Found this clip of Nick and Drexel talking about American Beauty. Edited down a bit to reduce deviations by Drexel.
Listening to Nick talk about telling homeschool co-op kids that American Beauty is is favorite movie because "it's about how life is horrible until you decide not to care anymore, and then it gets better, but ultimately leads to destruction" was very telling.
Overall, is sounds as though Nick is espousing selfishness as a virtue (don't care for others and they will respect you and such). Even down to cooming being the highpoint of his day (as Nick said in December, "what else is there?"), feeling dead inside because he isn't fulfilled with what he's doing with his life (lawtube, family commitments/expectations, etc) and their appreciation for the effects of a midlife crisis, the things Nick points out all sound like things he's covered over the course of his own decline.
It seems like Nick is playing a role from his favorite movie. Things going wrong in his life are likely interpreted as affirmation of a somewhat romanticized worldview. Might be worth a listen for interested parties:
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