4. Media & The Machine

Welcome back to Chasing Joy! In this episode, Spencer, Bryan, and Wayne dive headfirst into the modern maze of social media, media, and consumerism—and explore how our endless scrolling, news consumption, and buying habits impact our happiness. You’ll hear candid personal stories (including Spencer’s adventures in hair dye and bunny parenting), honest admissions about marketing tactics, and insights from both education and media insiders about why negativity “sticks” while positivity seems to slip away.

The trio unpacks how algorithms reinforce our instant-gratification culture and keep us stuck in cycles of comparison, self-doubt, and echo chambers—and why breaking free from autopilot thinking is harder than ever. But it’s not all doom and gloom: the hosts share real, practical ways to reclaim presence and mindfulness, challenging you to reflect on your own motives when reaching for your phone and encouraging you to find your fit in an online world that often thrives on division.

If you’ve ever wondered how all that screen time is shaping your personal quest for joy, or if it’s even possible to want less in a world that’s always advertising more, this episode is for you. Join Chasing Joy as we unpack the noisy digital world and refocus on what it means to live—and connect—intentionally.

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