Ep 289: Fix Your Eyes (Or the Algorithm Will)

Matt and Michael open with a toast to Glenn Hansard, who passed away that morning at 56. Matt reflects on how musicians he's never met have shaped his life in real, relational ways. This sparks a conversation about what it means to have a relationship with someone you've never met. The conversation deepens into attention. What are you fixing your eyes on? They explore the bronze serpent in the wilderness, Jesus telling Peter to look at him, and how Instagram's algorithm quietly answers that question for most people. Michael shares that his why needs an upgrade after years of survival mode. Matt argues that don't die is not a sufficient reason to live. You need something positive to move toward. They close with the extraordinary privilege of being alive right now. A handwritten Bible from 1402 was chained to a cathedral shelf. Today you can read it on your phone in seconds. The options for where to fix your eyes are nearly infinite, which makes the question more urgent than ever. Cheers y'all 🍻 Chapters: [00:00] Cheers to Glenn Hansard [03:59] Seeing Glenn Live vs. Eddie Vedder [07:06] Relationships With People You've Never Met [10:10] The I-to-We Dynamic [14:14] Art, Value, and the Revelation of God [16:56] Scrolling vs. Sitting With a Record [20:18] Fix Your Eyes on Him [25:04] Social Media Isn't Social [29:30] Attention Can Be Consumed [32:52] The Transition Into the Information Age [35:20] Don't Die Is Not a Why [40:21] Cessation Keeps Your Gaze on the Thing [45:47] Grayscale Mode and Other Phone Tricks [48:17] Pearls Before Swine [51:34] To-Go Advice and Time Bombs [55:30] The Sower and the Seed [57:41] In Due Time [61:17] The Process of Becoming [65:27] Reframing Trouble as Adventure [69:31] The Victory Comes Before the Battle [72:23] Is There Such Thing as Luck? [76:11] Chained Libraries and Extraordinary Access [80:57] What Are You Fixing Your Eyes On? Resources: • Once (film) — https://imdb.com/title/tt0907657 • The Swell Season (documentary) — https://imdb.com/title/tt1732483 • Glen Hansard — https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Glen_Hansard • The Chosen — https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Chosen_(TV_series) • House of David — https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/House_of_David_(TV_series) • The Lord of the Rings — https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Lord_of_the_Rings • Tim Scott (YouTube cathedral tour) — https://youtu.be/8IsbKH-EsAY • Chained Libraries — https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chained_library • Bronze Serpent (Numbers 21) — https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Numbers+21%3A4-9 • 1 Peter 5:6-7 — https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=1+Peter+5%3A6-7 Fact Checks: • ✅ Glen Hansard passed away July 29, 2026 — Verified • ✅ Bronze serpent story (Numbers 21:4-9) — Verified • ✅ Jesus references bronze serpent (John 3:14-15) — Verified • ✅ David anointed young, king of all Israel at 37 — Verified • ✅ Chained libraries existed — Verified • ⚠️ Iodine will kill you — Needs context (large quantities yes) Find us here: x.com/mattmccloskey x.com/michaelvaclav All Matt's Links — https://solo.to/mattmccloskey All Michael's Links — https://solo.to/michaelvaclav Shores of Ignorance — https://shoresofignorance.com Sovereign Goods — https://sovereigngoods.shop Cafe Medici — https://mediciroasting.com