Is Idiocracy Becoming Reality? Gas Station Fashion, Movie Flops & Etsy Woes | Ep 842

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We’re Not in 2006 Anymore: Welcome to Idiocracy (Almost)

This week’s episode of The LOTS Project Morning Show dives into how Idiocracy is becoming reality—from Costco building apartments to corporate dominance and cultural chaos. After reading an article about a new Costco in Los Angeles that’s going to have 800 apartment units built above it, I couldn’t help but draw the connection to the classic film Idiocracy. If you’ve seen it, you know the absurdity. If you haven’t—go fix that. Immediately.

In the movie, people live, shop, learn, and get health care inside a mega Costco. Turns out, real life is catching up fast. While this isn’t quite “I went to law school at Costco” level yet, the LA development sure feels like a step in that direction. Between corporate takeovers, anti-intellectualism, junk food masquerading as health products, and endless mind-numbing entertainment, it’s hard not to see the parallels stacking up.

To push the rabbit hole deeper, I ran a quick prompt through ChatGPT listing all the things in Idiocracy that are already becoming real. From viral “fail” content to declining political competency, even the degradation of language (hello, emoji speak and corporate baby names) is mimicking the plot. We’re not 500 years away like the movie predicted—we’re knocking on the door now.

Boots & Shorts: The Gas Station Fashion Police Make an Appearance

So here’s a fun one. I ran to the local gas station wearing athletic shorts and my trusty combat-style barefoot boots—nothing wild, especially not for rural Tennessee. But apparently that combo triggered the local fashion police.

As I waited in line, the guy delivering soda decided to comment on my “bold look,” asking if I had served in the military. Nope—just a guy with sore feet and good taste in boots. The kicker? He followed up with “I’m about to change into Crocs.” Crocs. I’m getting grief from the guy about to wear rubber clogs in public.

The interaction ended on a surprisingly friendly note, but I came home and told Kori the story—and she absolutely lost it laughing. Maybe next time I’ll rock cowboy boots and gym shorts for maximum Tennessee chaos.

What Happened to Good Movie Endings?

Kori and I have been watching more movies lately, winding down each evening with a flick on Amazon. And I’ve noticed something that’s really starting to grind my gears: a disturbing lack of endings. Like, actual conclusions.

I don’t mind ambiguity. I don’t mind thought-provoking final scenes. But c’mon—if I invest two hours into your story, the least you can do is finish the damn story. We watched a string of decent films—Spotlight, Arbitrage, Henry’s Crime—and most of them left us with “What happened?” hanging in the air.

One night, after yet another vague wrap-up, I turned to Kori and asked, “Did he get the money or not?” No clue. No hint. Just credits. I get that directors like to be clever, but sometimes it feels like they just gave up.

The only satisfying one in the bunch? Memento. Still one of my favorite movies of all time, and yes—it ends like it’s supposed to. (Kori wasn’t thrilled I made her watch it, but I stand by it.)

K&B Kustom Built: Real Talk from the Shop Floor

On the woodworking side of life, we’re still plugging away at building out K&B Kustom Built. Our latest project: child-sized picnic tables. Big win—our first sale came in, and it’s family! Kori’s parents are picking one up to take back to Minnesota for the grandkids this fall. Always nice to have that initial support.

We’ve also added smalls to the lineup: painted mountains, tea light holders, wine racks, and even seasonal goodies like candy corn decorations and (soon) watermelons. Everything’s listed on Etsy… and well, we’ve run straight into the infamous Etsy pay-to-play wall.

After 15 days with a brand-new store and optimized listings, we had exactly one view and zero clicks. Turned on ads? Boom—105 views and 2 clicks in three days. Not great, but at least it proves you’ve gotta pay to get seen.

I’ve got over 500 sales on my comfrey store, so I understand Etsy’s quirks. But starting fresh in a crowded category like handmade home goods is a grind. We’re experimenting with ads, tweaking listings, and exploring new platforms like Whatnot to gain traction.

Farmers Markets: Gatekeeping and Ghosting

We also started scouting local farmers markets to try in-person selling. The experience so far? Mixed at best.

One market had no contact info beyond a private Facebook group. No response to messages. Another finally replied—only to say they’re full. And the one in Jackson, TN (a fairly sizable city) had a government-run farmers market with a full website—but just two vague paragraphs and a map. Zero info for potential vendors.

How hard is it to list application details, fees, or even a phone number? Looks like I’ll be showing up in person with a clipboard and a fake smile to get anything done.

That said, we’re looking at other opportunities: quarterly craft fairs, consignment at local stores, and direct local sales. Kori and I are also testing guerrilla marketing—basically chatting up store owners, showing them product photos, and making real connections. Old school, but it works.

New Products & Dice Nerd Trivia

We’re building out new inventory: yard dice (did you know the dots are called “pips”?), triangle art, and maybe even a yard-size Jenga set. Turns out there’s a standardized layout for die faces—and once you start making them, you can’t unsee it.

Fun fact: if you’re facing the “2” side with the “1” on top, the “3” will always be on the left and “4” on the right. Little things you learn when you dive deep into handcrafted products.

Wrapping Up

This week’s episode was full of laughs, rants, and solid updates. From the rise of Idiocracy to the smell of sweaty barefoot shoes, from Etsy woes to gas station fashion critiques, it was another filter-free Monday morning.

If you’ve ever been fashion-policed in public, ranted at a movie for not finishing its own plot, or tried to sell handmade goods in a broken system—this episode’s for you.

Check out the full replay on YouTube or listen in on your favorite podcast app.

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