In this first episode of 2026, I speak with Am Johal and Matt Stern, authors of the "O My Friends, There Is No Friend: The Politics of Friendship at the End of Ecology" (2025) to better understand what friendship means these days... at the "end of ecology". Is friendship political? Can an AI chatbot be a friend? Recorded Jan 16, 2026. Released Jan 19, 2026.

Matt Hern, Am Johal O My Friends, There is No Friend (pdf)

https://library.oapen.org/bitstream/id/022e1f6f-f14a-4c11-a94c-c95610919f8c/9783839470268.pdf

Below the Radar podcast:

https://www.sfu.ca/vancity-office-community-engagement/below-the-radar-podcast.html

***

New Cover art by Oona Ode!

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Friendship, with Am Johal and Matt Hern