David Marchese

So, you know, you were dealing with the feelings we've talked about and, you know, you sort of got to a point where you decided your life had to change. And as I understand it, one of the things that changed your life was discovering birding. Yes. How did you find birding?

Can you put me back in that life-changing moment? Do you remember the day?

Can you put me back in that life-changing moment? Do you remember the day?

When you're watching birds or being in their environment, and I imagine this could apply to awareness of the natural world writ large. Sure. There just is so much about what's going on that is basically beyond our comprehension. Yes. Just because of our sense capabilities as human beings, we're sort of condemned to only having an ankle deep understanding of what it is to be alive on Earth.

When you're watching birds or being in their environment, and I imagine this could apply to awareness of the natural world writ large. Sure. There just is so much about what's going on that is basically beyond our comprehension. Yes. Just because of our sense capabilities as human beings, we're sort of condemned to only having an ankle deep understanding of what it is to be alive on Earth.

And to me, that's that's like such a humbling and kind of like mind blowing thing. It's almost hard for me to wrap my head around. But what do you think?

And to me, that's that's like such a humbling and kind of like mind blowing thing. It's almost hard for me to wrap my head around. But what do you think?

I have a curmudgeonly question to ask about this. Sure, yeah. Sort of developing an awareness of the magic that's happening all around us at any given moment and understanding that there's this... vast cosmic dance playing out around us. You know, and sort of in the abstract, you can see how kind of internalizing those perspectives might change one's perspective on their own life.

I have a curmudgeonly question to ask about this. Sure, yeah. Sort of developing an awareness of the magic that's happening all around us at any given moment and understanding that there's this... vast cosmic dance playing out around us. You know, and sort of in the abstract, you can see how kind of internalizing those perspectives might change one's perspective on their own life.

And I think sometimes I'm able to get in that place. You know, it's almost like the way I'm picturing it in my head now is like, you know, it's like I blow up a beautiful... I'm carrying that balloon around and looking up at the balloon. What an incredible, beautiful balloon that I'm carrying around with me every day.

And I think sometimes I'm able to get in that place. You know, it's almost like the way I'm picturing it in my head now is like, you know, it's like I blow up a beautiful... I'm carrying that balloon around and looking up at the balloon. What an incredible, beautiful balloon that I'm carrying around with me every day.

And then I get to the office and the balloon pops on the halogen light and I'm just back in this shit again, you know? Like, did you find that your understanding of the bigger existential stuff you were writing about... was actually able to help you in the moments when you were really struggling?

And then I get to the office and the balloon pops on the halogen light and I'm just back in this shit again, you know? Like, did you find that your understanding of the bigger existential stuff you were writing about... was actually able to help you in the moments when you were really struggling?

I think it's almost definitionally, yeah.

I think it's almost definitionally, yeah.

After the break, I call Ed back, and we talk about how hummingbirds aren't as sweet as they seem.

After the break, I call Ed back, and we talk about how hummingbirds aren't as sweet as they seem.

Ed. Hello. Hi. Thank you for taking the time to speak with me again. Yeah, of course. You know, as I'm sure you're well aware, we're obviously in an era of increased skepticism toward scientific authority. And does the reality of that affect how you think about communicating scientific information with the public? Yeah.

Ed. Hello. Hi. Thank you for taking the time to speak with me again. Yeah, of course. You know, as I'm sure you're well aware, we're obviously in an era of increased skepticism toward scientific authority. And does the reality of that affect how you think about communicating scientific information with the public? Yeah.

Yeah. Do you think there's any way in which writing or doing journalism from almost what you could say is an explicitly moral place has any drawbacks? Like, do you think it's harder to be persuasive for those who might disagree with your ideas if your ideas are presented as sort of like morally correct or other ideas are morally incorrect?