"About Something" Podcast

The Cult in Your Pocket

In Season 1, Episode 5: The Cult in Your Pocket, we dive into the strange new world where everyone is the star of a show nobody asked to be in. Learn why your phone has quietly become a portable spotlight, how algorithms manipulate your need to be “relatable,” and why we’re all performing like method actors trapped in a never‑ending reboot of The Truman Show. Discover why constant visibility reshapes your identity, how platforms manipulate your need for connection, and why we mistake surveillance for affection. This episode unpacks the psychology behind online performance, the illusion of consent, and the billion‑dollar attention farm we’ve all been herded into — and shows you how to step out of the frame before you accidentally go viral for crying into sponsored Coke and cookies. This Substack is reader-supported. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. Get full access to "About Something" at aboutsomething.substack.com/subscribe [https://aboutsomething.substack.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_4]

The Sickness of Enshittificationitis Explained

In Season 1, Episode 4: The Sickness of Enshittificationitis Explained, we deliver a shocking diagnosis of a cultural disease: Enshittificationitis. We examine the rapid spread of this systemic decay, which is turning our favourite digital platforms into cluttered, unusable messes. If you feel like your products and services are actively working against you, you aren’t crazy—you’re witnessing a viral decline of modern capitalism. We go beyond the headlines to dive deep into the pathology of digital rot. Using our unique Prion-like disease framework, we explore why platforms are biologically wired to prioritise profit over people, eventually suffocating the very users that made them successful. This episode breaks down the lifecycle of the Enshittificationitis pathology: a wild ride through the economics of platform collapse, the psychology of user frustration, and the mental toll of digital degradation. Tune in as we diagnose why the internet we loved is disappearing right before our eyes and find out if there’s a cure for this "enshittified" world, or if we’re just waiting for the next thing to break. This Substack is reader-supported. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. Get full access to "About Something" at aboutsomething.substack.com/subscribe [https://aboutsomething.substack.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_4]

Why Your Brain Is Bad at Risk

In Season 1, Episode 3: Why Your Brain Is Bad at Risk, we reveal how your “rational” mind secretly sabotages your decisions. Discover why the human brain is biologically terrible at judging real danger, and learn the psychology behind cognitive biases like Loss Aversion and the Availability Heuristic. This episode breaks down the mental shortcuts that cost you money, time, and peace of mind — and shows you how to stop fearing the wrong things and start making smarter choices. This Substack is reader-supported. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. Get full access to "About Something" at aboutsomething.substack.com/subscribe [https://aboutsomething.substack.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_4]

The Alpha Male is a Zoo Typo

In Season 1, Episode 2: The Alpha Male Is a Zoo Typo, we dive deep into the surprising and frankly hilarious origins of the 'Alpha Male' concept, contrasting this scientific mistake about captive wolves with the real, functional model of Parental Leadership. Discover the real science of wolf packs, why biologist David Mech tried to unpublish his own book, and why embracing competence, emotional intelligence and cooperation is the key to escaping the 'Alpha Mirage' and the sting of being an 'Alpha Sheep.' This Substack is reader-supported. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. Get full access to "About Something" at aboutsomething.substack.com/subscribe [https://aboutsomething.substack.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_4]

Chinese Whispers Turned Jesus into a God

In Season 1, Episode 1: Chinese Whispers Turned Jesus Into a God, we explore how stories mutate as they pass from person to person, culture to culture, century to century. We trace 2,000 years of history as a massive, consequential game of Chinese Whispers, showing how a simple mistranslation turned a Middle Eastern teacher into a cosmic figure, and why early authors made the shift from the 'gritty pilot episode' (Mark) to the 'cosmic Marvel franchise' (John). Beyond the Virgin Mary's 'Alma' vs. 'Parthenos' translational jump, we analyse the devastating power of the Sunk Cost Fallacy—the psychological mechanism that caused the disciples to choose martyrdom over admitting they misheard the end of the story, and why the 'marketing' of Hell leverages Loss Aversion. What starts as a message becomes a myth, then a movement, and ultimately a theology. It’s not about debunking — it’s about watching the telephone game of history in action. This Substack is reader-supported. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. Get full access to "About Something" at aboutsomething.substack.com/subscribe [https://aboutsomething.substack.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_4]