hot takes, things to normalize, & pet peeves

By now, you've most likely heard of Sydney Sweeney's controversial ad for her American Eagle genes (whoops-- I mean jeans). While some may think the ad's critics are "too woke", I argue it exemplifies the far-right slope the United States has dove headfirst down. I share other historical examples of how companies align themselves with political and social trends, such as the unexpected rise of the disposable diaper and women's fashion trends-- from flapper dresses to the"sad beige mom" aesthetic. Every advertisement has a hidden message, and this episode reveals some of the most telling.

A double edged sword. Literally, it can attack your opponent at the risk of harming yourself. Metaphorically, it refers to something with both positive and negative consequences-- just like the topics listed above. In this episode I elaborate on these consequences while introducing ideas like the Technological Advancement Parabola and the 'Casual' Instagram movement (which, I decide, isn't really casual at all).

After my first semester as an official college student, I have a lot to reflect on: thought-provoking things I learned in my classes (like how climate change came to be controversial in the US), a tentative answer to 'Should college be the best time of your life?', and unexpected takeaways about Duke's political culture and social trends, to name a few.

It's T-5 days until I drive to Duke and begin the next four years of my life. With that comes lots of excitement and worry that I reflect upon in this episode. First, however, I share interesting stories and lessons learned from my recent trip to Austria and Italy, as well as the most surprising culture shocks I discovered while there.

Biden dropped out of the Democratic nominee race for the 2024 election: now what? In this episode, I share my personal opinions about Biden dropping out (and why I believe it is a smart decision), explain what's at stake this presidential election, evaluate the devastating effects of core elements in American politics, and examine the rise of far-right political parties within the US and Europe. If you remember one thing from this episode, remember to VOTE!

I haven't recorded in a while, so I share some life updates/random things on my mind before getting into this week's very lighthearted episode. Inspired by the internet figure "dudewithsign" (search his Instagram, you won't regret it), I take my lists straight from my Notes app to share my (sarcastic) humor, as well as my slightly controversial opinions, actions we as a society should normalize, and things that really just drive me crazy.

This week's episode is part five of my "Collection of Thoughts" mini-series (and this one is my personal favorite of all five). Here are the topics: AI's Racial biases: 3:20 - 20:10 Mixed Heritage Struggles: 20:10 - 28:13 Lack of Third Spaces: 28:13 - 42:42 Film Franchise Opinions: 42:42 - End As always, enjoy!

In this episode, I analyze Lorde's song "Ribs", introduce the idea of "anticipatory nostalgia" (nostalgia for something happening in the present), and share my takeaways and personal connections to one of cartoonist David Finch's works: all the while striving to answer the question, "What is so special about adolescence, and how can we revive our own?"

In this episode, I discuss the Duolingo founder's TED Talk (and foreign language in general), explain how Ohio made history with the passage of Issue 1, recall Michelle Zauner's New Yorker article, "Crying in H Mart", open your mind to the intricate card game called SET, and more. The goal is simple: to share how I fuel my deep-rooted desire for knowledge, and to teach you what I've learned along the way.

Though not heard nearly enough as they should, doctors' perspectives offer an entirely new look into how greatly COVID has changed medicine and life as we know it. In this interview with my mom (a pediatrician), she shares thoughts on topics ranging from COVID's astonishing impact on mental health, to dealing with anti-vax coworkers, to how the pandemic affected beliefs about vaccines as a whole. Discover more by listening to the complete interview, the second on And Everything In Between.