Wit Without Wisdom

Horror movies are a lot like roller coasters. Some people love them, and other people don’t. The one thing we can all agree on, however, is that horror movie characters are just kind of dumb. Other than the films’ sole survivor, almost always a female, the rest of the characters make deadly errors we, the audience, are certain that we would not make.Except, if you were actually in a horror movie, you’re not going to be as smart as you think.In this episode, we combine science with our particular brand of snark to demonstrate exactly why that is true.And to get there we’re covering:•Why horror films act as a stress reliever.•Why the stress reliever function is also the thing that gets you killed.•The science behind all the stupid clown-shit you’ll be doing in a horror film.•How programed optimism bias will leave you totally unprepared.Plus, a lot more. So, grab your trick or treat bag, think like the Final Girl, and join us to find out if you’re smarter than the average horror movie character.

We’re all afraid of something. Fear is, after all, a core emotion in the human experience. Some of the things we fear are big, dangerous, or important. And some of the things that frighten us can be rather small and inconsequential . . . To others, at least.In this episode, in honor of the Halloween season, we examine fear and phobias. From the rational to the irrational, and from the terror of phobias, to the joyful exhilaration of scary fun.In fear and phobias, we discuss:* The biological and psychological source of fear* Why we enjoy some scary things but not others* How phobias differ from fears* And shared experience of the most common fears and phobiasSo unless you suffer from phobophobia, which is the fear of phobias, grab your pumpkin, and have a listen as we bring you the first in our 5 week Halloween podcast special.

As natural as socializing is for humans, often interactions with strangers and new acquaintances isn’t the easiest thing to master. And, let’s face it, we live in a world where we have to be extra cautious not to offend. It’s helpful to have some social life, life hacks to help improve interactions, and create better and more positive communications. In this episode, we’re sharing some time-proven techniques to: •Improve likeability•Make a better connection with another•Know when someone is disinterested•Demonstrate greater positivity Plus, we’re throwing in a few of the darker Jedi mind tricks to assist in getting more information and getting more favors.

One in four Americans believes in astrology, which is a little more than half of the number who believe in UFOs. But even if we’re not true believer knowing the things written in the stars about you is fun, entertaining, and can often be alarmingly insightful. After all, what harm is there in recognizing the potentially best aspects of our personalities? In this episode, for believers, non-believers, and those who want to laugh at themselves, we’re making personality predictions based on your Zodiac signs. We’ve got a rundown for all the signs on: •Your ideal job•The one word that best describes you•How you rank in the bedroom Plus, a bunch of Top Three signs list for things like romance, the life of the party, and loyalty. And so much more that we just could list it all here. So, if you’d like to adventure toward a little star-sign introspection, or just laugh a bit, then join us as we examine the Zodiac signs and their best and worst qualities.

Well, we put off the episode on procrastination for as long as we could. After all, of all the demons we face, the ugliest is the one who keeps records on everything we haven’t yet completed. If there is a person in the world who never procrastinates, they are probably an intolerable sort who silently judges the rest of us with their sanctimonious looks.Okay, that may be a little harsh. If you are the type of person who gets everything done, when it needs to be done, and well in advance of the deadline. Congratulations! This episode is not for you. For the rest of us, this episode dives deep (well twenty-four minutes deep) into the prevailing opinions and research on the causes of procrastination.In the episode we discuss:•The harmful health aspects of procrastinating•Why the traditional model and definition doesn’t really cover it all•The emotional causes for not getting things done•How personality may drive your procrastination style•And, possible genetic and biological factors that may be indicators of who

In this episode, we explore some of the most common and yet least usable advice that is out on the internet. Advice today is like opinions—everyone has some. It truly is a great thing to be able to read so much information on ways to improve everything from your productivity to your peace of mind, to your finances. And although the advice is well intended and may even be helpful, a lot of what you read just isn’t usable. So, we’re diving into some of the top categories and discussing why this stuff won’t work and providing some simple alternatives that may work better.

Alcohol is that amazing substance that has been the source of the most memorable nights and those best forgotten. It’s incredible the feats we can perform with a little inhibition reducing poison. And whether you’re the occasional drinker or a black-out drunk partier, we’ve got some life-changing alcohol facts (that won’t actually change your life).Now, as you know, here at Wit Without Wisdom, we are all about the “show don’t tell” when it comes to facts. So, as a special treat, while the show is one sequential episode, we recorded it in five-minute intervals with twenty-five-minute recording breaks. What did we do with those breaks? Why we drank, of course. And we did it all, so you the listener can see the life-changing effects of alcohol and answer that age-old question – Do I Sound Drunk?Plus, we’ll share:• Which countries are the top drinkers?• Can you find a bar in space?• What eye color means to your drinking tolerance?• Why drinking can cause “performance” issues.• And what are some of

In an age where we must be cautious as to what we say, for one group it is open season for criticism and attacks. That group is Men. The reason is that today’s narrative is the belief that the male species has enjoyed centuries of unfettered privilege and consequently deserve all the criticism they receive. But is that true?In this episode, we explore the topic of men and all their faults. But rather than settling on a blanket agreement that men are the source of all evil, or promoting the idea that all men are the same, we delve into the societal and biological reasons for why men behave the way they often do.We discuss:* The often overlooked truth about how far privilege extends* The cost of that privilege in terms of real statistics on mortality* How biological factors play a role in men’s behavior* How both society and women reinforce the behaviors we claim we’d like extinguishedLending our own opinions on the topic, we draw the lines on what men need to take responsibility for and what things will requir

The Medieval Age, those 1000 years of technological and intellectual darkness when superstition was the source of humankind’s explanation of the world. Looking back today, many of the insane things people believed in medieval times seem funny. But in that age of faith, evil spirits, demons, and crazy remedies were wholeheartedly embraced.In this episode, we take a tour of the fantastical medieval beliefs, including:* Burial practices* Common medical cures* The botanical value of virgins* How to summon the devil * The curse of Brussels sprouts Plus a whole bunch more of crazy beliefs and remedies. So take a break from living your own modern myth as shine a line of the crazy beliefs from the medieval period.

Hey, if you’re living life correctly, you’re gonna feel a little dirty once in a while. But setting aside your inherent naughtiness, the idea of cleaning our insides has become a focus of better health advocates. And as the words suggest, diet processes promoting detox and cleanses have enjoyed great popularity over the past decade. The questions remain, however, as to whether these proposed solutions do what they say they do.In this episode, we purge ourselves of the temptations offered by dietary magic bullets and dive into the topic of cleansing and detoxifying. We discuss:• The difference between a detox and a cleanse• Both popular and extreme diets• The pros and cons of detoxing and cleansing• Whether you actually need focused efforts to “clean” your body• And natural, less severe, methods to reduce internal toxinsSo, before you get that summer bod prepped through a full-body purge, grab some lemon water and have a listen to this week’s Detox and Cleanse episode.

Language is a fantastic tool for expressing our ideas, describing our world, and communicating our intentions. The English language is far from static as we add thousands of new words each year. Many of those new words get their start as slang. And in this episode, we take you on a journey through some of the most interesting slang of today and yesteryear.For any wordsmith, parent, or modern communicator, slang has some fascinating power. It not only explains new things and old things in new ways, but slang also provides insight into the latest generation’s focus and attention. In this episode we:• Explore slang from the 80s, 90s, and 00s.• Discuss slang terms that use older slang terms as their definition• Highlight the most resilient words• And bring you up to speed on the latest “words on the street.”No need to bring your urban dictionary, as we’ve got you covered on all the definitions. And you might also be able to help us out on some of the terms we discuss, but still, just don’t get.