PODCAST · society
Feeding Curiosity
by Erich Wenzel
This podcast is a space for slow, curious conversations about the stories shaping our inner lives. We explore symbolism, archetypes, faith, philosophy, and thought experiments hidden inside film, anime, sci-fi, and modern myth. Using pop culture as a starting point—not the destination—we ask what these stories reveal about meaning, morality, identity, and being human in a chaotic world.
Episodes
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Pluribus: When Individuality Meets the Hive Mind
Today on the podcast, we dive into the intricate world of "Pluribus" – a show that has captured our fascination with its unique blend of science fiction and philosophical exploration. As fans of deep, thought-provoking narratives, we dissect the layers within "Pluribus" to uncover the underlying...
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From Hustle Culture to Agape: Self-Regulation, Meaning, and the Collapse of Trust
In our latest podcast episode, we embarked on an introspective journey through the complexities of modern societal expectations, focusing on how hustle culture, meaning, and trust interweave into the fabric of our daily lives. Joe and Erich explored these themes through candid dialogue, delving...
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Everything Everywhere All At Once: Finding Purpose in Infinite Possibilities
Today on the podcast, we are back with a deep dive into "Everything Everywhere All At Once." This film has captivated audiences with its complex narrative that explores the intricacies of purpose within an infinite array of possibilities. Our discussion aims to unpack the story's thematic layers...
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Frankenstein: A Timeless Allegory in the Age of AI
This episode delves into the timeless story of Frankenstein through the lens of Guillermo del Toro's cinematic adaptation, emphasizing the symbolic and philosophical depth of Mary Shelley's original work. The discussion highlights parallels between Victor Frankenstein's rationalist worldview and...
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Delving Deep Into "Chainsaw Man": Symbolism, Archetypes, and the Hero’s Journey
Chainsaw Man looks like chaos—but beneath the blood and devils lies a mythic story about fear, control, and the cost of desire. In this episode, we break down the symbolism, archetypes, and psychological journey that turn Chainsaw Man into one of the most compelling modern anime narratives. Show...
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Exploring AI's Role and Limitations: From Corporate Automation to Human Creativity
In this episode of Feeding Curiosity, the hosts explore the implications of AI technology, discussing concerns about AI replacing human productivity; they debate the potential and limitations of AI tools like ChatGPT. The conversation covers corporate automation, the dangers of over-reliance on…
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Deep Dive: Robert Eggers' Nosferatu - Alchemy, Symbolism, and Horror
In this episode of Feeding Curiosity, we start the year by exploring Robert Eggers' rendition of Nosferatu. We delve into the film's alchemical symbolism and how it reinvigorates old-school horror storytelling for a metamodern audience. We also break down the film's rich narrative layers, from…
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Exploring Awe, Meaning, and Dynamic Systems in Life
In this episode of Feeding Curiosity, the hosts discuss topics ranging from personal updates, such as Joe's application to PhD positions, to the significance of interdisciplinary thinking in academia. They delve into the podcast of Andrew Huberman and his father, exploring their differing…
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Mind Over Miles: Reflections from the Marathon
In this episode of Feeding Curiosity, host Erich Wenzel reflects on the journey and insights from training for and completing two marathons. He discusses the challenges and sacrifices involved, including balancing marathon training with a full-time job and transitioning to a new career. Erich...
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Arcane Season 2 Act 3: Transformation and Perfection Explored
In this in-depth discussion of Act 3 of Arcane Season 2, the hosts analyze the central theme of transformation for each character, particularly the core 'good' characters who evolve into different versions of themselves. They elaborate on the positive and negative transformations, using…
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Arcane Season 2 Act 2: Deep Dive into Symbolism, Archetypes, and the Unconscious
We discuss 'Arcane' in Season 2, Act 2 in this episode. They explore the breathing room provided in this segment, examining Jinx's transformation and symbolic role in the undercity. The discussion covers character arcs, including the intricate relationship between Jinx, Vi, and Isha, with Isha...
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Arcane Season 2 Act 1: A Deep Dive into Themes, Characters, and Cultural Commentary
In this podcast episode, the hosts return after a hiatus to discuss the highly anticipated second season of 'Arcane.' They explore the show's unique release format while reflecting on its first season. The conversation delves into first impressions of the new episodes, analyzing the animation…
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Film Deep Dive | Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse
Today on the podcast, we are back with a film deep dive discussing Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse! In these podcasts, we try to cover different aspects of the film and story to understand more deeply what worked or didn't from as many angles as possible. This podcast is a bit special for...
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Joe Jackowski on Apotheosis and The Parodies
Today on the podcast, we are joined by Joe Jackowski. Joe is a Marine Corps veteran and current graduate student at Vanderbilt University in the Cognitive Psychology in Context program. His primary interest is meaning in life, which broadly extends to problems in ethics, A.I., and culture. In…
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Joey and Drew on Few Will Hunt
"Everybody wants to eat, but Few Will Hunt." Today on the podcast with Joey Bowen and Drew Beech, co-founders of the apparel brand and community Few Will Hunt. Joey and Drew spent their daily commutes through the gritty streets of Philadelphia on the phone for a year straight. On these calls…
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Jordan Criss on Fulfillment, Imposter Syndrome, Procrastination and Eulogy Virtues
On this podcast episode, Jordan Criss returns for a long-overdue discussion on Life and Fulfillment. We start the conversation with the idea that most people are actively disengaged with what they spend most of their time. From there, we cover imposter syndrome, healthy habits, procrastination…
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Karlee Owens on Natural Movement, Spirals and Listening to Your Body
Coach Karlee is a movement coach who teaches her athletes to move their bodies as nature designed: strong, secure, pain-free, and forward. Utilizing slow-motion video assessment, she can assess, address, and correct pattern errors that are causing pain and/or hindering performance goals. With a...
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The Last of Us Episode 9 | TV Show Breakdown
Finally, we come to the season finale of The Last of Us, season 1. Since starting our breakdowns, we have been excited about this very conversation. Would viewers of the show be challenged with the ending as much as the game challenged audiences over a decade ago? Would audiences be given enough…
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Gina Iaffaldano on Life Lessons Overcoming Guillain Barre Syndrome
Gina Iaffaldano is a legal operations professional, writer, and everyday athlete. She has recently relocated back to the Chicagoland area. She is working on her first book, Little Gifts, which covers much of her experience with overcoming Guillain-Barré syndrome - a rare autoimmune syndrome that...
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The Last of Us Episode 7 and 8 | TV Show Breakdown
Today's podcast continues our breakdown of The Last of Us on HBO with episodes seven and eight. Episode seven dives into more of Ellie's past and gives the audience a view of what Ellie said when it wasn't the first time she had used a gun. Living in this world is harsh for even the youngest...
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Zach Wagner on Non Toxic Masculinity
ZACHARY WAGNER is a writer, researcher, ordained minister––thinker of thoughts and feeler of feelings. Originally from the Chicagoland area, he now lives in Oxford, England, where he is pursuing a DPhil (PhD) in New Testament studies at Keble College, University of Oxford. He also serves as the...
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The Last of Us Episode 6 | TV Show Breakdown
Today's podcast continues our breakdown of The Last of Us on HBO with episode six. Episode six continues the journey of Ellie and Joel, but they have moved much further west with a time jump of three months. We find them in the snowy mountains as they are nearing where Tommy's last location.…
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James Calmese Jr on Music Promoting and Betting on Yourself
James Calmese Jr. Is a WIU graduate who works in financing and in shipping. Being the founder of Good Vibes, M.I. Edition LLC, a live entertainment entity involved in the underground music scene, the early stages of the music business process, and sports is what keeps him going in the day-to-day....
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The Last of Us Episode 5 | TV Show Breakdown
Today's podcast continues our breakdown of The Last of Us on HBO with episode five. Episode five continues by giving us the backstory on Sam and Henry shortly after the FEDRA are overthrown in the city. From that, we catch up to the present, where the previous episode left off with Joel and…
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Matt Vincent on Shedding Past Identities and Routine is the Fast Track to Dying Quicker
Matt Vincent is a strength athlete, two-time Highland Games World Champion, and founder of HVIII Brand Goods, now rebranded to Not Dead Yet. Through his travels, Matt was lucky enough to spend time with exceptional people chasing strength, fulfillment, and personal growth in every imaginable way....
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The Last of Us Episode 4 | TV Show Breakdown
Today's podcast continues our breakdown of The Last of Us on HBO with episode four. Episode four continues the story of Joel and Ellie. We get some relationship-building while on the road. Still, they take a detour into Kanas city. Very quickly, something is off inside the city without FEDRA...
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The Psychology of Moral Reasoning Part 2
In this podcast episode, we continue our discussion on moral reasoning. After laying out the groundwork in the first part of this discussion, we dive deeper into moral foundations theory and break down the characteristics of each foundation. Finally, we round out the discussion closing on the...
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Last of Us Episode 3 | TV Show Breakdown
Today's podcast continues our breakdown of The Last of Us on HBO with episode three. Episode three is, so far, the most significant departure from what those familiar with the game will see. While Joel and Ellie are still featured in the episode, we mostly follow the lives of two other survivors,...
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The Psychology of Moral Reasoning Part 1
In this podcast episode, we sit with Joe Jackowski to discuss the foundational ideas and philosophers behind moral reasoning. Support our content on Patreon! patreon.com/feedingcurioisity Show Notes: (00:00) Intro (03:13) Lawrence Kohlberg (08:54) Elliot Turiel (10:31) Rousseau (22:19) Hobbes...
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The Last of Us Episode 2 | TV Show Breakdown
Today's podcast continues our breakdown of The Last of Us on HBO with episode two! We discussed what we liked, what had changed from the game, and other details that caught our attention while watching the episode. Support our content on Patreon! patreon.com/feedingcurioisity Last of Us…
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In Pursuit of Goggins
For many, David Goggins is seen as inhuman or, as he has said, uncommon amongst the uncommon, sure that is true. But I look at it a little differently. If he can forge himself into something extraordinary, why can't I? Why can't the person next to me? In this video, I discuss what it means to be…
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The Last of Us Episode 1 | TV Show Breakdown
In today's episode, we are starting our breakdown of the newly released series The Last of Us based on the game of the same name! For those who want to remain entirely spoiler-free, this is not for you, but given the game has been out for some time, we assume most casual audiences will be curious...
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Film Deep Dive | The Whale
In this week's episode, we break down the film The Whale. The film is directed by Darren Aronofsky, written by Samuel D. Hunter, and stars Brendan Fraser. The film is an emotional rollercoaster and leaves all of us feeling something. At the movie's core, we tried to determine whether this was a...
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Film Deep Dive | Everything Everywhere All At Once
In this episode of the podcast, we are joined by Brandon Wenzel to discuss the film Everything Everywhere All At Once. The film was written and directed by Dan Kwan and Daniel Scheinert. Starring Michelle Yeoh, Stephanie Hsu, and Key Huy Quan. We had recorded this conversation earlier in the…
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Reflecting on 2022
In this episode, Joe and Erich reflect on 2022 and their direction in 2023. For a portion of this conversation, we take a step back to go over how the previous few years felt stagnant to lay the groundwork for the reemergence that started in late 2022. Around the middle of 2022, starting live...
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AI Art and Ethics
In today's podcast, we are continuing our discussion on AI art. We covered more technical ground last week but barely scratched the surface of what people are worried about on the ethical side of this new technology. As with any new technology, there will be growing pains, and in the world of…
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Discussing Generative Art
Today's podcast will discuss generative art, such as Mid Journey. Over the last few months, generative art has exploded with DALL-E 2, followed by more open platforms. But, as with any new technology, there are a lot of grey areas to explore. Join us as we explore the hopes, dreams, and problems…
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Book Discussion | Icarus Fallen
Today's podcast will discuss the book Icarus Fallen: Search For Meaning In An Uncertain World by Chantal Delsol. An overview of the book: It would be difficult to find a more perceptive description of Western man and the world he now inhabits than that provided by Chantal Delsol in Icarus Fallen:...
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Cyberpunk and How Do We Imagine Something Better Than Dystopia
On today's podcast, we are back talking cyberpunk! We've been discussing it off the air and realized we had more to say on a broader level than what we've talked about from Edgerunner's show. What do you think a positive world with technology looks like? How does humanity positively explore...
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Dr. Justin Ternes on Breathwork, Learning and Coaching
Dr. Justin Ternes is a Doctor of Physiotherapy, Breath & Mindset Coach, and Human Performance Optimizer. His work is centered on three main pillars: mind/body, breath work, and performance. Dr. Ternes is passionate about helping high-level humans take their mental health and wellness to another...
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Book Discussion | Range By David Epstein
In today's podcast, we are diving into the book Range by David Epstein! David Epstein examined the world's most successful athletes, artists, musicians, inventors, forecasters, and scientists. He discovered that generalists, not specialists, are primed to excel in most fields—especially those…
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Philosophy Deep Dive | Nietzsche on Resentment
In today's podcast, we are diving into Nietzsche on Resentment. The book we will explore is On the Genealogy of Morals by Friedrich Nietzsche.
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Deep Dive | Cyberpunk: Edgerunners
Hello everyone. And welcome back to another episode of feeding curiosity. In today's episode, we dive deeply into Netflix anime Cyberpunk: Edgerunners. I think we talked about many things that are important to us from the elements of the story, like myth and what they represent in the hero's...
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Book Discussion | Immoderate Greatness: Why Civilizations Fail
On this podcast, we discuss the book Immoderate Greatness by William Ophuls. Immoderate Greatness explains how a civilization’s sheer magnitude conspires against it to cause downfall. Cultures are hard-wired for self-destruction. They travel an arc from initial success to terminal decay and...
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Top Gun and The State of Hollywood
In today's episode, We start with a discussion around Top Gun Maverick. And why this film, in particular, feels like a breath of fresh air compared to other sequels. Many sequels over the last decade, but a lack of the essence of what made the original films massive successes that have shaped our...
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Ed Latimore on Stress, Complexity of Technology, Scientific Thinking and Improving Your Writing
In this episode, we are joined by Ed Latimore. Ed is a former professional heavyweight boxer, a competitive chess player, and a bestselling author. His writing focuses on self-development, realizing your potential, and sobriety—all of which he approaches from personal experience, overcoming…
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Film Deep Dive - The Batman
In this episode, Erich and Jordan discuss Matt Reeves' The Batman. We discussed what we enjoyed about different aspects of the film and compared it to its other superhero films. Naturally, we can't escape comparing it to the Nolan trilogy of Batman films. Overall, we enjoyed the film and looked...
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Deep Dive: Euphoria - Art is Meant to be Dangerous
Erich and Jordan dive into the HBO show Euphoria in this episode. We covered themes, techniques, and character movements we enjoyed about the show. We also give our take based on the controversy the show has faced since it deals with mature topics set in high school. We believe that art in any…
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The Oscars, Spiderman and Euphoria (#173)
In today's episode, I am joined by returning friend and guest Jordan Criss, and as always, we have a great conversation centered around Jordan's interests, film, and TV. Of course, that means it's Oscar season, so we dive into the current controversy around the Oscars. Mainly with Spider-Man No…
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The Philosophy of Feeding Curiosity
Reflecting on four years of podcasting and creating content for Feeding Curiosity! I wanted to share how I think about this project and how it impacts my life and those I connect with! Thank you to everyone who's been a part of this project for the past four years. For more content head to:...
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ABOUT THIS SHOW
This podcast is a space for slow, curious conversations about the stories shaping our inner lives. We explore symbolism, archetypes, faith, philosophy, and thought experiments hidden inside film, anime, sci-fi, and modern myth. Using pop culture as a starting point—not the destination—we ask what these stories reveal about meaning, morality, identity, and being human in a chaotic world.
HOSTED BY
Erich Wenzel
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Frequently Asked Questions
How many episodes does Feeding Curiosity have?
Feeding Curiosity currently has 224 episodes available on PodParley. New episodes are automatically indexed when they're published to the podcast feed.
What is Feeding Curiosity about?
This podcast is a space for slow, curious conversations about the stories shaping our inner lives. We explore symbolism, archetypes, faith, philosophy, and thought experiments hidden inside film, anime, sci-fi, and modern myth. Using pop culture as a starting point—not the destination—we ask what...
How often does Feeding Curiosity release new episodes?
Feeding Curiosity publishes regularly with 224 episodes available. Check the episode list for the typical release schedule.
Where can I listen to Feeding Curiosity?
You can listen to Feeding Curiosity on PodParley by clicking any episode. We provide an embedded audio player for direct listening, and you can also subscribe via your preferred podcast app using the RSS feed.
Who hosts Feeding Curiosity?
Feeding Curiosity is created and hosted by Erich Wenzel.
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