The Problem with Reading
The Problem with Reading
A book appreciation club hosted by one catholic, one anglican, and one orthodox nerd. We talk about book chapters, special topics, and what we're drinking.
Currently:
-James Scott's Seeing Like a State (502-present)
Previously:
-Jacques Ellul's Propaganda: The Formation of Men's Attitudes (421-427, 429)
-Carl Trueman's Rise and Triumph of the Modern Self (407-410, 412-413, 415-416)
-Neil Postman's Amusing Ourselves to Death (402 and 405)
-Richard Weaver's Ideas Have Consequences (314-318)
-Iain McGilchrist's The Master and His Emissary (213-310)
-Alasdair MacIntyre's After Virtue (101-114,116-119)
You can find this podcast on most podcast applications, Itunes, Spotify, and Soundcloud.
Currently:
-James Scott's Seeing Like a State (502-present)
Previously:
-Jacques Ellul's Propaganda: The Formation of Men's Attitudes (421-427, 429)
-Carl Trueman's Rise and Triumph of the Modern Self (407-410, 412-413, 415-416)
-Neil Postman's Amusing Ourselves to Death (402 and 405)
-Richard Weaver's Ideas Have Consequences (314-318)
-Iain McGilchrist's The Master and His Emissary (213-310)
-Alasdair MacIntyre's After Virtue (101-114,116-119)
You can find this podcast on most podcast applications, Itunes, Spotify, and Soundcloud.
Episodes
Mentioned books
Nov 27, 2024 • 1h 17min
429 The Problem with..."Final Thoughts, the Unabomber, and Propaganda, Part 7"
**Dear Listener, if you listened to our Propagandistic escapades, or even just one or two episodes, we'd love to hear your questions, hot takes, and objections. Submit questions, written or audio, to "The Problem with Reading Podcast" Facebook page, and we'll endeavor to answer them in a future episode!**
In this packed episode, we close out our journey through Jacques Ellul's "Propaganda" with all the top takeaways you need to know. Can we beat propaganda? How should we think about advertising and social media? Did the Unabomber have a point? These answers and more!
Nov 15, 2024 • 1h 20min
428 The Problem with..."Booktok and Publishing" ft. Ellen
The quest for peasant illiteracy has finally led to the belly of the beast: the Publishing Industry. And literary agent Ellen is the perfect intrepid insider to explain its nuances and absurdities, explicate Booktok, and also talk down the boys from getting book burnings going again. At the end, everyone pitches their novel ideas. Have a listen!
Nov 2, 2024 • 1h 1min
427 The Problem with..."Democracy, Televised Mass, and Propaganda, Part 6"
We finally reach the fifth and final chapter of Jacques Ellul's Propaganda: The Socio-Political Effects. In a world where ideology itself is subject to propagandistic forces, do ideas like democracy and freedom mean anything? Can religion use propagandistic techniques and escape unscathed? The answers will depress you! Have a listen!
Oct 11, 2024 • 1h 9min
426 The Problem with..."Earthquakes, Eclipses, and Propaganda, Part 5"
Propaganda does psychological damage, no matter what side it comes from. In Chapter 4: "Psychological Effects of Propaganda" Jacques Ellul lays out the alienation, crystallization, and ambiguous demoralization of propaganda. The hosts wrestle with the seeming similarities between religion and psychological techniques, the need to commit oneself to something bigger than yourself, and how to get out of this puzzle. Also--earthquakes make the internet work as intended (temporarily), sticky floors, and totality. Have a listen!
May 6, 2024 • 59min
425 The Problem with..."Street Tacos and Propaganda, Part 4"
Propaganda is necessary for governments, and you crave it. So says Jacques Ellul in chapter 3 of "Propaganda: The Formation of Men's Attitudes." Aside from the objective necessity of Propaganda to the modern state, Ellul's hatred of the psychology of cities, and some struggle sessioning as to the hosts psychological triggers, the boys find some time to rant about DC's 12 seasons, passport bureaucrats, and street tacos portion size. Have a listen!
(Free online text: https://theanarchistlibrary.org/library/jacques-ellul-propaganda)
Apr 22, 2024 • 1h 1min
424 The Problem with..."Souped Art and Propaganda, Part 3" (fixed)
The propaganda extravaganza continues with chapter 2 of "Propaganda: The Formation of Men's Attitudes" by Jacques Ellul! In this episode we get into the conditions necessary for propaganda--the double sided coin of individualism and mass society, mass media, and information deluge. Also--health systems, more math from Stephen, and why the modern environmentalist movement needs better representatives.
Cream o' Nihilism Soup: cracksinpomo.substack.com/p/cream-o-nihilism-soup
(Free online text: https://theanarchistlibrary.org/library/jacques-ellul-propaganda)
Apr 8, 2024 • 1h 3min
423 The Problem with..."Advertising and Propaganda, Part 2"
We finish the first chapter of "Propaganda: The Formation of Men's Attitudes" by Jacques Ellul. There's a bit of heat over the propaganda of advertising, some reflections on libertarian summer camp and homeschool propaganda, and the question of public school as horizontal propaganda. Rants are esoteric math, love letters, and the Oscars--have a listen!
Resist the Machine Apocalypse: firstthings.com/article/2024/03/resist-the-machine-apocalypse
(Free online text: https://theanarchistlibrary.org/library/jacques-ellul-propaganda)
Mar 24, 2024 • 1h 3min
422 The Problem with..."Bripes and Propaganda, Part 1"
We dive deep into the first chapter of "Propaganda: The Formation of Men's Attitudes" by Jacques Ellul, and only brush the surface. Total propaganda, technique, the 1619 project, school board meetings, and Arianism all make an appearance. Have a listen!
Bripes: youtube.com/watch?v=tltBHjmIUJ0
(Free online text: theanarchistlibrary.org/library/jacques-ellul-propaganda)
19 snips
Mar 10, 2024 • 38min
421 The Problem with... "Propaganda by Jacques Ellul"
Dive into the world of Jacques Ellul's insights on propaganda and its powerful influence on today’s society. The hosts connect historical contexts with modern examples, shedding light on how technology shapes our perceptions. Discover the dual role of entertainment as a medium for both bias and propaganda. They critically examine the ethics of marketing in the digital realm and discuss the need for meaningful dialogue to challenge manipulative messaging. Expect humor and camaraderie while tackling these serious themes!
Feb 26, 2024 • 55min
420 The Problem with..."Shame Shelves and Shortlists"
A relaxed meta week of book shelves, book lists (short, long, and frantic), and big plans for the year. Should we read more? Yes. Will we? Unclear. Have a listen!
