The Gorillamen asked ChatGPT to write the intro to this episode about artificial intelligence…

“Artificial Intelligence (AI) is the field of computer science and engineering that deals with creating intelligent machines that can perform tasks that typically require human intelligence, such as visual perception, speech recognition, decision-making, and language translation. AI involves the development of algorithms and computer programs that can learn from data and experiences, and adapt and improve their performance over time. AI techniques include machine learning, natural language processing, deep learning, computer vision, and robotics, among others. AI has the potential to revolutionize many areas of our lives, including healthcare, education, transportation, and entertainment, among others. However, as with any technology, AI also raises ethical and societal concerns, such as job displacement, bias, privacy, and safety.”

To find out where we stand, give this episode a listen!

We’ve discussed control before, but it’s fun revisiting a topic (and throwing in some new points of discussion).

Here’s what was discussed:

• What is the first time you realized someone was trying to exert control over you?
• Have you ever tried to control anyone else?
• Why do people feel the need to control others?
• What systems of control are obvious?
• Which ones are less obvious?
• Who has control over you? To what extent?
• How do we free ourselves of outside control? Can we even do that?
• What’s the most insidious system of control?
• What is the future of control?

Pull up a stump and gather round, for I will speak to you now about the Gorillamen…

Some say they escaped…wherever it is they once were. Sightings are frequent: in the beginning, weekly. In time, they were seen and heard every other week. Now, they sometimes have a couple sightings a month, but at times we all wonder if they will ever come back.

They always do…

Somewhere it is written that the Gorillamen met while working for a large finance company, two apes-made-good writing mortgage procedures to [hopefully] prevent unfair practices. It is not likely their work changed much, but it was clearly meant to be…because on February 7, 2013, they crowded around a microphone not-at-all suited for podcasting and…they started a podcast anyway!

Now, ten years later, they are still on the run; still being sighted; and sometimes…even heard spreading their own ape-branded philosophy and humor at least they find funny.

To say they are another two-guys-with-microphones podcast is true, but it is also false. Over the years, sure…they have wandered off topic, but they are apes speaking with purpose, too. They have talked about some of the dumbest things during the last decade, but they have talked about important things, too. Sometimes they get things wrong, and maybe that’s the beauty of the show: they have talked enough that you can see they are on the right side of history — never afraid of admitting when one of their takes on an issue was off.

Apes striving to be better…

If nothing else, they did what they set out to do: start a podcast when no one else they knew was willing to give it a go.

And if you listen to the wind just right, you’ll hear their frequency echo like a voice whispering, “Chill the fuck out…and make the damn thing…”

Here’s what they talk about this time around…

• What’s your first memory of Men in Gorilla Suits?
• Aside from starting Men in Gorilla Suits, what else was going on in your life ten years ago?
• Has Men in Gorilla Suits opened any doors for you in the last ten years?
• What’s the best thing that happened in your last ten years?
• What’s the worst thing that happened in your last ten years?
• What are you most proud of doing in the last ten years?
• What do you wish you had done differently in the last ten years?
• Let’s not keep focusing on the past ten years: what do you feel was the most formidable decade in your life?
• What was your favorite decade in your life?
• What was the worst decade in your life?
• If you could live through any point in history for 10 years (with a guarantee you’d survive), what would it be?
• Where do you see yourself in 10 years?

Pew Pew Pew!!! “You’ll never take mah gunz, Mistah Gov’mint!!!” Pew Pew Pew!!!

Other gun owners aren’t that ridiculous.

This time around, we talk about them both as…we talk about guns.

Specifically:

• What was your first experience with guns?
• Have you ever fired a gun? 
• Do you own a gun? Why or why not?
• Have you ever, or would you ever? Under what circumstances?
• Is America obsessed with guns?
• What’s the worst gun-culture thing you’ve seen?
• Is American gun policy good? Does it do enough?
• Do you think people should be able to own guns?
• What the future of guns?

If you’ve ever been around sports, loved an entertainment franchise, or been on the Internet, you’ve likely seen toxic fans.

This time around, the Gorillamen talk about toxic fandom — specifically:

• When did you first become aware of toxic fandom?
• Fans of things have always been opinionated—some, even toxic. What do you think has contributed to the rise in toxic fandom?
• Why do you think some fans of things are toxic?
• Have you ever been a toxic fan of something?
• What do you think is the most toxic of all fandoms?
• What are some of your own experiences of dealing with toxic fandom?
• Has toxic fandom taken the edge off of something you’ve enjoyed?
• We’re mostly talking about pop culture, but what are some other things where you see toxic fans?
• What affect (if any) do you feel toxic fandom has had on industries…or even society?
• How do you avoid toxic fans of things?
• What is the future of toxic fandom?

So…it’s been a while…

Months in fact…

But we’re back!

If you want to find out what we did during our hiatus, here’s a peek at what’s discussed on this, our return episode!

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The last “normal” episode we put out was May 21. What was going on in your life in late spring/early summer?

What bad things happened on our break?

This is the first time we’ve put the show on hiatus. What were your feelings around that?

What good things happened for you during our break?

Did you learn anything new or cool?

What new obsessions have you developed (books, films, etc)?

Do you feel like you changed at all in the four or so months we didn’t record?

What’s the future of Men in Gorilla Suits?

So…finally…the lost episode. Gorilla Christopher apologizes for losing his side of the original recording and then…all the wackiness that followed. But…he re-recorded his side of the show and pieced it all together.

It’s more to the point because to match up cross-talk would have taken a lot of time. So it’s pretty much, “Hey: here’s a question!” and then Gorilla Shawn’s answer and then Gorilla Christopher.

Here’s what was discussed:

• When did you first start contemplating things? (And what did you contemplate?)
• How important is contemplation to you? (And why?)
• How important do you feel contemplation is to a society? (And why?)
• What is the last bigger thing you contemplated?
• How has contemplation made your life better?
• Is there a downside to being contemplative?
• Are we very contemplative in the U.S.?
• Is it better to be contemplative or active?
• What’s the strangest thing you’ve contemplated?
• For someone wanting to be more contemplative, what advice would you give them?
• What is the future of contemplation?

So…it’s been a while. We’re still alive and still doing our things…we just haven’t been recording Men in Gorilla Suits.

The quick version is: Chris lost his side of a recording, we both got sick, and this summer in Texas has really sucked. But if you want to know more, you can listen to Gorilla Christopher’s husky COVID voice for five minutes as he catches listeners up on the Gorilla Men’s whereabouts…

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Gorilla Photo: Valentin Jorel.

So…uhm…Gorilla Christopher was all set up to record, but…he didn’t set up his MacBook audio settings to look for his audio interface and microphone. So…the laptop mic picked up sound, meaning…Christopher’s sound is pretty shoddy this episode.

But…it’s kinda fitting. As the older Gen-X member of the GorillaMen, just pretend he’s recording this episode from the late 80s/early 90s, totally hosed and sitting on the floor of a friends’ apartment where he often crashed.

That said, this is what is discussed:

• When’s the first time you heard of Generation X?
• Do you consider yourself Gen X?
• What is the range for Gen X?
• What are the stereotypes about Gen X? Are they accurate?
• Is Gen X “the forgotten generation?”
• What’s the best part about Gen X?
• What’s the worst part?
• What concerns you as Generation X ages closer to retirement?
• What was the great potential of Generation X? Did they fulfill it?
• What should Gen x’s role be in society?
• What’s the future of Generation X?

This time around, the Gorillamen talk about…breakfast. Specifically:

• What is the first breakfast you specifically remember eating?
• Do you regularly eat breakfast?
• Do you believe breakfast is the most important meal of the day? Why or why not?
• What is your favorite breakfast?
• Do you have a daily go-to breakfast?
• What is your all- time favorite breakfast experience?
• What’s your favorite breakfast spot?
• What do you feel is the appeal to going out for breakfast or brunch?
• Did you (or do you) have a favorite breakfast cereal?
• What is the weirdest breakfast you (or someone you know) has eaten?
• What is the last breakfast you’ve eaten?
• What is the future of breakfast?