WEBVTT - Fascinating! 

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<v Speaker 1>Fascinating. It's one more thing. I'm one more thing. Two

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<v Speaker 1>notes from the world of science fiction. Jack, I know

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<v Speaker 1>you love that genre of entertainment slash literature.

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<v Speaker 2>I am not a science fiction person.

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<v Speaker 1>I don't know why. I just don't know. I don't

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<v Speaker 1>know why either. It's it's great. There's some that's just

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<v Speaker 1>it's some of the wisest best things. You see. You

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<v Speaker 1>change the setting, Katie, What did did? Did your dog

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<v Speaker 1>break wind? Why do you have that look on your face?

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<v Speaker 2>It feels the same way I do about science fiction science.

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<v Speaker 1>I work with philistines. No, it changed, all right, you

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<v Speaker 1>know what. I'm not going to try to explain Beethoven

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<v Speaker 1>to a couple of bassett hounds. No offense. Funny now,

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<v Speaker 1>you either like it or you don't. But it is

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<v Speaker 1>somebody more. I'll bet Tim Sandefer could could wax incredibly

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<v Speaker 1>eloquent on why science fiction is so good because it

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<v Speaker 1>changes enough frames of reference that you can isolate various

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<v Speaker 1>aspects of human behavior in a way that highlights them

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<v Speaker 1>in a way that's difficult with other fiction. Anyway, fascinating exactly.

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<v Speaker 1>I have no blanket idea. This is note from science

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<v Speaker 1>fiction number one. Why this popped into my head. I'm

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<v Speaker 1>wandering off to the bathroom the radio ranch. It must

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<v Speaker 1>have been. I was thinking about something that was really interesting,

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<v Speaker 1>and I heard Spock's voice in my head saying, fascinating, fascinating,

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<v Speaker 1>and you know what occurred to me? Tell me about

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<v Speaker 1>mister Spock, Michael, I'm putting you on the spot here.

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<v Speaker 1>What is the most distinctive thing about the character mister Spock?

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<v Speaker 1>It was his ears?

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<v Speaker 2>No, no, you know what, that's not a bad assimal.

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<v Speaker 2>That's a perfect answer. If you're gonna look at him,

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<v Speaker 2>but not physically. How about his personality? What was most

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<v Speaker 2>notable class anyone?

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<v Speaker 1>That's right?

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<v Speaker 2>Well, I'm interested to Michael, you don't have answer. Have

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<v Speaker 2>you never seen Star Trek here and there? But not really?

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<v Speaker 2>He was emotionless, right, exactly? Have you seen Star Trek Katie?

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<v Speaker 1>When I was a kid, the original Trek, my dad

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<v Speaker 1>watched a bit of it and I was forced. Oh

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<v Speaker 1>I was. I was a big fan. And then I

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<v Speaker 1>got to college and a bunch of buddies in mine

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<v Speaker 1>and I would get baked every Sunday night after our

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<v Speaker 1>like homework was done and stuff like this study and

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<v Speaker 1>we would get baked and watch Star Trek.

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<v Speaker 2>Guy one episode or multiple No, just one, just one,

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<v Speaker 2>over and over again.

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<v Speaker 1>There was one of the TV stations that aired Star

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<v Speaker 1>Trek at nine o'clock Sunday nights.

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<v Speaker 2>What a different era in that you would now you know,

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<v Speaker 2>be able to binge the whole series in one weekend.

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<v Speaker 1>Right exactly. But oh, we had ground rules about there's

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<v Speaker 1>no saving seats. If you got up to hit the john,

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<v Speaker 1>you're you're the next guy is going to jump into

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<v Speaker 1>that good seat and you come back and you'd you know,

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<v Speaker 1>shuffling feet, lose your seat. There's etiquette. It was very formalized. Anyway,

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<v Speaker 1>it occurred to me Spock saying, fascinating, that's an emotional reaction.

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<v Speaker 1>His catchphrase contradicted his very essence. If you are a

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<v Speaker 1>robot like and feel no emotion, you're not gonna be

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<v Speaker 1>fascinated by a problem, no or an issue.

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<v Speaker 2>It's just more information, but it has no emotional effect.

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<v Speaker 1>On right exactly. His very catchphrase contradicted his character. I

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<v Speaker 1>hope Tim Sandifer hears this. I would love to hear

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<v Speaker 1>his comments someday.

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<v Speaker 2>Or the episode where he thought Jim was dead and

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<v Speaker 2>he was so excited to see Jim that he has

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<v Speaker 2>a big smut, Jim, you're alive, briefly breaking character and

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<v Speaker 2>having emotions.

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<v Speaker 1>Of course, he was half human, Jack, Oh, that's right,

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<v Speaker 1>he was half human. Tim Sandfer has written a piece

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<v Speaker 1>on the evolving point of view and plots of Star

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<v Speaker 1>Trek and how it parallels American foreign policy that is

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<v Speaker 1>knockout good.

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<v Speaker 2>Oh really, Oh yeah, that's interesting. It's not about how

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<v Speaker 2>William Shatton or some seasons would be fat and some

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<v Speaker 2>seasons would be fit.

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<v Speaker 1>No, al loough. That is worthy of studying itself. All right,

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<v Speaker 1>birds science fiction note number two, And there are a

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<v Speaker 1>couple of people who email this. We were talking about

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<v Speaker 1>gene splicing, editing designer baby.

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<v Speaker 2>Yeah, and how it's a real thing. This New York

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<v Speaker 2>Times columnist writing about how she and her husband with

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<v Speaker 2>IVF were given the choice of whether they wanted a

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<v Speaker 2>boy or a girl, and they decided they didn't like

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<v Speaker 2>the power to choose that, but then found out that

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<v Speaker 2>there are a whole bunch of other things you can choose.

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<v Speaker 2>And a poll came out that forty percent of Americans

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<v Speaker 2>said they would make choices in embryos if it would

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<v Speaker 2>make it more likely that their kid could get into

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<v Speaker 2>a good school whatever. I hate that phrase. I don't

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<v Speaker 2>even know what that moves.

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<v Speaker 1>Oh yeah, I kind of hate that attitude.

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<v Speaker 2>Yeah, so like make taller, better looking, smarter. You can

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<v Speaker 2>choose that or.

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<v Speaker 1>Just quote unquote happy, happier.

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<v Speaker 3>Yeah, you guys ever see that show Black Mirror?

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<v Speaker 1>On that No, I've got a note to watch that

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<v Speaker 1>and I haven't yet.

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<v Speaker 2>What's the premise?

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<v Speaker 3>The premise it's basically way in the future, and it's

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<v Speaker 3>very tech like technology based. So at one point you

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<v Speaker 3>have people walking around and they have like a social

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<v Speaker 3>status above their heads that you can see, you know,

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<v Speaker 3>and if you do something that's socially unacceptable, your status

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<v Speaker 3>goes down. It's just like a bunch of really terrible

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<v Speaker 3>technology scenarios. This sounds like something out of Black Mirror.

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<v Speaker 1>But did you enjoy that show? I love that, which

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<v Speaker 1>is science fiction? You hypocrite.

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<v Speaker 2>I don't do the whole space Aliens thing.

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<v Speaker 1>I don't know. That's where you draw a lot, That's

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<v Speaker 1>where I draw a line. Yeah, okay, I will watch

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<v Speaker 1>it because it sounds really interesting. Yeah, it really is.

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<v Speaker 1>So anyway, we were talking about this and I just

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<v Speaker 1>did that Mike Judge, who was behind the We thought

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<v Speaker 1>it was a comedy. Turns out it was a documentary idiocracy,

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<v Speaker 1>one of our mutual favorite movies of all time. It's

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<v Speaker 1>it's dumb, but it's smart anyway. He needs to make

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<v Speaker 1>an idiocracy for genetically engineered humans who are all, you know,

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<v Speaker 1>good looking, tall, blue eyed, whatever, kind of a Stepford

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<v Speaker 1>Wives baby.

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<v Speaker 2>And pleasant or happy. Because we mentioned the show, every writer, musician,

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<v Speaker 2>artist was unhappy. Has there ever been a happy, great

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<v Speaker 2>guitar player. I don't know if there has been.

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<v Speaker 1>Right, whether alienated or lonely or a misfit who is

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<v Speaker 1>looking for some purpose to their life. Yeah, yeah, it's well,

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<v Speaker 1>discontent in general drives achievement anyway. So a couple of people,

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<v Speaker 1>including Christy, wrote notes that said, hey, you're talking about

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<v Speaker 1>the movie Gatica, which came out and I think somebody

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<v Speaker 1>said nineteen ninety seven, it's not a comedy, but it's

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<v Speaker 1>a beautiful film about the not too distant future where

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<v Speaker 1>people choose traits and those who are born naturally are

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<v Speaker 1>considered second class citizens.

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<v Speaker 2>Oh wow.

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<v Speaker 1>I'm a genetic counselor and former genetic research scientist, and

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<v Speaker 1>it is literally referenced in ethical discussions all the time,

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<v Speaker 1>it's normal to have someone ask the question, isn't that

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<v Speaker 1>a little too gatica? Wow?

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<v Speaker 2>What would cause U naturally born to be second class citizens?

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<v Speaker 1>Well, because they're inferior, they're not all all and beautiful

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<v Speaker 1>and perfect, And well, yeah.

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<v Speaker 2>Just naturally you would because you wouldn't be as good

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<v Speaker 2>looking or as smart.

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<v Speaker 1>And by the way, Christine Rancho Cordova, I will, I'll

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<v Speaker 1>drop her note, but she says, uh, I won't bore

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<v Speaker 1>you with all the details, blah blah blah. No, go ahead,

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<v Speaker 1>bore us with as many details as you want. To

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<v Speaker 1>find this all fascinating. And she makes the point that, yeah,

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<v Speaker 1>we talk about the ethics all the time, but I

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<v Speaker 1>do think it's just a matter of time, especially because

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<v Speaker 1>other countries have been dabbling in it anyway. Uh, And

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<v Speaker 1>I thought, Gatica, that sounds really familiar. Getka, why does

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<v Speaker 1>that sound so familiar? And I think, I think that's

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<v Speaker 1>the movie I got to retell a story that's been

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<v Speaker 1>told more than once on the show through the last

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<v Speaker 1>well nineteen ninety seven, twenty five years whatever. I took

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<v Speaker 1>my kids to see Elf, a good movie in the theater,

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<v Speaker 1>movie and they had a couple of previews, a young

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<v Speaker 1>Zoey Deschanel. Oh so cute anyway.

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<v Speaker 2>Katie rolls her eyes. I'm a straight Maybe you were

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<v Speaker 2>there for an older Ed Asner, so.

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<v Speaker 1>Any oh, she was so lovable in that movie. She's

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<v Speaker 1>darling anyway. So a couple of previews and then another

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<v Speaker 1>preview we thought of a very dark and serious nature,

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<v Speaker 1>very dark and serious scene unfolds and it is as

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<v Speaker 1>I recall, oh, what's her name, a beautiful African American actress, Yeah,

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<v Speaker 1>who was sitting in a chair talking to some sort

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<v Speaker 1>of counselor or detective or something like that. And get

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<v Speaker 1>the bleepers ready, and what's the ages on your kids? Again?

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<v Speaker 1>This is a theater full of parents and children ages

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<v Speaker 1>five through thirteen.

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<v Speaker 2>Oh yeah, you're seeing Elf.

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<v Speaker 1>In the theater. And the scene unfolded as follows. Blah

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<v Speaker 1>blah blah. The detective or counselor or whatever the person

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<v Speaker 1>was says to the halle Berry character, so are you

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<v Speaker 1>telling me you talked to Satan? And the halle Berry character,

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<v Speaker 1>I think it was halle Bery says, talk to Satan,

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<v Speaker 1>I fucked him, and.

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<v Speaker 4>The whole theater goes, WHOA, what is happening here, and

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<v Speaker 4>there's a huge uproar, including me, why you're doing everybody

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<v Speaker 4>shouting at the projection booth, and they and everything stops

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<v Speaker 4>and the lights go on. In about two or three

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<v Speaker 4>minutes of there's a great deal of buzz in the theater.

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<v Speaker 1>You can imagine the parents and the kids going, oh

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<v Speaker 1>my god, what does that mean? What does it mean

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<v Speaker 1>to fuck Satan? Oh jeez, oh my gosh, es.

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<v Speaker 2>Elf come out crying.

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<v Speaker 1>They come on and say, we'd like to apologize the

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<v Speaker 1>projection booth ran the wrong film. We'll have Elf cued

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<v Speaker 1>up for you in just a moment.

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<v Speaker 2>If you'd like to sign some paperwork on the way

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<v Speaker 2>out saying you will not hold us responsible for any

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<v Speaker 2>future trauma, we will give you a free small popcorn.

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<v Speaker 1>And I think that movie was gatica.

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<v Speaker 4>Yeah.

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<v Speaker 3>I'm wondering if you guys actually enjoyed treating your customers

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<v Speaker 3>like a piece of yeah.

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<v Speaker 1>Huh oh.

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<v Speaker 3>I can only imagine the parents in there, Oh.

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<v Speaker 2>My god, it is something, you know, since we got

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<v Speaker 2>an F bomb in the show. Already out to the store,

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<v Speaker 2>because this happened two days ago. I got the little

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<v Speaker 2>local market by my house, a little grocery store that

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<v Speaker 2>the good enough grocery store in case unless you need

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<v Speaker 2>a whole bunch of stuff every but it goes to

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<v Speaker 2>nice grocery store. It just came under new ownership, and

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<v Speaker 2>the guy's working really hard to uh, to please everybody

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<v Speaker 2>and saying hello to everybody and introduce himself and everything

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<v Speaker 2>like that. That's really nice and everything like that. I'm in

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<v Speaker 2>the other there the other day and I'm going through

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<v Speaker 2>and I said, it looks like it's a knocking the

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<v Speaker 2>rain day, and he said, yeah, it's pretty fucking nice outside,

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<v Speaker 2>all right.

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<v Speaker 1>I love that. I thought, what, No, it's of society.

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<v Speaker 1>He's just a nice, cheerful guy. He's like sixty two

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<v Speaker 1>or something.

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<v Speaker 2>Like that, well, owns the store, kind of a fat guy,

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<v Speaker 2>and just very super pleasant, like helping the old ladies

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<v Speaker 2>to their car. It's pretty fucking nice. Sam told me,

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<v Speaker 2>he said, you gotta start talking to him that way.

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<v Speaker 2>It's like, where's the fucking milk?

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<v Speaker 1>No, no, no, oh, that's awesome. Well, I guess that's it.

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<v Speaker 1>I was really hoping you were gonna say, I guess

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<v Speaker 1>that's fucking me too. Great minds. I thought of it.