Unknown Space Radio is a show about a boy named Nathaniel Joseph, who was born with a half-formed brain and a commitment to death. The boy’s only hope for survival: to find the other half of his brain.

 

Subjection to a world that never needed him nor wanted him leads a dark orb to form in place of the other half. Thoughts oftentimes painful yet trivial form when there is no meaning or thought to partake in; the very thoughts that fill his head take many forms: dreams, love, time, culture, death, etc. Now the foul and cruel rock his existence depended on, begins to fall apart. Nathaniel Joseph can only observe as thousands of fractured shards pain him in the most horrifying ways. Though they objectify him, it is these fractured shards he becomes reliant on to give him meaning, life, and ultimately, the other half of his brain.

 

Understanding the comedy of man as an ironic tale of the long endeavor to die as survival yields the journey, existentialism forms in place of the dark orb. Mortality, now at the forefront of his every move, acts as an arguing point to justify the disproportionate relationship of complacency and satisfaction. Mortality begins to drive decisions. Often delicious regardless of their nature, decisions facade impending senses of pain; a simple coping mechanism to combat a monotonous existence indefinitely. Now all of a sudden, passion and obsession lead mortality as the driving force; sometimes helpful and sometimes detrimental. Death and love, death of love, love of death; a questionably passionate obsession and a clear obsessive passion. 

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A tragic deadlock that is inevitably encountered is one where reason is at a stalemate with passion. Reason speaks the truth that prolonging existence indefinitely is impossible and that all things must eventually die. Reason speaks this truth despite passion’s longing: the chance to live forever. The argument of reason versus passion is a long feud with little to no advancements from either side, regardless of all rationalities in favor of reason. This deadlock has no contemporary solution; it continues until the tragic realization, death is real. The black orb fades, existentialism fades, passion and obsession fade, and finally, mortality fades. Disease being anything that disturbs unity, consciousness itself is a disease. Consciousness forms in place of the brain’s other half. Nathaniel Joseph finally feels his size. Finality.