Latest Episode![[Encore] Dan and Michael Get Spooked: The Anthropology of Fear and Other Modern Hauntings](https://image.simplecastcdn.com/images/887a42bc-152e-4154-bfd4-f4262527b1a3/860ce116-6e3d-4e63-8ded-6b60279394f3/3000x3000/people-20stuff-20jpg.jpg?aid=rss_feed "[Encore] Dan and Michael Get Spooked: The Anthropology of Fear and Other Modern Hauntings")
[Encore] Dan and Michael Get Spooked: The Anthropology of Fear and Other Modern Hauntings
This week on People Stuff, anthropologists Dan and Michael sink their teeth into the strange and the spooky — from vampire lifestyles and Nazi fanboys to the mysterious Jersey Devil lurking in New Jersey’s Pine Barrens. They start with a “What Fresh Hell” segment exploring the surprising backlash against empathy, before diving into three listener questions that veer from the undead to the unhinged: High Stakes: A listener obsessed with vampires wonders — is it normal to want to become one? Dan a
New to People Stuff?
10
Dec. 8, 2025
Dan and Michael Are a Little Stressed (With Michelle Rensel): Stress, Snacks, and Mild Emotional Collapse.
Stress is biological, cultural, symbolic—and everywhere. Dan, Michael, and guest scientist Michelle Rensel tackle hunting anxiety, high-school panic patterns, the cult of self-discipline, and why everyone feels one layoff away from catastrophe. Smart, funny, and a little too real.
5
Nov. 3, 2025
Dan and Michael Eat Too Much (feat. Saanchi Shah) — Paleo Panic, Raw Meat Bros & The Golden Toilet Heist
Dan and Michael welcome genetic counselor and professional vegetarian Saanchi Shah to explore why humans attach so much identity to food — from paleo diet mythologies to prepper gardening obsessions to the gym bro who thinks raw meat makes you a better person. Also: a stolen 18-karat gold toilet, fixing public restrooms, and whether one can literally become pizza.
6
Nov. 10, 2025
Dan and Michael Are Not Your Type: Corporate astrology, MBTI madness, and the myth of the measurable self
Anthropologists Dan and Michael take on workplace personality tests, IQ tracking, and pop psychology’s obsession with turning people into types.
Recent Episodes
June 29, 2026
[Encore] Dan and Michael Get Spooked: The Anthropology of Fear and Other Modern Hauntings
This week on People Stuff, anthropologists Dan and Michael sink their teeth into the strange and the spooky — from vampire lifestyles and Nazi fanboys to the mysterious Jersey Devil lurking in New Jersey’s Pine Barrens. They start with a “What Fresh Hell” segment exploring the surprising backlash against empathy, before diving into three listener questions that veer from the undead to the unhinged: High Stakes: A listener obsessed with vampires wonders — is it normal to want to become one? Dan a
13
June 22, 2026
Why Do We Care About TV People? (feat. Arianna Haut of Jeopardy & Master Minds)
An anthropologist, a game show champion, and an increasingly unhealthy relationship with television investigate why celebrities feel like friends, whether violent media changes us, and what TV is doing to modern human life.
12
June 15, 2026
Why Is Los Angeles Like This? Traffic, Identity, Hollywood, and the Meaning of LA (feat. Saanchi Shah)
Why do people in Los Angeles spend half their lives in cars? Is the Valley actually part of LA? And what does it mean that one of America's most disaster-prone cities keeps rebuilding itself? Dan, Michael, and guest Saanchi Shah explore the culture, contradictions, and enduring weirdness of Los Angeles.
11
June 8, 2026
Camping Isn’t Survival: Hiking, Hunting, REI Culture, and the Outdoors
Why do we camp if we're not actually trying to survive? Dan and Michael explore the culture of the outdoors, from suburban dads dressed for an expedition at school pickup to couples arguing about whether hiking and hunting are basically the same activity. Along the way they unpack camping, outdoor identity, public lands, conservation, and the strange modern dream of escaping civilization while carrying civilization on your back.
10
June 1, 2026
Why Humans Need Privacy | Shelter, Office Design, and the Anthropology of Space (feat. Gretchen Pfeil)
Anthropologist Gretchen Pfeil joins Michael and Dan to explore privacy, shelter, office design, and the hidden social rules that shape how people move through buildings, cities, workplaces, and everyday life.
9
May 25, 2026
Dan and Michael Go to Home Depot | DIY Culture, Hardware Stores, and Why Every Project Requires 4 Trips
Michael and Dan explore the anthropology of Home Depot, DIY culture, power tools, construction work, and why home repair projects inevitably spiral into chaos. Featuring medieval student jails, table saw trauma, commodity fetishism, and multiple unnecessary trips to the hardware store.
Join the People Stuff Newsletter
Join our newsletter to get updates on all things People Stuff!
Listen On
