Episode

054: The Constant and the Variant (redux)

Podcast
Satellite Haiku
Published
Apr 7, 2026
Duration seconds
4887
Processing state
not_requested
Canonical source
https://satellitehaiku.substack.com/p/054-the-constant-and-the-variant
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https://api.substack.com/feed/podcast/193488910/69a391a898700aa5f2f259e5a265b4a0.mp3
JSON
/v1/public/podcasts/satellite-haiku-7095905/episodes/054-the-constant-and-the-variant-redux
Markdown
/podcast/satellite-haiku-7095905/054-the-constant-and-the-variant-redux.md

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Summary

MiLo shares an update on his grandbabies and uses that to riff on the constant versus the variant (nature versus nurture). We linger on parenthood for a bit, and then we talk about approaches to human learning, analogous approaches to training AI, Waldorf education, screen use and attention span, ADHD, the purpose of school and different college majors, STEM versus the humanities, the idea of the “collective” (i.e. society) and its obstacles, globalization, “fraternity” versus selfishness, whether selfishness is endemic (constant) or learned (variant), proxy debates in politics, Steven Pinker’s view of human progress, the need for certainty and cognitive closure, religious belief. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit satellitehaiku.substack.com