Welcome to #Millennial, the home of pretend adulting and REAL ocean talk!
And it's REAL ocean talk because this week we're joined by Mckenzie Margarethe, a marine scientist and naturalist focusing on realistic conservation and ocean education.
We have to spend some time talking about the Titan submersible, where they went wrong, why the internet was so quick to jump to comedic takes, and learn more about Mckenzie's experience watching this story unfold as an expert in her field.
Misinformation and armchair researchers abounded during this crisis, making Mckenzie and others in her field do a big :facepalm:.
The Titan story provides a great reminder of the need for proper deep sea exploration, and considerations for how we protect our oceans along the way.
We have to ask... are the orcas coming to kill us all?
Mckenzie has a few resources she recommends if you want to get involved in the conversation of ocean conservation: check out Pique Action's list of Climate Creators to watch in 2023 and picking a sea creature you're passionate about and educating yourself on it.
Check Mckenzie out on Tiktok, Instagram, Youtube, and Twitter!
Since we're on the topic, let's chat about other types of extreme tourism billionaires like to blow money on, risking their lives in the process: Mt. Everest, The Mariana Trench, going to space, and others. Which of these things would we do if we had the money? (Real talk, we're idiots but we're not THAT stupid.)
Tragedy tourism can have some overlap here as well - what attracts people to tragic, historic sites? What is the difference between a tragic event that evokes solemnity vs comedy?
We've got some recommendations that will hold your attention this week! 'Titanic's Final Mystery' on Paramount+ (Laura), ‘Funny You Should Ask’ by Elissa Sussman (Pam), and Hulu's 'The Bear' (Andrew).
And in this week's installment of After Dark, available on Patreon and for Apple Podcast subscribers:
Y'all know we can't top off the last couple of weeks of submersible coverage without gossiping about some Titanic conspiracy theories.
JP MORGAN SANK THE TITANIC ON PURPOSE IN AN INSURANCE FRAUD SCHEME/TO KILL OPPONENTS OF FORMING THE FEDERAL RESERVE. jk jk.
With its close pop culture connection to Titanic, it was impossible that there wouldn't be conspiracy theories about the doomed submersible. Who thinks these billionaires faked their deaths and are now living the rest of their days on a private island?
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Marine Scientist Mckenzie Margarethe on Deep Sea Exploration, Where Titan Went Wrong, and Orcas | Millennial: Pretend Adulting, Real Talk podcast - Listen or read transcript on Metacast
