Crazy Town

Crazy Town: Episode 122 Birdbrained: When nature and technology collide

By Asher Miller, Jason Bradford, Rob Dietz, originally published by Resilience.org

April 8, 2026

Mechanical bird sculpture
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Show Notes

What happens when technology and competition start to invade our experiences in nature? For example, what if you’re so focused on documenting a bird sighting in your iPhone app that you fail to appreciate the majestic songs of the bushtit or dickcissel on the branch in front of you? In this episode, Jason, Rob, and Asher explore the world of competitive birding, the relationship between those who love nature and the technology they use to connect to it, and how even the most gentle of shared passions can get corrupted by status-fueled competition. Bear with us through the maddening tech and over-the-top competition as we rediscover how to observe and just exist within our home ecosystems. Originally recorded on 3/5/26.

Transcript






Featured image via Adobe Stock. 

	

		


			
	
		

							

									

				

								
Asher Miller

					
Asher became the Executive Director of Post Carbon Institute in October 2008, after having served as the manager of our former Relocalization Network program. He’s worked in the nonprofit sector since 1996 in various capacities. Prior to joining Post Carbon Institute, Asher founded Climate Changers, an organization that inspires people to reduce their impact on the climate by focusing on simple and achievable actions anyone can take.



				

		

	







	
	

					

									

						

	

	
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