My podcast addiction began about a year ago when in a quest to know more stuff I got a little hooked on BBC Radio 4’s In Our Time. It at first felt a little intellectual but now just feels like our levels have morphed. Yes our brains can evolve given the chance. However about six months ago I decided it was time to branch out. I threw myself right into the bear pit and grabbed ahold of what I thought was going to be an ideological nemesis in Joe Rogan, and yes depending on his guest he can come out with all that America is Great guff that nobody outside of America takes seriously, and has a total misunderstanding of what Antifa is which explains why he is placed in the bad man box by some. Saying that, having explored a few anarcho-podcasts, all of which were American, they are not only annoying in the way they express themselves but seem to come from a completely different dimension to what I have experienced or witnessed in Greek, Italian or Spanish versions of the antifascist movement. It pained me but left me sympathetic to Rogans ignorance and also aware that I too am probably ignorant in this debate in my own way.
Generally, it appears podcast guests are trying to push something, and tend to be inspirational or at least give off the stench of such things through their success in something. The Great Henry Rollins who would surely hate that title and who deserves it all the more as a result is worth a mention, as is Dr Christopher Ryan who wrote a book called Sex At Dawn which I won’t read because from research I discovered many accusations of cherry picking findings that discredit its academic legitimacy. However, his approach to life and the message he is trying to get across in his podcast Tangentially Speaking are excellent and absorbing, and although I have met quite a few versions of him over the years and probably have been one myself, now is not the time to hold anything against anyone especially someone who I enjoy listening to so much. Henry Rollins will get a whole blog piece to himself in the future. Current events in British politics have had my ear recently and it has been interesting listening to shows from all sides of the spectrum, from left wing to mentally challenged. Either that is a great example of how much access we have to differing views or simply highlights how polarised we have and can become, but this too is perhaps for another time.
Like easily digestible books for the modern age we want everything to be simple and immediate. Coupled with the fact we’re all too busy and scared to have an actual conversation with anyone, it allows the feeling of being part of someone else’s. Like every narcissistic egomaniac I now want and believe an audio version of my many misunderstandings is exactly what people need. It may require some guests though and may have to be over four hundred words, but then this already is…oops.
Observations and Misunderstandings 