Let's Get Real - Episode 3 preview: Love and discontent

Here is the first of a set of excerpts from my 3rd podcast conversation. It was an interesting chat with a charming lass on the topic of love and discontent. The sound quality is an improvement on previous recordings as it was done in an enclosed space. You'll have to forgive the coughs though :)

For those wondering about the comedian I mentioned who went through the Rumspringa, its Kurt Braunohler. He has recounted the story on several podcasts including Marc Maron and Pete Holmes' programs and 'This American Life'.

VIDEO: CNN - A comic's sexual rumspringa

Comedian Duncan Trussell and Community creator Dan Harmon on Hedonism and sex online

The Matrix. Hedonism open on all windows

Imagine you had an impulse to get a massage but didn't know where you could get them. You also don't have a smartphone so you call a good friend asking them to google directions. If only they could also upload life skills as well. *Downloading Stamina...*.

When you're playing VideoGames or watching movies, how much of that experience is living in that moment and how much of it is wishing you were doing it "for real". Is it escapism or replacement?

Duncan Trussell Family Hour - Episode 33: Dan Harmon
DAN HARMON: My belief is that if you gather 100 prostitutes and you polygraphed them so there was no lying and you could just read their thoughts and feelings, you would find that let's say 85 of the 100 would rather be doctors or airline pilots or carpenters. 85 out of 100 of them had fallen on hard times and were resorting to something they didn't want to do...
DUNCAN TRUSSELL: I think that's a pretty accurate hypothesis and I think if you brought in 100 guys who pay money to f*ck prostitutes, there's probably gonna be 85 of them who would rather have someone [that they're in love with]
I think there is an undocumented psychic plague that is afflicting humanity right now and that is internet porn...

Kumail Nanjiani and Pete Holmes talk about affecting the world today

You Made it Weird #93: Kumail Nanjiani returns
PETE HOLMES: (1h 32m) We are stuck in these personas that are nice people. Sometimes I worry that... my ID is at the helm going "Get rich and famous"... and then you can do whatever you want or use alcohol - a cheap rich and fame - and say I was drunk... its just like a write-off
KUMAIL NANJIANI: Its an irresponisibilty
HOLMES: How are you giving yourself green lights to act the way you really secretly wanna?
NANJIANI: I think for me that anger or meanness, its power or a way to affect the world. You can affect the world in many ways. You can play the slow game which is what we're doing, working hard, doing bits. Working on TV shows, affecting the world slowly and through a lot of hard work in a positive way. You can also affect the world in a negative way today. You couldn't affect the world positively today by something you decided to do today. It would be hard. Something negative, just yell at a guy on the street. Punch a guy walking down the street
HOLMES: Shoot at a guy at the ATM
NANJIANI: That's power!
HOLMES: That's the appeal of the dark side, immediate results
NANJIANI: We've talked about this before, that's why Videogames are good. They give you power in a world where there are no real consequences

As a supplement, The Indoor Kids #93: Why we play, with Pete Holmes

Life is a sandbox and we create our reality based on the actions we take. VideoGames are getting closer to creating exciting sandboxes for us to play in.

VIDEO: Dishonored Video Review - IGN Reviews