Positive Feedback Loop! We discuss tech, history, and culture and we have fun disagreeing with each other. ;-) Co-hosts: Luis, Ray, and Steph. Find us on Twitter: twitter.com/thepflpodcast! "Lost episodes" (episodes we've removed): Ep.38 (Watercooler chat - mind-reading robots eat your money)
…
continue reading
![Artwork](/static/images/128pixel.png)
1
Ep. 73: We Called the Midwife (with Allison Blackham)
44:40
44:40
Play later
Play later
Lists
Like
Liked
44:40
In this episode, you’ll learn what midwifery is all about from a professional midwife who runs a birth center in Northern California. Our special guest Allison Blackham talks about the relationship midwifery has with the healthcare industry, the history of midwifery, the risks and rewards of childbirth, and even the odd requests she has gotten from…
…
continue reading
![Artwork](/static/images/128pixel.png)
1
Ep. 72: Authority, Power, and Social Contracts
47:02
47:02
Play later
Play later
Lists
Like
Liked
47:02
When you think of authority, what is the first color that you think of? What is authority? What are social contracts? Where does authority come from? What is the difference between power and authority? Commercial: Listen to more episodes! Looking through The Power of Political Authority, a book by Michael Huemer. Implicit and explicit consent. What…
…
continue reading
By Positive Feedback Loop
…
continue reading
By Positive Feedback Loop
…
continue reading
By Positive Feedback Loop
…
continue reading
What is a consumer?Producers vs. consumers in the ecological worldWhat is the difference between consumerism and materialism?Are consumers more empowered than before?Protecting consumersMarketing and consumer behaviorThe obsession with acquisitionBlack FridayMorality and Spending (e.g., “Fair Trade”)Customizing consumerismClothing subscription serv…
…
continue reading
![Artwork](/static/images/128pixel.png)
1
Ep. 67: The Future of Music Monetization (with Pascal Guyon)
45:18
45:18
Play later
Play later
Lists
Like
Liked
45:18
With guest Pascal Guyon! Pascal is a musician, an investor, and more. In this episode, he shares his insights about the music industry and where it’s headed.By Positive Feedback Loop
…
continue reading
![Artwork](/static/images/128pixel.png)
1
Ep. 66: Dark Web, Drugs, and Deterrence (with Lyn Ulbricht)
1:08:31
1:08:31
Play later
Play later
Lists
Like
Liked
1:08:31
Our guest was Lyn Ulbricht of the Free Ross movement. Ross Ulbricht was convicted of crimes associated with the Silk Road. Topics discussed in this episode: Ross’s experience in federal prison. Libertarian philosophy. Becoming a public figure; opportunities for public speaking. Learning about law, government, and rights. Seeking clemency. Experienc…
…
continue reading
Is memory reliable? Has technology changed how we remember? What is the purpose of memory? How do you want to be remembered? All this and more in this episode about memory.By Positive Feedback Loop
…
continue reading
Ray and Steph recorded this week without Luis, but he’ll be back next week! In this episode about events, Ray and Steph discuss some memorable events and try to determine what defines an event. Does an event have to have a purpose, a focus? Hackathons, VR, Facebook Live. Event logs in computing. Event as initiation. Burning man. An unplanned event.…
…
continue reading
In this episode we define truth and we compare truth vs. reality. Then, we talk about the role of data in truth-seeking, and ask, will the truth set us free? Is ignorance bliss? What does it mean to be a truth seeker? The responsibility of truth, painful truths, perceptions of truth, truth vs. belief, truth in religion and science. What is the valu…
…
continue reading
In this episode we start with some stories about famous liars. Then we talk about types of lies. We discuss pathological liars, influence, the dating world, and employment. Commercial: Lie Detector Siren. Are we lying more? Social media, justification, blockchain’s impact, why and when we lie, social pressure.…
…
continue reading
What happens—or could happen—to our data after we die? Listen to Ray, Luis, and Steph talk about the possibilities.By Positive Feedback Loop
…
continue reading
In this episode, we talk about forms of meditation and prayer. We discuss topics such as Tai Chi, taking the time to think, running as meditation, Ray's temple visit, the role of silence, the rhythms of our bodies, chanting, ASMR, breathing, singing, flying, and slowing down. Also, joining us during the commercial for a "moment of ohm."…
…
continue reading
In this episode, we talk about attention. Have our attention spans gotten longer or shorter or stayed the same? What distracts us? How does the future of marketing impact our attention? Can AI lose attention, or is AI attention limited? What are the dimensions of attention? Is attention quality tied to the quality of our relationships? Cultural att…
…
continue reading
What defines an influencer? The Present: How much do influencers get paid? How do you become an influencer? What is more effective for advertising: macro-influencers or micro-influencers? The dark side of influencer marketingThe Past: The history of influencers — Ancient Rome, Coco Wine, Vaudeville, etc.Commercial: DinnerSmashThe Future: AI influen…
…
continue reading
What are some popular conspiracy theories? Can a conspiracy theory be proven wrong? How have social media propagated conspiracy theories and what are the implications for free speech? Should communication platforms limit or block conspiracy theorists? What is your favorite conspiracy theory?By Positive Feedback Loop
…
continue reading
![Artwork](/static/images/128pixel.png)
1
Ep. 56: Saving Lives with Augmented Reality (with Kari Wu, Co-Founder of Screen Door Labs)
43:20
43:20
Play later
Play later
Lists
Like
Liked
43:20
What Kari is working on at Screen Door Labs, what augmented reality can do for first responders, AR features that are well-suited for serving first responders, the hardware she has worked with, and where Kari thinks the future of AR is headed. We also discuss one-way and two-way AR. Commercial: Screen Door LabsWe begin the second half of the episod…
…
continue reading
From online forums of the 1980s to social media and beyondForms of spamWhy do people send spam?Statistician Paul GrahamRobo callsSpam vs. scamsCAN-SPAM ActCommercial: Future Spam ProtectionSpam in social media, online reviews, etc.Fake followers and bot engagementIs spam in the eye of the receiver?What is spam, really?How can you avoid being spammy…
…
continue reading
What is Compassion Fatigue? The difference between Compassion Fatigue and BurnoutThe Green CrossCharles Figley and the Figley InstituteCommercial: Robot PatientsCaring for aging parentsResilienceSurvivor vs. victim mentalityPost-traumatic growthExperiences that can result in compassion fatigueHow to treat compassion fatigue…
…
continue reading
![Artwork](/static/images/128pixel.png)
1
Ep. 53: The Dark Side of Leadership (with Alex Straley)
38:56
38:56
Play later
Play later
Lists
Like
Liked
38:56
A special thanks to Alex Straley, a leadership development consultant at IBM, for joining us! Alex's views in this episode are solely his own and does not represent IBM.Episode notes:Characteristics of bad bossesWhat makes a bad boss “bad”?There is not one kind of managementManagers vs. leadersMilitary leadershipCruel work environmentsWhy are we me…
…
continue reading
![Artwork](/static/images/128pixel.png)
1
Ep. 52: Borderless Nation-States (with Bitnation founder Susanne Tarkowski Tempelhof)
58:54
58:54
Play later
Play later
Lists
Like
Liked
58:54
Episode notes: What is a nation-state?Globalization and local communitiesHow will Bitnation redefine the nation-state?Security and jurisdictionGovernment is like an icecream shopGlobalization and the preservation of cultureThe potential for private armiesGovernments’ roles in genocidesWar and land/conflictThe Pangea appThe technology of BitnationCo…
…
continue reading
![Artwork](/static/images/128pixel.png)
1
Ep. 51: Decentralized Voting (with Sandra Miller from Democracy.Earth)
54:01
54:01
Play later
Play later
Lists
Like
Liked
54:01
Sandra Miller IntroWhat is Democracy.Earth? Origins of Democracy Earth FoundationDemocracy and votingProblem to be solved- CorruptionCommercial - DemocracyEarth Ambassador Program How do you prove your identity without a third party?Facebook as an authoritarian regimeTrustHow the Internet has changedDavid Bowie analogy about the internetHow you can…
…
continue reading
What role will bitcoin play in the future of money?By Positive Feedback Loop
…
continue reading
We start with our first memories of the Internet. Then we discuss fake news and echo chambers. Can we find good sources and can we trust the press? What is a good incentive structure for journalism? Is journalism (or can it be) unbiased? Infographics and data without context. Listening and understanding vs. winning arguments. Outrage: our biologica…
…
continue reading
This episode is all about why and how to forgive, gaining back trust, making mistakes, the purpose of forgiveness, and more. Commercial: ConfessionalBy Positive Feedback Loop
…
continue reading
Utopia 3: How Do We Get There?From the perspective of inputsHow do you make real your utopic vision of the future?Barriers to reaching utopiaTypes of utopias, e.g., techno-utopia, eco-utopia, agrarian utopiaThe near future: what can we do to get on a trajectory toward utopiaHow do you reach Mormon utopia?Utopia: do we need to share core values?The …
…
continue reading
Perception, crafting an apology, timing, blame, responsibility, hurt, guilt, and more! Examples include: Kitchenaid, Amazon reviews, Dove, Netflix, Apple, a steakhouse in Brighton MA, Electronic Arts, Tesla, etc.By Positive Feedback Loop
…
continue reading
![Artwork](/static/images/128pixel.png)
1
Ep. 45: Utopia 2 - Is Artificial Intelligence a Road to Dystopia?
46:29
46:29
Play later
Play later
Lists
Like
Liked
46:29
We’ve discussed what Utopia might look like, but how do you get there? The future of Artificial IntelligenceUtopia or Eutopia?CommercialThe future of workWill technological trends take us to a dystopia?By Positive Feedback Loop
…
continue reading
Episode notes: What are we grateful for?Is gratitude natural?The benefits of being gratefulDaily gratitudeCommercial: Presidentially Pardoned TurkeysWhen you shouldn’t be gratefulGrateful for challengesBy Positive Feedback Loop
…
continue reading
In this episode, the three co-hosts describe their very different concepts of utopia. Episode notes:Mormon UtopiaIs modern society the past’s utopia?What is consciousness?Do any two people imagine the same utopia?Ray’s utopia: all people become one unified energy outside of timeMatryoshka Brain Static vs. dynamic worldLuis’s utopia of work and leis…
…
continue reading
Episode notes:What are pets? Being a “pet parent”What’s in an animal’s mind?Humans raised by animalsDo animals feel emotions similar to humans’?Commercial: Petcestry GenomicsWhy do we have pets?Homeless petsPeople who poison other people’s petsRay’s chameleon Luis’s dogSteph’s dog Worm charmingAre people like their pets?Caring for pets vs. children…
…
continue reading
Most destructive diseases in historyContagionSocial contagionThe spread of ideasShould you vaccinate your child?Travel and diseaseThe Anthrax storyDisease in warSuicide contagionCommercial: Minority animal diseasesWorld of Warcraft and the CDCStudying the spread of diseaseGoogle Flu TrendsDancing Plague of 1518Fictitious monsters on the InternetLep…
…
continue reading
Episode notes:MIT’s Moral Machine test Who would you save?Fate and interference, guilt Kant’s autonomous moralityUtilitarianismPatience with people vs. machinesMBTA and Amtrak storiesConsumer comfort with driverless carsBlame in autonomous vehicle accidentsThe future of machine autonomyApplying moral frameworks in the context of changing technology…
…
continue reading
![Artwork](/static/images/128pixel.png)
1
Ep. 39: Listeners' Choice - Celebration (1st Anniversary Special!)
46:21
46:21
Play later
Play later
Lists
Like
Liked
46:21
This is a Listeners’ Choice episode! The topic ("the importance of celebration”) was submitted by Akshay. We also talked about birthdays, which was submitted by Jan Marie! Episode notes: Is “celebrating the everyday” really a celebration?Celebrations as checkpointsCelebration vs. recurring holidaysLuis’ story about his mother’s giftsRay on Turkish …
…
continue reading
Episode notes: What we did before we started the MBA programThe role of diversity and different types of diversityChoosing extracurricularsWhat is a case competition?“Teaming” A clear vision vs. experimentationCommercial: Bartholomew's School for Shady BusinessHow to network effectivelySkills for learning in the classroom…
…
continue reading
What is a “golden age”?How do we know if we are in a golden age?The golden ages of media: television, information, radio, video games… The golden age of hip hopAre we able to identify a golden age while we’re in it?Commercial: Customized Element AgesThe golden age of televisionThe metrics for identifying a golden ageIs ubiquity or acceleration a si…
…
continue reading
What defines sleep?What’s your common sleep position?Why do we sleep?Sleep deprivationThe relationship of anxiety and sleepSleep apnea and night terrorsNaps and siestasCommercial: Hypernation PillsSleep paralysis and kanashibariCultural views of sleepDebunking bunker: Does turkey make you sleepy?Food and sleep: Rip Van Winkle, pizza dreamsHow to fa…
…
continue reading
Baby BowlingThomas Gotchi“Nothing”Barry BerriesThe Screaming RoomRay’s Fireworks BarnSnow BoxBy Positive Feedback Loop
…
continue reading
![Artwork](/static/images/128pixel.png)
1
Ep. 34: Field Trip – Popnology! The Past’s Future
35:20
35:20
Play later
Play later
Lists
Like
Liked
35:20
*Special episode* We visited the Popnology Exhibit at Boston’s Museum of Science! In this episode we discuss some topics that come up in the exhibit, such as: Lots of robotic arms (e.g., Baxter!)Space ElevatorWhat the smartphone has replacedThe love for retroDigital vs. 35mm photography3-D printed carsA world with flying carsThe wall of tech prophe…
…
continue reading
![Artwork](/static/images/128pixel.png)
1
Ep. 33: Online Learning: A Must or a Bust?
45:27
45:27
Play later
Play later
Lists
Like
Liked
45:27
What is a MOOC?Are MOOCs more interesting than normal college courses?Are MOOCs the future?Are online courses effective?The role of online learning in the workplaceWho learns online?Can one put online learning on a resume?Commercial: PifflorationsYou can learn just about anything onlineOnline misinformation: how do you know what’s true?The modulari…
…
continue reading
![Artwork](/static/images/128pixel.png)
1
Ep. 32: Adventures in Venture Capital (with Carlo Santelli)
36:35
36:35
Play later
Play later
Lists
Like
Liked
36:35
Ep. 32: Venture Capital (with Carlo Santelli of Stonehenge Capital)Carlo Santelli explains growth capital The role of venture capital in community developmentTrends in the private equity and venture capital worldsAre the unicorns in a bubble?Networking in the VC worldDoes size matter?The management teamThe college majors that will prepare you for w…
…
continue reading
![Artwork](/static/images/128pixel.png)
1
Ep. 31: Boredom (with Chinmay Dhandhania)
40:14
40:14
Play later
Play later
Lists
Like
Liked
40:14
When are you most bored?Are children more prone to boredom than adults?Inactivity vs. boredomIs boredom related to imagination, motivation, energy?Boredom as a lack of freedom Boredom from entertainment overloadBoredom as a source of innovation and creativity Commercial: Bartholomew’s School for Active ChildrenAre we more bored as a society than we…
…
continue reading
By Positive Feedback Loop
…
continue reading
![Artwork](/static/images/128pixel.png)
1
Ep. 29: Collaboration — Crime, Corporate Culture, and Chaos
32:59
32:59
Play later
Play later
Lists
Like
Liked
32:59
By Positive Feedback Loop
…
continue reading
By Positive Feedback Loop
…
continue reading
![Artwork](/static/images/128pixel.png)
1
Ep. 27: Summer Vacation – On the Beach or in Space?
46:36
46:36
Play later
Play later
Lists
Like
Liked
46:36
By Positive Feedback Loop
…
continue reading
By Positive Feedback Loop
…
continue reading
By Positive Feedback Loop
…
continue reading
By Positive Feedback Loop
…
continue reading