0018 - absolute zero (Physics) - Alexander Prestia (a.k.a. airport/miniMAG Creator)

In the eighteenth episode, Robert and his guest, Alexander Prestia a.k.a. airport, the creator of the literary periodical, miniMAG, discuss absolute zero, a physics concept defining the lowest possible temperature that is the same for all substances. The conversation moves fluidly from the physical extremes of freezing expatriate life in Harbin, China, to the modern realities of running an indie literary magazine and utilizing AI-generated artwork. They examine the evolving landscape of writing and literary communities, from Robert's "beef" with Bret Easton Ellis over book titles to the structural genius of Mark Z. Danielewski, and the necessity of rooting fictional inspiration in the gritty realities of human behavior rather than pure abstraction. Topics range from the enduring legacy of Robert’s writing mentor, docufiction creator Harold Jaffe, to bizarre personal escapades involving eating pig brains and a half-lion, half-gazelle "Hunter/Hunted" burger. They explore concepts like the performative nature of political movements such as Occupy Wall Street, the hidden wealth of the global elite, and the surprising merits of monarchism, viewing societal power structures and the creative process through the lens of history, real-life trauma, and survival.miniMAG can be found: ⁠HEREIF YOU WOULD LIKE TO BE ON CROSS THEORY, EMAIL [email protected] ARE WELCOME. I DON’T CARE WHO YOU ARE OR WHAT YOU’RE SELLING.