Episode 178: Knowing the Trick

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Time to update you with some new, and some merely clarifying information on topics I have already covered. Why? There's magic in advertising, dark magic; but the more you know about it, the less it works on you. Hence, Episode 178: Knowing the Trick.


From the Signal article.

In this episode, I read from: my computer's quickie dictionary; Victor Pickard's book The Battle for Media Democracy; a Signal article titled "The" Fuckbook "Ads You Will Never See"; a John Michael Greer essay titled "The Mask of Disenchantment"; a passage from Jerry Mander's Four Arguments for the Elimination of Television; and a fun bit from Michael Pollen's book The Botany of Desire.

I play: a few excerpts from Vic Norman, the Clark Gable character from the 1947 MGM movie The Hucksters (where we also got the intro backed by KMFDM); Lee Rosevere's "Ingenuity"; and et's aptly named "Do Not Relax In Traffic". I close today with Julie and Rolf and the campfire gang doing "Over The Rainbow".

Oh, and many thanks to listener Pim who sent me the link to the Signal article over at the show notes some time back. It's Pim you should thank for the link to the notes now being included in the feed notes, which some of you get with your poddy apps. Thanks, Pim!

Episode 177 WTN …and Disgust

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People often seem stupid. Sometimes, though, they simply don't have better choices. Their reactions are guided by innate morality, even if others vehemently deny what the people are collectively reacting against. Hence, Episode 177: WTN …and Disgust.

In this episode, I read from: Thomas Frank's book Listen, Liberal, or What Ever Happened to the Party of the People?; and John Michael Greer's 2019 essay, "Dancers at the End of Time, Part Three: A Mortal Splendor".

I play: D. L. Myers invoking the Powell Movement stinger; Kevin Bacon's hazing into the preppy frat from the movie Animal House; and an excerpt featuring researcher Karen Wynn, from the Nova documentary "The Violence Paradox". Musically, I play: two from Lee Rosevere, first snippets of "Curiosity", and then "And So Then". I open with Henry Giroux backed by KMFDM, and close with Mistle Thrush doing "It's All Like Today."

Episode 177: …and Betrayal…

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Having only two viable presidential candidates to choose often leaves voters confused, especially when it later becomes clear that lately the two parties are not very different at all… when judged by their actions. Hence, Episode 176: WTN …and Betrayal….

In this episode, I read from: Thomas Frank's book, Listen, Liberal, or What Ever Happened to the Party of the People?; from Sara Wachter-Boettcher's book, Technically Wrong: Sexist Apps, Biased Algorithms, and Other Threats of Toxic Tech; and from John Patrick Leary's book Keywords: The New Language of Capitalism.

I play: a portion of President Franklin Roosevelt's Economic Royalists speech from 1936; and D. L. Myers invoking the Powell Movement Stinger. Musically, I play: a snippet from the Broadway play Hair. Mr. Ceglowski opened the show with his observation of liars, backed by KMFDM; and I close with Julie and Rolf and the Campfire Gang doing "Over the Rainbow."

As you can see, I've gotten my access to the website. The experience of being without access, and——much worse!——having no non-automated assistance available, has gotten into my head that maybe changing the show notes to something more expensive (and more convenient) might be in my future. Stay tuned!