Dark vs light is just one preferential pairs we debate when it comes to our media consumption. Do you like it miserable and edgy like Mr. What and Lord Thunder? Or uplifting and positive like Brian? Oh, and welcome to Jason Cabassi!
In This Episode
- Welcome, Jason Cabassi and Lord Thunder
- First things first... Jason needs a superhero name
- Brief history on the Jason/Brian friendship
- Why Walking Dead fell off the rails
- Dark vs Light: what are we drawn to?
- Revisiting the Enneagram
- Virtual Reality
- Red Dead Redemption 2, Resident Evil 2
Dark vs Light
Interestingly, it's not a conversation we've had a lot on this show... even though it's totally right up our alley. This trio of hosts provides an ideal makeup of individuals falling on both sides of the spectrum and the guys have an insightful conversation about what it is about movies and television with dark thematic elements that draws them in. Brian shares why he prefers lighter, more positive content.
Before we make Brian sound like a delicate flower, let's make it clear that we delineate horror and suspense. There are some tvs and movies that have dark themes, but don't go evil... and that's largely where Brian [and myself] draw the line. I'll let you listen to Brian in his own words, but from my own perspective, I'm very sensitive to depressive, obsessive themes and internalize them far too deeply. If you've listened to any of the TRBS shows I've been on, you'll know that I tend to go deep pretty quickly. I'm very introspective and most of my daily activities take place inside my head. At some point I just recognized that dark themes affect me negatively... and stopped consuming them.
That perspective really only ever seems to be vocalized in that direction, however. Have you ever heard someone say, "Yeah, I just can't take all the positive vibes?" More often it's the lack of depth or lack of reality in some content we'd consider "light". And light doesn't even have to mean overtly positive, it could just mean like... Arrow versus Walking Dead, right? Arrow is dark in its own right, but it's a different kind of dark from the Walking Dead.
Ironically, even Arrow got too dark for me. Remember that time when I quit Arrow Squad? Yeah...
Even when we think we can clearly define our overarching preferences, there are still exceptions and limitations depending on peripheral preferences. Maybe we like dark themes, but can't stand a particular actor... meaning we won't watch a film even when it is something we'd otherwise totally enjoy. Or - this happens to me a lot - I won't watch a film that checks all my boxes because it has an actor who I associate with a certain typecast. I feel bad about that (sorta) but... It's we're having salad for dinner one night and I say, "I love cheese! Pile it on!" Then you make pancakes for dinner the next morning and pile it high with blue cheese leftover from the salad the night before. That's not what I meant!
Talking about preferences is interesting, and ends up revealing a lot more about ourselves than we realize. Where do you come down on the dark vs light debate?
Links
- Jason Cabassi on Profitcast: Episode 6 & Episode 75
- Interview with Jason Cabassi
- Walking Deadcast Facebook Group
Do you like grenades and ham? Do you… wait, what? No, not grenades. GREEN EGGS. We sort out this confusion and much more with Brian, Tony and Rob! Got some more dentist stories and updates on No Man's Sky... plus a meaty discussion on how the opinions and advice of others can affect the way we do life.
In This Episode
- The smoke! Ahhh the smoke.
- Stories from the Molinator
- Project 1999 Everquest, No Man's Sky
- Serious question: should we buy gas masks?
- Curiosity didn't kill the cat, Brian did!
- Grow up?
Grenades and Ham
We are all victims of our environment! Or, are we a product of our environment? Nurture vs nature, the age-old question, is greatly influenced by our perspective on whether we are victims or products. It's like, is the glass half-empty or half-full? Brian's three personal pillars, of what he wants out of life, have driven him and focused him in his pursuits, which ironically (and appropriately!) means not getting boxed in. This show is dedicated to people who have a variety of interests, who like the feeling of turning on a podcast and just hanging out with friends, and nerding out about the things we love.
Our environment and past greatly influence how we respond and behave in the present. Sometimes we just can't help the perspectives we've accumulated and our opinions spill out as advice and fact-like, despite them being rather particular to our own experiences. Ultimately, it is our decision whether or not to listen, but as we undoubtedly to it to others we must recognize that others will continue to do it to us.
How do we combat it it? Dialogue. Discuss. My big one lately is to not let it get a rise out of me. Acknowledge, going into the conversation, that what the other person is saying is a product of their experience. Though we might consider them victims of their environment, that is just a matter of perspective! One of the things we love doing on this show is getting to the heart of the matter. What is more at the heart of a person than the unadulterated humanity of every person? Looking past the layers of "advice" and seeing the human and the experiences of that human, can be challenging, but it is way more rewarding than harboring anger about their own perspectives speaking into our lives.
Links
We’re pleased to welcome back Robbie, aka Dr. RobDog, the dentist saving everyone’s smile and embodying that positive force for good. Don't worry, when we talk about cavity searches... we're talking literally. We've got a lot to nerd out about in this episode! Gluten-free living, thoughts from re-watching a beloved superhero film, and more dentistry awesomeness.
In This Episode...
- Dr. RobDog IS Batman
- Fanmail for Dr. RobDog
- Madame Grey Tea
- The Dark Knight - a rewatch
- Anger: handling it
A Positive Force
"I feel I’m ready to return to him for the same reason – to research and experience what comforting and reforming light he might shine on these often very dark times..."
Patrick Steward Captain Picard
That's right, folks, Captain Picard is making a live-action return to the small screen! Patrick Steward will reprise his role as the iconic Star Trek character and, as such, has since had a lot of positive things to say about the opportunity. As much as we all like to say we enjoy the dark thematic elements that Netflix has inundated us with over the past five years, taking full advantage of the TV-MA rating, there is a whole different draw to content and to people who bring us joy. It is comments like these that inspire me most! And I don't even know that much about Star Trek!
As the guys talk about in the episode, sometimes ignorance is bliss... particularly in this day and age where social media has taken over how we consume news and how we react to it. AND how we absorb the reactions of our peers and role models. I recently watched the local, nightly news for the first time in a looong time and it was one story after another about death, about loss, about people being taken advantage of. I was exhausted at the end of the hour. However, it was a different kind of exhaustion. It wasn't an exhaustion that doubles as exasperation from endless opinions about current events. It was a pure exhaustion from the reminder of what reality is. It was nice that I didn't have to read comments from anyone with a Facebook account about each news segment.
But as James Halliday wrote in his memoirs... reality is real. I would much rather be exhausted because of reality rather than be exhausted by the opinions of reality. (FYI - that quote was from Ready Player One.)
The major question coming out of this episode is: how can we be a positive force in a world riddled with such negativity? Negativity inspires negativity. What goes into our heads will also come out of our mouths. We each have such unique talents and perspectives that my version of being a "positive force" will probably look different from yours, but it has to start with a decision. A decision to rise above the negativity. We've got to fight for it! Every day.
That seems pleasantly ironic... fighting for positivity. Fighting... implying violence. Maybe the word "struggle" is better. A struggle can imply violence, which is not what I mean to suggest, but more the idea that it is difficult and that we encounter resistance. In the end, because we've grappled with that difficult thing, we understand the value in what we've accomplished and overcome and will hold onto it much more tightly.
Links
Lemon pledge might solve your furnishing polish needs, but we recommend you stop there. We do not recommend sniffing it to relieve pain! The truth is, we're all a bit like Consuela... we all need more lemon pledge. We also need to nerd out on stuff, right? So we've got a great lineup of topics for you in this episode, courtesy of Brian and Tony!
In This Episode...
- Lactaid milk
- Health tips from around the community
- Brainstorming "themed" episodes
- No Man's Sky
- Star Trek Discovery
- Black Lightning
Lemon Pledge
This product has a long history. One of the earliest televised advertisements appeared in 1966, the tagline for the product being "beauty of waxing with none of the work". The purpose of it is to dust and clean furniture, and really not much about that has changed in the last 60 years.
Unlike technology or fashion, the only things that have changed about cleaning products from generation to generation are the active agents that make it do what it's designed for. (And branding, I suppose!) Products become safer, and with the internet we have a greater demand for transparency on what these products contain. For example, SC Johnson (the creator of Lemon Pledge) provides the full breakdown of all the ingredients in their products and an explanation of what those ingredients are and their acknowledgement of the effect it might have on people and the environment.
Lemon Pledge is one of the more unique cleaning products, in my own personal opinion/experience... because it has such a distinctive smell that it's almost like you know how it tastes. So distinctive that people use phrases like, "Blech! Tastes like lemon pledge!" (even though eating, or inhaling, it would probably kill you - or maim you).
So... like we said. We do not actually recommend snorting lemon pledge. But for all your furniture maintenance needs, well, I guess we'll let you decide for yourself.
Tottenham vs AC Milan
I'm a pretty big soccer fan, in case there was any question. I had the awesome opportunity to go to the Tottenham/AC Milan match at U.S. Bank Stadium on Tuesday night. Minneapolis built U.S. Bank Stadium for the Minnesota Vikings, but in its two years of existence I've actually only ever attended soccer games at this stadium! It's an incredible venue and runs so much more efficiently than the Metrodome ever did.
Here's a couple pictures from the night. I immediately jumped on the best seats I could find... we were behind one of the goals, off to the side. The one goal that was scored in the game was scored right in front of us. So it was basically an awesome night!
Links
- TRBS Twitch Channel
- A Naturopathic Guide to Identifying your Food Sensitivities Part 1 & Part 2
- Examine.com - unbiased healthy food research