Factory Settings is a podcast exploring politics, culture, relationships, mental health, addiction, and media, through the lens of how our built-in biases affect the way we consume information and form opinions.
New episodes will launch bi-weekly. Episodes will remain open to the public for 2 weeks and then go behind the paywall.
www.phetasy.com (https://www.phetasy.com/s/factory-settings?utm_medium=podcast)
“Avoid talking about politics and religion” is such a boring cliche. It’s not helpful. Obviously, it’s prudent to know when to give in to that rule, because meaningless fighting is the real problem with a discussion about politics or religion. When it comes to politics and religion, differentiation should be the goal. In this episode of Factory Settings, Bridget and Jeren dive into religion, God, moderation, Catholicism, a Higher Power, and how to manage —all of the stuff, and more. We’re living through an era of infernal Discourse. This episode is an example of how to escape it.
QUESTIONS
Bridget
* If you’re celebrating Lent, what are you giving up? And if you’re not celebrating Lent, or religion at all—whatever you need to access your higher self: What are some distractions in your life? What’s distracting you?
Jeren
* What’s one thing in your life that you would better for, if you gave up? Is there something you’re doing that you shouldn’t be doing? Or if you did less of it, or gave it up, it would allow you to access some other part of yourself or achieve something—what would that be?
MENTIONED
“The Lord’s Prayer (https://lessonsintruth.info/library/short-new-thought-writings/emmet-fox-the-lords-prayer-sermon-on-the-mount/)” from The Sermon On The Mount by Emmet Fox
The War of Art (https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/1319.The_War_of_Art)by Steven Pressfield
“Bill’s Story (https://www.aa.org/sites/default/files/2021-11/en_bigbook_chapt1.pdf)” from The Big Book - Audio Version (https://youtu.be/Ew9P5THpx78?si=xZullb0PVjW8WfZa)
Humbuggery Substack (https://substack.com/@padre66?utm_campaign=profile&utm_medium=profile-page) by Father Tom Miller
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13 Feb 2026TRANSCRIPT
Factory Settings - Getting Real About Emotional Sobriety
This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.phetasy.com (https://www.phetasy.com?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_7)
Bridget and Jeren discuss their diverging relationships with AA as they approach 13 and 9 years of sobriety, respectively, exploring what it means to feel “dry” (acting like a drunk without drinking) and how resentments, control issues, and the loss of spiritual connection can creep in during long-term recovery.
QUESTIONS
How does a normie kind of do this…
6 Feb 2026
Factory Settings - Our Monkey Brains Weren’t Meant for the Epstein Files
The Epstein news cycle has captivated Bridget in a way that it hasn’t captivated Jeren. Why?
Why do we latch on to certain stories, but not others?
QUESTIONS
Where are you at with the Epstein Files?
If you are captivated by the Epstein Files, why? How did you get to that place? If you’re not interested: Why? What makes you go, “Don’t care”?
And, whatever you believe, why do you want to believe it?
What are you getting from the Epstein Files?
This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.phetasy.com/subscribe (https://www.phetasy.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_2)
Inside a recent episode
Factory Settings - Discovering Your Higher Power
Published 20 Feb 2026 · Transcript excerpt
[…] The same thing happens with an ideal or an idea or, you know, like, you know, grinding or working hard. It's it's when does it become when does it become, you know, harmful or more harmful than good? Because I think everything's sort of got trade offs. Yeah. Yeah. Because I've definitely... We both can relate. I've been... I can be extremely hard on myself. And I have really been hard on myself in the past. It's what led to so many of my struggles with addiction and substance abuse and self-esteem. I am... I can still be critical. I'm not nearly as hard on myself as I was. And that journey has happened only when I went to recovery and, you know, created this connection with this higher power. […]
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