Could Artificial Intelligence do a better job of recording a podcast than Darren and Adam? For this bonus episode we try something a little different. Darren gave Google’s NotebookLM the introduction Uncontrollable, his book on AI safety, and asked it to generate a podcast based on the content. Listen to what it produced! A somewhat convincing exch…

After reading two books touching on the theme of birth rates Adam gives us an overview and discussion on Family Unfriendly: How Our Culture Made Raising Kids Much Harder Than It Needs to Be by Timothy Carney and One Billion Americans: The Case for Thinking Bigger by Matthew Yglesias. Then Darren looks into whether or not Highway 401 in Toronto is t…

Joe Nickell, the world renowned paranormal investigator, died earlier this week at the age of 80. He was a great inspiration to us here at The Reality Check and it was a great pleasure for some of us to have met him back in 2009 at The Amazing Meeting. At that time we recorded this interview, originally used in episode 53 of the show, where we talk…

Darren revisits a topical segment from the past looking at Jevons’ Paradox which suggests that as a resource becomes more efficient, it may paradoxically be consumed more. Then Adam looks at some recent controversies about artificial colouring in Froot Loops cereal, how those are labeled in the US and Canada and what that means.…

Why is it so hard for some people to stand up for themselves? In this episode I discuss three primary reasons why as well as some solutions that you could implement to overcome them. 1: Low self-worth - if you don’t believe you deserve to be treated well/get what you need from life, then you will fail to act. 2: Unclear goal or direction in life - …

With Valentines Day coming up we are taking this opportunity to revisit a romantic segment we did five years ago with Dr. Cheryl Harasymchuk. In this interview she discusses the work she does in the Positive Activities in Intimate Relationships (PAIR) Lab at Carleton University in which they study factors that promote and hinder positive activities…

It is often said that cats are responsible for the death of countless birds. Adam looks at where these numbers come from and wonders whether they are all that accurate. Darren gives a review of four books which he recently read. He’ll share an AI and human summary of “My Promised Land: The Triumph and Tragedy of Israel” by Ari Shavit, Enemies and N…

Who are you beyond the consequences of your past? Trauma and self identity are inextricably interconnected - you became what you needed to become to survive. These defense mechanisms saved you, but now you are left wondering who you are outside of them. Your interests, beliefs, desires, and goals are shaped by how you managed the past. Thus you may…

It’s the 700th episode of The Reality Check podcast! On this special show we look back at the last 16 years to see how much things have changed since way back in 2008. Darren looks at the history of podcasts and how far we’ve come and then Adam looks at which false beliefs have become more or less over time since the show started.…

Here is what to do when someone is being triggered and opening up about their trauma - or at least what works for me: 1: Make Sure They Are Safe - out of danger to and from themself and to and from others/the environment. 2: Make Sure You Are Safe - physically, emotionally and spiritually available, capable and able to helping the person without be…

It’s time once again for my annual Fuck Christmas podcast. For some, the festive season is the opposite of fun - full of triggers and trauma and overwhelm and the forced obligation to spend time with the people and in places that caused you the most pain. It is a time when substance abuse, self harm and suicide significantly rise. It is a time we’r…

When it comes to evolution many focus on what Jean-Baptiste Lamarck got wrong with his model of inheritance. Darren looks at what he got right and considers his discoveries in light of the scientific understanding of the world of his time. Adam, based on first hand anecdotal evidence of many cats and dogs, wonders what pets see when they looking at…

Tendrils of the past manifest in the present and will continue to impact you into the future unless you take action. In this episode I discus the process of to identify and overcoming poverty mindset and other limiting beliefs. Sharing the story of moving out of home at 16, surviving of charity and government handouts, to thriving both personally a…

Why don't they just convert all of the unused office space to housing? Adam looks at the challenges involved in converting office buildings to residential space. Then Darren gives us a review of Ray Kurzweil's recent book The Singularity Is Nearer.

Anger is a useful inner tool to keep us safe and living a life of purpose - only if it is embraced as an ally not a danger. Unfortunately, for some, our childhoods cause us to fear our own anger - rather than using to utilize it appropriately, we instead repress it and turn it inwards, with catastrophic consequences. If this episode has resonated w…

Are we doomed to repeat our past? To inflict upon our children what was inflicted upon us? If we are a product of our genetics intersecting with our environment, how can we break the cycle once and for all? In this episode I story of my past and why that has led me to give away all 17 of my books for free. Want all of my books for free? Just sign u…

We have some very special guests on this week's episode as TRC alumni Pat and Cristina join us with some great segments. Cristina looks at the truth behind a viral meme that says that famous actress Hedy Lamarr invented Wi-Fi, and gives us some background on this fascinating woman's life. Then Pat delights us with everyone's favourite mostly guessi…

No talking. No writing. No touching. Just 10+ hours a day meditating for 10 days straight… In this episode I share my experiences on a 10 day silent retreat at Dhamma Aloka, under the instruction of S.N. Goenka where I learnt the technique of Vipassana meditation. Here I share the lessons learnt, the insights acquired, and give my analysis of the e…

Could an AI rewrite its own code? Has it perhaps already done so? Darren looks at the story which suggests that an AI Scientist, developed by Sakana AI, was able to change its own source code. What exactly happened and are you worried enough about it? Then Adam investigates the truth behind a viral claim that we say “hello” on the telephone because…

What do you do when you are genetically predisposed to have negative reactions to antidepressants, have lost your job, have had little success with talking therapies, and have not yet processed the trauma of the past? Answer: Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS) This episode is a collaboration with Dr Jenelle Tupek, director and founder of Balan…

After having watched all six Sharknado films Adam decides to do some research into the science of these not at all ridiculous films, uncovering the truth about the plausibility and historical precedent for a tornado filled with living sharks. Darren gives us a book review of Renée DiResta’s Invisible Rulers: The People Who Turn Lies into Reality, w…

What is scarier: sitting in silence or the fact that you are afraid to sit in silence? In this episode I discuss how technology has granted us the ability to endlessly occupy the space that was once filled with silence. The benefits of which are obvious: education, entertainment, content and connection - but at what cost? What do we lose by blockin…

Could meditation ever be harmful? Darren examines the evidence to determine if meditation, which can have many benefits, might sometimes have a negative impact on people’s lives. Adam looks at the idea of cavemen and wonders if, as their name suggests, that they really spent all that much time in caves.…

It feels like every tradition has a prescription on how you should sit; where to hold your hands, what to do with your eyes, and how you should handle sleepiness and pain are all prescribed. For advanced practitioners, these suggestions should be heeded, but for beginners, they can be a hindrance - one that can be so off prescriptive and off puttin…