Ep15 Sailing the High Seas of Academia w/ Dr. Rebecca Simon

Ever thought a PhD in piracy was a thing? Neither did we, but Dr. Rebecca Simon just schooled us all on how a passion for pirates turned into an epic academic journey. From public executions to pirate queens, she dropped knowledge bombs about the not-so-glamorous lives of real pirates. Spoiler: they weren’t all Jack Sparrows, and buried treasure was as mythical as the clean-shaven pirate.

Rebecca’s deep dive into the Golden Age of Piracy revealed that pirates were more like rebellious entrepreneurs than your swashbuckling, treasure-burying outlaws of pop culture. Think Robin Hood, but with less altruism and more rum. We explored pirate codes, the gritty truth behind their short lifespans, and how the average pirate party usually ended up shipwrecked and arrested—a true tale of “live fast, die hard.”

As Nick and Jay navigated through tales of marooning, deceit, and the Jolly Roger, one thing became clear: pirating wasn’t for the faint of heart—or for those keen on long-term retirement plans. So grab your (non-existent) buried treasure and join us on this wild ride through history’s most notorious misfits. Arrrrr you in?

Getting some hours in.