Listen to These Podcasts to Avoid Groupthink in Our Increasingly Political and Social Climate
It’s easy to click a link that someone you follow posted and to just believe what you read. It’s important that we check sources and read carefully. These podcasts introduce some nuance to our increasingly connected world.
This is guest blog post, written by Sarah Doh of the Immigrantly podcast. EarBuds Podcast Collective is a listening movement. We send an email that contains a theme and 5 podcast episodes on that theme, and each week is curated by a different person. Anyone can curate a list. We also publish blog posts, written by curators who want to show off their favorite podcasts. In this blog post, read on to learn about podcasts that address social issues like race and politics — and how the two are intersecting now more than ever.
In an age of misinformation and overgeneralization, it’s important to bring forth conversations that address the nuances of social issues. Take the topic of immigration, for example. It’s no secret that immigration issues have always been at the forefront of the American political arena.
You can’t be an American politician without having a strong stance on immigration. Why? The American people care about immigration. It’s a key factor in what distinguishes political views. Wherever you fall on the political spectrum, you’re bound to have an opinion on immigration. This isn’t much of a surprise, considering this nation is built on patterns of immigration and continues to sustain itself through these patterns. Our economy, technological developments, pop culture, and our strongest institutions all have a direct relationship to the efforts of immigrants. Our relationship with other countries that determine our role as a global entity are impacted by immigration. Like it or not, immigration is hugely important.
However, much of the discourse surrounding immigration in America has been reduced to one-dimensional narratives, usually motivated by a political agenda. But, how many Americans are acutely aware of the aforementioned ways that immigration affects our nation? How many Americans are adequately familiar with our immigration process, our laws, or the different ways that power structures play out in implementing and enforcing immigration policy?
The unfortunate answer is, not as many as we may hope. This lack of insight has been highlighted to us in the masses of people who are willing to believe and uphold one-dimensional, generalized ideas about immigration. Outlets of misinformation that circulate on our Internet make it increasingly difficult to eradicate this issue.
We’re becoming more connected to each other. Our thoughts, concerns, and beliefs are just a few taps of a phone away. Unfortunately, this uptick in the accessibility of exchanging ideas is not making us smarter. Now, more than ever, it’s easier to think in extremes. Ideas condensed into bite-sized posts and character limits can encourage one to think in general terms. However, the public collective is being encouraged to follow patterns of groupthink. The world and the issues inside of it are not black and white. There is no reason for us to think otherwise. We must foster critical thinking that only comes when an individual is committed to understanding the nuances of the topic they wish to understand.
This is why the role of podcasts that tackle these issues has become increasingly important. We need to be able to access conversations with a diverse group of experts that provide invaluable perspectives. In order for us to tackle misinformation, we need the truth, as complicated as it may be.
This also applies to topics that don’t seem inherently “political.”
Take yoga, for example. It’s a popular activity enjoyed by people from all backgrounds. In Western culture, it has cemented itself as a pillar of wellness culture. It’s components of stress reduction, connecting to your body, and facilitating grounding methods of thinking make it a useful tool for a country that overwhelmingly operates on the 9-to-5 day. You can’t walk through the downtown area of a city without at least seeing one yoga studio.
But what we don’t talk about is that through our current practices, yoga is often taken out of its intended cultural and spiritual context. If you were to ask your modern day yoga student to break down the historical background of yoga, do you think they could? How many could adequately tell you where “namaste” comes from and what it actually means?
This isn’t to allude to the fact that Westerners who practice yoga are all intentionally acting out of the intent to appropriate. The unfortunate truth is, most of them are not made to consider these types of things. How many yoga teachers are lecturing their students about the proper cultural and spiritual practices in between Child’s Pose and Downward Dog?
That is precisely why conversations that aim to address such nuances are crucial to a globalized society.
In Immigrantly’s episode, “Decolonizing Yoga,” we spoke with yoga speaker, teacher, and therapist, Susanna Barkataki about the true meaning of practicing yoga. Susanna gave us insight into the history of yoga along with the crucial spiritual component of the practice.
Susanna also helped us distinguish the lines of what is considered cultural appropriation.
“Cultural appropriation always involves two things:
One is a power imbalance, so one group [has] more systemic power than the other and two, [whether there is] harm to the source culture that the resources are being taken from.
For example, if I go and eat in a Thai restaurant [as a non-Thai person] but I go enjoy a lovely meal, and then I pay for that meal, say thank you and leave a great review. That's not cultural appropriation. In terms of power, there's kind of an equality there. I'm not causing harm.
But if I was to go to Thailand and take a Thai custom, Thai designs, or Thai necklaces that were in particular to that culture, and bring it to the west to package it, market it and sell it, that would be appropriation.”
After we released our episode, we got an overwhelming response from people who practice yoga saying how enlightening this conversation had been. Many people, including us, didn’t know that Yoga is an earth based and elemental practice that developed alongside many different religions such as Hinduism, Jainism, Buddhism, and later Islam. It never was the purview of just one religion. But, Susanna taught us that in the current situation, the practice of yoga is being used by Hindu national and fundamentalist governments to reinforce their own agendas. Our listeners left the conversation feeling as though they had retained crucial information that brought a rich depth to their yoga practice.
That being said, here is a curated list of amazing podcasts that tackle social issues pertaining to immigration, race, indigenous rights, and other important social issues. They offer such amazing insight onto relevant issues. And the best part is that they’re free to listen to.
The ten podcasts that we want to highlight are:
“All My Relations”- an Indigenous podcast hosted by activists Matika Wilbur (Swinomish and Tulalip) and Adrienne Keene (Cherokee Nation) to explore indigenous relationships— relationships to land, to their “creatural” relatives, and to one another. The podcast aims to address the way that Native people are represented in the media. You can find them on Instagram at @amrpodcast
“Hyphenated America”- hosted by two college students, Sophia and Maria, that breaks down immigration policy through conversations with experts, lawyers, politicians and more. Instagram: @hyphenatedamerica
“Mixed Company”- hosted by Simeon Coker and Kai Deveraux Lawson, they address topics of diversity and inclusion within the advertising world. Instagram: @askmixedcompany
“Environmental Impressions for All”- hosted by Puji and Earthly Donnie. They are providing a GEN-Z perspective on environmental topics affecting our communities today. Earthly Donnie is an undergraduate researcher studying Environmental Studies focused in Policy, Planning, and Law. Puji is currently exploring a graduate field path of Smart Cities. Puji holds his undergraduate degree in Sustainable Energy Management. Puji and Earthly Donnie represent first gen college students. Topics explored: environmental justice, policy, current news, climate change, environment, urban, clean energy, green new deal. Instagram: @environmentalimpressions
“Black Girl in Om”- hosted by Lauren Ash, in their words, “is a warm embrace, soothing realness, and conscious girl talk.” Black Girl In Om exists to hold and heal black women and women of color around the world on their unique wellness journeys, mending us from the inside out. Conversations take place with wellness and Spirit-centered guests across various industries to talk about all things self-care and self-love, spiritual awakening, intergenerational healing, and more. Instagram: @blackgirlinom
“The Heart”- is an audio art project about intimacy and humanity. Founded by Kaitlin Prest, The Heart is a community of writers, radio makers and artists who make personal documentary work about bodies, love, power dynamics, and all of the invisible things in the air between humans. The Heart ceased production in 2018 and is now being revived with a new creative team and a new commitment to radical feminist artmaking. Instagram: @theheartradio
“Mental: The Podcast to Destigmatize Mental Health”- hosted by Bobby Temps and Danielle Hogan, it aims to break down mental health stigma and discrimination. Each week joined by a special guest, the podcast is a safe space to hear honest and insightful mental health interviews in the hope listeners will feel more empowered to continue the conversation with others. Instagram: @mentalpodcast
“Intersectional Media” is a Toronto-based podcast hosted by two Black women named Shairina and Sam. Together, they discuss how pop culture, personal identity, and current events intersect within the media industry. Their motto is: “nurture, uplift, motivate” Instagram: @intersectionalmedia
“The Anti-Racism Daily Podcast”- hosted by Nicole Cardoza. Each week, she unpacks the most critical current events preventing the collective from being well – and outlines tangible ways you can take action in your relationships, neighborhood, workplace and community. Instagram: @antiracismdaily
“Tell Them, I Am”- by KPCC Southern California Public Radio, hosted by Mischa Euceph. It is a show about the small moments that define who we are and who we are not. The stories are universal; the voices are all Muslim. They’ve featured prominent figures like Tan France, Ramy Youssef, and more. Available on all streaming sites.
While we can’t blame ourselves for not knowing something, we can certainly do something about it. The more we make the continued effort to expand our ways of thinking, we will see similar patterns reflected in our society and culture. In our ever-digital age, there simply isn’t an excuse to not seek the answers. Immigrantly and these other fantastic podcasts should get you started. Find us on immigrantlypod.com and wherever you get your podcasts.
Hey, readers! Did you enjoy this blog post? We wanted to combine two of our favorite things: podcast listening and guest contributions. Do you have an idea for a blog post that combines podcasts with your favorite things? Let us know! We’d love for you to write a guest blog post for us!
