In the twentieth episode, Robert and guest Ben Spak discuss the abstinence rule of psychology, a Freudian concept that encourages therapy clients to avoid external gratifications, such as smoking or idle conversation, to preserve emotional energy for the therapeutic process. The conversation moves fluidly from the technical abstractions of "vibe coding", web development, and Ben's project launchpad, builders.to, to the volatile reality of cryptocurrency rug-pulls and Robert's creation of a revenge token named "KASD" (Kill All scamming Devs). They examine the stark contrasts of their early lives, from Robert's impoverished childhood in Hollywood, dumpster diving for electronics, waiting in a line just to "see" the early internet, and a harsh encounter with Quincy Jones, to Ben outgrowing the mindset of a strongly conservative Florida town before moving to progressive Denver. Topics range from the technicalities of playing nine-string headless guitars and swapping memories of metal bands like Chiodos to the necessity of embracing AI tools like Cursor to avoid being "left behind" by impending technological shifts like AR glasses and brain-computer interfaces (BCIs). They explore concepts like the inevitability of history repeating itself and the merits of radical governance, debating left-leaning libertarianism versus the idea of monarchism, through the lens of staying sober, surviving personal traumas, and adapting to a rapidly changing world.

You can find Ben's project, builders.to: HERE

IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO BE ON CROSS THEORY, EMAIL crosstheorypod@gmail.com.

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In the nineteenth episode, Robert and guest Manuel Harari Blanco discuss absolutism, a philosophical and political concept regarding a government operating without constitutional restrictions. The conversation moves fluidly from the technical abstractions of artificial intelligence hallucinations, and quantum computing to the gritty reality of navigating oppressive bureaucracy and sudden IRS debt in Spain. They examine the iterative processes of engineering and manufacturing, from Toyota's post-war principles of Kaizen and Kaikaku to the frustrations of rote obedience in traditional education, and the necessity of adapting one's skill set in the face of inevitable technological shifts rather than playing the victim. Topics range from the restrictive nature of government overreach and Orwellian warnings to Manuel's harrowing experience dealing with bilateral wrist cysts that derailed his professional music career, and they explore concepts like the inevitability of radical innovation and overcoming personal trauma through the lens of developing "PickTwist," a specialized, highly ergonomic guitar pick born from physical limitations and the drive to help injured musicians.

You can find and buy PickTwist on the official website: HERE

IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO BE ON CROSS THEORY, EMAIL crosstheorypod@gmail.com.

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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: ⁠HERE

IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO BE ON CROSS THEORY, EMAIL crosstheorypod@gmail.com.

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In the seventeenth episode, Robert and guest Adil Kabbaj, Professor of Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence at the National Institute of Statistics and Applied Economics (INSEA), Rabat, Morocco, discuss the illusory character of matter, exploring the core thesis of Kabbaj's book Science Declares the Death of Materialism: From Substantialism to Non-Substantialism. The conversation moves fluidly from the technical abstractions of Newtonian absolute space and time to the mind-bending reality that physical objects are merely a mirage of ceaseless, dynamic systems. They examine the profound historical consequences of the materialist worldview, tracing how a "dead and mechanical" perspective of the universe laid the foundation for the interconnected crises of capitalism, consumerism, and our current ecological destruction. Topics range from the plausibility of ghosts as distinct agents and the metaphysical implications of Jack Parsons's ceremonial magic to the mind's ability to survive death, and they explore concepts like the quantum vacuum acting as a cosmic dynamic memory, the urgent necessity for a global spiritual evolution of consciousness, and the potentially terrible consequences of merging quantum computing with artificial intelligence.

In the sixteenth episode, Robert and guest Lewis Woolston discuss the theory of absolute retention rates, a chemistry concept detailing the potential energy required for reactant molecules to attain a critical transition state. The conversation moves fluidly from the quasi-alchemical abstractions of molecular transformation to the gritty reality of Lewis’s harrowing past, escaping a Jehovah's Witness cult and navigating a subsequent heroin addiction. They examine the roots of Australian literature, from early pioneers like Banjo Patterson to modern debates over cultural appropriation, alongside the dark history of the segregation of Aboriginal communities. Topics range from Lewis’s liberating, solitary years working at remote roadhouses on the desolate Nullarbor Plain to Robert’s intense personal anecdotes regarding his parents' fatal battles with addiction and an aborted suicide trip to Egypt, and they explore the shared cultural touchstones between America and Australia by swapping memorable stories about an early AC/DC pub riot and an enraged Mel Gibson storming out of a Hollywood AA meeting.

Woolston's books can be found: HERE

Woolston's Substack can be found: HERE

IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO BE ON CROSS THEORY, EMAIL crosstheorypod@gmail.com.

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In the fifteenth episode, Robert and guest F. Gardner (Frank) discuss absolute pitch theory, the ability to recognize and define the pitch of a tone without the use of a reference tone. The conversation moves fluidly from Gardner's controversial horror novels—such as Kaballah of the Crocodile predicting the synagogue tunnel news events—to deep dives into geopolitical prophecies, conspiracy theories, and Zionism. They examine the historical origins and overlap of religious mysticism, tracing concepts from Canaanite rituals and the Epic of Gilgamesh to Gardner's own spiritual transition from a Catholic seminarian to a Buddhist. Topics range from the esoteric lore of Tartaria, the flat earth, and the "Samson option" to personal anecdotes of encountering shape-shifting reptilian entities at a YMCA and a college campus. They also explore the performative nature of mainstream media as a tool for distraction and "predictive programming"—discussing video games like Shadowrun and the 1990s Super Mario Bros. movie—while examining the necessity of separating the art from the artist through the lens of authors like Stephen King and J.K. Rowling.

Gardner's Horror's Call Novels can be found: HERE

Gardner's Rumble Show "F. Gardner's Penthouse" can be found: HERE

IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO BE ON CROSS THEORY, EMAIL crosstheorypod@gmail.com.

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In this episode, Robert and guest Austin Train (a stand-up comedian and longtime friend) discuss Absolute Advantage, an economic theory concerning the superior productivity of individuals or nations in specific industries. The conversation shifts rapidly from Adam Smith’s "invisible hand" to the "mortal jealousy" inherent in the comedy world, exploring the dynamics of "fairy godmother" mentors and the struggle of the "door guy" hierarchy at The Comedy Store. They traverse the "grimy" underbelly of Los Angeles, recounting visceral memories ranging from Robert’s childhood walk past the scene of River Phoenix’s overdose to the surreal isolation of Austin’s pandemic lockdown, where he watched a homeless neighbor smoke meth in a recliner on Christmas Day. Topics range from the "performative" nature of Oscar-bait films like The Post and the decline of Joe Rogan from a supportive peer to a "gullible" cog in the "propaganda machine", to the personal toll of addiction, highlighted by Robert’s "sombrero" phase of cocaine use. They conclude by examining the "diminishing returns" of drug use and the tension between the "solitary" nature of the creative process and the demands of parenthood.

IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO BE ON CROSS THEORY, EMAIL crosstheorypod@gmail.com.

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In the thirteenth episode, Robert and guest Matthew Simmons discuss Immanuel Kant’s philosophical theory of absolut, which is a theory regarding the limits of reality and the necessity of looking at the world through specific frameworks like substance and cause. The conversation moves fluidly from the "terror and beauty" of the Kantian sublime to the gritty reality of Robert’s "eating disorder" and the anxiety-inducing guilt of wasting food instilled by his mother. They examine the complex nature of empathy as a form of "double consciousness," questioning whether true understanding of another is possible or if it merely leads to a "pathway to relativism". Topics range from the "waste of time" glory of World of Warcraft and Counter-Strike to the "mundane bullshit" of AI replacing creative arts instead of household chores, and they explore concepts like the "benality of evil" in nature and the "violence" of digital surveillance where the "objective" data profile usurps the subjective self.

IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO BE ON CROSS THEORY, EMAIL crosstheorypod@gmail.com.

ALL ARE WELCOME. I DON’T CARE WHO YOU ARE OR WHAT YOU’RE SELLING.