Mere Mortals Conversations

What would you do to make the UFC or watching MMA more exciting? In Episode #189 of 'Meanderings' Juan and I discuss: advertising on product features that doesn't make us want to buy it, the mask you can use for doing drug deals and collar to spy on your dog, adding electrified cages to the UFC, adding elements of WWE to real fighting and Juan's experience getting dragged down on a Tough Mudda course.

As always, we hope you enjoy, Mere Mortals out!

Timeline:
(0:00) - Intro
(0:32) - Mere Mortal Moments
(2:44) - Things in life that are completely useless
(4:05) - Hush me voice mask and smart collar for dogs
(9:05) - How to make MMA more interesting
(12:56) - Theatrical characters, unexpected events and unusual terrain
(15:48) - Fighting while completing an obstacle course
(17:35) - Join the Mere Mortals Martial Arts

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Website: https://www.meremortalspodcast.com/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/meremortalspodcast/Support the show

Would you walk away from a utopia if its very existence was dependent on the abject suffering of one child? In Episode #188 on 'Injustice' Juan and I discuss: the basic plot of the fantastic short story by Ursula K. Le Guin, why people might actively create injustice in the world, the internal processes we use to justify with doing morally dubious things, times in our life when we have felt injustice, how being utilitarian might both be good and a bad thing, our decision if we were characters in the story and why taking heroin to increase your wellbeing might just make sense.

As always, we hope you enjoy, Mere Mortals out!

Timeline:
(0:00) - Intro
(1:30) - Definition
(2:20) - Summary of 'The Ones Who Walk Away From Omelas'
(9:18) - Where does injustice start?
(14:40) - Benefiting from people less fortunate
(18:19) - Justification: the internal process of creating justice
(20:45) - Personal stories of receiving/doling out injustice
(25:36) - The utilitarian viewpoint
(32:07) - Would we walk away from the Omelas?
(37:28) - Ethically speaking, everyone should start taking heroin
(41:05) - Injustice that is visible
(44:59) - Mere Mortal Moments
(48:25) - The biggest injustice in the world right now

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Website: https://www.meremortalspodcast.com/
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Paul Boyd is the Head of Academy Program (Upper Levels) and Choreographer in Residence for Queensland Ballet. Paul grew up in Wagga Wagga during the 1960's and found his passion for dance, and in particular for ballet. Over his long career as a dancer he got to perform across the world and even in front of royalty. After retiring from actively dancing he still maintains an absolute passion for the art, helping to grow the next round of Australian talent in Brisbane.

In Mere Mortals Conversation #49 Paul and I discuss: what is was like to be in Germany during the Chernobyl nuclear accident, dancing across the world in exotic places, his childhood story of bullying in a smallish country town and how he got through this rough period, highlight experiences from his time as a Principal Artist and the mental/physical fortitude it requires to reach the pinnacle of the ballet world.

As always, we hope you enjoy, Mere Mortals out!

Timeline:
(0:00) - Intro
(0:59) - The day of Sat 26th, April 1986
(6:00) - Misinformation about the Chernobyl incident
(9:57) - Dancing in East Germany
(14:01) - What makes Australia home?
(17:51) - Learning to speak German
(21:30) - Discovering the passion for ballet
(27:30) - Childhood bullying stemming from being different
(33:27) - Support and belief from mentors
(38:47) - Not taking life for granted
(45:01) - Dancing in Arena di Verona
(48:55) - The discipline of constant hurt/pain/tiredness
(54:59) - Longevity of dancers
(57:50) - Denying instant gratification

Connect with Mere Mortals:
Website: https://www.meremortalspodcast.com/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/meremortalspodcast/Support the show

What has Juan learned about being humble since joining a CrossFit gym? In Episode #187 of 'Musings' Juan and I discuss: starting as a beginner (even in an area where you are experienced), whether there is any benefit to showing off in a training sense, how to criticise someone's ideas in a useful manner, how to cope with stress and areas in life where trying to improve would be detrimental for our wellbeing.

As always, we hope you enjoy, Mere Mortals out!

Timeline:
(0:00) - Intro
(0:43) - Juan's learnings from starting CrossFit
(6:01) - Using the ego & spectators while training
(9:40) - Criticising ideas instead of people
(13:55) - Nonviolent communication
(15:59) - Stress inoculation
(19:21) - Things in life we wouldn't want to take to the next level
(22:13) - Mere Mortal Moments
(23:06) - Do all the good stuff plz

Connect with Mere Mortals:
Website: https://www.meremortalspodcast.com/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/meremortalspodcast/Support the show

Why are there so many rules in the Buddhist texts that forbid monks from having intercourse with sexy monkeys? 

In Episode #186 of 'Meanderings' Juan and I discuss: my recent hilarious reading of the Vinaya Pitaka, the strict rules of monastic Buddhism, biting caterpillars that cause erections, more and more cryptoscams, the impure motives of scientists, some funny hypotheticals on how we will discover how to live to 150+ and Juan's story of being screwed around while trying to get his car serviced.

As always, we hope you enjoy, Mere Mortals out!

Timeline:

(0:00) - Intro

(0:44) - Mere Mortal Moments

(3:12) - The monk who had sex with a monkey

(5:28) - List of things you are NOT allowed to have sex with in Buddhism

(7:50) - The 5 reasons an erection can occur

(10:13) - All that glitters ain't gold

(13:20) - How botox made monkeys sexier

(14:37) - All scientific breakthroughs are due to horny humans

(17:57) - Longevity hypotheticals

(21:30) - Juan's disrespectful car service

(25:48) - The Mere Mortals podcast will arouse you

Connect with Mere Mortals:

Website: https://www.meremortalspodcast.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/meremortalspodcast/

Support the show

After a turbulent 2020 what did the Mere Mortals takeaway from the whole Corona madness? In Episode #185 on 'COVID Learnings' Juan and I discuss: that feeling in the air when everybody is anxious, why we went through a collective period of grief, stoicism and how one can prepare for hard times, the changing perception of health to take a longer-term outlook, why excessive news consumption is bad for your health, why COVID is a crap excuse for not getting shit done and how the whole pandemic exposed some glaring flaws in our society.

As always, we hope you enjoy, Mere Mortals out!

Timeline:
(0:00) - Intro
(1:16) - Public & collective fear
(7:20) - Statistics & subconscious awareness
(10:39) - Definition of grief
(13:52) - Hard times, soft men and stoicism
(17:39) - The importance of being healthy
(21:15) - Illness will never be seen the same again
(23:53) - Too much data and news consumption
(27:32) - COVID is not stopping you from achieving your goals
(32:00) - Wealth inequality was really exposed
(40:27) - Mere Mortal Moments

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Do you set yourself monthly goals and if so, how many do you set? Juan and I on the first week of every month go over our progress from the previous month and where we are heading for the next. Emphasis as always is on the shortcomings; what we didn't achieve in the previous month's goals and how we will fix that for the month that comes. We hope you get some value from this series, showcasing our own methodology. What do you do differently and why? Let us know in the comments, Mere Mortals out!

Timeline:
(0:00​)​ - Introduction
(0:32​)​ - Juan's April recap
(1:52​)​ - Kyrin's April recap
(4:28​) - Starting May with fluffy goals
(8:21​) - Juan's exercise goal? Do More!!!
(18:24)​ - Low iron = weak MM behaviour
(20:37​) - Work behind the scenes
(22:45​)​ - 2021 Fitness challenge & marathon running
(26:30​) - Share with us some of your goals

Connect with Mere Mortals:
Website: https://www.meremortalspodcast.com/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/meremortalspodcast/Support the show

What happened to me (and my calves) after I attempted my first 3/4 marathon, unbelievable pain is what happened! In Episode #184 of 'Musings' Juan and I discuss: my longest run of 31.65 km and Juan's description of the aftermath, some of the stats that show the point of hitting the wall, learnings I gained from running this distance, why the universe might not make sense but that doesn't justify outlandish claims and using anger/tranquillity in everyday situations.

As always, we hope you enjoy, Mere Mortals out!

Timeline:
(0:00) - Intro
(1:14) - Doing a 3/4 marathon
(6:18) - Juan's description of the aftermath
(7:29) - Stats and memes
(11:16) - Some tips on running a long distance
(16:18) - The inexplicable (but not capricious) universe
(22:55) - Practice should be the outcome
(28:49) - Monk level patience in traffic
(30:31) - Using anger when you need it
(33:15) - Using tranquillity to your advantage
(36:23) - Mere Mortal Moments

Connect with Mere Mortals:
Website: https://www.meremortalspodcast.com/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/meremortalspodcast/Support the show

What are some creative ways you would use $1 Million in cash if there were some questions of its legality? In Episode #183 of 'Meanderings' Juan and I discuss: forcing people to jump in rivers and setting up a lemonade stand gang, creating art and opening a museum, stories of criminals who were hunted by the police, a funny tale of the stoner nerds I encountered at the park and how we would try and hide from the police for 48 hours if they were searching for us.

As always, we hope you enjoy, Mere Mortals out!

Timeline:
(0:00) - Intro
(0:36) - Mere Mortal Moments
(1:56) - What would we do with $1,000,000?
(8:11) - We're going to open a museum!!
(9:13) - Frank Abagnale & Kevin Mitnick
(10:36) - The Stoner Nerds
(16:19) - Juan could never become a stoner
(17:50) - Avoiding a manhunt for 48 hours
(27:08) - Find our old videos in the playlists

Connect with Mere Mortals:
Website: https://www.meremortalspodcast.com/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/meremortalspodcast/Support the show

Why does Bjorn Lomborg believe that the current discussion & solutions for climate change are not only unhelpful, but will hurt the poor? In Episode #182 on 'Climate Change' Juan and I discuss: Bjorn Lomborg and his book False Alarm, the outcomes predicted by the UN climate science reports, analysing how much good $1 spent can achieve across varied categories, why some of the proposed solutions to climate change will actually end badly, implementing a carbon tax/innovation/adaptation and some general observations from the conversations between JBP & Bjorn.

As always, we hope you enjoy, Mere Mortals out!

Timeline:
(0:00) - Intro
(0:55) - Definition of climate change
(6:47) - General thoughts
(12:11) - The data and science from UN climate science reports
(16:16) - Cost-benefit analysis of priorities
(24:17) - Is one human worth more than another
(26:36) - Trying to stop CC right now is a poor investment
(27:55) - Bad decisions can inadvertently hurt the poor
(30:00) - Bjorn has a marketing problem
(31:50) - What should we actually do about climate change?
(40:47) - Observations from the discussion
(44:18) - Mere Mortal Moments
(47:47) - We are prepared no matter the weather

Link to the Jordan Peterson & Bjorn Lomborg conversation: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=prrbooi9PNw&ab

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