The hosts dive into the absurdities of political culture, debating the term 'Edipasi' and its relation to power dynamics. They explore personal feelings of despair linked to political disillusionment, revealing vivid dreams tied to previous elections. Humor meets cynicism as they critique the commercialization of civic spaces and the clash of community values. A quirky story unfolds about dubious businessmen commissioning portraits to boost their status, only to be hilariously unmasked by an art critic.

Daniel Lavery, author of "Women's Hotel" and former Slate columnist, joins to discuss his richly woven narrative about the lives of women in midcentury New York. He shares insights on character development and the complexities of good intentions versus cruelty. The conversation touches on nostalgia, the significance of food memories, and the longing for community amid urban displacement. Lavery explores identity and emotional landscapes, highlighting how literature can profoundly connect and resonate with us.

Dive into an exploration of cinematic dreams with intriguing discussions on Tarkovsky's artistry and Hitchcock's portrayal of male fantasy. The conversation weaves through Lynch's nightmarish visions and Zizek's unique rhetorical flair. The hosts probe the complexities of desire, pondering whether true connection can emerge from the contradictions of sexual relationships. Engaging insights into psychoanalysis and contemporary culture make for a thought-provoking listen!

Sabrina Strings, a UC Santa Barbara professor and author of "The End of Love," joins the discussion to explore the complex intertwining of race, gender, and romance. She critiques how historical notions of love, from courtly ideals to modern realities, perpetuate societal inequalities. The conversation delves into the harmful archetype of the 'fuckboy' and its roots in media portrayals, challenging listeners to rethink romantic norms. Strings emphasizes the need for an evolved understanding of love that defies traditional constraints and embraces inclusivity.

Lisa Borst and Mark Krotov, co-editors of n+1 literary magazine, celebrate its 20th anniversary while discussing the evolving landscape of political and cultural critique. They delve into the critical relationship between writers and editors, emphasizing how this bond shapes good writing. The duo reflects on the impact of the Iraq War and the Trump administration on discourse, advocating for long-form essays amid rapid news cycles. They also explore the complexities of personal narratives in memoirs and the nuanced challenges of editing and collaboration in the literary world.

J.D. Vance, a political candidate known for his critical takes on contemporary issues, joins fellow candidate Tim Walz for a thought-provoking discussion. They delve into the proxy dynamics of political debates, highlighting how candidates represent complex ideologies while masking deeper tensions. The conversation critiques the media’s role in normalizing extreme political sentiments and examines the uneasy balance between civil discourse and alarming rhetoric. Listeners gain insights into the strategies politicians use to appear relatable while sidestepping pressing questions.

Dive into a wild analysis of the cult classic "Heathers." Explore the unique language and character archetypes that define teenage life in the film. Unpack the complexities of father-son dynamics and the destructive paths they navigate. Reflect on how familial relationships shape violent tendencies and their impact on community politics. Plus, ponder the societal changes since the movie's release, especially concerning themes of violence and adolescent angst.

In a captivating discussion, Taylor Swift—a cultural phenomenon celebrated for her music and storytelling—explores the deep connections her songs forge with listeners' identities. The conversation touches on concepts like 'Taylor Swift amnesia' and the positive impact of her Eras Tour, symbolizing personal growth. They delve into themes of body image, the psychological toll of fame, and the complexities of navigating relationships in the public eye. Reflecting on nostalgia, they reveal how her music shapes emotional experiences throughout different life stages.

Abby, Patrick, and Dan welcome the incomparable Liz Franczak of TrueAnon! The topic is conspiracy theories, from real to imagined, documented to discredited, ludicrous to all-too-likely, and more. The first half of the episode is ground-clearing and working through some basic questions. They unpack the phrase “conspiracy theory,” tracking its shift over the twentieth century from a neutral term to a label redolent with scorn, dismissal, and even pathologization. They explore how this trajectory has reflected anxieties about modernity, technology, and mass movements in general and communism specifically. Sharing some of their own experiences of getting “conspiracy-pilled,” they think through the ways in which the charge of having a “conspiracy theory” or being a “conspiracy theorist” functions in contemporary politics and popular discourse. If a “conspiracy theory” suggests a general way of knowing, an outlook on the world and events, what satisfactions does that provide – both for conspiracy “theorists” and those who marginalize them? Of what do today’s conspiracy theories suggest themselves to be symptoms? And how can we productively understand both the appeals and pitfalls of conspiratorial thinking in our own moment, for better and for worse?In the second half of the episode, the group takes up a singular object – the “rich text” that is Conspiracy Theory (1997). Directed by Richard Donner (of Lethal Weapon fame), this bizarre thriller-mystery-romcom-fusion stars Mel Gibson as a disturbed taxi driver/conspiracy-newsletter-writer and Julia Roberts as a hard-charging federal prosecutor haunted by the murder of her father; Patrick Stewart also appears as an American-accented former MK Ultra scientist turned private sector assassin puppet master working for the New World Order (maybe? he has a black helicopter). Anyway, the film’s a wild mess, but the overstuffed plot (and Dan’s capable navigation thereof) allows Liz, Abby, and Patrick to read the film as: (1) a quaint artifact of a distinctively conspiracy-friendly moment (the Clinton 1990s); (2) the uncanny expression of social anxieties on the threshold of a new millennium of internet-poisoned paranoia; (3) a  mystical tale of the dialectic between Belief and Truth, sublated into Love via an Oedipal victory in which nobody can have sex. Plus: our favorite conspiracy theories (good), Mel and Hutton Gibson’s favorite conspiracy theories (very bad), and a very special closeout.You can find more Liz at https://www.patreon.com/TrueAnonPod (we especially recommend TrueAnon’s incredible series The Game, an investigation of Synanon and the troubled teen industry)Have you noticed that Freud is back? Got questions about psychoanalysis? Or maybe you’ve traversed the fantasy and lived to tell the tale? Leave us a voicemail! (646) 450-0847 A podcast about psychoanalysis, politics, pop culture, and the ways we suffer now. New episodes on Saturdays. Follow us on social media: Linktree: https://linktr.ee/OrdinaryUnhappiness Twitter: @UnhappinessPod Instagram: @OrdinaryUnhappiness Patreon: patreon.com/OrdinaryUnhappiness Theme song: Formal Chicken - Gnossienne No. 1 https://open.spotify.com/album/2MIIYnbyLqriV3vrpUTxxO Provided by Fruits Music

Subscribe to get access to the full episode, the episode reading list, and all premium episodes! www.patreon.com/OrdinaryUnhappinessAbby, Patrick, and Dan process last night’s Trump-Harris debate. They talk about the pleasures of domination, perverse and otherwise; the power of identifications over and against appeals to statistics; narcissistic rage in the face of symbolic castration; and the meaning of “libidinal economy.” They also get frank about abortion, nativism, and the grotesque stakes of Trump’s xenophobia.A podcast about psychoanalysis, politics, pop culture, and the ways we suffer now. New episodes on Saturdays. Follow us on social media:  Linktree: https://linktr.ee/OrdinaryUnhappiness Twitter: @UnhappinessPod Instagram: @OrdinaryUnhappiness Patreon: patreon.com/OrdinaryUnhappiness Theme song: Formal Chicken - Gnossienne No. 1 https://open.spotify.com/album/2MIIYnbyLqriV3vrpUTxxO Provided by Fruits Music