The Bullshit Propaganda: Recent Episodes
Subashini Rajendran
The Bullshit Propaganda is all about calling bullshit on many of the social concepts and commonly accepted ideas that we’ve taken for granted, from a unique perspective. A platform for the multicultural, minority voices that are seldom heard.
In this week's episode, we call bullshit on the saying that 'People don't change'. Unlike tigers, we can definitely change our proverbial stripes, and the episode dives into the science that supports this as well. We talk about neuroplasticity, what makes people change, the way to make lasting changes in who we are, how Hogwart's house system might be slightly problematic (sorry but not sorry JK Rowling), and more. This was another solo episode with just your host, Subashini Raj, and may have gone a little rambly as usual, but I hope you enjoy listening to it.
As always, please send us your feedback, comments, and suggestions for future episodes to @thebullshitpropaganda_podcast on Instagram.
External links:
**Blog
https://medium.com/@subashini.raj.1295
Books**
1) The Woman who Changed her Brain by Barbara Arrowsmith-Young
2) How to Argue with a Racist by Adam Rutherford
Understanding neuroplasticity and how the brain changeshttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kWIagHUqD8A Producer, editor, & host: Suba (@subashiniraj)
In this week's episode, my guest, Andrea Varsha and I had a little bit of fun, talking about online dating, the murkiness of trust when making virtual connections, the possible gendered differences in social media usage, getting d**k pics, and so much more. We shared some personal stories, and had many laughs while recording this. Hope you all have just as much fun listening to it!
As always, please send us your feedback, comments, and suggestions for future episodes to @thebullshitpropaganda_podcast on Instagram.
Episode guest: Andrea Varsha (@andreavarsha)
External links:
**Blog
https://medium.com/@subashini.raj.1295
Attachment theory & online dating
https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/full/10.1177/2050157918770696
Producer, editor, & host: Suba (@subashiniraj)**
In this episode, we're calling bullshit on the notion that we can't ask for what we want because people will think of us and being too difficult, and that it will make us unattractive. This one goes out to all my folks raised in ethnic minority communities, especially my South Asian ladies, who have been told all our lives, that we will not be able to find love if we are expressive and ask for the things that we want. Whether it is in romantic relationships or professional stages, we have all at some point censored ourselves, from voicing our needs because of the fear of being rejected or taking up too much space. I really enjoyed recording this one, getting to pick my guest (Lakshmi Mohana's) brain on how she has worked on getting better at communicating her needs, and sharing a little bit on my own struggle with asking for what I want. I hope you will enjoy listening to it just as much.
As always, please send us your feedback, comments, and suggestions for future episodes to @thebullshitpropaganda_podcast on Instagram.
Episode guest: Lakshmi Mohana (@lakshmimohana)
External links:
Blog
https://medium.com/@subashini.raj.1295
Spirits podcast
https://open.spotify.com/show/66Zgg9XBzGKgHR2zV0MRVx?si=76f2a735376447f6
Producer, editor, & host: Suba (@subashiniraj)
We're back! Starting the season off with a solo episode (dw, the next ones will have guests), and this episode, we're calling bullshit on the notion that we need to have our shit together or be really good at something before we feel like our efforts are worth others' time and attention. Talking about the crippling fear a lot of us face, at some point in our lives, to live up to the expectation of perfection set for us by ourselves, or our society. I really enjoyed recording this one, and sharing a little bit on my own experience with feeling like an imposter, and hope you will enjoy listening to it just as much.
As always, please send us your feedback, comments, and suggestions for future episodes to @thebullshitpropaganda_podcast on Instagram.
External links:
The Imposter Syndrome
https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyg.2020.575024/full
The Better than Average effect
https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyg.2017.00898/full
Overcoming the Imposter Syndrome
https://www.apa.org/monitor/2021/06/cover-impostor-phenomenon
Producer, editor, & host: Suba (@subashiniraj)
The third episode of our Astrology series is here, and this time its TWIN ENERGY! We continue calling bullshit on the idea that people are one-dimensional and can be described by one sign or personality trait. We learn more about the signs that help some people shine more than others in the big screen, how Hermoine Granger might've been a Virgo and nature v.s. nurture. There's a lot of Zoe calling themselves out for being a Gemini moon & we discuss how our Type A dads may be why we are the way we are today. We tried to keep the chaos to the minimum this time, but there was obviously some that crept in.
Happy listening! And as always hit us up on IG @thebullshitpropaganda_podcast. We love your feedback, good and bad, so please keep them coming!
Hosts:
Suba @subashiniraj
Zoe @zoe.nj
It finally happened! The 2 hippies talked about spirituality and religion! Literally no one is surprised.
In this episode, we call bullshit on the idea of people using God or religion as an excuse to harm/oppress others, to enforce their views on others and just be a-holes, basically. As usual, we went off track a little, talked about the LGBTQ+ identity & pride, drooled a little over Asian male celebrities, and Dan Brown novels. We also discussed our own religious/spiritual upbringing and beliefs, what makes a person good, and of course, the role of patriarchy in ruining more things for people. As always, please feel free to send us you feedback, comments, and suggestions for future episodes on IG @thebullshitpropaganda_podcast! We'd love to hear from you.
Hosts (IG):
Zoe (@zoe.nj)
Suba (@subashiniraj)
This week's episode is a little different. We did a Q&A session, answering all the questions you'd sent to us on IG (@thebullshitpropaganda_podcast). As usual, there was some rambling and tangents that were taken, but we're proud to say we stayed on track. Mostly. We also called bullshit on antivaxxers, got a little (a lot) DARK, and probably offended a lot of people. As usual, we critiqued some of the Malaysian politics and got mad at westerners. It's definitely an informational one, and hopefully somewhat entertaining. So, happy listening!
And as always, feel free to send us your feedback, questions, or suggestions for future episodes to @thebullshitpropaganda_podcast on IG.
Hosts:
Suba (@subashiniraj)
Zoe (@zoe.nj)
This week, we're calling bullshit on the notion that periods and menstruations are "dirty", that they are private topics, only to be discussed behind closed doors. We talk about period products, pads vs tampons, cramps, period leaves, the role of privilege, and the tabooing of menstrual and sexual health topics in our society. We also veer into sex and virginity, especially in women, and the importance it has been given in Asian (and other) cultures. We loved having this conversation, and hope you will enjoy listening to it just as much.
As always, please send us your feedback, comments, and suggestions for future episodes to @thebullshitpropaganda_podcast on Instagram.
Hosts:
Suba (@subashiniraj)
Zoe (@zoe.nj)
It's almost the end of Taurus season and we're back with another instalment of our Astrology series. Calling bullshit on the idea that astrology is a hoax. We also talk about how there are multiple sides to everyone, the idea of being "fake" vs just warming up to people, love languages, how there are 2 sides to everything, and so much more. Suba who is Taurus moon also gets put on a little bit of blast this episode, plus just more of the usual chaotic banter between the two of us. Happy listening!
And as usual, please send us your comments, feedbacks, and suggestions for future episodes to @thebullshitpropaganda_podcast on IG.
Hosts:
Suba (@subashiniraj)
Zoe (@zoe.nj)
It took us only 17 episodes to get here, but we're finally talking about racism, police brutality, internalised racism, colonialism and so much more. We call bullshit on racism, those especially directed against brown people in Malaysia and the recent case of Mr A Ganapathy that has sparked a fair amount of attention on social media. We also talk about the history of colonialism and the Social Contract in Malaysia. We share some of our own personal experiences and how we've grown from being casual racists ourselves. Hope this will resonate with some and educate others. Happy listening! As usual, please DM us your feedback, questions, and suggestions for future episodes to our IG @thebullshitpropaganda_podcast.
In this week's episode, your favourite chaotic co-hosts are back with another discussion about gender norms and stereotypes, but this time, specifically talking about DATING!! Yes, we are finally delving a little more into the ever sensational topic of relationships and romance. We question the idea that men should make the first move, pay for the date, be more financially secure, and all the pressure this puts on them. We also talk about our own preferences when it comes to dating and relationships, so its safe so say, Things Got Real! If you're into all of that, and even if you're not, happy listening!! As always, feel free to DM us on IG @thebullshitpropaganda_podcast with your comments, feedback and suggestions for future episodes.
It's Aries season and we thought it'd be a perfect place to begin our journey of calling bullshit on the people who say magic doesn't exist! In all seriousness, Zoe (@zoe.nj) and Suba (@subashiniraj) talk about their own takes on astrology, aliens, flat earthers, and so much more. We obviously see eye to eye on so much but this is one of the topics where we might see it in slightly different ways. Zoe takes over for more of this as this is their wheelhouse and Suba as always, comes in with a lot of the psychology talk. Enjoy this slightly less chaotic, more educational episode, especially if you're into astrology, but even if you're not. We're pretty fun to listen to anyways. As always, feel free to drop us your thoughts, comments and suggestions for future episodes on IG @thebullshitpropaganda_podcast. Happy listening!
Aaaaand we're back! In this first episode of season 2, there's no bullshit being called out, but definitely a lot of laughs and crazy stupid energy going around. There's an exciting announcement that's going to be a pretty big change in how the show is done, a little more insight into the people behind the scenes and a tiny preview of the episodes lined up for this season!! As always, feel free to drop us your feedback, comments and suggestions for future episodes on IG (@thebullshitpropaganda_podcast). Till then, happy listening!
Welcome to the last episode of season 1!! This time, I'm back with another solo episode, talking about something personal to me, for a change. My story with having an "eating disorder". I also get a little bit into the different types of disorders, the distinction between disorders and disordered behaviour, the role of weight in beauty and spirituality and so much more waffling. If you are curious about my story and where I'm at now, press play and HAPPY LISTENING! As always, please be sure to send in your questions, feedbacks and suggestions for future episodes to @thebullshitpropaganda_podcast on IG or Twitter.
In this week's episode, Youtuber & content creator Tanesh Vijayagomaran (IG: @taneshh10) talk about the realities of being a social media person/influencer, the hidden struggles, the role of privilege and circumstance, passion vs hard work, and so much more. Being old friends, we also caught up a little bit and just had a fun chat. So, if any of that sounds appealing to you, press play aaaaaand happy listening!! As always, feel free to send in your questions, feedback and suggestions to @thebullshitpropaganda_podcast on Instagram.
In this second part of a 2-part episode, Kane Rogers (IG @kane.m.rogers) continue our conversation about his experience being abused in a romantic relationship, the role of therapy in his healing, the role of masculinity and femininity within attraction, the importance of validation, differences in male and female coping mechanisms, socially acceptable displays of emotions and so much more. As always, feel free to send in your questions, feedbacks and suggestions to @thebullshitpropaganda_podcast on Instagram. Happy listening!
In this week's episode, we finally have on our first male guest, Kane Rogers. This is part 1 of a 2 part episode, recounting an abusive relationship from the less heard of perspective. Kane opens up about his experience being in toxic romantic relationship and a victim of abuse. We talk about gaslighting, patterns of behaviour within abuse, age-gaps, the role of power dynamics and so much more. This will be a background for part 2 where we will unpack more of what societal norms have made acceptable for the male and female divide, the concepts of masculinity and femininity in terms of attraction, and the role of therapy. So, stay tuned, and till then, happy listening! As always, feel free to send in your questions, feedbacks and suggestions to @thebullshitpropaganda_podcast on Instagram.
Here with another solo rant. This week, I call bullshit on our constant need to be tough and to repress emotions, especially in Asian cultures. I get into the toxic work culture, the role of the industrial revolution and how we might be looking at our worth in society. So, this episode might bring up more questions than it answers, and if that's the case, I've done my job! Please continue questioning the narrative with me, and feel free to send me your questions, feedbacks and suggestions to @subashiniraj on Instagram. Till then, happy listening!
Look who's actually sticking to their upload schedule! In this week's episode, I'm joined by a future medicine woman and current QUEEN, Fatin Daud (IG: @fatinndaud). We call bullshit on the idea that healthy bodies have to look a certain way and fit into that model you see on instagram & tv. That people who look like they've got it together, may not really be all that healthy and the importance of sustainability within health. We give you a little insight into our own experiences with weight and internalised stigma, the difference between living in Eastern and Western cultures and how our environment constructs so much of our internal experiences. As usual, feel free to DM me on instagram @subashiniraj with your feedback, comments or suggestions for future episodes. Happy CNY and happy listening!
I'M BACK! I know, it's been a while since my last episode, but I'm happy to be back and putting out content, starting with a topic near and dear to me; MENTAL HEALTH. In this episode, I take you through my own mental health journey and my personal experiences with therapy. But I also call out the mystification and the 'this one thing will fix me' mentality a lot of us hold, especially around therapy. As usual, I hope this is an entertaining listen, or at least informative. Feel free to send us a DM @subashiniraj on Instagram to share your feedback, comments or suggestions for future episodes. Happy listening!
2020 is coming to an end and this podcast is now 2 months old!! To commemorate, this week we have a shorter and slightly different format going on. I call bullshit on New Year's resolutions, the progress & growth mindset and the importance of reflection. I hope that this will be an informational and entertaining listen and a reminder to celebrate yourself. As always, feel free to send us a DM to @subashinira (IG) to share your feedback, comments or suggestions for future episodes. Happy listening and Happy New Year!
In this week's episode, fellow environmental enthusiast Divya Parkash (IG: @non.plvs.vltra) and I chat about living an environmentally conscious life and how it can be budget and time friendly, the lie about recycling, the influence growing up in Asia had on our ability to conserve resources, gifts and the holiday season, and so much more. I had such a fun time having this conversation and am so happy to be able to bring more discourse around the reality of living sustainably for those of us without the budget to shop in expensive, cool and hip sustainable brands. I hope you learn something new and are being closer to foregoing the bullshit believe that an eco-friendly life has to be expensive or difficult. As usual, send us your feedback, questions and suggestions for future episode topics to IG - @subashiniraj. Happy listening and happy holidays!
In this week's episode my guest and good friend (@eliorkid) stuck to the topic of dance (and music) but we kind of got off the calling bullshit/ questioning the social narrative a little bit. We still did raise some really good WHYs on the dance and performance industry in Malaysia, the perception certain people might have about the validity of pursuing a career in the arts, misrepresentations in Hollywood depictions of the road to success, and the role of social media in changing the dance scene. Eli also just shared a lot of her own journey into this world of movement and gave some really good pointers (I think) for others who might be considering the same. Send us your feedback, questions and suggestions for future episodes to IG- @thebullshitpropaganda_podcast. Happy listening!
The devil's in the details! Which you can bet Zoe (IG: @zoe.nj) and I took the long way around to, because we are both ranters and struggle to keep on topic. Still, in this continuation of last week's discussion into gender and sexuality, we clarified some of the terms we introduced in the previous one, answered some of your questions from our poll on IG stories (i.e. what is the difference between bi and pansexual) and so much more. It was a revelatory discussion and I can definitely say I got out of it learning a couple new things and I hope it does the same for you. If not, I'm sure you were at least, entertained. Send us your feedback, questions and suggestions for future episode topics to IG- @thebullshitpropaganda_podcast. Happy listening!
This is part 1 of a 2 part episode with Zoe Joseph (IG: zoe.nj), talking about binary vs fluid gender identities and the belief that the spectrum is a "modern" Western concept that doesn't belong in our more Asian cultures. We get into a lot more, tying in racism, the power of the majority, gender norms even within the binary system, the role played by British colonisation, and the total disregard for historical origins of these ideals in Malaysia. It gets a little heavy in places, but had a lot of laughs and sarcasm that will hopefully keep you as entertained as we were! Happy listening. Send us your feedback, comments or ideas for future episodes - IG: @thebullshitpropaganda_podcast
In this episode, we talk about the age old tale of victims of sexual harassment being blamed for the attention they receive. We give you different instances where we've personally been attacked and blamed. The conversation goes many places from here, from the conditioning to sexualise women that start in school, to workplace harassment and a lack of equity between genders. We had a really good time recording this very interesting discussion, and I hope it makes you think or .if these were already on your mind, it makes you feel heard. Happy listening!
In this first episode, I speak with Ananya Ahuja about the Asian (specifically, Indian) culture's rhetoric that asking questions and being opinionated is considered to be rude. We talk about the popular idea that just because someone is younger, their opinions are somehow less valuable and why it is so important to be a critical thinker, to ask the difficult questions and some of the personal experiences we've had, being the "loudmouths" in our social circles.