Episode 139: WTN: Fail to the Chief

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As we learn from George Orwell, the words we use limit what thoughts we can entertain. The Powell Movementeers spent millions over the decades to limit our political language, giving us what I hope to illustrate in this Episode 139: Fail to the Chief.

In this episode, I read from: my computer's quickie dictionary; and Wendy Brown's book Undoing the Demos. I play: the Scarecrow from The Wizard of Oz accusing the Wizard of humbuggery; D. L. Myers voicing the Powell Movement Stinger; and president Barack Obama speeching from his neoliberally humbuggered 2013^* Inaugural and State of the Union speeches. (Seriously, I can't believe I used to think that guy was liberal in any way.)

Musically, I play: Raphae doing "Opening"; and Rue de Prague doing "From Limbos". [Note: For some reason, the links to these bands are defunct, and I therefore cannot provide links to these songs.] KMFDM backs Noam Chomsky in the opening, and I close with Mistle Thrush.

I'm releasing this and all my episodes under a Creative Commons 4.0 attribution, share-alike, and non-commercial license.

^*I realized too late for re-recording that I had mistakenly said 2012 in the closing credits, not 2013. I regret the error.



NB: Happy news! D. L. Myers, voice of the Powell Movement and its stinger, has published his first book of poetry, Oracles from the Black Pool!

Episode 138: Digital Psychopathy

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When machines can read your expressions as well as humans, we should worry, especially when such predators, be they human or machine, feel not the slightest tinge of remorse. Hence, Episode 138: Digital Psychopathy.

In this episode, I read from: Shoshana Zuboff's Age of Surveillance Capitalism; and a Scientific American article by Kevin Dutton. Going by memory, I recount: a focus subject from the British documentary The Detectives; and Kevin Dutton's book The Wisdom of Psychopaths. I also play: Kevin Dutton talking about his book; The CBS Weekend News, amplifying some bad research; and Bill and Ted talking to themselves, from their Excellent Adventure.

Musically, I play: Lee Rosevere's "Content" and "What's Behind the Door", two tunes I used to separate and later join the two topics I spoke about today; and Podington Bear quite appropriately doing "Degradation". KMFDM backs Bruce Livesy commenting about relative corporate power; and I close with Mistle Thrush.

I'm releasing this and all my episodes under a Creative Commons 4.0, attribution, share-alike, and non-commercial license.