S2E18: The Can Opener for Life

We are curious folk, us humans. We live in a disposable society, yet there are some purchases we make early on that we keep forever. When was the last time you bought a new can opener? Fondue set? Or, let’s get a little existential…when was the last time you changed your hairstyle? Your religion? We tend toward the “set it and forget it” mentality with some purchases or traits when others we change out on a whim. Join Jon and Kurt as they plumb the depths of this uniquely human affectation.

What does finding out which country has Sweden in their national anthem (hint: it is not Sweden), what the name is for the little bumps on a raspberry, and discussing if we now know too much about our medical conditions for our own good have in common? Why it is another episode of Smart Drivel. Buckle up and let's go..

From wine to modern art to the game of cricket, we humans seem to pretend we know what is going on when we generally have no idea. Can you really taste the hint of old leather laced with blackberries from the north side of the slope? Do you really know what Discounted Cash Flow means? Yet, we all become “the great pretender” and nod our heads when in discussion about these topics. Jon and Kurt confess what they pretend to know while also discussing other examples–how does ibuprofen know to go to your hurt little toe when you swallow a pill? How does a microwave oven work? The electoral college? So, take a listen and brush up before that next cocktail party. That splattering of mud on a wall in the art gallery really does represent the long and painful past of the green cricket. 

Design is a fantastic aspect of everyday life. When it is “on”, it beautifully blends art and practicality, form and function. And yet, there are many examples of when an added element or a slightly flawed decision results in a product that just doesn’t work. Jon and Kurt provide illustration and commentary on some of these head scratching cases. Like, really, do we really need button fly pants after the almighty zipper was invented?

For those of us who grew up in the ‘60s and ‘70s as part of the latch-key kid phenomenon, our parents practiced what we currently call “benign neglect” in raising us. We, as parents ourselves, flipped the switch completely into a “constant surveillance” mode of parenting. Jon and Kurt delve deeply into the differences between the two, the potential reasons why parenting has changed so much, and how things may or may not change in the future. After all, there has been a seismic shift: “You’re bored?” asked our mothers. “Go outside and play.” You’re bored?” we ask our children. “I’ve failed as a parent.”

As Americans, we tend to be ethnocentric when we travel. We expect, stereotypically and categorically, that things “over there” will be what they are back in the States. We seem to be shocked and/or humored by their lack of ice cubes, to go cups, and shorts. Well, the opposite is also true…the Europeans find some of what we do quite bizarre. From our over reliance on air conditioning to Big Gulps, they think we are just plain weird about some things. Well, Jon and Kurt decide to identify some of these things we do that stick in the craw of our European neighbors.

There we are, going through our day, doing things we feel are part of being human, or good for us, or scientifically proven to better our lives. And then we discover that all these things we are doing were foisted upon us by marketers. That’s right, our routines and habits are manufactured by advertising with the sole purpose of selling more products. Eight hours of sleep every night? Mattress company campaign. Lather, rinse, repeat? Yup, shampoo companies. Orange juice for breakfast? That too. You get the idea. Jon and Kurt uncover the truth and expose the charlatan habits for what they really are.  

In this episode, Kurt puts Jon on the hot seat with a simple game: Was this famous person a Stoic...or not? Winston Churchill. Queen Elizabeth II. Napoleon Bonaparte. Amelia Earhart. Marcus Aurelius is too easy, so don't expect any freebies. Along the way, they separate Stoicism from simply "having a stiff upper lip," talk about why this 2,000-year-old philosophy has suddenly become fashionable again, and discover that being calm under pressure isn't the same thing as being a Stoic. It's a history quiz, a philosophy lesson, and round after round of Kurt asking, "Are you sure?" until Jon isn't.

In this episode, the boys follow a trail of words that turns out to be a lot stranger than expected. Why does bankruptcy involve a broken bench? Why is malaria named after "bad air"? What does a medieval orphanage have to do with the surnames Esposito and Innocente? And how did the word "nephew" accidentally give us "nepotism"? Along the way, we'll visit Siena's claim to Rome's founding myth, step outside the cathedral to discover the original meaning of "profane," and uncover the forgotten stories hiding inside words we use all the time. As it turns out, language remembers everything ... even when we don't.

Did you know that smells, besides being the strongest door to memories, can be trademarked? As can sounds? Jon and Kurt discuss examples of these as well as smoking tigers, irony, Pocahontas, and the story behind the marathon being 26.2 miles.