

Downstream: Masculinity, Modern Love, and Mental Health w/ Blindboy
7 snips Jul 7, 2025
Blindboy, the enigmatic Irish artist and podcaster known for his unique storytelling and masked persona, dives deep into the intertwining histories of Ireland and Palestine, revealing their shared struggles against colonial forces. He addresses the misappropriation of anti-colonial songs by the far-right in Ireland and critiques societal attitudes toward masculinity and mental health. With a blend of humor and history, Blindboy encourages greater emotional literacy and authentic connections in a rapidly changing world.
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Kayfabe Politics: Humor Masks Cruelty
- Trump uses humor and memes to create a kayfabe-like political theater that disguises cruelty as a joke.
- This constant humor dulls the perception of fascist actions and challenges traditional solemnity in politics.
Social Media Fuels Toxic Interactions
- Social media encourages disinhibited, aggressive behavior unlike real life interactions.
- Platforms are designed to maximize engagement through high-arousal emotions like outrage and fear.
Bootcut Jeans and Clubbing Memories
- Blindboy recalls men in bootcut jeans awkwardly bumping and grinding at nightclubs in his 20s.
- Smoking areas served as social spaces to ease conversation and human connection then.