Welcome to the first episode of Stone and Signal . This post includes two parts: the Essay , a written reflection that expands on the themes explored in the episode, and the Transcript , a full written version of the audio. Whether you prefer to read, listen, or both, I invite you to pause for a moment and tune into something quieter—something more real.  The Podcast Links Edpisode 1 on YouTube Episode 1 on Spotify The Essay The Transcript Listening for What’s Real Photo by Daniel Flores: https://www.pexels.com/photo/tranquil-ocean-sunset-with-silhouette-31494106/ We are not starving for information. It is cast on us like a stream of projectile vomit that we attempt to avoid, only to slip and fall in the still warm pile of dog crap already left in our path. No, it is not information we are starving for, but meaning. We live in a time where almost everything can be heard—yet almost nothing is truly listened to. The world hums with data, voices, opinions, instructions, algorithms. Bu...

  "When the gods fell silent, we invented algorithms. When the prophets disappeared, we logged on." Once Upon a Time, We Needed Meaning Once, humans gathered around fires to whisper about gods and monsters. The thunder wasn’t just noise; it was the fury of a sky god. Illness wasn’t random; it was punishment or possession. Storytelling wasn’t just entertainment. It was survival. It was how we made sense of storms, death, birth, betrayal. It wrapped mystery in metaphor and gave chaos a name. Story is the oldest technology we have. Long before the written word, stories helped us pass knowledge, encode values, and connect through shared belief. They made time feel less cruel and fear less lonely. Myths gave shape to the unknown. Legends gave us heroes to root for, villains to blame, and destinies to fulfill. The machinery of myth has always served the same core function: to turn confusion into clarity. Whether carved in stone, chanted in caves, or passed from mouth to...