A Sense of Rebellion

Discussion on the importance of play and playfulness in Brody and Johnson's agenda, exploring perspectives on artificial intelligence, contrasting AI methods, and the emphasis on playfulness in revealing hidden context and challenging traditions.

Exploring unique perspectives on technology, human augmentation, and rebellion in the 1960s. Delving into intelligent environments as tools for diversity. Discussing the challenges of replicating human culture in computers.

In this bonus episode, Evgeny meets Warren Brodey, his children, and his partner Karene on the day of Warren's 100th birthday. A lively discussion follows: this podcast's last attempt to decipher Warren's strange arc.Watch the video on Youtube: https://youtu.be/fl_uyH9slOU Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

GUARDEA, ITALY, 2024: Evgeny joins Warren Brodey's 100th birthday celebration at his daughter Lisa's home in Umbria. We uncover the final days of the lab, the fates of Peter Oser and Avery Johnson, Warren's numerous defense mechanisms, and how he has—and hasn't—changed since the lab's demise. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

BOSTON, 1969: We revisit the lab on Lewis Wharf for a final glimpse into the early tech start-up scene. The project begins with utopian optimism, but soon faces problems and conflicts. As the team readies for the final presentation, Peter Oser questions the enterprise's viability Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

WASHINGTON, 1964: We travel to Georgetown of the early 1960s, where the Brodeys mingle with the country's elite, including the Kennedys. Brodey's fascination with computers and responsive environments begins, influenced by his psychiatric practice. LSD also makes an appearance. Discover why he abandons psychiatry for MIT and the challenges he encounters there. Could the Environmental Ecology Lab be his solution? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

BOSTON, 1968: Evgeny examines an alternative, non-military hypothesis about the origins of the Environmental Ecology Lab. As personal struggles of Avery Johnson and Peter Oser, key collaborators of Warren Brodey, come to light, unsettling questions arise. Is the lab's true mission to enable Brodey, a gifted psychiatrist, to mend the fractures in their lives? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

GENEVA, 2023: Evgeny makes one last push in his quest to uncover the truth behind the Environmental Ecology Lab's mysterious ties to the military and the CIA. As he follows the trail, startling revelations come to light, hinting at a shadowy connection between Peter Oser and the US military. Evgeny also exposes the hidden influence of the lab's intellectual godfather, himself an insider of the national security state. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

LONDON, 2023: Evgeny finally meets Nicholas Negroponte, one of the most famous prophets of the digital age and a key figure inspired by Brodey and Johnson. As their conversation unfolds, questions arise: Has Negroponte remained true to their pioneering concepts, or has he ventured into realms they would disapprove of? And what about the MIT Media Lab—does it extend the legacy of the Environmental Ecology Lab, or has it charted its own course? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

OSLO, 1978: Evgeny is determined to uncover the truth behind Warren Brodey's sudden departure from America and his reappearance as a fervent Maoist at a Norwegian iron foundry. Locals whisper he might be a CIA agent, but is there any truth to these suspicions? As Evgeny digs deeper, he unravels Warren's strange political journey and the impact of his past on those he left behind in the US. Meanwhile, Avery Johnson's drastic shift to the opposite political direction adds another layer of complexity to this mysterious tale. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices