Attack Ads! The Podcast

Propaganda is not just a thing that happens in the here and now. Dig well enough, and you might find old institutional knowledge that started originally as a conspiratorial plot designed to sway society. Make such propaganda profitable enough, and we find ourselves in a world described by the title to Episode 267: Breathing Together, Choking Apart.  Find the Show Notes Page at: https://attackadspodcast.blogspot.com/2025/07/episode-267-breathing-together-choking.html

When propaganda falls, it can lead to social impacts more powerful than kinetic weapons.  The troubles come when the propagandists conceal their manipulation of society with misdirecting propaganda that we have trouble detecting, let alone responding to effectively.  Which brings us to today's Episode 266: Garbage Fires and Angry Weasels. Find the Show Notes at: https://attackadspodcast.blogspot.com/2025/07/episode-266-garbage-fires-and-angry.html

As I've quoted before, "ideas need patrons."  I'll dive into economic ideas bought by the wealthy and spread by those Chicago school economists in this Episode 265: A Stringent, Crystalline Vision. Find the Show Notes at: https://attackadspodcast.blogspot.com/2025/06/episode-265-stringent-crystalline-vision.html

Perhaps for the first time in human history, we people can now buy things more easily than we can fix them. Repair shops have become a thing only on television, even though so much of value could be repaired. I spend most of this Episode 264: Archeologists of a Bygone Age, planning my next big repair.  Find the Show Notes at: https://attackadspodcast.blogspot.com/2025/05/episode-264-archeologists-of-bygone-age.html

Ethics often interfere with profits.  When more profits are “required,” companies often face a hard choice…or an easy one.  Results vary.  I look into two compromises/profitable opportunities in this Episode 263: The Hits To Our Privates Just Keep Coming! Find the Show Notes at: http://attackadspodcast.blogspot.com/2025/05/episode-263-hits-to-our-privates-just.html

Explore the fascinating intersection of technology and privacy through the lens of a road trip memory. Delve into the historical role of propaganda in shaping economic attitudes after WWII, especially in academia. Discover how influential figures at the Chicago School of Economics crafted free-market ideologies, and the financial forces that shaped their teachings. Uncover the alliance between business elites and scholars that propelled libertarian thought forward, and its ongoing relevance in today's discussions about privacy and governmental roles.

I didn’t really know how much advertisers surveil us.  I started to look into it.  Then I stopped looking: how much we have all lost our privacy was just too scary.  I look back on 10 years of reading in this Episode 261: Ways We Are All Getting Torq'd. Find the Show Notes page at: https://attackadspodcast.blogspot.com/2025/04/episode-261-ways-we-are-all-getting.html

The discussion opens with how ideology influences everyone, even scientists. Key scientific breakthroughs reshape our view of the universe, showcasing figures like Luca Turin in sensory science. An intriguing hypothesis connects biology and quantum physics to our sense of smell, exploring societal impacts of past pandemics. The legacy of Oswald Avery sheds light on DNA research amidst misinformation challenges. Lastly, media's role in shaping ideologies is scrutinized, alongside the ongoing fight against false narratives.

Not only does a constant onslaught of information drown us, we must sift out not just business propaganda, but ideological propaganda as well.  The effort leaves us cynical.  We should blame those in the title of Episode 259: The Butchers of Certainty. Find the Show Notes at: https://attackadspodcast.blogspot.com/2025/02/episode-259-butchers-of-certainty.html

This episode dives into how the label 'foreign' escalates the perceived threat of media influence. It humorously critiques U.S. laws targeting foreign ownership while advocating for dialogue over discord in politics. The relationship between political narratives and social media's role, especially concerning American values, is scrutinized. Personal anecdotes about gluten-related terms add a relatable touch, alongside reflections on the ethics of podcast funding and the valuable companionship fostered through listener interactions.