Critical Nonsense

SYLVAIN
  • 5.0 (43)
  • PHILOSOPHY
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High-low brow conversations about culture, science, and tech. With hosts Joey Camire, Aaron Powers, and executive producer/nerd herder Jess Vander. SYLVAIN is a strategy and design company.

  1. 5D AGO

    340! Actuallys

    When is the right time to actually?  This week, Joey and Jess talk about corrections, status, intent, virtue, asymmetric information, and confidence intervals. They don’t talk about Thomas Brodie-Sangster.  references  Bear Grylls Patroclus

    26 min

  2. FEB 2

    339! Medical Experiments

    How far would you be willing to go to experiment with your health?  This week, Joey and Jess talk about peptides, biohacking, Silicon Valley libertarian culture, Bryan Johnson, exercise, and salt. They don’t talk about The Gelflings.  references  Confirmations Department: Yes, Tears for Fears Vectorculture: Not For Human Consumption Peptide Mounjaro Wired: Bryan Johnson Is Going to Die Food & Wine: Morton vs. Diamond Crystal Kosher Salt: What’s the Difference? Solid Wiggles

    25 min

  3. JAN 13

    338! Short-Form Video

    Why do we keep using short-form video?  This week, Joey and Jess talk about dopamine culture, friction, flow state, floating, smoking, and green juice. They don’t talk about cannolis.  references  American Psychological Association: Feeds, Feelings, and Focus: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis Examining the Cognitive and Mental Health Correlates of Short-Form Video Use Designing Friction Bad UX World Cup The Perfect Date Picker Soy Boy Face / Soyjak Canelé

    29 min

  4. JAN 5

    337! Dressing Up

    How do you dress for success?  This week, Aaron and Joey talk about fashion plates, professionalism, drag, archetyping, navigating differences, and respect. They don’t talk about Rufio.  references  Fashion plate Professionalism as a Racial Construct Economic Policy Institute: The CROWN Act Paris is Burning Underground ball culture Everyday Feminism: You Call It Professionalism; I Call It Oppression in a Three-Piece Suit

    29 min

  5. 12/29/2025

    336! 2025 Wild Prognostications: A Year in Review!

    This week, Aaron, Jess and Joey revisit their 2025 prognogs from Episode 296. They talk about the micro social media surge, cynicism, platform madness, informed styling, blockbusters, weaponized compliance, non-apocalyptic runaway AI moments, and our AI overlords. They don’t talk about eggprogs.  references  If I ruled the world ... People: Bob Mackie Says 'People Were Horrified' by Cher's 'Naked' 1974 Met Gala Dress, Even Ripping Her Photo off Magazine Covers Tasting ultra-aged eggnog America's Test Kitchen: How to Make the Absolute Best Eggnog Louis Pasteur Memphis Group Conan O'Brien Needs A Friend Podcast: Conan Blames Jason Bateman For His Dad's Death Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 Split Fiction AAA (video game industry) quod erat demonstrandum The New York Times: Gonzo Fans Have Made ‘Dungeon Crawler Carl’ Into a Global Blockbuster Michiko Kakutani's 1995 The New York Times book review of Wicked: Let's Get This Straight: Glinda Was the Bad One? (paywall) Bloomberg: OpenAI's Nvidia, AMD Deals Boost $1 Trillion AI Boom With Circular Deals (paywall) The Food Lab: How to Roast the Best Potatoes of Your Life

    1h 8m

  6. 12/15/2025

    335! Giving a Fart

    What does your Zero Farts Land future look like?  This week, Aaron, Joey, and Jess talk about f***s. And farts.  references  Empire: Jamie Lee Curtis Is Done Compromising – And She’s Not Slowing Down George Wallace (not George Wallace) Kenan Thompson on We Might Be Drunk with Normand and Morril Janelle James on Conan O'Brien Needs A Friend The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F*ck by Mark Manson

    38 min

  7. 12/03/2025

    334! How to Strategy

    How do you strategy?  This week, Aaron and Joey talk about Elliott Kalan, the School of Let's Figure It Out, emotional distance from work, working in teams, meandering, and strategy that bleeds. They don’t talk about Jamesy P.  references  Pure Moods Joke Farming: How to Write Comedy and Other Nonsense by Elliott Kalan 99% Invisible Podcast Episode 646: Interview with Elliott Kalan Corrections Department: Les has never ever ever heard, touched, or even seen a copy of Pure Moods and now fears his colleagues do not understand him at all.

    34 min

  8. 11/24/2025

    333! Hanlon’s Razor

    Why do we expect the worst?  This week, Aaron and Jess talk about simple solutions, Karen moments, assuming malice, Thanos, Falkland's Law, and lemmings. They don’t talk about the famous former power forward for the Boston Celtics or the Hamburger Peddler's rhyming buddy.  references  Corrections Department: Camila Cabello "I'll Be Home for [Quizmois]" Glee's Kevin McHale Kevin McHale on the Loss of Naya Rivera Hanlon’s Razor Guillermo del Toro's Frankenstein Cringe Blvd. Slow Horses Falkland's Law

    36 min
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5
out of 5
43 Ratings

About

High-low brow conversations about culture, science, and tech. With hosts Joey Camire, Aaron Powers, and executive producer/nerd herder Jess Vander. SYLVAIN is a strategy and design company.

Information

  • Creator
    SYLVAIN
  • Years Active
    2018 - 2026
  • Episodes
    100
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © Copyright 2026 Critical Nonsense