Episode 92

February 16, 2016, Dick

Confirmation Bias 1314 Internet Addiction 1109 Burning Your Mouth On Hot Food 711 Receipts 373

Several debates rage on in this episode: What is a stop? Are Q-tips still dangerous even if you don't shove them in your ear hole like you're loading a musket? Will Sean bring in a problem for the 100th episode or will he delete the hopes and dreams of thousands of fans? Or will enough people email him and bully him into doing it by visiting the Who page where his email is? Only time will tell!

Special thanks to Harry's for sponsoring this episode. Go to Harry's website and use the promo code "BIGGESTPROBLEM" when checking out to get $5 off your first purchase.

Maddox brings in the very serious problem of Internet Addiction, a problem that has killed at least 6 Chinese people (according to the research presented), and has put several more in internet addiction rehab camp. I do agree that internet addiction is a big problem, I just think it's an unlikely problem coming from someone who would suck a dick to be permanently plugged into the Oculus Rift. But I guess that proves the strength of the addiction.

If you've ever tried to click a word on a newspaper, vote it up. On a serious note, if you or someone you know is suffering from internet addiction, please send them a link to our website and Facebook page and Maddox's Twitch stream and Twitter . And special thanks to Harry's for sponsoring this episode. Go to Harry's website and use the promo code "BIGGESTPROBLEM" when checking out to get $5 off your first purchase.

I bring in Receipts as a problem because they are annoying and pointless and make a mess in my car. Also, they contain chemicals that will shrink your dick. As a society, why do we willingly participate in this "proof of purchase" charade? Do we like carrying around a little certificate in our pocket that says we earned something? Maybe. People, it's time to break free from the shackles of this receipt conformity. Come to my self-improvement seminar, where Instead of making you walk over hot coals to imbue you with a fleeting and false sense of personal empowerment, I make you walk past the receipt checking guy at Best Buy. Here's the Mitch Hedberg joke about receipts that Maddox mentioned:

Maddox brings in Confirmation Bias. I think it's a huge problem, but that's probably just my bias talking. I'm going to vote it down to demonstrate my critical thinking. I would have put money on confirmation bias being Maddox's problem for the 100th episode, but I would have been wrong. What problems do you think we'll bring in the for the 100th episode? Guess below. The winner will get a prize.

I bring in a problem that is just as difficult to spot as confirmation bias until it's too late: Burning Your Mouth on Hot Food. If you feel the burn, lend me your vote-the burn of burning your mouth on hot food that is.

Finally, listener Brent Moran sends in Virtual Maddox, a freakishly accurate recreation made by "running Markov processes on transcripts of the show to simulate Maddox's speech patterns". I think it's pretty accurate, but you all will have to be the judge. Either way, Brent has some explaining to do.

And don't forget to check out this month's bonus episode for $1.33

Sources: NPR - Ben Alexander story from NPR. Discover Magazine - Bulgarian city council member demoted for playing FarmVille. IGN - Man playing Everquest kills his child. The Guardian - Korean couple lets their child starve to death while they played at an internet cafe. ScienceDaily - Do you know what is a `confirmation bias?' YouAreNotSoSmart - Your opinions are formed selectively. ScienceDaily - Study finds that investors will stick to their initial bad decisions even in light of contradicting information (sunk cost fallacy). Book: Ethics and the Global Financial Crisis, Boudewijn de Bruin Paper Receipts are Wasteful Dick-Shrinking Chemicals in Receipts Incredible thumbnail courtesy of Ali Hassanein Instagram - https://instagram.com/alihassanein