Rob explores Billy Ray Cyrus’s smash hit “Achy Breaky Heart” by discussing the new traditionalist movement in country music and how it affected Cyrus’s career.
This episode was originally produced as a Music and Talk show available exclusively on Spotify. Find the full song on Spotify or wherever you get your music.
We are very pleased to be joined by returning guest Danielle Carr, anthropologist and historian of science who is finishing her PhD at Columbia, to chat about her excellent new essay on the (anti-)political epistemology of the pop sci style as represented by the work of the genre’s golden boy, Carl Zimmer. We discuss science as both an institution and ideology that, like other such things with authority and power in society, must be subjected to ruthless critical analysis. And yet, nearly all critique of science has been forfeited to the most extreme right-wing denialism. No longer! It’s time to reclaim ground for a leftist, materialist examination of science.
Follow Danielle: twitter.com/_danielle_carr
Read her article: https://www.thenation.com/article/culture/carl-zimmer-virus/
Some other stuff we reference
• Against Method | Paul Feyerabend: https://www.versobooks.com/books/442-against-method
• How to Defend Society Against Science | Paul Feyerabend: https://www.radicalphilosophyarchive.com/issue-files/rp11_article1_defendsocietyagainstscience_feyerabend.pdf
•The Eighteenth Brumaire of Bruno Latour | Simon Schaffer: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/11622708/
• Neoliberalism for Polite Company: Bruno Latour’s Pseudo-Materialist Coup | R.H. Lossin: https://salvage.zone/articles/neoliberalism-for-polite-company-bruno-latours-pseudo-materialist-coup/
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Hosted by Jathan Sadowski (twitter.com/jathansadowski) and Edward Ongweso Jr. (twitter.com/bigblackjacobin). Production / Music by Jereme Brown (twitter.com/braunestahl)
PART 2: The stunning conclusion of a 3-hour gab session about frickin' bats with America's favorite chiropterologist, Dr. Merlin Tuttle. Learn about bat conversations, their close friendships, surprising dongs, where they keep their nipples, how to go bat spotting after the sun sets, more myths and misconceptions about bat danger, perhaps the grossest thing Merlin has ever put in his mouth, how to hang up a bat house for maximum bat party funtimes, the latest on white nose syndrome and how it feels to get slapped by a bat. Once again: Indiana Jones can get bent because Dr. Merlin Tuttle is the hero this nation needs.
Learn more about bats & Dr. Merlin Tuttle's photography & work in conservation:
“People fear most what they understand least." Words of wisdom from explorer/American treasure/bat expert, Dr. Merlin Tuttle. As your internet dad/host takes care of her surgically recuperating husband this week, we revisit her visit to Austin. In 2019, Alie headed to the bat capital and sat down with the legendary chiropterologist to discuss wild field stories and close calls and caves and comebacks and bat chatter and what a bat actually is and how big they get and what's up with their smushy noses, why folks are so frightened by them, the evolution of flight, echolocation, getting a bat out of your house, how they sleep upside down, which ones guzzle blood, and the latest on white nose syndrome -- which is not a drug problem. Sit back with a cup of tea or something stronger and get ready for adventure. Indiana Jones can get bent because Dr. Merlin Tuttle is the hero this nation needs.
Bringing claims against state cops for violating your rights is hard enough, but it's even harder when the cop is a fed. Patrick Jaicomo is an attorney at the Institute for Justice. We discussed current cases where federal cops stepped on American rights.
Amarica’s Constitution shares the stage this week with the fine podcast “So to Speak” from the Foundation for Individual Rights in Education (FIRE). Professor Amar is interviewed by FIRE, and the history of the First Amendment leads to - surprise! - any number of fascinating constitutional law issues. Akhil takes time out to take issue with Robert Bork, by the way. And who kicked the dog?
Reset talks with an epidemiologist whose research powered a pending Congressional bill. The “Black Maternal Health Momnibus Act of 2021” links poor maternal health outcomes for Black women to climate change and environmental racism
In many parts of the U.S., China remains a huge business opportunity despite recent friction. That's the country where Apple makes its phones and Nike stitches its shoes. Yet inside the Washington Beltway, China is a security threat. Full stop. It's one of the few things Democrats, Republicans and most everyone else in the capital agree on.
Ah, Jamie Dimon. One of the longest duration skeptics of bitcoin, and one of the most consistently wrong from a market perspective. Yesterday, the JPMorgan Chase CEO added new material to his anti-bitcoin cannon and Bitcoin Twitter was extremely quick to respond. Indeed, part of that response was colored by general bullishness as bitcoin experienced another surge up past $57,000. NLW explores Bitcoin Twitter’s reaction to Dimon’s comments and looks at why many think the current rally is being driven by institutions, not retail.
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NYDIG, the institutional-grade platform for bitcoin, is making it possible for thousands of banks who have trusted relationships with hundreds of millions of customers, to offer Bitcoin. Learn more at NYDIG.com/NLW.
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“The Breakdown” is written, produced by and features NLW, with editing by Rob Mitchell and additional production support by Eleanor Pahl. Adam B. Levine is our executive producer and our theme music is “Countdown” by Neon Beach. The music you heard today behind our sponsor is “Tidal Wave” by BRASKO. Image credit: Justin Sullivan/Getty Images News, modified by CoinDesk.
Hello Crazy/Genius listeners. We'd like to introduce you to a new show!
In this series, host Arthur Brooks digs into research and offers tools to help you live more joyfully. Join us for deep conversations with psychologists, experts, and friends of The Atlantic's Chief Happiness Correspondent. For more info, visit www.theatlantic.com/happy, or search for How to Build a Happy Life on your podcast app.