<a target="_blank" href="https://www.buzzsprout.com/twilio/text_messages/244372/open_sms">Send us a text</a>Who knew that the breakthrough moment of AI sentience would come from interacting with an annoying neo-Luddite?After failing to raise a single dollar for PCI’s newest initiative — the $350 billion Transdisciplinary Institute for Phalse Prophet Studies and Education (TIPPSE) —  Jason, Rob, and Asher devise the only profitable pitch for raising capital: using AI technology to cure the loneliness that technology itself causes. The only problem is that AI chatbots won’t talk to us, as evidenced by Asher’s experience of being blocked by an AI “friend.” So Asher turns to the flesh-and-blood author of Blood in the Machine, Brian Merchant, to discuss the rise of the neo-Luddite movement — the only people who might be able to stand your humble Crazy Town hosts. Brian Merchant is a writer, reporter, and author. He is currently reporter in residence at the AI Now Institute and publishes his own newsletter, <a href='https://www.bloodinthemachine.com/'>Blood in the Machine</a>, which has the same title as his 2023 book. Previously, Brian was the technology columnist at the Los Angeles Times and a senior editor at Motherboard.Originally recorded on 1/3/25 (warm-up conversation) and 3/24/25 (interview with Brian).Warning: This podcast occasionally uses spicy language.Sources/Links/Notes:<ul><li><a href='https://www.resilience.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/TIPPSE-Closure-Press-Release.pdf'>Press Release announcing closure of TIPPSE</a></li><li><a href='https://www.crunchbase.com/organization/friend-5a27'>Funding for Friend</a></li><li>Screenshot of <a href='https://www.resilience.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/Asher-and-Faith-Chat-Transcript.jpg'>Asher’s conversation with Friend’s bot</a>, Faith</li><li><a href='https://genius.com/Pyrrhon-not-going-to-mars-lyrics'>Lyrics to “Not Going to Mars</a>” by Pyrrhon</li><li>Brian Merchant’s Substack, <a href='https://www.bloodinthemachine.com/'>Blood in the Machine</a></li><li>Brian’s book, <a href='https://bookshop.org/p/books/blood-in-the-machine-the-origins-of-the-rebellion-against-big-tech-brian-merchant/17824365?ean=9780316487740'>Blood in the Machine: The Origins of the Rebellion Against Big Tech</a>  </li><li>New York Times article on the Luddite Club: <a href='https://www.nytimes.com/2022/12/15/style/teens-social-media.html'>“‘Luddite’ Teens Don’t Want Your Likes”</a></li><li>Crazy Town Episode 72: <a href='https://www.resilience.org/stories/2023-05-10/crazy-town-episode-72-dueling-ecomodernists/'>Sucking CO2 and Electrifying Everything: The Climate Movement’s Desperate Dependence on Tenuous Technologies</a></li><li>Brian’s essay in The Atlantic, “<a href='https://www.theatlantic.com/technology/archive/2024/02/new-luddites-ai-protest/677327/'>The New Luddites Aren’t Backing Down</a>”</li></ul><a rel="payment" href="https://www.postcarbon.org/supportcrazytown/">Support the show</a>

<description>&lt;p&gt;&lt;a target="_blank" href="https://www.buzzsprout.com/twilio/text_messages/244372/open_sms"&gt;Send us a text&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Who knew that the breakthrough moment of AI sentience would come from interacting with an annoying neo-Luddite?&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;After failing to raise a single dollar for PCI’s newest initiative — the $350 billion Transdisciplinary Institute for Phalse Prophet Studies and Education (TIPPSE) —  Jason, Rob, and Asher devise the only profitable pitch for raising capital: using AI technology to cure the loneliness that technology itself causes. The only problem is that AI chatbots won’t talk to us, as evidenced by Asher’s experience of being blocked by an AI “friend.” So Asher turns to the flesh-and-blood author of &lt;em&gt;Blood in the Machine&lt;/em&gt;, Brian Merchant, to discuss the rise of the neo-Luddite movement — the only people who might be able to stand your humble &lt;em&gt;Crazy Town&lt;/em&gt; hosts. &lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Brian Merchant is a writer, reporter, and author. He is currently reporter in residence at the AI Now Institute and publishes his own newsletter, &lt;a href='https://www.bloodinthemachine.com/'&gt;&lt;em&gt;Blood in the Machine&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/a&gt;, which has the same title as his 2023 book. Previously, Brian was the technology columnist at the &lt;em&gt;Los Angeles Times&lt;/em&gt; and a senior editor at &lt;em&gt;Motherboard&lt;/em&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Originally recorded on 1/3/25 (warm-up conversation) and 3/24/25 (interview with Brian).&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Warning: This podcast occasionally uses spicy language.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Sources/Links/Notes:&lt;/p&gt;&lt;ul&gt;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href='https://www.resilience.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/TIPPSE-Closure-Press-Release.pdf'&gt;Press Release announcing closure of TIPPSE&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href='https://www.crunchbase.com/organization/friend-5a27'&gt;Funding for Friend&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;Screenshot of &lt;a href='https://www.resilience.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/Asher-and-Faith-Chat-Transcript.jpg'&gt;Asher’s conversation with Friend’s bot&lt;/a&gt;, Faith&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href='https://genius.com/Pyrrhon-not-going-to-mars-lyrics'&gt;Lyrics to “Not Going to Mars&lt;/a&gt;” by Pyrrhon&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;Brian Merchant’s Substack, &lt;a href='https://www.bloodinthemachine.com/'&gt;Blood in the Machine&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;Brian’s book, &lt;a href='https://bookshop.org/p/books/blood-in-the-machine-the-origins-of-the-rebellion-against-big-tech-brian-merchant/17824365?ean=9780316487740'&gt;&lt;em&gt;Blood in the Machine: The Origins of the Rebellion Against Big Tech&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;em&gt;  &lt;/em&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;&lt;em&gt;New York Times&lt;/em&gt; article on the Luddite Club: &lt;a href='https://www.nytimes.com/2022/12/15/style/teens-social-media.html'&gt;“‘Luddite’ Teens Don’t Want Your Likes”&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;&lt;em&gt;Crazy Town&lt;/em&gt; Episode 72: &lt;a href='https://www.resilience.org/stories/2023-05-10/crazy-town-episode-72-dueling-ecomodernists/'&gt;Sucking CO2 and Electrifying Everything: The Climate Movement’s Desperate Dependence on Tenuous Technologies&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;Brian’s essay in &lt;em&gt;The Atlantic&lt;/em&gt;, “&lt;a href='https://www.theatlantic.com/technology/archive/2024/02/new-luddites-ai-protest/677327/'&gt;The New Luddites Aren’t Backing Down&lt;/a&gt;”&lt;/li&gt;&lt;/ul&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a rel="payment" href="https://www.postcarbon.org/supportcrazytown/"&gt;Support the show&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;</description>

Send us a text Who knew that the breakthrough moment of AI sentience would come from interacting with an annoying neo-Luddite? After failing to raise a single dollar for PCI’s newest initiative — the $350 billion Transdisciplinary Institute for Phalse Prophet Studies and Education (TIPPSE) —  Jason, Rob, and Asher devise the only profitable pitch for raising capital: using AI technology to cure the loneliness that technology itself causes. The only problem is that AI chatbots won’t talk ...

Even AI Chatbots Hate Us: The Rise of the New Luddites, with Brian Merchant

<a target="_blank" href="https://www.buzzsprout.com/twilio/text_messages/244372/open_sms">Send us a text</a>Recovering technology booster Tom Murphy visits Crazy Town to discuss his journey from shooting lasers at the moon, to trying to &quot;solve&quot; the energy predicament, to falling out of love with modernity itself. Asher, Jason, Rob, and Tom discuss the roots and short-lived nature of modernity, which has not only shaped the world we inhabit but conquered our very imaginations. They reminisce about aspects of hi-tech society that have already fallen away in its hubristic march towards mastering (or should we say undermining?) nature. They close by contemplating what it means to detach from humanocentric delusions of grandeur and make peace with living with one foot in and one foot out of the modern world. Originally recorded on 3/4/25.Warning: This podcast occasionally uses spicy language.Sources/Links/Notes:<ul><li>&quot;<a href='https://www.resilience.org/product/acceptance-and-agency-at-the-end-of-modernity/'>Acceptance and Agency at the End of Modernity</a>,&quot; a live online Resilience event on April 1, 2025 featuring Vanessa Andreotti and Dougald Hine</li><li>Tom Murphy&apos;s <a href='https://dothemath.ucsd.edu/'>Do the Math</a></li></ul><a rel="payment" href="https://www.postcarbon.org/supportcrazytown/">Support the show</a>

<description>&lt;p&gt;&lt;a target="_blank" href="https://www.buzzsprout.com/twilio/text_messages/244372/open_sms"&gt;Send us a text&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Recovering technology booster Tom Murphy visits &lt;em&gt;Crazy Town&lt;/em&gt; to discuss his journey from shooting lasers at the moon, to trying to &amp;quot;solve&amp;quot; the energy predicament, to falling out of love with modernity itself. Asher, Jason, Rob, and Tom discuss the roots and short-lived nature of modernity, which has not only shaped the world we inhabit but conquered our very imaginations. They reminisce about aspects of hi-tech society that have already fallen away in its hubristic march towards mastering (or should we say undermining?) nature. They close by contemplating what it means to detach from humanocentric delusions of grandeur and make peace with living with one foot in and one foot out of the modern world. Originally recorded on 3/4/25.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Warning: This podcast occasionally uses spicy language.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Sources/Links/Notes:&lt;/p&gt;&lt;ul&gt;&lt;li&gt;&amp;quot;&lt;a href='https://www.resilience.org/product/acceptance-and-agency-at-the-end-of-modernity/'&gt;Acceptance and Agency at the End of Modernity&lt;/a&gt;,&amp;quot; a live online Resilience event on April 1, 2025 featuring Vanessa Andreotti and Dougald Hine&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;Tom Murphy&amp;apos;s &lt;a href='https://dothemath.ucsd.edu/'&gt;&lt;em&gt;Do the Math&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&lt;/ul&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a rel="payment" href="https://www.postcarbon.org/supportcrazytown/"&gt;Support the show&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;</description>

Send us a text Recovering technology booster Tom Murphy visits Crazy Town to discuss his journey from shooting lasers at the moon, to trying to "solve" the energy predicament, to falling out of love with modernity itself. Asher, Jason, Rob, and Tom discuss the roots and short-lived nature of modernity, which has not only shaped the world we inhabit but conquered our very imaginations. They reminisce about aspects of hi-tech society that have already fallen away in its hubristic march towards ...

A Temporary Techno Stunt: Tom Murphy on Falling out of Love with Modernity

<a target="_blank" href="https://www.buzzsprout.com/twilio/text_messages/244372/open_sms">Send us a text</a>How will we feed people living in the megacities of the 21st century, especially while confronting climate chaos and the depletion of fossil fuels and fossil water? According to the mainstream media: ecomodernism! Massive deployment of technology on factory farms and an extreme ramp-up of industrialization will save the day – right? RIGHT?!? If you read the New York Times, you might think that supermarket shelves will forever overflow with 3D-printed fish sticks, mylar bags full of genetically modified cheesy poofs, and faux corn dogs that ooze out of laboratory vats. Jason, Rob, and Asher question the wisdom of doubling down on industrialization in food and farming. It’s no surprise they recommend paying attention to nature and ecological limits. Stick around for ideas you can use in your community to support a healthy, regenerative food system (and keep on eating). Originally recorded on 1/21/25.Warning: This podcast occasionally uses spicy language.Sources/Links/Notes:<ul><li>Jason Bradford, <a href='https://www.postcarbon.org/publications/the-future-is-rural/'>The Future Is Rural</a>, 2/19/19.</li><li>Eliza Barclay, &quot;<a href='https://www.nytimes.com/2024/07/29/opinion/what-to-eat-on-a-burning-planet.html'>What to Eat on a Burning Planet</a>,&quot; The New York Times, 7/29/24.</li><li>David Wallace-Wells, &quot;<a href='https://www.nytimes.com/2024/07/28/opinion/food-climate-crisis-prices.html'>Food as You Know It Is About to Change</a>,&quot; The New York Times, 7/28/24.</li><li>Andrew Nikiforuk, &quot;<a href='https://www.resilience.org/stories/2025-01-06/a-reality-check-on-our-energy-transition/'>A Reality Check on Our &apos;Energy Transition&apos;</a>,&quot; Resilience, 1/6/25.</li><li>Michael Grunwald, &quot;<a href='https://www.nytimes.com/2024/12/13/opinion/food-agriculture-factory-farms-climate-change.html'>Sorry, but This Is the Future of Food</a>,&quot; The New York Times, 12/13/24.</li><li>&quot;<a href='https://www.nytimes.com/2025/01/04/opinion/letters/factory-farms.html'>Changing How We Grow Our Food: Readers disagree with an essay about factory farms</a>,&quot; The New York Times, 1/4/25.</li><li>Jay Famiglietti, &quot;<a href='https://www.nytimes.com/2024/08/05/opinion/california-great-lakes-food-supply.html'>Will We Have to Pump the Great Lakes to California to Feed the Nation?</a>&quot; The New York Times, 8/5/24.</li><li><a href='https://www.c-span.org/clip/campaign-2024/user-clip-canada-has-a-water-faucet/5132574'>Clip</a> of the Hydrologist in Chief &quot;explaining&quot; the oh-so-simple solution to water shortages.</li></ul><a rel="payment" href="https://www.postcarbon.org/supportcrazytown/">Support the show</a>

<description>&lt;p&gt;&lt;a target="_blank" href="https://www.buzzsprout.com/twilio/text_messages/244372/open_sms"&gt;Send us a text&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;How will we feed people living in the megacities of the 21st century, especially while confronting climate chaos and the depletion of fossil fuels and fossil water? According to the mainstream media: ecomodernism! Massive deployment of technology on factory farms and an extreme ramp-up of industrialization will save the day – right? RIGHT?!? If you read the &lt;em&gt;New York Times&lt;/em&gt;, you might think that supermarket shelves will forever overflow with 3D-printed fish sticks, mylar bags full of genetically modified cheesy poofs, and faux corn dogs that ooze out of laboratory vats. Jason, Rob, and Asher question the wisdom of doubling down on industrialization in food and farming. It’s no surprise they recommend paying attention to nature and ecological limits. Stick around for ideas you can use in your community to support a healthy, regenerative food system (and keep on eating). Originally recorded on 1/21/25.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Warning: This podcast occasionally uses spicy language.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Sources/Links/Notes:&lt;/p&gt;&lt;ul&gt;&lt;li&gt;Jason Bradford, &lt;a href='https://www.postcarbon.org/publications/the-future-is-rural/'&gt;&lt;em&gt;The Future Is Rural&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/a&gt;, 2/19/19.&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;Eliza Barclay, &amp;quot;&lt;a href='https://www.nytimes.com/2024/07/29/opinion/what-to-eat-on-a-burning-planet.html'&gt;What to Eat on a Burning Planet&lt;/a&gt;,&amp;quot; &lt;em&gt;The New York Times&lt;/em&gt;, 7/29/24.&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;David Wallace-Wells, &amp;quot;&lt;a href='https://www.nytimes.com/2024/07/28/opinion/food-climate-crisis-prices.html'&gt;Food as You Know It Is About to Change&lt;/a&gt;,&amp;quot; &lt;em&gt;The New York Times&lt;/em&gt;, 7/28/24.&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;Andrew Nikiforuk, &amp;quot;&lt;a href='https://www.resilience.org/stories/2025-01-06/a-reality-check-on-our-energy-transition/'&gt;A Reality Check on Our &amp;apos;Energy Transition&amp;apos;&lt;/a&gt;,&amp;quot; &lt;em&gt;Resilience&lt;/em&gt;, 1/6/25.&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;Michael Grunwald, &amp;quot;&lt;a href='https://www.nytimes.com/2024/12/13/opinion/food-agriculture-factory-farms-climate-change.html'&gt;Sorry, but This Is the Future of Food&lt;/a&gt;,&amp;quot; &lt;em&gt;The New York Times&lt;/em&gt;, 12/13/24.&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;&amp;quot;&lt;a href='https://www.nytimes.com/2025/01/04/opinion/letters/factory-farms.html'&gt;Changing How We Grow Our Food: Readers disagree with an essay about factory farms&lt;/a&gt;,&amp;quot; The New York Times, 1/4/25.&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;Jay Famiglietti, &amp;quot;&lt;a href='https://www.nytimes.com/2024/08/05/opinion/california-great-lakes-food-supply.html'&gt;Will We Have to Pump the Great Lakes to California to Feed the Nation?&lt;/a&gt;&amp;quot; &lt;em&gt;The New York Times&lt;/em&gt;, 8/5/24.&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href='https://www.c-span.org/clip/campaign-2024/user-clip-canada-has-a-water-faucet/5132574'&gt;Clip&lt;/a&gt; of the Hydrologist in Chief &amp;quot;explaining&amp;quot; the oh-so-simple solution to water shortages.&lt;/li&gt;&lt;/ul&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a rel="payment" href="https://www.postcarbon.org/supportcrazytown/"&gt;Support the show&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;</description>

Send us a text How will we feed people living in the megacities of the 21st century, especially while confronting climate chaos and the depletion of fossil fuels and fossil water? According to the mainstream media: ecomodernism! Massive deployment of technology on factory farms and an extreme ramp-up of industrialization will save the day – right? RIGHT?!? If you read the New York Times, you might think that supermarket shelves will forever overflow with 3D-printed fish sticks, mylar bags ful...

Eating the Future: The NY Times Goes Full Ecomodernist on Food and Farming

<a target="_blank" href="https://www.buzzsprout.com/twilio/text_messages/244372/open_sms">Send us a text</a>Do you contemplate topics like climate change, biodiversity loss, and the risk of civilizational collapse? If so, then you probably understand something about bargaining – a psychological defense mechanism that’s one of the five stages of grief. With just a wee bit of embarrassment, Asher, Jason, and Rob reveal damning episodes of bargaining from their personal histories (involving green consumerism and cult-like devotion to technology). Having admitted their sins, they discuss the allure of false solutions to our environmental predicaments and how even veteran environmental journalists can be susceptible to it. Stay to the end for thoughts on how to avoid getting hoodwinked by the horde of ecomodernist tech bros who continuously shove unworkable &quot;solutions&quot; down our throats. Originally recorded on January 16, 2025.Warning: This podcast occasionally uses spicy language.Sources/Links/Notes:<ul><li>Julia Musto, &quot;<a href='https://www.independent.co.uk/news/science/world-end-apocalypse-human-civilization-collapse-b2678651.html'>The end of the world as we know it? Theorist warns humanity is teetering between collapse and advancement,</a>&quot; Independent, January 13, 2025 (about Nahfeez Ahmed&apos;s take on superabundance versus collapse).</li><li>Rob Dietz, &quot;<a href='https://www.resilience.org/stories/2023-10-27/chris-smaje-vs-george-monbiot-and-the-debate-on-the-future-of-farming/'>Chris Smaje Vs. George Monbiot and the Debate on the Future of Farming,</a>&quot; Resilience, October 27, 2023.</li><li><a href='https://www.resilience.org/stories/2021-03-11/cognitive-bias-and-global-warming-or-the-story-of-cattle-prods-and-ice-cream-shops-episode-32-of-crazy-town/'>Crazy Town episode 32 on cognitive bias</a></li><li>Megan Phelps-Roper&apos;s <a href='https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2023/08/11/six-questions-we-should-ask-ourselves/'>six questions</a></li><li><a href='https://www.resilience.org/stories/2021-06-10/feedback-loops-and-climate-catastrophe-or-the-story-of-the-baseball-bloodbath-episode-45-of-crazy-town/'>Crazy Town episode 45 on feedback loops</a>, featuring an interview with Beth Sawin</li><li>Post Carbon Institute&apos;s <a href='https://www.resilience.org/product/deep-dive-building-emotional-resilience/'>Deep Dive on building emotional resilience</a></li></ul><a rel="payment" href="https://www.postcarbon.org/supportcrazytown/">Support the show</a>

<description>&lt;p&gt;&lt;a target="_blank" href="https://www.buzzsprout.com/twilio/text_messages/244372/open_sms"&gt;Send us a text&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Do you contemplate topics like climate change, biodiversity loss, and the risk of civilizational collapse? If so, then you probably understand something about bargaining – a psychological defense mechanism that’s one of the five stages of grief. With just a wee bit of embarrassment, Asher, Jason, and Rob reveal damning episodes of bargaining from their personal histories (involving green consumerism and cult-like devotion to technology). Having admitted their sins, they discuss the allure of false solutions to our environmental predicaments and how even veteran environmental journalists can be susceptible to it. Stay to the end for thoughts on how to avoid getting hoodwinked by the horde of ecomodernist tech bros who continuously shove unworkable &amp;quot;solutions&amp;quot; down our throats. Originally recorded on January 16, 2025.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Warning: This podcast occasionally uses spicy language.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Sources/Links/Notes:&lt;/p&gt;&lt;ul&gt;&lt;li&gt;Julia Musto, &amp;quot;&lt;a href='https://www.independent.co.uk/news/science/world-end-apocalypse-human-civilization-collapse-b2678651.html'&gt;The end of the world as we know it? Theorist warns humanity is teetering between collapse and advancement,&lt;/a&gt;&amp;quot; &lt;em&gt;Independent&lt;/em&gt;, January 13, 2025 (about Nahfeez Ahmed&amp;apos;s take on superabundance versus collapse).&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;Rob Dietz, &amp;quot;&lt;a href='https://www.resilience.org/stories/2023-10-27/chris-smaje-vs-george-monbiot-and-the-debate-on-the-future-of-farming/'&gt;Chris Smaje Vs. George Monbiot and the Debate on the Future of Farming,&lt;/a&gt;&amp;quot; &lt;em&gt;Resilience&lt;/em&gt;, October 27, 2023.&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href='https://www.resilience.org/stories/2021-03-11/cognitive-bias-and-global-warming-or-the-story-of-cattle-prods-and-ice-cream-shops-episode-32-of-crazy-town/'&gt;&lt;em&gt;Crazy Town&lt;/em&gt; episode 32 on cognitive bias&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;Megan Phelps-Roper&amp;apos;s &lt;a href='https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2023/08/11/six-questions-we-should-ask-ourselves/'&gt;six questions&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href='https://www.resilience.org/stories/2021-06-10/feedback-loops-and-climate-catastrophe-or-the-story-of-the-baseball-bloodbath-episode-45-of-crazy-town/'&gt;&lt;em&gt;Crazy Town&lt;/em&gt; episode 45 on feedback loops&lt;/a&gt;, featuring an interview with Beth Sawin&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;Post Carbon Institute&amp;apos;s &lt;a href='https://www.resilience.org/product/deep-dive-building-emotional-resilience/'&gt;Deep Dive on building emotional resilience&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&lt;/ul&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a rel="payment" href="https://www.postcarbon.org/supportcrazytown/"&gt;Support the show&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;</description>

Send us a text Do you contemplate topics like climate change, biodiversity loss, and the risk of civilizational collapse? If so, then you probably understand something about bargaining – a psychological defense mechanism that’s one of the five stages of grief. With just a wee bit of embarrassment, Asher, Jason, and Rob reveal damning episodes of bargaining from their personal histories (involving green consumerism and cult-like devotion to technology). Having admitted their sins, they discuss...

Bargaining With Collapse: A Superabundance of Lab Grown Meat and Dryer Balls

<a target="_blank" href="https://www.buzzsprout.com/twilio/text_messages/244372/open_sms">Send us a text</a>Peter Kalmus, climate scientist and returning friend of Crazy Town, used to live in Altadena, California, where one of the disastrous Los Angeles wildfires struck on January 7th. Having learned that his former house had burned, Peter penned an emotional article for the New York Times about his family&apos;s decision to leave LA two years prior, out of safety concerns about frequent heat waves, drought, and just the sort of tragic conflagration that has reduced parts of LA to ashes. Get Peter&apos;s take on this historic wildfire, what nature is trying to teach us, and how to think about unnatural disasters now and in the future. Note: this interview was recorded on January 24, 2025. Warning: This podcast occasionally uses spicy language.Sources/Links/Notes:<ul><li>Peter Kalmus’s article in the New York Times from January 10, 2025: “<a href='https://www.nytimes.com/2025/01/10/opinion/la-fires-los-angeles-wildfires.html'>As a Climate Scientist, I Knew It Was Time to Leave Los Angeles</a>”</li><li>Peter’s book, <a href='https://peterkalmus.net/books/'>Being the Change: Live Well and Spark a Climate Revolution</a></li><li>News story about the <a href='https://www.cnn.com/2020/09/21/us/bobcat-fire-los-angeles-county/index.html'>huge Bobcat Fire</a> that struck Los Angeles County in 2020</li><li><a href='https://www.science.org/content/article/daunting-hurricane-battered-researchers-assess-damage-helene-and-milton'>Article in Science</a> about the damage from Hurricanes Helene and Milton</li><li>Peter mentioned the <a href='https://chem.libretexts.org/Bookshelves/Physical_and_Theoretical_Chemistry_Textbook_Maps/Supplemental_Modules_(Physical_and_Theoretical_Chemistry)/Physical_Properties_of_Matter/States_of_Matter/Phase_Transitions/Clausius-Clapeyron_Equation'>Clausius-Clapeyron equation</a>, which relates vapor pressure to temperature.</li></ul>FeedSpot <a href='https://podcast.feedspot.com/environmental_economics_podcasts/'>ranked Crazy Town as the #1</a> environmental economics podcast.<a rel="payment" href="https://www.postcarbon.org/supportcrazytown/">Support the show</a>

<description>&lt;p&gt;&lt;a target="_blank" href="https://www.buzzsprout.com/twilio/text_messages/244372/open_sms"&gt;Send us a text&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Peter Kalmus, climate scientist and returning friend of &lt;em&gt;Crazy Town&lt;/em&gt;, used to live in Altadena, California, where one of the disastrous Los Angeles wildfires struck on January 7th. Having learned that his former house had burned, Peter penned an emotional article for the &lt;em&gt;New York Times&lt;/em&gt; about his family&amp;apos;s decision to leave LA two years prior, out of safety concerns about frequent heat waves, drought, and just the sort of tragic conflagration that has reduced parts of LA to ashes. Get Peter&amp;apos;s take on this historic wildfire, what nature is trying to teach us, and how to think about unnatural disasters now and in the future. Note: this interview was recorded on January 24, 2025.&lt;br/&gt;&lt;br/&gt;Warning: This podcast occasionally uses spicy language.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Sources/Links/Notes:&lt;/p&gt;&lt;ul&gt;&lt;li&gt;Peter Kalmus’s article in the &lt;em&gt;New York Times&lt;/em&gt; from January 10, 2025: “&lt;a href='https://www.nytimes.com/2025/01/10/opinion/la-fires-los-angeles-wildfires.html'&gt;As a Climate Scientist, I Knew It Was Time to Leave Los Angeles&lt;/a&gt;”&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;Peter’s book, &lt;a href='https://peterkalmus.net/books/'&gt;&lt;em&gt;Being the Change: Live Well and Spark a Climate Revolution&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;News story about the &lt;a href='https://www.cnn.com/2020/09/21/us/bobcat-fire-los-angeles-county/index.html'&gt;huge Bobcat Fire&lt;/a&gt; that struck Los Angeles County in 2020&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href='https://www.science.org/content/article/daunting-hurricane-battered-researchers-assess-damage-helene-and-milton'&gt;Article in &lt;em&gt;Science&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/a&gt; about the damage from Hurricanes Helene and Milton&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;Peter mentioned the &lt;a href='https://chem.libretexts.org/Bookshelves/Physical_and_Theoretical_Chemistry_Textbook_Maps/Supplemental_Modules_(Physical_and_Theoretical_Chemistry)/Physical_Properties_of_Matter/States_of_Matter/Phase_Transitions/Clausius-Clapeyron_Equation'&gt;Clausius-Clapeyron equation&lt;/a&gt;, which relates vapor pressure to temperature.&lt;/li&gt;&lt;/ul&gt;&lt;p&gt;FeedSpot &lt;a href='https://podcast.feedspot.com/environmental_economics_podcasts/'&gt;ranked &lt;em&gt;Crazy Town&lt;/em&gt; as the #1&lt;/a&gt; environmental economics podcast.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a rel="payment" href="https://www.postcarbon.org/supportcrazytown/"&gt;Support the show&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;</description>

Send us a text Peter Kalmus, climate scientist and returning friend of Crazy Town, used to live in Altadena, California, where one of the disastrous Los Angeles wildfires struck on January 7th. Having learned that his former house had burned, Peter penned an emotional article for the New York Times about his family's decision to leave LA two years prior, out of safety concerns about frequent heat waves, drought, and just the sort of tragic conflagration that has reduced parts of LA to ashes. ...

The House Is Quite Literally on Fire: Peter Kalmus on the Climate Emergency Hitting Home

With equal parts humor and in-depth analysis, Asher, Rob, and Jason safeguard their sanity while probing crazy-making topics like climate change, overshoot, runaway capitalism, and why we’re all deluding ourselves.

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