What begins as a playful debate about the nature of boredom—and whether it’s possible to avoid it in a world of endless distraction—quickly evolves into a hard-hitting critique of economic myths, myths are so pervasive they often look like facts. In this episode, Alejandro and Mim are joined by economist, author, and local economy advocate Michael Shuman to take apart the idea that bigger is always better. Shuman argues against what the hosts like to call "flat earth economics": the outdated belief that success only comes from global scale. He reveals that locally-owned small and medium-sized businesses already form the backbone of the economy and are becoming more competitive, not less. The conversation explores why the dominant narrative of "scaling" is flawed, how our investment systems are rigged to favor global corporations we distrust over the local businesses we love, and how new models like investment crowdfunding are beginning to level the playing field.