The Pod Piper

1. Reply All - "Hello? (#82)" Channeling the ethos of a radio call-in show, PJ and Alex decide to open up a hotline and accept calls from listeners for 48 straight hours without sleeping.  It's a simple premise and may likely sound quite boring, yet I found it to be utterly compelling. Granted, the audio was cut down to a small fraction of the total experiment and surely underwent some painstaking editing.  Even still, I was more taken with the romance of the episode's scope than with any of the things the listeners had to say. 2.  The Cracked Podcast - "Why A Second Civil War Is Frighteningly Possible" The title of this episode may seem alarmist and conspiratorial in nature, and the conversation is rooted in a theory about America being divided into 11 nations that may appear to teeter on the brink of irrationality.  Make no mistake, the tone is somber and it's no coincidence that the show was originally released on the day before the election. ...

1. Kurt Vonneguys - "Player Piano" I love Cracked and I love Kurt Vonnegut.  I honestly don't think any other podcast in my stable of regulars could have been a better fit to discuss one of my favorite authors.  Player Piano is a flawed book, but it is such a great intro to Vonnegut and hosts Michael Swaim and Alex Schmidt strike the perfect balance of deference and humor in their analysis. 2. Millenial - "You Can't Go Home Again (#29)" Right now my future seems a little uncertain.  Many things are up in the air, but one of the foremost is where I want to settle down and live for the rest of my life.  The tension I face isn't the same as that of the host in this podcast, but there are similar themes and I found this to be a timely and semi-comforting listen. 3. This American Life - "The Sun Comes Up (#602)" Another wonderful This American Life episode centered around the election.  This edition of the show tackles public opinion in the ...

1. Radiolab - "One Vote" In the wake of an election where the losing candidate received more individual votes, I'm less sure than ever about the power a single vote has to make a difference.  The title alone of this episode earned an eye roll and a near-skip from me, but I had a craving for something election themed that ventured beyond explicit commentary and prediction.  Never doubt Radiolab .  The team came through with this episode, first acknowledging that in practice the importance of a single vote is over-hyped and often mis-mythologized.  Then the producers proceeded to report stories that pay homage to the metaphorical and uber-realistic importance of voting in a democracy.  It's worth a listen after the week we've had and seen and, honestly, pretty much just read about on Facebook. 2. This American Life - "Master of Her Domain...Name (#601)" Ira and company dig into the email scandal with a refreshing angle, thoughtfully interrogating the in...

1. The Cracked Podcast - "Trump Country: What the Media Doesn't Want You To Know" The title of this episode may sound conspiratorial, and I'll admit that Cracked does traffic in some stories that skirt around the fringes of popular opinion.  But this podcast blows open a hard truth that many tend to forget around election time: people supporting a movement are, at their root, still people.  From incidents like the "basket of deplorables" comment on the left, and any number of exclamations about a rigged election on the right, it's evident that our capacity for incremental criticism is fairly low. It's hard to give any ground to someone you perceive opposing your own ideals, and it's much easier to submit to an all-or-nothing mentality.  Cracked sets out to debunk the fact that all Trump supporters are dumb rednecks, appealing to the possibility that environment and circumstance shape opinions more than inherent moral character.  This essential re...