Scooping Sanity

By Chris Kolb, Jorn Otte

If you care about others, want to leave things better for future generations, and wouldn’t mind making your own life a bit easier, this is where you belong. Welcome to a community where facts, logic, ... more

· Society & Culture

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FAQs about Scooping Sanity:

How many episodes does Scooping Sanity have?

The podcast currently has 8 episodes available.

Scooping Sanity episodes:

March 06, 2024Interpretive Dancing for Christ
We’re both from deep red states that weren’t until fairly recently. We reflect on that, which takes us into topics like our childhoods, religion, family, political shifts, hate, and fascism. What does it mean to live around a whole bunch of pretty good people whose voting patterns nonetheless perpetuate horror after horror? For mysterious reasons, the audio for this episode isn’t awesome, but it’s not terrible either. We blame the deep state. And Biden.
Chapters:
Brain Freeze, 0:00 - 7:13 — Socio-political mindlock is endemic in the United States. What made our gray matter even grayer this week? We pull a goldie oldie from the Obamacare debate vault.

Good morning!, 7:14 - 25:02 — Chris is an idiot. Where’s the Wal-Mart at?

Show Biz Church!, 25:03 - 50:05 — Jørn shares something he’s probably never told anyone outside of his family and childhood friends. It’s really funny. Saving souls on the beach. What is religion for? To a kid, Church can be far scarier than a horror film.

You MAGA me sick., 50:06 - 1:21:27 — The politics of dehumanization is a very real – and very dangerous – thing. Fascism is basically here, we should probably do something about it sooner rather than later. Sodom and Gomorrah pop up here for some reason.

Cherry on Top, 1:21:28 - 1:27:15 — We despise delusional optimism, but we really like to celebrate sparks of joy and goodness in our lives. Who knew reading about Cold War lunacy could be so awesome?
Relevant sources:
le Carré, John. A Small Town in Germany. Penguin, 2013[1968].
—. A Perfect Spy. Penguin, 2011[1986].
—. Little Drummer Girl. Penguin, 2011[1983].
—. Smiley’s People: Karla Trilogy Part III. Penguin, 2011[1979].
—. The Honourable Schoolboy: Karla Trilogy Part II. Penguin, 2011[1977].
—. Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy: Karla Trilogy Part I. Penguin, 2011[1974].
We want to hear from you! Send us your thoughts on the issues we discuss, tell us why that thing we said was really dumb, let us know how you’re doing, or send us random comments and questions on anything at all. Chris: [email protected], Jørn: [email protected]
If you need immediate help related to mental health please call or text 988 to connect with a confidential crisis specialist anytime of the day seven days a week. You can also go to 988lifeline.org/ to start and chat and find other resources. The Trevor Project offers the same thing with a focus on the LGBTQ community. Call 866-488-7386 or text 678-678.
Logo by Dave Sharpe
Music: “Life of a Wandering Wizard” by Serge Quadrado Music.
...more
1h 28min
February 28, 2024The best jokes are rarely funny.
What is the role of comedy, if any, in highlighting political hypocrisy, immorality, and evil? Should political comedy aim to unsettle us rather than make us laugh? We attempt to answer these questions by discussing two people — Jon Stewart and Barack Obama — that made a lot of lefties feel good for a while but we wonder if they really did anything more than that.
Chapters
Brain Freeze, 0:00 - 14:03 — Socio-political mindlock is endemic in the United States. What made our gray matter even grayer this week? Let’s add to the list of things radical right-wingers love more than actual people.

Dumb and Dumber with a Chainsaw, 14:04 - 31:12 — Is there a thing called the Comedy/Horror Nexus? We think so.

Is bothsidesism a problem?, 31:13 - 41:07 — Sort of. We shouldn’t invent or emphasize things just to appear politically balanced. Usually, we don’t have to.

America got a wedgie., 41:08 - 48:01 — Not giving a shit about a lot of things is fine. That’s a problem for politicians who don’t stand for anything but still need our votes.

The past doesn’t exist., 48:02 - 58:00 — As Patrick from Sponge Bob said, “Maybe if we all close our eyes nothing bad will happen.”

It’s later than you think., 58:01 - 1:12:57 — Why don’t politicians ever go and talk to actual people? There’s a chance it could help. Democrats and Republicans alike are eviscerating the constitution.

We gotta grow up., 1:12:58 - 1:26:53 — We only have two choices: Build power to resist oppression by the wealthy white patriarchal establishment or quietly submit. We must hold the big criminals accountable.

Cherry on Top, 1:26:54 - 1:28:40 — We despise delusional optimism, but we really like to celebrate sparks of joy and goodness in our lives. Jørn has a fantastic book recommendation!
Relevant sources:
Adams, Sam. “Return to Bullshit Mountain.” Slate, 12 Feb. 2024. slate.com/culture/2024/02/jon-stewart-daily-show-host-comedy-central-return.html. Accessed 1 Mar. 2024.
—. “Jon Stewart’s Daily Show Comeback Acknowledged the Criticisms of His Return—Then Sidestepped Them.” Slate, 13 Feb. 2024. slate.com/culture/2024/02/jon-stewart-daily-show-return-trump-biden-age.html. Accessed 1 Mar. 2024.
Avashia, Neema. Another Appalachia: Coming Up Queer and Indian in a Mountain Place. West Virginia University.
Baldwin, James. “National Press Club Speech, 10 Dec. 1986.” YouTube, uploaded by thepostarchive, 13 Jan. 2019, youtube.com/watch?v=7_1ZEYgtijk. Accessed 1 Mar. 2024.
Lerner, Max. It’s Later Than You Think: The Need for a Militant Democracy. Routledge. 1989[1938].
Pierce, Charles P. “The Cynic and Senator Obama.” Esquire, 20 Jul. 2015. www.esquire.com/news-politics/politics/a4559/barack-obama-0608/. Accessed 1 Mar. 2024.
—. “The Cynic and President Obama.” Esquire, 27 Jul. 2015. www.esquire.com/news-politics/politics/a16259/cynic-president-obama-1112/. Accessed 1 Mar. 2024.
We want to hear from you! Send us your thoughts on the issues we discuss, tell us why that thing we said was really dumb, let us know how you’re doing, or send us random comments and questions on anything at all. Chris: [email protected], Jørn: [email protected]
If you need immediate help related to mental health please call or text 988 to connect with a confidential crisis specialist anytime of the day seven days a week. You can also go to 988lifeline.org/ to start and chat and find other resources. The Trevor Project offers the same thing with a focus on the LGBTQ community. Call 866-488-7386 or text 678-678.
Music: “Life of a Wandering Wizard” by Serge Quadrado Music.
Logo by Dave Sharpe
...more
1h 29min
February 21, 2024Free-Range Corporations
What is the role of comedy, if any, in highlighting political hypocrisy, immorality, and evil? Should political comedy aim to unsettle us rather than make us laugh? We attempt to answer these questions by discussing two people — Jon Stewart and Barack Obama — that made a lot of lefties feel good for a while but we wonder if they really did anything more than that.
Chapters
Brain Freeze, 0:00 - 14:03 — Socio-political mindlock is endemic in the United States. What made our gray matter even grayer this week? Let’s add to the list of things radical right-wingers love more than actual people.

Dumb and Dumber with a Chainsaw, 14:04 - 31:12 — Is there a thing called the Comedy/Horror Nexus? We think so.

Is bothsidesism a problem?, 31:13 - 41:07 — Sort of. We shouldn’t invent or emphasize things just to appear politically balanced. Usually, we don’t have to.

America got a wedgie., 41:08 - 48:01 — Not giving a shit about a lot of things is fine. That’s a problem for politicians who don’t stand for anything but still need our votes.

The past doesn’t exist., 48:02 - 58:00 — As Patrick from Sponge Bob said, “Maybe if we all close our eyes nothing bad will happen.”

It’s later than you think., 58:01 - 1:12:57 — Why don’t politicians ever go and talk to actual people? There’s a chance it could help. Democrats and Republicans alike are eviscerating the constitution.

We gotta grow up., 1:12:58 - 1:26:53 — We only have two choices: Build power to resist oppression by the wealthy white patriarchal establishment or quietly submit. We must hold the big criminals accountable.

Cherry on Top, 1:26:54 - 1:28:40 — We despise delusional optimism, but we really like to celebrate sparks of joy and goodness in our lives. Jørn has a fantastic book recommendation!
Relevant sources:
Gerth, Joe. “White Kentucky Politician Who Opposes DEI Tells NAACP: ‘My Father Was a Slave’.” The Courier-Journal, 13 Feb. 2024. https://www.courier-journal.com/story/opinion/columnists/gerth/2024/02/13/white-kentucky-representative-against-dei-tells-naacp-her-father-was-a-slave/72511779007/. Accessed on 1 Mar. 2024.
Korten, David. “Assault of the Corporate Libertarians.” When Corporations Rule the World, pp. 69-86.
Korten, David. “Rise of Corporate Power in America.” When Corporations Rule the World, pp. 53-68.
Korten, David. “Buying Out Democracy.” When Corporations Rule the World, pp. 141-8.
Korten, David. When Corporations Rule the World. Kumarian. 1995.
We want to hear from you! Send us your thoughts on the issues we discuss, tell us why that thing we said was really dumb, let us know how you’re doing, or send us random comments and questions on anything at all. Chris: [email protected], Jørn: [email protected]
If you need immediate help related to mental health please call or text 988 to connect with a confidential crisis specialist anytime of the day seven days a week. You can also go to 988lifeline.org/ to start and chat and find other resources. The Trevor Project offers the same thing with a focus on the LGBTQ community. Call 866-488-7386 or text 678-678.
Logo by Dave Sharpe
Music: “Life of a Wandering Wizard” by Serge Quadrado Music.
...more
1h 26min
February 14, 2024Hiding in the White
Actor, ally, and accomplice? What do these terms mean and can they help us understand the roles white people (or, more accurately, people racialized as white) could and should play in disrupting systems of oppression and privilege? Naturally, the discussion veers into a lot of other terrain but Jørn does a pretty good job of keeping us on track and we have a few solid film recommendations to share.
Chapters:
Brain Freeze, 0:00 - 13:30 — Socio-political mindlock is endemic in the United States. What made our gray matter even grayer this week? Affordability is bad???

In this day and age., 13:31 - 35:35 — A lot of white people just realized that oppression actually exists. Often, they really want to tell you what a shame it is. The system doesn’t need you. Constantly educate yourself. Watch Judas and the Black Messiah.

We get pedantic., 35:36 - 47:14 — West Virginia History with Jørn Otte. Early American Colonialism with Chris Kolb. Watch Matewan and Harlan County, USA. Chris lazily reinforces a stereotype of West Virginians.

“Take that!” says society., 47:15 - 55:15 — Chris lets his infatuation with social theory get out of hand for a minute and Jørn is very gracious, but we do try to address some important points.

The Whiteness Door, 55:16 - 1:12:55 — Have we, perhaps, given some decent advice? Well, anything’s possible. Don’t be performative about solidarity.

Seeing Red, 1:12:56 - 1:27:20 — Bipolar rage is apparently a thing and, wouldn’t you know, it’s one of the many challenges Jørn has to deal with. It’s a really bad idea to keep an unsecured gun in your home. Jørn discovers a neat trick to provoke empathy. There is, in fact, a ten commandments of driving and they’re actually pretty awesome.
Relevant sources:
Ariel, Courtney. “For Our White Friends Desiring to Be Allies.” Sojourners, 16 Aug. 2017, https://sojo.net/articles/our-white-friends-desiring-be-allies. Accessed 1 Mar. 2024.
Holy See, The. “Guidelines for the Pastoral Care of the Road.” https://press.vatican.va/content/salastampa/it/bollettino/pubblico/2007/06/19/0335/00905-1.html. Accessed 1 Mar. 2024.
Osler, Jonathan. “Opportunities for White People in the Fight for Racial Justice: Moving from Actor to Ally to Accomplice.” Powershift, https://www.powershift.org/sites/default/files/resources/files/opportunities-for-white-people.pdf. Accessed 1 Mar. 2024.
Shutack, Corinne. “106 Things White People Can Do for Racial Justice. Medium, 13 Aug. 2017, https://medium.com/equality-includes-you/what-white-people-can-do-for-racial-justice-f2d18b0e0234. Accessed 1 Mar. 2024.
We want to hear from you! Send us your thoughts on the issues we discuss, tell us why that thing we said was really dumb, let us know how you’re doing, or send us random comments and questions on anything at all. Chris: [email protected], Jørn: [email protected]
If you need immediate help related to mental health please call or text 988 to connect with a confidential crisis specialist anytime of the day seven days a week. You can also go to 988lifeline.org/ to start and chat and find other resources. The Trevor Project offers the same thing with a focus on the LGBTQ community. Call 866-488-7386 or text 678-678.
Logo by Dave Sharpe
Music: “Life of a Wandering Wizard” by Serge Quadrado Music.
...more
1h 28min
February 09, 2024First as Tragedy then as Weekend at Bernie’s
After three episodes, we thought we’d take a crack at explaining why we created Scooping Sanity. Did we succeed? Probably not, but we do talk about a lot of interesting stuff including a certain world famous musician. So, yeah, everyone who likes Taylor Swift will be super pissed when they realize you didn’t tell them to listen to Scooping Sanity. Don’t be a bad friend. We think we have some pretty insightful stuff to say about the role of human psychology in politics, why the wealthy are parasites part 1,492, how to sound smarter, and as a special gift to you, dear listener, we offer the possible secret to eternal life. West Virginia internet service and Jørn’s ancient laptop once again announce their presences with authority, but we bravely soldier on and, wouldn’t you know it, we end up divulging a theory of history that will blow your freakin mind.
Chapters:
Brain Freeze, 0:00 - 12:59 — Socio-political mindlock is endemic in the United States. What made our gray matter even grayer this week? Hint: Right-wing radicals freaked out about a woman who wears T-shirts. Now we got bad blood.

How to sound like less of an idiot., 13:00 - 29:42 — Jørn had COVID and Chris endured his third major tooth procedure in the last eight months. It’s good to be wrong and it’s OK to be conflicted. Why are we doing Scooping Sanity?

Retreat into your cave!, 29:43 - 43:15 — Understandably, our worldviews run deep, but it doesn’t mean it’s OK to hold on to them. For instance, Jørn’s Everton fandom is morally wrong. Why do we so often fight or flee from reality? Don’t be late to settler colonialism.

Where’s my internet check, bitch?!, 43:16 - 54:20 — Scarcity is a scam. The wealthy are just hoarders with enough space for all their shit. The magic of primitive accumulation. Profit is just us paying for the right to pay somebody for something.

Kolb’s Job Creator/Wealth Producer Dialectic., 54:21 - 1:03:15 — Did you know the wealthy give us jobs out of the goodness of their hearts? Freedom is the freedom to die for somebody else’s profit. Have you considered hedge funding your family?

Obama was no FDR., 1:03:16 - 1:09:08 — Once again, capitalists love socialism as long as it’s for them. Jørn’s audio cuts out.

Thou shalt exploit!, 1:09:09 - 1:16:10 — Whatever you do, don’t discover a valuable natural resource.

President Chuck E. Cheese., 1:16:11 - 1:23:01 — We have the courage to ask the most important question of the era: Are we slouching toward apocalypse with time-traveling hate robots? And we end by considering if the Soviet Union is playing the longest con in geopolitical history.
We want to hear from you! Send us your thoughts on the issues we discuss, tell us why that thing we said was really dumb, let us know how you’re doing, or send us random comments and questions on anything at all. Chris: [email protected], Jørn: [email protected]
If you need immediate help related to mental health please call or text 988 to connect with a confidential crisis specialist anytime of the day seven days a week. You can also go to 988lifeline.org/ to start and chat and find other resources. The Trevor Project offers the same thing with a focus on the LGBTQ community. Call 866-488-7386 or text 678-678.
Logo by Dave Sharpe
Music: “Life of a Wandering Wizard” by Serge Quadrado Music.
...more
1h 24min
January 23, 2024Talkin bout a Revolution
The Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. probably isn’t who you believe he was. And non-violence almost certainly isn’t what you think it is. We do something people almost never do when they talk about Dr. King. We read what he actually wrote. By listening to this episode, you’ll take a small but important step toward pulling MLK’s image off the garbage heap of saccharine white hagiography.
FYI, the combination of West Virginia internet service and Jørn’s ancient laptop reduced the audio quality, though not terribly.
Chapters:
Brain Freeze, 0:00 - 11:10 — Socio-political mindlock is endemic in the United States. What made our gray matter even grayer this week? Shockingly, it’s something politicians said about race.

Every day is awesomer., 11:11 - 23:58 — Mythology remains a powerful force in our lives. Just ask Colin Kaepernick. The NFL is solving racism with helmet stickers. Kneel before me! How dare you kneel?! Shitty ass quarterbacks abound.

That’s revolution, baby!, 23:59 - 35:10 — MLK wasn’t a communist, but he definitely believed capitalism needed to die. Also, the world ended a while ago so what do we do now?

Trickle-down Metaphysics., 35:11 - 46:20 — Economists are witches. When the Pope says you’re too dogmatic, you might have a problem. And MLK lived about five different lives in just over 39 years.

This means war!, 46:21 - 58:39 — Non-violence is warfare with enemies, weapons, battles, confrontations, victories, and losses. Get over it.

Don’t like your enemies., 58:40 - 1:15:55 — The feeling of love is emotional bosh. So, what is love? Probably revolution. In any case it’s a lot of fucking work.

God bless the Whole Universe of America., 1:15:56 - 1:21:52 — We’re pretty sure Jesus was white and from somewhere near Lincoln, Nebraska.
Relevant sources:
Francis I. “Evangelii Gaudium.” The Holy See. 24 Nov. 2013, p. 21. https://www.vatican.va/content/francesco/en/apost_exhortations/documents/papa-francesco_esortazione-ap_20131124_evangelii-gaudium.pdf. Accessed 1 Mar. 2024. Full text
King Jr., Rev. Dr. Martin Luther. “Where do we go from here?” 11th Student Christian Leadership Congress, 16 Aug. 1967, Atlanta, GA. Address. Full text.
—. “Love, Law, and Civil Disobedience.” Washington, pp. 43-53. (Full text not available.)
—. “The Social Organization of Nonviolence.” Washington, pp. 31-4. Full text (not from volume cited here).
—. “Letter from Birmingham Jail.” The Radical King, edited by Cornel West, Beacon, 2015, pp. 127-45. Full text (not from volume cited here).
—. “Showdown for Nonviolence.” A Testament of Hope, Washington, pp. 64-72. (Full text not available.)
—. “Nonviolence: The Only Road to Freedom.” Washington, pp. 54-61. Full text (not from volume cited here).
Merton, Thomas. “From Nonviolence to Black Power.” Faith and Violence: Christian Teaching and Christian Practice. University of Notre Dame, 1968, pp. 121-29. (Full text not available.)
—. “Toward a Theology of Resistance.” Faith and Violence: Christian Teaching and Christian Practice. University of Notre Dame, 1968, pp. 3-13. (Full text not available.)
Muste, A.J. “Pacifism and Class War.” The Universe Bends Toward Justice, edited by A.O. Gorman, 1990, pp. 111-6. (Full text not available.)
Newkirk II, Vann R. “The Whitewashing of King’s Assassination.” The Atlantic, 8 Mar. 2018, theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2018/02/how-to-kill-a-revolution/552518/. Accessed 29 feb. 2024. (Subscription required for full text.)
Washington, James M., editor. A Testament of Hope. Harper Collins, 1986.
Wink, Walter. “Jesus’ Third Way: Nonviolent Engagement.” Engaging the Powers. Fortress, 1992, pp. 175-93. Full text.
We want to hear from you! Send us your thoughts on the issues we discuss, tell us why that thing we said was really dumb, let us know how you’re doing, or send us random comments and questions on anything at all. Chris: [email protected], Jørn: [email protected]
Logo by Dave Sharpe
Music: “Life of a Wandering Wizard” by Serge Quadrado Music.
...more
1h 22min
January 13, 2024My Mom the Fascist
Demonstrating once again that identity politics is bankrupt, we introduce you to some media darling girl bosses for fascism. Meet some moms who may not be moms who want to turn their schools that might not be theirs into right-wing indoctrination camps. Naturally, this is a tale of hypocrisy, big money, censorship, and good old fashioned hate. BTW, we still have a lot of work to do on losing our verbal crutches.
Chapters:
Brain Freeze, 0:00 - 8:35 — Socio-political mindlock is endemic in the United States. What made our gray matter even grayer this week?

Names are Dumb, 8:36 - 13:44 — What’s up with “The” Hague? And people from Denmark aren’t Dutch you stupid assholes.

Ohhhhhh, I thought you said Moms for LiberTINES., 13:45 - 20:16 — Guys, please fulfill your scheduling commitments.

Lap it up, Media!, 20:17 - 27:05 — Let’s have a calm, rational debate about whether or not Jorn should be put to death immediately.

Are all parents parents?, 27:06 - 33:43 — Democracy for some. And Jorn is hopelessly naive about qualifications for holding public office.

How to Raise Uncritical Children, 33:44 - 41:14 — Life is too complicated. Do your kids a favor and teach them to accept everything at face value. For example, smoking is good for you.

Unlimited Power, 41:15 - 50:32 — Government can’t tell me which side of the street to drive on. And, man, the Fire Marshall has a lot of power.

Worship Santa Jesus!, 50:33 - 57:56 — God gave you the power to think critically to make sure you didn’t use it.

Genocide for Dummies, 57:57 - 1:07:42 — Perhaps radical right-wingers want to not study history precisely so they can repeat it.

Property >>>>> People, 1:07:43 - 1:18:37 — If you’re gonna steal shit, make it a lot of shit and people will call you a tremendous driver of economic growth.

Jurgen Klopp for President, 1:18:38 - 1:23:55 — Jørn claims that Everton is the superior football club to Liverpool. Maybe you really shouldn’t be listening to us.
We want to hear from you! Send us your thoughts on the issues we discuss, tell us why that thing we said was really dumb, let us know how you’re doing, or send us random comments and questions on anything at all. Chris: [email protected], Jørn: [email protected]
If you need immediate help related to mental health please call or text 988 to connect with a confidential crisis specialist anytime of the day seven days a week. You can also go to 988lifeline.org/ to start and chat and find other resources. The Trevor Project offers the same thing with a focus on the LGBTQ community. Call 866-488-7386 or text 678-678.
Logo by Dave Sharpe
Music: “Life of a Wandering Wizard” by Serge Quadrado Music.
...more
1h 24min
December 15, 2023Are you stressed about money?
The healthcare system in the United States is inhuman. And a scam. How do you approach the rational economic choice to continue living or not? We discuss this and a lot of other fucked up shit. As always, we try to stay sane while being continually battered with life’s absurd realities. Only a few minutes of this episode are hopelessly lost to technical ineptitude and we promise to work on losing our verbal crutches.
Chapters:
Brain Freeze, 0:00 - 7:31 — Socio-political mindlock is endemic in the United States. What made our gray matter even grayer this week?

Fucked Upitude, 7:32 - 18:51 — Can we make a community out of chaos and somebody just invented taxation!

The Right to Pay, 18:52 - 42:05 — We'll give you a partial tax credit to offset the cost of your job training program if you work a certain number of hours and haven't been convicted of a certain level of crime and don't have a drug offense in your history.

Kids in Rainbow Cages, 42:06 - 59:31 — Memes are the pinnacle of human civilization.

Get High with Snakes, 59:32 - 1:09:57 — For some reason, we discuss our highly limited and extremely lame history of drug use.

Coffee is Life, 1:09:58 - 1:15:59 — Just becoming human everyday is an achievement we should not take for granted.

Free-Market Children, 1:16:00 - 1:21:30 — An odd way to end the episode for sure, but kids need tough love.
We want to hear from you! Send us your thoughts on the issues we discuss, tell us why that thing we said was really dumb, let us know how you’re doing, or send us random comments and questions on anything at all. Chris: ⁠[email protected]⁠, Jørn: ⁠[email protected]⁠
If you need immediate help related to mental health please call or text 988 to connect with a confidential crisis specialist anytime of the day seven days a week. You can also go to ⁠988lifeline.org/⁠ to start and chat and find other resources. The ⁠Trevor Project⁠ offers the same thing with a focus on the LGBTQ community. Call 866-488-7386 or text 678-678.
Logo by ⁠Dave Sharpe⁠
Music: “Life of a Wandering Wizard” by ⁠Serge Quadrado Music⁠.
...more
1h 23min

FAQs about Scooping Sanity:

How many episodes does Scooping Sanity have?

The podcast currently has 8 episodes available.