Donate: https://www.paypal.com/paypalme/doctorfreckles
Core Theme: GRIEVING
Guest: “Seattle Mike” – https://twitter.com/seattleskeptic
Topics:
- Grieving – and confronting one’s own mortality.
- Ethics and the Law: are they even compatible?
- Drugs … and how society should approach this.
- Relationships and Deception – are there noble lies? lies designed to protect those we love?
- Cancer: wounded lives and relationships
- Conflict Resolution in the black market
- Excellence: is it enough? Does it matter WHAT you are excellent at?
- Skylar: “Where did that come from … and why was it so good?”, Walter: “Because it’s illegal …”, Hank: “Sometimes forbidden fruit tastes the sweetest …”
- Altruism vs. self-interest: It’s a very statist perspective to claim altruistic motives for doing what’s really in your own selfish interest. Walt manipulates others for his own ego and personal gain, often at their expense too. Rush song “Anthem” comes to mind as the ideal where acting out of self-interest benefits everyone: Well, I know they’ve always told you Selfishness was wrong Yet it was for me, not you I came to write this song
- When Krazy-8 escapes Jesse’s house and Walt finds him walking down the street he was definitely portrayed as a zombie. Zombies / NPCs / mimetic behavior
- Humans are a mixed bag. The capacity for good and evil are always present. Sort of a positive and negative stored energy present at all times in everyone. Ex. Hank pledging to take care of Walt’s family but meanwhile is an insufferable douche
- Family dynamics. Jesse’s brother scoffs at the idea that he’s the favorite son because his parents are always focused on Jesse. This also dovetails with the human focus on negative outliers.
- Theft… lots of themes around this: Broken Windows economics and all of the interests impacted by ongoing drug trade, and why even law enforcement doesn’t want it to end … LE, CIA, FBI, cartels, street criminals – all conspire to keep it going.
- Pride… Walt won’t accept help from his former business partner