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Best of Paradigm Drift #7, DemystifySci #379

Nov 9, 2025

Guest

Ricky Siska

Guest

Brendan Gollage

Brendan Gollage, a contributor with a knack for emotional control, shares innovative psychological practices to reframe emotions, touching on how value awareness can decrease envy. Ricky Siska advocates a bold biological hypothesis on the sensory disruption from circumcision, arguing its societal implications and calling for research into its long-term effects. The discussion delves into the cultural roots of circumcision and the need for its ethical reconsideration, igniting a thought-provoking dialogue on human experience and societal norms.

01:03:19

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ADVICE

Control Emotions With Games

Brendan recommends explicitly notice your values and thoughts to gain control over emotions.
Invent psychological games like reframing envy to reduce negative feelings over weeks.

question_answer

ANECDOTE

Humiliation Stopped Hangry Reactions

Brendan described using humiliation about hangry behavior to remove his grumpiness and blunt minor pain reactions.
That emotional dampening later led him to injure joints while overworking, showing side-effects of emotional control.

insights

INSIGHT

Fear Of Death Limits Space Travel

Abby argues fear of death, not technology, is the main barrier to space exploration.
Mastering death‑fear is reframed as the psychological 'escape velocity' needed to traverse the cosmos.

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Controlling Your Emotions Through Value-Aware Games

03:01 • 3min

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Practical Examples of Reframing Emotions

06:02 • 5min

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Brendan's Background and How It Shapes His System

10:34 • 5min

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Death Physics: Fear of Death as a Barrier to Space

16:01 • 3min

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Abby's Near-Death Experience and Death Training

18:47 • 2min

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Training Astronauts' Consciousness for the Abyss

20:32 • 9min

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A Sensory Organ Cut Off: Foreskin and Behavioral Effects

29:38 • 5min

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Historical and Cultural Drivers of Circumcision Practices

34:44 • 7min

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Call to Study and Ban Nonconsensual Circumcision

41:17 • 7min

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Planets as Stellar Remnants: An Alternative Stellar Evolution Theory

47:54 • 1min

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Mechanics of the Liquid Sun and Core Formation

49:19 • 3min

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How Planetary Nebulae and White Dwarfs Produce Planets

52:25 • 5min

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Panel Feedback on the Dead-Star Planet Hypothesis

56:55 • 2min

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Show Wrap-Up and Reflections from Panelists

• Mentioned in 185 episodes

Bhagavad Gita

The Bhagavad Gita is a central text in Hinduism, embedded within the epic Mahabharata. It recounts a dialogue between the warrior-prince Arjuna and his charioteer, Krishna, who is an avatar of the god Vishnu. The text explores themes of dharma (duty), karma (action), and the path to spiritual enlightenment. Krishna advises Arjuna on the importance of performing his duties without attachment to the outcomes, emphasizing the concept of nishkama karma (nonattached action). The Gita synthesizes various strands of Indian religious thought, including Vedic concepts, samkhya yoga, and bhakti (devotion), providing a coherent vision of Hindu philosophy and spiritual practice.

#8815

• Mentioned in 4 episodes

The Egyptian Book of the Dead

The Book of Coming Forth by Day

Anonymous

The Egyptian Book of the Dead is a collection of spells, prayers, and hymns intended to help the deceased navigate the afterlife. It evolved from earlier funerary texts such as the Pyramid Texts and Coffin Texts. The book is divided into four main sections, detailing the deceased's entry into the underworld, resurrection, journey across the sky, and judgment by a panel of gods. It includes rituals and formulas necessary for the deceased to overcome various challenges and achieve union with the gods, ensuring a peaceful transition to immortality.

#1279

• Mentioned in 24 episodes

The Tibetan Book of the Dead

Timothy Leary

#57706

Pollyanna

Eleanor Hodgman Porter

Neil Reed

Pollyanna, written by Eleanor H. Porter, is a timeless classic first published in 1913. The story follows Pollyanna Whittier, a young orphan who moves in with her stern Aunt Polly in Beldingsville, Vermont. Despite the hardships, Pollyanna plays a 'Glad Game,' finding joy in every situation. Her upbeat spirit transforms those around her, including her aunt and the townspeople. However, her optimism is put to the test when she suffers a tragic accident, leaving her temporarily disabled. The novel ends with Pollyanna learning to appreciate her life and the people in it even more after her recovery.

DemystifySci is the place where we bring people together in search of the theories that will change the world, and Paradigm Drift is your chance to have a hand in that future. Theorists, randomly chosen, get 60 seconds to present their revolutionary idea... and then we see if it's gonna stand the test of time or if it's back into the tank for a little while longer. This video is a compilation of champions from the most recent 2.5 hour live show.

Next live taping, PD#8, will be 12/5 @ 5pm Pacific. Sign up now: https://demystifysci.com/paradigm-drift-show.

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00:00 Go! Introduction to Paradigm Drift Format

00:02:56 Brendan's Philosophy on Emotional Control

00:08:00 Discussion on Psychological Games and Emotional Response

00:10:20 Brendan’s Background and Professional Journey

00:14:10 Abby’s Perspective on Death and Space Exploration

00:18:48 Insights on Cosmology and Cultural Perspectives on Death

00:19:14 Exploring Death and Human Suffering

00:21:01 Death Training Practices

00:23:32 Astronauts' Experiences and the Overview Effect

00:25:07 Shared Death Experiences and Empathy

00:27:11 Understanding the Abyss and Personal Growth

00:29:43 Sensory Organ Discovery and Epigenetics

00:32:06 Circumcision and Behavioral Patterns

00:38:05 Religious Justifications and Cultural Practices

00:39:41 Discussion on Circumcision and Its Impacts

00:42:00 Epigenetics and Trauma

00:47:52 Introduction of Stellar Evolution Theory

00:53:31 The Relationship Between Planets and Stars

00:59:10 Closing Thoughts and Future Discussion

#consciousness, #deathandrebirth, #spaceexploration, #psychology, #selfawareness, #cosmology, #neuroscience, #humanbehavior, #astrophysics, #philosophypodcast , #sciencepodcast, #longformpodcast

ABOUS US: Anastasia completed her PhD studying bioelectricity at Columbia University. When not talking to brilliant people or making movies, she spends her time painting, reading, and guiding backcountry excursions. Shilo also did his PhD at Columbia studying the elastic properties of molecular water. When he's not in the film studio, he's exploring sound in music. They are both freelance professors at various universities.

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