240 | (COVID) Vaccine Hesitancy pt 2
240 | (COVID) Vaccine Hesitancy pt 2

This first discussion briefly explains the COVID Virus, the fallout of the pandemic, and the promise of Operation Warp Speed. We suggested three categories of hesitancy: general (legitimate) reasons, pretend (conspiracy reasons), and Motivated reasons. We only review general reasons for now and will finish the list in the next episode. One takeaway: hesitant people aren’t stupid (most of the time). There are a lot of legitimate reasons to be wary. We disagree with them, of course, but it is helpful to understand where they come from.

Listen in, and remember that you can reach us directly at info@wwdwwdpodcast.com, through the comments below OR on social via @wwdwwdpodcast or #wwdwwdpodcast.

Read More
Human Bias, PseudoscienceWWDWWDAbraham, Shane, Shane Spiker, Shanebraham, Vaccine, COVID, Coronovirus, Operation Warp Speed, Pandemic, Motivated Reasoning, Skepticism, ConservatismComment
239 | (COVID) Vaccine Hesitancy pt 1
239 | (COVID) Vaccine Hesitancy pt 1

This first discussion briefly explains the COVID Virus, the fallout of the pandemic, and the promise of Operation Warp Speed. We suggested three categories of hesitancy: general (legitimate) reasons, pretend (conspiracy reasons), and Motivated reasons. We only review general reasons for now and will finish the list in the next episode. One takeaway: hesitant people aren’t stupid (most of the time). There are a lot of legitimate reasons to be wary. We disagree with them, of course, but it is helpful to understand where they come from.

Listen in, and remember that you can reach us directly at info@wwdwwdpodcast.com, through the comments below OR on social via @wwdwwdpodcast or #wwdwwdpodcast.

Read More
Human Bias, PseudoscienceWWDWWDAbraham, Shane, Shane Spiker, Shanebraham, Vaccine, COVID, Coronovirus, Operation Warp Speed, Pandemic, Motivated Reasoning, Skepticism, ConservatismComment
238 | Goop
238 | Goop

You’re probably going to hear about some products that blow your mind. Also, some products that are most definitely not safe for work. In fact, they might not be safe in general. But that seems to be besides the point, because when you have gained an established brand name, then the possibilities are endless. Grab those consumers by catering toward their wants and needs, and you’ll have them wrapped around your finger forever. That is the Goop way, whether or not it was intended to be. Gwyneth Paltrow has forged her way into the world of wellness in a dynamic way, but not without a question of where good intentions meets ethical responsibility.

Listen in, and remember that you can reach us directly at info@wwdwwdpodcast.com, through the comments below OR on social via @wwdwwdpodcast or #wwdwwdpodcast.

Read More
Marketing, Myth-Busting, Pseudoscience, SexWWDWWDAbraham, Shane, Shane Spiker, Shanebraham, Goop, Gweneth Paltrow, Pseudoscience, Marketing, vagina candle, orgasm candle, jade eggs, vagina steaming, wellness, guru, cult, apple cider, A quiet place part 2Comment
237 | Beyond Dog and Boba Fett
237 | Beyond Dog and Boba Fett

Bounty hunting isn’t just a slick lifestyle for a dude with big biceps and a horrible haircut. It can be a profitable and exciting profession, or a rather dull and routine one. The excitement depends who you’re after, but this ain’t the Old West no more.

Listen in, and remember that you can reach us directly at info@wwdwwdpodcast.com, through the comments below OR on social via @wwdwwdpodcast or #wwdwwdpodcast.

Read More
Social Science, How ToWWDWWDAbraham, Shane, Shane Spiker, Shanebraham, Dog the Bounty Hunter, Boba Fett, Bounty Hunters, Bail Bondsman, Steward, Criminals, Law Enforcement, Trial, Dune, Animal CrossingComment
236 | Don't You D.A.R.E.
236 | Don't You D.A.R.E.

Drugs. The single greatest threat that humankind has ever faced… according to Nancy Reagan. Politicians and depots have known for a long time that fear can unite a people. In the 1980s, stoking fear about and going to “war” with drugs gave the sheeple a common enemy to fear and stoked good fear for their warrior politicians. One of the ill-begotten ideas sprung forth was the D.A.R.E. program. This program was specifically ideological and eschewed empirical evidence. As such, this programs hemorrhaged money for years until it was finally abandoned. Learn about about the rise and epic fall of the D.A.R.E. program and share your D.A.R.E. stories with us!

Listen in, and remember that you can reach us directly at info@wwdwwdpodcast.com, through the comments below OR on social via @wwdwwdpodcast or #wwdwwdpodcast.

Read More
Children, Human Bias, Psychological History, Social ScienceWWDWWDAbraham, Shane, Shane Spiker, Shanebraham, Drugs, Psychedelics, Devil's Lettuce, Lettuce Head, Eternals, Chocolate Truffles, Reagan, War on drugs, Classism, Racism, D.A.R.E., PoliceComment
235 | Above the Atmosphere
235 | Above the Atmosphere

When we were kids we might have told our parents “I’m going to be an astronaut someday!” and our parents patiently smile and say “sure kid.” They knew. Only a tiny fraction of people who apply to be astronauts actually pass the rigorous training and tests. What does it take to be an astronaut? What are the psychological reasons for making this choice? All of this and some biting political commentary… as we are want to do.

Listen in, and remember that you can reach us directly at info@wwdwwdpodcast.com, through the comments below OR on social via @wwdwwdpodcast or #wwdwwdpodcast.

Read More
How ToWWDWWDAbraham, Shane, Shane Spiker, Shanebraham, Astronauts, NASA, USA, America, The Right Stuff, What it Takes, Moon, Atmosphere, Orbit, Scott Kelley, Kelley Scott, Every Time I Die, Radical, Bad Times at the El Royale, PoliticsComment
234 | Poisoned
234 | Poisoned

Don’t poison yourself. Some people do and they do it on purpose, but not to die. In fact, they do it to prevent an early death. This practice is called Mithridatism, named for the legend of Mithridates the King of Pontus who took small doses of poison to prevent assassination attempts. One of our early chemists, Mithridates’ scientific work lives on today. In fact, the theme of Mithridatism is commonplace today in many things that we do.

Listen in, and remember that you can reach us directly at info@wwdwwdpodcast.com, through the comments below OR on social via @wwdwwdpodcast or #wwdwwdpodcast.

Read More
Liesure, The Brain, PhilosophyWWDWWDAbraham, Shane, Shane Spiker, Shanebraham, Poisoning, Poisoned, Self-poisoning, poison, mithridatism, Mithridates, Pontus, Rome, Sexism, Racism, Microdosing FearComment
233 | Why We Bury Our Dead
233 | Why We Bury Our Dead

Halloween season 2021! Time to lay this Halloween season to rest. Shane and Abraham close out this spooky series with a discussion about the history and rational for why we bury our dead. There are both practical and mythological reasons. A question you might not have thought to ask is: what does “burial” mean? Because, only humans bury our dead… if you define it that way.

Listen in, and remember that you can reach us directly at info@wwdwwdpodcast.com, through the comments below OR on social via @wwdwwdpodcast or #wwdwwdpodcast.

Read More
SpookyWWDWWDAbraham, Shane, Shane Spiker, Shanebraham, Halloween, context, Burial, Bury Our Dead, Bury Your Dead, Caves, Intention, Casket, Coffin, Sky Burial, Mausoleum, FormaldehydeComment
232 | What Makes Something "Creepy?"
232 | What Makes Something "Creepy?"

Halloween season 2021! I can’t define it, but I know it when I see it… We all have felt creeped out in some capacity at some point. But what is this feeling? What makes something creepy? There are a lot of different elements for things that tend to be creepy. But it includes things that are not contextual, unexpected, sexual, or violent, or all of those. Hopefully we weren’t creepy…

Listen in, and remember that you can reach us directly at info@wwdwwdpodcast.com, through the comments below OR on social via @wwdwwdpodcast or #wwdwwdpodcast.

Read More
SpookyWWDWWDAbraham, Shane, Shane Spiker, Shanebraham, Halloween, Creepy, Creepiness, Pencil Mustache, Sexual predator, decontextualized, context, Being watched, Odd jobs, Politics, Mitch McConnell, Bugs, Cryptids, Emotions, Feels, FeelingsComment
231 | Vampires
231 | Vampires

Halloween season 2021! Where do we find vampires in the real world? We dive into the history and lore of vampirism and explore some plausible conditions that may have inspired this myth.

Listen in, and remember that you can reach us directly at info@wwdwwdpodcast.com, through the comments below OR on social via @wwdwwdpodcast or #wwdwwdpodcast.

Read More
SpookyWWDWWDAbraham, Shane, Shane Spiker, Shanebraham, Halloween, History, Vlad the Impaler, Vampires, Rabies, porphyria, twilight, cryptids, politicsComment
230 | History of Halloween
230 | History of Halloween

Halloween season 2021! Shane and Abraham crack open the history books to learn about where the traditions and history of halloween come from. Amazingly, if you traveled back in time to witness this tradition, you might recognize many contemporary practices that are still around. Despite being hailed as demonic, Christians are largely responsible for bringing Halloween to modern culture, establishing many of the current traditions, and even coming up with the name. Also, we bust some myths and provide recommendations, like we do.

Listen in, and remember that you can reach us directly at info@wwdwwdpodcast.com, through the comments below OR on social via @wwdwwdpodcast or #wwdwwdpodcast.

Read More
Children, How To, Myth-Busting, SpookyWWDWWDAbraham, Shane, Shane Spiker, Shanebraham, Halloween, History, History of Halloween, Trick-or-Treat, All Saints Day, All Saints Eve, All Hallows Eve, Sam Wain, fun sponge, myths, Razor blades, Free drugsComment
229 | Low-Grade Mania
229 | Low-Grade Mania

A little-known diagnosis that seems to describe you and most people. Shane has officially been diagnosed with this. Described as “the disorder you’d want to have if you’ve had to have a disorder,” this still has long-term consequences. Learn about this uncommon diagnosis.

Listen in, and remember that you can reach us directly at info@wwdwwdpodcast.com, through the comments below OR on social via @wwdwwdpodcast or #wwdwwdpodcast.

Read More
Diagnosis, DisordersWWDWWDAbraham, Shane, Shane Spiker, Shanebraham, DSM, Diagnosis, neuro-diverse, hypomania, bipolar, manic depression, bipolar I, bipolar II, mania, low-grade mania, hulk, mildly irritatedComment
228 | Psychology's Checkered Bible
228 | Psychology's Checkered Bible

A comprehensive history of the Diagnositc and Statistical Manual of the United States. Where did diagnoses come from? Where do they come from now? We don’t pull any punches but try to be as fair as possible. What do you want to know about the DSM?

Listen in, and remember that you can reach us directly at info@wwdwwdpodcast.com, through the comments below OR on social via @wwdwwdpodcast or #wwdwwdpodcast.

Read More
Diagnosis, Disorders, The Brain, Psychological History, AutismWWDWWDAbraham, Shane, Shane Spiker, Shanebraham, DSM, Diagnosis, Mental Health, racism, neuro-diverse, jet lag, history, psychology, Freud, MilitaryComment
227 | Guardians
227 | Guardians

Conservatorship is meant to protect the assets and well-being of people who cannot or are deemed to be unable to make decisions for themselves. While this could be a good thing, but there is also the potential for abuse. There is some discussion about the “Britney” situation, of course #FreeBritney.

Listen in, and remember that you can reach us directly at info@wwdwwdpodcast.com, through the comments below OR on social via @wwdwwdpodcast or #wwdwwdpodcast.

Read More
LiesureWWDWWDAbraham, Shane, Shane Spiker, Shanebraham, Conservatorship, Britney Spears, #FreeBritney, #SwollenTesticles, Bill and Ted, Wrong TurnComment
226 | Jet Lag
226 | Jet Lag

Shane and Abraham discuss what jet lag is and what it isn’t. Further, we talk about ways to treat jet lag that don’t work, or at least are unverified, and ways to manage jet lag that do work. Also, some fun tidbits that might be interesting. For example, did you know that jet lag is worse depending on what direction you are traveling, and that there are two directions you can travel in which you don’t experience it at all?

Listen in, and remember that you can reach us directly at info@wwdwwdpodcast.com, through the comments below OR on social via @wwdwwdpodcast or #wwdwwdpodcast.

Read More
Disorders, LiesureWWDWWDAbraham, Shane, Shane Spiker, Shanebraham, jet lag, time zones, air travel, traveling, west, east, alternative medicine, acupuncture, acupressure, homeopathy, behavior change, Netflix, My octopus teacher, The Bronx, SleepComment
225 | Sleepless in Insomnia
225 | Sleepless in Insomnia

No, you can’t die from insomnia. But it super sucks. Did you know insomnia doesn’t mean no sleeping, just poor sleeping? You can treat it with therapy and practicing good sleep hygiene, unless it is caused by another external factor.

Listen in, and remember that you can reach us directly at info@wwdwwdpodcast.com, through the comments below OR on social via @wwdwwdpodcast or #wwdwwdpodcast.

Read More
Diagnosis, Social ScienceWWDWWDAbraham, Shane, Shane Spiker, Shanebraham, Sleep, Sleepless, Sleep Hygiene, sleep disorder, Insomnia, Wakefulness, AwakeComment
224 | Speed Reading: Read Anything in Normal Minutes
224 | Speed Reading: Read Anything in Normal Minutes

A myth-busting discussion about the broken promise of speed reading. There is an upper limit to what humans are physically capable of doing and speed reading and quantum reading propose to break that physical barrier. So far, the evidence is not looking so good.

Listen in, and remember that you can reach us directly at info@wwdwwdpodcast.com, through the comments below OR on social via @wwdwwdpodcast or #wwdwwdpodcast.

Read More
Education, Myth-Busting, PseudoscienceWWDWWDAbraham, Shane, Shane Spiker, Shanebraham, Speed Reading, Reading, Education, Instruction, myth-busting, Mormons, Quantum ReadingComment
223 | What is the Point of Music Videos?
223 | What is the Point of Music Videos?

For nearly a century, visual accompaniments to pieces of music have captured our hearts and evolved at such a fascinating rate that they have become a staple of pop culture. Several eras of music videos evolved alongside major Hollywood productions and became their own unique expression of emotion, social commentary, and creativity. Pioneers such as Madonna and Michael Jackson paved the way toward their infinite stardom by capitalizing on the popularity of MTV and round-the-clock music videos. Once YouTube and on-demand access became available, there became no limit of where the art form could go. Even today we see artists reinventing the medium, inviting audiences to interact with their creations more intimately and at any time. This has challenged artists to create on multiple levels and has moved the idea of music far beyond its beginnings on radios and vinyl.

Listen in, and remember that you can reach us directly at info@wwdwwdpodcast.com, through the comments below OR on social via @wwdwwdpodcast or #wwdwwdpodcast.

Read More
Liesure, Sex, MarketingWWDWWDAbraham, Shane, Shane Spiker, Shanebraham, Music Videos, Marketing, Swearing, Economics, Preference, Musical Preference, Tool, The Beastie Boys, Dance Gavin Dance, Taking Back Sunday, Protest the Hero, Polyphia, Thrice, Rancid, Strike Anywhere, David Lee Roth, Periphery, Green Day, Amon Amarth, Slipknot, OK GoComment
222 | Kleptomania
222 | Kleptomania

This episode will investigate kleptomania, which deviates from traditional shoplifting and other types of theft in that it’s less about the item, and more about responding to urges. Specific conditions make one more likely to snatch meaningless things, which often leads to damaged social relationships, lost jobs, or heavy legal consequences. Fortunately, several therapies have been successful in treating this condition, helping individuals to respond more effectively to their urges and reducing the chances of trouble.

Listen in, and remember that you can reach us directly at info@wwdwwdpodcast.com, through the comments below OR on social via @wwdwwdpodcast or #wwdwwdpodcast.

Read More
Disorders, Social ScienceWWDWWDAbraham, Shane, Shane Spiker, Shanebraham, Kleptomania, Disorders, Urges, Stealing, Habits, Habit Reversal, Worthless, PointlessComment
221 | Impulsivity and the Marshmallow
221 | Impulsivity and the Marshmallow

What to Expect:

This episode will highlight early studies of Walter Mischel that examined “delay to gratification” effects under various circumstances, and several follow-up studies looking at longitudinal impact of the initial results. While early results suggested correlations in predictive value toward future academic and behavioral success, these may have been overgeneralized from a narrow sample population, and ignorant of more potent variables in a child’s environment.

Listen in, and remember that you can reach us directly at info@wwdwwdpodcast.com, through the comments below OR on social via @wwdwwdpodcast or #wwdwwdpodcast.

Read More
Social Science, Children, Education, Human Bias, Psychological History, Behavioral EconomicsWWDWWDAbraham, Shane, Shane Spiker, Shanebraham, Impulsivity, Marshmallow Test, Marshmallows, Pretzels, Self-control, DistractionComment