Men in Gorilla Suits

We've talked about death and other things surrounding this topic, but never focused solely on the afterlife. Now we have...specifically, these points:

• When was the first time you were introduced to the concept of the afterlife?
• Which afterlife was it?
• Do you believe in the afterlife? Why or why not?
• Why do you think people take comfort in the idea of life after death?
• Do you think that idea is comforting?
• Have you ever had a near-death experience?
• Which would be the best (fictional or religious, which you could argue are in the same category) afterlife?
• The worst?
• What do you think will happen after you die?
• What's the future of the afterlife?

And a shameless plug for a story Chris mentions in this episode: A Deathly Mistake.

This time around, the Gorillamen discuss these finer points about processed foods:

• What is the first processed food you remember eating?
• What is the last processed food you've eaten?
• What, to you, constitutes a processed food?
• How easy is it to avoid processed foods?
• Is there a time in your life when you noticed a boom in process foods? If so, what caused it?
• How often do you eat processed foods?
• What is your favorite processed food?
• What is your least favorite processed food?
• Are processed foods inherently unhealthy?
• There seems to be a campaign where vegan processed food is concerned that it's unnatural and unhealthy. What are your thoughts on vegan processed foods?
• What are some benefits of processed foods?
• What is the future of processed foods?

This time, it's all about U.S. drug policy:

• When were you first exposed to the concept of illegal drugs?
• How soon after that were you exposed to anti-drug messaging?
• Was the War on Drugs a success in any way?
• What do you think of America's current policy dealing with illegal drugs?
• Do you think employers should be able to drug test?
• Should marijuana be legal?
• What about "harder" drugs like meth or heroin?
• What's the ideal drug policy?
• What's the future of legal/illegal drugs?

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Photo: GRAS GRÜN

Jim Croce wrote one of the best lines about the human struggle against time:

"But there never seems to be enough time To do the things you want to do once you find them."

This time around, the Gorillamen talk about making time for the things they love...and how they deal with time spent doing things they'd rather not do. Specifically, these points:

• When did you first encounter the concept of taking time with something?
• In any given week, how hurried do you feel?
• How important is taking time/claiming time to you (whether it's in the work you do or just chilling)?
• What are your favorite things to do with the time you have?
• In general, do you think people in the U.S. use their time well?
• What role does work and technology play in how people in how we spend our time?
• Is the concept of having free time a thing of the past?
• Is having time a privilege?
• What things would you add to your life if you had more time?
• What media (songs, books, movies, TV, whatever) are good examples of taking one's time with something.
• What is the future of taking time with things?

Come along if you dare as the Gorillamen go deep into a journey to the center of their minds...

They ponder these things:

• When's the first time you remember thinking about thinking?
• When's the first time you had a conversation with yourself?
• What was the first thing you realized you needed to change based on introspection?
• How much time do you spend in your own head?
• Do you consider yourself to be an introspective person?
• Do you ever take a deep dive into your own mind?
• How often do you self-check?
• Do you think we live in an introspective society?
• What's the future of introspection?

From somber documentaries about the struggles of the wilds to, "Crikey! We're gonna wind up some animals for your viewing amusement, mate! Why's this cobra so mad...all I'm doing is dragging it around by its tail!" -- nature documentaries and programs are a viewing staple.

This time, the Gorillamen talk about them...specifically:

• What's the first nature program you remember seeing?
• How did--or even has--nature programing affected your life?
• How important do you think nature programming is?
• What are some of your favorite nature shows or movies (or books...whatever)?
• Who is your favorite person involved in nature programming?
• What's one nature show that doesn't exist that you'd love to see?
• Have you encountered nature programming that skewed things in its favor to force a point? What was it?
• How has the Internet affected nature programming?
• All right...the Internet thing is a gimme. So, how has cable affected nature programming?
• Have you ever signed up for a channel or service for its nature programming?
• If Men in Gorilla Suits were to dedicate an episode to an animal or cause, what would you choose?
• What is the future of nature programming?

There is no better episode of Men in Gorilla Suits than this one!

This is the perfect episode...

We could stop now and call it quits...

But we are imperfect Gorillamen still chasing a thing that can never be captured.

And so...we talk about these things this time around...

• What's the first thing you heard described as perfect?
• What was your first concept of perfection?
• Did you ever strive for perfection when you were younger?
• How about now?
• Is there anything you do perfectly?
• Anything you wish you could do perfectly?
• Is our culture obsessed with perfection?
• Do you believe perfection can be achieved?
• Does anything in your life need to be perfect?
• What the future of perfection?

Busy week for the Gorillamen, so we'll get right to it. This time around, we talk about self teaching...specifically:

• When did you first learn about self-teaching?
• What's the first thing you taught yourself?
• What are a few self-taught things you feel you do well?
• Most self taught things are still shaped by books and other things. Is there something you've done that you truly taught yourself? (i.e. You did something new with no idea at all of how to do it?)
• What are the advantages of being self-taught?
• What are disadvantages of being self-taught?
• Who are some of the coolest self-taught people you know?
• How has the Internet changed being self-taught?
• Is there still something to be said for traditional learning vs. self-taught learning?
• Do you think the confidence that comes with being self-taught can lead to over confidence and not actually learning as much as someone who is taught more traditionally?
• What would you tell someone who thinks they need to learn traditionally or who lacks the discipline to teach themselves something new?
• What's the future of being self-taught?

It's been a nutty couple years, and many people the Gorillamen have bumped into have had a rough time coping. Hell, even the Gorillamen have had their moments. And that's why, this time around, the discussion turns to...coping.

* * *

• What's the first time you heard what coping was?
• What's the first thing you had to cope with?
• Are you good at coping?
• What's your coping strategy?
• Do you think the world is harder to cope with than it used to be?
• What's the most efficient coping strategy you've seen?
• The least?
• What helps you cope with uncertain situations?
• What's the future of coping?

It's that time of the year...cool winds drop from northern climes, bringing a crispness many waited for all year. Treetops glow in a blaze of colors; the smells of fires and sweet decay waft on breezes.

And, somewhere online, a mouth-breathing cretin cracks his knuckles and gets a little chubby in the groin at the thought of telling someone on Facebook that there is no pumpkin in pumpkin spice...despite most people knowing that.

This time, the Gorillamen talk about fall. Specifically:

• What is your first memory of what we call in the U.S. fall?
• Which do you prefer: "fall" or "autumn?"
• Of the four seasons, where does fall rank for you?
• What is your best fall memory?
• Your worst?
• Do you have any fall rituals?
• Every year online, I see people excited about pumpkin spice season…and others raging against it. Where do you stand on pumpkin spice?
• What media (movies, music, TV, etc.) do you associate with the season? (A list is fine—even preferred.)
• Some people hate darker mornings and evenings…others like them. Where do you fall on autumn's change in lighting?
• Just how much do you like Halloween?
• How about Thanksgiving?
• What is the future of fall?