0020 - abstinence rule (Psychology) - Ben Spak (builders.to Creator)

0020 - abstinence rule (Psychology) - Ben Spak (builders.to Creator)

In the twentieth episode, Robert and guest Ben Spak discuss the abstinence rule of psychology, a Freudian concept that encourages therapy clients to avoid external gratifications, such as smoking or idle conversation, to preserve emotional energy for the therapeutic process. The conversation moves fluidly from the technical abstractions of "vibe coding", web development, and Ben's project launchpad, builders.to, to the volatile reality of cryptocurrency rug-pulls and Robert's creation of a revenge token named "KASD" (Kill All scamming Devs). They examine the stark contrasts of their early lives, from Robert's impoverished childhood in Hollywood, dumpster diving for electronics, waiting in a line just to "see" the early internet, and a harsh encounter with Quincy Jones, to Ben outgrowing the mindset of a strongly conservative Florida town before moving to progressive Denver. Topics range from the technicalities of playing nine-string headless guitars and swapping memories of metal bands like Chiodos to the necessity of embracing AI tools like Cursor to avoid being "left behind" by impending technological shifts like AR glasses and brain-computer interfaces (BCIs). They explore concepts like the inevitability of history repeating itself and the merits of radical governance, debating left-leaning libertarianism versus the idea of monarchism, through the lens of staying sober, surviving personal traumas, and adapting to a rapidly changing world. You can find Ben's project, builders.to: HERE [https://builders.to/] IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO BE ON CROSS THEORY, EMAIL crosstheorypod@gmail.com. ALL ARE WELCOME. I DON’T CARE WHO YOU ARE OR WHAT YOU’RE SELLING.

0019 - absolutism (Philosophy) - Manuel Harari Blanco (PickTwist Creator)

In the nineteenth episode, Robert and guest Manuel Harari Blanco discuss absolutism, a philosophical and political concept regarding a government operating without constitutional restrictions. The conversation moves fluidly from the technical abstractions of artificial intelligence hallucinations, and quantum computing to the gritty reality of navigating oppressive bureaucracy and sudden IRS debt in Spain. They examine the iterative processes of engineering and manufacturing, from Toyota's post-war principles of Kaizen and Kaikaku to the frustrations of rote obedience in traditional education, and the necessity of adapting one's skill set in the face of inevitable technological shifts rather than playing the victim. Topics range from the restrictive nature of government overreach and Orwellian warnings to Manuel's harrowing experience dealing with bilateral wrist cysts that derailed his professional music career, and they explore concepts like the inevitability of radical innovation and overcoming personal trauma through the lens of developing "PickTwist," a specialized, highly ergonomic guitar pick born from physical limitations and the drive to help injured musicians. You can find and buy PickTwist on the official website: HERE [https://picktwist.us/] IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO BE ON CROSS THEORY, EMAIL crosstheorypod@gmail.com. ALL ARE WELCOME. I DON’T CARE WHO YOU ARE OR WHAT YOU’RE SELLING.

0018 - absolute zero (Physics) - Alexander Prestia (a.k.a. airport/miniMAG Creator)

In the eighteenth episode, Robert and his guest, Alexander Prestia a.k.a. airport, the creator of the literary periodical, miniMAG, discuss absolute zero, a physics concept defining the lowest possible temperature that is the same for all substances. The conversation moves fluidly from the physical extremes of freezing expatriate life in Harbin, China, to the modern realities of running an indie literary magazine and utilizing AI-generated artwork. They examine the evolving landscape of writing and literary communities, from Robert's "beef" with Bret Easton Ellis over book titles to the structural genius of Mark Z. Danielewski, and the necessity of rooting fictional inspiration in the gritty realities of human behavior rather than pure abstraction. Topics range from the enduring legacy of Robert’s writing mentor, docufiction creator Harold Jaffe, to bizarre personal escapades involving eating pig brains and a half-lion, half-gazelle "Hunter/Hunted" burger. They explore concepts like the performative nature of political movements such as Occupy Wall Street, the hidden wealth of the global elite, and the surprising merits of monarchism, viewing societal power structures and the creative process through the lens of history, real-life trauma, and survival. miniMAG can be found: ⁠ [https://www.amazon.com/s?i=digital-text&rh=p_27%3ALewis%2BWoolston&s=relevancerank&text=Lewis+Woolston&ref=dp_byline_sr_ebooks_1]HERE [https://minimag.press/] IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO BE ON CROSS THEORY, EMAIL crosstheorypod@gmail.com. ALL ARE WELCOME. I DON’T CARE WHO YOU ARE OR WHAT YOU’RE SELLING.

0017 - absolute space & time (Physics) - Professor Adil Kabbaj (Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence)

In the seventeenth episode, Robert and guest Adil Kabbaj, Professor of Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence at the National Institute of Statistics and Applied Economics (INSEA), Rabat, Morocco, discuss the illusory character of matter, exploring the core thesis of Kabbaj's book Science Declares the Death of Materialism: From Substantialism to Non-Substantialism. The conversation moves fluidly from the technical abstractions of Newtonian absolute space and time to the mind-bending reality that physical objects are merely a mirage of ceaseless, dynamic systems. They examine the profound historical consequences of the materialist worldview, tracing how a "dead and mechanical" perspective of the universe laid the foundation for the interconnected crises of capitalism, consumerism, and our current ecological destruction. Topics range from the plausibility of ghosts as distinct agents and the metaphysical implications of Jack Parsons's ceremonial magic to the mind's ability to survive death, and they explore concepts like the quantum vacuum acting as a cosmic dynamic memory, the urgent necessity for a global spiritual evolution of consciousness, and the potentially terrible consequences of merging quantum computing with artificial intelligence.

0016 - absolute retention rate (Chemistry) - Lewis Woolston (Austrailian Author)

In the sixteenth episode, Robert and guest Lewis Woolston discuss the theory of absolute retention rates, a chemistry concept detailing the potential energy required for reactant molecules to attain a critical transition state. The conversation moves fluidly from the quasi-alchemical abstractions of molecular transformation to the gritty reality of Lewis’s harrowing past, escaping a Jehovah's Witness cult and navigating a subsequent heroin addiction. They examine the roots of Australian literature, from early pioneers like Banjo Patterson to modern debates over cultural appropriation, alongside the dark history of the segregation of Aboriginal communities. Topics range from Lewis’s liberating, solitary years working at remote roadhouses on the desolate Nullarbor Plain to Robert’s intense personal anecdotes regarding his parents' fatal battles with addiction and an aborted suicide trip to Egypt, and they explore the shared cultural touchstones between America and Australia by swapping memorable stories about an early AC/DC pub riot and an enraged Mel Gibson storming out of a Hollywood AA meeting. Woolston's books can be found: HERE [https://www.amazon.com/s?i=digital-text&rh=p_27%3ALewis%2BWoolston&s=relevancerank&text=Lewis+Woolston&ref=dp_byline_sr_ebooks_1] Woolston's Substack can be found: HERE [https://lewiswoolston.substack.com/] IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO BE ON CROSS THEORY, EMAIL crosstheorypod@gmail.com. ALL ARE WELCOME. I DON’T CARE WHO YOU ARE OR WHAT YOU’RE SELLING.