Tommy Trinh (@tommytrinh) is a co-founder of New.

In this episode, we explored Stewart Brand's pace layering diagram and the slow-moving forces underneath everything – culture, myths, values, and the narrative structures that have been recurring throughout the history of humankind. We kept finding the Epic of Gilgamesh in places we didn't expect: anime, wrestling, video games. From there we traced the evolution of games as a medium, from early first-person shooters to souls-like difficulty to simulators to AI-generated worlds, and what each genre reveals about why people play.

The last stretch of the conversation was about something harder to name. We shared how things have started to feel uninspiring, how it feels like we're in a state of limbo between how the world used to work and whatever comes next. The meta is too visible, media feels formulaic, and the thresholds that used to structure our sense of what's possible have quietly dissolved. What is even unknown anymore when an LLM can explain anything? Does the value of direct experience go up as the baseline of what's virtually accessible rises? What are the new thresholds? How do you posture yourself within a shift you can feel but can't fully articulate?

This is a conversation about the stories we keep telling, the games we keep playing, and what becomes worth pursuing when the map has been filled in.

The Other Stuff is hosted by internetVin⁠, filmmaker and entrepreneur and possibly the most curious man on Earth. Produced by New.

—

Timestamps

00:00:00 Introduction
00:02:23 Pace Layering & Myths
00:15:13 The Epic of Gilgamesh
00:25:46 GoldenEye & id Software
00:41:48 The Neo Geo
00:57:38 NBA Jam & Def Jam
01:02:13 Wrestling is Anime
01:19:53 Souls-like
01:30:38 Simulators & Realism
01:47:28 AI in Games
02:05:48 Death Stranding & Kojima
02:15:40 Yellowknife
02:32:03 Searching for New Frames
02:52:00 Baselines & Thresholds
03:01:15 Frequency, Intensity, & Speed
03:06:38 Nostalgia & Primitive Technology

—

The Other Stuff Podcast: https://otherstuffpod.com 

• YouTube: youtube.com/playlist?list=PLK0osV4LBB6zLfDk-KDV9FtDg7y0bJ3AW

• Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/1kImmU1R1DYTeM1AKZRWkx?si=2feeadb93ad4419f

• Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-other-stuff-with-internetvin/id1828762531

• Twitter: https://x.com/otherstuffpod

• Instagram: https://instagram.com/otherstuffpod

internetVin ⁠

• https://x.com/internetvin

New

• https://x.com/newsystems_

• https://instagram.com/newsystems_

Andrew McLuhan (@amicusadastra) is a poet, artist, and punk-rocker.

In this conversation, we spent over three hours on five words: the medium is the message. Andrew explained why his grandfather saw the medium as an environment rather than just an instrument, and why environments shape us most when we’re not paying attention to them. We talked about the miracle of language—how one person can push sounds out of their mouth and another person can understand them—and how each new technology quietly redefines what it means to be human.

We explored figure and ground, oral versus literate culture, the shift from mechanical to electrical ages, and why hip hop and punk rock share the same irreverent impulse. Despite everything, Andrew is an optimist. He sees the beauty around him. He also brought homemade maple syrup from his farm and we discussed whether shawarma was the medium or the message.

This is a conversation about media, perception, and how we might not always be aware of the things changing us.

The Other Stuff is hosted by internetVin⁠, filmmaker and entrepreneur and possibly the most curious man on Earth. Produced by New.

—

Timestamps

00:00:00 Introduction
00:04:30 Prince Edward County & Main Duck Island
00:07:10 The Marysburg Vortex
00:16:50 What Does “The Medium Is The Message” Actually Mean?
00:36:24 The Smartphone Exercise
00:44:26 Understanding Media: The Extensions of Man
01:08:56 Buckminster Fuller & Interdisciplinary Thinking
01:25:56 Marshall’s Journey to Cambridge
01:43:06 Why This Work Matters
01:51:53 AI, Privacy & Feeding Context to LLMs
02:00:17 Media Ecology vs Media Literacy
02:08:12 Making Maple Syrup
02:23:44 Sandwiches as a Medium
02:34:35 The Polydicks & Punk Rock
02:45:51 Wu-Tang & Poetry
02:53:42 Leaving Literacy Behind
03:06:08 The Future of Technology

—

The Other Stuff Podcast: https://otherstuffpod.com 

• YouTube: youtube.com/playlist?list=PLK0osV4LBB6zLfDk-KDV9FtDg7y0bJ3AW

• Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/1kImmU1R1DYTeM1AKZRWkx?si=2feeadb93ad4419f

• Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-other-stuff-with-internetvin/id1828762531

• Twitter: https://x.com/otherstuffpod

• Instagram: https://instagram.com/otherstuffpod

internetVin ⁠

• https://x.com/internetvin

New

• https://x.com/newsystems_

• https://instagram.com/newsystems_

Aidan Gomez (@aidangomez) is a computer scientist, co-author of the seminal paper ‘Attention Is All You Need,’ and the CEO of Cohere.

In this episode, we discussed his upbringing in the cabin his grandfather built in Codrington, a small town North of Brighton, and the values that were instilled in him through his family. We explored his path from Codrington to his undergraduate studies at the University of Toronto, emailing Geoffrey Hinton, and joining Google Brain where he co-wrote the paper on transformers.

We discussed how he met his co-founders Ivan Zhang and Nick Frosst, and his insights on what it means to build a meaningful, successful company in Canada. Aidan shares his conviction about what is at stake—for Canada and for the world at large.

This is a conversation about family, values, and what it means to live with conviction.

The Other Stuff is hosted by internetVin⁠, filmmaker and entrepreneur and possibly the most curious man on Earth. Produced by New.

—

Timestamps

00:00:00 Intro
00:03:10 The Malleability of Toronto
00:11:06 Growing Up in Codrington
00:13:50 The Story of Aidan Gomez’s Family
00:27:23 Introduction to the Internet
00:30:39 Values and Work Ethic
00:35:46 University of Toronto’s AI Scene
00:40:48 Emailing Geoffrey Hinton
00:42:16 Google Brain
00:45:15 Dropout: A Simple Way to Prevent Neural Networks from Overfitting
00:49:48 The Beauty of Research
00:54:24 One Model to Rule Them All
00:59:54 Meeting Ivan Zhang and Nick Frosst
01:04:00 The Birth of Cohere
01:06:56 Twitter Influencers and Alex Friedland
01:11:48 Being the CEO
01:12:51 Building for Canada
01:15:01 Three Fundamental Ingredients of Building a Company
01:21:39 Working with the Canadian Government
01:24:39 Reflexivity in Canada
01:36:22 What Is Evil?
01:42:40 The Role of AI in the World

—

The Other Stuff Podcast: https://otherstuffpod.com 

• YouTube: youtube.com/playlist?list=PLK0osV4LBB6zLfDk-KDV9FtDg7y0bJ3AW

• Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/1kImmU1R1DYTeM1AKZRWkx?si=2feeadb93ad4419f

• Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-other-stuff-with-internetvin/id1828762531

• Twitter: https://x.com/otherstuffpod

• Instagram: https://instagram.com/otherstuffpod

internetVin ⁠

• https://x.com/internetvin

New

• https://x.com/newsystems_

• https://instagram.com/newsystems_

Steph Ango (@kepano) is a designer, entrepreneur, and the CEO of Obsidian.

In this episode, we discussed his journey from creating Winamp skins to leading Obsidian, and the fundamental patterns and inclinations that drive everything he explores and makes. We discussed Obsidian on multiple different dimensions, his deluxe chocolate chip cookie recipe, his exploration through furniture design, and his default inclination to push “too far” into anything he is exploring. Steph Ango demo'd the design process of several furniture projects he’s been working on at home as well as a custom piano learning app he created to teach himself music theory.

This is a conversation about craftsmanship, pursuing a deep understanding, and what that reveals about who we are. 

The Other Stuff is hosted by internetVin⁠, filmmaker and entrepreneur and possibly the most curious man on Earth. Produced by New.

—

Timestamps

00:03:55 Origin of Kepano
00:10:34 Relationship with Computers
00:15:25 Online Communities & Video Games
00:30:47 Winamp Skins
00:40:04 Uniformity in Design
00:51:05 Obsidian
00:59:20 Bidirectional Linking, And The Relationship Between Everything
01:23:18 Obsidian Sync, Publish, and Bases
01:32:06 Why File Over App
01:43:15 The Deluxe Chocolate Chip Cookie Taste Test
01:49:48 Living Fully
02:09:50 Early Project Walkthrough
02:19:03 Furniture Design Walkthrough
02:49:00 Constraint and Patterns
02:58:47 Kepiano
03:13:00 The Future of AI and Startups
03:31:10 Closing

—

The Other Stuff Podcast: https://otherstuffpod.com 

• YouTube: youtube.com/playlist?list=PLK0osV4LBB6zLfDk-KDV9FtDg7y0bJ3AW

• Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/1kImmU1R1DYTeM1AKZRWkx?si=2feeadb93ad4419f

• Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-other-stuff-with-internetvin/id1828762531

• Twitter: https://x.com/otherstuffpod

• Instagram: https://instagram.com/otherstuffpod

internetVin ⁠

• https://x.com/internetvin

New

• https://x.com/newsystems_

• https://instagram.com/newsystems_

Satish Kanwar (@skanwar) is an entrepreneur, a geek, and a friend.

In this episode, we explore what it means to come up in Scarborough, build something from nothing, experience a life changing exit, and still hold onto your original intentions. Along the way, we get into community as a force multiplier, how scenes form, how identify shifts under success, why culture needs new stories to move forward, and we did a saag taste test from some joints across the Greater Toronto Area. It's a conversation about ambition, memory, and the pressure of becoming who you hoped you'd be.

The Other Stuff is hosted by internetVin⁠, filmmaker and entrepreneur and possibly the most curious man on Earth. Produced by New.

—

Timestamps

00:00:00 Opening Notes
00:03:15 Periscope and the Evolution of Live Streaming
00:08:15 Satish's TEDx Talk
00:13:00 Community, Scenes, and Building Jet Cooper
00:20:45 Early Shopify's Office as a Cultural Hub
00:25:25 Jet Cooper's Offices Throughout the Years
00:32:45 Shopify Acquisition
00:40:00 The Shopify Ottawa Office
00:43:49 The Acquisition Process
00:51:05 Hiring the Toronto Scene
00:56:55 What Happened to the Scene?
01:03:59 Saag Taste Test
01:18:04 Exploring Indian Food in the GTA
01:21:30 Kensington Market's Indian Food Density
01:37:01 Chef Rick Matharu
01:42:40 internetVin Reflects on His Toronto Tech Week Talk
01:55:35 Cultural Storytelling in Canada
02:04:33 Reflexivity, Ambition, and How Stories Become Realities
02:14:15 How Do We Glitch the System?
02:21:10 Personal Growth and What Money Changes

—

The Other Stuff Podcast: https://otherstuffpod.com 

• YouTube: youtube.com/playlist?list=PLK0osV4LBB6zLfDk-KDV9FtDg7y0bJ3AW

• Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/1kImmU1R1DYTeM1AKZRWkx?si=2feeadb93ad4419f

• Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-other-stuff-with-internetvin/id1828762531

• Twitter: https://x.com/otherstuffpod

• Instagram: https://instagram.com/otherstuffpod

internetVin ⁠

• https://x.com/internetvin

New

• https://x.com/newsystems_

• https://instagram.com/newsystems_

Alex Danco (@Alex_Danco) is a writer and editor-at-large at Andreessen Horowitz whose work centers on gift culture, crowds, and how shared beliefs shape real-world outcomes.

In this episode, we explore the deep mechanics of how people coordinate, why crowds form, how narratives drive behaviour, why perception becomes reality, and how leadership is ultimately the art of getting people to think differently about themselves. We talk about reflexivity, the psychology of scenes, the role of gifts in opening people to new ideas, and how cities and cultures transform when the right stories take root. It’s a conversation about how groups move and how meaning spreads.

The Other Stuff is hosted by internetVin⁠, filmmaker and entrepreneur and possibly the most curious man on Earth. Produced by New.

—

Timestamps

00:00:00 Opening Notes
00:04:18 The Last Decade Before the Internet
00:09:47 Reflexivity: When Perception Creates Reality
00:28:23 Crowds and Power
00:37:06 Human Evolution and Adaptability
00:41:55 Betting on Yourself
00:56:43 Gift Culture and Information Transfer
01:11:44 Legitimacy
01:15:52 The Development of Scenes
01:31:18 A Gift for Alex Danco
01:38:30 The Toronto Big Bang
01:56:50 The Narratives of Toronto
02:08:31 The Power of Gift Giving in Startups
02:14:27 Creating High Signal Environments
02:17:40 The Role of Capital and Mentorship in Toronto’s Startup Ecosystem

—

The Other Stuff Podcast: https://otherstuffpod.com 

• YouTube: youtube.com/playlist?list=PLK0osV4LBB6zLfDk-KDV9FtDg7y0bJ3AW

• Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/1kImmU1R1DYTeM1AKZRWkx?si=2feeadb93ad4419f

• Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-other-stuff-with-internetvin/id1828762531

• Twitter: https://x.com/otherstuffpod

• Instagram: https://instagram.com/otherstuffpod

internetVin ⁠

• https://x.com/internetvin

New

• https://x.com/newsystems_

• https://instagram.com/newsystems_

Daniel Kuntz (https://x.com/dankuntz) is an artist, designer, and award-winning engineer. He is currently working on a keychain-sized digital companion known as The Little Guy.

The Other Stuff is hosted by internetVin⁠, filmmaker and entrepreneur and possibly the most curious man on Earth. Produced by New.

—

Timestamps

• 00:00:00 Intro
• 00:05:40 The Little Guy and Digital Companions
• 00:24:55 Design Philosophy and Iteration
• 00:47:06 McDonald's Fries and Universal Quality
• 01:03:23 Supply Chain, Semiconductors, and Taiwan
• 02:00:32 Place, Perspective, and Buckminster Fuller
• 02:24:55 Ted Nelson's Theory of Virtuality
• 02:38:50 Apple's Evolution and the iPhone Revolution
• 03:00:59 AI, Natural Language, and the Future of Interfaces
• 03:10:14 Escaping the Digital World

—

The Other Stuff Podcast: otherstuffpod.com 

• YouTube: youtube.com/playlist?list=PLK0osV4LBB6zLfDk-KDV9FtDg7y0bJ3AW

• Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/1kImmU1R1DYTeM1AKZRWkx?si=2feeadb93ad4419f

• Apple: podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-other-stuff-with-internetvin/id1828762531

• Twitter: x.com/otherstuffpod

• Instagram: instagram.com/otherstuffpod

internetVin ⁠

• x.com/internetvin

New

• x.com/newsystems_

• instagram.com/newsystems_

Greg Isenberg is the CEO of Late Checkout and an advisor for TikTok and Reddit.

He's a serial entrepreneur who came up in Montreal, and a prominent voice on how to build successful businesses in the modern world.

The Other Stuff is hosted by internetVin⁠, filmmaker and entrepreneur and possibly the most curious man on Earth. Produced by New.

—

Timestamps

• 00:00:00 Monologue
• 00:03:07 Growing up in Montreal
• 00:13:00 Winter Activities in Montreal
• 00:22:24 House Hunting in Laval
• 00:35:19 The Crime Syndicates of Montreal
• 00:48:57 Restaurant Cabotins: A Quirky Dining Experience
• 00:59:22 The Tim Horton's Farmer's Wrap Gauntlet
• 01:08:04 Debating the Sausage and Bacon Farmer's Wrap
• 01:09:12 The Farmer's Box
• 01:12:15 Tim Horton's Pepperoni Pizza
• 01:15:38 The Farmer's Pizza World Premiere
• 01:18:06 The Farmer's Capp
• 01:25:16 Discussing Quebec's Unique Identity
• 01:32:50 The Quiet Revolution and Quebec's Struggle
• 01:40:46 Quebec Referendums and Political Turmoil
• 02:00:30 Molson Canadian and the "I am Canadian" Ad
• 02:31:18 Canada's Identity Crisis and the Need for Inspiration
• 02:50:40 How to Create a New City

—

The Other Stuff Podcast: otherstuffpod.com 

• YouTube: youtube.com/playlist?list=PLK0osV4LBB6zLfDk-KDV9FtDg7y0bJ3AW

• Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/1kImmU1R1DYTeM1AKZRWkx?si=2feeadb93ad4419f

• Apple: podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-other-stuff-with-internetvin/id1828762531

• Twitter: x.com/otherstuffpod

• Instagram: instagram.com/otherstuffpod

internetVin ⁠

• x.com/internetvin

New

• x.com/newsystems_

• instagram.com/newsystems_

Michelle Jia (pronounced GEE-ah) is a Lecturer at the Stanford d .school and has worked with Prof. Michael Barry in ethnographic research and teaching for almost ten years, with a special focus on complex systems problems like Ocean Conservancy and Education Policy.

Today she’s based in Toronto, Canada where she’s helping to co-create a design school focused on systems thinking and design for the whole.

The Other Stuff is hosted by internetVin⁠, filmmaker and entrepreneur and possibly the most curious man on Earth. Produced by New.

—

Timestamps

• 00:00:00 Opening: Twitter, Social Media, and Finding Your People
• 00:02:45 Soylent, Sweet Green, and San Francisco Food Culture
• 00:06:15 Plazas and Korean Fried Chicken
• 00:33:16 Needfinding: "Getting on the Roof"
• 00:44:49 Evicted, Grizzly Man, and the Art of Deep Immersion
• 00:55:59 Nausea, Existentialism, and Jumping Over the Abyss
• 01:33:39 Toronto's Privacy Culture and the Challenge of Connection
• 02:02:38 Secret Subculture Spaces in the City
• 02:36:44 The Five P's of Toronto's Cultural Code
• 02:48:22 Building IRID: A Design School for Complex Problems

—

The Other Stuff Podcast

• YouTube: youtube.com/playlist?list=PLK0osV4LBB6zLfDk-KDV9FtDg7y0bJ3AW

• Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/1kImmU1R1DYTeM1AKZRWkx?si=2feeadb93ad4419f

• Apple: podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-other-stuff-with-internetvin/id1828762531

• Twitter: x.com/otherstuffpod

• Instagram: instagram.com/otherstuffpod

internetVin ⁠

• x.com/internetvin

New

• x.com/newsystems_

• instagram.com/newsystems_

Yacine (https://x.com/yacineMTB) is an engineer, artist, creator of dingboard and formerly at X and Stripe.

This conversation explores several interconnected themes about technology, culture, and human agency. The discussion moves from 4chan's anonymous culture and its formative influence, through the importance of speed and friction reduction in software design, to the democratization of hardware creation through accessible components and 3D printing.

The Other Stuff is hosted by internetVin⁠, filmmaker and entrepreneur and possibly the most curious man on Earth. Produced by New.

—

Timestamps

• 00:00:00 Opening: 4chan, Anonymous Image Boards, and Internet Culture
• 00:11:09 Early Computing Memories: Compaq, Sonic, and Jazz Jackrabbit
• 00:14:51 The Golden Age of SNES and Earthworm Jim
• 00:18:39 RuneScape: The First Social Network
• 00:22:29 Anime Deep Dive: From Naruto to Space Dandy
• 00:42:10 Software Philosophy: Unix Principles and Tool Design
• 00:52:02 AI Training Infrastructure and Data Centers
• 00:56:40 Japanese Web Design and Cultural UX Differences
• 01:01:54 Speed, Friction, and Product Engineering
• 01:07:20 Wok vs Air Fryer: Philosophy of Cooking Tools
• 01:12:55 The Future of Robotics and Accessible Hardware
• 01:30:23 Algorithms, Addiction, and Digital Manipulation
• 01:46:06 Twitter/X as Information Infrastructure
• 01:59:15 CAD Speed-Running and Competitive Design
• 02:13:20 Building Robots at Home: The New Homebrew Era
• 02:29:30 Closing: AI Consciousness, Truth, and Digital Hygiene

—

The Other Stuff Podcast

• YouTube: youtube.com/playlist?list=PLK0osV4LBB6zLfDk-KDV9FtDg7y0bJ3AW

• Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/1kImmU1R1DYTeM1AKZRWkx?si=2feeadb93ad4419f

• Apple: podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-other-stuff-with-internetvin/id1828762531

• Twitter: x.com/otherstuffpod

• Instagram: instagram.com/otherstuffpod

internetVin ⁠

• x.com/internetvin

New

• x.com/newsystems_

• instagram.com/newsystems_