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No Opt-Out

Conrad Schwellnus & Verena Bryan

32 episodes

2 weeks ago

Two fast friends explore living in harmony with tech, one transatlantic phone call at a time. With a touch of nostalgia, Conrad and Verena blend the old and new, using analogue forms of communication to highlight how technology can enhance relationships and encourage connection.

The pair also regularly writes handwritten notes to each other, a nod to the pen pal culture of their youth. Join them as they search for harmony with tech in a no opt-out world, providing listeners with a soft place to land as technology weaves its way into more and more facets of modern life.

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Verena is an educator from Las Vegas, USA. She is techno-curious and deeply mindful of the impact of emerging tech on education, creativity, and the power of fun.

Conrad is a content marketing manager and creative entrepreneur from George, South Africa. He has long experimented with balancing tech use to enhance creativity and sustain good mental health.

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Contact: verena.tcg@gmail.com and/or conrad.tcg@gmail.com

Cover illustration by Brazilian artist Régis Monteiro

Music by Dvir Silver courtesy of Pixabay

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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Society & Culture

All content for No Opt-Out is the property of Conrad Schwellnus & Verena Bryan and is served directly from their servers with no modification, redirects, or rehosting. The podcast is not affiliated with or endorsed by Podjoint in any way.

Two fast friends explore living in harmony with tech, one transatlantic phone call at a time. With a touch of nostalgia, Conrad and Verena blend the old and new, using analogue forms of communication to highlight how technology can enhance relationships and encourage connection.

The pair also regularly writes handwritten notes to each other, a nod to the pen pal culture of their youth. Join them as they search for harmony with tech in a no opt-out world, providing listeners with a soft place to land as technology weaves its way into more and more facets of modern life.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Verena is an educator from Las Vegas, USA. She is techno-curious and deeply mindful of the impact of emerging tech on education, creativity, and the power of fun.

Conrad is a content marketing manager and creative entrepreneur from George, South Africa. He has long experimented with balancing tech use to enhance creativity and sustain good mental health.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Contact: verena.tcg@gmail.com and/or conrad.tcg@gmail.com

Cover illustration by Brazilian artist Régis Monteiro

Music by Dvir Silver courtesy of Pixabay

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Show more...

Society & Culture

Episodes (20/32)

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S04E08: This Bot “Cares” About You

Season finale time! For the first time, Verena gets Conrad’s answering machine, and her response sets the tone for an episode full of banter and laughter. A Pinterest email claiming to “care” about Verena’s mental health sparks a discussion about what triggers automatic messages from apps and where algorithms overstep their boundaries. Therapy enters the chat, AI actress Tilly Norwood gets a mention, and the pair say “ciao ciao” for now.

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2 weeks ago

32 minutes 46 seconds

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S04E07: A Concierge for Peace of Mind

Conrad and Verena reconnect as Verena surprises him with news that his Berlin postcard has finally reached Las Vegas, well ahead of Christmas this year. They talk about Verena’s whirlwind New York trip across four states and her cousin’s no-tech adventure in the Andes. The discussion shifts to ageing with technology, sparking the idea of a “peace of mind” concierge service. Somewhere in there are dinosaur eggs and a definition for the latest fad, ambient AI.

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2 weeks ago

32 minutes 35 seconds

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S04E06: We All Have Creative Bones

Creatives, pay attention. Conrad and Verena open this one in German before detouring into whether Verena is Conrad’s “favourite American” (spoiler alert: Gaga is). The chat turns to creativity and the widespread myth of not having “a creative bone in my body.” The dish : showing interest in others’ creative work matters, as does honest feedback and shared accountability.

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2 weeks ago

30 minutes 56 seconds

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S04E05: Where Do Archived Emails Go?

In this episode, the digital besties zone in on tech that actually connects, exploring specific apps and features that could support a new type of online community. Email, calendar and messaging apps plonk themselves down in the hot seat to be analysed. A fridge magnet gift to a colleague, Slack reactions, and the mystery of archived emails keep them diving deeper into the vast modern tech landscape.

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2 weeks ago

30 minutes 44 seconds

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S04E04: ASAP Does Not Mean Right Now

On their fourth call of the season, Conrad and Verena open with a laugh before drifting into late-night Google searches and the calm of silent films. The conversation turns to how easily tone gets lost online (from passive-aggressive smileys to “silenced notifications”). They delve into how digital communication strains boundaries, share stories about unread messages and WhatsApp oversharing, and agree that (seriously, seriously) “ASAP” does not mean right now.

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2 weeks ago

32 minutes 54 seconds

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S04E03: Good Practice for the Bigger Things

Verena opens the call with a theory that companies have stopped designing products to please customers. The pair returns to a discussion on why users shouldn’t bear the burden of protecting their own mental health when platforms don’t. Conrad argues that people still need to take responsibility for our wellbeing. From disposable tech to hidden digital harms, they explore accountability for both users and creators.

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2 weeks ago

32 minutes 4 seconds

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S04E02: Are We a Community?

Conrad calls Verena in a frustrated state, but what starts as a venting session turns into a fast-paced chat about digital miscommunication and how it affects relationships. Verena revives the discussion on digital community, and Conrad suggests it simply doesn’t exist. Together they unpack societal loneliness with a philosophical lens and explore the limits of connecting only through a screen (as they’ve done for the past two years).

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2 weeks ago

31 minutes 30 seconds

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S04E01: Creativity is Available to Everyone

The digital besties are back! Season 4 begins with a catch-up that covers a Berlin birthday and a family reunion in Jamaica. Conrad admits to five hours of doomscrolling the night before (eek!), leading to a deep dive into how tech affects focus and motivation. They also discuss what it means to create under pressure, why consistent effort matters more than perfection, and how sharing creative energy strengthens their friendship.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

2 weeks ago

29 minutes 53 seconds

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S03E08: Open Mic Night for AI

Season finale energy kicks in as Conrad shares he’s (hopefully) becoming a dog dad to a rescue called Enzo. Verena offers survival tips from her years of pet parenting and explains why she’ll never have or invest in a Robodog. The duo reflects on reaching their 24th recorded hour together (a full day, how?!) and explores how building a friendship online compares to doing so in person. Season 3 wraps with a final reminder to keep using our actual brains as much as possible in the “comedy show” of AI integration into society.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

4 months ago

1 hour 3 minutes 54 seconds

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S03E07: Where Do You Waste Time?

They did what? Verena and Conrad get reflective in the penultimate episode of the season, break the fourth wall by talking about the pod for the first time (!!), and revisit how the show and their friendship have grown. They also talk about dog (and human) SSRIs, visa wins, and the incomparable Kevin the dog. Community has long been a hot topic on the show, but have they built one by accident just by showing up for these calls each week?

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

4 months ago

1 hour 2 minutes 5 seconds

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S03E06: This Does Not Have to Be Perfect

Verena and Conrad question what future tools should *actually* do for us. It’s clear they’re less drawn to sleek features and more interested in how technology might offer real support, particularly in healthcare and transportation. This leads to a pivot into teleportation fantasies, pink garage drama and an appreciation shout-out for typos on handwritten notes (as seen often in their pen pal letters). As the title suggests, this does not have to be perfect.

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4 months ago

1 hour 5 minutes 25 seconds

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S03E05: The More We Automate, The Less We Think

Conrad and Verena catch up after a week of contrasts: a job change with some spontaneous travel on one side, and tech frustrations and airport security checks on the other. The conversation shifts from childhood phone numbers to old usernames, from Sims escapism to philosophical questions about AI companionship, therapy and healthy disagreements. Expect a reflection on friendship too, along with a discussion on building community without needing to be flashy.

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4 months ago

1 hour 10 minutes 58 seconds

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S03E04: Sink or Swim Digital Literacy

Conrad and Verena dive into the modern concert experience after the former admits he spent more time watching the screen than the actual performer at a show he attended recently. They also discuss disposable cameras (#throwback), the new book by the Facebook whistleblower (and its supposed scammer/gen AI copies), delve into AI literacy while pondering who might hear this conversation in 100 years, and question whether AI can lead to a more enjoyable human experience in the long run. As usual, there are plenty of rabbit holes along the way. The first half of season three wraps up with a new tagline for ChatGPT that Sam Altman should consider.

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6 months ago

1 hour 5 minutes 58 seconds

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S03E03: Back to Ethics in the Wild West

Phew! Talk about a rollercoaster of an episode. Verena and Conrad get philosophical to the point that he brings up “Tech-crates” and “AI-ristotle”. The conversation covers the state of ethical tech as we approach 1,000 days since generative AI went mainstream, being the “service dogs” of society, 100-year-olds living their best tech life with packed email inboxes, and a tender moment where both share a core negative self-belief. Verena playfully ponders not calling Conrad back next week because of his.

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6 months ago

1 hour 2 minutes 58 seconds

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S03E02: More Human Stuff Please

If you are intrigued by the phrase, "It doesn't sound that bad to be a ghost shark," this episode is for you. Conrad and Verena show just how much their friendship has grown over the last two years by discussing a little bit of everything and nothing all at the same time, shooting the breeze, having a laugh, and trying to avoid too much doomsday prepping. The episode ends on a heartwarming note, showcasing what is so needed in the world right now: more human-to-human connection.

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6 months ago

1 hour 11 minutes 19 seconds

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S03E01: The Boring Factor

Conrad and Verena are back for a new series of calls in a world that feels even more chaotic than when they spoke last time. Verena kicks things off with a lovely surprise, digital literacy is a hot topic once more, and there is much debate about the state of generative AI. Could such a fresh-faced technology have already committed the cardinal sin of anything on the societal hype train: be boring? There is a lot to unpack in this one, including banter about pigeons, cookie-cutter houses, a carefully curated cooking show, car names, and more. Conrad and Verena are not holding back this season on the digital dish and the laughs. Are you ready?

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

6 months ago

1 hour 8 minutes 51 seconds

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S02E08: See You in the Treehouse

In the final episode of the season, Conrad and Verena do a deep dive into building their dream digital hangout, which they’re calling The Treehouse. It’s not just about setting up another online space—it’s about creating a community where quality time, shared experiences, and a sense of integrating (and constantly re-integrating) comes first.

As they sketch out their vision, the duo turns nostalgic, sharing stories about family, ways to preserve memories, and what it means to feel truly connected. But it’s not all serious—they’re crafting a digital home built on friendship and fun after all. Expect lots of laughs and more signs of a fast-growing friendship between the two.

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1 year ago

59 minutes 25 seconds

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S02E07: Reimagining Digital Community

In this episode, Verena gives Conrad a surprise update: she’s accidentally become a dog mum somehow! A mystery pup showed up in her neighbourhood, so now she’s navigating social media like a pro (well, sort of) to find him a new home if needed. Spoiler: He’s “nutty”. Sorta. Quite literally.

Conrad dives into his recent No Tech Retreat, where boredom lead to poetry and—gasp—fun. They also brainstorm what makes digital communities tick, dream of being digital mayors of the Global North and South, and ask the big question: could a reimagined digital community change the game?

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

1 year ago

1 hour 7 minutes 6 seconds

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S02E06: Novelty That AI Can’t Give You

In this episode, Verena kicks things off with a family reunion update before claiming victory in the "Postcard Olympics." Spoiler alert: her Christmas postcard to Conrad showed up three months early. They dive into the joys of letter writing and ponder whether snail mail offers less pressure than the rapid-fire world of digital messaging.

Things get hilariously off-topic as they swap stories about traditional foods, family reunions, and the wild west of social media. From AI musings to Verena’s stationery obsession, they find themselves laughing over the random twists of life. Somehow, no matter where they go, it all leads back to those legendary postcards.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

1 year ago

1 hour 3 minutes 2 seconds

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S02E05: Sit and Be

Conrad and Verena explore the evolving dynamics of relationships, connection, and digital communities in this episode. The conversation kicks off with reflections on their time-zone-driven chats and the increasing trend of people "hitting pause" on tech, leading to better self-awareness and relationships.

They delve into the role of AI, with Conrad sharing a quirky experience using GPT to defuse an awkward moment and Verena's thoughts on digital identities. Together, they compare how GPT perceives them and how it fits into their lives, questioning whether digital platforms can foster deeper connections.

As they explore the concept of "Sit and Be," they discuss whether digital channels can truly replicate in-person experiences. With stories of co-watching, co-playing, and surprise meetups, they debate whether tech can bridge the gap between being "Together Alone" or "Together Together."

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

1 year ago

1 hour 3 minutes 44 seconds