The Down to Mars Podcast

Welcome to Season 2! In this episode, we discuss the distinction between being an introvert and being lonely. Introverts are celebrated and accepted more now than ever, but when is that just an excuse for antisocial tendencies?

We reflect on all of the technologies and services at our disposal that make isolation easier and more harmful. Why leave the house when you can have your food, clothes and entertainment delivered to you with minimal human interaction? Companies like Netflix and Amazon aim to offer us convenience, but are some of us abusing them and forgetting how to socialize and take part in society?

Let us know your thoughts by tweeting us @downtomarspod ! Plus, subscribe and give us some stars on Apple Podcasts. Happy New Year!

References:

https://www.usnews.com/news/health-care-news/articles/2018-05-01/study-many-americans-report-feeling-lonely-younger-generations-more-so

2018 is a wrap! In our Season 1 Finale episode, we reflect on the ups and downs of the past year and some of the valuable lessons we learned. We list our intention words for the upcoming new year and how we plan on making 2019 the best year yet. Thanks to everyone who supported the launch of our podcast this year! See ya in 2019!!

What are your intentions for the New Year? Let us know by tweeting us @downtomarspod

Getting paid for your creativity sounds like the dream, but there are some side effects. Money can often muddy the waters, taking a toll on the creative process and making the experience of your work less authentic. On this episode, we talk about doing what you love - for free. We reminisce about our Burning Man experience, discuss the principle of decommodification, and question the pros and cons of turning your passion into your profession. Plus, we share some of the YouTubers currently on our watch list (shoutout to Josh Yeo and Becki & Chris), and how their channels differ from influencers who share #sponsored content - sometimes without saying so. How can creators keep their work as authentic as possible when money is involved? Is the experience of creating something heartfelt and free even better than doing it for a paycheck? We dive into all this and more!

In this week's episode, we discuss the documentary "The Institute", about an Alternate Reality Game...nay, an *experience* that concluded in 2011, which had participants questioning the lines between reality and fiction. ARG's are games that take place in real life, using a combination of media forms to immerse players in an "alternate" fictional reality. But where these games are usually created as viral marketing tools, The Jejune Institute was meant to bring its players a meaningful sense of adventure and creativity. And, just as with any game, some players got way deeper and more invested than others. Can fiction and gaming give us something that we are missing in the "real world"? Listen, subscribe & let us know your thoughts! Find us on Twitter @DownToMarsPod Dive Deeper: "Gaming Can Make a Better World": Jane McGonigal TED Talk http://bit.ly/2OWWd4B "Game or Cult? The Alternate Reality of the Jejune Institute" http://bit.ly/2wgbIN7

Yeah…we’re going there. Rashielle and GJ have the difficult discussion on Kanye West’s recent behavior and ask – how can you "cancel" someone who's had a major impact on you? What do you do when your heroes and idols disappoint you? Follow us on Twitter @DownToMarsPod References: https://www.theatlantic.com/entertainment/archive/2018/05/im-not-black-im-kanye/559763/ https://www.amazon.com/War-Art-Through-Creative-Battles/dp/1936891026/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1534303088&sr=1-1&keywords=the+war+of+art