Reconcilable Differences podcast artwork

PODCAST · society

Reconcilable Differences

John Siracusa and Merlin Mann try to figure out exactly how they got this way. Hosted by Merlin Mann and John Siracusa.

Publisher-supplied feed metadata · PodParley refreshed May 9, 2026 · Source feed

  1. 286

    295: If I Adjust for Europe

    John eventually tells us what it is he's so mad about.

  2. 285

    290: Toilet Cop

    Merlin wants to talk about computers a little, and John has questions about why you'd throw away a toilet roll that still has some slices on it. Then, your hosts discuss an upcoming movie remake that seems kind of difficult to understand.

  3. 284

    285: The Regular Amount of Hopelessness

    John has some questions for Merlin.

  4. 283

    284: Burger Boy

    What we talk about when we talk about bagging your own groceries.

  5. 282

    283: Famous in My Head

    Merlin has a question about a YouTube channel, and John has some notes on R.E.M. and their songs' lyrics.

  6. 281

    282: Sadness Accrues

    Merlin's Garbage Apparatus.

  7. 280

    281: I’m the Hero

    On holes, art, and the nature of friendship.

  8. 279

    280: How Dangerous I Can Be

    John explores how to repurpose an extra hole.

  9. 278

    279: I Promised Myself I Wasn't Going to Be Excited

    John tells Merlin how to do a fraud with his eyeglasses, and Merlin tells John about his air fryer. Then they talk about a new thing they've both independently started using a lot.

  10. 277

    278: You’re a Dingleberry

    Merlin shares his Large Appliance Results. (Recorded on Tuesday, January 6, 2026)

  11. 276

    277: A Comma for Christmas

    John's new art piece leads to a discussion of accuracy and build quality in toys for grown men and sometimes children.

  12. 275

    276: Fact Bobby

    A quick check-in on whether or not the machines are helping. (_Recorded on Tuesday, December 9, 2025_)

  13. 274

    275: Horse Magician League

    The dog-blaming continues, and John has updates on the social component of arc raiding.

  14. 273

    274: The Floor for People

    After some Follow-Up on phone dimming and naked swimming, John discusses a video game with some unusual—and possibly unintentional—social mechanics.

  15. 272

    273: Concentric Circles

    Empty Nest Results. (_Recorded on Tuesday, October 28, 2025_)

  16. 271

    272: My Bibles and Books

    TiVo: The Exit Interview.

  17. 270

    271: My System is Symmetrical

    Main topic is the various voices in our heads. If the technology existed to expose the workings of our interior world, what do we imagine it might look like?

  18. 269

    270: We Inflated Our Pants

    Swimming naked in school and thinking about Lead.

  19. 268

    269: The Rope Elf

    John shares the results of some fascinating recent polling on TV obstructions and chewing gum swallowing.

  20. 267

    268: Beach Grit

    Canada blames the dog, John presents his Vacation Results, and Merlin talks about the beach. In this month's bonus member segment, Merlin shares some Professional Expert Results.

  21. 266

    267: Crumbs and Soldiers

    John reports back with his Billy Joel Results.

  22. 265

    266: The Misspeaking Community

    How does John generate all that cool chapter art?

  23. 264

    265: Stop Collapsing Everything

    On the complexities and constraints of pursuing the right answer.

  24. 263

    264: Alphabetical Shadow

    Merlin presents some Microwave Results and John shares his most recent Graduation Results.

  25. 262

    263: A Ragnarok of the Mind

    John's Prom Results and Merlin's Camping Results.

  26. 261

    262: Everybody’s Got a Tunnel

    On goals and accomplishments.

  27. 260

    261: Apparatus Tycoon

    Your hosts finally discuss The Apparatus.

  28. 259

    260: The Mandala Effect

    Merlin is very vulnerable, and John is encouraged to leverage this.

  29. 258

    259: Cascade of Interventions

    Stop blaming the dog.

  30. 257

    258: All These Little Things

    This week, your hosts talk about ChatGPT's new image generation abilities. And in this month's member after show, John and Merlin talk about the Netflix show, "Adolescence."

  31. 256

    257: Reverse Procrastination Bingo

    This week's topic: Kids & Driving

  32. 255

    256: Tomorrow is an Ice Day

    Follow-up brings updates on "all balls" plus a novel inversion to "Secret Weird Things People Do." Main topic this week is cooking alone.

  33. 254

    255: The Illusion of a Shared Experience

    The main topic this week was almost The Big Game.

  34. 253

    254: Someone Else’s Bucket

    Merlin tries a new way of writing online, and John thinks about what it really means to own your web presence.

  35. 252

    253: The Torpid Sons of Venezuelan Oil Men

    This week's topic: The Simpsons Kitchen Gag.

  36. 251

    252: Briefly, It Was the Future.

    Updates on match cuts, the college ranking racket, and some historical perspective on t-dropping.

  37. 250

    251: The Finer Things

    Merlin introduces a new segment, and John shares Application Results.

  38. 249

    250: Water Hammer

    John has a new project and Merlin has a new Thought Technology.

  39. 248

    249: Tally Ho

    Rebuilding "Tally Ho."

  40. 247

    248: Safflower Wednesday

    Election results.

  41. 246

    247: Milk, Milk, Milk

    Main topic this week is "ceilings and floors."

  42. 245

    246: Helicopter Don

    John has a new angle on smart home monitoring, and Merlin shares some new thoughts about "The Godfather" (1972).

  43. 244

    245: The One That's Glistening

    The uneven paces of technological and personal progress.

  44. 243

    244: Hillbilly Pâté

    John and Merlin argue about whether John's new avatar is extremely bad.

  45. 242

    243: Sleep the Clock Round

    Your hosts relitigate this shameful cultural moment in which people keep blaming sweet precious angels for human stovetop cock-ups.

  46. 241

    242: Chewing Gum Shoe Polish

    Merlin demands an opportunity to defend his honor, and John encourages him to get more adult supervision.

  47. 240

    241: Your Father’s Leg

    John reports back on his Vacation Results.

  48. 239

    240: Transverse Sausage Mode

    Your hosts discuss the breathless magic of "Project Farm."

  49. 238

    239: Sacrificial Anode

    John has updates on some recent elective plumbing.

  50. 237

    238: We Have a Bowl

    What does it mean to be a young person in the age of ubiquitous capture?

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ABOUT THIS SHOW

John Siracusa and Merlin Mann try to figure out exactly how they got this way. Hosted by Merlin Mann and John Siracusa.

HOSTED BY

Relay

CATEGORIES

Frequently Asked Questions

How many episodes does Reconcilable Differences have?

Reconcilable Differences currently has 50 episodes available on PodParley. New episodes are automatically indexed when they're published to the podcast feed.

What is Reconcilable Differences about?

John Siracusa and Merlin Mann try to figure out exactly how they got this way. Hosted by Merlin Mann and John Siracusa.

How often does Reconcilable Differences release new episodes?

Reconcilable Differences has 50 episodes. Check the episode list to see recent publication dates and frequency.

Where can I listen to Reconcilable Differences?

You can listen to Reconcilable Differences 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 Reconcilable Differences?

Reconcilable Differences is created and hosted by Relay.
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