Relationships
297 episodes · Page 12 of 13
#1156: The Art of Disappearing: Ancient Hermits and Modern Solitude
Can you truly vanish in the age of Starlink? Explore the history, law, and neuroscience of choosing a life of total isolation.
#1150: Digital Chains: The Evolving Psychology of Modern Cults
From desert communes to Discord servers, explore how modern high-demand groups use sophisticated psychological tools to exert coercive control.
#1149: The Pattern Machine: The Science of Conspiracy Theories
From ancient Rome to modern forums, why is the human brain hardwired to find patterns in chaos? Explore the science of the "secret."
#1105: The Great Dish Debate: An Apology and a Plan
After a heated clash over dirty dishes, Corn returns to apologize and share the new "Poppleberry Way" of keeping the peace.
#1064: Why You’re Falling for Your Chatbot
As AI evolves from a tool into a companion, we explore the technical and psychological forces driving deep human-to-machine emotional bonds.
#1049: The Unbreakable Accent: Why Our Phonetic Roots Persist
Why do accents persist even after decades abroad? Explore the neuro-linguistic "firewall" that keeps our native phonetic roots alive.
#1035: Softness in a Hard World: Why Adults Keep Plushies
Why do 40% of adults still keep stuffed animals? Explore the science of comfort and the surprising history of the teddy bear.
#1030: Stoicism Beyond Bro-icism: A Cognitive Framework
Is Stoicism a "bro" hack or a rigorous mental OS? Discover the ancient logic behind staying stable in a volatile world.
#1026: UTXO vs. Accounts: The Architecture Behind Crypto's Chaos
Explore the shift from Bitcoin dominance to a multi-chain world and why the "plumbing" of digital finance remains so clunky in 2026.
#977: The High-Wire Act of Slowness
Discover why the sloth’s slow pace isn’t laziness, but a high-stakes survival strategy in a world that treats them like a digital mascot.
#923: Why Your Mom’s Parenting Advice Is Now Illegal
From sleep positions to peanut allergies, explore why parenting "gospel" keeps changing and what it means for the modern parent.
#822: Social Satiety: How Much Connection Do We Really Need?
Is solitude a pathology or a biological preference? Explore the science of "social satiety" and why some people thrive with less interaction.
#820: The Art of ADHD Diplomacy: Explaining Your Brain
Stop apologizing for your brain. Discover how to explain ADHD focus and transitions to others without the friction or the shame.
#799: Permanent Ink: The Science of First-Language Attrition
Why is your first language written in permanent ink while a second is just pencil? Explore the fascinating science of linguistic attrition.
#789: 90 Seconds to Safety: Parenting Through a Conflict
How do you handle active labor or a toddler during an air raid? Explore the granular logistics of family resilience under pressure.
#785: Overcoming Cynophobia: Rewiring a Lifetime of Fear
Can we outgrow childhood trauma? Explore the science of cynophobia and how to rewire the brain to stop living in fear of man's best friend.
#715: The Modesty Trap: How to Sell Yourself Without Bragging
Struggling to talk about your wins? Learn how to reframe self-promotion as objective data and overcome the cultural pressure to stay small.
#698: The Guilt-Free No: Breaking the Cycle of People Pleasing
Stop saying yes when you mean no. Discover how to set firm boundaries and overcome the shame of "fawning" in your relationships.
#681: Unmasking the Gifted Label: Curiosity Without Shame
Explore the "gifted" label's baggage and learn how to stop hiding your intellectual depth to fit in.
#619: The Village and the Vibe: Kids, Cafes, and Clean Air
Should kids be in bars and cafes? Herman and Corn explore the "social apprenticeship" of third places and the battle for smoke-free public air.
#556: The Toy-to-Interaction Ratio
Do "brain-boosting" toys actually work? Herman and Corn explore why less is more when it comes to toddler development and decluttering.
#533: When Temperament Meets an Invalidating World
Explore the neurobiology and environmental triggers behind personality disorders and why they are more common than you think.
#517: The 12-Foot Mattress: Decoding the Family Bed Debate
Can a 12-foot mattress make co-sleeping safe? Explore the science of SIDS, the "Asian Paradox," and the reality of the "Family Bed."
#515: The Video Deficit Effect: Why Toddlers Learn from Grandma but Not from TV
Explore the real impact of screens on developing brains and why "educational" videos might actually hinder learning in early childhood.