Recently Weezer released an album (referred to as the "Teal Album") of faithful covers. The project began as a fan-generated joke (the cover of Toto's "Africa") and developed into a full-fledged dive into uncritical nostalgia. Adam Ray Adkins (Dirt, Son of the Earth) joins the show today to talk about how Mark Fisher's classic Capitalist Realism helps us understand and critique this album. What is laudable about Weezer's project? How is Capitalist Realism related to postmodernism? What can we gain by comparing Weezer and Kurt Cobain? All this plus an announcement about this summer's planned SR hiatus.
Links: The Cedars by John Vanderslice Dirt: Son of Earth "Local Girl Convinces Weezer to Cover "Africa"" "Understanding Weezer" "Africa" by Angel City Chorale SNL Weezer Skit
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Get out your red Swingline staplers, everyone. Danny Anderson is joined by Jordan Poss and Jeffrey Carter for a fun, lively discussion about the enduring appeal of Mike Judge's 1999 classic, 'Office Space.' What makes Judge's work so effective? (hint- it's all in the details). What was it about office life that this film captures? One of the most memeable movies ever turns 20 this week, and the Sectarian Review Podcast is there.
Discover how Goethe's Faust provides the template for the modern world. How does his version of the scholar who sells his soul to the Devil inspire and describe our world? Patrick Higgins joins the show this week to discuss the Faustian tale, theology, capitalism, Marxism, Evangelical Trumpism and ritual magic.
Links: From Pen and Screen: Manifestophilis: Ritual, Medium, Turnings Blueprint Revisions Manifestopheles: An Investigation into the Faustian Nature of Adaptation Theater Productions Sinful Dialectic Review of Patrick Higgins’ stage version of Faust Marshall Berman’s All That is Solid Melts into Air Owls at Dawn Podcast 
A super-special episode for Thanksgiving and Black Friday! This week the show explores an episode of the Cartoon Network show The Amazing World of Gumball called “The Money.” The episode humorously shows how under capitalism, human beings effectively cease to exist without money. Making this episode extra-special, however is the fact that Danny is joined by his wife, Kim, and their two daughters, Nora and Ella. The whole Anderson family tackles the subject with humor and insight and the Anderson youngsters will blow you away with their brains and charm. Tune in before giving up Thanksgiving for Black Friday!
Recorded live at the 2018 Mount Aloysius College Charity Comic Con! Join us for a very special episode in which Chris Maverick of the Vox Popcast rejoins the show to discuss a fascinating take on the Superman mythology. Mark Millar’s “Red Son” version of the Man of Steel posits the question: what if Superman landed in the Soviet Union rather than Kansas? From this premise, Millar’s comic revises major characters: Lex Luthor becomes the quasi-heroic President of the United States, Batman becomes a Russian dissident terrorist, and Green Lantern’s ring is an artifact of the Roswell UFO crash. Red Son also ponders philosophical and political questions; about the nature of Communism and Capitalism, Superman’s innate goodness, and freedom versus happiness. In addition, the book tackles difficult theological questions about the incarnation of God among humankind. All this and much more is covered in this extra-special episode of the Sectarian Review Podcast.
Recently, Netflix produced a documentary that told the little-remembered story of a cult and its misadventures in creating a city in the Pacific Northwest. The documentary, called Wild Wild Country, follows the expoits, controversies, and crimes of the Bhagwan Shree Rajneesh and his Rajneeshi cult as they create a city in the wilderness outside Antelope, Oregon. Led by the Bhagwan’s chief lieutenant, Ma Anand Sheela, the group created a remarkable city from scratch, but fell into conflict with the local community, leading to a series of events which culminated in several major crimes. Joining Danny for this episode is first-time contributor Christopher Pipkin of Emmanuel College, and Todd Pedlar of Luther College and the Book of Nature Podcast. Pedlar also happens to have lived near the Rajneesh community during the controversy and brings a personal reflection to the discussion about cultural and religious bigotry, the marriage between religion and capitalism, and the power of cults.
Links: Wild Wild Country: On One Hand, and On the Other Too Wild Wild Country Explains Religious Freedom in America Wild Wild Country and the Dangers of Extremism 
Welcome to the 2018 Christian Humanist Radio Network Halloween Crossover! This year each of the shows in the network are examining a different film from the legendary Alfred Hitchcock. Josh Altmanshofer (of Before They Were Live) and Carter Stepper join Danny Anderson to discuss the classic film Shadow of a Doubt. The film features Joseph Cotton as a serial killer named Uncle Charlie who preys on rich widows. Uncle Charlie visits his disturbingly well-adjusted suburban family in California where his niece (and philosophical double), also named Charlie, discovers her uncle’s dark nature. Listen to a discussion about this movie’s take on nihilism, feminism, and law and order. And as with any Hitchcock film, mothers are a disturbing symbol as well, of course. Nietzsche, Batman, Thornton Wilder, Jesus, economics, phallic symbols, trains, cops, serial killers, and mothers all work their way into this fun and engaging discussion of one of Hitchcock’s most entertaining and fascinating films.
For this episode, Danny is joined by Todd Pedlar of the Book of Nature Podcast and Micah Redding, of the Christian Transhumanist Podcast to discuss the enigma that is Elon Musk. Musk has been in the news lately for erratic Twitter behavior, corporate bullying, liberally using taxpayer money to fund his vision, and smoking giant blunts on podcasts. Is he Tony Stark or a Bond villain? Learn about Musk’s philosophical vision, his transhumanist imagination, and the ways in which he may represent the worst of Silicon Valley and it’s brand of capitalist vision-making. If a messianic project is built from capital, can it serve humanity?
Links: Micah Redding Website Book of Nature Is Elon Musk Losing It? SpaceX Employees Monitor the Color Musk’s Wife’s Hair Elon Musk Calls Other CEOs to See Who’s Tweeting About Him Elon Musk is Not the Future “Folding Beijing” by Hao Jingfang RUR by Karel Capek Life 3.0 by Max Tegmark Homo Deus: A Brief History of Tomorrow, by Yuval Noah Harari 
One more dive into the philosophical and moral depths of Marvel’s Infinity War. For this episode Kristen Filipic and Kim Anderson join the show to discuss Thanos’s utilitarianism against the ethical and theological backdrop of Pope Francis’s encyclical about consumerism and the environment, “Laudato Si.” Tune in to hear: highlights from the first Infinity War episode, some context about “Laudato Si” and how it relates to consumption and Christian ethics, an exploration of the motif of self-sacrifice in the Avengers: Infinity War, the role of Wakanda in this moral play, the difficult realities of a truly “pro-life” politics, and some thoughts about Distributism. As always, please take the time to respond to what you hear!
Links: Kristen Filipic’s “Perfect Balance” “Laudato Si” William Cavanaugh on Pope Francis and Economics at Saint Mary’s College Pope John Paul II “Centesimus Annus” 
In 1988 John Carpenter, auteur of genre classics like Halloween, The Fog, Escape from New York, The Thing, and Big Trouble in Little China, wrote and directed a powerhouse cult classic movie called They Live. Starring professional wrestler Rowdy Roddy Piper, the film crossed the sci-fi, horror, action, and lowbrow comedy genres while making a potent political statement about Ronald Reagan’s America and capitalism in the late Twentieth Century. The film follows an unemployed construction worker who discovers sunglasses that reveal the subliminal messages in our advertising and the alien invaders who are manipulating mankind’s fate. Now, thirty years after its release, what does the film have to say about our world? Links: Zizek on Ideology and They Live - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TVwKjGbz60k William Cavanaugh on Religious Violence - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NS2VVLpDyWE William Cavanaugh on Consumerism - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vh22rJpL7zM&t Special thanks to the band They Live Exclamation Point: Find them and their stuff at the following links: Live show link: http://freemusicarchive.org/music/They_Live_The_Movie_The_Band/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/They-Live-Exclamation-Point-418270938256359/ Bandcamp: https://tempdomain17.bandcamp.com/ 
For this special May 1 edition of the show, Danny Anderson and Nathan Gilmour discuss a new book by Plough Publishing. In celebration of his upcoming canonization, Plough has published a series of homilies by Archbishop Oscar Romero called The Scandal of Redemption. Romero, who was assassinated in 1980 for his outspoken defense of El Salvador’s economically and politically oppressed citizens, was a divisive figure in Catholicism in his life. His political work, inspired in large part by the murder of his friend, Father Rutilio Grande, identified him with Liberation Theology for many Christians, who feared this movement’s association with Communism. The truth about Romero’s beliefs is much more nuanced and complex, however. Through his homilies (delivered as radio addresses to the nation’s poor), the truth about Romero’s political beliefs, and their intricate relationship to Catholic Theology, is revealed. The show wishes to thank Plough Publishing for providing exam copies of this wonderful book.
Also, don’t forget to submit a proposal to the upcoming Mount Aloysius College Conference on Teaching. If you want to learn more about effective teaching methods, this conference is a wonderful opportunity, and Danny Anderson would love to meet you in person! Proposals due by May 18 (see link below). Links The Scandal of Redemption, by Oscar Romero Torture and Eucharist, by William T. Cavanaugh The Ministry of Special Cases, by Nathan Englander Mount Aloysius Conference on College Teaching 
Steven Spielberg's film adaptation of Ernest Cline’s divisive 2011 novel is the subject of this episode. Jordan Poss of Piedmont Technical College and Nathan Magee of Mount Aloysius College join Danny for this discussion. Cline’s novel, though initially beloved suffered the scorn of critics in the wake of Gamergate. How has Spielberg’s adaptation addressed those concerns? What is it about the 1980s that fosters such nostalgia right now? What political position does this film take on consumerism and corporations? Exactly what kind of an artist is Spielberg and why is he obsessed with Stanley Kubrick? All this and much much more!
Links: Constance Grady, “The Ready Player One Backlash Explained Inkoo Kang, “Ready Player One Is a Feat of State-of-the-Art Pop Culture Navel-Gazing” Yuval Leven The Fractured Republic Warren Ellis Transmetropolitan  Danny is joined by Rob Osborn and Kim Anderson for a discussion about the philosophy of Minimalism, a lifestyle of reducing one's possessions and overall footprint. Focusing on the 2015 documentary Minimalism, the trio discuss consumerism, a healthy materialism, spirituality, and class privilege. And bonus (!) listen to the first two submissions to the Sectarian Review fake ad contest. Get your submissions in by August 15!
Links: The Art of Letting Go | The Minimalists | TEDxFargo How might your life be better with less? Joshua Fields Millburn and Ryan Nicodemus, known to their 4 million readers as "The Minimalists," are the executive… https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w7rewjFNiys Marie Kondo and the Ruthless War on Stuff J oy points upward, according to Marie Kondo, whose name is now a verb and whose nickname is being trademarked and whose life has become a philosophy. In April… http://ift.tt/29oF8iZ "Minimalism, Spirituality, and Why it Matters" by Joshua Becker Journey Church Meets Sundays @ 9 & 10:30 AM Liberty Auditorium http://ift.tt/zYaYLP video production by Jeff Cools Productions http://ift.tt/1usB3iZ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I2qIRr51zBo Investopedia Video: Veblen Good Named after economist Thorstein Veblen, who introduced the term "conspicuous consumption," a Veblen good is one whose demand increases as its price increases… https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=56TIQ1rcHek bush: go out and shop Find out why AnarchyEnsues Loading... Unsubscribe from AnarchyEnsues? Working... 14 Loading... Loading... Working... Want to watch this again later? Sign in to… https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fxk9PW83VCY Story of Stuff (2007, OFFICIAL Version) From its extraction through sale, use and disposal, all the stuff in our lives affects communities at home and abroad, yet most of this is hidden from view. The… https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9GorqroigqM Century of the Self https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eJ3RzGoQC4s How Much Cotton Does it Take to Make a Shirt? Cotton has been around for thousands of years, but it's drawing new interest these days with talk of sustainable clothing. That soft and comfy T-shirt you… http://ift.tt/2vK1eod Study: Child Laborers In Bangladesh Are Working 64 Hours A Week Babu, 8, works at a brick factory in Narayanganj, Bangladesh. KM Asad/LightRocket via Getty Images In Bangladesh, a new report finds, impoverished children are… http://ift.tt/2gc0l3O 10% Happier http://www.10percenthappier.com/mindfulness-meditation-the-basics/ McMansion Hell http://mcmansionhell.com/ Project 333 https://bemorewithless.com/project-333/ |
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