Shows
The Matt Mani PodcastIs China Using TikTok To Disrupt American Youth CultureIs China Using TikTok To Disrupt American Youth Culture. In this episode I offer my perspective on a discussion that was originally held between Andrew Schulz and Chris Williamson. The conversation originally aired on Chris Williamson's podcast.
My goal, along with my first generation Chinese American girlfriend, is to present an alternative perspective while illustrating the fallacy, hilarity, and detrimental nature of Andrew Shulz' underlying statement. Although my goal was to examine this conversation through a geopolitical, economic, historical, behavioral and cultural lens, I most likely fell short in the interest of comedy and entertainment. Although not al...2022-08-0838 min
The Matt Mani PodcastThe Matt Mani Podcast Episode 59: Naming Our Japanese ToiletThe Matt Mani Podcast Episode 59: Walking Into Glass Doors.
In this episode my girlfriend comes back on for the fourth time. We Drink, we laugh, and we bullshit about an endless stream of nonsense.
Topics (in no particular order) include:
Naming Our Japanese Toilet
Video Games
Modern 2 Player Games
Cup Head
Donkey Kong
Arcade Games
Our Apartment In Shanghai
Walking In To Glass Doors
The Heebie Jeebies
History - Snuffy Smith (First Medal of Honor Recipient...2022-04-191h 12
The Matt Mani PodcastEpisode 58: A Dog With Two OwnersThe Matt Mani Podcast Episode 58: A Dog With Two Owners
In this episode I fly solo and discuss a bunch of things that I've been contemplating.
Topics (in no particular order) include:
Living and Traveling in Asia
Living Abroad
Teaching In China
Soul Searching
Being Happy With Nothing But Staying Motivated
Life In America
Jack London
Drinking
Sobriety
Sports
What Sports I Want My Kids To Play
Working Out
Changing Your...2022-04-151h 13
The Matt Mani PodcastThe Matt Mani Podcast Episode 57: Shanghai Lockdowns and Living In ChinaThe Matt Mani Podcast Episode 57: Shanghai Lockdowns and Living In China.
In this episode I have a ball with my favorite guest, my lovely girlfriend. We drink, we laugh, and we discuss a ton of bullshit.
Topics include:
People Taking Offense On The Internet
Snowflake Generation (Me)
Oasis and When Their Songs Released
Living in Shanghai and Covid Lockdowns
Living in China
The Simpsons
Most Popular Boys Names In America / France
Channing Tatum
Dog - The M...2022-04-1251 min
The Matt Mani PodcastThe Matt Mani Podcast Episode 56: I’m In 1974 And I'm Fine With ItThe Matt Mani Podcast Episode 56: I’m In 1974 And I'm Fine With It.
In this episode I have a blast once again with my girlfriend in our second ever podcast together. This time around we are joined by our dog. We piss ourselves laughing over our recent near death experience buying and transporting a grill. We also discuss a bunch of stuff from the 90’s and things we didn’t understand as kids. Basically, we rip on each other, make each other laugh, and go back and forth on an endless stream of frivolous nonsense.
Topics...2022-04-0743 min
The Matt Mani PodcastThe Matt Mani Podcast Episode 55: When Life Gives You A Box Of ChocolatesThe Matt Mani Podcast Episode 55: When Life Gives You A Box Of Chocolates. In this episode I hang out with my very first guest, my lovely girlfriend. This is likely the first episode of what I hope will become it’s own unique show. We discuss our recent experience of having bed bugs, random stories my girlfriend finds on the internet, and our dog. We do a deep dive on Paratha Bread and examine the many countries where it’s made. This leads to a discussion of the island nation of Mauritius. We get nostalgic and discuss our travels in M...2022-04-0543 min
The Matt Mani PodcastThe Matt Mani Podcast Episode 54: Slip Into Some MadnessThe Matt Mani Podcast Episode 54: Slip Into Some Madness. In this episode I discuss painting, knowing yourself, nature, keeping a sense of wonder, productivity habits, and Japanese food. This leads to a deep dive into the nature and physics of sound. I explore what makes sounds unique from both a scientific and philosophical point of view. In particular I discuss the idea that all objects (specifically food) have unique sounds. On a more macro level I discuss the human senses and how they relate to our perception of the world. I shift focus and examine the 4 seasons and my con...2022-04-0252 min
The Matt Mani PodcastThe Matt Mani Podcast Episode 53: The Average American Salad ConsumerThe Matt Mani Podcast Episode 53: The Average American Salad Consumer. In this Episode I talk about the impossibility of having a favorite food. I discuss the salad intake of the average american and the wrap game. (Chicken Caesar). I discuss how incredible my girlfriend is for always having secret cases of beer stashed away for me. She's brilliant. In addition, I talk about how Tottenham Hotspurs soccer team are the perfect Philadelphia team. I suggest the official Philadelphia Sports slogan should be, "beat the best, lose to the worst." I also discuss the importance of momentum and how non-tangible en...2022-03-3119 min
The Matt Mani PodcastThe Matt Mani Podcast Episode 51: It’s Always Some Cat Taking A ShitThe Matt Mani Podcast Episode 51: It’s Always Some Cat Taking A Shit. In this episode I discuss my life turning into a real world Jumanji. I talk about how I almost got killed by a pickup truck running a red light. I expound on the hilarity and horror my life has become and the string of bad-luck my girlfriend and I have encountered. Issues include, an ant invasion, bedbugs, my dogs neutering, my dogs paw infection, the dead car battery, my girlfriends injured grandmother, and so much more…. In addition I discuss the hilarity of life and how if i...2022-03-2656 min
The Matt Mani PodcastThe Matt Mani Podcast Episode 51: Why BotherThe Matt Mani Podcast Episode 51: Why Bother. In this episode I talk about how post covid America, and perhaps the entire world, is currently operating on Substitute Teacher Mentality. In addition I compare and contrast the implications freedom of speech has on mental health. Using China and the U.S. as examples I explore how a healthy society should have the right to free speech but not a compulsion to spout -off about nonexistent indignity or imagined provocation.
I also discuss my ongoing war against the ants that have populated my newly renovated kitchen. I talk about th...2022-03-101h 12
The Matt Mani PodcastThe Matt Mani Podcast Episode 50: The Bachelor PartyThe Matt Mani Podcast Episode 50: The Bachelor Party. In this episode I discuss the fun and hilarity of a Bachelor Party Weekend up the mountains. I examine how a three day bender can be as much of a force for change as positive oriented behaviors such as exercise. I discuss tackling DIY projects and facing my inadequacies as a man, which inevitably leads to me weeping in the IKEA checkout line. I examine the simplicity of living a good life with good times and good people. I take a look at Shut The Box, a dice based gambling game...2022-02-2457 min
The Matt Mani PodcastThe Matt Mani Podcast Episode 49: The Beijing Olympics, Western China, and Tentacle HentaiThe Matt Mani Podcast Episode 49: The Beijing Olympics, Western China, and Tentacle Hentai. In this episode I talk about the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics, China’s recruitment of foreign athletes, and the Eileen Gu controversy. I also discuss my time traveling in Wester China and the reality of life in the Xinjiang Province. I also discuss my full blown freak out that I was potentially balding. I explore how easily my girlfriend and I become fully engaged in any world event so that we can use it as an excuse to eat, drink, and bum out. I elaborate on how we...2022-02-1745 min
The Matt Mani PodcastThe Matt Mani Podcast Episode 48: Chinese New Year, Pro Wrestling, and The Grind of The DreamerThe Matt Mani Podcast Episode 48: Chinese New Year, Pro Wrestling, and The Grind of The Dreamer. In this episode I discuss why I love Chinese New Year. I talk about how people celebrate this holiday and the festivities I enjoyed while living in Shanghai. I explore the beauty of emptiness in cities and take a look at the book Tokyo Nobody by photographer Masataka Nakano. Similarly, I talk about the wonderful book “Tenements, Towers, & Trash: An Unconventional Illustrated History of New York City” by Julia Wertz. I talk about spending my days in a library for a year while I wa...2022-02-1641 min
The Matt Mani PodcastThe Matt Mani Podcast Episode 47: Positive Affirmations, For Your DogThe Matt Mani Podcast Episode 47: Positive Affirmations, For Your Dog. In this episode I compare and contrast the experiences myself and my girlfriend have on the internet. How do we spend our time, what do we look at, what do the algorithms serve up? In addition, I exploring how useless I would be if I ever went back in time. I examine how all of human knowledge is dependent on the ingenuity, creativity, and hard work of generations of other people. More specifically, I look at the history of Ice and how human beings created a system for measuring...2022-02-1549 min
The Matt Mani PodcastThe Matt Mani Podcast Episode 41: TV Sucks! Where’s My Show?The Matt Mani Podcast Episode 41: TV Sucks! Where’s My Show? In this episode I discuss NFL Football, covid vaccination propaganda, the merits and uselessness of protesting, living in a communist country, and the value of engaging with network TV. I explore the abysmal nature of the current TV and Streaming landscape and propose three show ideas of my own. Socially Awkward is a fictional show that documents the trials and tribulations of two young friends who try to escape post college corporate America by becoming internet sensations. Meat Snack, done in the spirit of Spinal Tap, chronicles the jo...2022-02-1429 min
The Matt Mani PodcastThe Matt Mani Podcast Episode 44: Misinformation, Freedom, and Living In A Communist CountryThe Matt Mani Podcast Episode 44: Misinformation, Freedom, and Living In A Communist Country. In this episode I discuss the Spotify Controversy between Neil Young and Joe Rogan. If unfamiliar with the issue, Neil Young requested that his music be removed from Spotify because of what he believes to be the spread of misinformation on the Joe Rogan Experience. On one hand Neil Young is telling us to “keep on rocking in the free world.” On the other hand it seems as though he’s advocating for censorship and the diminishment of freedom of speech. Using this controversy as a lens I...2022-02-1428 min
The Matt Mani PodcastThe Matt Mani Podcast Episode 42: Beer, Newness, and The Joy of Asking WhyThe Matt Mani Podcast Episode 42: Beer, Newness, and The Joy of Asking Why. In this episode I proclaim my love for beer and utilize this malty beverage as a vehicle for discovery and asking “WHY”. I explore different varieties of drinking, beer culture in japan, and the true value of diversity on both an individual and societal level. I discuss some of my past struggles with anxiety, depression, and feeling trapped in meaningless jobs due to the ill-conceived structure of education in America. Similarly, I explore the fruitlessness of trying to fool oneself and the importance of leaning into what...2022-02-1433 min
The Matt Mani PodcastThe Matt Mani Podcast Episode 43: My Sweet Lord, Partying In China, and My Creative RenaissanceThe Matt Mani Podcast Episode 43: My Sweet Lord, Partying In China, and My Creative Renaissance. In this episode I use George Harrison’s song My Sweet Lord as a launch pad to discuss how art can help us cope with loss. I discuss the incredible miracle and beauty of the human senses. I marvel at how a song, image, or special meal can unleash a wave of emotions and memory so powerful that it can alter your current state of reality. I sip a Heineken and allow the taste to unlock the door to reminiscing about my time teaching En...2022-02-1430 min
The Matt Mani PodcastThe Matt Mani Podcast Episode 45: Fame Is Odd, How I Used NBA Players to Find A Package In ChinaThe Matt Mani Podcast Episode 45: Fame Is Odd, How I Used NBA Players to Find A Package In China. In this episode I discuss the oddity of fame. I explore how someone and their work can be massively influential to entire groups of people and yet remain completely unknown to massive chunks of the human population. To emphasize this point I explore various mega popular musicians on Spotify that I was completely unfamiliar with. Similarly, I explain how I used the names of NBA Players to locate a lost package in a Chinese post office. To further drill home...2022-02-1425 min
The Matt Mani PodcastThe Matt Mani Podcast Episode 46: Trying To Ruin A Good DayThe Matt Mani Podcast Episode 46: Trying To Ruin A Good Day. In this episode I talk about my incessant compulsion towards trying to ruin a good day. I attempt to explore why we often try to avoid or sabotage our enjoyment of the present moment. In addition, I discuss the skateboard documentary “Steve Rocco, The Man Who Souled The World”. The documentary investigates the history of skateboard culture through the origin story of World Industries. The documentary is an incredible look at the cross roads of sports, art, business, and American culture. Similarly, I discuss the Daewon Song Skate docu...2022-02-1448 min
The Matt Mani PodcastThe Matt Mani Podcast Episode 40: Happiness Is A Hole In The WallThe Matt Mani Podcast Episode 40: Happiness Is A Hole In The Wall. In this episode I discuss bars, cafes, restaurants, travel, and one of life’s great joys, having a few pints at the pub. I discuss how bar and cafe culture relate to our sense of time in the modern world. I argue that instead of wasting time or seeking refuge in the bottom of a bottle, an afternoon or night at a bar is an allowance to be mindful and fully aware of the life we are living. Instead of an escape, I postulate that bar and ca...2022-02-0928 min
The Matt Mani PodcastThe Matt Mani Podcast Episode 39: Art Is A Used CondomThe Matt Mani Podcast Episode 39: Art Is A Used Condom. In this episode I discuss the commoditization of Art. I explore how we produce, utilize, engage-with, and consume art, music, and creative works in the 21st century. I discuss how services such as Spotify and Youtube effect the way in which we consume and produce art in it’s many forms. I compare and contrast the roll AI and Algorithms play in our consumption of art and entertainment. I talk about NFT’s and how their production is analogous to the rise in prevalence of Singles and EP’s in the...2022-02-0324 min
The Matt Mani PodcastThe Matt Mani Podcast Episode 38: Solving World Hunger With WeedThe Matt Mani Podcast Episode 38: Solving World Hunger With Weed. In this episode I discuss solving world hunger. Specifically I explore sustainable vertical farming, companion crops, and using Marijuana as a way to subsidize the growth of other crops that would help solve world hunger or at least eliminate food deserts in the United States. Utilizing a series of hypothetical thought experiments I question whether or not world hunger could be solved given our current knowledge, technology, and social landscape. In addition I question why the billionaires of the world aren’t allocating more resources into engineering viable solutions to...2022-02-0121 min
The Matt Mani PodcastThe Matt Mani Podcast Episode 37: Your Mind On RepeatThe Matt Mani Podcast Episode 37: Your Mind On Repeat. In this episode I discuss the Dutch Painter Johannes Vermeer, Author and neuroendocrinologist Robert Sapolsky, as well as my hypothetical app idea which is like a mental fit bit that tracks our thoughts / psychological health. Through the context of a single day, I examine the thoughts I engage with, consciously and subconsciously, and the implications these self directed conversations have on my health, happiness, and mental well-being. I wrap up by asserting the importance of keeping a sense of wonder in life and explore some ideas on how we might...2022-02-0123 min
The Matt Mani PodcastThe Matt Mani Podcast Episode 36: The Lens of SuccessThe Matt Mani Podcast Episode 36: The Lens of Success. In this episode I discuss how Art, Music, Literature, Film, Comedy, and all forms of creative mediums are being produced through the lens of gaining success. In addition, I explore how artists are being disproportionately influenced by a culture of fear. I talk about Cancel Culture and Sacrificing For Your Work. I also investigate how creativity is affected by the fear of being judged by not only society, but also family and friends. I touch on modern plumbing, NFT’s, Self Censorship, and the responsibility of an artist to take ri...2022-02-0123 min
The Matt Mani PodcastThe Matt Mani Podcast Episode 35: Raised By MemesThe Matt Mani Podcast Episode 35: Raised By Memes. In this episode I talk about Reddit, Mullets, Funny T-Shirts In Asia and how they provide insight into the meaning of Freedom in the Eastern and Western World. In addition, I discuss the differences between Chinese and American culture, Eastern and Western Religion, The Maneki-Neko Cat, and People’s Need To Identify With a College. I wrap things up with a discussion of our perceptions of freedom in the eastern and western world. I explore the idea that China’s censorship is comparable to the Algorithmic Biased selection of information in Amer...2022-02-0123 min
The Matt Mani PodcastThe Matt Mani Podcast Episode 34: Check Yoself Before You Wreck YoselfThe Matt Mani Podcast Episode 34: Check Yoself Before You Wreck Yoself. In this episode I talk about Mortal Kombat, Video Games, My Tip for Any Social Situation, The societal shift between the Post-World-War-Two Bright Future and The Dystopian Post Apocalyptic Future propagated through the films, TV, literature, and video games of the end of the 20th and beginning of the 21st century. I also discuss the exponential growth of internet subcultures such as Reddit and Live Streams.
Apologies to the great Ice Cube. I had never heard this version of "Check Yo Self" so I thought it...2022-02-0119 min
The Matt Mani PodcastThe Matt Mani Podcast Episode 33:Should Have Smoked A JointThe Matt Mani Podcast Episode 33:Should Have Smoked A Joint. In this episode I talk about The Hedonistic Treadmill Theory, Farts on Escalators, Jack London Novels, The Mental Illness of High Performance, Maslow’s Hierarchy, Moving To Asia, Doing Comedy, and my bewilderment towards the excessive need to belong. I explore how the Covid Pandemic has shifted peoples perspectives on finding meaning in their work and lives. I also discuss literature and weed as a means of gaining perspective.2022-02-0122 min
The Matt Mani PodcastThe Matt Mani Podcast Episode 32: More Wiener Based HolidaysThe Matt Mani Podcast Episode 32: More Wiener Based Holidays. In this episode I talk about being Interviewed For Japanese TV, the Crimean War, The Ottoman Empire, Eastern and Western Religions and how Western Mainstream religions have brought us farther from our true human nature. I propose an increase in festivals based around Sex, Fertility, and The Natural World. I explore the wonderful Kanamara Matsuri, an annual Penis Festival held at the Kanayama Shrine in Kawasaki, Japan. In addition I discuss traveling to Mt. Inari in Kyoto Japan and The Sequoia National Forest in California.2022-02-0121 min
The Matt Mani PodcastThe Matt Mani Podcast Episode 31: Signs Of Plastic On EarthThe Matt Mani Podcast Episode 31: Signs Of Plastic On Earth. In this episode I talk about Makoko the largest slum in Lagos, Nigeria. Why billionaires like Elon Musk and Jeff Bezos should be less focused on Mars and more focused on Earth. In addition, I discuss the condition of our disconnected reality from most of the natural and human world. I also touch on the perspective I gain from learning about people living under harsh conditions.2022-01-3112 min