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Critical Nonsense

Critical Nonsense

Written by: SYLVAIN
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About this listen

High-low brow conversations about culture, science, and tech. With hosts Joey Camire, Aaron Powers, and executive producer/nerd herder Jess Vander. SYLVAIN is a strategy and design company.Copyright 2026 Critical Nonsense Philosophy Social Sciences
Episodes
  • 339! Medical Experiments
    Feb 2 2026

    How far would you be willing to go to experiment with your health?

    This week, Joey and Jess talk about peptides, biohacking, Silicon Valley libertarian culture, Bryan Johnson, exercise, and salt. They don’t talk about The Gelflings.

    references

    • Confirmations Department: Yes, Tears for Fears
    • Vectorculture: Not For Human Consumption
    • Peptide
    • Mounjaro
    • Wired: Bryan Johnson Is Going to Die
    • Food & Wine: Morton vs. Diamond Crystal Kosher Salt: What’s the Difference?
    • Solid Wiggles

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    25 mins
  • 338! Short-Form Video
    Jan 13 2026

    Why do we keep using short-form video?

    This week, Joey and Jess talk about dopamine culture, friction, flow state, floating, smoking, and green juice. They don’t talk about cannolis.

    references

    • American Psychological Association: Feeds, Feelings, and Focus: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis Examining the Cognitive and Mental Health Correlates of Short-Form Video Use
    • Designing Friction
    • Bad UX World Cup
    • The Perfect Date Picker
    • Soy Boy Face / Soyjak
    • Canelé

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    29 mins
  • 337! Dressing Up
    Jan 5 2026

    How do you dress for success?

    This week, Aaron and Joey talk about fashion plates, professionalism, drag, archetyping, navigating differences, and respect. They don’t talk about Rufio.

    references

    • Fashion plate
    • Professionalism as a Racial Construct
    • Economic Policy Institute: The CROWN Act
    • Paris is Burning
    • Underground ball culture
    • Everyday Feminism: You Call It Professionalism; I Call It Oppression in a Three-Piece Suit

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    29 mins
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