Why We Do What We Do

A lot. Unless you have face blindness, you can remember a lot of faces. Is this all in the brian? We do our best to explain the research behind our ability to recognize a very large number of faces. 

Support us on Patreon: www.patreon.com/wwdwwdpodcast

Links and References: 

1. https://www.science.org/content/article/average-person-can-recognize-5000-faces
2. https://zuckermaninstitute.columbia.edu/computer-models-mimic-brain-s-ease-telling-faces-apart
3. https://www.theguardian.com/science/2018/oct/10/how-many-faces-average-person-recognises-5000

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Support our podcast: www.patreon.com/wwdwwdpodcast

Once again, we have an idea that has mostly been bogged down in the septic tank of pseudoscience. There seems to be some therapeutic benefit to chiropractic care, but there's so much crap spread on top that it's difficult to find. We dig into the aspects of this that are worth saving vs throwing out. 

Recommendations

• Abraham: Drop (https://www.peacocktv.com/stream-movies/drop)
• Shane: Strange Pictures by Uketsu (https://www.harpercollins.com/products/strange-pictures-uketsu?variant=42921568141346)

Holidays (9/10/2025):

• Blame it on the Large Hadron Collider Day
• International Creepy Boston Dynamics Robotic Horse Day
• International Makeup Day
• National Hot Dog Day
• Sew Be It
• Swap Ideas Day
• TV Dinner Day
• World Suicide Prevention Day
• Direct Support Professional Recognition Week
• International Air Ambulance Week
• Line Dance Week
• Malnutrition Awareness Week
• Minimally Invasive Surgery Week
• National Assisted Living Week
• National Biscuit and Gravy Week
• National Suicide Prevention Week
• National Waffle Week
• Sobriety Checkpoint Week
• Substitute Teacher Appreciation Week

Links and References: 

1. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC8915715/
2. https://www.mayoclinic.org/tests-procedures/chiropractic-adjustment/about/pac-20393513
3. https://www.jpsmjournal.com/article/S0885-3924(07)00783-X/fulltext
4. https://ascentchiropractic.com/the-crazy-unadulterated-history-of-chiropractic-spinal-manipulation/
5. https://sciencebasedmedicine.org/chiropractic-pediatrics-conference-features-anti-vaccination-ideology-as-usual/
6. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC8564978/
7. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK91735/#:~:text=RESULTS%3A%20Twenty%20six%20fatalities%20were,have%20occurred%20after%20chiropractic%20manipulations.
8. https://www.healthline.com/health/is-chiropractic-pseudoscience
9. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC4326543/ 

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Support our podcast: www.patreon.com/wwdwwdpodcast

This is another exploration of bad idea history. At one point, humans got really into consuming and surrounding themselves with irradiated materials. This idea stands out because the origins can be traced back to a clear starting point and "logic." FYI: Don't consume or put yourself (or anyone else) near radium. We'll explain why.

Become a member and support the show: www.patreon.com/wwdwwdpodcast

Links and References: 

1. https://search.library.wisc.edu/catalog/9912414468002121
2. https://www.arpansa.gov.au/understanding-radiation/what-is-radiation/ionising-radiation

Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/why-we-do-what-we-do--3419521/support.

Support our podcast: www.patreon.com/wwdwwdpodcast

Fast fashion is a business model that emphasizes extremely high volume, cheap clothing designed to only last a short amount of time. This strategy produces an staggering amount of waste, consumes mllions of tons of raw materials, and contributes more to climate change than all internatinal flights and maritime vessels combined. However, it also employs millions of people, boosts the economy, and provides affordable clothing around the world. We examine the human behaviors invovled and the forces that drive this endeavor.

Recommendations

• Abraham: The Faculty (https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0133751/)
• Shane: Deftones - private music (https://open.spotify.com/album/1gmWnG5TeRj91Tdm2lpEvJ?si=O-TDMIOXTW-YwdA0xrYIlw)

Holidays (9/3/2025):

• Global Talent Acquisition Day
• National Skyscraper Day
• National Welsh Rarebit Day
• Penny Press Day
• International Enthusiasm Week
• National Childhood Injury Prevention Week
• National Nutrition Week
• National Payroll Week
• Play Days
• Self-University Week
• Hispanic Heritage Month
• National Honey Month
• National Spinal Cord Injury Awareness Month
• National Suicide Prevention Month

Links and References: 

1. https://www.mckinsey.com/featured-insights/mckinsey-explainers/what-is-fast-fashion
2. https://earth.org/fast-fashions-detrimental-effect-on-the-environment/ 
3. https://www.aup.edu/evolution-sustainable-fashion-timeline 
4. https://www.vogue.com/article/what-is-fast-fashion 
5. https://www.homebyames.com/en-us/ho/closetmaid/ 
6. https://www.thesustainablefashionforum.com/pages/the-psychology-of-fast-fashion-exploring-the-complex-emotions-fast-fashion-evokes-in-consumers 

Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/why-we-do-what-we-do--3419521/support.

Support our podcast: www.patreon.com/wwdwwdpodcast

We have very special relationships with our pets. We usually try to talk to them. Do they understand what we are saying? Do they know their names? We quickly explore what it means for our pets to "understand" us or to "know" their names. There are some things we know about this and some things we don't. 

Support us on Patreon: www.patreon.com/wwdwwdpodcast

Links and References: 

1. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ktIgM1qN4Lo
2. https://www.aspcapetinsurance.com/resources/can-dogs-understand-humans/
3. https://www.whole-dog-journal.com/lifestyle/how-much-do-dogs-understand-humans/

Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/why-we-do-what-we-do--3419521/support.

Support our podcast: www.patreon.com/wwdwwdpodcast

One could argue there are two ways of aggregating knowledge: by guessing or by verifying information. The current system for verifying is by checking one another's work through peer review, a process by which experts first review the quality of the work submitted for publication and only allowing information through that is rigorous in its method or arguments. This is not without its flaws, however. Bias and blinding (or lack thereof) can prevent legitimate science from being disseminated or too eagerly publish bad science that is favorable to the reviewers. We explain the ins and outs of the peer review system and some ways it might improve. 

Recommendations

• Abraham: Sonora (board game: https://www.bluehighwaygames.com/sonora.html)
• Shane: Radical Care Issue #1 (https://tr.ee/VdAMZ8pUZF)

Holidays (8/27/2025):

• Banana Lover’s Day
• Just Because Day
• Kiss Me Day
• National Petroleum Day
• National Pots de Creme Day
• Slow Art Day
• Tarzan Day
• The Duchess Who Wasn’t Day
• Tug of War Day
• Willing to Lend a Hand Wednesday
• World Rock Paper Scissors Day
• Be Kind to Humankind Week
• Brake Safety Week
• Health Unit Coordinators Week
• National Composites Week
• National Safe at Home Week
• Rabi ‘al Awwal
• World Water Week

Links and References: 

1. https://authorservices.wiley.com/Reviewers/journal-reviewers/what-is-peer-review/types-of-peer-review.html 
2.  https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC11804526/
3.  https://royalsocietypublishing.org/doi/10.1098/rsos.210681
4. https://researchintegrityjournal.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s41073-020-00092-1
5. https://publications.aap.org/hospitalpediatrics/article/12/11/e409/189689/Research-Methods-How-to-Perform-an-Effective-Peer?autologincheck=redirected
6.  https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC4975196/
7. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC5999550/

Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/why-we-do-what-we-do--3419521/support.

Support our podcast: www.patreon.com/wwdwwdpodcast

There is a proposal that there is a dichotomy in human activities (specifically the cognitive ones) that can be characterized as a "warrior" mentality or a "victim" mentality. Any dichotomy that attempts to clasffiy behavior this way is going to have substantial limitations. We suggest that this discinction can be helpful in some ways, but seems highly toxic in others. 

Support us on Patreon.com/wwdwwdpodcast

Links and References: 

1. https://mwangijoyce82.medium.com/are-you-a-victim-or-warrior-your-mindset-is-the-only-arsenal-you-need-4c6852e38748
2. https://thebipolarbattle.org/are-you-a-warrior-survivor-victim-fighter-or-something-different/
3. https://medium.com/imagine-foundation/mindsets-warrior-mindset-vs-victim-mindset-imagine-special-edition-96c460544306 
4. https://www.proquest.com/openview/178c1e9f765fd3efb81f7145e8c0222f/1?pq-origsite=gscholar&cbl=18750&diss=y 

Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/why-we-do-what-we-do--3419521/support.

Support our podcast: www.patreon.com/wwdwwdpodcast

Pain can be conceptualized physiologically, neurologically, and behaviorally. We review the physiological and neurological components of pain, and then spend considerable time considering the behavioral aspects of pain. It's a subject that seems straight forward on the surface, but has a surprising amount of complexity, nuance, and disagreement. It might seem nice to not be able to feel pain, but this is actually very dangerous. Also, so plants feel pain?

Recommendations

• Abraham:  Mr. Monk’s Last Case: A Monk Movie (https://www.peacocktv.com/stream-movies/mr-monks-last-case-a-monk-movie)
• Shane: Let This Radicalize You: Organizing and the Revolution of Reciprocal Care by Kelly Hays and Mariame Kaba (https://www.haymarketbooks.org/books/1922-let-this-radicalize-you)

Holidays (8/20/2025):

• International Day of Medical Transporters
• Lemonade Day
• National Chocolate Pecan Pie Day
• National Medical Dosimetrist Day
• National Radio Day
• Virtual Worlds Day
• World Mosquito Day
• Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over
• Minority Enterprise Development Week
• National Aviation Week

Links and References: 

1. https://science.howstuffworks.com/life/inside-the-mind/human-brain/pain5.htm
2. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC3690315/
3. American Pain Society. "Pain: Current Understanding of Assessment, Management, and Treatments."http://www.ampainsoc.org/ce/enduring.htm
4. Besson, JM. "The Neurobiology of Pain." Lancet 353: 1610-1615, 1999.http://www.ub.uio.no/umn/farm/pbl/artikler/Neurobiology%20of%20pain.pdf
5. Fine P, Portenoy RK. "Opioid Analgesia." McGraw Hill, 2004
6. Hamilton, PS. "Michigan: Pain and Symptom Management."http://www.criticalcareceu.com/courses/151/index_ccare.html
7. Hudspith, MJ et al. "Physiology of Pain."http://intl.elsevierhealth.com/e-books/pdf/1198.pdf
8. Jackson, M. "Pain and Its Mysteries." Adapted from "Pain the Fifth Vital Sign," 2002.http://fleen.psych.udel.edu/articles/AEP04.3.12.PDF
9. Koman, K. "The Science of Hurt." Harvard Magazine, Nov.-Dec. 2005.http://www.harvardmagazine.com/on-line/110523.html
10. Krames, E. "The Neurobiology of Pain."http://pacpain.com/docs/PPTC_Neurobiology-painforweb.pdf
11. Massage & Bodywork Magazine. "Making Sense of Back Pain Part One."http://www.massageandbodywork.com/Articles/JuneJuly2006/backpain.html
12. Massage & Bodywork Magazine. "Making Sense of Back Pain Part Two."http://www.massageandbodywork.com/Articles/AugSep2006/backpain.html
13. Massage & Bodywork Magazine. "The Pain Game Part One."http://www.massageandbodywork.com/Articles/JuneJuly2006/paingame.html
14. Massage & Bodywork Magazine. "The Pain Game Part Two."http://www.massageandbodywork.com/Articles/AugSep2006/paingame.html
15. McMahon, S and D Bennett. "Pain Mechanisms, Nature Reviews Neuroscience" poster.http://www.nature.com/nrn/posters/pain/nrn_pain_poster.pdf
16. Nat. Acad. Sciences Colloquium. "The Neurobiology of Pain." National Academies Press, 1999.http://www.nap.edu/openbook.php?isbn=0309065488
17. NCI: Pain Control. "A Guide for People with Cancer and Their Families."http://www.cancer.gov/cancertopics/paincontrol/page1
18. "Neuroscience for Kids: Pain"http://faculty.washington.edu/chudler/pain.html
19. NIDCR/NIH, Converging Pathways of Pain Research at NIDCR.http://history.nih.gov/exhibits/pain/index.html
20. Pace, MC et al. "Neurobiology of Pain." J Cell Physiol 209: 8-12, 2006.http://www3.interscience.wiley.com/cgi-bin/fulltext/112641486/PDFSTART
21. Payne, R. "Cancer Pain: Anatomy, Physiology, and Pharmacology."Cancer 63: 2266-2274, 1989.http://www3.interscience.wiley.com/cgi-bin/fulltext/112673169/PDFSTART
22. Purves, D et al, "Neuroscience Chapter 10: Pain."http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/bv.fcgi?rid=neurosci.chapter.675#top
23. Society for Neuroscience. http://www.sfn.org/
24. Brain Facts. http://www.sfn.org/index.cfm?pagename=brainFacts
25. Nociceptors and Pain. http://www.sfn.org/index.cfm?pagename=brainBriefings_nociceptors
26. Gender and Pain. http://www.sfn.org/index.cfm?pagename=brainBriefings_Gender_and_Pain
27. Neuropathic Pain. http://www.sfn.org/index.cfm?pagename=brainBriefings_neuropathic
28. Killing Cells to Kill Pain. http://www.sfn.org/index.cfm?pagename=brainBriefings_killing
29. CellsToKillPain Cannabinoids and Pain. http://www.sfn.org/index.cfm?
30. New Targets for Pain Relief. http://www.sfn.org/index.cfm?pagename=brainBriefings_painRelief
31. Spine-health.com. "Modern Theories of Chronic Pain."http://www.spine-health.com/topics/cd/pain/chronic_pain_theories/chronic_pain_theory01.html
32. StopPain.org. "Introduction to Chronic Pain."http://www.healingchronicpain.org/content/introduction/default.asp
33. Zichtermann, A. "Opioid Pharmacology and Considerations in Pain Management." US Pharmacisthttp://www.uspharmacist.com/index.asp?page=ce/105473/default.htm

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Autostereograms, better known as "Magic Eye" puzzles, are a unique 2D art in which repeated images create a 3D image, but you have to focus your eyes in just the right way to see it. We explain the history of this illusion, how it works, and how to see it. Futher, we explain why you see it as either 3D or inverted. Do you see the illusion? 

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Links and References: 

1. https://entertainment.howstuffworks.com/puzzles/eye-puzzles.htm?s1sid=4smf3pkhna4lnqzen1jh9sb0&srch_tag=dp5hyoro5ijjte5xvqeo4asj5xls3paw 
2. https://www.clarkeeye.com/the-science-behind-magic-eye-illusions#:~:text=A%20Magic%20Eye%20image%20starts,brain%20perceives%20the%20hidden%20picture.* 

Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/why-we-do-what-we-do--3419521/support.

Support our podcast: www.patreon.com/wwdwwdpodcast

Large musical movements are large cultural movements. Rap, rock, country, and other genres often galvanized or reflected social changes and values. Punk rock is a particularly iconoclast movement with an interesting history. We discuss the history of punk music as a genre of music and to an extent as a category of social behaviors. Even if you don't necessarily like punk, you may enjoy music that inspired it or was inspired by it. Let us know your favorite punk music and stories. Rock the casbah.

Shane's punk playlist: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/1Sb9ZSv9cd9VYRa3bX1oV9?si=tobbOaJcTnKHbYjw_hFspA

Recommendations

• Abraham: “The Frugal Wizards Handbook For Surviving Medieval England” by Brandon Sanderson (https://www.dragonsteelbooks.com/products/the-frugal-wizards-premium-hardcover)
• Shane: Sigur Ros - Takk…(https://open.spotify.com/album/12tw1A9HmwE3MHvPfHhdoP?si=F5nKhJhCSCuv3Jd19jPtag)

Holidays (8/13/2025):

• International Lefthander’s Day
• National Prosecco Day
• World Calligraphy Day
• Feeding Pets of the Homeless Week
• National Chef’s Appreciation Week
• National Resurrect Romance Week
• National Scrabble Week
• National Smile Week
• Safe + Sound Week

Links and References: 

1. https://www.soundoflife.com/blogs/mixtape/history-punk-music
2. https://timeline.carnegiehall.org/genres/punk-alt-rock
3. https://www.britannica.com/art/punk
4. https://www.rareformaudio.com/blog/birth-of-punk-rock
5. https://www.masterclass.com/articles/punk-rock-music-guide
6. https://dspace.cuni.cz/handle/20.500.11956/43078
7. https://compass.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1111/phc3.12145 
8. https://blogs.bl.uk/english-and-drama/2016/08/from-shakespeare-to-rock-music-the-history-of-the-word-punk.html 
9. https://www.joeflipmusic.com/blog/blues-rock-and-roll-and-its-musical-evolution 
10. Shane's brain

Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/why-we-do-what-we-do--3419521/support.

Support our podcast: www.patreon.com/wwdwwdpodcast