Critical Nonsense

How do we fight more? And how will we strike a balance between simplicity and complexity? [24:42]

This week, special guest Jenny Cavaioli joins Joey and Jess to talk about the positive outcomes of conflict, disagreeable givers, psychological safety, the powers of subtraction, Marie Kondo, and allergies. THEY DON'T TALK ABOUT FIGHT CLUB. (Well, they do a little bit, but please please please don't tell Tyler).

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How do we learn to relinquish our power?

This week, Aaron, Joey and Jess talk about racial inequity in corporations, Basecamp and Coinbase, the necessity of pain for progress, the wisdom of Christina Aguilera and Britney Spears, power accumulation and perceptions of scarcity, and yachts. They don’t talk about Petunia's power over The Man.

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How much room is there for emotional granularity at work? And what is "cheugy"? [35:05]

This week, special guests Katie Sadow and Ilana Bondell join Joey to talk about the connection between specific language and feelings, physical responses to emotions, the benefits of emotional intelligence, the inherent cringe of social media, generational earnestness and youthful pushback, and the metabolism of jumping the shark. They don’t talk about Selena Gomez's feelings.

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What can waffles tell us about in our lives that we might not otherwise see? And how do you make room for an open-mind? [23:45]

This week, a rerun from the Nonsense Wellspring (archive)!

Again, Aaron and Jess and Joey talk about the Waffle House Index, the best kind of floss, the trap of spurious correlations, lots of longform, doomscrolling, and making the most out of openness. They don't talk about dinosaur floss, though they definitely, DEFINITELY should have.

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What trade-offs are we willing to make for our privacy? And what is Jess? [35:16]

This week, Joey and Jess talk about Apple's AppTrackingTransparency, the social graph, individual vs. collective impacts, personal narratives, seeking validation, and determining what you value. They don’t talk about which would win in a death match: Tevas or Crocs.

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What are the dangers when coming out becomes outdated? And what is the role of nuance in an increasingly media-/sound-bite-oriented culture? [30:32]

This week, Aaron, Joey, and Jess talk about Colton Underwood, the business and real work of coming out, gauntlet types, Tressie McMillan Cottom, "tell me more," and nuance as poetry. They don’t talk about Lance Bass.

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How do we reorient our ambitions toward intrinsic rewards? In which grocery store aisle does peanut butter belong? [28:34]

This week, Joey and Jess talk about intrinsic vs. extrinsic motivators, the need to satisfy a craving, effortless ambition, hoarding butter, grocery store organization, and confusion by design. They don’t talk about how far away the Oort Cloud actually is.

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As traditional institutions crumble, what do we gain and what do we lose? And what technology do you need but hate? [35:52]

This week, special guest Katie Sadow again joins Joey and Aaron, this time to talk about Substack, gatekeeping, standards, cellphones, smart homes, and social media. They don’t talk about which Girl Scout Cookies are vegan.

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What is the relative value of contribution versus creation? And what is your ideal pasta shape? [19:22]

This week, special guest Katie Sadow joins Jess and Joey to talk about Dan Pashman's cascatelli, the food industry caste order, rappers and basketball players, sauce pairings, mouth feel, and noodles. They don’t talk about at what point rice becomes pasta.

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How do you think different? And what office supplies do you miss? [45:20]

This week, Joey, Aaron, and Jess talk about aphantasia, internal monologues, learning styles, pilfering printer paper, binder clips, and ugly cups. They don’t talk about The Mind Palace.

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