The Old Men And The Seat
Two old men sit down every week to reflect on their experiences through life, how they live their lives in the present day, and most importantly, how they've stopped giving a sh*t. They discuss aging, perspectives, and the freedom that comes with not caring as much.
Episodes
38 - Chosen Family and the Weight of Things
Byron and Paul are back after a two-month break, reuniting in their home podcast studio to catch up on Christmas, family, and the things that weigh us down.The conversation opens with reflections on their Christmas celebrations. Byron shares the joy of spending Christmas morning with Paul and their sons, watching the now-adult boys slip back into childhood as they played Nintendo Wii together for
37 - Dementia, Stress, and the Cost of Living Crisis: The Bodhi Tree (SONG 2)
Our second AI-generated song for Episode 37 - Dementia, Stress, and the Cost of Living Crisis Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
37 - Dementia, Stress, and the Cost of Living Crisis: The Bodhi Tree (SONG 1)
Our first AI-generated song for Episode 37 - Dementia, Stress, and the Cost of Living Crisis Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
37 - Dementia, Stress, and the Cost of Living Crisis
In this candid episode, Byron and Paul tackle sobering news: dementia has overtaken heart disease as the leading cause of death for Australians, with 17,500 deaths registered last year. Both hosts share deeply personal experiences, having lost their mothers to the disease.Drawing from their family histories, they explore the potential link between chronic stress and dementia, examining how their m
36 - Redefining Masculinity: From External to Internal
In this episode, Byron opens up about his evolving understanding of masculinity—from his post-divorce years chasing external markers of success (the Porsche, multiple partners, the best table at restaurants) to his current view that true masculinity means being comfortable with who you are.Byron reflects on how his definition has shifted from externally focused to internally focused, emphasizing t
35 - Feeling Old for the First Time: Health, Body Image, and Aging
In this candid conversation, Byron shares a wake-up call from his doctor: his BMI exceeds 30, placing him in the obese category with increased risks for heart attack, stroke, and diabetes. This revelation triggers Byron's first real feeling of being old, despite being stronger now than in his university rugby days. Byron and Paul explore the complicated relationship between body image, weight, and
34 - There's Only One You
In episode 34 of The Old Men in the Seat, Byron and Paul dive deep into a profound philosophical question: what does it mean that there's only one you?Paul introduces the concept that life is fundamentally a "single player game" – no matter how close your relationships, your lived experience is entirely unique and can never be fully shared or understood by another person. Even best friends who sha
33 - The Transformative Power of Love
In this vulnerable and introspective conversation, Byron and Paul explore how love—in all its forms—fundamentally shapes our lives and decisions. They discuss the profound impact of parental love (and its absence), how childhood experiences create patterns that follow us into adulthood, and the evolution of romantic love from seeking completion to finding comfortable companionship. The hosts share
32 - Is Capitalism Failing Us? Underneath The Bodhi Tree (Gospel) (SONG)
Our AI-generated song for Episode 32 - Is Capitalism Failing Us? Money, Meaning, and Mortality Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
32 - Is Capitalism Failing Us? Underneath The Bodhi Tree (Acoustic) (SONG)
Our AI-generated song for Episode 32 - Is Capitalism Failing Us? Money, Meaning, and Mortality Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
32 - Is Capitalism Failing Us? Money, Meaning, and Mortality
In this raw and reflective conversation, Byron and Paul tackle some of life's biggest questions as they navigate their late 50s. Starting with frustrations over World Cup ticket pricing and the inaccessibility of major sporting events, they spiral into deeper territory: Is the capitalist system still working for ordinary people? Should they have prioritized differently when younger?The discussion
30 - Lucky Breaks: The Reckoning (SONG)
Our AI-generated song for Episode 30 - Lucky Breaks: How Random Moments Shape Our Lives Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
31 - Time Is Our Most Precious Commodity
In this deeply reflective episode, best friends Byron and Paul dive into their evolving relationship with time as they navigate middle age. They explore the shift from merely "getting through" days to genuinely appreciating the present moment, discussing how age has made them acutely aware that time is their most finite resource.The conversation touches on:Breaking free from societal expectations
31 - Jingle Bells
The long awaited and talked about jingle for The Old Men And The Seat Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
30 - Lucky Breaks: How Random Moments Shape Our Lives
In this reflective episode, we dive deep into how luck has secretly shaped our lives in ways we're only now beginning to understand. From a Year 12 arrest that led to law school, to a cooking teacher who prevented a career-ending dropout, we explore the pivotal moments where chance encounters and random circumstances changed everything. We discuss why successful people rarely acknowledge luck's ro
29 - Redefining Success: Financial Stability, Meaningful Relationships, and Inner Peace.
In their episode, Byron and Paul begin by thanking a listener for feedback that helped them resolve a microphone issue, improving their audio quality. The core of this episode builds upon a previous discussion about success, sparked by an article Byron encountered on his news feed. They delve into various criteria for success, emphasizing a departure from traditional, purely financial benchmarks.
28 - The Path to Contentment: Finding Happiness in Simplicity
In this positive episode, Byron and Paul discuss their personal insights into achieving happiness and contentment. They identify strong, healthy relationships as a cornerstone, emphasizing quality time together and the crucial step of removing toxic individuals to minimize stress and negative experiences. A second key lesson is living within one's means, highlighting how financial stress from unne
27 - Travel: Escaping Life, Finding the Real You
Welcome to the 27th episode of "The Old Men and the Seat," where hosts Byron and Paul dive deep into the concept of travel and its profound impact on life.Byron shares his philosophy of using holidays to completely escape his ordinary life, seeking total irresponsibility and an "alternate life" free from the structured existence he experiences in Melbourne. Paul, while also appreciating a change o
26 - The Inner Critic: Unpacking the voices in our heads
In this 26th episode of The Old Men And The Seat, Byron and Paul tackle the complex concept of the inner critic, prompted by animated shows like K-pop Demon Hunters and Inside Out. They define it as an 'inner hamster' or loud, negative voices that are a part of you but 'not real,' often linked to anxiety and fear of the future. The hosts discuss its role in driving dissatisfaction, insecurity, and
25 - "Pequeños Milagros" (Small Miracles) (SONG in Colombian Spanish)
Our AI-generated song for Episode 25 - "Pequeños Milagros" (Small Miracles) (SONG in Colombian Spanish) Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
25 - Hope and Action: Is Hope Enough?
In this 25th episode of "The Old Men in the Seat", hosts Byron and Paul delve into the complex concept of hope. Initially seeking positivity, they challenge whether hope is a standalone force or merely wishful thinking without concrete action. They explore the nuanced relationship between dreams, planning, and execution, drawing on personal anecdotes like Byron's journey to becoming a chef and cop
24 - The Shadow of Time: Living in Our Heads (SONG)
Our AI-generated song for Episode 24 - The Shadow of Time: Living in Our Heads. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
20 - Peace (SONG)
Our AI-generated song for Episode 20 - Peace. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
24 - The Shadow of Time: Living in Our Heads
In this 24th episode of "The Old Men in the Seat," hosts Byron and Paul delve into profound philosophical questions about time, self, and the human experience, while also touching upon their innovative use of AI in podcast production.The episode opens with a discussion of their new system for creating show notes using AI, which involves generating a transcript from audio and then using a large lan
23 - The Online Panopticon: Privacy in the Age of Public Judgment
In today's episode, Byron and Paul delve into the escalating challenge of maintaining privacy in an increasingly interconnected online world. The discussion kicks off with a detailed examination of the recent viral incident at a Coldplay concert in Boston, where a mature-age couple, later identified as the CEO of Astronomer, Andy Byron, and his Chief Human Talent Officer, were caught on the Jumbot
22 - Reclaiming Happiness & Opportunity
We return after a break, reflecting on our 22 episodes and our pride in remaining unsponsored, unlike other podcasters we follow1.... Byron shares insights from his holiday in Spain, noting the intense heat, the practice of siesta, and a distinct cultural rhythm that contrasts with the fast-paced Anglosphere, which he believes prioritizes achievement over relationships. This leads us to question t
21 - Peace Addendum
After recording Episode 20 on peace, we felt we had more to discuss. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
20 - Peace
On today's episode, we discuss peace in our lives. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
19 - Uncertainty
On today's episode, we discuss how uncertainty impacts our lives. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
18 - Waffling
On today's episode, after a challenging week, we waffle on several important aspects of life. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
17 - What do you want - Part 2
On part 2 of today's episode, we continue our discussion on the question of what do you want?Links:This is what happens when you finally choose yourself above all else - Carl Junghttps://youtu.be/XmlHUFeiZug?si=LE48kFS9UYWdm-kYSelf Determination Theory - Deci & Ryanhttps://selfdeterminationtheory.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/2022_RyanDeci_SDT_Encyclopedia.pdf Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/p
16 - What do you want - Part 1
On part 1 of today's episode, we ponder on the question of what do you want? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
15 - Ramblings on meaningful work
On today's episode, we discuss, or should we say ramble, on meaningful work. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
14 - Failure as a benchmark for happiness
On today's episode, we discuss failure as a benchmark for happiness in our lives. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
13 - Stress
On today's episode, we discuss the impact of stress in our lives. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
12 - The Small Things
On today's episode, we discuss the value of the small things in life. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
11 - The Old Men & Artificial Intelligence (AI)
On today's episode, we discuss our initial thoughts and experiences on Artificial Intelligence (AI). Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
10 - Retirement
On today's episode, we talk about retirement. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
9 - Fitness
On today's episode, we talk about our health & fitness, or lack thereof. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
8 - Star Wars
On today's episode, we talk with @RobboStudios about our memories of Star Wars. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
7 - Addendum
After recording Season 1 Episode 6, some clarity was required. Thus, the addendum. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
6 - New Year
On today's podcast, we discuss our thoughts on the New Year and reflections on the past. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
5 - Christmas
On today's podcast, we discuss our thoughts on Christmas and how it has changed over time. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
4 - Mistakes
On today's podcast, we discuss our thoughts around mistakes and how they've impacted our lives. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
3 - Regret
On today's podcast, we discuss regret in our lives. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
2 - Intro Addendum
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
1 - Intro Episode
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
