THEM'S THE RULES

It’s wrong to make promises you don’t intend to keep, right? This tenet of common morality is the basic premise behind “Chekhov’s Gun,” a fundamental concept of storytelling made famous by the prolific Russian playwright, Anton Chekhov. But this rule goes way beyond the page and stage – think geopo...

In this episode, Bronwen chats with slow-fashion enthusiast Lauren McKinney about the classic rules of curating a “capsule wardrobe.” They dig into the damaging impact cultural rules of fashion can have on identity formation and mental health and recognize the significant toll rampant consumerism i...

How much thought have you given to your end-of-life care? In this episode, Bronwen investigates the practicalities of the controversial advance directive known as the Do-Not-Resuscitate order. What does a DNR actually entail? Who makes the final call? What's the likelihood a life-saving method...

Did you make a New Year’s resolution? In the pits of winter, millions of people hoping to leave their past failures behind them set a goal for themselves in the New Year – to be healthier and happier, to travel more and Instagram less, to spend more time with friends and family or to snag that prom...

Rock, Paper, Scissors…shoot!  Rock, Paper, Scissors (RPS) is an ancient game known around the world for the unambiguous rules: rock beats scissors, scissors beat paper, and paper beats rock.  In this episode, Bronwen takes a multilevel look at this deceptively simple hand game, from a wacky, costum...

In this episode, Bronwen explores the history and cultural significance of the so-called “Rules of the Internet,” a humorous, yet dated, list of axioms, catchphrases, and memes of what the internet is and how users should behave on it.  Spawned by the infamous 4chan Image Board, these “rules” are n...

We all know the rhyme: finders keepers, losers weepers. It ruled the playground, granting us permission to take ownership of lost property without having to deal with moral consequences. But this unwritten rule isn’t just a childhood relic—society historically has maintained its philosophy across e...

We owe the humble pirate a depth of gratitude. Sure, they terrorized the seas for hundreds of years—pillaging, plundering, raping, torturing, and murdering—but violent legacy aside, they gave us the foundation for democracy! In this episode, Bronwen uses historical record to contextualize pirate co...