Riff 73 - Ollie’s and The Ethics of Summoning Predators

This week we looked back on the previous seven days and discovered that our bodies are still a series of confusing noises, our health issues remain mostly imaginary until proven otherwise, and seagulls have evolved into confident beach criminals who make direct eye contact while stealing food. We debated whether it’s ethical to summon predators, concluded animals are doing whatever they want regardless of our opinions, and tried to figure out how to end conversations without resorting to fake phone calls or slowly backing into traffic.

We also wandered through the modern shopping experience, from the strange treasures at Ollie’s to the emotional roller coaster of grocery delivery, where someone else chooses your produce and you just have to live with that. Along the way we questioned technology, nostalgia, college memories, daytime television, and why hospitals are the one place where you desperately want everyone to leave you alone while also needing them to bring snacks. Altogether, it’s a thoughtful, meandering examination of consumer culture, social behavior, and the ongoing mystery of how we got here and why the seagulls are winning.