4 chapters across the catalog
The upcoming 20th Century Fox film "The Creator" is discussed as a continuation of the "AI will kill us" trope in cinema. This is compared to the 1970 science fiction thriller "Colossus: The Forbin Project," which features an American defense system becoming sentient and taking control.
President Obama issued an executive order directing federal agencies to use behavioral science insights to improve the delivery of government services. This "nudge theory" approach aims to influence public behavior through subtle psychological cues and redesigned policies. Critics view the move as a formalization of government propaganda and social engineering, comparing it to historical initiatives like Project Minerva.
Conspiracy Theory, Psychological Projection Study
A study from the British Journal of Social Psychology suggests that people who believe in conspiracy theories are often projecting their own willingness to conspire onto others. The research claims that individuals with Machiavellian tendencies are more likely to endorse such theories. The hosts mock the study as an attempt to pathologize dissent.
San Diego School Lockdown, Science Project, Motion Detector
Millennial Tech Magnet Middle School in San Diego was placed on a two-hour lockdown after an 11-year-old student brought a homemade motion detector to class. Despite the device being a harmless science project made from a Gatorade bottle and wires, police and the arson strike team were called. The student was not prosecuted but was ordered to undergo counseling, which the hosts criticize as an irrational overreaction by school authorities.
