The Making of Musk: Understood
CBC
Understood takes you deep inside the seismic shifts reshaping our world right now. From online porn and crypto chaos to the rise of tech oligarchs, deepfake AI, and the broken promises of the internet — we explore the stories that define our digital age with hosts and characters embedded in the heart of the action.Season 1 - The Naked Emperor: the rise and fall of bitcoin king Sam Bankman-Fried.Season 2 - The Pornhub Empire: the story of how a Montreal-founded company came to dominate the adult industry.Season 3 - Modi’s India: how one man rose from poverty to the peak of political power.Season 4 - Céline: the surprising cultural, political and business alchemy that created a superstar.Season 5 - Who Broke the Internet? The internet sucks now, and it happened on purpose.
Episodes
Mentioned books
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12 snips
Apr 28, 2025 • 4min
Introducing Understood: Who Broke the Internet?
Cory Doctorow dives into the decline of the internet, revealing how commercialization turned a promising platform into a playground of ads and algorithms. He introduces the concept of 'inshittification,' highlighting the deliberate choices of powerful figures that led to today's chaos. The discussion raises critical questions about the accountability of online spaces and presents a roadmap for how we can reclaim the internet. Prepare for an eye-opening journey through the tangled web we've created!
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Nov 5, 2024 • 33min
Céline Episode 4: The Céline-aissance
In the aftermath of René Angélil’s death, a Céline-aissance. But then, illness strikes. In the final episode of Céline: Understood, a look at her recent years, and why her fame endures.
Oct 29, 2024 • 31min
Céline Episode 3: The Globalization of Céline
Céline Dion becomes inescapable in the mid-nineties with her hit song from the Titanic soundtrack, My Heart Will Go On. She achieves a unique level of global fame, earning fans from Jamaica to Iraq. But her ubiquity will also inspire a backlash in North America.
Oct 22, 2024 • 30min
Céline Episode 2: The U.S. Gamble
With her manager René Angélil by her side, Céline Dion is starting to crossover into the US. But there’s a secret René and Céline have been keeping: one René feared could stop Céline’s blooming career in its tracks.
Oct 15, 2024 • 38min
Céline Episode 1: Conquering Québec
Céline Dion slept in a drawer as a baby born into a poor francophone Catholic family in Québec. At 12, she gets discovered in an office in Montreal, and she becomes a rising star in the insular constellation of Québec celebrity. But just as Céline is trying to break into English Canada, political tensions are running high in Québec. And some accuse her of selling out.
Oct 8, 2024 • 3min
Introducing Céline: Understood
Céline Dion is having a moment. It’s not her first. And millions of fans are hoping it won’t be her last. While Céline’s international stardom seems obvious now, it was all so unlikely. This four-part series hosted by Céline expert Thomas Leblanc explores the surprising cultural, political and business alchemy that created one of the most enduring superstars the planet has ever seen. Four episodes releasing weekly starting on Tuesday, October 15, 2024.
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Jun 5, 2024 • 18min
BONUS: Modi’s weak win
Prime Minister Narendra Modi may have narrowly won a third term, but without a majority government, his grip on power appears weaker than ever. On this bonus episode of Modi’s India: Understood, host Salimah Shivji and producer Joyita Sengupta talk about the surprising results of the Indian election. Access the transcript for this episode here.
May 27, 2024 • 43min
Modi's India Episode 4: The Storyteller
Exploring Modi's leadership qualities and the evolution of Indian cinema, the podcast delves into the impact of political influence on creative freedom in the media industry. It also discusses Modi's rhetoric and Muslim exclusion, the political landscape in India, and the themes of unity and resilience in modern India.
May 20, 2024 • 38min
Modi's India Episode 3: The Strongman
Exploring Modi's strong leadership image, the podcast delves into escalating tensions and civil unrest in India, including crackdowns on dissent and accusations of government ties to assassination plots. It also covers the farmer protests in Punjab and the resurgence of Khalistani elements amidst the civil movements, shedding light on the challenges to Modi's authority.
May 13, 2024 • 32min
Modi's India Episode 2: Development Man
Exploring Narendra Modi's rise to power, from controversial past to economic reforms. Discussion on his efforts to attract investments and focus on sanitation issues. Analysis of vigilante violence against Muslims, rise of Hindu nationalism, and Modi's development agenda for a strong India.
