WT: Deep C

Episode Notes

The episode opens with a discussion of the hypothetical Elon Musk vs. Mark Zuckerberg fight and whether it could become a huge pay-per-view event. The hosts compare it to major combat sports buys, talk about Zuckerberg's public year-by-year challenges and his training in Brazilian jiu-jitsu, and generally doubt that the fight would become more than a spectacle across social platforms.

The conversation then moves through Meta's reported interest in a Twitter-like service built on ActivityPub, followed by a long discussion of Apple's Vision Pro and spatial computing. The hosts speculate about how 3D interfaces, eye tracking, and app placement in physical space could change software and productivity before shifting to the Titan submersible disaster, where they discuss the likely structural failure, the public reaction, and the ethics of joking about the tragedy. The episode ends with media recommendations: Final Fantasy 16, You Must Remember This, and Remember by Lisa Genova.

Key topics

• Influencer boxing and Musk vs. Zuckerberg speculation: The hosts debate whether a Musk-Zuckerberg fight would draw massive pay-per-view numbers, comparing it to Mayweather vs. Pacquiao, Paul brothers fights, and other major combat-sports events.
• Zuckerberg's yearly challenges: Justin mentions Zuckerberg's public annual challenges, including learning Mandarin, eating only what he killed, smoking meats, and training in Brazilian jiu-jitsu.
• ActivityPub and federated social networks: They discuss Meta possibly building a Twitter-like app on ActivityPub, and the tension between open protocols and server operators threatening to block Meta.
• Apple Vision Pro and spatial computing: Andrew describes testing the Vision SDK and simulator, and the hosts talk about how Apple seems to position the device around broader computing and productivity rather than gaming.
• Eye tracking and 3D app layout: The episode explores the idea that eye tracking could speed up interaction and that apps might be arranged in physical or 3D space instead of confined to screens.
• The Titan submersible disaster: The hosts discuss OceanGate/Titan's risky design choices, carbon fiber hull concerns, the likely implosion, and why the story became such a major news event.
• Online reaction and cruelty discourse: A substantial portion of the episode is devoted to whether jokes and 'eat the rich' reactions to the tragedy are gross, understandable, or part of internet discourse dynamics.
• Testing and reliability in extreme engineering: Andrew argues that complex underwater systems should be tested repeatedly without people on board, contrasting this with SpaceX-style uncrewed validation before human missions.
• Media picks and recommendations: The episode closes with explicit recommendations for Final Fantasy 16, the new season of You Must Remember This, and Remember by Lisa Genova.

Picks

• Bryce Castillo: Final Fantasy 16 — Bryce explicitly says he picked it and describes it positively: action-focused, gripping, visually impressive, and strong musically, though he has only played a short time so far.
• Justin Robert Young: You Must Remember This — Justin clearly recommends the new season, especially for listeners interested in a well-informed critique of erotic films and Hollywood history, while offering some mild caveats about the lens of interpretation.
• Andrew Mayne: Remember by Lisa Genova — Andrew explicitly recommends the book, describing it as a strong overview of memory, forgetting, and Alzheimer's, and praising Genova as a gifted storyteller with neuroscience expertise.