Gone are the days of philosophical rhetoric and healthy debates. What could have been today’s great minds are more concerned with the newest true crime series and how Game Of Thrones ended. And there’s nothing wrong with that. Socrates and Plato argued epistemology and ethics because that’s what they found entertaining. I argue with my friend that there’s no way Sons Of Anarchy is a top 20 show and it’s essentially the same thing. Just about 2500 years apart.
People have always based conversations on what they do to entertain themselves. We just have an over abundance of it now. Everyone was stuck talking about The Count Of Monte Cristo for over 100 years. I read it, Dumas laid it on a little thick. Today, we have a new series, new movies, new podcasts- every single day.
If you find yourself stuck with someone you’ve never met before, it’s become common practice to ask them what shows they watch or what podcasts they listen to. We consume so much of both that hopefully it can help you find some common ground with a total stranger.
I want to highlight our newest medium, podcasts. Podcasts are more similar to music than movies/tv. People tend to find their specific niche and stick to it. You can learn a lot about a person by gauging what they subscribe to.
For instance, the other day my coworker and I found ourselves alone in separate cars for quite a substantial amount of time. We packed a Wawa bag each and agreed to leave each other alone while we listened to our podcasts. When our assignment was over, I asked him what he listened to all day. He told me that he ran through four different political podcasts. I consider him a friend, which is weird, because I never knew he was a complete psychopath.
Podcasts divide us into schools of thought in ways Meyers-Briggs never dreamed of. If you listen to anything NPR, congratulations you’re a boring briefcase. TED Talks are for the weenies. Political podcasts are for masochists who enjoy driving themselves insane. The Joe Rogan weirdies are so woke they basically think they’re all Neo. Watch out for that true crime crowd, someone’s hurt them. And don’t lie, if your girl only listens to Call Her Daddy you’re at least a little bit worried.
Of course there is a chance to live a normal life. You could be like me and only listen to sports and comedy podcasts. The podcasts that are free from worry, real issues, or any serious discourse.
I’m not an idiot, I’m aware that there are people out there that would look down on my choice of podcasts. Only digesting one avenue of information would classify any person as strange I suppose, myself included. Everyone uses podcasts to shut their brains off in different ways. So play the hits of course, but it’s a big internet out there, don’t be afraid to venture out.
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