031 - The Absurdity Sim with Brent

KMO is joined by Brent, author of The Absurdity Sim Substack, for a wide-ranging discussion that opens with the simulation hypothesis. They explore the idea that human consciousness may be either central to reality or merely an unintended byproduct of a system running for someone else's amusement—perhaps a cosmic reality show. This sets the tone for a conversation that blends philosophy, cultural critique, and lived experience with wry humor. From there, the conversation shifts to the decline of attention spans and the rise of short-form dopamine-driven platforms like TikTok, contrasted with the promise of Substack as a space for thoughtful writing and dialogue. Brent reflects on his own motivations for launching a Substack: channeling his inner curmudgeon in the spirit of H.L. Mencken and Mark Twain, offering sardonic but grounded takes on American decline. KMO shares his experience using Substack as an audio-first medium and laments the collapse of the internet’s early promise—recalling a time when text-heavy forums fostered substantial, idea-driven exchanges rather than engagement-optimized performance. Together, they reflect on the role that algorithmic social media plays in distorting public discourse, and how platforms increasingly populate your feed with AI-generated personalities disguised as human users. The conversation then pivots to Brent’s real-world experience with government construction contracting and the disruptive power of AI. He describes how ChatGPT already accelerates tasks like analyzing construction plans, generating submittal registries, and cross-referencing thousands of pages of specs. Brent anticipates a near-future where human project managers and administrators are largely replaced by AI, even in complex fields like federal infrastructure work. KMO builds on this, discussing how AI will reshape military logistics and global power, especially as the U.S. and China race to control both space and artificial general intelligence. By the end of the hour, the discussion has covered the erosion of cultural cohesion, the post-2008 shift toward institutional impunity, and the psychological toll of a society that flatters rather than elevates. Brent introduces the idea that intelligence distribution—not race, not ideology—helps explain the collapse of discourse and taste in the age of mass media. The two agree that the early internet, for all its flaws, was simply smarter and more sincere—and that today's platforms are built for distraction, not understanding.