To exist is political. Mike looks back on his 3-year quest with both triumph and remorse, performing a cappella the Elton John smash hit "I'm Still Standing."

These episodes focus on the concept of artificial intelligence (AI), exploring various facets of intelligence itself and distinguishing real from artificial intelligence. We question how intelligence is defined, debate whether it involves acquiring and retaining information, goal-oriented learning, and the ability to adapt or alter goals.

Mike takes a walk through The Ohio State University campus during a picturesque autumn afternoon, reflecting on the recent Presidential election in the US and describing a personal sense of shock and a collective desire to avoid the topic.

Mike shares his thoughts on the declining state of American society, emphasizing the loss of humility and genuine understanding in online and real-life conversations.

Mike also expresses his deep concern for the political shift in his home state of Ohio, attributing it partly to demographic changes linked to the shale gas boom and an exodus of college-bound graduates away to coastal cities.

Two years after the 2020 West Coast wildfires, Mike recounts the traumatic events he faced mere months after moving to Portland, Oregon. Bearing such emotional weight has been a lonely journey, as I was reminded while trying to share this with loved ones who would find themselves overwhelmed.

Silence is an unnatural state that induces discomfort. But it also reveals the extent to which we are accustomed to a noisy world.

Mike explains his conservative political views, reframing it with the intent of restraining government and/or curbing societal excesses. He likens our persisting depletion of resources to the consumption of frozen beverages in that it occurs in abrupt stages, rather than a linear decrease in supply.

Mike contemplates the fragility of global stability and the passage of time as he celebrates his 36th birthday.

Mike reports from his temporary apartment in Montreal, enjoying a cigarette and gawking at the neighbors from his balcony. He encourages his friends in the United States to overcome internal divisions and find a collaborative agenda to address the country's instability.

Embarking from Salt Lake City towards Colorado, Mike and Matt review some recent tasks, such as securing cargo, refueling, and grooming, and chat with a couple viewers about local cuisine and the NFL national anthem protests.