Some of my favorite podcasts exist in the Austin, TX + Rogan universe and include JRE, Matt & Shane’s Secret Podcast, Your Mom’s House with Tom Segura and Christina Pazsitzky and This Past Weekend with Theo Von. I’m grateful to these comics and these shows for bringing back some of the bro-humor from my upbringing to mainstream comedy and being able to turn on a number of shows that help me enjoy any number of mundane activities like doing the dishes or pillaging Scandinavia.

But it’s that same level of comfort in freedom of opinion, light-leg work in the research of complex scientific topics, and a massive cult-like audience, that has led to a mass exodus of opinion and stance on certain subjects, namely: electric cars, climate change, and overpopulation.

At times, it’s for the best, Rogan more than anyone has shined light where need be at times of crisis — none greater than on the hoopla around COVID and its vaccines, after CNN painted him a sickly yellow-green in an altered video after he chose his own path towards health after contracting the virus. He brought on clinically-acclaimed experts and and health professionals that were shunned by the media and provided an important platform for alternative and more holistic approaches to health in a time of crisis. In support of Rogan (and logic), many of these other podcasts went on to support this “stance” against the CDC and Dr. Faucci as restrictions and other aspects of the strange time that was 2020 to early 2022.

The Forgotten Threat to Humanity

At times, it’s not. Since the 2016 election, CLIMATE CHANGE has been removed from the front page news. It’s taken a back seat to anything and everything — from COVID to the elections, from Black Lives Matter to foreign wars, from gas prices to insane inflation.

I’m not saying that it shouldn’t have taken a backseat here and there, but at this time it feels like a forgotten issue. Perhaps too far gone or too far fetched, potentially, it’s far and away the most damning threat to life on earth besides nuclear war. And since 2016, things have not improved. Trump rightfully pulled out of the Paris Climate Accord for economic reasons but that was never enough to make a real impact. Years later most countries are not achieving the emission crack down they pledged on.

What bothers me is the nullification of climate change legitimacy within an important “swing” audience — independently intelligent, right-leaning comedy fans.

Let’s say the science isn’t there (which it is), or it’s easy to dismiss the accuracy of measuring THE FUCKING EARTH’S temperature… which, as a skeptic myself, I can understand.

Even if the science wasn’t ALL the way there, why wouldn’t we take measures to take energy pressure off an elderly electric grid, decrease air, land, and ocean pollution, and create a fuck ton of green jobs?

As Shane Gillis would say… “because it’s gaaayyyy”

As much as I love making fun of my straight friends by calling them gay—my straight hardcore republican friends more than anyone—that joke is being driven into the ground now that it’s back and being used as a cop out.

Left: 2019 / Right: 2023

But speaking of cop outs…

THE LOGIC IS SOUND

THE PROCESS IS NOT

ELECTRIC CARS were all the rage when they first started being mass produced. There were idyllic talks of replacing ALL gas cars with electric or hybrid-electric cars by this date or that date, but we all knew that was only a pipe dream. Still, the thought of a net zero vehicle was exceptional and that hasn’t changed. If we can charge cars with green energy and run them without burning fossil fuels, that’s a motherfucking dubuhyu… a WIN.

Then it came out that producing the cars and securing the batteries required to run them cost a buttload of fossil fuels. NOT GOOD. The bro science podcasts ran with this revelation, condemning the idea of electric vehicles quickly and laughing off another liberal attempt at greening the planet.

Electric cars are new. Gas cars are not. The process involved in producing and running electric cars is new. Producing gasoline is not. If we’re lucky, the science will evolve, the process will green, and as they already are, electric cars should be more helpful to the environment than maybe any other green energy product besides solar panels when it’s all said and done. But we need research and development to catch up.

Also, gas cars will NEVER be replaced. There’s too many of them. There’s too many gas stations. There’s too many individuals and families that can’t just go out and buy a new electric car to be green. And for those who can afford both, you should have both. Gas cars will always be more relaible should anything catastrophic happen in America. They run on a product you can keep in your garage. Sure, you can get a charging station, but there’s no guarantee that’s running on its own accord if the grid has an issue.

IT WAS NEVER AN ECONOMIC ISSUE…

And the last one, OVERPOPULATION. For a long time, the logical issue was that the population was growing too fast and that we’d have to inhabit Mars. Recently that notion has flipped in the pod science world and it’s now being perpetuated that we actually need to produce MORE children because the real issue is UNDERPOPULATION.

Recently seen this point echoed on Matt & Shane, Jordan Peterson, and Rogan. The logic here is that we’ve built a world and an economy that relies on an expanding population. Should we not produce at the same rate as the generations before us, and the boomers begin to fade out, we’ll be saddled with a failing economy because we won’t have enough people to keep up the demand for industry.

That’s sound logic. Here’s a further

But might I argue that none of that even remotely matters if there’s not enough clean water or food to satiate 10+ billion people.

The “clean water wars” have already begun. And there’s a reason why China and billionaires all over the world are buying up farmland like Gary Vee buys baseball cards at garage sales. It’s scarce and will be the most valuable asset over time.

On one of Theo Von’s more recent shows, he had journalist Nate Halverson on to discuss his new project and documentary, The Grab, which discusses China buying land and meat from the U.S. and large companies tapping into local trailer park water sources, and more. This interview was actually what prompted this article.

With AI set to takeover the world, we can rightfully and unfortunately presume that a couple million jobs will be removed from human occupation.

It’s like population and resources are exclusive subjects from one another when discussions are had. Especially in the underpopulation vs. overpopulation discussion.

Here’s a Vox article that dives in deeper and supports the underpopulation issue without mentioning food or water.

Here’s an engaging, high-ranking youtube video with cute graphics and sped up commentary that explains why Underpopulation is the issue. It’s got 1.5 million views and exists on a popular channel. But again, does not address the food, water, farmland, or climate change.

None of these issues are a “THIS OR THAt” situation…

Climate change, whether you believe in it or not, doesn’t have a complete solution at this time, but there are green steps to take that will improve the economy and make the earth a cleaner and healthier world to inhabit.

Electric Cars will never fully replace gas cars… they shouldn’t. And we shouldn’t stop producing gas and allow other countries to dominate that market and hold oil hostage.

Underpopulation is only a problem if we can actually provide the resources to support that population, no matter the number.

It’s all much more complex than a Minute Clip from a Bro Show might suggest it is

Theories and opinions are circulated like hotcakes these days. Passed on and consumed quickly without considering the lack of nutrition and the sugary excess that goes into the dough.

https://www.youtube.com/shorts/e6w64ibWYi0

9. The “Bro Science” Theories On My Favorite Podcasts Are Getting Bold, Easily Perpetuated, and Shallow-Minded