Heterogeneous Genius: Recent Episodes
Ruben James & Brandon McGowan
Heterogeneous Genius is a podcast which explores the human mind and what influences it to think the way it does. Hosted by Ruben James and Brandon McGowan.
Brandon tells some tales of his youth, and we touch on topics including theft and punishment. Later, we discuss relationships between education and career, and end with the story of planned obsolescence.
Lately, what would an episode of Heterogeneous Genius be without touching on population control? This episode is no exception. We discuss the exportation of labor’s effects on population and a nation’s ability to support that population. Later, we argue about limitation of campaign funds for politicians and how excess funds allows one to buy the election. Lastly, we discuss the lack of interest in discussion of ideas, and obsession over pop culture.
In this episode, guest Mike Alvarez, a youth pastor and musician, joins us for a discussion on higher education and religion. We talk about aspects of altruism and selfishness, as well as gateways into and out of religion.
In this episode we discuss whether or not there is a future in which we stop killing each other, genetic engineering, and the luck of the draw in terms of where and to who you are born. Also, the topics of waste in our legal system and gun control rear their heads.
Today we discuss positive and negative reinforcement, and how it pertains to children, prisoners, and society at large. Later, we discuss morals for atheists.
We continue the debate of population control stemming from Aldous Huxley’s Brave New World Revisited. We try to determine what an appropriate number of people might be, and various methods which could be used to get us there, i.e., genetic modification, adoption, and implementing a birth allowance. We attempt to answer why the poor populations produce a greater number of offspring than those of middle- and high-income.
In today’s episode, Brandon and Ruben discuss population control, prompted by the reading of Aldous Huxley’s Brave New World Revisited. They explore methods and qualifications for shrinking the population. Later, they discuss the use of propaganda to change the values of large groups.
HG’s 50th episode! We talk about distractions, namely those on the internet, eating up our time, and mass collection of un-consumable entertainment content. Then, Brandon tells of his observed differences in how we spend our time interacting with each other in different cultures. After the break, Brandon finishes the story of his helicopter trip to Uganda, and talks about his wedding in Germany. Lastly, we discuss God’s form and the supernatural.
Brandon is in Khartoum, Sudan, on his way to Uganda on a trip ferrying a helicopter to Uganda from Arbil, Iraq. He tells the harrowing tale of his journey thus far. He and his crew left Arbil hastily, ISIS closing in not 25 miles away. Over the desert of Sudan they were forced to make an emergency landing after a fuel pump failed, and rig makeshift repairs before continuing on. Later, Brandon describes his concept of a “holocaust nouveau,” a World War 3 scenario stemming from the current violence in the Middle East. In the last segment, we discuss assisted suicide and voluntary euthanasia.
We have finished reading Erich Fromm's The Sane Society, and this is our final episode on the book. We discuss ideas of freedom in our society, what society and the world would look like if everyone's basic needs were provided for—e.g. would religion still be necessary?—and the innate laziness of man. We wrap up the show with questions about job satisfaction. This episode is dedicated to jazz bass player Charlie Haden.
Are all men created equal? If not, should all men be treated equally? How does this fit a capitalistic or socialistic system?
In this episode of Heterogeneous Genius, we discuss religion, resources, and women as the major instigators of conflict in the world. Also, we talk about a lack of personal ethics and morals in today's society; ultimately, a lack of personal identity. Then, forceful vs. non-forceful authority, the importance and prevalence of conformity in our system, and, lastly, gun rights.
We start by discussing some current difficulties of living in our economic system. Then we talk about selfishness versus selflessness and where we see the existence of benevolence in our society today. Then, glutinous consumerism and consumption. Lastly, we discuss the idea that many people need to be recognized for their good deeds, and that seemingly selfless acts have a strong selfish component to them.
Brandon is in a tent in the African jungle as we discuss Erich Fromm's The Sane Society. We cover "abstractification", exchanging goods and services for money, and the concept of money as a varying symbol for vastly diverse quantities of goods and services. We also discuss human beings as a commodity.
We continue through Erich Fromm’s The Sane Society, looking at Fromm’s description of 19th Century capitalism, how it has changed, and how we see things changing in the future. The illusion of freedom and the bottom line.
Brandon travels along Interstate 5 in California as we discuss the importance of challenging your belief systems. Brandon relates his own experience of questioning Christianity and the personal challenges that creates. We also discuss the benefits and hazards of mass organized religion.
Recurring guest Ian Aldion joins us for this episode, where we start by talking a bit about the recent elections in Turkey, which brings us to the topic of information restriction and censorship. Next we move to the meat of the episode, Erich Fromm's The Sane Society. We discuss the beginnings of chapter 5, which is about social character and how we, as individuals, are shaped to fit within our society, and the mental health of modern man.
In this episode of Heterogeneous Genius we discuss chapter three of Erich Fromm's The Sane Society; individuality vs. conformity, and destruction and creation as two sides of the same coin. Also, we discuss humans as transcending animals, rational ability of animals, and the wearing off of novel experience.
Brandon opens the show by asking what we would do if all our basic needs were provided for. Then we discuss whether or not conflict is necessary for human life and what role conflict plays in art. Later we discuss managing chaos, touching on aspects from George Orwell's Nineteen Eighty-Four and Erich Fromm's The Sane Society.
This episode comes to you from Minnesota, Iraq, and Turkey. Ian joins us to talk about chapter two of Erich Fromm's The Sane Society. We discuss sociological relativism vs. normative humanism, and the idea that a society, as a whole, can be mentally unhealthy.
Ruben hosts today's episode solo. What is it like living here in Grenada? I begin the show by discussing some of my experiences with the local work ethic, and explore what makes it the way it is, and why it is so different from that in first-world countries. After the break I discuss the education system, explore some common complaints about it, and conclude that, contrary to many of these complaints, the education system in America is far too easy, lax, and catered to those of low ability. Lastly, I discuss the idea of success and what it means to be a successful person.
We have begun reading The Sane Society by Erich Fromm. We discuss the first chapter, exploring whether a society as a whole can be considered mentally unhealthy, or whether unhealthy and irregularities can only be distinguished in reference to a common majority within a group. Next, we discuss morality within religion as well as its existence outside of religious belief. Also that, at times, much of the fuel behind atheism is spent cutting down religions and not promoting its own particular viewpoints. How can an idea propogate throughout a population and take over their mindset?
Where does your morality come from? Ruben poses this question to Brandon and they explore self-growth and the development of one's own morality. Testing your beliefs is essential to growth. We also look at observed behavioral patterns in particular groups of people, namely, in today's conversation, the homosexual community. Next, we discuss the phenomena of end-of-the-world predictions. We both came to the immediate realization that the fact that many of these predictions say the end of the world will come in the lifetime of the predictor is a blatant example of human egotism. We are resistant to the idea that we, as individuals, are small pieces of a much larger puzzle. Realizing that would make us feel that much more mortal, and we are resistant to the idea of death. With a tangible and specific expiration date on one's own life, one may live very differently. How can we make the world a better place? As a way of answering this question, we identify some of the issues that impact the world negatively. We wrap up with discussion of the Doomsday Clock and specific end-of-the-world theories of the past.
New bumper music for the show! Brandon is back in the Middle East. We discuss suicide, and whether we hold that as a valid option for our futures. What is your personal threshold for pain and suffering before such an option is to be exercised? We then turn to speaking about euthanasia for humans. Brandon relates a story of a man who killed his wife who was painfully suffering from cancer. Can you impose an ethical standard on society? And where does an individual's sense of ethics and morality come from? This turns us, again, to the argument of eugenics and selective human breeding. It is asked: what has more influence on our behavior as adults, nature or nurture? And should either or both of these components be regulated? Brandon says, if you want to change culture, you have affect people's smaller social circles. That's what will change behavior. Back from the break, Brandon asks about hate. We define and discuss the topic. How can this emotion be managed? Ruben suggests there are those who operate mainly on their emotions (action guys), and those who operate mainly on their rationality, who second guess their emotional urges and often don't act (even when they should). Brandon links this to either being passionate or not so. We finish the show inspecting the notion of man's urge to both create and destroy.
Today's show has Ruben, Brandon, and guest Ian Aldion all coming to you from the golden state of California. To start, Ian shares with us that he is writing a story. We discuss the writing regimen. Brandon solos in his flight training. When Brandon asks, "When is a suitable time to die?" we all struggle to explore the question and supply an answer. It is selfish to continue living after you become a burden on society? Should a method for ending one's life (at one's own choosing) be social acceptable and supplied for everyone? We then discuss where we think the human race will be 1,000 years from now. After the break, we discuss California's pay-to-stay prison option, in which prisoners who pay extra will be allowed to live in nicer accommodations. We discuss our feelings on this, as well as how it reflects life outside of prison. Later, we explore how prison works, whether it reforms, or simply acts as a holding chamber. What happens to people after being released from a long prison sentence?
Today, Brandon and Ruben are both coming to you from sunny and hot Southern California. First, we discuss the option of suicide as the ultimate freedom. When is the time right to exercise that option, if ever? Is suicide an easy way out of responsibility for those who commit heinous acts? We all have it in us to do the most atrocious acts. This we both truly believe. Freezing under fear. Fear paralyzes us, for good reason and bad. It keeps us from getting involved in dangerous activities, yet can also cause us to not take necessary action in a situation in which we already are in danger. Denial plays a role in this. Living in the present and planning for the future. Too much of one and not enough of the other makes for a detrimental situation. Balance must be struck. Brandon's sage advice: Run your own race at your own pace—in response to responding to external pressures. Setting unrealistic expectations for today's youth through entertainment. Communication and its affects on a lasting relationship. It is becoming a less common skill in todays disposable and transient culture. The future of hyper-nomadism will likely only make this trend worse. Currently, we live in the age of being offended. Our egos are inflated to the point where we do not tolerate differences in opinion, and we choose to become personally offended over these differences. We should embrace and love human variety.
Today we cover some news! First, buying and selling fake Twitter followers. Anything to get ahead, right? We discuss the ethics of the practice. Stirring up the crowd. Next, we revisit the race discussion—which was left somewhat unfinished from our last show. It still feels unresolved. We discuss relating through social media and how that information is then used by . . . those in charge. There is a trend in which men are becoming womanlike. Is it due to the way men and woman are portrayed in media? We discuss this trend, which, in turn, brings us to discussing male and female roles in society. Overspending in the government. We discuss being tracked everywhere we go. To the newer and younger generations, this will be completely normal. Older generations will always struggle with the transition, but they only need to be waited out. Lastly, we discuss the heroism of the United States and the white man as portrayed by Hollywood. Unsettling, indeed. Think critically about all that you see and hear.
Would you want to come back if there were such thing as reincarnation? What would be most valuable to bring with you into the next life? I think it is most important to know that you don't have to fall in with your surroundings; that you might be able to exercise some control over what you are influenced by. In other words, you don't need to be a victim of your circumstances. You just don't know enough at a young and impressionable age to be able to consider alternatives. We discuss emotional reactivity and how it is damaging to the course of one's life. Then we discuss the school system. Too many people are going to college. This causes it to lose its effectiveness in setting people apart as specially educated. Also, people are expecting the wrong outcomes from their education. They are not prepared to still have to struggle for work. This transitions us to talking about our disdain for Hollywood. Brandon tells his legendary tales of working at the Van Nuys airport. After the break, we discuss the reaction to the George Zimmerman / Trayvon Martin case, and what caused this case in particular to get picked up for massive news coverage. Will a new racial divide result? Then we discuss Facebook as a platform for plagiarism of ideas and opinions. Brandon examines the meaning of a "friend" on Facebook. Friend collection, for the casual Facebook user, serves only a networking purpose. Human beings are not commodities. Do not allow your opinion to be manufactured by others. Most important is to "Know thyself."
Today's show has Brandon coming to you from chilly Bern, Switzerland, and Ruben from sweltering Palm Springs, California. We talk about cheating to get ahead. The topic came to mind while reading a news story about Mississippi mayor Corey Holmes's cheating scheme which helped teachers cheat on certification exams. Then we discuss the trend of Americans wasting time, especially in their youth, and we examine this, among other things, as things which prevent people from achieving their goals in life. I have determined that a key concept is consciously understanding what behaviors and activities will prevent or stall you from achieving those goals, and avoiding those things, because that moment when you realize your life is not on the track you want is sure to come, and it is often too late or much more difficult to make up for that lost time. Tied in with the above is the declaration of a clear vision of who you want to be, and the commitment to that vision. Too many options makes it difficult to make decisions, and there is no reset button in life. Brandon states that motivation is dangerous. Discipline is what will get you to your goals, not motivation. You cannot count on motivation always being there for you. Later, we discuss peer pressure and how it can shape you as a person, and advise that you should never take anybody's advice on your own matters when they have no "skin in the game." We bring the show to a close on the flat note that the morality of man is crumbling around us at an exponentially quickening pace.
Theft, ethics in video games, living for whim or will, circumstances dictating one's life, and the holy sacrament: marijuana.
The fear of death, human attributes of God, the conscious self, Heart of Darkness by Joseph Conrad, and the nature of right and wrong.
Apocalypse, murder, and desensitization of online dating. We also discuss blind loyalty and unconditional love in Franz Kafka's The Metamorphosis.
We finish Plato's The Republic with Books 9 and 10. Also, groups and collectivity and poets.
Guest Ian Aldion joins us in discussing Book VIII of Plato's The Republic, free will, television, and various forms of government.
Book VII of Plato's The Republic, the allegory of the cave, truth, education, and finding solutions.
Guest Ian Aldion joins us to discuss the old favorite topic of eugenics as well as Book VI of Plato's The Republic.
We discuss Book I of Plato's The Republic; justice and the just man. We also discuss cynicism and the firm toothbrush.
HG is hosting a reading of Plato's Republic, starting 11 March through 11 May, 2013. Join us!
In preparation for NaNoWriMo, we discuss our upcoming writing projects, our methods for outlining and developing theme and character.
The Fahrenheit 451 group reading is complete and we discuss the book. Also, consumption vs. production.
Draft 1 of Life is Jazz is complete. NANOWRIMO and writing, the film industry today, and the Internet Diet.