Podcasts by Mad Mad World

A Potential Education Scam: Is A Master's Degree Worth It? from 2022-06-13T06:00

Los (aka Geppetto, pulling the strings) and Bertram (aka The World's Oldest Millennial) break down the exorbitant prices of the graduate school programs in the United States. Taking a look at th...

ADHD&All The Craze Around Adderall from 2022-06-06T06:00

1 in 10 children are diagnosed with ADHD and adult on-set ADHD is increasing. What is going on here?

Your friendly neighborhood Los and the world's oldest millennial, Bertram, break down w...

Uvalde School Shooting: What to Actually Do About the Gun Violence? from 2022-05-30T06:00

Los and Bertram break down the horrific shooting in Uvalde, Texas — what happened, and what we can (and should) do about this from a policy perspective.

If you are interested in more data ...

Elon Musk Buys Twitter: A Win for Free Speech or Something More Sinister? from 2022-05-02T06:00

Elon Musk agreed to buy Twitter for $44 billion dollars. Los and Bertram debate if this is a triumph for free speech, or if something far more sinister is at play.

Thank you for listening....

Greenwashing: Corporations Fake-Caring About Climate Change from 2022-04-25T06:00

In honor of Earth Day last Friday, Los and Bertram look at greenwashing, which Investopedia defines as "the process of conveying a false impression or providing ...

Solving America's Crime Problem: A Public Safety Epidemic from 2022-04-18T06:00

America is having a real problem with public safety after a string of shootings. Do we need a change in policy? What's the real fix here? Can technology support us here? Join our friends, Los and B...

"Not In My Backyard!"Both Sides of the NIMBYism Debate from 2022-04-11T06:00

NIMBY (standing for"Not in My Backyard") is a phenomenon (and group of people) Los cannot stop talking about. Whether it's Dave Chappelle or his neighbors in California—if you ask Los, NIMBYs are ...

Scammers, Swindlers, and Frauds (and Imposters too) from 2022-04-04T06:00

It's our 75th episode! Recently released TV shows such as Inventing Anna, The Tinder Swinder, and Bad Vegan on Netflix, as well as The Dropout on Hulu, brought a renewed interest in the lives of sc...

The Anti-Work Movement from 2022-03-28T06:00

Check out these past episodes for more on jobs and money: https://madmadworldpod.com/episode/4-day-work-week (4-Day Work Week)https://madmadworldpod.com/episode/the-billionaire-playbook (Billionair...

Stoicism: Is It the Answer in These Strange Times? from 2022-03-21T05:00

During these dark, strange times, it can be easy to become overwhelmed. Many people have turned to a practice popularized in Ancient Greece: stoicism. Is this disciplined, focused practice a great...

What's Up With These Gas Prices? from 2022-03-14T05:00

Is that a phone number you're seeing at the pump, or the price of gas? Rising inflation and Russia's invasion of Ukraine have caused gas prices to skyrocket. How much higher can prices rise? Is th...

The Generation Gap from 2022-03-07T06:00

Boomers. Gen X. Millennials. Gen Z. What do they all have in common? Lately, it seems these groups can't agree on much of anything, or they blame each other for just about everything wrong with the...

Russia Invades Ukraine from 2022-02-28T05:00

Russia has moved in to invade Ukraine—but what does it mean? For the citizens and residents of Ukraine? For Russians? For everyone else? Are we headed towards another World War? Los and Bertram dis...

Should We Stop Tipping? from 2022-02-21T06:00

Links from this week's episode: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gyjr7Fvpl74&t=365s (Why Tipping Is An American Custom | CNBC (YouTube)) https://www.politico.com/magazine/story/2019/07/17/willia...

Dating Apps: The Trials and Tribulations of Finding Love in a Digital World from 2022-02-14T03:00

Thanks to the pandemic and the reach of social media, dating apps are quickly becoming the"new normal"way to meet people. Is this a good thing, though? Los and Bertram break down how dating apps ha...

Are You Ready For Life in the Metaverse? from 2022-02-06T00:00

Show Notes: https://www.wired.com/story/what-is-the-metaverse/ (What Is the Metaverse, Exactly? | Wired)https://youtu.be/rtLTZUaMSDQ (Trapped in the Metaverse: Here’s What 24 Hours in VR Feels Like...

Pass the Remote: 2 Years into Working from Home from 2022-01-24T00:00

Show Notes: https://www.gartner.com/en/information-technology/glossary/remote-work (Definition of Remote Work)https://www.vox.com/2018/5/8/17308744/bullshit-jobs-book-david-graeber-occupy-wall-stre...

How SAD is the Standard American Diet? from 2022-01-16T00:00

Sources: https://infraredsauna.com/blog/standard-american-diet-facts/ (Statistics of the Standard, American Diet)https://health.usnews.com/best-diet (Best Diets 2022 | US News and World Report) htt...

Has the World Gone Fascist? from 2022-01-08T20:52

Show notes: https://www.livescience.com/57622-fascism.html (What is fascism? | Live Science)https://www.orwell.ru/library/articles/As_I_Please/english/efasc (What is Fascism? | George Orwell) https...

Don't Look Up: (Spoilers) a Review of the Netflix Film from 2022-01-01T21:24

Show Notes: https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-features/adam-mckay-interview-dont-look-up-will-ferrell-1235058377/ (Adam McKay on His Enduring Love for Will Ferrell and the “Insane” Sta...

Don't Look Up (Spoiler-Free Preview): Reactions to the Hit Netflix Film from 2022-01-01T21:10

Show Notes: https://www.netflix.com/title/81252357 (Don't Look Up | Netflix) https://www.theguardian.com/culture/2021/jul/19/idiocracy-a-disturbingly-prophetic-look-at-the-future-of-america-and-our...

Don't Look Up: a Spoiler-Free Preview to the Hit Netflix Film from 2022-01-01T21:10

Show Notes:
https://www.netflix.com/title/81252357 (Don't Look Up | Netflix)
https://www.theguardian.com/culture/2021/jul/19/idiocracy-a-disturbingly-prophetic-look-at-the-future-of-america...

Don't Look Up: a Spoiler-Free Primer to the Netflix Film from 2022-01-01T21:10

Show Notes:
https://www.netflix.com/title/81252357 (Don't Look Up | Netflix)
https://www.theguardian.com/culture/2021/jul/19/idiocracy-a-disturbingly-prophetic-look-at-the-future-of-america...

Just Shut Up Already: The Paradox of Sharing on Social Media from 2021-12-20T05:00

Has it ever occurred to us that maybe we should think about shutting up, and stop posting on social media so much? Los and Bertram discuss some ideas highlighted in a pair of recent articles from ...

Inflation: Why Is Everything Getting So Expensive? from 2021-12-12T00:00

The all-powerful show notes: https://www.reddit.com/r/madmadworldpod/ (The Official Mad Mad World Subreddit!)https://www.businessinsider.com/what-is-inflation (What is inflation? | Business Insider...

Love, Death, + Robots: A Glimpse of the Future? from 2021-12-06T00:00

Show Notes: https://lovedeathrobots.fandom.com/wiki/Pop_Squad (Pop Squad | Love, Death, + Robots Wiki)https://lovedeathrobots.fandom.com/wiki/Zima_Blue (Zima Blue | Love, Death, + Robots Wiki) http...

The Trials of Kyle Rittenhouse and Ahmaud Arbery from 2021-11-27T00:30

The Show Notes (Come and get them while they're hot!): https://apnews.com/article/kyle-rittenhouse-trial-kenosha-3febaa501c57a6b54e168353fe0b2a26 (Kyle Rittenhouse Charges& Trial Explained | AP...

Infrastructure Is Back! (For Real This Time) from 2021-11-20T21:00

Show Notes: https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/statements-releases/2021/11/06/fact-sheet-the-bipartisan-infrastructure-deal/ (Fact Sheet: The Bipartisan Infrastructure Deal | The White House)...

Is Space Exploration Ethical? from 2021-11-06T00:00

The reason you came to this podcast, our illustrious show notes: https://datalab.usaspending.gov/americas-finance-guide/spending/categories/ (Federal Spending by Category and Agency | U.S. Treasury...

Nutritional Supplements: Taken With A Grain Of Salt from 2021-11-01T11:18

Our outstanding show notes can be found here: https://www.health.harvard.edu/newsletter_article/supplements-a-scorecard (Supplements: A scorecard | Harvard Medical School)https://elemental.medium.c...

The Tragic Saga of Gabby Petito and Brian Laundrie from 2021-10-23T00:00

Los and Bertram review the timeline of the case of Gabby Petito and Brian Laundrie, and some of the questions that remain unanswered. They also discuss why people are so fascinated with this case, ...

Squid Game (and Mario Kart): Should We Blame Capitalism? (Spoiler Free) from 2021-10-17T17:05

Our Highly-Praised Show Notes (check out our links!): https://apnews.com/article/squid-game-strikes-nerve-south-korea-943ff3fd7269631aca6ee75da05c3757 (‘Squid Game’ strikes nerve in debt-ridden Sou...

Is It Time to Cancel Customer Service? from 2021-10-10T14:16

Show Notes from this episode: Required Reading: https://hbr.org/2021/09/elevate-employees-dont-eliminate-them (Elevate Employees, Don’t Eliminate Them | Harvard Business Review)https://www.latimes....

Everyone is Famous from 2021-10-02T21:10

Show notes for the episode:
https://www.newyorker.com/news/essay/on-the-internet-were-always-famous (On the Internet, We’re Always Famous | The New Yorker)
https://quoteinvestigator.com/201...

Everyone is Famous: A Social Media Problem from 2021-10-02T21:10

Show notes for the episode: https://www.newyorker.com/news/essay/on-the-internet-were-always-famous (On the Internet, We’re Always Famous | The New Yorker)https://quoteinvestigator.com/2012/04/04/f...

Climate Change: 50th Episode Extravaganza from 2021-09-25T19:47

Show notes for this episode: Required Reading: https://climate.nasa.gov/evidence/ (Climate Change: How Do We Know? | NASA)https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6CXRaTnKDXA&list=PLsIEjD_QTK8bD9ZXgVzVW...

Ranked Choice Voting from 2021-09-11T20:25

Show notes for this episode: Recommended viewing: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PaxVCsnox_4 (Video: Which voting system is the best? | TEDed)https://ballotpedia.org/Ranked-choice_voting_(RCV) (An...

The Semiconductor Chip Shortage: How to Fix America's Biggest Problem from 2021-09-05T21:04

Resources for this episode: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IUfobGJVszs&t=1s (The global chip shortage, explained | The Verge - YouTube) https://www.bbc.com/news/technology-57996908 (GM to halt...

Haiti: An Important Lesson For All of Us from 2021-08-28T20:39

Resources from this episode: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5A_o-nU5s2U (Crash Course: Haitian Revolutions | Youtube)https://haitianstudies.ku.edu/haiti-history (Haiti: A Brief History of a Compl...

The Taliban in Afghanistan from 2021-08-21T20:28

Resources from this episode: Required Reading: https://www.pbs.org/newshour/politics/asia-jan-june11-timeline-afghanistan (A Historical Timeline of Afghanistan)https://www.nytimes.com/2021/08/14/w...

Back to the Future: Revisiting Past Topics from 2021-08-14T19:48

Resources from this episode: Episode 34: https://player.captivate.fm/episode/72d5d25a-2f27-4dbe-94e6-7ab9b60a1398 (Critical Race Theory | Mad, Mad World)Episode 21: https://player.captivate.fm/epi...

The American Dream from 2021-08-07T20:31

Resources from this episode (the show notes): https://www.investopedia.com/terms/a/american-dream.asp (The American Dream | Investopedia)https://youtu.be/C48aGtPIuZo (National: Defining the America...

4-Day Work Week from 2021-07-17T17:26

Resources from this episode (the show notes): https://www.theatlantic.com/family/archive/2021/06/four-day-workweek/619222/ (Kill the 5-Day Work Week | The Atlantic)https://www.google.com/books/edit...

Billionaires: They're Not Just Like Us from 2021-07-11T12:00

Resources from this episode (the show notes): Required Reading: https://www.propublica.org/article/the-billionaire-playbook-how-sports-owners-use-their-teams-to-avoid-millions-in-taxes (The Billion...

Patriotism from 2021-07-03T16:03

Resources from this episode (the show notes): https://plato.stanford.edu/entries/patriotism/ (Patriotism | Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy)https://www.thoughtco.com/patriotism-and-nationalism-4...

Sex, Gender, and All That Other Stuff from 2021-06-29T15:29

Resources from this episode (the show notes): Required Watching: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=stUl_OapUso (The Way We Think about Biological Sex is Wrong by Emily Quinn | TEDtalk)https://www.npr...

The Way Things Were versus the New Normal from 2021-06-27T21:55

Resources from this episode (the show notes):
https://www.npr.org/2021/06/24/1007914455/as-the-pandemic-recedes-millions-of-workers-are-saying-i-quit (The Great Resignation: As The Pandemic Rec...

The Way Things Were vs. The New Normal from 2021-06-27T21:55

Resources from this episode (the show notes): https://www.npr.org/2021/06/24/1007914455/as-the-pandemic-recedes-millions-of-workers-are-saying-i-quit (The Great Resignation: As The Pandemic Recedes...

America's Current Labor Market: Should you get a job? from 2021-06-05T14:52

Resources from this episode (the show notes):
https://www.bls.gov/ (Bureau of Labor Statistics | US Dept. of Labor)
https://www.investopedia.com/terms/f/fullemployment.asp (What is "full em...

Drugs: Was everything we were taught a lie? from 2021-05-29T09:30

Resources from this episode:
https://www.vox.com/2015/2/24/8094759/alcohol-marijuana (How scientists rank drugs from most to least dangerous — and why the rankings are flawed | Vox)
Require...

What Should We Do About the Death Penalty? from 2021-05-22T11:11

Resources from this episode: https://deathpenaltyinfo.org/ (Homepage | Death Penalty Information Center)https://deathpenalty.procon.org/ (Should the Death Penalty be Allowed | ProCon.org) https://d...

Where is everybody? Aliens, the galaxy, and the Fermi Paradox from 2021-05-15T18:22

Please make sure to give us a like or a subscribe. If you would like to reach out, please send us a message at info@madmadworldpod.com
Thank you for listening!
Resources from this episode:<...

"Where Is Everybody?"Aliens, The Galaxy&The Fermi Paradox from 2021-05-15T18:22

Please make sure to give us a like or a subscribe. If you would like to reach out, please send us a message at info@madmadworldpod.com Thank you for listening!Resources from this episode: https://b...

The Pros and Cons of Critical Race Theory from 2021-05-09T18:59

Please make sure to give us a like or a subscribe. If you would like to reach out, please send us a message at info@madmadworldpod.com
Thank you for listening!
Resources from this episode:<...

The Moron's Guide to NFTs: Blockchain, Crypto, and Why You Can't Eat A Digital Sandwich (Yet) from 2021-05-01T13:45

Please make sure to give us a like or a subscribe. If you would like to reach out, please send us a message at info@madmadworldpod.com Thank you for listening!Resources from this episode: https://w...

The Trial of Derek Chauvin for the Murder of George Floyd from 2021-04-24T17:30

Los and Bertram recap the trial of officer Derek Chauvin for the murder of George Floyd. They break down the verdict and where we are supposed to go from here. Please make sure to give us a like or...

America's Gun Problem: The Causes and Possible Solutions from 2021-04-17T16:44

The Cereal Party of Los and Bertram is back with a new problem they are trying to solve. The first step in solving any problem is admitting that there is one. The United States of America has a tre...

The High-Stakes Universe of Standardized Testing from 2021-04-10T19:27

We live in a society of exceptional people and even more exceptional students. However, we judge this diverse group of outstanding youngsters by their ability to pass a standardized test. Teachers ...

Infrastructure: Why You Should Care from 2021-04-03T00:00

This is a great one! We promise! It's funny how people always love to look at the trees and flowers from the ground up. Don't they look good? What about the long roots under the soil? Can't they be...

Raising Minimum Wage from 2021-03-27T11:52

Los and Bertram argue over the merits of a $15 minimum wage increase. President Los battles the pros and cons of a federal mandate while Vice President Bertram tries to problem-solve and find sensi...

Is White Nationalism Really A Thing? from 2021-03-20T10:00

"The narrative that white people should see the well-being of people of color as a threat to their own is one of the most powerful subterranean stories in America."Los and Bertram do something very...

Let's Talk About Conspiracy Theories from 2021-03-13T20:09

There are many conspiracy theories out there, but how can you tell when something falls into that territory? What exactly is a conspiracy theory? How can we help people who fall for conspiracy theo...

Covid-19 Vaccines from 2021-03-06T21:58

There's a lot of talk going on this week about the Covid-19 Vaccines. Los and Bertram debate the effectiveness of these vaccines, where you can get them, and what sort of information is out there r...

Is Loyalty a Myth? from 2021-02-27T21:24

Los and Bertram argue about whether loyalty is something real or completely made up? Is it one-sides or can we all partake? Is it just a corporate thing or mostly relationship-driven? They look at ...

What Keeps You Up At Night? from 2021-02-20T21:50

The first episode of Mad, Mad World was about what makes you angry. This episode, Los and Bertram talk about what keeps them up at night. Thank you for listening! We love you. Don't forget to subsc...

The Loneliness Epidemic from 2021-02-13T19:51

Los and Bertram discuss another kind of epidemic that has been spreading the globe: loneliness. Did you know it's killing more people than obesity? The boys uncover some new, fascinating informatio...

Slavery Reparations from 2021-02-06T16:17

Los and Bertram discuss the history of the argument for slavery reparations. What are the obstacles and why hasn't this been done already? Thank you for listening! We love you. Don't forget to subs...

Wallstreetbets, Shorts, and the Stock Market from 2021-01-31T20:55

Los and Bertram discuss the recent controversy on Reddit (subreddit: Wallstreetbets), where Bertram had a first-hand account of for the last few months. Where does the stock market go from here and...

Student Loan Debt from 2021-01-23T21:49

Los and Bertram discuss the student loan crisis and ways it should, and is currently being addressed. What sort of options to people have out there and how can young people make smart decisions to ...

The Great Importance of Martin Luther King Jr. Day this Year from 2021-01-16T21:34

Los and Bertram discuss the importance of MLK Day in America. Is it more about celebrating a key figure in our history or what he stood for? What is race and how does it define our nation in a tryi...

The Capitol Insurrection from 2021-01-11T21:11

EDITING NOTE: Hey, it was pointed out to us that we accidentally dropped Los's audio from the 20-minute mark to about the 25-minute mark. Sorry about that! We fixed it. Thanks for listening! SHOW S...

Welcome to 2021: New Year's Resolutions from 2021-01-03T19:45

Are New Year’s Resolutions a bad thing? Why do so many of them fail and how can you avoid that? The boys talk about this, discipline, extrinsic and intrinsic motivation, sources to help you, and ho...

Economic Policy: Men and the Machine, Capitalism versus Socialism, and Being Free While Protecting Each Other from 2020-12-18T11:52

With so much talk of the stock market and the economy, and jobs, it's hard to understand what's really going on. Los and Bertram planned to argue their sides in the old Capitalism vs. Socialism de...

Media Bias from 2020-12-11T14:19

Los and Bertram discuss the history and consequences of the perceived media bias in the United States.  From Yellow Journalism to the Fairness Doctrine to social media, to the Media Bias Chart...

Stop Hitting Me with Old White Guys: election fraud, CNN's March Madness-like election coverage, India and your boy Modi, and being disappointed getting Millard Fillmore from 2020-12-02T20:12

Los and Bertram recap the election chaos. Topics include everything from bizarre declarations of election fraud to who the all-time best and worst looking US presidents are (step your game up, Grov...

The Social Dilemma: Our Review of the Hit Netflix Documentary from 2020-11-16T12:00

Los and Bertram share their thoughts on Netflix's hit documentary, The Social Dilemma. They explore the real problem (and addiction) we face with technology dominating nearly every aspect of our li...

Voting: Not Listening to the Orange Dum Dum, Understanding Your Rights, Your Ballot, Your Candidates and Your Values from 2020-10-17T19:00

With the upcoming election approaching, Los and Bertram answer some important questions about voting — including the definition of voting — the difference between mail-in and absentee ballots, the ...

Wage Theft: No Cheesecake for You, The Importance of Unions, and Blaming All of Your Problems on the Orange Guy from 2020-09-18T08:00

Fresh off the Labor Day holiday, Los and Bertram dig deep into the wage theft issue in the U.S. What is wage theft? What are the impacts? What can we do about it? Where are our politicians? And wh...

6 Months Later - Covid Is Getting Cozy In America: Not Talking About Immigration, Bringing Back Drive-Ins and Beware of the Sneezing Storm from 2020-08-26T15:33

It's time for a 6-month checkup on the Covid-19 pandemic in the United States. Los and Bertram discuss when we can we see the new Christopher Nolan movie (17:15), what will the office look like in...

Reopening Schools - Everyone Must Opt In: Why Education, Sports, and Technology Need to Evolve (and why you can cut people's heads off if you make a good sandwich) from 2020-08-05T11:20

Is it time to reopen schools? Are school districts any different than the NFL or NBA? What will it take for us to pull off a safe reopening? The boys sound off on this hot topic issue, with Bertram...

An Open Letter to Our Country: What Does It Really Mean To Be An"American" from 2020-07-06T00:00

The boys are fresh off celebrating the 4th of July. They take some time to ponder what it really means to be an American — from the Declaration of Independence (and Hamilton), the education system,...

White People's Greatest Hits: President Grant catches a beatdown, Nascar, and Pudding Pops from 2020-06-30T00:00

Statues—what are they here for? The boys talk heritage, hero worship, and how far is too far. Thanks for listening. We love you.Required reading following this episode: https://newjimcrow.com (The ...

Food Deserts: Getting Down to Our Roots, Guerrilla Gardening, and Convenience from 2020-06-15T00:00

Growing your own money? Lost in the desert? The boys talk about the superpowers of guerrilla farmer Ron Finley, the food desert problem, and how our eating habits are causing a lot of trouble. Than...

Beliefs are Overrated: A Conversation about Privilege, Shame, and War Heroes from 2020-06-08T00:00

MJ vs. Lebron? Trump's place in the Bible? Los only watches Fox News? The boys talk about the importance of education when it comes to understanding systemic racism, white privilege, and police ref...

Social Unrest - The Podcast Has Come Home to Roost: Racial Constructs, Poisonous Systems, and Malicious Intent from 2020-06-01T00:00

From George Floyd to Malcolm X — to Los'own experiences with police brutality as a black man— the boys discuss the tragedy of systemic racism and how current protests and unrest could be a sign a r...

Change in the age of Corona - How Will We Survive without JC Penney: Smart and Young People, Letting Go, and KFC from 2020-05-19T00:00

Is it time for a revolution? The boys ponder why we're so afraid of change, how corporations disguise themselves, the Jeffrey Epstein mystery, and why you're smarter than you think. The Quarantine ...

Coronavirus, Quarantine, and the Curated Nature of"Social Media" from 2020-04-13T00:00

Following a hiatus from their previous show, Booze and Basketball, The Stevens Brothers have emerged from obscurity to discuss how mad the world has become. The boys discuss how quarantine could be...