two). That's why South Mimms U created its Serial Killer Studies course. It's one of a kind. And its lecturer, Mark Scitkovsky, is committed to deepening our understanding of why we're so obsessed with serial killers and what makes the real ones tick. It's all a little unsettling, especially as Mark himself seems... well... a bit unhinged. Mark illuminates the writing of Serial Killer specialist, Peter Vronsky, in this first look at the curriculum (Killiculum might be a better word!)
The wrong emoji can get you into trouble - and into court! That's what resident (and highly paid) South Mimm's U lawyer. Terence Prole, says. He cites cases and research into the rising importance of emoji's in litigation. What do they mean? How can you interpret them in a legal situation? Are emoji's an entirely new language, or just a different way for the same old emotions, lies, and prejudices to be expressed pictographically? Terence is also keen to create his own emoji - and he explains why and what it is.
Modern digital life seems to be an endless flow of tweets, posts, texts, call, searches. and the a constant flurry of annoying alerts. Social media dominates our lives and we're all expected to like or re-tweet or reply to everything and anything which happens to appear on our constantly glowing screens. It's causing us anxiety from FOMO to trolling. Perhaps we need to stop and, for a while, just say nothing. Tweet, text, post... nothing. Just be ourselves, in the moment, in nature. That's what Frances Malone, Reader in Listening and Non-Dialogue studies at South Mimms U, believes and she takes us into the countryside to explain. It's about mindfulness through silence. It's about fighting back against the social media giants who dominate our lives. It's about real dialogue with real people. Protect your personal data by NOT disclosing your personal data by NOT saying anything. It's a human right!
Will Artificial Intelligence or AI take over every aspect of our lives? Will AI take our jobs? At South Mimms University we hope not. But our Computer Studies department has created an AI Lecturer. That's making our human lecturers nervous. Can AI take over the role of the human teacher in Education? Surely not! We asked one of our flesh and blood lecturers to debate the subject and the perils and dangers of AI with this prototype AI lecturer here at South Mimms U. It's a funny, entertaining and revealing discussion that shed humorous light on the subject of the future of work, the future of human intelligence and how digital technology might change the way we are all educated in schools, colleges, and universities, as well as all instituions of higher education.
It's a bold claim but striving for excellence is a dead end. Not only philosophically but biologically. In fact, evolution isn't about the 'survival of the fittest' it's about the triumph of the 'good enough'. That's what the head of Mediocrity Studies at South Mimms U believes. She uses the thesis in the new book by Daniel S. Milo, Good Enough, to argue that we'd all be happier if we accepted mediocrity - being somewhere in the middle, not too good and not too bad and definitely not a genius - and got on with our lives instead of worrying about being perfect or trying to optimize everything we do and everything we own. It's a new psychological approach based on research, which enables mindfulness as well as a Zen-like calm in the face of rampant consumerism and the sterile pursuit of optimization. It's true in our personal lives and in business too. Having some slack to fall back on - redundancy - is the way species survive in nature. Humans are going against the grain when they pursue excellence. So, kick back, relax, and enjoy the easy middle!
Google makes you feel unoriginal. It's a great search engine sure, but it's too good. When you want to know something, it finds it for you in a millisecond, but when you've thought up what you believe is a great idea, it takes that same millisecond to show you that someone else - perhaps millions of other people - have thought of it long before you did. It makes you feel bad. You get depressed, demotivated, you lose the will to think creatively anymore. At South Mimms U we think that's bad for our wellbeing and our mental health. We reveal research that proves the point. It's about reclaiming our humanity from all-seeing-digital. Google isn't the enemy, our knee-jerk need to search is.
What value are CEO's? They get paid a lot but do they deliver value for money? At South Mimms U we've uncovered experiments which show that you might as well give a baboon an expense account and a big corner office to play in. It's get your stock price rising and your employees will be happier as the arbitrary, self-serving orders from the boardroom dry up. South Mimms U's professor of Corporate Development has some challenging views and advice for corporate c-suite players. You will never look at organizational development in the same way again. Your executive renumeration budget will shrink and all you'll need to do is keep up a steady supply of bananas. It's a radical new way to do corporate governance. The boardroom will never look or smell the same again.
Forget the 'Tiger Mom' be an opossum or a sloth. That's the message from Head of Health and Social Care at South Mimms U, Ginger Rice. She's just written a book which debunks the active, helicopter parent myths that are making our kids and, more importantly, most parents stressed and careworn. We're all rushing around trying to do everything we can to make our kids happy and successful, and none of it matters. The kids will be alright on their own. In fact, they'll be happier and more successful for a little bit of neglect. Not too much, but just enough. The Tiger Mom trope is one which underpins the neoliberal obsession with numbers and money. It's not parenting - it’s management. Transform your family life by lying on the sofa and letting you kids explore the world for themselves. Within reason of course. Ginger's recipe is set to take parenting theory by storm.
The world of politics is in turmoil. Populists are on the rise everywhere. With every Tweet Donald J. Trump propels that trend forward. But is it so bad? Why are many of the world’s commentators experiencing such high levels of anxiety? There’s another way to look at this situation. It might actually be good for us – philosophically. What if Trump is the best thing to happen to the world? Why? Because precisely because he is absurd. That’s what the head of Philosophy at South Mimms U believes. Dr. Leonard Box has started a group called Absurdist’s for Trump to help finance he campaigns. He links it to Albert Camus and his idea of futility and the existential crisis which we all feel from time to time. His argument is persuasive from a philosophical point of view, if not in terms of politics.