Critical Nonsense

Are we killing Disney's magic? And why do we take personality tests? [18:02]

This week, Aaron and Joey talk about Avengers End Game (no spoilers), The Pixar Theory, retro-futurism, MBTI, the Chinese Zodiac, and enneagrams. They don't talk about the beautiful world of grit size.

references

Why are we so dumb when it comes to nutrition? And why are MLMs a thing? [20:22]

This week, a very hoarse Jess, special guest Steven, and Joey talk about whole milk, Big Sugar, Whole30Steaks, Rodan and Fields, hustle, and small business success rates. We don't talk about which is superior between plastic or glass food storage containers (but if you need a recommendation, we'd trust the research).

references

A brief history of USDA food guides.

Jess's 2019 Prognostication coming true: meet the Planetary Health Diet.

Federal Trade Commission: MLMs by the numbers.

Last Week Tonight on the $36B figure.

Specifics for the Rodan and Fields figures.

Both guesses were wrong: Antonio Banderas is a bee in a Nasonex campaign.

About what men isn't Hollywood writing? And how do we design a more focused work environment? [23:50]

This week, Aaron and Joey talk about somebody they made up named "Noah Centino" who's perpetually in a hot tub, "YA (Young Adult) Cinema", "the Man Box," "the Slack-ening," "Slow Thinking," and "WFH because productivity." They don't talk (much) about how Alex Contell makes his show debut as Corrections Department Officer.

Speaking of, please send all Corrections Department corrections and/or Critical Nonsense love sonnets to [email protected]! We want to hear from you.

references

Joey on the IBM thinkLeaders podcast

A trailer for To All the Boys I've Loved Before: co-starring real actor, Noah Centineo.

Check out Tigerbeat for yourself.

That time Sylvain Labs made a documentary: Instafame.

Cameron Dallas's YouTube channel and Donald Glover's This is America.

The Spheres.

How much "I" is TMI at work? And what does it mean to sell-out in 2019?

This week, special guest Ilana and Joey talk about being tired, vulnerable leadership, embarrassing yourself, "sponcon," The Chopra-Jonas Wedding, and FitTea. They don't talk about how the best kind of Doritos is actually Roulette.

references

UC Berkeley's experiment on how embarrassing yourself makes you seem more trustworthy.

Jameela Jamil doesn't hold back on the "detox tea" situation.

Why do we rewrite perfectly good words? And what is the power of offense? [18:50]

This week, "Captain of Efficiency" Aaron and Joey talk about idioms, Shakespeare, Backpfeifengesicht, monoculture, sh*t, and emotional vigilance. They don't talk about some of the rewritten words in this episode: sportsball, netherspaces, megaword, gajillion, and battlestargalactokaybai.

references

Froebel Gifts, or Fröbelgaben.

The Dictionary of Obscure Sorrows.

Thanks 30 Rock for bringing us "mind grapes"

Irshad Manji: "It's Time to Teach Young People How to Stop Being So Offended"

Why can't women be funny at work? And what drives our latest beauty obsessions? [15:57]

This week, Joey, Jess, and special guest Katie talk about work playfulness, foraging, knee-slappers, Korean eyebrow masks, the beauty obsession pendulum, and Malala Yousafzai's perfect unibrow. They don't talk about the technical terms for 18th century "butt shelf" pads: "bums," "bumrolls," "rumps," or "culs."

references

HBR: "Making jokes during a presentation helps men but hurts women"

The VIA Signature Strengths Test

Yes, 'Rogaine for Eyelashes' brand Latisse in rare cases *has* turned eyelashes .

Vogue: "100 years of brows."

Tweezerman's lifetime guarantee of free sharpening.

How do you travel when you only feel safe at home? And what is the appeal of a hero? [18:12]

This week, Aaron and Joey talk about feelings that conflict with safety facts, getting struck by lightning, Aaron's tips for venturing into uncharted territory, Zion Williamson, the hero's burden, and Han Solo (sort of). They don't talk about the great foremother of the "Cone of Possibility": the rather technical "Cone of Uncertainty".

references

Max Roser from Oxford on data vis around the world.

NYTimes on women traveling alone.

The delightful background on Jim Dolan and the Knicks Jess was talking about is from Reply All #137 Fool's Trade.

What is our responsibility with our emotion? And how are we dealing with the reality that nowadays, everyone meets online?[19:00]

This week, Jess, Joey, and special guest Steven talk about feelings as a virus, male emotion, choosing joy, serendipity engines, Joey's Meet Cute, and how the algorithm knows your type. They don't talk about the power ranking of modern dating apps.

references

NPR on the contagion of anger.

The Stretching Relationship Timeline and one of the associated Stanford source studies.

Plugs this week: The Link newsletter and that dating app, Ship.

What do the rules we break say about us? And why are video-game movie adaptations so bad? [21:00]

This week, Joey and Aaron talk about Montessori school, spam calls, rebellious doctors, The Witcher, Harry Potter, and maybe too much Milla Jovovich. They don't talk about the cringe-worthy nonsense that are this—and most of our other—post-credits cookies.

references

The Atlantic (not Quartz) on the teens and Google docs.

That video about moral injury.

What will influence look like in 2020? And what’s so valuable about the institution of college? [20:28]

This week, Joey and special guest host Hawa talk about American Meme, status, "piercing the veil," the recent admissions scandal, German craft schools, and meritocracy. They don't talk about their SAT scores.

references

NYTimes: the college admissions cheating scandal.

Hasan Minhaj on college admissions.

"Trigger Warning with Killer Mike"