It's no secret that very few people love change, yet the political and social climate in the US and even across the globe has shifted dramatically in light of the 2016 presidential election. Voters and citizens everywhere have their own opinions of good versus bad, right versus wrong for the next presidential candidate. This week's episode of The Future STIR- while you'll be delighted to note is decidedly devoid of partisan politics- is all about discussing these societal and demographic shifts that have existed for centuries, and understanding how they can play out in this upcoming election.

Donald J. Trump and Bernie Sanders represent two drastically different political poles- the former, advocating for a strong right-wing policy, and the latter, pushing for social reforms through a socialistic platform. While the political details of these polar opposites are somewhat irrelevant to this week's topics, their nature as opposites certainly is not. The existence of extremities of innovation and ideas drives every facet of the world we live in, especially the world of Society, Technology, Intelligence, and Retail that we focus on in this podcast; these candidates and the change they represent are no exception.

Tune in to The Future STIR this week as Ben and Greg talk about societal current, change, and candidacy in episode 8: The Trump-Sanders Effect.

In this episode:

Outstanding topics of the Olympics: Zika, Drug Abuse, and More

SciFi Intelligence No Longer Irrelevant: Russian AI Robot Becomes Too Intelligent

The Trump-Sanders Effect: How is polarity of ideas shaping society for future generations?

Article Links:

Mirror UK: Intelligent Robot Escapes for Second Time

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We see a bright STIR in your future! Welcome back to the two-part interview series with Ari Popper, founder and CEO of SciFutures. This week, we're staring into Ari's "crystal ball" as he reveals his vision of the future of tech. Join us as Ben and Greg delve into the underrated, the overrated, and the top rated products and ideas on the market today!

In this episode:

• Virtual Reality Grandma: The Future of VR is Upon Us
• Gotta Catch 'Em All: Is Pokemon GO! The New GeoCaching?
• Ari's Crystal Ball: Ari Popper on the Future of Everything

Article Links:

VR Grandma Gets the Ride of a Lifetime

Ready Player One, by Ernest Cline

Snow Crash, by Neal Stephenson

DAEMON, by Daniel Suarez

Magic Leap 

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Comments on today's episode? Suggestions for future topics? Send us your feedback!

And, please take a moment to give us a rating and quick review on iTunes!!

When was the last time you got excited to go to shopping? How often do you shop online? The thrill of buying a week's worth of groceries, brand-new Nikes, and tonight's takeout all from the comfort of your couch is- let's face it- normal these days. Whether we realize it or not, the retail experience and physical market is shifting before our very eyes. Join Ben and Greg this week as they identify the problems with today's retail experience and envision the future of Retail Reconstruction!

More than anything, we crave experience in our lives as humans. But what is this experience all about, and is it worth leaving the comfort of our homes? How can today's modern retailers revolutionize to create a new and unique human experience worth the trip? Tune in as Ben and Greg talk about the evolution of the retail space and the revolutionized consumer experience of the future.

In today's episode:

• The Future of Sleep: Casper mattresses and more
• Social Networking is Over: Is social media being taken over by "professional attention grabbers?"
• Retail Reconstruction: Making Retail Relevant

Article Links:

Casper Mattresses

Sense Sleep Tracker

I'm Calling It: Social Networking is Over (Computerworld)

Tesla Retail Strategy

We want to hear from you!

Comments on today's episode? Suggestions for future topics? Send us your feedback!

And, please take a moment to give us a rating and quick review on iTunes!!

Ever picture yourself riding around in your very own DeLorean, or fighting with lightsabers to save your entire galaxy? Picture your wildest sci-fi fantasies come to life- this week, Ben and Greg sat down with Ari Popper, founder and CEO of SciFutures, where he and his team help you to envision your company's wildest potentials through science-fiction storytelling. While he can't exactly put you into your own personal Back to the Future or Star Wars saga, Popper talks a bit today about how sci-fi plays into building "the business of the future." Tune in as he tells all about the inspiration for SciFutures: his journey, his vision, and his business of helping companies take hold of their digital futures through science fiction and fantasy.

Ben and Greg get into what it means to envision a digital, "sci-fi" future in this, the first episode of a two-part series of interviews with CEO Ari Popper. Tune in this week and next for more on SciFutures, business, and the future of tech and transformation through sci-fi.

In this episode:

Snapchat Memories: archival AND ephemeral?

Everyone Secretly Hates Going Out: Do you?

Ari Popper: The Business of the Future

Related Links:

Introducing Snapchat Memories

Everyone Secretly Hates Going Out (VICE)

Faith Popcorn on "cocooning" and POMO 

SciFutures and Ari Popper

Is it time to leave digital in the dust? These days, it's hip to be analog! Vinyl records and Polaroid photos are back on the scene, leaving everybody asking one question: what's so cool about analog in the digital age?

In this week's episode of The Future STIR, Ben and Greg get nostalgic, talking about Crosley, Instax, and the recent drift from digital life. Many of us know the trials and tribulations of caring for a precious record collection, as well as the inconvenience and impermanence of capturing life's moments with Polaroid photos, and yet a new wave of nostalgia for these bygone specimens of tech is sweeping the market in big-name stores like Urban Outfitters. In an age of constant new and innovative technology, we're left to wonder how these pastimes are being reinvented and reintegrated into the modern digital age. More than ever in the past decade, consumers are diving into personal experience and drifting away from the world of constant digital connection.

Will what's "hip" halt modern technology, or will avid analog users propel us further into the future of consumer-company relationships and personal experience? Find out as Ben and Greg check out the appeal of analog this week, only at The Future STIR!

In this episode:

The positive sides of "digital amnesia"

Facial recognition technology may change the way you Uber

Target breaks gender barriers with bathroom choice

Vinyl, Polaroid, and all things analog: how is the modern market pushing consumers to live in the moment?

We want to hear from YOU!

Questions? Comments? We love to hear your feedback! Tweet us, comment on Instagram and on our website, and don't forget to subscribe via iTunes and Stitcher today and follow our social accounts for day-to-day updates on all things STIR!

It seems like everybody these days is on their own video voyage, from your average "bro" to Pope Francis himself. But how is this "virtual voyeurism" shaping the way we meet, interact, and market through media?

Ben and Greg define this new-age phenomenon in this week's episode of The Future STIR, touching on Facebook Live, Snapchat, and Periscope as the modern man's media. Social butterflies and media mavens alike are becoming more comfortable than ever in front of the camera, and a fascination with live-broadcast social platforms is quickly sweeping the Internet. More importantly, the movement of real-time talk is manifesting a more relatable persona in the digital sphere-- a real-world person for the real-world consumer. This spike in "virtual voyeurism" is shaping the way businesses everywhere are connecting with customers and building relationships through social media and marketing.

Tune in as we discuss this exciting new movement of connections, consumers, and social streaming, only on The Future STIR!

In this Episode:

"Bros" clothes and Pope Francis on Instagram

Real-time broadcasting for the real-world person

Virtual Voyeurism: How is this new wave of media shaping the consumer market?

References from the Episode:

Brotailers are Redefining How Guys Buy Clothes (Bloomberg)

Pope Francis on Instagram

Pope Francis Begins His Instagram Journey (Mashable)

We want to hear from you!

Comments on today's episode? Suggestions for future topics? Send us your feedback!

And, please take a moment to give us a rating and quick review on iTunes!!

Welcome back to the STIR!

How do you express yourself? Image is an integral part of the way we live and work, especially in business and in the market of technology. From the 140 characters we live by on social media, to the impressions of perfection we take from the media, to the promise of microbots for human advancement, business and technology are constantly shaping the way we express and communicate as we evolve in the technological age. Ben and Greg tackle the topic of Twitter, body positivity, and microtechnology as they delve into the rise of "Humans 2.0."

We've all been a part of the immunization conversation one way or another, but is there a more interesting, more integrative discussion to be had? How can we move past the debate of inoculation onto the one of artificial intelligence and the innumerable possibilities it holds for human health and interaction? With micromachines and emotionally-coded robots on the rise, the human race is on a collision course with tech and growing closer every day. This week's episode hones in on the potential for future integration of society and its devices, from the way you use your smart phone to the way you conduct your entire business.

In this episode:

• Evolution of the Twitterverse
• Media, men, and body positivity
• Micromachines, artificial intelligence, and human advancement

Questions? Thoughts? Opinions? We love to hear your feedback!

Article Links:

Axe commercial: "Who needs some other thing, when you've got YOUR thing?"

Ever wonder what it would be like to have groceries delivered to your door in minutes? To hover around the city with ease, or experience an entirely new reality without leaving the comfort of your couch? This week's episode is all about drones, automated delivery, and the future of transportation. Ben and Greg talk tech, touching on concepts from hover-boards to virtual reality headsets to headway on the fronts of drone delivery and transportation.

While we may see drones today simply as vehicles for our GoPro cameras, or a far-off future fantasy, these clever little bots may be closer to becoming pieces of day-to-day technology than ever before. Greg and Ben discuss the market and brand potential of drone delivery, as well as the evolution of the online customer, highlighting the current competition between two major contenders in the drone market. This podcast also explores other possibilities for drones in the future outside delivery, and what they would mean for the commercial and entertainment markets.

In this episode:

Hover-boards, Virtual Reality, and the mainstream market Amazon, Walmart, and the drone economy Drones outside delivery Questions? Thoughts? Opinions? Send us your feedback!

Article Links:

Hover-boards in NYC

Hoverboards: The Gadget That's ON FIRE!!

This Image of Mark Zuckerberg Says So Much About Our Future (The Verge)

Forbes on Drones and Walmart

What are your thoughts about the drone economy? What are the applications for drones that you'd most like to see?

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