A Fresh Face in Hell with Jonathan Evison

Long-time listeners have heard me talk about raising a couple of spicy teenagers. My wife and I have always leaned toward a free-range parenting approach, which can lead, for better or worse, to some fiercely independent kids. It’s also led to more than a few sleepless nights worrying about their future. Today, parenting coach and author Mary Van Geffen joins me to hash it all out. Her book, Parenting a Spicy One, encourages parents to let go of control, build connection, and survive the chaos of raising kids with big personalities. Mary shares some sage advice and gives me a few new tools for talking to my teenagers about becoming adults without being called a f**king assh**e. Mary Van Geffen:  https://www.maryvangeffen.com/linktr.ee: https://linktr.ee/freshfacepods.evison 

What makes Wikipedia work, and what does its success reveal about human nature? In The Last Best Place on the Internet, journalist Richard Cooke explores the unlikely rise of the world’s largest free encyclopedia and the community of volunteers who built it. We discuss the conflicts, biases, and imperfections that threaten the project, along with the extraordinary collaboration that keeps it going. In an internet increasingly dominated by corporations, algorithms, and AI, Wikipedia represents a different vision of how knowledge can be created and shared. We talk about whether this messy, imperfect experiment might be one of the last best places left on the internet.linktr.ee: https://linktr.ee/freshfacepods.evison 

I recently came across the YouTube channel ⁨@geographybygeoff⁩ where today's guest, Geoff Gibson, dives into every manner of geographical wonder. Today, Geoff and I discuss his new book, Badlands: The Geography of Cities That Shouldn't Exist and Why They Do. We talk about cities with no water supply, cities built near a volcano, or on the verge of being swallowed by the ocean. We had a fun hour traveling the globe and digging into fun facts and predictions about the future, or lack thereof, of your favorite city. @geographybygeoff - https://www.youtube.com/@GeographyByGeofflinktr.ee: https://linktr.ee/freshfacepods.evison 

As the father of two teenagers, I end up watching a lot of horror and science fiction films. What I find fascinating is all the different stories and techniques that filmmakers use to give the creeps. Turns out there is an actual science behind this. Austin Lim is a neuroscientist, professor, and the author of "Horror on the Brain: The Neuroscience Behind Science Fiction".  In his book, Austin explores the real science, psychology, and neurology behind famous horror and science fiction stories.  We talk about slashers, serial killers, liminal spaces, trauma monsters, uncanny valley effect, dystopian horror, body horror, and of course, clowns. Austin Lim - https://www.austinlim.com/author-horror-on-the-brainlinktr.ee: https://linktr.ee/freshfacepods.evison 

In 1977, linguist and Christian missionary Daniel Everett took on the challenge of moving his family to a remote jungle region of the Amazon to study and convert a native tribe called the Pirahã. In his book, "Don't Sleep, There Are Snakes: Life and Language in the Amazonian Jungle," Daniel recounts his adventures living with the Pirahã and how their concept of truth ended up pushing him towards atheism. Daniel's incredible stories are a curious reflection on what we have gained and lost as a modern society. A telling example . . . the Pirahã have no cultural concept of suicide.  Daniel Everett - https://daneverettbooks.comlinktr.ee: https://linktr.ee/freshfacepods.evison 

I'm back. The book edits are off to my editor, summer is over, and I'm ready for more high seas adventures!  Today, I talk with one of my favorite songwriters, Old 97's frontman, Rhett Miller. In addition to being a rockstar, Rhett also writes short-form fiction and teaches songwriting at The New School in NYC. We dive deep into our writing processes and compare notes on the similarities and differences of writing songs and novels. Turns out that we both aspire to, and are intimidated by, the other's discipline. We discover in the end that all you need is solid characters, evocative imagery, and some human truths. And in my case, I should probably learn how to strum a guitar.  https://www.rhettmiller.comlinktr.ee: https://linktr.ee/freshfacepods.evison 

As we’re currently discussing the Illiad and the Odyssey, I thought it was an opportune moment to revisit my conversation with Brian McVeigh about Julian Jaynes’ theory on the origins of consciousness. Jaynes believed that early humans lacked coordination between the two hemispheres of their brain. Consequently, they didn’t possess a sense of self, operating on a kind of autopilot. They would hear voices in their heads as the two hemispheres functioned independently. Without explanation, early humans attributed these voices to the voice of God or gods. However, as humans developed a greater capacity for language during the Bronze Age, the separation between the hemispheres began to dissolve, leading to the development of an inner voice and, consequently consciousness. If this sounds familiar this was the premise for HBO's Westworld series.  A fun little mind walk, enjoy!linktr.ee: https://linktr.ee/freshfacepods.evison 

Do you ever want to ask your doctor a cancer question but you get the feeling they're trying to rush you out the door? You ever come across a fatty lipoma and then spend hours looking up the life expectancy for wrist cancer? Does your algorithm bombard you with symptom warnings and ads for body scans and supplements? Do you ever wonder why we don't have a cure after decades of fun runs, bike-a-thons, and Stand-up to Cancer fundraising campaigns? When will there be a blood test for all cancers? Today is Ask an Oncologist Day, and we've got a good one. Dr. Amit Garg is an hematologist, specializing in blood cancers, and a truth-telling influencer.  You can find him at @Blooddocdad at your favorite social media hangout.  https://www.instagram.com/blooddocdad/linktr.ee: https://linktr.ee/freshfacepods.evison 

Alex Cox directed Repo Man fresh out of UCLA film school in the summer of 1983. As is the case with most cult classics, it took years before it found its audience. Turns out the soundtrack was a hit before the film. What followed over the next few years was a string of films, Sid & Nancy, Straight To Hell, and Walker, that established Alex Cox as a filmmaker who embodied the punk rock ethos of that time. As Alex pushed boundaries, he fell out of favor with the Hollywood studios. Over the next 40 years, Alex forged his way as an independent director, filming more than 20 film and TV credits. Today, we talk about that journey and how he persists and thrives creatively on his own terms. I also get to ask him if it's true that he got in a fistfight with Oliver Stone at the 1986 Oscars. The answer may (but probably won't) shock you!  I honestly found this interview, and Alex's spirit, to be really inspiring. Check out his new film, Dead Souls, in selected theaters this month.Dead Souls:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kwaLlz9TLMolinktr.ee: https://linktr.ee/freshfacepods.evison 

If you're ever feeling depressed about our troubled times, go talk to a bio futurist to get some perspective. From plastic-eating microbes to CAR T-cell therapy for autoimmune diseases, we're on the brink of a bio-revolution. Today's guest, Andrew Hessel, is a pioneer in synthetic biology, microbiologist, geneticist, inventor, entrepreneur, and world-class optimist. Andrew's idea of digital biology is that DNA works like computer code, so we can use technology to read, edit, and even program living cells. He argues that combining AI, DNA synthesis, and automated laboratories will make biology increasingly engineerable, enabling the design of new therapies, organisms, and biological systems much as software is developed today. Andrew is the co-author of the 2022 book, "The Genesis Machine: Our Quest to Rewrite Life in the Age of Synthetic Biology."https://andrewhessel.com/  linktr.ee: https://linktr.ee/freshfacepods.evison