Episode 14: We Get Nerdy About Technology

In this week's episode of Conversation on Tap, Joel and Jose are joined by their buddy Jerry to talk about technology. Before they began the discussion, they poured themselves some delcious Belgian quad ale, which fueled their conversation. For his FRED Talk, Jose talked about the recent suicide of Anthony Bourdain, walking through the Catholic Church's teaching on suicide; Joel's FRED Talk was on the most unlivable cities in the United States. Once the conversation began, they dived into some really nerdy-- and abstract-- conversations. At one point, Joel and Jerry speculated as to whether or not we are living in a simulation, something akin to the Matrix. Joel also pondered whether or not we should simply upload the internet into our brains directly. All of this, of course, led to a discussion about the potential for artificial intelligence and references to SkyNet. One big topic of discussion was about the public spat between Elon Musk and Mark Zuckerburg, both of whom have used technology to change our society. But with smartphones being an all-in-one tool, they might also have negative consequences for interpersonal relationships, particularly for couples and today's youth. After Joel and Jose bid adieu to Jerry, they wrapped up the show by discussing a few things they've been reading: Joel was reading about stores using baroque music to dispel vagrants outside their businesses, while Jose was reading about a group of friends who have been playing a 30 year long game of tag, which was recently adpated into a movie. We hope you enjoyed this episode! Please be sure to share this with your friends on social media, especially if they are into these kinds of nerdy topics. Salut!