Public Relapse and Recovery

Looksmaxx Madness

This week my social media was unexpectedly flooded with Clavicular(infamous Looksmaxxer)interview clips, and let’s just say it was fascinating if a little disturbing. I did find myself wanting to figure out how he came to his methods and his general outlook on attractiveness and external appeal. As is our tendency on Piqued, we ended up turning those questions inwards  and zooming them way out as well. What is mine and Charlie’s relationship to our looks? How much or little do we think it has to do with our over all appeal as people? What are the cultural implications of people focusing their energy on maximizing their external appeal at any cost...potentially at the cost of internal growth and well roundedness. Whether you consider yourself a full on ‘Looxmaxxer’ or not, we are all somewhat focused on relaying something through how we present ourselves, so what are we trying to express, hide or resemble? #clavicular #looksmaxxing #influencer #selfimprovement #podcast #podcasts #podcastclips #socialmedia #loganpaul #jakepaul #selfimprovement #debate #humor #manosphere #viralviedeo #looksmaxx #hustle #contentcretor

Edgelords and Unbothereds

The Roast of Kevin Hart came out and it brought up some loaded dynamics in comedy, media, and society in general. My decision not to watch it after seeing some alternately funny and then really distasteful clips, culminated in me really coming to grips with how much of a stranglehold the bid to appear ‘unbothered’ has on our culture. I am realizing that some deeply uncharismatic, anti-social characters, be they famous or merely in possession of a keyboard, have found a way to hold us all hostage to accepting and touting mediocrity and degeneracy simply with the threat of being called a drag if we question it.. At the end of the day all this edge-lord, shock jock culture is really doing is elevating mediocrity, and encouraging apathy in a bid to weed out conviction, integrity, discernment and backbone from people so that they can thrive despite their crushing inadequacy. If they devalue merit, nobody will notice that they have none.   It’s an activated one this week,so drink your coffee, and let me know where you find a good one if you’re in ATX!  #kevinhart #killtony #joerogan #ATX #roast #netflix #edgelords #shockvalue #chelseahandler #shanegillis #bobbylee #unbothered #usa #currentevents #sociology #popculture #socialmedia  #podcast #podcastclips #popular #bravo  #famous #socialmedia #shortsviral #shortvideo #shorts #humor #shortvideos #reality #short #clips

Thirsty Boys

There is a whole lot of talk about female gold diggers, star fu**ers, clout chasers and so ons, I figured I’d balance the dialogue and explore some men in the zeitgeist who I think have some grifter, coattail rider, clout-chaser-well just THIRSTY-energy. It’s not always about financial gain or who has the most star power. People are thirsty myriad things. Some latch on to someone for identity, others for fame and some seem to just want to live the high life. What they all have in common is they view their female partners as vehicles to ride to their own desires, aspirations and destiny.   00:38-03:36 - Opening musing:Becoming someone you can rely on, who keeps promises to yourself builds your confidence #thirsty #clout #podcasts #podcasting #podcastclips  #bradpitt #jenniferaniston #gwynethpaltrow #angeliajolie #summerhouse #bravo #popculture #reality #fame #parishilton #funnyvideo #humor #cloutchasers #opportunists #daxshepherd #jlo #rhony

Cults

Watching Hulu doc “The Cult of NatureBoy” sent me and Charlie in to veritable orbit and it sparked an interest in what causes some people to view certain people as magnetic and charismatic when to us they seem unhinged or just plain creepy. We have watched many a cult documentary in our time and I’m always struck by how unsavory or inept some of these cult leaders seem. How do they amass a following? What draws people to them? Where in our lives have we maybe encountered cult dynamics and can we relate to some of the lack of direction that can cloud people’s judgement enough to be vulnerable to indoctrination? You don’t have to follow someone to the jungle to be in a cultish dynamic. There are cults of politics, personality, some friend groups and romantic relationships operate with the same construct of isolation, control and group think. Are we drinking the kool-aid? #cults #cultmemebers #nxivm #netflix #hulu #documentary #viral #followers #indoctrination #freethinker #natureboy #manson #osho #selfhelp #seekers #selfimprovement #interview #rabbithole

Flip Flop

n his Episode I am running down some epic flip floppers in culture. This was spurned by the veritable onslaught of prominent Trump apologists turning coat lately, but in pure piqued fashion, my skittish swarthy brain wanders over to the epic change-up of the front line warriors of body positivity in the skinny shot era. It is not long before I’m in influencer territory talking about the MJ Gray’s 180 from de-centering luxury and men to designer hauls and an engagement in Paris. Now to really stay true to the Piqued ethos, I turn the mirror on me and us and get in to how as a society we have whip lash inducing change-ups on public figures. It really just ends up being a rant about the collective amnesia about what was always problematic about Lena Dunham simply because she was her characteristically smart and charming self  on her book publicity circuit. Piqued and peeved as ever.   #reality #currentevents #podcasting #popular #celebrity #celebritynews #famous #debate #podcasts #popculture #podcastclips #tuckercarlson #candiaceowens #joerogan #theovon #marjorietaylorgreene #mtg #usa #uspolitics #trump #lenadunham #lizzo #bodypositivity #ozempic #plussize #weightloss #meghantrainor #haileybiebers #haileybeiber #mjgray #feminist #4bmovement #decentermen