Isn't It Obvious

Phil discusses how we should frame everything as "if maybe" instead of "when this occurs, then that will happen (or the more traditional "if-then" mode of thinking).

Micah and K Sera discuss examples of how our generation was misled from our elders due to this unfortunate use of wording.

 

Show notes:

N/A

 

K Sera's after thoughts:

- I asked my parents about their college years and tuition. They managed to get through 4 years of schooling for $8,000 total (Nixon/Ford Dollars). 2k a year! Adjusted for inflation, that’s roughly 10k/year in Obama dollars. My contribution to my tuition via scholarships was 11k/year (Obama dollars), so I personally ‘paid’ more than my parents did for college in only my scholarship grants. Thanks parents, for helping me afford private school tuition! I absolutely wouldn’t have done it without you!

- But back on topic, I really appreciate the nuance of our generation. I think we are a little more careful with our words than the previous generation – much to their annoyance given boomer comments about ‘pc culture’. We are a little more conscious of how our language impacts our society. This is, in part, a reflection of our generation being fed lies and vagaries about a future we can ‘build’ and ‘own’ for ourselves when the truth is our generation doesn’t own shit. We pay for access, not ownership. We rent, lease, subscribe. We own debt. We own mortgages. To own something real is rare. 

Like Phil said, life is rolling the dice and there are probabilities, but no certainties. (Unless you’re playing with loaded dice, you cheater!). Our language should reflect that. That said, it sounds really creepy to ask a kid, "What do you want to be if you grow up?"   Phil's after thoughts: -One of the editors close friends is looking for a new job (as of time of this publication we are in THE GREAT RESIGNATION) but she is held back because she does not have a college degree (despite 20 years in the industry), and thus her career options are severely limited. I feel as a society we need to do away with using a bachelors degree as a gate keeping activity, as 80% of our jobs don't require this, and most of the real learning is done ON THE JOB. I am sure for accounting, lawyers, and the medical professions this wouldn't do well... but those all have something in common (CPA, JD, Bar Exam, Medical License), almost as if these jobs have a baked in solution to this "education inflation" problem already... fancy that. -Why do I mention this? Because the advice of "go to college" was the clearest example of "when this, then that" logic. The problem is that since so many of us went to college, it diluted the very meaning of it. Second, it started to prevent people who are well qualified to move further in their careers because of this stupid myth. It's a double-harmful adage, and all because we (as a generation) bought into this false premise of "when-then" that now we must all participate in this wasteful and debt-incurring adventure. -And this is just ONE example of "when-then" has in our society. We didn't mention much about housing, healthcare, policing, law politics, climate change, marriages, and everything in between. Americans push this fairy-tale story of "when-then" because it hides the dark and sinister truth of our lives: IF you are successful, MAYBE it is because you are very lucky

K Sera discusses the cost of weddings. Micah discusses a memorable wedding from his home town, and Phill tries his best to explain why a Buick is better than a Cadillac.

 

Show notes:

Average Cost of Weddings 

Black Market Rate for a Catalytic Converter

Takes about (roughly) 108 stolen Catalytic Converters to pay for a wedding

 

K Sera's after thoughts:

-N/A

 

Phil's after thoughts:

-Thank you Editor for a very memorable wedding (even though in the podcast I said it was a whirlwind of a memory)

-I think weddings will mean more for those that cannot get married (if Gay Marriage is overturned). Even if it is a terrible use of money, denying people the right to make terrible financial decisions is simply un-American!

K Sera discusses the pros and cons of cloth (versus leather). Micah likes leather. K Sera likes cloth. Phil likes cars.

 

Shownotes:

N/A

 

K Sera's after thoughts:

- I’ve decided that leather upholstery is made for dog owners, smokers and smelly people. Cloth upholstery is made for cat owners and scentless lizards.

- Regarding our car tangent: Over engineered “smart” appliances (especially cars) are a fucking scam. You don’t need computer automated doors. They just need to open and lock. Why do we need to make simple things so complicated? I was having a conversation with another friend of mine and her parents got her this fancy smart color printer for Xmas, and apparently HP has a subscription program for ‘smart ink’ or some such nonsense that you pay a monthly fee and they send you special ink cartridges that only work if you are paying the subscription. The printer also tracks the number of pages you print. Your subscription is based on the number of pages, and HP will charge you like 10 cents per page over your monthly page allotment. How is this a thing? This is bullshit. I am so fucking tired of all these hamfisted subscription services that don’t need to be a subscription. Stop over complicating simple things!

- Cloth is superior to leather. Court rules in favor of fabric.

 

Phil's afterthoughts:

-In our economy, we need a material that can last at least 15 years before it needs to be replaced. Why 15 years? That's the average age of a car in the US right now (as of Summer 2022). If leather and cloth can both do this, then I'll go for the one that is more affordable.

Micah discusses that those that are proven hypocritical should have ramifications separate onto the crime. K Sera is not convinced with the arguments presented. Phil talks about his hatred of mosquitoes.

 

Shownotes:

Winona Ryder shop lift

Texas power system

Mosquitos kill them all

Human Ted Cruz

Height of people back then

Time machine rod of infinite length

 

K Sera's after thoughts:

- Do I think there should be legal consequences to hypocrisy? … Mmmmm no, probably not. I might be convinced if their actions and hypocrisy together caused demonstrable harm to others. 

- Do I think there should be lasting social consequences? Absolutely.  - Does being a hypocrite actually make whatever criminal/socially taboo act committed somehow worse? How is it actually worse? To me, the additional feeling of betrayal doesn't make the act itself worse, but it does perhaps add an aggravating, emotional element. Still, context is pretty important. For example, a smoker telling kids not to smoke doesn't mean they're wrong to say so. - In related/unrelated follow-up: the genetically modified mosquitos are being implemented in the USA. Apparently they have been authorized in Florida and Texas by the CDC. There's my silver lining!

Phil's after thoughts:

-Once we are done killing all the mosquitoes, we can work on ticks, deer flies, horse flies, and black flies next.

Phil suggests that when we talk about dollars spent in the past, we use the President's name too. For example, back in 2010 a small house was only 100,000 Obama-Dollars. Also back in 2009, the federal minimum wage was 7.25 Bush Jr. Dollars, which also happen to be the same as 7.25 Biden Dollars.

 

Show notes:

N/A

 

K Sera's after thoughts:

-N/A

 

Phil's after thoughts:

-This is the first time since the lockdowns ended that we recorded in K Sera's studio. The audio quality is very wonky because I didn't setup the audio checks (I was so used to having independent microphone feeds that going back to recording in person was a bit of a trip to memory lane).

-This episode was originally recorded back in the summer of 2021 (a year prior to the release of this episode). It is funny how I keep complaining about inflation then not knowing what will become of us only a short year later. Oh boy, if this trend continues I sincerely hope that we all use Presidential-Dollar terms forever more.

 

 

Micah asks about the writing unwritten rules. K Sera discusses the drawback. Phil is excited that this is the last episode that we did remote!

 

Note: This episode was originally recorded early summer of last year (2021) from the time of this recording. It was our last "remote podcast recording session" and thus ends the chronicles of this chapter. All future episodes are now done in person! HOPEFULLY THIS WILL NOTE CHANGE.

 

Shownotes: N/A

 

K Sera's afterthoughts:

- Micah thinks shame is a good behavioral moderation tool. I tend to disagree. This only works on the people who actually care about other people and their perceptions. This has no effect on shameless people and so won’t be effective on the people who most need correction. 

- Also, it’s really awesome being talked over. ಠ_ಠ - why am I even here? (Not that I don’t do it too, mind, but it’s retaliatory.)

Sera: You’re asking someone who’s not interested for something they can’t give.

Micah: yeah but… (proceeds to disregard the will of the people anyway and impose his own vision for a reality that will never actually exist.)

Sera: ಠ_ಠ (I feel like I’ve seen this bullshit before…)

- No last word for you! 

 

Phil's afterthoughts:

-Well, we finally released the last of the "lockdown" podcast recording sessions. All future episodes are now back to being done in person!

-I hope someone really does a "Pride Prejudice" website where local people vote on their fame and shame. 

Phil decides that the rating scale needs yet another standard. K Sera states the arbitrariness of it all. Micah discusses in relationship to media. Phil may have rated a movie worse than a war.

 

Show notes:

Come visit us at www.iiopodcast.fm for more hijinks!

 

K Sera's afterthoughts:

-N/A (on assignment)

 

Phil's afterthoughts:

-Well, thank you for listening to this episode. Please submit all questions, comments, and concerns to our email (which is conveniently not linked, located, or associated with this after thought. You're welcome!

K Sera asks about how to describe senses to other and Micah agrees. Phil talks about cheese.

 

Shownotes:

Qualia

Phil thinks of this image when he imagines sandalwood 

Sandalwood

 

K Sera's after thoughts:

- Can’t always have a good topic on hand. Thank you, other hosts, for rolling with it.

- It is really too hard to describe personal perceptions. If one day we understood the brain enough to package experiences… wait, no. That’s a horrifying idea. Forget that train of thought. Downloading psychological trauma would be way too easy and you know humanity would hedge their ethics on that sort of thing. 

- Anyway, it’s probably good to be more empathetic and seek to understand other’s experiences and all that, but the older I get, the more effort it takes, and after the last decade of tragedies and low points, I’ve less and less care to give, and barely enough to sustain myself. I feel impoverished of care and I’m not sure if I have the wherewithal to revitalize it.

 

Phil's after thought Responses:

-encouraging shared experiences (Micah's idea) through civil service could be a start. If more people had cultural anchor points, perhaps we can use those experience-landmarks to communicate to others how somethind made us feel. -maybe virtual reality (VR) equipment could help? -a hallmark of conservatism is that they cannot imagine how something feel until it happens to them (discrimination, Healthcare, education, having a loved one or themselves that need reproduction treatment but they voted against it.) I do not believe this is an education or intelligence thing, I think it's just an asshole thing.      

Phil asks the obvious question about the world lacking a toilet store. Micah discusses the business opportunities. K Sera is both amused and slightly disturbed.

 

Shownotes:

Toilet Store Meme

 

Afterthoughts:

- Nice.

- Micah in every idea workshop episode: Why aren’t we making this happen? This idea is money!

Then Phil or I pull out the scroll of truth and read off the requirements of such a venture. We all then realize… oh… right, this sounds like a lot of work and we’re all too tired to do any of this. Because 80+ hours a week is juuuuust about the right amount of life whip-crack to keep us “out of trouble.”

- I’m so tired, listeners. I feel like… uh, I need a nap after this episode.

 

Phil's afterthoughts:

-This is probably my favorite episode so far. And of course it is about potty humor, haha.

-Also, I just want someone to MAKE THIS STORE HAPPEN, I don't have the energy to make money from it, but I have the energy to spend my money on it!

-Thanks for listening everyone!

K Sera asks about religion and taxes. Micah discusses the religious interference with politics and governance. Phil struggles as a recovering Catholic.

Note: originally recorded during the Spring of 2021 (one year earlier from the publishing of this episode), comments about the major trial in Minnesota and the impact of the Pandemic was still very fresh in our minds. If only we knew what more was to come.

Show Notes:

Joel Osteen, a megachurch, and a flood.

Religious Tax Fraud Example

 

K Sera's after thoughts:

-Religion is taxing, isn’t it? Just like every other communal organization or social congregation. Ugh. I’m too introverted for this. 

But that’s not the topic at hand. 

- Churches should be paying property taxes. Oh, but they’re doing charity work, you say. They are doing good things for the community, you say. Are they? Are they really?

- If churches are going to keep sticking their self-righteous fingers in our politics, they can pay for the privilege.

 

Phil's after thoughts:

-Yeah, after editing this episode I cringed at my arguments in light of the Roe Versus Wade overturning from the leaked memo. Seriously, if Religion has this much space in our political sphere, they ought to at least chip in a few bucks to pay for the city expenses too. They want the privilege to "make us do what they morally say" but without the pesky burden of having to fund us or pay.   -Also, Religion subscribers are rapidly dwindling. It's only a matter of time that they fall apart in the northern states. The South is another story...