These podcasts are poppin'
With the constant “grind” of high school, it can sometimes be hard to sit down and find the time to read an article or watch the news. So why not be aggressively Gen Z and listen to it! This is a guide to some of my favorite podcasts for every occasion or query. Today, Explained- Vox, Hosted by Sean Rameswaram “Today, Explained” is my favorite podcast of all-time. From drawing connections to the ethanol industry and it’s midwestern voters, to muckraking Facebook’s screening department, “Today, Explained” is my daily, 21-minute fill of news. The host, Sean Rameswaram, reports on topics that are peripheral to capitol hill’s constant controversies and listening is a great way to diversify your news feed. If we’re naming names, I would HIGHLY suggest the episodes, “Biofuel Duels,” “Friends Without Benefits” and “Switch to Mitch.” Rameswaram’s commentary is always funny, informed and I cannot recommend it enough for anyone looking to try out a daily news podcasts, or who just wants to seem “woke” in AP Gov. The Big Picture- The Ringer, Hosted by Sean Fennessey“The Big Picture” is a pseudo-socratic seminar podcast where host Sean Fennessey sits down with movie experts [or even the actors themselves!] to discuss the societal effect of cinema. Is the reason that banks aren’t as large of a storyline in “Mary Poppins Returns” as they were in the original movie due to the fact that the first movie was released in a prosperous economic epoch and this one came out post-2008? Is “Booksmart” an esoteric rite of passage movie because every character goes to an elite FAFSA-free institution? This podcast breaks it down! Future Perfect- Vox, Hosted by Dylan MatthewsThe “Future Perfect” podcast, hosted by Dylan Matthews, is the perfect podcast for the philosophical. This show attacks large-scale societal issues and looks for radical remedies. Could we stop suicide by mass-microdoing water supplies with antidepressants? Is it practical for our own district to function without Malibu’s funding? (SMMUSD is actually used as their case study in the episode “Your PTA vs. equality”). “Future Perfect” asks its listeners if saving society is worth the unforeseen effects of revolutionary reform. And while the US probably will not go pumping Prozac into its reservoirs in the coming months, there is no harm in thinking outside-the-box every now and then. Tiny Meat Gang- TMG, Hosted by Cody Ko and Noel MillerI admit that “Tiny Meat Gang” is not the most “academic” podcast, however, it is absolutely hilarious. In this podcast, Youtubers Cody Ko and Noel Miller just let their stream of consciousness flow for an hour and if you ever have a desire to hear “dumb boy humor” or listen to someone complain about putting together a stand-up comedy tour, this podcast is the place for you. Ko and Miller put out weekly episodes (which they always remind you can be accessed via their patreon) and if your Friday is missing 98 minutes of millenials roasting each other, you should check it out. Exponent- Hosted by Ben Thompson and James Allworth“Exponent” is a digestible tech podcast. They break down Silicon Valley (and its drama) for those who are illiterate in Java. “Exponent,” which is hosted over a Skype call from the hosts who live in Australia and Asia, dives into topics like Uber’s fund-hemorrhaging and Apple’s neglect of the Macbook. Allworth and Thompson comment on IPOs and inferior software that the naked (non-tech savvy) eye may be ignorant to and overall, I think it’s a great way to stay knowledgeable about the devices that help us run our lives.