What celebrities have been compared to Greg?

Greg has frequently been compared to Zach Galifianakis throughout his life. Recently, a digital rendering of Aristotle also drew many comparisons to Greg, although he doesn't personally see the resemblance to either.

What is Eric's most ridiculous facial hair style he's tried?

In high school, Eric participated in a trend of growing extremely thick and long sideburns, despite not being well-suited for the look. He describes them as 'horrific' and 'truly dreadful'.

What are Greg's thoughts on student loan forgiveness?

Greg is fully supportive of student loan forgiveness, viewing the current system as predatory. He believes it is a positive first step, and ideally, college and trade schools should be free or effectively free to ensure equal opportunities for all.

What is Eric's biggest 'what if' moment?

Eric's biggest 'what if' moment was getting a full scholarship to college. He attributes it mostly to luck after writing two 'deranged' essays for a competitive scholarship, which changed his life trajectory and opportunities.

What was Greg's worst job experience?

Greg considers his worst job to be a YMCA summer camp counselor. The pay and hours were cut dramatically, and he was constantly in conflict with supervisors who disagreed with his peer-based approach to managing 9-11 year olds, though he got along well with the kids.

What was Eric's worst job experience?

Eric objectively believes being a grad student was his worst job, citing the long hours (often over 70 per week), low pay (under $30,000/year), and constant on-call nature. He notes that towards the end, grad students often do the same work as faculty for significantly less pay, highlighting systemic issues in university compensation.

What music recommendations does Eric have?

Eric recommends several bands including Yaysayer, Kurt Vile, Real Estate, LCD Soundsystem, Grizzly Bear, Deerhunter, Pavement, Local Natives, Mac Demarco, The Strokes, Interpol, The Teever, and Silk Sonic (a collaboration between Bruno Mars and Anderson .Paak).

What items would they bring to 1000 CE Florence to accelerate human civilization?

Greg would bring a physics textbook outlining early experiments, and teach crop rotation and germ theory. Eric suggests a 'scrapbook' approach, including a crash course binder with information on vaccines, antibiotics, electric light, and especially instructions for building a printing press.

How do they approach the classic trolley problem?

Both Greg and Eric would pull the lever to save five people by sacrificing one. Eric frames it from a legal perspective, comparing acts of omission and commission, while Greg takes a utilitarian approach of maximizing positive outcomes.

Would they pull the lever if the one person on the tracks was a loved one?

Both Greg and Eric would not pull the lever if the one person on the tracks was a loved one. Greg justifies this with a utilitarian argument, suggesting that maintaining trust and loyalty in personal relationships is crucial for a functioning society, preventing disastrous knock-on effects.

What motivated Eric's interest in Buddhism?

Eric's interest in Buddhism began during the COVID-19 lockdowns. He realized his ability to feel joy and contentment was too dependent on external conditions, spurring him to seek ways to generate inner happiness and manage emotions independently.

Key Moments

Fireside Chat #12: Look-Alikes, Pivotal Moments, and Trolley Problems

Stronger By Science

Sports3 min read99 min video

Sep 1, 2022|2,588 views|119|36

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Key Moments

TL;DR

Greg and Eric discuss celebrity look-alikes, student loans, worst jobs, music, movies, and ethical dilemmas like the trolley problem.

Key Insights

Greg and Eric dive into listener questions, starting with celebrity comparisons and facial hair choices.

They discuss student loan forgiveness, largely agreeing it's a positive step but advocating for broader systemic changes.

Both share their 'worst job' experiences: YMCA camp counselor for Eric and being a graduate student for Greg, highlighting underpayment and challenging work environments.

Music taste ranges from Remy Wolf to classic indie bands, with a deep dive into the 'anti-comedy' world of 'On Cinema at the Cinema'.

Movie discussions include '2001: A Space Odyssey' and the 'Lord of the Rings' trilogy, with debates on the unique challenges of prioritizing individual films vs. series.

The trolley problem is explored through various scenarios, revealing differing perspectives on utilitarianism, inaction vs. action, and the value of an individual's life based on potential contributions.

Greg shares his journey into Buddhism, sparked by COVID-19 lockdowns, emphasizing the pursuit of internal contentment over external conditions, and recommends resources like Thich Nhat Hanh's works.

CELEBRITY LOOK-ALIKES AND FACIAL HAIR JOURNEYS

The conversation kicks off with a playful exploration of celebrity comparisons, noting Greg's resemblance to a digitally rendered Aristotle and Eric's past comparisons to Matt Damon. This segues into a discussion about facial hair, with Eric recounting his high school sideburn phase and Greg sharing his experiences with various beard styles, ultimately favoring his beard for its low maintenance. The initial segment sets a lighthearted tone, touching on personal aesthetics and shared cultural trends.

STUDENT LOANS AND EQUALITY OF OPPORTUNITY

The hosts address listener questions about student loan forgiveness, largely supporting the policy while advocating for more extensive reform. Both Greg and Eric were fortunate to receive scholarships, giving them a unique perspective on the financial burdens faced by many students. They argue that significant student debt creates an unequal playing field, hindering opportunities and influencing critical life decisions immediately after graduation, which they believe conflicts with the principle of equal opportunity.

WORST JOBS AND THE STRUGGLES OF GRADUATE SCHOOL

Reflecting on their least favorite job experiences, Eric describes his time as a YMCA summer camp counselor, citing unexpected hour cuts, low pay, and the exhausting, sometimes conflict-ridden, nature of managing children. Greg, meanwhile, critiques the graduate student experience, highlighting the disproportionately high workload, low pay, and demanding on-call nature of the role, suggesting universities should treat it more like a structured job with appropriate compensation and expectations.

MUSICAL TASTES AND CINEMATIC DEBATES

The discussion shifts to personal interests, with Greg recommending Remy Wolf and Eric listing various indie bands like Real Estate and Mac DeMarco, while acknowledging his reach may exceed his grasp for 'under the radar' status. They then delve into movies, with Greg's appreciation for '2001: A Space Odyssey' contrasting with his aversion to committing to individual films versus TV series. Eric’s list focuses on the 'Lord of the Rings' trilogy, 'Everything Everywhere All at Once,' and anything by Hayao Miyazaki, praising their unique ambiance and quality.

THE TROLLEY PROBLEM AND ETHICAL DECISION-MAKING

A significant portion of the chat is dedicated to various iterations of the trolley problem, exploring choices between inaction and action, and the value placed on different lives. Eric leans towards utilitarianism, often pulling the lever to save more lives, even in the push-someone-onto-tracks scenario, labeling himself the 'psychopath' in contrast to Greg's 'Buddhist monk' reasoning. Their debate highlights differing views on moral obligations, loyalty, and the potential societal consequences of extreme ethical stances.

THE PATH TO BUDDHISM AND INTERNAL CONTENTMENT

Greg shares his personal journey into Buddhism, initially motivated by the COVID-19 lockdowns which revealed his reliance on external factors for happiness. He discusses how journaling his misery before finding solutions highlighted the need for internal contentment. Greg recommends resources like Thich Nhat Hanh and the 'Audio Dharma' podcast, emphasizing the Buddhist concept of aimlessness as a counterpoint to a hyper-ambitious Midwestern upbringing.

Mentioned in This Episode

●Products

●Software & Apps

●Tools

●Books

●Concepts

●People Referenced

Common Questions

Eric was initially uninterested in smartphones and only adopted one when his parents insisted due to a family phone plan. He then kept the same iPhone 5 for 10-11 years, finding it fulfilled his basic needs without requiring further exploration.