Podcast
Modern Humans
Hosted by Opher Brayer // Adi Goldstein · EN
Welcome to "Modern Humans" a podcast exploring how modern life has turned us all into unwitting actors in a digital age. In this era where coffee shops double as content studios and meals become photographic art, our lives are curated and broadcast to unseen audiences. This podcast serves as a field guide to human behavior today, examining the social performances and technological adaptations that define our existence. Through humor and insight, we'll delve into the contradictions of modern life, celebrating the complexity of being authentically human in an increasingly artificial world. Join us as we navigate this fascinating theater, where every day is a performance and each of us is both the star and the audience.
Credits:
- Content & Writing: Opher Brayer
- Music & Editing: Adi Goldstein / AGsoundtrax™ LLC
9episodes
Episodes
Newest firstAll episodes
Chapter 8 - The Brunch Broadcasting Phenomenon - When Meals Become Media
Apr 7, 202500:05:10Tap to summarizeIn this episode, we explore performative dining at "The Avocado Social," where brunch becomes a meticulously staged media event. Following Olivia, our accidental anthropologist, we witness the intricate choreography of modern social behavior.Arriving early, Olivia transforms the space into a content creation set, rearranging glasses, curating table settings, and selecting dishes for visual impact. As her friends arrive, we observe the "candid" photoshoots and strategic menu choices that define this social ritual.The episode highlights "The Great Pause" - a moment where food must be photographed from every angle before eating. We uncover the silent negotiations and unspoken agreements that govern this performative dining experience, revealing the paradoxes of social media culture.Through staged first bites, shared moments, and theatrical interactions, we explore the contradictions of influencer lifestyle. Welcome to an era where every meal is a media opportunity, and food becomes a mere prop in the production of digital content. (00:00) - Tempo: 120.0 (02:03) - Mac PC (02:09) - Chapter 6.14
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Chapter 7: The Fitness Facade - Performance Art in the Modern Gym
Mar 31, 202500:05:47Tap to summarizeIn Episode 7, "The Fitness Facade," the podcast explores how gyms have become content creation studios, where documenting workouts takes precedence over actual exercise. Taylor's meticulous approach reveals the performative nature of modern fitness, with more effort spent on filming and staging content than on physical activity.The gym emerges as a theatrical space with unspoken social dynamics, where equipment serves as props and interactions are driven by "collaborative competition" among influencers. The episode highlights the irony of prioritizing social media validation over genuine fitness improvement, showing how the performance of working out has become more important than the workout itself.
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Chapter 6: The Public Productivity Theater - Performance Art of the Digital Nomad
Mar 24, 202500:04:34Tap to summarizeIn Episode 6, "The Public Productivity Theater - Performance Art of the Digital Nomad," the podcast explores the performative nature of productivity in public spaces through Alex's day at a coffee shop. Alex meticulously sets up a "mobile productivity shrine" with tech gadgets and props, focusing more on the appearance of productivity than actual work.Alex's routine includes aggressive yet unproductive typing, strategic coffee sips, and thoughtful nodding during muted Zoom calls. The episode highlights the careful balance between appearing busy and available, essential for networking opportunities in such settings.Social dynamics among fellow "laptop warriors" involve silent judgments and subtle competitions over workspace aesthetics and commitment to the digital nomad lifestyle. Breaks are staged as "productive pause vignettes," choreographed to appear both casual and inspiring on social media.As the day unfolds, Alex engages in the "fake meeting setup," a ritual of pretending to expect someone, further emphasizing the theatrical aspect of public productivity. The irony is revealed in Alex's complaints about distractions at home, despite spending more time curating workspace aesthetics than working.This episode underscores how modern productivity often prioritizes appearance over actual output, with coffee shops serving as stages for the digital nomad theater. Success is increasingly measured by how well one performs the act of working in public. (00:00) - Tempo: 120.0 (02:03) - Mac PC (02:09) - Chapter 6.14
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Chapter 5: The LinkedIn Performance - Professional Theater in the Digital Age
Mar 17, 202500:04:38Tap to summarizeIn Episode 5, "The LinkedIn Performance - Professional Theater in the Digital Age," the podcast delves into the art of crafting professional personas on LinkedIn. Rachel spends her morning perfecting a "humble career update," balancing success with humility in a post announcing her job change. The episode highlights the strategic timing and tagging involved in maximizing engagement and visibility on LinkedIn.The real intrigue lies in the reactions and interactions that follow. Comments from former colleagues, connection requests from opportunists, and engagement from professional pods all form part of the LinkedIn theater. Rachel's responses are carefully curated to maintain advantageous relationships.Beyond posts, Rachel's profile updates are meticulously crafted to project the right image, while private messages reveal the gap between public performance and personal reality. The episode underscores the performative nature of professional networking, where everyone participates in a shared illusion of authenticity.As Rachel monitors her post's analytics, the episode reflects on the new economy of professional social capital, where appearances are as crucial as achievements. This modern professional sphere is a stage where careers are not just built through work but through the artful presentation of work.
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Chapter 4: The Dating App Dance - The Gamification of Love
Mar 10, 202500:04:30Tap to summarizeIn Episode 4, "The Dating App Dance - The Gamification of Love," the podcast explores the intricate rituals of modern dating through Michael's experiences on dating apps. As he swipes through profiles, Michael seeks genuine connection while meticulously curating his own digital persona to appear both successful and approachable.The episode highlights the gamification of dating, where notifications trigger dopamine responses and response timing is calculated to maintain interest. Conversations are a strategic dance of crafted messages, delayed replies, and subtle self-promotion, all while pretending not to play the game.The preparation for dates involves another layer of performance, with outfits and arrival times carefully planned to convey effortless style. Despite the desire for authenticity, dating has become a choreographed performance, with everyone aware of the rules but pretending otherwise.Ultimately, the episode underscores the irony of modern romance: the stronger the desire for real connection, the more elaborate the performance to achieve it. In this digital masquerade, the hope remains that genuine love can be found amidst the swipes and likes.
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Chapter 3: The Social Media Mirror
Mar 3, 202500:04:23Tap to summarizeIn Episode 3, the podcast explores the intricate dance of digital identity through the lens of Jessica, who spends her evening crafting a social media post about "living in the moment." This episode highlights the irony of constructing idealized digital personas across various platforms—LinkedIn, Instagram, Facebook, and TikTok—each requiring a unique performance. The narrative delves into the simultaneous and permanent nature of these performances, accessible with a single swipe, and the psychological impact of constantly comparing oneself to others' curated lives.Jessica's evening is a case study in this phenomenon. While posting a photo of a serene bath setup to convey self-care, she is, in reality, sitting in sweatpants, ordering takeout, and half-listening to a work call. This staged authenticity isn't about deception but participating in a shared social performance where everyone knows the unspoken rules.The episode examines the concept of social media dysmorphia, where digital representations seem more real than actual lives. Jessica's moment of guilt upon receiving praise for her staged post underscores how the digital self becomes the benchmark for the real self, leading to a perpetual cycle of comparison and performance.As the day ends, Jessica's ritual of scrolling through social media feeds epitomizes the modern struggle to reconcile real life with its digital portrayal. This episode captures the essence of living in the age of digital identity, where everyone is both performer and audience, navigating a world where reality is often overshadowed by its curated reflection. (00:00) - Tempo: 120.0
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Chapter 2: The Instagram Influencer Economy - Manufacturing Authenticity
Feb 25, 202500:04:35Tap to summarizeIn Episode 2, "The Age of Manufactured Authenticity," the podcast delves into the world of social media influence, where authenticity is meticulously crafted. Madison, an influencer, spends hours setting up her "spontaneous" city shots, highlighting the paradox of the influence economy where authenticity is a highly curated commodity. Her process involves multiple outfit changes, coordinated props, and numerous photo retakes to achieve the perfect "authentic" look. The episode explores the complex social contract between influencers and their audiences, where everyone tacitly agrees to the illusion of spontaneity. It reflects on how platforms meant for sharing real moments have evolved into ecosystems of constructed reality, where success is measured by engagement rather than genuine connections. The narrative concludes with the irony that the most genuine moment might be the one left unshared, as Madison finally enjoys an unphotographed coffee break. This episode underscores the industrialization of authenticity and the performance behind the digital personas we see online. (00:00) - Tempo: 120.0
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Chapter 1: The Digital Identity Paradox - Performance Art in Public Spaces
Feb 20, 202500:05:14Tap to summarizeIn the podcast episode "Chapter 1: The Digital Identity Paradox - Performance Art in Public Spaces," the narrative unfolds in a coffee shop, where a young woman named Sarah meticulously sets up a scene to create the perfect "spontaneous" social media post. This ritual, emblematic of modern digital identity construction, highlights the irony of carefully orchestrating authenticity. The episode explores the normalization of such performances, where patrons tacitly ignore the elaborate setups around them. It reflects on the paradox of digital life: as people document their lives for online consumption, they often miss genuine human interactions. The episode questions the impact of this shift, pondering what moments are lost in the pursuit of creating the perfect online persona. Ultimately, it portrays a world where every space becomes a stage, blurring the lines between digital and physical realities. (00:00) - Tempo: 120.0
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Modern Humans - Introduction - The Performance of Everyday Life
Feb 20, 202500:03:06Tap to summarizeIn the introductory episode of "The Performance of Everyday Life" we set the stage for a captivating exploration of how modern existence has transformed us into unwitting performers in the digital age. We'll delve into the blurred lines between authenticity and performance, examining how our daily lives are curated and broadcasted to unseen audiences. From the transformation of coffee shops into content studios to the art of crafting the perfect social media post, this episode provides a thought-provoking overview of the themes and contradictions that define contemporary human behavior. Join us as we embark on a journey to uncover the beautiful absurdity of being authentically human in an increasingly artificial world. (00:00) - Tempo: 120.0
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