A horrible bout of back pain creates curiosity about the underlying societal influences on our bodies, and causes me to take a leave of absence from my tech job.

For this story, I interview a posture guru, Esther Gokhale, about how pain may arise from influences beyond our physical bodies, including speculation of a break in the thread of what she calls kinesthetic wisdom.

We glimpse examples from indigenous cultures, antique art, and vintage clothing stores to see how postural averages change, and what that might mean for our own bodies.

In uncovering these hidden layers, questions arise about what else by might be more improvised than previously thought.

This intro is told through Vicki's (clumsy) experience playing a video game: Civilization 6. Through this story, we'll encounter the seminal themes of the series: Why are we obsessed with dominance and is there another way to thrive? Where did we get our ideas about what's good or valuable? What does it mean to embrace more sensible values?