Being Team Human in Crazy Town

Being Team Human in Crazy Town

Author: Post Carbon Institute March 25, 2026 Duration: 54:29

Have you ever had that feeling in your gut, when you suddenly realize that the person you’re talking with might have a screw or two loose? What about when you’re the one others are trying to slowly back away from at the punch bowl? The question of who’s the real nut often arises for us collapse-aware folks living here in Crazy Town. Since Mr. Peanut is no longer returning their phone calls, Rob, Jason, and Asher invite Douglas Rushkoff, media theorist, professor, and host of the Team Human Podcast to answer the question. In this far ranging conversation, they discuss why “leveling down” might be the best strategy for navigating late stage capitalism and bringing ourselves back into right relationship with each other and the planet. Originally recorded on 2/24/26.

Sources/Links/Notes:

  1. Team Human
  2. Douglas Rushkoff YouTube Channel
  3. Douglas Rushkoff, “You Are Not Crazy,Substack, January 7, 2026
  4. Douglas Rushkoff, “Survival of the Richest,Medium, July 5, 2018
  5. Jesse Armstrong, Mountainhead, 2025 film
  6. Dan Fogelman, Paradise, Hulu, 2025 series
  7. Prospera
  8. Neom
  9. California Forever
  10. Jack Manno, Privileged Goods, 1999 book


Related episode(s) of Crazy Town:

  1. Tech Bros on Acid with Douglas Rushkoff (Bonus episode of Crazy Town)
  2. It’s All Paradox with Douglas Rushkoff (Bonus episode of Crazy Town)



Trying to make sense of a world that often feels like it's lost the plot? That's the space where Crazy Town lives. Hosted by Asher, Rob, and Jason from the Post Carbon Institute, this fortnightly conversation navigates the disorienting headlines and deeper systemic crises-from climate chaos and ecological overshoot to the relentless engine of runaway capitalism-with a necessary blend of sharp analysis and dark humor. They’re not just diagnosing the "Great Unraveling" of our social and environmental fabric; they’re actively exploring what a transition to a genuinely sustainable and equitable society could look like, all while trying to keep their own wits about them. This podcast is for anyone who looks at the status quo and senses the profound delusions holding it together, offering listeners a mix of grounded understanding and candid discussion that’s as engaging as it is urgent. Tune in for conversations that are both a reality check and a search for a viable path forward.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 165

Crazy Town
Podcast Episodes
Band-Aid Town and the Psychology of Climate Change [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 44:02
Pop quiz! A friend of yours has just had an unfortunate chainsaw accident and cut a femoral artery: do you (a) make a tourniquet with your t-shirt, or (b) stick a Band-Aid on the wound? If you picked (b), congratulations…
My Dinner Is Stuck in Traffic: Fossil Fuels and the Food Transition [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 37:47
You know what drives Jason really crazy about auto traffic? No, it’s not the 42 hours per year that the average commuter wastes stuck in it or even the global warming pollution spewed, it’s the 3 BILLION (with a B people…
Tackling Inequality in the Economy, One Pair of Lederhosen at a Time [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 49:32
Chuck Collins joins Asher, Rob, and Jason in Crazy Town to describe his startling journey from undercover trust fund kid to tireless campaigner for economic equality. Together they examine why Richie Rich, Donald Trump,…
Zombies, Magic Rocks, Collapse, and Other Fun Sustainability Stories [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 38:07
Apocalypse is upon us, at least in movies, television shows, books, and even podcasts. Teen characters in youth literature are more likely to solve their differences by bow-hunting one another rather than hugging it out…