PODCAST · society
Reconcilable Differences
by Relay
John Siracusa and Merlin Mann try to figure out exactly how they got this way. Hosted by Merlin Mann and John Siracusa.
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286
295: If I Adjust for Europe
John eventually tells us what it is he's so mad about.
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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.
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284
285: The Regular Amount of Hopelessness
John has some questions for Merlin.
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283
284: Burger Boy
What we talk about when we talk about bagging your own groceries.
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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.
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281
282: Sadness Accrues
Merlin's Garbage Apparatus.
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280
281: I’m the Hero
On holes, art, and the nature of friendship.
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279
280: How Dangerous I Can Be
John explores how to repurpose an extra hole.
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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.
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277
278: You’re a Dingleberry
Merlin shares his Large Appliance Results. (Recorded on Tuesday, January 6, 2026)
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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.
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275
276: Fact Bobby
A quick check-in on whether or not the machines are helping. (_Recorded on Tuesday, December 9, 2025_)
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274
275: Horse Magician League
The dog-blaming continues, and John has updates on the social component of arc raiding.
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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.
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272
273: Concentric Circles
Empty Nest Results. (_Recorded on Tuesday, October 28, 2025_)
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271
272: My Bibles and Books
TiVo: The Exit Interview.
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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?
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269
270: We Inflated Our Pants
Swimming naked in school and thinking about Lead.
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268
269: The Rope Elf
John shares the results of some fascinating recent polling on TV obstructions and chewing gum swallowing.
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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.
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266
267: Crumbs and Soldiers
John reports back with his Billy Joel Results.
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265
266: The Misspeaking Community
How does John generate all that cool chapter art?
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264
265: Stop Collapsing Everything
On the complexities and constraints of pursuing the right answer.
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263
264: Alphabetical Shadow
Merlin presents some Microwave Results and John shares his most recent Graduation Results.
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262
263: A Ragnarok of the Mind
John's Prom Results and Merlin's Camping Results.
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261
262: Everybody’s Got a Tunnel
On goals and accomplishments.
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260
261: Apparatus Tycoon
Your hosts finally discuss The Apparatus.
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259
260: The Mandala Effect
Merlin is very vulnerable, and John is encouraged to leverage this.
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258
259: Cascade of Interventions
Stop blaming the dog.
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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."
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256
257: Reverse Procrastination Bingo
This week's topic: Kids & Driving
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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.
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254
255: The Illusion of a Shared Experience
The main topic this week was almost The Big Game.
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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.
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252
253: The Torpid Sons of Venezuelan Oil Men
This week's topic: The Simpsons Kitchen Gag.
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251
252: Briefly, It Was the Future.
Updates on match cuts, the college ranking racket, and some historical perspective on t-dropping.
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250
251: The Finer Things
Merlin introduces a new segment, and John shares Application Results.
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249
250: Water Hammer
John has a new project and Merlin has a new Thought Technology.
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248
249: Tally Ho
Rebuilding "Tally Ho."
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247
248: Safflower Wednesday
Election results.
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246
247: Milk, Milk, Milk
Main topic this week is "ceilings and floors."
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245
246: Helicopter Don
John has a new angle on smart home monitoring, and Merlin shares some new thoughts about "The Godfather" (1972).
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244
245: The One That's Glistening
The uneven paces of technological and personal progress.
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243
244: Hillbilly Pâté
John and Merlin argue about whether John's new avatar is extremely bad.
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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.
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241
242: Chewing Gum Shoe Polish
Merlin demands an opportunity to defend his honor, and John encourages him to get more adult supervision.
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240
241: Your Father’s Leg
John reports back on his Vacation Results.
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239
240: Transverse Sausage Mode
Your hosts discuss the breathless magic of "Project Farm."
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238
239: Sacrificial Anode
John has updates on some recent elective plumbing.
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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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