The Subvert
Welcome to the Land of No Easy Answers. We seek to unravel the mysteries of the mind, the vagaries of the universe, and all the connections between. From learning to friend again in the post-pandemic, to combining neuroscience with sock puppets, The Subvert Podcast is here to help explain the chaos, with more chaos. Join hosts Kristin Rumohr and Aaron Stewart as we attempt to unravel the mysteries of the mind and your universe, subverting the disconnect between perceived realities. Subscribe to our YouTube channel to get the most out of this podcast https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCJORGfAlZaEHdPhE60_lpxA
Episodes
45 episodes
Robo-cops are Here! "Is Removing the Humanity from Policing Considered Progress?"
Robot police are slowly being introduced around the world. Will outsourcing policing to robots ultimately make enforcement easier and free up human resources for other tasks as they say it will? Should robots be capable of making decision...
•
Season 3
•
Episode 23
•
24:07
Thinking Can Kill You? "Why Thinking may be Harmful to Health"
Research shows that higher neural activity is linked to shorter lifespans. We can't turn our brains off, so how can we find periods of lower neural activity in a world where we are constantly stimulated? Are certain types of thoughts more harmf...
•
Season 3
•
Episode 22
•
24:10
They Poison us and Get Away With it? - "Holding Corporations Accountable"
The biggest polluters on this planet are big corporations. They create products that later on are shown to be toxic, then receive little to no repercussions for their behaviours, and go on to poison us more. Why do we allow them to keep getting...
•
Season 3
•
Episode 21
•
27:27
Making Connections - "The Fears and Challenges of Putting Yourself out There"
We discuss the difficulty of people breaking out of their comfort zones in order to form new connections, friendships, or getting into new situations. Why is it so difficult for some people to find new situations? Is fear of rejection holding u...
•
Season 3
•
Episode 20
•
34:02
The Rise of AI - "Can the Human Mind Keep up with Progress?"
It looks like AI is here to stay, and will soon be taking over many human tasks. What does that mean for humanity? Does work define humanity, and if so, what will taking it away from us do for our culture and our individual psyches? What would ...
•
Season 3
•
Episode 18
•
26:59
Talking to Animals: "Are we Prepared to Listen?"
AI is currently being developed to decode animal language and allow humans to communicate with animals. How may this affect how we think about and treat animals? Are we prepared to have our current assumptions about animal communication and beh...
•
Season 3
•
Episode 17
•
25:02
Fear of Commitment and Connection: "Modern Dating Part 3"
Have you noticed casual culture seems to be the norm now? There seems to be a reluctance for people to commit to just about anything anymore, but this seems particularly true in the dating world. What has caused this sudden fear of committing t...
•
Season 3
•
Episode 16
•
41:04
They See You! "Using WiFi Signals to Spy Through Walls: Protection or Control?"
Scientists have found a way to use wifi signals to literally see through walls! What are the implications of this? Is this a tool that will ultimately keep us safer from threats, or is it a cover to extract more data and control? Does the right...
•
Season 3
•
Episode 15
•
35:16
Jurassic Park is Here! "Considering the Resurrection of Extinct Animals"
Science has figured out a way to resurrect the Wooly Mammoth! What are the implications of this? Can this sort of scientific advancement lead to a better world? Are we playing God, and if so, is this a product of our intellect or our egos? What...
•
Season 3
•
Episode 14
•
22:40
Entitlement! "How Does one Become Entitled and How do we Deal with Those That are?"
How have we ended up in a culture dominated with entitled individuals? What makes a person feel entitled in the first place? Does entitlement and selfishness necessarily go hand in hand? How could our cultural values shape what we perceive as e...
•
Season 3
•
Episode 13
•
41:50
Yay! Existential Crisis! - "Dissecting Self-Doubt"
We've all had them, those existential crisis that make you question everything about yourself! Why do our brains send us down these rabbit holes of self-doubt? How does our current consumerist individualistic culture contribute to our over-acti...
•
Season 3
•
Episode 12
•
29:57
Mind Reading - Good or Evil? "The Pros and Cons of Technology Advancement"
Research is well underway to develop technology that will read our thoughts. What would be the benefit to this technology? Could this help advance humanity or will it be used to impose more control and oppression? Should we have a say in what t...
•
Season 3
•
Episode 11
•
28:23
Communicating with People who Think Differently - Why Are We Afraid of "The Other"?
Have you noticed how quick we are to stick labels on those who simply think differently? Our media culture seems to claim they are celebrating diversity, yet seems to push us all towards one unified way of thinking. Who decides what normal thou...
•
Season 3
•
Episode 10
•
31:09
Ego's and Sexism in Modern Dating
We continue the discussion of modern dating, delving into the sex differences of attraction. How does it affect us psychologically when we are rejected? Do the sexes have different criteria for what is culturally acceptable to reject? How can w...
•
Season 3
•
Episode 9
•
39:20
The Ick Factor: "Modern Dating, Are we Looking for Partners or Accessories?"
As per your requests we are delving into the chaos that is modern dating! What is the "ick" factor, and why are we so quick to find each other's "ick's"? Does online dating dehumanise potential partners by making them disposable? How does movin...
•
Season 3
•
Episode 8
•
23:28
Would You Want to Live Forever? "The Moral Implications of Increasing Our Life Span"
Science has found a way to increase our lifespans by 30%, it could be as easy as just taking a pill! Why do humans feel they are more deserving of evading death than any other living thing on this planet? Will everyone get access to this pill, ...
•
Season 3
•
Episode 7
•
36:02
No Does NOT Mean Yes!: "The Language of Assault Appears to Differ by Gender, Why?"
An ad campaign for reducing sexual violence has been released in British Columbia; but with a different message for men and women. Why would different language be used to describe sexual attacks for men than women? Does our culture still subcon...
•
Season 3
•
Episode 6
•
31:56
Wait, Losing Sleep Means Losing Empathy?: "Are we Just too Tired to Care About Others?"
Research links lack of sleep, even one hour less, to having less capacity to think about others, and this effect appears to be cumulative (i.e. one day of "catch up sleep" does not reset this effect). We are all aware sleep is important and yet...
•
Season 3
•
Episode 5
•
35:44
Words Hurt (Literally!): "How Insults and Negativity Pull our Society Further Apart"
Research shows that insults register the same in the brain as being physically hit! We are taught as children to not call people names, and yet in our culture negativity, name-calling, and insults appear to be the norm. If our brains hold on to...
•
Season 3
•
Episode 4
•
39:01
Suffering our Evolution: "Are we Actually Smarter Than Animals?"
Do you sometimes envy the animals, not needing to prove their existence, simply existing? There's no doubt that our species have created some wonderful things with our advanced brains, but this evolution has caused us to also question our own e...
•
Season 3
•
Episode 3
•
28:18
The Paranormal Episode
Happy Halloween everyone! It's time to talk about ghosts! Kristin and Aaron discuss perceptions of paranormal experiences. Is there energy out there we aren't capable of perceiving, and is it possible some people can pick up on it? Why do...
•
Season 3
•
Episode 2
•
28:34
Lacking Motivation and the Guilt of Not Being Productive
Welcome to season 3!! Kristin and Aaron discuss the guilt surrounding feeling un-motivated and not producing as much as they set out to. When our culture demands constant progress and results, how can we justify our rest time? How can people be...
•
Season 3
•
Episode 1
•
19:55
No Easy Answers to Reacting to Suicide
***Warning, this episode may be upsetting to some people ***. Aaron reacts to one of his favourite singers committing suicide. This sparks a discussion about the impact on the thoughts of those left behind when someone takes their own life. How...
•
Season 2
•
Episode 22
•
20:28
When The Days Start Blurring Together How do we Feel Purpose?
The last few years have encouraged us to stay home, stay separate, and shut down many day to day activities. It's easy to feel like the days just blur into each other, and we can lose motivation and sense of purpose in life. Many people are sti...
•
Season 2
•
Episode 21
•
24:01
No Easy Answers to Gun Violence...
Gun violence is still on the rise, with horrific mass shootings becoming alarmingly more frequent. What is the appeal of gun ownership? Can our culture be contributing to pushing people to use gun violence as a means of expression? Are guns the...
•
Season 2
•
Episode 20
•
21:34