How Charlie Kirk Would Want Us To Respond | 9/12/25

Psychopaths, declining birth rates, and an island that said “no thanks” to clocks. This episode connects the weirdest dots and somehow makes sense of it all.

This week started heavy, so we’re shifting gears,sort of. Keith Malinak, Brad Staggs, and Rebecca Mistereggen open with reflections on Charlie Kirk’s passing, the importance of community, and the weight of the moment… but from there, things take a turn.

We explore everything from declining birth rates and marriage trends to why your sleep might be broken (hint: it’s called social jet lag). There’s a cat story, a book on psychopaths, a wardrobe rant, and a genuine debate over which is more terrifying: Bigfoot or the Department of War.

Also, there’s an island in Norway that decided time was optional. We talk about that, too. You come for the banter, stay for the existential crisis… in the best way.

Chapters:

00:00 – Kicking off with community, grief, and the week that was

07:13 – Why culture feels upside down lately

11:47 – The baby bust: global birth rates and what it means

16:27 – Modern marriage: more pressure, less commitment?

21:11 – Are people allergic to social lives now?

27:04 – Fans, pillows, allergies—and the sleep hill we’ll die on

31:50 – Humor as a pressure valve: why we need to laugh

38:02 – Cat watches you sleep: the pet story no one asked for

45:24 – Parenting fears, diaper prep, and possible mistakes

52:48 – The vet visit and how not to treat your dog

58:56 – Psychopaths vs. narcissists: book club gets real

01:04:54 – Off-limits comparisons that are maybe too on-point

01:08:34 – Celebrating death: when culture loses the plot

01:14:23 – Karma, consequences, and public meltdowns

01:18:06 – Misunderstandings, apologies, and what we meant to say

01:22:14 – AI, heaven, Valhalla, and why we’re all confused

01:27:49 – How language gets twisted—and what we’re losing

01:31:55 – Remember when COVID made everything weird?

01:35:24 – Drive-ins, nostalgia, and the government renaming stuff

01:41:42 – Bigfoot, obviously.

01:49:07 – Lottery winners and financial regrets

01:51:44 – NASA’s Mars hype: should we believe them?

01:56:27 – Sommarøy: the island that told time to take a hike

02:01:41 – Final thoughts and goodbyes

🎙️ Hosted by Keith Malinak | Produced by 2nd Floor Studios