by Gene Crawford | Nov 3, 2025 | Podcast
Technology is evolving faster than our understanding of it. In this episode, Shekeese and I dive into the creative and ethical tensions shaping today’s digital world. We examine how nonprofits, designers, and educators wrestle with AI-generated art versus original creativity, revealing why comprehension matters more than speed. Drawing parallels between AI mastery and martial-arts discipline, we argue that foundational knowledge must precede innovation. We contrast hustle-culture pressures, echoed by voices like Gary V., with the virtue of deliberate practice and media literacy. From rebranding challenges to copyright debates around music, NFTs, and AI, we explore ownership, authenticity, and regulation in a world where creativity and technology collide. This is a deep look at mastery, understanding, and responsible progress in the digital age.
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by Gene Crawford | Aug 18, 2025 | Podcast
A wide-ranging episode featuring Mark Devine and Tony Blauer as we explore the power of intuition, from sensing danger in self-defense to reading subtle social cues in daily life. We then dive into how social media has redefined fame, examining the antics of Elon Musk and Kevin Durant to show how platforms manufacture virality and blur the line between notoriety and influence. Shifting gears, we unpack marketing’s obsession with buzz over clarity, using American Eagle’s Sydney Sweeney campaign as a case study, and discuss Gen Z’s workplace challenges with feedback and fundamentals. We round out with humorous takes on persistent sales tactics and Mark Zuckerberg’s martial arts pursuits, blending insight, critique, and a dash of levity.
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by Gene Crawford | Jul 7, 2025 | Podcast
This episode tackles the spectacle of performative masculinity and the rise of man-fluencers like Liver King, Wes Watson, and Jack Donovan. We expose the marketing behind ancestral tenets, supplement empires, and controversial ideologies. From Liver King’s arrest to Jack Donovan’s far-right leanings, we question what’s real versus contrived. We highlight the contrast between performative posturing and authentic growth, featuring a post from Kelvin Davis as a grounded example. We also critique how workouts like Murph get hijacked by social media. Wrapping with a wild gorilla-versus-humans debate, this episode blends serious critique with humor to explore what masculinity really means today.
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by Gene Crawford | Jun 30, 2025 | Podcast
In this episode, Aaron and I explore how AI is reshaping motivational content, from remixed clips of figures like Huberman and Dispenza to imagined mashups of Steve Jobs and Tony Robbins. We dive into the evolution of motivational media, questioning whether AI-enhanced messages empower or dilute the core message. Using stories like the Outdoor Boys’ content remixing, we examine what this means for creators and consumers. The takeaway: motivation has gone digital, but action still matters most. Whether crafted by humans or algorithms, the real growth comes when we turn inspiration into effort and move beyond passive consumption into real-world application.
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by Gene Crawford | Mar 31, 2025 | Podcast
Step into the shifting world of modern masculinity as we unravel the image transformations of tech icons—beginning with Mark Zuckerberg. Once the hoodie-clad coder, Zuckerberg’s new fighter-physique and stoic stare tell a different story. But why the change? We peel back the layers of this calculated rebranding and explore how media crafts masculine ideals—from the “tech bro” archetype to martial arts influencers like Joe Rogan.
Through vivid stories, personal reflection, and pop culture references, Shekeese and I examine the spectrum of masculinity: traditional, toxic, and healthy. What messages are we absorbing? What should we pass on?
This episode invites you to question the media mirror, seek authenticity, and redefine strength—not as performance, but as purpose. Tune in for a deeper look.
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