Episode 100: Big round numbers, false modesty and a big, false interview with James Randi

Podcast: Download

By Andy Kaiser
Article ID: 1335

This is it, everyone! Digital Bits Skeptic episode 100! And to start things off, I’d like to make the following point:

A 100^th episode means nothing.

That’s right – I’m going to be skeptical about myself. About Digital Bits Skeptic. About big round numbers.  What does 100 mean to me?  Does the fact that I’ve kicked out 100 episodes mean anything?

I answer with all the passion at my disposal: I say, “No! It means nothing!”

Yes, I can see celebrating a person living 100 years. That’s a huge accomplishment for any human, and, while 99 and 101 are also to be celebrated, 100 puts that long life in perspective. Whenever any human can add an extra digit to their tally of years, they’ve gotta be doing something right. (Or, in the case of superior genetics, they had something right done to them.)

I can see celebrating an institution that’s lasted for 100 years. Say, for example, 100 years of a political movement. Or a country’s existence. Yes, of course you’re free from the shackles of whomever, and you’re out from under the tyrannical heel of those you rebelled against. That’s a lot more legitimate than a podcast.

I’m sure that during the year 100 AD, they really whooped it up. In fact, let’s check the source of all knowledge: Wikipedia tells us the following things happened in 100 AD:

1) The Chinese invented the wheelbarrow. Somebody had to be the practical culture.

2) The Christian Gospel of John was written. You’d think it’d be many years earlier, but I guess not.

3) In India, a bunch of really, really good friends got together to compile the Kama sutra.

Strange…  I see nothing about anyone celebrating the change from 99 AD to 100. Maybe people had other things to distract them, like the Kama sutra.

Let’s get our critical thinking caps on for a moment. What does 100 mean? First of all, I didn’t really hit 100 episodes. I’m technically at 101, because the first podcast I did has an episode number of ‘0’, not ’1′. I know, I know… it’s not the smartest thing I’ve done. But I have a computer science background, and it made sense to me.

What about the articles? Some of you may remember the Digital Bits Skeptic of 2007, when I wasn’t even podcasting. Even after I started podcasting, not all articles were converted into an audio version. In fact, at the time of this writing, there are 116 articles available!

Finally, I simply don’t want to brag how Digital Bits Skeptic hit episode 100. I feel too self-serving. I feel too egotistical. I feel lame.

But who am I to say such things? I’m just an electronic nobody, shouting from an unusually dark and funny-smelling corner of the Internet. You won’t take my word for it. So let’s get someone here who has the authority, the personality of grandeur, to make an impression on you.

Let me say hello to one of the skeptical kings of this era. Hello, James Randi.

RANDI: I’m James Randi.

ANDY: Um, yes. Hello, Randi. So, what do you think about Digital Bits Skeptic, and this 100-episode anniversary?

RANDI: Our language skills should be carefully controlled and restrained. Used with great care. Meanings are often confused.

ANDY: I agree! Very much. We’ve got to be careful in our communications, so that fans understand the exact meaning of what we’re trying to say. So, about my podcast, Digital Bits Skeptic.

RANDI: Yes!

ANDY: My philosophy is that 100 episodes really isn’t a big deal. You certainly have a long, incredible career. An “amazing” career, right?

RANDI: No. That term is so overused. I hope that you feel thoroughly scolded.

ANDY: I do. Sorry. But taking your own life into perspective, at what point do you think things are worth celebrating? For example, how long would I have to be podcasting, before it’s impressive?

RANDI: Thirty years.

ANDY: Th… Thirty years?!

RANDI: Absolutely.

ANDY: So, everything I’ve done so far… The work I’ve done to get to this point. Is this at all significant?

RANDI: No, absolutely not.

ANDY: Well, okay… But, have you even listened to Digital Bits Skeptic?

RANDI: Yes.

ANDY: So, what do you think?

RANDI: This was a triumph of human ingenuity, and a direct result of talent and technology.

ANDY: Well, thanks, I suppose. I’ll just keep on doing what I’ve been doing. Any last words of wisdom? You’re obviously an inspiration to a lot of people. Certainly to me. What about you? Who inspires you?

RANDI: I’m inspired and supported by what Sagan, Feynman, Dawkins, Asimov, and so many many others have given me.

ANDY: That’s good to know. Anything else?

RANDI: Living an honest life requires bravery, and a dedication to reality.

ANDY: Words to live by. Thanks again, Randi!

[The preceding interview was not actually with Mr. Randi, but was just a bunch of sound clips taken out of context and used without permission.  I didn’t contact Mr. Randi, because I assumed no skeptical leader would give me the time of day.]

So, the question you might now be screaming is, “why is Andy talking about the pointlessness of having a 100^th anniversary episode, while still having a podcast that points out he’s done 100 episodes?”

That’s a good question.

The answer has nothing to do with me. It’s really about you. Yes, I’m the guy who gets the articles and podcasts out there. And yes, I do some writing myself. But you – the person listening to this right now – give or take a couple episodes, you are responsible for the rise to 100 and beyond. If I didn’t have visitors confirming my belief that this is important, I wouldn’t be doing this. But I do, so I am.

Some of you I know on a friendly basis, like the always-growing number of Digital Bits Skeptic writers. But most of you, I have no idea who you are. That’s frustrating, but okay: I see increasing visitors, more Digital Bits Skeptic supporters, and good conversations in the article comments. To me, that says a lot. In fact, it’s enough for me to keep going. So, the point of all this, the reason to illuminate the number 100, is to just say, “thank you”.

So. Anyway. What were we talking about? Celebrating the longevity of a podcast?! Commemorating a body of work?! Let me just (ironically) shut up, and get to producing more episodes. That’s the important part. Anything else is nothing more than a pointless exercise in vanity. And that means I’d better stop. Right now.

Other articles related to this topic:

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• The meaning of life (and podcasting)
• The big list of critical thinking and skeptical resources
• Trading my fingers for aliens
• The Drake Equation