Episode Description:
James sits down with astrophysicist Brian Keating for a candid, useful tour through three hot zones: how to think about AI (and where it actually helps), what’s broken in higher ed and admissions right now, and why outsourcing your mood to politics is a losing strategy. You’ll hear first-hand stories (from UC San Diego classrooms to New York City politics), specific ways James and Brian really use AI daily, and a simple framework for protecting your attention and happiness—even when everything feels polarized.
What You’ll Learn:
- A practical AI workflow you can copy today (research prompts, personal “style” bots, and where LLMs fail at original insight).
- A filter for political noise that keeps 99% of your happiness anchored in health, family, friends, and work you control.
- What the UCSD admissions/placement findings really mean for preparation and standards (and why “remedial” can mask deeper gaps).
- A simple admissions/common-sense principle: standards matter; “portfolio” evaluation shouldn’t ignore basic skills.
- How to use AI without losing your own voice—James’ test for “write it in my style” and why generic outputs still fall short.
Timestamped Chapters:
- [02:00] Loft event stories, comedy beats, and setting the tone for a heavy topic.
- [05:00] NYC politics, leadership, and the “why would they vote for him?” question.
- [07:32] Slogans vs. reality: chants, charters, and what words actually imply.
- [09:30] Economics that sound nice vs. incentives that ruin cities.
- [12:00] “Don’t outsource your happiness to politicians.” A sanity reset.
- [20:48] Inside UCSD’s placement data: how did calculus passers miss first-grade algebra?
- [30:02] Standards, SATs, and what “remedial” hides (plus grade inflation).
- [77:49] How James and Brian actually use AI; “mad-bot disease” and why voice still matters.
Additional Resources
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