PBS Idea Channel

Épisode 1 - Super Mario Brothers is the World's Greatest Piece of Surrealist Art

14 mars 2012 - 5/5

We all know who the Mario Brothers are but have you ever stepped back and tried looking at those games from a fresh perspective? Like you've never seen or heard of them before? They're bananas! There are armored turtles who stand on their hind legs and steal princesses! There are bullets with FACES! We make a case for Mario's inclusion into a canon of art wider than "Video Game": we think Mario is a piece of surrealist artwork.

Épisode 2 - Is Miku Hatsune a More Authentic Pop Star Than Lana Del Rey?

28 mars 2012 - 5/5

Lana Del Rey might be The Girl Who Launched a Thousand Blog Posts but we think there might be something else really interesting here. How is it that she, a REAL PERSON, pales in Pop Star Comparison to a computer program? With the rise of Miku Hatsune, a computer generated pop star from Japan, and the recent kerfuffle surrounding Lana Del Rey's album release, we take a look at what it means to be authentic in today's music world. Is Miku Hatsune, a piece of software, more authentic than human being Lana Del Rey?

Épisode 3 - Are LOLCats and Internet Memes Art?

11 avril 2012

We've all seen and shared a few LOLCats and Internet Memes in our time, but is it possible that these images and videos are actually a new form of art? It may seem strange, but Rage Guys, Advice Dogs, Trollfaces, and Philosoraptors are ways for people around the globe to express their thoughts, feelings, and emotions with others; the core principle of art. And we think some of history's greatest philosophers and artists might be inclined to agree!

Épisode 4 - Is Instagram the Best Thing to Ever Happen to Photography?

25 avril 2012

With its ability to make boring cellphone photos look "vintage" and "artsy", Instagram has exploded worldwide. Derided by its detractors as a tool for making bad photos worse, we take an alternate view and argue that Instagram is the greatest thing to ever happen to photography. Its simple filters and social networking features are training cellphone photographers everywhere to think creatively about their photos. Plus, the app is turning its worldwide user base into an army of photojournalists capturing striking images of the people and events around them. As the old photography adage goes, "The best camera is the one you have with you."

Épisode 5 - Is Minimalism the Secret to Hello Kitty's Success?

9 mai 2012

With her cute pink bow and huge noggin, Hello Kitty is one of the most recognizable characters in the world. She sells billions of dollars worth of merchandise, but what is it about this simple cartoon cat that makes her such a beloved piece of pop culture? Ahead of her time when first created in 1974, we think that Hello Kitty used minimalism's bag of tricks to become the world's best salesgirl.

Épisode 6 - Are Hologram Tupac and Hologram Freddie Mercury Nostalgia or New Aesthetic?

23 mai 2012

Everyone has already heard about the Tupac Hologram that played at Coachella earlier this year. But with Queen's recent announcement of a Hologram Freddie Mercury and TLC's plans for a Hologram Lisa Left Eye Lopes, it looks Hologram pop stars are here to stay. At first glance it might seem like this is just more of the same old nostalgia, but we think these Holo-Popstars represent something much bigger and entirely new. They are the heralds of New Aesthetic, a hotly debated new art movement dedicated to the blending of art and technology.

Épisode 7 - Are Bronies Changing the Definition of Masculinity?

6 juin 2012

You might assume that the animated TV series "My Little Pony: Friendship Is Magic" is for little girls, but Bronies would beg to differ. Bronies are adult men who sincerely LOVE the show, and aren't afraid to admit it. Many people are baffled, even angered, by Brony culture. With their unabashed appreciation for "My Little Pony", Bronies are challenging our perception of gender roles, which may be more fluid than previously thought!

Épisode 8 - Is Twitter the Newest Form of Literature?

13 juin 2012

Everyone is familiar with Twitter, the uber-popular micro-blogging site, which limits the user to 140 characters. The tweet is perfect for sharing your favorite links and updating the world about your life, but it might also be the newest literary form! While many think that art requires unbridled freedom, constraints often inspire the greatest creativity. And this massively constrained communication, which has remarkable similarities to the Haiku, has inspired creativity worthy of the name "literature."

Épisode 9 - Is the Web Browser Replacing the Art Gallery?

20 juin 2012

For the past 200 years, the gallery has been the home of new and cutting-edge art, a place where the art community can come together and share new ideas. But in this episode, we ask: is the web browser replacing the gallery as the best place to view amazing, cutting-edge art?!? In the era of the internet, you can view remarkable art from the comfort of your laptop. Accessible to virtually everyone, web art does away with the physical limitations of the gallery and makes impossibly cool art a part of our daily lives!

Épisode 10 - Are Mashups the End of Music Genres As We Know Them?

27 juin 2012

Some of the best things to be found on the internet are music mashups! It's a strangely pleasing experience to listen to totally unrelated artists commingling on the same music track. Mashups are awesome because they break genre expectations, which makes us think: why have genres at all? Nowadays there's so much cross-pollination in music and art, creating more and more sub-genres, that the larger genre categories are becoming a useless relic.

Épisode 11 - Does Nail Art Prove That Anything Can Be A Canvas for Artistic Expression?

4 juillet 2012

Nail Art is all over the internetz, and suddenly it is a THING. The crazier the nail art, the more we marvel at the technique and time that went into it. But is there an artistic message behind these little cuticle canvases? Nail Art may seem superficial and trivial, but its fleeting nature allows it to be a purely free expression, and it's pretty to boot. Nail art makes us wonder if anything, given enough creativity, can be a canvas for artistic expression.

Épisode 12 - Does the Kinect Make Microsoft an Arts Benefactor?

11 juillet 2012

If you haven't had a chance to play with Microsoft's Kinect, you're missing out on some great video games and some amazing art! The Kinect is a crazy awesome piece of XBox 360 hardware that maps your physical movements onto any screen. Artists of all stripes have embraced the Kinect - using the gesture recognition technology to create some pretty amazing interactive artworks and insanely impressive visuals. These works wouldn't have existed without this amazing piece of technology, making the corporate giant Microsoft the 21st century's incarnation of Lorzeno de Medici.

Épisode 13 - How Did Sherlock Holmes Pave the Way for 50 Shades of Grey?

18 juillet 2012

You've probably heard of the risque novel "50 Shades of Grey" since it's now the best selling paperback of all time. But you may not know that it's Twilight fan fiction! It seems shocking that a fan fiction novel has become so popular, but 50 Shades isn't the first book to break through the fan community boundaries into mainstream culture. Over 100 years ago, Sherlock Holmes' popularity created a profusion of well received fan fiction. It allowed authors from amateur to professional to explore the world originally created by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, and pave the way for other future fan fiction canons, including Star Wars, Harry Potter, and yes, 50 Shades of Grey.

Épisode 14 - Will Minecraft and Makerbot Usher in the Post-Scarcity Economy?

25 juillet 2012

From the Jetsons to Cory Doctorow, science fiction writers of all stripes have imagined a world where any object could be instantly created. Modern economics on the other hand, is built on the principle of competition for scarce resources. And while it may not seem like a video game and printer could alter this economic reality, we beg to differ. Minecraft's creative mode is the perfect vehicle for understanding a Post-Scarcity world; a place where resources are permanently available and constantly regenerated. It shows that with unlimited resources, people end up creating amazing digital structures! Of course, a world of infinitely available resources seems pretty fantastical until you consider the Makerbot and the future of 3D printing. The Makerbot is an at home device that allow you to print real three dimensional objects, meaning a Minecraftian future where you can print anything you want at anytime might not be that far away.

Épisode 15 - Is Dubstep Avant Garde Musical Genius?

1 août 2012

Dubstep. Is. Awesome. While some people may hear noise, we hear amazing musical genius. The aural creativity of Dubstep, and its embrace of inharmonic sounds, makes it the most recent member of the long-established Avant Garde community. There is a long history of avant garde musicians and thinkers promoting the concept of noise and non-instrumental sounds as MUSIC, much to the horror of their audience. But over the past century, changes in technology and music genres have primed listeners, allowing mainstream audiences to enjoy the beautiful noise of Skrillex, Bassnectar & the whole Dubstep movement.

Épisode 16 - Are the Olympics A Model for Creating Geniuses?

8 août 2012

Everyone is obsessed with the Olympics right now, watching these geniuses push the boundaries of their field. Wait, did we say GENIUSES? Yes! We normally associate the word "genius" with intellectual accomplishments, but athletes are geniuses at pushing their bodies to new heights, making the impossibly difficult seem easy and effortless. While it might not seem like it, genius of any kind requires financial and cultural support. In a world where athletes are developed and celebrated, more so than scientists or artists, it makes sense that we turn to the Olympics as a model for fostering genius.

Épisode 17 - Is Nic Cage the Intersection of YOLO and Taoism?

15 août 2012

No one would argue that Nicolas Cage is one of the greatest actors of his generation, and simultaneously a very bizarre human being. It's not just his acting ability that makes us love him, it's his total willingness to dive head first into ANY role, with no regard for the quality of the script. He seems to have mastered the trendy YOLO philosophy before it was cool. Even deeper than YOLO, he might more of a Taoist, finding harmony with the now, foregoing calculated planning and strategy. Either way, Nic Cage's wacky life choices feel sincere, attracting a massive amount of fans, some of whom even saw The Wicker Man.

Épisode 18 - Are Memes & Internet Culture Creating a Singularity?

22 août 2012

Here on the internet, we love us some memes. But where do they come from? Yes we know, they are user generated. But to an internet layman, they seem to just appear, in HUGE quantities, ready for cultural consumption. Are they a sign of a "cultural singularity"? Memes follow rules and code, are varied, self-referential, and seem to multiply at an ever increasing rate. It may seem like science fiction, but we're close to a world where culture automatically and magically creates infinitely more culture.

Épisode 19 - Is William Gibson A Modern Day Oracle?

29 août 2012

The science fiction writer William Gibson has not only written some fantastic scifi novels, but in the process predicted the internet, Miku Hatsune, reality TV, and a crazy amount of other technological and societal developments that have come into being. His impressive rate of accuracy seems almost mystical. Sure, he's essentially just an entertainer, but he's got a better batting average than Nostradamus, who was actually TRYING to predict the future. We may not need oracles as much as we did in the past (what with science and all), but a look into the future can be exciting and an awesome preparation for what's to come.

Épisode 20 - Is Homestuck the Ulysses of the Internet?

5 septembre 2012

If you're unfamiliar, Homestuck is a webcomic created Andrew Hussie that is over 5000 PAGES so far! And it's still not complete!! It has a strong cult following, even though it presents incredible challenges to its readers; including a giant cast of characters, huge walls of text, and animated flash games that you must beat in order to continue. In in its own weird way, Homestuck is a lot like James Joyce's Ulysses, where only the strongest, most dedicated readers make it through to the end. Most people don't expect such expansive and daunting works to find a home on the internet, but Homestuck has done it, illustrating that its followers' time and effort may actually enhance rather than lessen their devotion.

Épisode 21 - Is Facebook Changing Our Identity?

12 septembre 2012

Good old Facebook. With 955,000,000 worldwide users, it seems like just about everyone makes use of the social media giant to connect with friends, share photos, and update everyone they've ever met since grade school about their dinner plans. But what you may not realize is that Facebook's new timeline layout is enhancing the ability to construct our self identity by super-charging our memory. Philosophers have been arguing about the link between identity and memory since John Locke first proposed the idea in the 17th Century, but human memory has always been deeply flawed and limited. Now with Facebook's incredibly easy interface and ability to remember anything and everyone we want, people have a whole new way to understand their past and thus understand themselves!

Épisode 22 - Is Diablo III Turning Virtual Economies Into Real Ones?

19 septembre 2012

The U.S. economy may be in the dumps, but you can find solace in the fact that your Second Life avatar is living the life of the 1%. But what if the virtual economies of video games could be transferred to the real world? We're actually already seeing this in Diablo 3, where axes, swords, and other awesome gear have taken on real world value at the Diablo 3 Auction House. People are buying and selling them with real US dollar bills!!!!!! The idea that a collection of pixels can be sold for actual money might be confusing to some, as they are neither true "objects" you can hold nor "ideas" that can be considered intellectual property. But despite the lack of tangibility, real world economies have formed around these games and real world profits are being made.

Épisode 23 - What do MP3s and Magic Spells Have in Common?

26 septembre 2012

Ah, the MP3, everyone's favorite friendly musical file format. But there's something you might not know about the Mp3 - it has a lot in common with the magical spell!!!! Both spells and music were born from a freely available folk culture, but are now sold as commercial goods. There are thousands of artists and witches trying to figure out how to make a living in an age where their products can be infinitely copied. And with commercialization, the morality and legality of sharing these once open cultural products has become quite complicated. How should we, as responsible consumers, handle this new digital age? Watch the episode and find out!

Épisode 24 - Is Doctor Who a Religion?

3 octobre 2012

Dr. Who is one of the longest running TV shows on the BBC, and it's got a huge fandom surrounding it, called Whovians. And while it might not seem like, Whovianism, might just be RELIGION!!!!! Whovians, like other passionate fan cultures, create art & fan fiction and engage in a strong remix and cosplay culture. But it's more than that. Dr. Who provides a philosophy; a way of understanding the universe. Fans embrace this in ways that are similar to most world religions: a positive influence that changes their approach to daily life. Also, the Tardis makes a pretty great shrine!

Épisode 25 - Can Dungeons & Dragons Make You A Confident & Successful Person?

10 octobre 2012

There are some deeply ingrained stereotypes about Dungeons & Dragons, and those stereotypes usually begin and end with people shouting "NERD!!!" But the reality of the D&D universe is a whole lot more complex. Rather than being an escape from reality, D&D is actually a way to enhance some important real life skillz! It's a chance to learn problem solving, visualization, interaction, organization, people management... the list could go on and on. Plus, there are some very famous non-nerds who have declared an affinity for D&D, so best stop criticizing and join in if you want to be a successful at the game of life.

Épisode 26 - How are Justin Bieber, Franz Liszt and Jerusalem Connected?

17 octobre 2012

At first glance, Pop Wunderkind Justin Bieber aka "The Biebs" and revolutionary 19th Century pianist and composer Franz Liszt don't seem to have anything in common. And while they might not have any musical or biographical similarities, they both have had a powerful psychological effect on their fans. Fits of hysteria, screaming, and fainting are all common traits of "Bieber Fever" & "Lisztomania." But why? What is it that will cause a person to be so tremendously moved by a performer, a piece of art, a cityscape or even, heck, light refracting off of bits of water in the sky? Watch the episode and find out!!!

Épisode 27 - Is CSS and Website Design a Fashion Statement?

24 octobre 2012

If you've never seen a website, you are a liar! (You're on one right now.) Consciously or not, the first thing you notice when you visit a website is how the site LOOKS, which is controlled by the CSS Stylesheet. CSS is the fashion of the web- it makes sites pretty (or very very ugly). And as our lives migrate more and more onto the world wide web, our presence online becomes a central way to define and express ourselves. So before you lay out your outfit for tomorrow, take a look at your website and make sure you match!

Épisode 28 - How Will The Animated GIF Affect The Presidential Election?

1 novembre 2012

The animated GIF has had a long and fascinating history, but the GIF took a giant leap forward this year when it became part of the 2012 Presidential Election!!! This election season, GIFs of Obama, Romney, Biden and Ryan, populated not only Tumblr and Buzzfeed, but also media heavyweights like The Atlantic, Forbes, and The Wall Street Journal. It became the perfect vehicle to capture a reaction, a gaffe or hilarious election moment and stream it ad infinitum. Will the Graphics Interchange Format swing the election for Obama or Romney? Probably not, but it's a pretty bold step for our pal the GIF!!!

Épisode 29 - Is YouTube Making Us Smarter?

7 novembre 2012

Did you know there's a place where you can learn just about anything you'd like? It's true! It's called YOU TUBE!!! Sure, YouTube has hundreds of thousands of hours of deliciously time-wasting content, but it's a whole lot more than just a black hole of pet videos and FAIL clips. If you know where to go, YouTube has some of the best educational content on the planet! And although watching Kahn Academy all day might be a bit dry, the creativity of YouTube creators has allowed "education" to be transformed in variety of amazing and engaging ways. YouTube probably won't replace schools anytime soon, but it's a pretty rad alternative. So time to stop watching cat videos and get your learn on!

Épisode 30 - Is Nostalgia the Reason for Adventure Time's Amazing Awesomeness?

14 novembre 2012

Adventure Time is an animated kids show on the Cartoon Network that is super popular, not just with the kids, but with full grown adults too! Why would a bunch of serious adults, including Mike's Mom, watch Adventure Time??? We think its because the show taps into our memories of childhood with nostalgia. But this isn't the "I Love the 90's" kind of nostalgia that we normally talk about! We're talking about Romantic Nostalgia which is a confusing emotion, mixing happy and sad, creating a powerful mix that really hits you right in your gut. It adds a ton of emotional depth to an already great kids show, which you should all really watch, because it is AMAZING!!!!!!!!!!!

Épisode 31 - Should 'Happy Birthday' be Protected by Copyright?

28 novembre 2012

You know how chain restaurants always sing some weird unknown birthday tune, instead of the actual Happy Birthday song we know and love? It's because "Happy Birthday To You" is protected by COPYRIGHT!!!! They are legally not allowed to sing it in public, and neither are you. Copyright was originally created for two reasons: to protect the original creators so they could benefit from their work AND have creative works enter the Public Domain. Unfortunately, the whole system has gotten out of whack with copyright extensions that extend far beyond the life of the creator. The current holder of the Happy Birthday copyright is the Warner Music Group and the original creators of the song stopped having birthdays a long time ago because they're dead. It makes you wonder if copyright law hasn't deviated a bit from it's original intentions. Or maybe you just shouldn't celebrate your birthday in a Red Lobster.

Épisode 32 - Are Cell Phones Replacing Reality?

5 décembre 2012

Can you live without your phone? We've all become pretty attached to our cellular devices: it's a GPS, a camera, a game console, a social media portal... and half a million other things, all in our pocket! From concerts to meals to our pets, we process and experience the world through our phone. But as we see in so many mobile phone ads, the representations of these moments (whether its instagrams, foursquare check ins or Facebook shares) seem to be taking over and replacing the experience itself. In this brave new world is the mobile phone a tool, or a filter through which we experience a new reality?

Épisode 33 - What Do Santa and Wrestling Have In Common?

12 décembre 2012

Does Santa Have more in Common with Hulk Hogan than St. Nick? People love Santa. Christmas is the largest holiday in western culture, and Santa Claus is the centerpiece of that holiday (sorry baby Jesus). But even though our understanding of Santa changes as we mature, we still maintain and cultivate our culture's love of him. And to understand why this is, we had to ask: Is our relationship with Santa similar to wrestling? Though (SPOILER) wrestling is more entertainment than sport, we still enjoy watching it. So it begs the question are Santa, Hulk Hogan and the Rock more similar than different??!?? Watch the episode and find out!

Épisode 34 - Do We Want the World to End?

19 décembre 2012

The 2012 Mayan Apocalypse is only a few days away . . . and there are a lot of people wondering if it's going to happen. Sorry to burst your bubble, but (Spoiler Alert) nothing's going to change.The so-called Mayan long count calendar predication of the apocalypse is based a fundamental MISUNDERSTANDING of Mayan calendars and society. It's so far off base that scientific and anthropological experts can dismiss it with laugh. Yet, if it's so fundamentally wrong, why do we keep hearing about it? Why are there movies and news casts and websites dedicated to this non-event? Watch the episode and find out!!!!

Épisode 35 - Are Your New Year's Resolutions Bound to Fail?

2 janvier 2013

New Year's Resolutions are incredibly hard to keep. Watch this special episode to find out why!

Épisode 36 - Will Space Travel Save Us All?

9 janvier 2013

Will Space travel change our perspective on the human condition? Space, also known as The Final Frontier, has been in our collective dreams and fantasies for decades. Who WOULDN'T want to blast into space, experience zero gravity, or walk on the moon?! But with limited funding to NASA, the day that had been promised to us for years (in addition to flying cars and hover boards), seems no closer now than it did 30 years ago. BUT WAIT! Could private research and funding be the future of galactic exploration? And maybe once we are all able to see the earth from a distance, we'll all gain some much needed perspective. So keep on truckin' Elon Musk, for humanity's sake.

Épisode 37 - Are You A Hipster?

16 janvier 2013

You're probably a hipster. We all hate hipsters, right? They seem so smug and arrogant, with their ray bans and scarves and ironic t-shirts. Even those who CLEARLY ARE hipsters still recoil at the label. Embracing irony over earnestness, the key to hipsters is not just what they enjoy, but how they enjoy it. Borrowing from other subcultures, (see: Handlebar mustaches and flannel shirts), hipsters reappropriate these fashion elements as their own. But don't we all do that? Our own fashion came from SOMEWHERE, and certainly has been refined. Do we all have a little bit of hipster blood in us?

Épisode 38 - Top 5 Most Artful Video Games

23 janvier 2013

Video Games have finally made it to the Museum of Modern Art, so we thought we'd celebrate and put together a list of our top 5 most artful video games!! Not our favorites, mind you. These are the ones that are are packed with significance and emotional weight. How does your own list compare with these 5?

Épisode 39 - Are MP3s & Vinyl Better Than Live Music?

30 janvier 2013

Vinyl vs MP3 vs Live If you've ever talked to a vinyl purist (or are one yourself) you know that people can be pretty passionate about what format is king when it comes to music. And based on how much people like to brag about what band they saw live and how many times, we clearly value the authenticity of the live performance above all else. But when we see a performer live, we're judging them based on what we know from the mp3 or record that we've already listened to 1000 times. . . because what is a song SUPPOSED to sound like anyway? As music has evolved from solely performance into "media", the issue of what the most authentic even IS has become increasingly complicated. So which is the most authentic?!!?!? Watch the episode to find out!!!!!!!!!!

Épisode 40 - Is Futurama the Best Argument Against Transhumanism?

6 février 2013

Transhumanism is a scientific philosophy that says technology will solve all our human biological constraints and that immortality is right around the corner (well not RIGHT around the corner, but WAYYY closer). They envision a world of endlessly euphoric robo-humans that represent the next step in evolution. And while this sounds super awesome, we had to ask, will this really make us happy?! If you watch Futurama, than you know that the answer is probably NO. While not an exact illustration of transhumanism, Futurama does show a future of vast technological ability, where today's everyday problems are rendered moot, and yet the characters on the show still seem to find themselves in some very non-euphoric emotional states. Does this disprove what transhumanists expect for our future?

Épisode 41 - Are Bitcoins and Unusual Hats the Future of Currency?

13 février 2013

If you've ever played Team Fortress 2, you know how valuable hats are. To those who haven't: yes, HATS! If a community agrees on the value of something, then that thing can become a currency, to exchange for other goods. Just like american dollar bills (or euros, yen, or any other currency), or... bitcoins. Bitcoins are an online currency worth over $200,000,000, and though they are just 1s and 0s, some think that this is the future of money. On the other hand... mo bitcoins mo problems.

Épisode 42 - There's No Such Thing As Offline?!?

20 février 2013

Are You Online? What an outdated question this has become! Of course you're online, unless you're an off-the-grid survivalist or a remote tribesmen!! From Facebook to bank accounts, you always have some sort of online presence, whether you're actively engaging in front of a screen or not. Yet this is still a word we use to describe our engagement with the Internet. So we have to ask, is this online/offline distinction even worth making? Because we may need to re-evaluate the very word "ONLINE"...

Épisode 43 - What Does the Russian Meteorite Tell Us About Surveillance Culture?

27 février 2013

A meteorite crashed into earth!!!! This wasn't the first time and it won't be the last, but it is the first time such an event was captured by SO MANY CAMERAS! The incredible number of views and angles filmed was made possible by Russia's bizarre driving culture and the MILLIONS of car dash cams installed all over the country. But besides providing the world with some hilarious, frightening, and amazing footage, the dash cams also make us think about surveillance, and what role it will play in the future.

Épisode 44 - Is Minecraft the Ultimate Educational Tool?

6 mars 2013

If you've watched past episodes of Idea Channel, you know we're huge fans of Minecraft. This totally amazing video game allows you to build your own world from scratch, what's not to like?!?! But it may be good for more than just fun and games. Some experts have brought Minecraft into the classroom, allowing teachers to customize lessons and students to engage with concepts in new ways. And while educational games aren't new, Minecraft has some unique advantages that could usher in a new direction in education. In the future, students across the world may spend their class time punching trees.

Épisode 45 - Do Knock-Offs Prove the Value of a Brand?

13 mars 2013

Living in the consumer culture that we do, we've learned that specific brands can carry very different meanings and values. We're willing to pay hundreds or thousands more for a specific brand name item, but sometimes it can be tempting to go the way of the knock-off for a fraction of the price. The counterfeit industry is huge and isn't going anywhere, and companies spend huge amounts to dissuade people from buying "fakes". But are knock-offs REALLY a negative for the brand?

Épisode 1 - Is Piracy Helping Game of Thrones?

20 mars 2013

Here's an idea: Game Of Thrones owes its success to piracy. If you're like us, you LOVE Game of Thrones. But if you're also like us, you may not, technically, have... cable. So how are we seeing this amazing show on HBO, which is stuck behind a pay wall? A huge amount of viewers (not us of course, no no no) are downloading the show illegally. But despite being the most pirated show of 2012, the Game of Thrones DVDs are top sellers, breaking HBO's own sales records!! Could it be that piracy is actually HELPING the show?!

Épisode 2 - Will Kickstarter Replace Hollywood?

27 mars 2013

You may have heard about the recent overwhelming success of the Veronica Mars movie Kickstarter, or you might be a "Marshmallow" yourself and have contributed. This is a big moment for fan communities, with Kickstarter giving them the opportunity to challenge the closed gates of the Hollywood system. Although it's funding is nowhere NEAR the amount Hollywood invests in moviemaking each year, crowdfunding is a way better indicator of what the audience wants to see, the one area Hollywood has failed in time and time again.

Épisode 3 - Is Community a Postermodern Masterpiece?

3 avril 2013

Here's an idea: Community is a postmodern masterpiece. Though the TV show Community has never achieved huge ratings, it has a passionate cult following, including us here at Idea Channel. The show plays with genre and narrative in such a creative way that it brings to mind the cultural and artistic theory of Postmodernism. Previous TV series have been self-referential and culturally reflective, but none so successfully as Community. The show flips traditional expectations so consistently that it questions their importance in the first place. And it has brought the word "meta" into the cultural vernacular, to boot.

Épisode 4 - Is Buying Call of Duty a Moral Choice?

10 avril 2013

If you play video games, you've shot a gun. And those guns are REALISTIC. So real that many are actually LICENSED by IRL arms dealers. Which means that when you buy a video game, you're also putting money in the pockets of those gun manufacturers. That's fine and dandy if you're a fan of guns, but if you are someone who considers themselves anti-gun, this creates quite the moral quandary.

Épisode 5 - Is a Tagged Instagram More Than Just a Photo?

24 avril 2013

Here's an idea: a tagged Instagram is more than just a photo. Sure, Instagram is pretty awesome, but it's even more #INTERESTING than you think! The hashtag, so simple and ubiquitous, raises the image from mere photo to a new complex entity. An extension of the social media aspect of the Instagram app, the hashtag enhances searchability and allows connection to a variety of communities. Some tags can definitely be redundant or even useless, but the right ones can add context, greater meaning to the picture, and chronicle our changing relationship to Photography!!!

Épisode 6 - Is a DOS Attack a Weapon?

1 mai 2013

Here's an idea: a DOS attack is a weapon. Denial of Service (DOS) or Distributed Denial of Service (DDOS) attacks take down servers by distracting them with meaningless traffic until basically they can't take it any more. Scientology, Westboro Baptist Church, and others like them have been hit, and if you look at the coverage of these events, the descriptive words "attacks," "violent," and "weapons" are telling. The way we talk about the result of a software program reflects the way we view "online", and the value we place on its content, be it the FBI homepage or cat videos on YouTube. But what does it do to our comprehension when we lump violent acts online with real life physical violence? Watch the episode to find out!!!

Épisode 7 - Is Sad Music Actually Sad?

8 mai 2013

Be it Elliott Smith or Queen, classical or dub step, there's usually a clear understanding that some songs are sad, and some songs are happy. But what is it about the music that makes us feel these feelings we're feeling? You might think it has something to do with the notes or how our brain's natural response to these sounds, but you're wrong. Or at the very least incomplete in your thinking. We've just been culturally trained to respond to music in certain ways because if you ignore the lyrics, music itself doesn't actually contain any emotion at all. Watch the episode to find out more!

Épisode 8 - Is Developing Artificial Intelligence (AI) Ethical?

29 mai 2013

If you're even the slightest bit familiar with pop culture from the past 50 years, you know that we've been anxiously awaiting robots to become a part of our daily lives. From R2-D2 to the Jetsons, our future robot companions promise to be helpful and handy! But many people have their concerns: will the development of artificial intelligence end up REPLACING humans in the work force, pushing already high unemployment through the roof?!?! These new laborers will likely do not just undesirable jobs (janitorial, coal mining, etc), but also the high paying premium jobs, like surgeons and lawyers. But can, or SHOULD, we stop progress? Watch the episode and tell us what you think!

Épisode 9 - Is Math a Feature of the Universe or a Feature of Human Creation?

3 juin 2013

Math is invisible. Unlike physics, chemistry, and biology we can't see it, smell it, or even directly observe it in the universe. And so that has made a lot of really smart people ask, does it actually even EXIST?!?! Similar to the tree falling in the forest, there are people who believe that if no person existed to count, math wouldn't be around . .at ALL!!!! But is this true? Do we live in a mathless universe? Or if math is a real entity that exists, are there formulas and mathematical concepts out there in the universe that are undiscovered? Or is it all fiction? Whew!! So many questions, so many theories... watch the episode and let us know what you think!

Épisode 10 - Is the Universe a Computer?

12 juin 2013

The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy is about everything. Life, the Universe, everything. If you've read these amazing books, you know the answer is 42, but what's the question? To find out what the question was, they built a giant computer we call Earth. And though it seems silly, perhaps Douglas Adams was correct, and that not just earth, but the WHOLE UNIVERSE is an incredibility complex computational system, processing the answer to some unknown question. The universe IS made up of information, similar to a computer, and physics (you know, the basis of the universe) certainly is based on computational principles. But is it running some grand program? Will the answer be 42? Make sure you have your towel, and watch the episode!

Épisode 11 - Why Do We Love Zombies?

19 juin 2013

Zombies are EVERYWHERE!! Wait, don't panic- we mean in pop culture, not outside your window. But why is that? Bad guys and monsters seem to go through phases: one decade there's a dozen movies about aliens, ten years later it's vampires. And right now, it's zombies. And monsters don't pop up for no reason at all. There must be something that makes us fixate on one antagonist trope; some qualities they hold that echo a deeper cultural fear... So what are we afraid of now? It might just be technology. Watch the episode and find out!

Épisode 12 - Can Video Games Become the Next Great Spectator Sport?

26 juin 2013

As our South Korean friends can confirm, video games can most definitely be a spectator sport. But will they ever catch on in a huge way in the good ol' U.S. of A? Well, pro leagues already exist, but to know if they'll ever reach the levels of March Madness and Superbowl Sunday, we need to take a closer look at traditional sports spectatorship to figure out the REAL reason we watch. It's more than just winning and losing: there are characters, rivalries, histories, and a host of other background information that coalesce into an AMAZING story, and we're dying to know the ending. Could eSports ever achieve this level of storytelling? Watch the episode to find out!

Épisode 13 - Is the Discovery of Global Warming Our Greatest Scientific Achievement?

3 juillet 2013

Global warming exists! But how do we know that? It may seem like a simple process of just looking at the temperature from year to year, but it is SO MUCH MORE than that! Our understanding of the global climate comes from a compendium of data including measured and tracked temperature, humidity, wind speed, and barometric pressure, spanning over 100 years of observation!! To study this massive amount of information and be able to surmise that the increasingly extreme and bizarre weather patterns are a result of human influence... it's truly an incredible accomplishment. So everyone who says during a blizzard "so much for global warming"... shut up. You're wrong.

Épisode 14 - Does Animal Crossing Promote Otaku Citizenship?

10 juillet 2013

Like us, you may not have initially realized the significance of Animal Crossing. Sure it's a simple game for kids, with cute animals and bright colors. But could it be true that it inspires otaku citizenship?! Otaku, if you don't know, means obsessive interest and collection, usually associated with Japanese culture, but it can apply to ANYTHING. In Animal Crossing, as mayor of your town, success is defined by maintaining friendships with your townspeople and collecting natural resources to cultivate the perfect town. Is this promoting otaku? Watch the episode and find out!

Épisode 15 - Is BMO From Adventure Time Expressive of Feminism?

17 juillet 2013

Yes he's a video game system, but she is so much more than that!! BMO from the fantastic show Adventure Time identifies as both male and female, and because of that expresses the ideals of Third Wave Feminism!! Third Wave Feminism questions if gender is actually binary, tied to our biological sex. Is our understanding of masculinity and femininity fair, or even ACCURATE? Of course, BMO has no biological gender, so there's no cultural expectations that anchors her (him?) down. But it all seems a non-issue in the Adventure Time world. What do you think, is BMO male or female? Or does it even matter? Watch the episode to find out!

Épisode 16 - How Does Glitchy Art Show Us Broken is Beautiful?

24 juillet 2013

We all love broken things. WAIT WHAT?! Yes, you read that correctly. You may have noticed this thing called "glitch", where people purposely push machines to malfunction, creating fascinating "mistakes". But instead of being frustrated and disdainful of these errors (like we usually do when our technology fails mid-workflow, grrr) we find them to be bizarrely beautiful! Why are we so interested in these images, music, or objects that are structurally or formally broken? Watch the episode and find out!

Épisode 17 - How is Jurassic Park a Commentary on Capitalism?

31 juillet 2013

They spared no expense!! It doesn't matter if it was intended or not, the film Jurassic Park (and book it's based on) accurately illustrate investment and risk, money as motivation, negligent management of capital, and profit as the ultimate end goal. But can anything in our culture avoid this metaphor of capitalism? By stepping back and looking at all media in our culture, we can see echoes of the capitalism theme everywhere. Money (seemingly) makes the world go 'round!! Watch the episode and find out more!

Épisode 18 - Does it Matter What Evangelion's Creator Says?

5 août 2013

Hideaki Anno says Neon Genesis Evangelion is meaningless. For #GeekWeek we ask if we should listen to him. Neon Genesis Evangelion may be the MOST ultimate work of anime ever! More than just Mecha, NGE is dark and emotional, taking on serious topics such as depression, free will and a host of other intense stuff. But the creator, Hideaki Anno, says that we're all reading way too much into it. Are his words the final say on this piece of media? OR are the author's ideas of his own work EQUAL TO the interpretations of anyone else?!

Épisode 19 - Is the Internet Cats?

14 août 2013

We can all agree that the Internet has an intense, borderline obsessive, appreciation for cats. With felines as its spirit animal, the internet can even seem cat-like in personality. Where does all this kitteh love come from? Humans made the internet, and humans have had an affinity for cats for centuries. But can we make the jump from "the internet loves cats" to "the internet IS cats"?

Épisode 20 - Is Google Knowledge?

21 août 2013

"Google it" seems to be the quick and easy answer for every question we could possibly ask, but is finding facts the same thing as KNOWING? Having billions of facts at the tips of your typing fingertips may not necessarily be making us any smarter. Some people even think it's making us more stupid and lazy. Whatever way we process the vast sea of data available, the question remains: is the act of googling the same as knowledge?

Épisode 21 - Are There TWO Nikola Teslas?

11 septembre 2013

Unless you're new to the internet, you probably know that Tesla was an incredibly popular scientist and inventor who was WAY ahead of his time. But was he really the valiant underdog against the Goliath of Edison that we've come to know and understand? Despite what you may think, there are actually TWO Teslas - the meat and bones Tesla, who was born in 1856 and died in 1943, and then there's the culturally created Tesla. Neither is wrong, but all this starts making us question: what even IS "history"?

Épisode 22 - Are the Titans from Attack on Titan Evil?

18 septembre 2013

The titans, from the anime series Attack on Titan, are most definitely the bad guys. But can we call them EVIL? If you're unfamiliar, the titans are huge beings that devour humans, but their motivation is a little unclear. Is it just hunger? Do they hate humans? Are they just dumb? And with all this doubt, what's the use in the label of EVIL anyway? Nietzsche, Kant, and Jung all weigh in.

Épisode 23 - How Does Night Vale Confront Us With the Unknown?

25 septembre 2013

Night Vale's masterful balance of mystery, humor, and horror has made it the #1 podcast in America. Night Vale employs the techniques of H.P. Lovecraft, specifically his masterful manipulation of THE UNKNOWN, but the medium chosen makes it literally impossible to visually depict its universe. And it is questionable, in our hyper visual culture, whether we are truly able to cope with the mysteries of Night Vale. And not just the mysteries of the plot (like why we're forbidden from entering the Dog Park), but the impossibility of knowing what this fascinating world even LOOKS like!! Are we ok with that?

Épisode 24 - Is There An Introvert Craze Because of Technology?

2 octobre 2013

Introverts are super popular right now, celebrated to the point of meme-level. Stereotypically quiet, smart, and reserved, they are often conflated with nerds (who are also currently deemed awesome according to pop culture). But why do we suddenly want to self-identify as nerds and introverts? Is this popularity connected to technology?

Épisode 25 - Can You Actually Enjoy Breaking Bad?

9 octobre 2013

We love Breaking Bad. So so much. But do we ENJOY it? The show undoubtedly satisfies, and over the past 6 years, the show has been a roller coaster of feelings: frustration, respect, horror, amazement, and more. But it may be similar to roller coasters in another way, like with horror flicks and haunted houses, where the enjoyment actually comes in the relief that comes afterward. Is this what's going on with Breaking Bad? Watch the episode and find out! And also... SPOILERS. SO MANY SPOILERS.

Épisode 26 - Did Horse_ebooks Show Us that SPAM is the Webs Native Artform

16 octobre 2013

Horse_ebooks was a twitter spambot par excellence. It was algorithmic assembled poetry. It was the soul in the machine. But we recently learned that for the past few years horse_ebooks was in fact human authored, by a Buzzfeed writer, no less! And that made us angry. Why? Because when it was computer created, horse_ebooks was, as strange as this sounds, nearly perfect SPAM. It was SPAM that grabbed our attention, that gave us the joy of meaningful nonsense and, most importantly, we chose to participate in its ridiculousness. And that was its art. Horse_eBooks had perfected the art of SPAM!!!

Épisode 27 - Controlling vs 'Being' Your Video Game Avatar

24 octobre 2013

Do you control or *are* you your video game avatar? Avatars have increased in complexity over the years, from paddles and Pacman to highly rendered and human-like beings and first-person floating cameras. Whatever your avatar is, it is consistently a TOOL, a way for you to engage with the videogame world. But are you merely controlling it or ARE YOU your avatar? This is an important question because if a player truly feels that their avatar embodies them, we might have to think differently about what our moral and ethical obligations as videogames present us with a plenty of uncomfortable and moral choices. So are you really controlling your avatar?

Épisode 28 - How is Slender Man Internet Folklore?

30 octobre 2013

Slender Man very well may have been "invented" by the internet, but he's been a part of our subconscious forever! Like cultures across the globe, the internet has developed its own stories and characters. Generated by the collective web, Slender Man is our nightmares manifested in digital form. Why do we create these scary tales, indulging in worlds are beyond reality? What is the role of this folklore, and is Slender Man a part of it?

Épisode 29 - How is Seeing Ender's Game a Political Action?

6 novembre 2013

The science fiction novel "Ender's Game" has been a part of the sci-fi canon for the past 30+ years and with it's huge new blockbuster movie release, it's bigger than ever. But its author, Orson Scott Card, has inspired more debate than the novel itself. Card has been labeled homophobic, racist, and a handful of other distasteful things, and the opinions held by Card have created a TON of anger and opposition. But now that "Ender's Game" has been made into a movie, this leads to a big question: should you see it? Does buying a ticket to a film equal an endorsement of the creator's ideas? OR should you join the bandwagon of boycotts against the film? Should you avoid it based on your moral beliefs?

Épisode 30 - Is Pop Music Holding You Hostage?

13 novembre 2013

Love or hate pop music, it's pretty hard to escape. From Katy Perry to Lady Gaga, pop songs are recorded, packaged, and sold down a well worn pipeline, designed to make you, the listener, LOVE THIS SONG! But do you really? Does the song have real meaning, or is it just that they play it over and over and over and over again until it wears you down, until you can nothing but... sing along. So is pop music holding you hostage?

Épisode 31 - What Does The Doctor Mean to You?

20 novembre 2013

It's the 50th anniversary of Doctor Who!!! Whovians everywhere are excited to see what the newest Doctor will bring to the character, and that got us thinking: what makes the Doctor, THE Doctor? 11 different doctors have played the role over the past 50 years, and each was unique, with different personalities and characteristics. But besides the physical symbols surrounding him - the Tardis, the sonic screwdriver- are there larger cues that indicate the man is in fact THE DOCTOR?

Épisode 32 - Sandwiches, Modernity, and Lyrics: A Thanksgiving Episode

27 novembre 2013

In honor of Thanksgiving, we present two ideas to discuss with your loved ones around the dinner table. First up: sandwiches. They are the perfect food for today's fast-paced lifestyle. But was it the creation of this versatile food that ushered in the period of classical modernity? Next up: music lyrics websites. We all love singing the wrong lyrics and then looking look up the actual lyrics on rap genius. But are these sites stealing from the recording industry by profiting off of artist's lyrics?

Épisode 33 - Your Questions Answered! (1)

4 décembre 2013

Ask and you shall receive... ANSWERS!!! We've compiled your submitted Qs, and responded to as many as we could. How did Idea Channel get started? How is the show made? What ideas are in the pipeline? All these questions and MORE are in this week's video!! (So many in fact that they overflowed into a second video...)

Épisode 34 - Your Questions Answered! (2)

4 décembre 2013

MORE of Your Questions Answered!

Épisode 35 - Do 'Digital Natives' Exist?

11 décembre 2013

Is there such a thing as a "DIGITAL NATIVE"? Some experts have suggested a clear divide between "digital native" (the Millennial tech experts) and "digital immigrant" (older generations introduced to technology later in life). The young NATIVES have had technology change the way they think and the way their brain works, while older folk are stuck playing catch-up. But is that fair? Can someone innately understand technology? Is it even a good idea to define people as natives vs immigrants?

Épisode 36 - Can Bullet Hell Games Be Meditative?

18 décembre 2013

Bullet Hell games are crazy. Their onslaught of lasers, bullets, aka DAKKA, seems overwhelming or even IMPOSSIBLE to the uninitiated. Is playing these games an elaborate and stressful mastery of patterns and strategy? Or could it instead be a form of meditation? Maybe the way to find your way through the dakka is to fall into a mental autopilot in the face of complexity, finding harmony within the haze. Is this wild overstimulation a form of modern meditation?

Épisode 37 - Holiday Media Binge

2 janvier 2014

Ah the glorious down time of the holidays. The perfect opportunity for binge watching! Why do we binge watch, and what media do you like binging on?

Épisode 38 - How Powerful Are Algorithms?

8 janvier 2014

If you've ever used Google, Netflix, Facebook, or Amazon (and we're guessing that you have), then you've come into contact with algorithms. In fact, it's guaranteed that your life has been impacted by algorithms, even in ways you're unaware of (assuming you INTERNET... which, again, we're guessing that you have...) The point is, the importance of algorithms in today's world cannot be overstated, and their role has been the focus of much discussion- how they're shaping our lives, for better or for worse. But, how far does the algorithmic rabbit hole go, could their influence even have spiritual correlations?!

Épisode 39 - Does Reality TV Affect Our View On Surveillance?

15 janvier 2014

What have you been watching lately? There's a good chance (whether you admit to it or not) that you've been watching some reality TV. The "Reality TV" genre is mega popular, a massive cultural force, even though it's not really "reality". Contrived situations and manipulated scenarios make these shows entertainment rather than documentation, but they still feature real people who are willing to have their lives recorded. As a culture, we've become accustomed to watching people, but how does that affect our ideas about BEING WATCHED, especially given the recent NSA controversies?

Épisode 40 - The Experience of Being Trolled

22 janvier 2014

In a very special episode this week, Mike rethinks his approach to the episode. Most of you have heard the phrase "Don't Feed the Trolls", but do trolls actually serve a purpose? Found everywhere people converse online, their combative rhetoric can be annoying, even harmful. Can a valid argument be made for the value of trolls? Watch Red Shirt Mike vs Blue Shirt Mike deliberate!

Épisode 41 - Is Avatar: The Last Airbender Anime?

29 janvier 2014

What IS Anime? After binge watching the american produced Avatar: The Last Airbender & Avatar: Legend of Korra, the question seems more complicated. The general consensus in the west is that anime is a product of Japanese culture, and TRUE anime can only come from Japan. But would it blow your mind that in Japan, ANYTHING animated is anime (including Family Guy)?! So what defines anime - visual and tonal style? Geographic borders? Is there a reason to keep the definition of anime limited?

Épisode 42 - Why Do We Hate Selfies?

5 février 2014

Are we really about to defend SELFIES?! Yup. Despite being possibly the world's most annoying habit, selfies are undeniably a major part of modern visual language. They may be the lowest common denominator of the art of photography, but they are also a legit form of communication ("a picture is worth a thousand words" comes to mind). But maybe all the hate comes from a confusion about what selfies actually are! Is it possible they're not actually "photographs" but a totally different form of communication? Could they even be important and meaningful?!?!

Épisode 43 - What's the Deal With Unboxing Videos?

12 février 2014

With every new product release comes a glorious wealth of new Unboxing videos. For the uninitiated, unboxing videos are exactly what they sound like. A person gets a new thing, and film themselves removing it from the packaging. But why do people film these videos, and why do others WATCH these videos? Well for one thing, these videos show what the products ARE, without the annoying filter of marketing. Maybe unboxing videos glorify the act of acquiring and owning? Is there a sensual element to these videos?

Épisode 44 - What is Fiction? (ft. War of the Worlds)

19 février 2014

What IS fiction? That's the question that popped into our minds when thinking about Orson Welles' radio War of the Worlds performance, which set off a public panic of listeners who thought NJ was truly being attacked by aliens. Now those aliens didn't really exist, since it was all pretend. But on the other hand, they did (and do) KIND OF exist. They can be described, referenced, and can have as much veracity to people as physical objects. And the worlds created in fiction can contain REAL things - cars, people, New Jersey. Can something both exist and not exist? Whoa.

Épisode 45 - Does Fiction Exist? (ft. Harry Potter)

26 février 2014

We all know who Harry Potter is, and can conjure an image of him in our minds. There are specific properties that make a Harry THE Harry (glasses, scar, wand, etc), so it's safe to say that we're all sharing a consistent idea. But do these physical properties mean that Harry Potter EXISTS? Harry Potter doesn't have a physical referent, but the fact that we collectively KNOW Harry Potter (or Hermoine, Ron, or even Batman for that matter), doesn't that mean there's SOME SORT of existence?

Épisode 46 - Does Twitch Plays Pokemon Give You Hope for Humanity?

5 mars 2014

You asked, and we delivered: a Pokemon episode!!! Specifically Twitch Plays Pokemon, which it turns out is a metaphor for ... well, lots of stuff. Twitch Plays Pokemon is a version of Pokemon Red controlled via chat on the video streaming site Twitch. And TENS OF THOUSANDS of people are playing this one game simultaneously! How can a group steer the direction of a game? And what can this tell us about anarchy vs democracy? (Maybe that the US government is a bit more like Pokemon than we realized.)

Épisode 47 - When Do Memes Stop Being Funny?

12 mars 2014

Old meme is old. But why is this such a bad thing? Once the height of internetiness, the sight of a LOLCat now is unforgivable. Memes become passé crazy fast: after just months or even WEEKS of a new meme, we tire of the once hugely popular. Why does this happen, and happen so QUICKLY? Is it a reflection of the sheer volume of visual information we absorb from the internet? Or does it say something about this specific visual culture?

Épisode 1 - Do We Need a Better Archive of the Internet?

19 mars 2014 - 5/5

The internet is an archive, but it may not be all that great at it. Sure, it saves any media we can imagine (text, photographs, films, etc). But what about that stuff FROM the network? Status updates, tweets, image macros... they seem to disappear into the ether. Are they not worth as much to us as physical objects? We archive things so we can remember them, so is this network ephemera not worth remembering?

Épisode 2 - How Is Technology Changing TV Narrative?

26 mars 2014 - 5/5

Watching our favorite TV shows is one of the most fundamental ways we entertain ourselves. And for most of TV history, these stories were simple and episodic: you could watch one episode when it aired, and it was a self-contained story. But now that we have the ability to find the whole back- catalogue of a show online, is it changing the way TV show are CREATED? Not only can people catch up without waiting for a DVD release, but entire seasons are released and consumed in a single weekend (thanks Netflix!) How might that be changing the types of stories we're being told?

Épisode 3 - How is Ms. Marvel Changing Media for the Better?

2 avril 2014 - 5/5

Popular media generally has a problem with representation. Fictional worlds are often designed by and for straight white males, and this can subtly affect how audiences view the real world. Comics are no exception, portraying muscular white males, or exaggerated expressions of the female form. But those traditions are being broken. One of the most exciting new characters breaking this mold is the new Ms. Marvel: Kamala Khan. Kamala is a teenage Pakistani-American muslim girl, a far cry from the comic pantheon of Captain Americas and Supermans. So is Kamala a step in the right direction for media representation?

Épisode 4 - How Much Can Data Improve Your Health?

9 avril 2014 - 5/5

ou may have heard of the Jawbone, Fitbit, Nike Fuelband or one of the myriad of other wearable self-tracking gadgets. Heck, you might even be wearing one right now! These gadgets help track everything from hours slept, calories consumed, to number of steps taken in a given day. But can they actually make you healthy??? Sure they provide us with tons of data about our bodies, but what do we DO with all that information?! Is it just about the knowing? Or does this actually motivate us to change and enhance our behavior? And if it does, can that be a bad thing?

Épisode 5 - Did HIMYM Earn Its Ending?

16 avril 2014 - 5/5

First of all, spoilers. MASSIVE SPOILERS! How I Met Your Mother is a popular sitcom that has been running 9 years, teasing its audience the whole long way with the riddle of the identity of THE MOTHER. But with its recent finale and the mystery resolved, the reaction was mixed. Did Ted end up with who he was meant to all along? Or did the creators pull a fast one, and produce an ending that was unearned? With TV audiences notoriously fickle, TV producers must consider a responsibility to the fans, and balance that with making the show they want. So was the ending of HIMYM a success or failure?

Épisode 6 - Can You Make a Movie So Bad It's Good On Purpose?

23 avril 2014 - 5/5

It's easy to make a bad movie. Budget, talent, time, know-how... there are so many factors that can potentially sink a film. But every once in a while, a movie is so terrible, such an utter failure, that it earns the designation "SO BAD IT'S GOOD". These bizarre entities touch upon our schadenfreude, and allow us to share and celebrate these monstrosities of filmmaking. Troll 2, The Room, and Plan 9 From Outerspace are both horrific and weirdly enjoyable, even becoming cults classics. But can these So-Bad-It's-Good films be created ON PURPOSE?

Épisode 7 - Do You 'Choose' To Have Your Privacy Invaded By Using Tech?

30 avril 2014 - 5/5

CHANGE YO PASSWORDS! The recent Heartbleed bug was, for many, just another reminder that our information will never be secure on the internet. We feel vulnerable and hopeless in the face of a long string of privacy concerns, and many argue that this is an inevitable result of technology. But since our culture has wholly jumped on the digital bandwagon, do we as individuals truly CHOOSE to sacrifice our privacy? Or maybe the better question is, how much do we even choose to use technology?

Épisode 8 - The Future of Fandoms

7 mai 2014 - 5/5

What is THE FUTURE of Fandoms? Excited, interested, and devoted to a piece of the world, fandoms have an ever growing presence and power in our culture. But how will that power morph in the coming decades? Will fans be able to control the media they celebrate? Will fan-created works and the argument of Fair Use alter copyright law? Will fandoms find a place in politics and government?

Épisode 9 - How Is Orphan Black An Illustration of the Simulacrum?

14 mai 2014 - 5/5

SPOILERS FOR ORPHAN BLACK AHEAD... OK, so "Orphan Black" features clones brilliantly portrayed by Tatiana Maslany, and while watching their search for truth, we began to think: are we ALL clones? Hold up- we're not talking about sci-fi dystopia, but rather the concept of SIMULACRUM. "Orphan Black" seems to be a perfect illustration of the simulacrum, aka a copy without reference to an original. We see simulacra in pop art, in religion, even Disney World, but does going down this rabbit hole lead us to OURSELVES?

Épisode 10 - 100th-ish Episode Special

21 mai 2014 - 5/5

An Idea Channel episode ABOUT Idea Channel? It was inevitable, I guess. Since we've reach our one-hundredth(ish) episode, we thought'd we'd turn the microscope on ourselves, and talk about what we hope IC is accomplishing. What ARE we trying to do here? Who is the show inspired by? And through all this exclaiming, dissecting, and over thinking, are we SUCCEEDING?

Épisode 11 - SRSLY What Does IKEA Say About The Human Condition?

4 juin 2014 - 5/5

You may have seen our April Fools video... sorry for disappointing you back then when we didn't have an actual discussion about IKEA and the human condition. But now we're doing it for real!!!! While a huge corporate entity may not be the most likely place to find discussion points for the human condition, we're going for it anyway. For example, what is "The IKEA Effect"? What is it about building your own furniture that is so satisfying (or frustrating)? And those stores... oh, we can undoubtedly find some metaphors in their labyrinthine layouts. So what DOES Ikea say about the human condition?

Épisode 12 - Why Are There So Many Super Hero Movies?

12 juin 2014 - 5/5

The past 15 years have produced a pantsload of superhero films. It's hard to even remember a time before Batman, Spiderman, and Captain America dominated the summer box office. So are movie studios just lazy and out of ideas? Or is something else going on? Superheroes are authority figures who put their world in order. They are ALSO the products of the culture from which they originate. So what does it say about our cultural state of affairs that we willingly consume 6+ superhero flicks a year?

Épisode 13 - Net Neutrality: Is the Internet a Public Utility?

25 juin 2014 - 5/5

The views discussed in this episode do not necessarily reflect the views of PBS or its member stations. All thoughts and opinions presented are the province of Mike Rugnetta. Is the internet a public utility? No. Should it be? That's an interesting question. The Internet, as we've said many a time, is a glorious series of tubes, and Internet Service Providers (ISPs) sell us access to those tubes. But the FCC is considering a new Two Tiered system, in which some companies could pay ISPs for faster delivery. This topic (aka Net Neutrality) has made us think about the important role the internet plays in our lives. Is internet access so important that it should be classified as a public utility or common carrier, like water & electricity, or public buses and subways?

Épisode 14 - When Will We Worry About the Well-Being of Robots?

2 juillet 2014 - 5/5

Do you worry about your vacuum? Not in the way where you're concerned about breaking a valuable object - but in an emotional, empathetic concern for its being? If so, then you're primed for today's discussion about the wellbeing of robots! We can personify objects, assigning them human qualities, but will technology get to a point where it DESERVES these moral concerns? Can you imagine a day when you will empathize with your computer or care if it lives or dies?

Épisode 15 - Are There Rules For Spoilers?

9 juillet 2014 - 5/5

Spoilers can be infuriating because they can ruin the suspense in a piece of media. But some people like them, actually preferring to have the endings divulged. What camp are you in? Why aren't there better guidelines regarding spoilers? We caught up with some of our favorite Youtubers at Vidcon and got their two cents...then they gave us their sixth sense and we found out Bruce Willis was...

Épisode 16 - Could Sports Ever Replace War?

16 juillet 2014 - 5/5

The recent excitement over the World Cup made us think: could a competitive sporting event ever replace war? It's easy to see the similarity between games and warfare: both often involve strategy, cunning, and even (or especially) national pride. Plus, sports are not totally without value in terms of international relations: history has shown that politically charged soccer games and "ping-pong policy" can impact diplomacy. But could a match substitute true combat, and the results honored as definitive during global discord?

Épisode 17 - Is Cosplay a Form of Theatre?

23 juillet 2014 - 5/5

COMICON SEASON IS UPON US!! Tens of thousands of fans will fill convention centers, stand in endless lines, and many will even dress up as their favorite fictional characters (aka Cosplay). Why, you might ask, do people cosplay? Well, they cosplay to celebrate a character, to make an awesome costume, to BE awesome, and for some, maybe even to BECOME the character. This embodiment of a character is essentially a performance, so does that make cosplay theater?! Can theater exist without directors, scripts, or even a stage??!!

Épisode 18 - Why Were People & Critics So Infatuated With Frozen?

30 juillet 2014 - 5/5

What to say about Frozen that hasn't been said… well let's get meta and talk about the fact that so much has been said about Frozen!! Seriously, people LOVE analyzing and critiquing this movie. It's inspired dozens of think-pieces, covering everything from its portrayal of gender roles, to cultural appropriation, to the definition of true love. Frozen, and its complexity, has touched something in viewers. Could it be its morphing of traditional fairy tale tropes?

Épisode 19 - Are There Internet Dialects?

6 août 2014 - 5/5

We consider ourselves natives of INTERNETLAND, which made us wonder if there's such a thing as an internet dialect. Not pronunciation, per se (since we type in these here parts), but a common way of communicating through word choice, vocabulary, and how these words are arranged and used. So what is Standard Internet Speak? Acronyms, emoticons, and hashtags? Purposeful misspellings and abbreviations? IS IT EVEN A THING?!?!?

Épisode 20 - A Love Letter To The Simpsons

13 août 2014 - 5/5

When you truly love a piece of media, be it a TV series, movie, song, or YouTube Channel, you want it to be remembered and enjoyed in a tender and specific way. After all, this media entity allows us to communicate with each other through a mutual reference point, as well as better understand the world around us through its lens. Today, Mike talks directly to his favorite and most prized childhood show, and explores our deepest connections to the media we love.

Épisode 21 - Is Kill La Kill a Warning about Wearable Technology?

20 août 2014 - 5/5

There's a lot to talk about when discussing the anime series Kill la Kill. If you're not familiar with the show, the lead character, Ryuko Matoi, searches for her father's murderer; there's an academy ruled by a powerful student council; and there's a class system where more powerful students wear extraterrestrial clothing which give them special powers… you should just watch it. It's these uniforms, called Goku, that are particularly interesting, and specifically how the wearers unitize them. Could Goku be considered technology? And how does FASCISM play a role in all this?!?!

Épisode 22 - What is a tweet worth? #ALSIceBucketChallenge

27 août 2014 - 5/5

By now, EVERYONE knows about the Ice Bucket Challenge (unless you've somehow avoided contact with the internet for the past month). While it has been incredibly successful in terms of dollars raised, lots of the videos fail to mention donations, and many people question the value of the campaign. Are these videos "slacktivism", helping only superficially with a cause? What value do our social posts really have?

Épisode 23 - 2 Short Ideas: Art, Distance and The Daily Show

3 septembre 2014 - 5/5

Takin' a little break to enjoy summer weather, but never fear, we wouldn't leave you with NOTHING TO TALK ABOUT!!! So… here are a couple thoughts to keep your brain warm until we're back next week. No. 1: Does an object need to have no utilitarian use to be art? No. 2: Is The Daily Show a better news program than traditional evening news?

Épisode 24 - Does Pop Culture Need To Be 'Popular'?

10 septembre 2014 - 5/5

What is 'Popular Culture'? Despite what the term may lead you to think, it is NOT just media that is numerically popular! Tom Waits most certainly is part of popular culture, regardless of his ZERO billboard hits. So what are the qualifications for 'Pop Culture'? And where the heck does the internet come into play in all this?

Épisode 25 - Furthermore: The Return of Bronies, Homestuck, Avatars, Hipsters & Old Memes

17 septembre 2014 - 5/5

You've continued talking, and we're still listening!!! Even though each week we move on to new episodes, the comment sections of our old videos just keep on keepin' on! We LOVE that you're still wanting to discuss and deliberate old topics, and today, we're going to respond! So let's go back to our Top 5 most popular episodes ever continue the conversation!

Épisode 26 - Related Videos: The GIF's Visual Language In Music Videos

24 septembre 2014 - 5/5

Whether you pronounce "gif" with a hard or a soft “G”, I think we can all agree that they're a good/jood way to find entertainment and expression on the internet. So much so that they've cast their influence onto music videos, a format that heavily relies on both entertainment and expression. We're trying a new format this week by using Youtube's nifty Playlist feature to bring you some of the internet's most interesting GIF-themed music videos. Which videos made the list? And how do their visual styles reflect gif-culture?

Épisode 27 - What Do Hot Sauce Labels Say About America?

1 octobre 2014 - 5/5

Peppers are the essence of hot sauce, and hot sauce is the essence of spicy. You might be a hot sauce lover, but how much thought have you given their labels? If you've ever taken a second to examine them, you might notice some patterns and similarities amongst them. What does this say about Americans' attitude towards hot sauces, or even food in general?

Épisode 28 - How To Create Responsible Social Criticism

8 octobre 2014 - 5/5

The recent matter of Sam Pepper's "social experiment" videos has inspired a lot of discussion and debate. Here at Idea Channel, we thought we'd take this opportunity to talk in this video not specifically about Sam Pepper, but about media in general, and it's ability to comment on serious social issues. If Sam Pepper's video successfully critiqued assault, then why all the uproar? If media can be potentially hurtful, then how can we best comment on social issues?

Épisode 29 - Are Videogames About Their Mechanics?

15 octobre 2014 - 5/5

Are videogames actually about their mechanics? As we play games over and over again, we spend a lot of time getting pretty darn good at the mechanics and gameplay. Each shot fired and potion consumed engrosses us more and more, but does that engrossing nature work against the STORY, the NARRATIVE, and maybe the bigger picture of what the game is (supposedly) about? Do we care more about what we do, instead of what happens? And SHOULD the interaction be more important than the message?

Épisode 30 - Five Fallacies

22 octobre 2014 - 5/5

Arguing on the internet, everyone’s favorite pastime! But unfortunately, some people don’t do it very well — or at least they could do it better. You owe it to them (and yourself!) to help them out and make their claims and/or arguments less fallacious. In doing so, you’ll increase the quality of discourse between the both of you, perhaps even helping you finally figure out DEEP QUESTIONS like “WHAT IS LOVE” and “WHY IS SRIRACHA SO DANG TASTY.” Educate yourself and your fellow internet commenters in this week’s Idea Channel episode.

Épisode 31 - What Do Horror Movies and Cable News Networks Have in Common?

29 octobre 2014 - 5/5

Halloween is almost here, and 'tis the season for copious horror movie viewing!! Lots of awesome smart people have talked about the reasons we love horror films. But why do we like to watch horror films with others? There seems to be a social nature to horror viewing, way more than other genres. It's gotta be more than just safety in numbers, right? And does this apply just to movies, or does this social experience of horror seep into other aspects of culture?...

Épisode 32 - LITERALLY OUR MOST AMAZING EPISODE EVER!!!

5 novembre 2014 - 5/5

"This is literally the best episode of Idea Channel EVER." Is it? Or are we just continuing the cultural trend of hyperbole? (side note: the episode is pretty gosh darn enjoyable) It's like EVERY SINGLE THING people describe is AWESOME and AMAZING and THE BEST. We're all seemingly competing to have the ultimate meaningful experiences, so how are we supposed to articulate genuine sentiment? I mean it's THE WORST... I cannot even. Literally, I can't even find words to accurately describe the limits to our vocabulary and our ability to express true enthusiasm. So where does our vernacular develop from here?

Épisode 33 - Hell is Quoting Other People

12 novembre 2014 - 5/5

Here at Idea Channel we enjoy thinking about things, so it was inevitable we'd start thinking about... thinking. Or rather, what were philosophers were really thinking when they came up with with famous phrases? Many are so overused, the colloquial meanings morph over time. Does "hell is other people" really mean what you think it means?! Are you even using these quotes correctly?! This episode tries to find out the original meanings of 3 thoughtful thoughts!

Épisode 34 - What Does Too Many Cooks Say About the Meaning of Life?

19 novembre 2014 - 5/5

Adult Swim's "Too Many Cooks" is awesome, bizarre, and like so many other things on the internet, ABSURD. The video is perfectly suited for internet obsession, because the internet LOVES it some meaningless and irrational content. So how does this meaningless video connect to Sisyphus, Albert Camus, and Alex from Target?!

Épisode 35 - Your Questions Answered! Part II

26 novembre 2014 - 5/5

It's that time of year again, when we eat Turkey and answer your crazy, fun questions about Idea Channel and Mike's favorite things. What music does he like? What books does he hate? And most importantly, Mike reveals his secret super power.

Épisode 36 - How Mighty is Taylor Swift's Pen?

3 décembre 2014 - 5/5

Check your cynicism at the door!! We're talkin' bout Taylor Swift today. The mega-popstar seems to be OWNING the music industry lately, with her killer new album 1989, her decreeing of Spotify's deficiency, and her general awesomeness and authenticity. Connected to that authenticity, much has been noted about Swift writing her own music, so could her power of the pen be the very source of her industrial power?!

Épisode 37 - Is Over The Garden Wall About Having Faith?

10 décembre 2014 - 5/5

You guys REALLY like the Over the Garden Wall series on Cartoon Network (as indicated by all your comments and tweets). WE DO TOO!!! Wirt and Greg's journey to find their way home through The Unknown makes for not just a great show, but a great exploration into the idea of FAITH in the face of fear. The show and its two central characters seem to perfectly illustrate cynicism and optimism. So what can we learn from the brothers (as well as Beatrice and their frog) about faith and facing the impossible?

Épisode 38 - Coffee, Mesmerism, and Morning Routines

17 décembre 2014 - 5/5

This episode is about glorious morning coffee. Or more specifically, about our time-tested morning routines. Everybody has their morning routine that they rely on and cling to dearly. The simple acts of brewing coffee, showering, and whatever else you do, makes that first act of climbing out of bed easier. The comfort and familiarity of those repeated actions give us a sense of ownership, and cause us to self identify with these simple set of actions. So what is it about these routines that make them so important to us?

Épisode 39 - Even More Fallacies!

7 janvier 2015 - 5/5

There's lots of... um... let's say "discussion" on the web, and I think we can all agree that it's not always constructive. You may have seen our Fallacies episode, in which we tried to help internet arguers make more solid, logical arguments. So to kick off the new year, we're offering a few more ideas to help you argue better on the internet in 2015!

Épisode 40 - The Uncertain Connection Between North Korea and Hackers

14 janvier 2015 - 5/5

The recent release of The Interview could have been a movie unto itself (possibly a better movie), involving hackers, a secretive foreign nation, an inept corporation and the United States government. After the Sony leaks, the FBI said North Korean hackers were to blame, and Obama put sanctions into place in response. FOREIGN POLICY was affected by this cyberattack!! But was North Korea really the one responsible? And if it wasn't behind the leak, and we can't identify our attackers, what the heck does that mean for the 21st century?!!

Épisode 41 - How Objective Is The Law? Serial: Part 1

21 janvier 2015 - 5/5

"Serial", the hugely popular podcast hosted by Sarah Koenig, has prompted much discussion and debate about the murder case of Hae Min Lee and convicted Adnan Syed, who is currently serving a life sentence. Here at Idea Channel, besides our fascination with the case, the podcast got us thinking about objectivism. There is a widely held expectation that the law and journalism must be objective. But is that really possible? And does Serial show us that impossibility?

Épisode 42 - Should Journalism Be Objective? Serial: Part 2

28 janvier 2015 - 5/5

Welcome to PART DEUX of our discussion of "Serial", the insanely popular podcast hosted by Sarah Koenig. Last week we discussed objectivity in the law, and this week we're turning our attention to objectivity in journalism. Journalists have been tasked with objective reporting for decades, but is that a realistic goal? Can any journalist be TRUELY objective? Is "Serial" an example of failed objectivism, or is it a reminder of its impossibility?

Épisode 43 - Do You Have the Right to Be Forgotten?

4 février 2015 - 5/5

Diamonds are forever, and so is posting to the internet. But sometimes this permanent archive of our lives can come back to haunt us. Some argue that individuals should have the right to delete their pasts, in line with the concept of 'right to oblivion'. Others claim this removal is a form of censorship. So do we have a right to be forgotten?

Épisode 44 - Love Bending and Fan Fiction with Korra

11 février 2015 - 5/5

FAN FICTION! The wonderful domain of art and creativity where all of our dreams about all of our favorite characters come true. Harry and Draco, Luigi and Peach, and more recently Korra and Asami! Korrasami, colloquially, is a popular fandom that has sprung up in the wake of The Legend of Korra. It's popularity may be indebted to a lot of different factors, but, more importantly, it's popularity demonstrates the NEED and WANT for meaningful female relationships in media! Join Mike in this week's Idea Channel as he goes into this and more. And Happy Valentine's!

Épisode 45 - Why Makeup Isn't Superficial

18 février 2015 - 5/5

When someone puts on makeup there is no easy way to know why they've done it. Or why they've made the decisions they have about their makeup. Answers to those questions might not even be clear to the makeup wearer themselves! After a very long history of putting stuff on our bodies to accentuate our features, cosmetics–both the product and the idea–has taken on a good amount of baggage. So, its tough to know... Is it for the person wearing it? It is for the people who are going to see the person wearing it? It is for one by way of the other? This episode of Idea Channel approaches some of those questions, inspired by Beauty and Makeup Tutorials found on YouTube and the tradition of person-to-person sharing of makeup knowledge.

Épisode 46 - Bored Americans Using Teleporters! (3 Shorts)

25 février 2015 - 5/5

It’s time to come in from the cold and put on your thinking cap, because we have THREE new ideas for you to consider this week. 1) What’s so bad about being bored? 2) Why are Americans so sensitive? and 3) Is that really you on the other side of the teleporter?

Épisode 47 - How Do We and The Sims Perform Gender?

5 mars 2015 - 5/5

The Sims have always allowed for characters to choose their sexual orientation, but what about their gender? Why is it that after all these years it's still not possible to choose an option other than guy or girl, male or female? And is gender something we are, or perform? Judith Butler would say NO. But why?

Épisode 48 - Is Reality TV The Future of Space Travel?

11 mars 2015 - 5/5

Okay, Mars One is decidedly cool, but also kind of crazy right? Nearly everyone with clout in the scientific community has spoken with extreme skepticism about the project, despite Mars One founder Bas Lansdorp’s overwhelming confidence in his mission. To which we at Idea Channel say… Sure! BUT WHY? Lansdorp wants to make Mars One one of the biggest broadcast spectacles of all time, and in a world of underfunded space programs, maybe this is actually the way we get to colonize space! Is framing colonization as entertainment our key to the stars?

Épisode 1 - Are Comic Book Characters Like D&D Players?

18 mars 2015

Dungeon Masters rule over Tabletop RPGs, but who watches the Watchmen? Batman, Superman, Wonder Woman, Spiderman, Thor... all famous comic book characters, but famous not technically because of the actions they perform, but for those that comic book creators and writers choose for them. How is this like the players of a RPG, who experience what they may perceive as agency over their actions, despite their routes being carefully orchestrated by the Dungeon Master. So, who’s really in control?

Épisode 2 - Do Upvotes Show Democracy's Flaws?

25 mars 2015

Are upvotes democratic? Supposedly, YikYak is a democratic social network, following the lead of forums like reddit that use upvoting as “community sourced decisions.” The IDEA behind both is that compelling, unique posts will float to the top, and weak ones will sink to the bottom. Reddit is a democracy! Much like The United States. HOWEVER, in both cases, the notion of true democracy may well be an illusion! Does seeing upvotes promote more upvotes? Does provocative content beget more provocative content? Is all content created equal?

Épisode 3 - How Does Steven Universe Expand Our Ideas of Family?

1 avril 2015

We love Steven Universe! But what makes it so great? It's a story of mismatched characters trying to save the world, but maybe there's more to it than that? Maybe Steven Universe is really about Family, and how it's impossible to define it... universally. What else, or who else can we call family? Are Fandoms family? Can THINGS be family?

Épisode 4 - Why Are You Ignoring My iMessages??

8 avril 2015

Why are you ignoring my messages? Are read receipts AMAZING or INFURIATING? When you check iMessage on your iPhone, iWatch, iMac, iPad, i…WHATEVER, and you see a little note that says your friend saw your message, but they aren't responding. Why are you ignoring my texts? WHY DOES IT HURT SO MUCH?! WHAT COULD BE MORE IMPORTANT THAN RESPONDING TO MY TEXT MESSAGE? Also, what's up with those people with green bubbles? Aren't they the worst?

Épisode 5 - Is The LEGO Movie Anti-Copyright?

15 avril 2015

EVERYTHING IS AWESOME in the LEGO™ movie, except when it isn't and LORD BUSINESS gets in the way and wants to control everything and stifle creativity™! Emmet, Wyldstyle, Batman, and others in the movie seem completely opposed to the imposition of any sort of structure that dictates what will be built and how, which to us at Idea Channel sounds really similar to discussions around copyright law and intellectual property (IP). Are master builders just artists who make good use of the public domain? Can the LEGO movie advocate for open culture even if LEGO itself is historically opposed to it?

Épisode 6 - What’s the Deal With Amiibos?

22 avril 2015

The insane popularity of Nintendo’s Amiibos, Amiibo Hunting, and Amiibo Hunters (both in stores and on places like the Amiibo Reddit) proves that people can’t keep their hands off of them, but are they simply be the next big thing in a long line of product/game crossovers? The world was previously infatuated with Skylanders, followed by the Disney Infinity characters, but something about Amiibos feels… different? They’re interactive in a way that gives them value outside of the object itself, blurring the line between consumer and an ardent collector. And how does the existence of Amiibos challenge our idea of what play is? AND WILL WE EVER GET AMIIBOS FROM WAVE 4 AND WAVE 5?

Épisode 7 - What Does The SAT Really Test?

29 avril 2015

THE SAT. How’s that SAT prep going? Need some SAT tips? Well, here’s one: The SAT may not actually be measuring your…anything. That’s right, your SAT scores, despite what colleges and high schools across America may like for you to believe, may not reflect anything new. There is actually substantial evidence that instead of broad aptitudes, the SATs only measure a specific set of non-quantitative, cultural values and ideas.

Épisode 8 - Is A Thor By Any Other Name Still Thor?

6 mai 2015

Female THOR made a lot of people go kind of…crazy. But gender issues aside, people seemed most perturbed with labeling someone other than the male THOR as THOR. Chris Hemsworth even somewhat cemented his THOR character in The Avengers as the modern incantation of THOR, so why could the new comic book THOR not be Thorina or Lady THOR? Why just THOR? Join Michael Rugnetta (the one who hosts Idea Channel, not the Wheel of Fortune candidate) on this week’s episode of PBS Idea Channel as he looks into what the labeling and naming of someone or something actually means.

Épisode 9 - Why Do Americans Love Road Trips?

13 mai 2015

Planning on going on a road trip across America at some point? Well, you’re not alone, because for some reason AMERICANS LOVE ROAD TRIPS. Planning road trips, going on road trips, going to famous places and calling it the best road trip ever. We’ve got a whole genre of films dedicated to the “road movie,” On The Road was an incredibly famous book from the beat generation. But when does a drive become a road trip? Today on Idea Channel, we dig into the how, why, and what America loves about road trips, all filmed while on the road, of course!

Épisode 10 - Country Music: The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly

20 mai 2015

Country music is awesome! BUT there’s a weird stigma attached to even the best country music and we at Idea Channel want to understand why. Not only is it’s appeal massive, but it in some respects is keeping the record business afloat! And when it comes to music, who better to walk you from Johnny Cash to Garth Brooks on a dusty saddle than the one and only wild wild west wrangler Mike Rugnetta? Join us on this week’s episode of Idea Channel for a look at this much maligned but all together wonderful genre of music, why it might be misunderstood and how country music went from twanging banjos to pop music with a drawl (no pickup truck needed).

Épisode 11 - Do We Live In The Future?

27 mai 2015

We spend a lot of time thinking about THE FUTURE. But spoilers, maybe the future is now! Forget hoverboards, flying cars, jetpacks, and structures made of bubbles — the future is here, and your notion of the one you were “promised” was probably a lie. Look around you! Computers the size of pennies, instant communication across the oceans. The Future is now! But why still do we defer to an idea of “The Future”? And what happens to Now when we’re living in the future? Watch this week’s episode of PBS Idea Channel and find out!

Épisode 12 - DON'T CLICK THIS VIDEO!

3 juin 2015

THE BUTTON! Has there ever been such a weird thing on the internet? Well, we did have Twitch Plays Pokemon, and then there was rickrolling, and then… wait, maybe the internet is always weird. But how does the button on reddit fit into all of this? Is it a game? Or... with its cult like following and rabid commenters it seems almost like a… religion? Join Mike on this week’s episode as he talks about internet communities, the button on reddit, and other crazy internet things!

Épisode 13 - Why Are There So Many Remakes?? (besides $$$)

10 juin 2015

Fantastic Four, Jurassic World, The Hulk, Star Trek, Spiderman… is it just me or does it seem like remakes are EVERYWHERE? And not only that, but it seems like some movies are just sequel bait, deliberately leaving their ends open to ensure we return to the theaters a year from now to catch the second half of a story we thought we were getting the whole version of. What’s up with that? Besides financial reasons, why are there so many remakes? Does Simon Pegg have the answer? Or maybe our grumpy friend Jean Baudrillard! Watch this week’s episode of PBS Idea Channel with Mike Rugnetta to find out!

Épisode 14 - Comment Responses: "Do We Live in The Future?" & "r/TheButton"

10 juin 2015

Since Mike had to skip comment responses in last week's episode, we decided to respond to comments for the past 2 weeks in their own video!

Épisode 15 - How Accurate Should Movies Be?

24 juin 2015

Neil DeGrasse Tyson has made a small game out of decrying the factual inaccuracies of popular movies, but do these noted inaccuracies actually…matter? On one hand, showing the dinosaurs in Jurassic World without feathers is a scientific error, but what about the fact that Jurassic World exists at all? Isn’t it just fantasy? Does it matter that in Gravity, gravity itself seemed to not necessarily obey our current understanding of it? Join Mike on this week’s episode of Idea Channel as he looks at what works of fiction may or may not owe to actual reality.

Épisode 16 - Comment Responses: "How Accurate Should Movies Be?"

1 juillet 2015

Mike responds to comments from our "How Accurate Should Movies Be?" episode

Épisode 17 - When Does Play Become Work?

1 juillet 2015

I'm only one person, and there are only so many hours in the day. Why does entertainment increasingly feel like work? The Witcher 3 literally describes its side quests as contracts, every new movie seems like a must see, and every book that comes out IS JUST SO GREAT. Even as a human who's job it is to KNOW ALL THE THINGS, on this week's episode of Idea Channel, Mike laments the idea that no longer do we just enjoy things, we are required and tasked with enjoyment.

Épisode 18 - Comment Responses: "When Does Play Become Work?"

8 juillet 2015

Mike responds to comments from our "When Does Play Become Work?" episode.

Épisode 19 - Three Laws of The Internet Explained!

8 juillet 2015

Godwin’s Law, Lewis’s Law & Poe’s Law GODWIN’S LAW, LEWIS’S LAW, POE’S LAW, and… RUGNETTA’S LAW? It’s not often that we think RULES govern the way we act on the INTERNET like the way rules govern us in real life, but on this week’s episode of Idea Channel Mike looks at how behavior on the internet isn't so much actively governed by laws, but rather that all behavior somehow follows…patterns?? From EPIC MEMES to USELESS debates, this week’s episode of PBS Idea Channel isn’t one to miss.

Épisode 20 - Comment Responses: "Three Laws of The Internet Explained!"

15 juillet 2015

Mike responds to comments from our "Three Laws of The Internet Explained!" episode.

Épisode 21 - What If We're All Minions??

15 juillet 2015

Is hateful Minion press still good Minion press? THE MINIONS. The internet’s most ubiquitous… things? What exactly is a minion, and, despite everyone’s inability to actually answer this, WHY ARE MINIONS EVERYWHERE. WHY?? Why does the internet and the world seem to be obsessed with Minions? On this week’s episode of Idea Channel, Mike looks to answer some of your most pressing question about Minions, and attempts to answer why they are positively EVERYWHERE!

Épisode 22 - Comments Responses: "What If We're All Minions?"

22 juillet 2015

Mike responds to comments from our "What If We're All Minions??" episode.

Épisode 23 - 100% Organic Idea Channel Episode

22 juillet 2015

The Organic Feels! The "Organic Movement" has become nothing short of MASSIVE in recent years, from whole foods to "raw diets", its popularity is endless. But how good is organic for you? Or a better question: how BAD is NON-organic food for you? On this week's episode of Idea Channel, Mike looks to answer just why are we so obsessed with "organic"!?

Épisode 24 - Comment Responses: "100% Organic Idea Channel Episode"

29 juillet 2015

Mike responds to comments from our "100% Organic Idea Channel Episode" episode.

Épisode 25 - Should You Watch Leaks?

29 juillet 2015

To Leak Or Not To Leak? Leaked material hit an all time high this past year with four episodes from HBO's season 5 premiere of Game of Thrones leaking, as well as major leaks in private photos from celebrities, most notably: Jennifer Lawrence and Kate Upton. But what are the consequences of watching a leaked episode? On this week's episode of Idea Channel, Mike looks to answer why there seems to be a division between those that watch, and those that don't. Does it create a competition of status? Check it out!

Épisode 26 - Comment Responses: "Should You Watch Leaks"

5 août 2015

Mike responds to comments from our "Should You Watch Leaks" episode.

Épisode 27 - Are All Hotel Rooms The Same Place?

5 août 2015

Guests or Ghosts? Is every hotel room the same place? Despite being associated with exciting travel or relaxing getaways, the point of a hotel room is to NOT use it. But then what exactly is a hotel room meant to be?..or more specifically, where? On this week's episode of Idea Channel, Mike looks to answer where exactly these 'transitional rooms' fit in our lives, and who are we while staying in them?

Épisode 28 - Comment Responses: "Are All Hotel Rooms The Same Place?"

12 août 2015

Mike responds to comments from our "Are All Hotel Rooms The Same Place? " episode.

Épisode 29 - If There Are No Pics, Did It Happen?

12 août 2015

Pics Or It Didn't Happen! Pictures are the gold standard by which we measure all evidence and happenings. With sites like Facebook, Imgur, and the king of all ‘pics’ - Instagram, having taken the place of disposable cameras of the past, the method remains the same: unveiling a photo of proof for all to see. But do we put too much stock in how ‘provable’ photos really are? On this weeks episode of Idea Channel, Mike looks to question the phenomenon that is “pics or it didn’t happen”. Are pics absolute proof? Or are we just convincing ourselves of everything we see?

Épisode 30 - Comment Responses: "If There Are No Pics, Did It Happen?"

26 août 2015

Mike responds to comments from our "If There Are No Pics, Did It Happen? " episode.

Épisode 31 - Is Rick from Rick & Morty The Ideal Scientist?

26 août 2015

Rick and Morty! Rick Sanchez, the erratic scientist from Adult Swim’s Rick and Morty is nothing short of brilliantly talented, but his crazy antics and experiments place him on a scientific fringe. So much so, that some may even consider Rick to not be a scientist at all. But are his anarchic methods representative of what an ideal scientist should be? On this weeks episode of Idea Channel, Mike questions what makes the perfect scientist and if the scientific method is too restrictive in the pursuit of knowledge.

Épisode 32 - Comment Responses: "Is Rick from Rick & Morty The Ideal Scientist?"

2 septembre 2015

Mike responds to comments from our “Is Rick from Rick & Morty The Ideal Scientist? " episode.

Épisode 33 - Do Makers Propose a More Open Source Future?

2 septembre 2015

Tractor Hacking Is Illegal! ‘Open Source’ is a licensing and development model which allows its inner-workings to be open to the public, and even potentially expanded upon. Popular open source software includes: WordPress, Bitcoin, BitTorrent, and Apache to name a few. But what about Open Sourcing other technologies? On this week’s episode of Idea Channel, Mike explores the world of open source, copyright violation, Digital Millennium Copyright Act and the “maker’s movement”. Is our technology too locked down? Should everything be open sourced?

Épisode 34 - Comment Responses: "Do Makers Propose A More Open Source Future?"

16 septembre 2015

Mike responds to comments from our “Do Makers Propose A More Open Source Future? " episode.

Épisode 35 - What's The Deal With Classroom Trigger Warnings?

16 septembre 2015

Trigger Warnings In College! TRIGGER WARNINGS! The internet’s method of warning viewers that the discussion or content they are about to view may ‘trigger’ anxiety or PTSD. But as trigger warnings move out of private spaces and into public ones, like college classrooms, do they limit conversation? Or is it the opposite? Join Mike on this week’s episode of Idea Channel as he articulates the difference between online trigger warnings and those within the classroom. Are trigger warnings actually encouraging conversation?

Épisode 36 - Comment Responses: What's The Deal With Classroom Trigger Warnings?

23 septembre 2015

Mike responds to comments from our “What's The Deal With Classroom Trigger Warnings?" episode.

Épisode 37 - Are 400+ TV Shows Happening in the Same Universe?

25 septembre 2015

Is it possible that over 400 television shows all take place in the same universe? Every other week for the next few weeks, Mike is going to tackle theories from different fandoms, and he starts out with one of the most far reaching fan theories of them all: the Tommy Westphall Universe Hypothesis. If the entire series of St. Elsewhere was dreamed up by a young autistic boy, does this include every other role the actors have played? Could Firefly and Castle take place in the same world?

Épisode 38 - Comment Responses: Are 400+ TV Shows Happening in the Same Universe?

30 septembre 2015

Mike responds to comments from our “Are 400+ TV Shows Happening In The Same Universe?" episode.

Épisode 39 - Are You Literally What You Post?

30 septembre 2015

“Me rn”: the internets self-recognition phenomenon where pictures and gifs are used to represent feelings, reactions, and internal states. But could this process of ‘disembodiment’ be an attempt at better representing ourselves in a technological world? Join Mike on this week’s episode of Idea Channel as he explores the world of Me rn, Same, GPOY and Literally me rn. Are these collections of pics and gifs just momentary self-recognition or are they a subconsciously more accurate representation of ourselves in the modern era?

Épisode 40 - Comment Responses: Are You Literally What You Post?

7 octobre 2015

Mike responds to comments from our “Are You Literally What You Post?" episode.

Épisode 41 - Does Pokemon Start After a Massive War?

7 octobre 2015

Pokemon might not be what you thought it was. On this episode of Idea Channel, Mike continues our fan-theory series by looking at the Pokemon, "Kanto War Theory" or "Pokemon War Theory". With apparent evidence to help explain why there seems to be a lack of adults, why everyone is combat obsessed and why infrastructure is lacking...does Pokemon start after a massive war?

Épisode 42 - Comment Responses: Does Pokemon Start After a Massive War?

14 octobre 2015

Mike responds to comments from our “Does Pokemon Start After A Massive War" episode

Épisode 43 - Have #Brands™ Become Mythological?

14 octobre 2015

Modern brands such as clothing, food, technology and even celebrities, have permeated almost every aspect of our culture as the intangible asset of a money-hungry corporation or persona. But what if brands signified something..more? What if brands were mythological? Join Mike on this week's episode of Idea Channel to find out how the simple meanings of brands may have just taken on a new shape within our culture!

Épisode 44 - Comment Responses: Have #Brands™ Become Mythological?

21 octobre 2015

Mike responds to comments from our “Have #Brands™ Become Mythological?" episode.

Épisode 45 - Do All Horror Monsters Fit Into 5 Categories?

21 octobre 2015

Halloween is upon us and we all know what that means! Scary monsters everywhere! But while we're all used to seeing hundreds of different horror monsters in popular culture, did you know that almost all of them fit neatly into 5 simple categories? All thanks to Noel Carroll's Taxonomy of monsters! What do you think of his categorization? Did he miss any traits? Can you think of any monsters that don't fit the mold?

Épisode 46 - Comment Responses: Do All Horror Monsters Fit Into 5 Categories?

28 octobre 2015

Mike responds to comments from our “Do All Horror Monsters Fit Into 5 Categories?" episode.

Épisode 47 - Why Do Stormtroopers Have Bad Aim?

28 octobre 2015

Shots fired! Stormtroopers might not actually be as bad at shooting as you thought. On this episode of Idea Channel, Mike continues our fan-theory series by looking at the “Stormtroopers can’t shoot” or “Stormtroopers miss on purpose” theory. Are Stormtroopers intentionally shooting at the wall, are their stormtrooper blasters broken, or were they cloned with defects. Maybe their masks or armor are just blocking their vision. Or maybe, just maybe, they realize what they've become.

Épisode 48 - Comment Responses: Why Do Stormtroopers Have Bad Aim?

4 novembre 2015

Mike responds to comments from our “Why Do Stormtroopers Have Bad Aim?" episode.

Épisode 49 - Were They Dead the Whole Time??

4 novembre 2015

Why do so many fan theories postulate that the main character has been dead the whole time? In our 4th installment of Idea Channel Fan Theory Episodes, we try to find out. Do Bruce Willis and The Sixth Sense have anything to do with it? What about Heidegger and his concept of being “toward death”? How can death CREATE stories instead of end them?

Épisode 50 - Comment Responses: Were They Dead the Whole Time??

11 novembre 2015

Mike responds to comments from our “Were They Dead The Whole Time??" episode.

Épisode 51 - To AdBlock, Or Not to Adblock...

11 novembre 2015

YOU WON! CLICK HERE TO CLAIM YOUR PRIZE! We’ve all seen this ad before in some way, shape, or form. And many companies have come forward with technology promising to ruthlessly eliminate any and all ad-supported websites from your devices. Sounds like a sweet deal, but can it be that simple? Well, this is Idea Channel so, obviously not! Can there ever be a nuanced approach to blocking ads?

Épisode 52 - Comment Responses: To AdBlock, Or Not to Adblock...

18 novembre 2015

Mike responds to comments from our “To AdBlock, Or Not To Adblock..." episode.

Épisode 53 - Is Ron Dumbledore??

18 novembre 2015

It’s time for some Harry Potter fan theory! In this episode, Mike explores the possibility that Ron and Dumbledore are the same person. J.K. Rowling has stated that this is not true, but should that even matter? Do you think that Ron and Dumbledore are one and the same?

Épisode 54 - Holidays Be Creepin'

25 novembre 2015

This week, we at Idea Channel have a few questions about the enigma that is “Christmas Creep.” We’ve all noticed it; holiday decorations popping up in stores earlier and earlier every year. But does this happen everywhere, or this is exclusively an American capitalist phenomenon? Is this even a purely capitalist endeavor, or is there more at play?

Épisode 55 - Comment Responses: Christmas Creep & Is Ron Dumbledore??

9 décembre 2015

Mike responds to comments from the “Ronbledore” & “Christmas Creep” episodes.

Épisode 56 - Is Language a Virus? Starring Punished

9 décembre 2015

The latest installment of the Metal Gear Solid series is centered around an interesting idea; people are better defined by the language that they speak than the country that they are from. The idea of “Linguistic Determinism” is not new, and there is scientific evidence to support the fact that the language we speak can influence the way we perceive the world around us. But is a language a homeland? Or are we all infected by the deadly virus?

Épisode 57 - Comment Responses: Is Language a Virus?

16 décembre 2015

Mike responds to comments from the "Is Language a Virus? Starring Punished 'Venom' Snake" episode.

Épisode 58 - Eleventy Reasons Listicles Are Great

16 décembre 2015

We’ve all seen them. Links to articles in list-form are taking over our timelines more and more every day. Although this has become strongly associated with the culture, editorials, and blogs borne of the internet era, this is not a new phenomenon. It turns out that there is plenty of historical evidence to explain why it is that these “Listicles” are so popular. In fact, humans have been using lists to organize and consume content for thousands of years!

Épisode 59 - The Ruins of Las Vegas

6 janvier 2016

Las Vegas has always portrayed an air of opulence and wealth. But in recent years, this seems to be more of a marketing ploy than the genuine culture of the city. Homes and hotels alike have increasingly become abandoned by their owners, and many new construction projects have been halted before completion. As a city with such a distinct history and narrative, one might begin to wonder if we have outgrown the super-consumption lifestyle that Las Vegas represents. Does that make Las Vegas America’s ruins?

Épisode 60 - Comment Responses: Eleventy Reasons Listicles Are Great

6 janvier 2016

Mike responds to comments from the "Eleventy Reasons Listicles Are Great" episode.

Épisode 61 - Do You Want to Believe?

13 janvier 2016

Popular 90’s television series, The X-Files, is making its return to the airwaves. And this begs the question, why now? What is it about our current social and political climate that has once again created a market for ‘the unknown’? Space travel and exploration has made its way back into the mainstream, and this time for more practical reasons than pride or curiosity. So does this mean that we have collectively moved beyond our alien paranoia, and towards the goal of becoming aliens ourselves?

Épisode 62 - Comment Responses: The Ruins of Las Vegas

13 janvier 2016

Mike responds to comments from "The Ruins of Las Vegas” episode.

Épisode 63 - Comment Responses: Do You Want to Believe?

20 janvier 2016

Mike responds to comments from the "Do You Want to Believe?” episode.

Épisode 64 - Is Undertale The Most Violent Game This Year?

20 janvier 2016

Undertale, unlike most of the today’s most popular video games, allows the player to show mercy to their enemies. Violence is often presented as the one and only response to overcoming challenges, so this ability to remain peaceful allows for a very rare gaming experience. It makes the game’s aspect of violence unique in that the player must choose to be violent. So, doesn’t this actually make Undertale one of the MOST violent games?

Épisode 65 - Comment Responses: Is Undertale The Most Violent Game This Year?

27 janvier 2016

Mike responds to comments from the "Is Undertale The Most Violent Game This Year?” episode.

Épisode 66 - Related Videos: Devour, Digest, YouTube Poop

27 janvier 2016

The so-called ‘subversive remix’ is not a new phenomenon. Artists from all mediums have been destroying established cultural symbols for the sake of making a statement for decades. So does YTP also qualify as a “statement” of sorts? Is it a way to reclaim these pop culture symbols and create something that is truly our own? Or are they just the annoying byproduct of having video editing software and too much time on your hands?

Épisode 67 - Comment Responses: Related Videos: Devour, Digest, YouTube Poop

3 février 2016

Mike responds to comments from the "Related Videos: Devour, Digest, YouTube Poop” episode.

Épisode 68 - Which Reaction GIF Are You??

3 février 2016

Épisode 69 - Comment Responses: Which Reaction GIF Are You??

10 février 2016

Épisode 70 - Fallout 4: Is the Transistor a Symbol of Peace?

10 février 2016

Fallout’s unique brand of retrofuturism allows us a glimpse of what very well could have been our actual future. In a world where nuclear power and technology was pursued unrelentingly, resources became increasingly scarce, while our capability to annihilate each other became increasingly simple. If we hadn’t abandoned our nuclear ambitions in the 1950s, we may have easily met the same unfortunate fate. Instead, we focused our attention on our computers and electronics, which have become exponentially more compact and powerful due to advancements in transistor technology. So does this mean that the transistor has indirectly saved civilization as we know it?

Épisode 71 - Comment Responses: Fallout 4: Is the Transistor a Symbol of Peace?

17 février 2016

Mike responds to comments from the "Fallout 4: Is the Transistor a Symbol of Peace?” episode.

Épisode 72 - How Does Deadpool Know He's a Comic Book Character?

17 février 2016

According to the philosophical theory of ‘phenomenology,’ our consciousness is unfalteringly dependent upon the experiences of our body. The concept of the mind is inseparable from that of the body because we experience the whole of our reality THROUGH our body. But in Deadpool’s case, his body is not so much a part of his reality as it is just another object that he interacts with. He is unfazed by his own mutilation, and has experienced his own physical destruction too many times to keep track of. So has this fundamentally altered his state of consciousness, to the point of delusion?

Épisode 73 - What is ~A E S T H E T I C~ Experience?

24 février 2016

Aesthetics' is defined as a set of principles concerned with the nature and appreciation of beauty, especially in art. However, A E S T H E T I C has recently taken on a meaning of its own within internet culture. On this weeks Idea Channel, Mike breaks down what it means to be aesthetic in modern culture, and how we experience art as a whole.

Épisode 74 - Comment Responses: How Does Deadpool Know He's a Comic Book Character?

24 février 2016

Mike responds to comments from the "How Does Deadpool Know He's a Comic Book Character?” episode.

Épisode 75 - Comment Responses: What is ~A E S T H E T I C~ Experience?

2 mars 2016

Mike responds to comments from the "What is ~A E S T H E T I C~ Experience?” episode.

Épisode 76 - Is Jar Jar Binks a Sith Lord?

2 mars 2016

A recent Star Wars fan theory has been doing the rounds on the internet, and it is blowing the minds of franchise superfans everywhere. What if Jar Jar Binks was the evil Sith mastermind behind the entire prequel trilogy? Unlike many highly-speculative fan theories, there is actually ample evidence within Episodes 1-3 to back this idea up, and comments from George Lukas and Jar Jar Binks’ voice actor seem to suggest that key elements of the Jar Jar character were changed at the last minute to appease disgruntled fans. So what do you think about this theory, and the fact that after 15 years, fans are still trying to “fix” the Star Wars prequels?

Épisode 77 - Comment Responses: Is Jar Jar Binks a Sith Lord?

9 mars 2016

Mike responds to comments from the "Is Jar Jar Binks a Sith Lord?” episode.

Épisode 78 - Why Aren't All Cocktails Served in the Same Glass?

9 mars 2016

On this week’s idea channel, we visited Ivy Mix at Leyenda to have a cocktail and discuss a brief history of glassware in drinking culture. As it turns out, bar glassware has an interesting story. Cheers!

Épisode 79 - Comment Responses: Why Aren't All Cocktails Served in the Same Glass?

16 mars 2016

Mike responds to comments from the "Why Aren't All Cocktails Served in the Same Glass?” episode.

Épisode 1 - Is It Okay To Mourn Celebrity Death Online?

16 mars 2016

As we progress further into the age of technology and social media, some new trends have emerged around how we as a society deal with death. The younger generation’s tendencies to mourn in the public space that is the internet has been met with a certain amount of criticism and contempt, but is it warranted? Our modern culture has created a stigma around the ways in which we choose to grieve, and has attempted to designate what is “acceptable” and “genuine,” and what is not. On this week’s Idea Channel, we offer a defense of online mourning, and why it should not be met with such disdain.

Épisode 2 - Comment Responses: Is It Okay To Mourn Celebrity Death Online?

23 mars 2016

Mike responds to comments from the "Is It Okay To Mourn Celebrity Death Online?” episode.