Didactic SynCast: Recent Episodes
Eric S. Piotrowski
An irregular discussion of current events, popular culture, unpopular culture, economics, hip-hop, and killer robots
This episode is a very special conversation with my Uncle Harry (on my father's side) and Aunt Cris. We discuss their lives, our family, and why it's so important to learn about history and honor each other.
I'll be back soon with some thoughts on wedge issues and AI companions. Thanks for listening and enjoy!
As Maria Ressa says, we must hold the line. We should not surrender in advance to authoritarianism in Brazil, South Korea, The Philippines, or the USA.
Today — exactly one year after my last episode — I turned on the mic and spoke from the heart about Trump, Musk, DOGE, Grover Norquist, the Department of Education, Israeli war crimes in Gaza, AI, and more. Plus a tiny glimpse of one of the best female MCs in the world today.
Enjoy!
Want to do something about the horrors of the world? Why not write a letter for Amnesty International?
___________
Current Events
- Trump and the angry white guys who voted for him [Pew Research: Voting patterns in the 2024 election]
- Donald Trump and Steve Bannon need angry young men. They’re using Gamergate culture to get them
Economics
- Drowning public schools in the bathtub to promote GOP ideology
Education
- ACLU: Trump's Department of Education Attack Explained
- In Engaged Buddhism, Peace Begins with You
Killer Robots
- MIT: Explained: Generative AI’s environmental impact
Hip-Hop
- Sa-Roc feat. Black Thought: “The Black Renaissance”
Quote of the Show
Salah Ta’mari is (or was; I can’t find info on him now; this is from a 1992 book) a writer and former member of the Palestine resistance movement. He wrote in his Journey into Hades: Diary of a Palestinian in an Israeli Prison:
- [At the end, after hallucinating a conversation with his mother] "One million giants stood up in me and began fighting their way to the surface again, with determination, fury, and force. No way to make me give up. I was stronger, I would fight back, I would rise to the challenge."
End US arms sales to Israel!
On this very special episode of the SynCast, I speak with my friend and teaching colleague Dr. Lucy Polo. Her work in sociology has taken her to Colombia, Bolivia, and many other places. For 15 years she worked in the south Mexican state of Chiapas, where the Zapatista movement transformed the way people around the world think about indigenous communities, neoliberal economics, and democracy itself.
Enjoy this discussion about her life and work, the people she met in Chiapas, and how the EZLN raised the consciousness of everybody who came into contact with its unique forms of activism.
- Wikipedia: Zapatista Army of National Liberation
- End Song: Matador by Los Fabulosos Cadillacs
Summer is here and after a year of being Audio AWOL, I'm back with a huge brain full of stuff to dump on you. Now that school is off for three months, I felt the urge to turn on the mic and just word vomit for two hours.
Some topics I discuss:
- Energy as a resource like time + money
- UDHR Article 24
- Garrett, my best friend of 30 years who passed away in November 2023
- Capitalism (feat. Bob the Businessman)
- Donald Trump (feat. White Guy With Dreads)
- Education (feat. various characters)
- Gaza (feat. Annoying Supporter of Israel)
- Epistemology, Ethics, and (a little) Metaphysics
- Audio Two's 1988 album What More Can I Say
- Lots of Other Stuff
Enjoy! Lemme know what you think.
Send questions and thoughts. (The more I get, the more likely I am to make another podcast sooner rather than later.)
Hawaii's Tragedy, UK Beer, Floreda Psychology, and 50 Years of Hip-Hop
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First Things
- Hello, Floreda!
- Ducks: Two Years in the Oil Sands
- Impossible People: A Completely Average Recovery Story
Current Events
- Hawaii and climate change
- Biden administration announces $1.2B in funding for projects to pull carbon from the air
- IEA flags risk of higher oil prices, cuts 2024 demand view
- The 2024 US Presidential Election
- Brazil’s Jair Bolsonaro is barred from running for office until 2030
- Coup in Niger
- Operation Lone Star
- Article 14 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights says: "Everyone has the right to seek and to enjoy in other countries asylum from persecution."
- It is not illegal to seek asylum in the US
Economics
- UK alcohol tax changes
- Linda Yaccarino says brands are coming back to "X"
- Elon Musk and unions
Education
- Florida now says AP Psychology allowed in schools
- DeSantis and New College
Killer Robots, etc
- Robotaxis in San Francisco
- SEIU Local 87 President Olga Miranda in favor, most other labor leaders against
- War in the Age of Intelligent Machines
- The Smart Wife
Hip-Hop
- Kool Herc’s first block party was 11 August 1973
- Call of Duty “celebrates” 50 years of hip-hop
A special treat on the day before my new scifi novel Delivery to Nimbus X drops. Here's Chapter 1 of the audiobook, exclusively released to my awesome SynCast audience.
The other chapters will appear on this feed in the weeks ahead. Thanks for listening, and enjoy!
On this very special episode, I give thanks for my mom Linda and step-dad Rob! Listen as we discuss their lives and loves, their jobs and journeys. We recorded these conversations in Florida during the summer of 2021.
Happy Thanksgiving, everybody!
A discussion of fake binaries, the need to resist oversimplification, and how to sustain the complexity. Featuring audio from Alan Watts.
Plus: A first look at the Nimbus X book!
Links
- Alan Watts: Prickles & Goo
- ESP: Resisting Oversimplification
- Facebook Live video of this episode
A short little SynCast, especially aimed at my teacher friends. As some of you know, Teacher Appreciation Week is a sick joke. But I was inspired by Sarah Kay to share some of my teaching-related poems. So … enjoy!
- Facebook Live video
Poem Titles:
- Shove Yer Appreciation
- Pandemic Polemic
- Get Off My Cape!
- Mental Salary
- The Hardest Thing I've Ever Done
- I Should Have Learned By Now
or: How Scientology Helped Me Better Understand #BLM
On this episode I dig through a documentary about Scientology, how it connects to my fascination with NXIVM, and what it can teach us about the psychological torment of Black folks (and people of color) all over the United States.
On this episode, I discuss how we find purpose, what it means to "be yourself", and how people become convinced that true happiness lies in a cult, a political affiliation, a street gang, a corporate logo, or a social media brand.
I'm still trying to master the art of simultaneously broadcasting live on Facebook and recording the SynCast at the same time, so I apologize for any hiccups I didn't fix.
Thanks for listening and let me know: How did you figure out who YOU are? (Or maybe you're still figuring that out. Tell me about it.)
Links:
- FB Live video of this episode
- Meat Beat Manifesto: Your Mind Belongs to the State
- Escaping NXIVM podcast (Canadian Broadcasting Corporation)
- Alice meets the caterpillar in Wonderland: Who Are You?
On this episode, for the first time ever, I also broadcast LIVE on Facebook! If — for some reason — you want to see me wave my hands and bumble around with my cell phone as I talk, check out this link: https://www.facebook.com/eric.s.piotrowski/videos/10225133308901262
Otherwise, enjoy a brief discussion of masks, militancy, and meme markets. Special shout-out to JASOGOLLECGHHERR for that last article!
Links:
- DukeSkath on Twitter
- NPR: Biden To Quickly Sign Orders Mandating Masks, Reversing Trump Travel Ban And More
- KRON News 13: 23 die in Norway after receiving COVID vaccine
- The Hill: Hot Pockets recalled for possible glass, plastic contamination
- Elliot Williams @ USA Today: Reunite families separated at the border, and purge cruelty in the name of justice
- AP: Why Navalny is a thorn in the Kremlin’s side
- Marker @ Medium: The GameStop Fiasco Proves We’re in a ‘Meme Stock’ Bubble
- John Oliver: Why the WHO Matters
- Baby Milk Action: Boycott Nestle!
- Yale Environment 360: Wall Street Begins Trading Water Futures as a Commodity
In the first SynCast after the insurrection at the US Capitol, I'm speaking with my video game buddy Greg DeLacy. We don't agree on much, but we had a good conversation that debated some important issues and exchanged vital points of view. We started with Trump and wound up discussing Obama, Reagan, the Clintons, South Africa, Sarajevo, East Timor, police brutality, antifa, and dozens of other topics.
If nothing else, we proved here that civil discussion is still possible in the US, so long as we remember our shared humanity and commitment to a better world.
Enjoy!
(In the show, Greg brought up a guy named John Sullivan. Here are two articles about him.)
- The Salt Lake Tribune: What we know about John Sullivan, charged with rioting at the U.S. Capitol
- CNN: Giuliani uses unfounded 'Antifa' argument to defend Trump
- My FB Live video on cults, Trump, and the insurrection
On this episode I'm joined by Chinny + Stu from the VeteranGamers to discuss The Wire, perhaps the greatest television program ever made. We dig into every season, lots of characters, and plenty of background info.
Obviously there are bad words and beaucoup spoilers. Beware and enjoy!
- A conversation with Barack Obama and Wire creator David Simon
This episode is all about the power of forgiveness, featuring stories from my own life, as well as people from all walks of life — from the Nazi Holocaust to post-9/11 hate crimes. Let us learn from their powerful examples how to live without hatred in our hearts.
Links
- PDF Slideshow
- CANDLES Holocaust Museum and Education Center
- Forgiving Dr. Mengele
- Vox: The Story of Rais Bhuiyan
- Debbie Morris: How Can You Possibly Forgive? (Part 1)
- Debbie Morris: How Can You Possibly Forgive? (Part 2)
- Phyllis Rodriguez and Aicha el-Wafi TED Talk
On this episode, I spend an hour with my friend and teaching neighbor Faith Stevenson. We discuss education, literature, race, geography, Waffle House, and a dozen other topics. Enjoy!
Links
- ESP: @DukeSkath
- Books
- Toni Morrison: The Bluest Eye
- Arthur Golden: Memoirs of a Geisha
- Tayari Jones: An American Marriage
- Movies
- The Color Purple
- School Daze
- 13th (Full feature)
- Music
- Bryson Tiller: Exchange
This episode features a raucous and entertaining conversation with my friend Garrett Crowell. He knows more about comics than anybody I know, so I asked him to discuss Watchmen, V for Vendetta, Transmetropolitan, and the movie Bob Roberts in the age of Trump. (Spoiler alert for all of those!) Along the way, we discuss the history of comics, documentary films, and why we enjoy screaming in parking garages. Enjoy!
Timecodes:
- 6:20 - Watchmen
- 25:50 - V for Vendetta
- 45:30 - Transmetropolitan
- 70:20 - Bob Roberts
After a year and a half, we're back with an hour of coronavirus chatter, economic ranting, and pop culture critiques. In this episode, Eric dives into the armed idiots reacting to Stay at Home orders in the US; French hip-hop; and Michael Moore's dumb new movie. Check it out! Listen now! DO IT LIVE.
Links, baby:
- The Atlantic: Why the Coronavirus Is So Confusing: A guide to making sense of a problem that is now too big for any one person to fully comprehend
- ESP on Medium: Chaotic Reflections: Mind Health in March 2020
- ESP: Resisting Oversimplification: Thoughts on Kony 2012
- NYT: ‘Instead of Coronavirus, the Hunger Will Kill Us.’ A Global Food Crisis Looms.
- Vice: Where You’re Out of Work Makes All the Difference in the World
- Talib Kweli: The People's Party Interview with Chuck D
- Pumpkin & Vin'S da Cuero: Make Boom Bap Great Again
- ESP on Twitter: A thread about "Planet of the Humans" (lots of links there)
Join Eric S. Piotrowski as he rants and reflects on the MAGA/BHI/Indigenous Drumming incident; marginal tax rates; Donald Trump; what we didn't learn after the 2008 crash; the inactivity of Betsy DeVos; the influence of hip-hop; the political campaign of The Duchess; and a dozen other topics.
Send feedback and links to @DukeSkath. Thanks for listening!
This episode features a superb conversation with my good friend Shae Crowell. She's a teacher, a singer + choral leader, a union thug, and many other things. She's got great things to say about how education works, why class size matters, what history is, and why music is important.
Enjoy!
Topic Index:
- 2:00 - Life as a student
- 8:30 - Student teaching + early jobs
- 27:00 - Teaching philosophy
- 52:00 - African-American History
- 64:30 - Economics
- 70:00 - Unions
- 80:30 - Parenting + education
- 85:30 - Nashville in Harmony
On this episode I explain why I don't give two farts about Search Engine Optimization or Income Stream Maximization Programs. I also complain about Donald Trump, explain about why drinking on Memorial Day is not an insult to The Troops, and introduce you to the second-best song called "Warm It Up" ever made.
Send questions! Give feedback! Holler at 'cha boy!
Twitter: @DukeSkath
email: esp@fbesp.org
In this irregular episode, Eric P ruminates on guns, resistance, and cultural elements that keep us going. It's scattershot and sophisticated -- so enjoy!
- Black Panther: The Tragedy of Erik Killmonger
- You can’t protect liberty with a firearm
Holler at 'cha boy: @DukeSkath
This show is a little different. By popular demand, I have recorded an audiobook version of my introduction to mindfulness, MindWipe. So I'm sending it out through the stream. I hope it's useful.
If you'd like a free PDF of the book, a cheap Kindle version, or a slightly-more-expensive print copy, visit my website http://www.just-text.org
As always, please get in touch via email or Twitter: esp@fbesp.org or @DukeSkath
It's the conversation too dangerous for live television. (Also I'm not allowed on television.) I sit down with my friend Richard Webster to dissect the concepts of white privilege, intersectionality, class warfare, and why capitalism is immoral. Join us with an open mind and let us know what you think.
Twitter: @DukeSkath (Eric) and @RealRichWebster (Rich)
Terrorism, infrastructure, Russia, Jehovah's Witnesses, charter schools, Oxford commas, and robots who love Donald Trump. Enjoy!
Full show notes at http://www.fbesp.org/synapse/
In which I interview my buddy and comrade from the struggle to free East Timor, Ben Terrall. We discuss his 'zine, Namaste Motherf#%$er, what gentrification means, and how to stay sane in the age of Trump.
Links:
- Email Ben
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James Baldwin: The Price of the Ticket
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Grace Lee Boggs: American Revolutionary
In which I interview my good friend and activist comrade Mala Ghoshal. We discuss politics, New College, the state of the world, and her life as a communist at Twin Oaks.
Tweet me: @DukeSkath
Earth is being overrun with fascists and scumbags, but the resistance lives! Join Eric P for another long-awaited missive on Trump, political discourse, economics, education, killer robots, and hip-hop. No show notes this time -- just listen and enjoy!
Feedback please -- @DukeSkath
Top Links
- Ta-Nehisi Coates: My President Was Black
- Ten Days After: Harassment and Intimidation in the Aftermath of the Election
- Out of options: School choice gutted Detroit’s public schools. The rest of the country is next.
Current Events
- How Rex Tillerson Changed His Tune on Russia and Came to Court Its Rulers
- Kissinger, a longtime Putin confidant, sidles up to Trump
- Trump private security force ‘playing with fire’
- Israel settlements: Netanyahu orders UN ties review
- Obama Allows Toothless UN Resolution Against Israeli Settlements to Pass
- Three charged in Kansas plot to bomb homes, worship center for Somalis
- Bundy Brothers Acquitted in Takeover of Oregon Wildlife Refuge
- Doctor Accuses Flight Attendant of 'Blatant Discrimination' During Emergency
- Report: More than half of mentally ill U.S. adults get no treatment
- Geologists: Here’s what caused Kansas’ biggest earthquake
- Majority of potential UK fracking sites are rich in important wildlife
- Indonesia President Jokowi Defends LGBT Rights
Economics
- Wells Fargo CEO Stumpf retires with $134M
- Ghosts of Octobers past haunt Wall Street
Education
- It Turns Out Spending More Probably Does Improve Education
- Teen accused of stealing 65-cent carton of milk at middle school to stand trial
- Understanding Teacher Shortages (Interactive Map of the US)
Killer Robots, Etc
- Killer robots await Trump’s verdict: The new president will have to decide how aggressively the U.S. pursues military technology that could let machines
- Will robots help or harm? It's time for 'big thinking,' AI experts warn
- Trailer: Eye in the Sky
- Robot goes rogue at tech fair, injures visitor
- Mind-controlled robotic arm helps paralyzed patients 'feel'
- Dangers Posed by Lax Motorists in Autonomous Vehicles Draw Scrutiny
- Las Vegas is now completely powered by renewable energy
Hip-Hop
- Loss Haunts A Tribe Called Quest’s First Album in 18 Years
ATCQ: "We the People"
To confront the existential horror of President Trump, I'm joined by my longtime activist friend Sofia Ali-Khan. We discuss our lives as progressive rabble-rousers, educators, and Americans. We sort through the problems we face and some concrete steps for action. Let's get to work, everybody!
Links to things we discussed:
- Sofia Ali-Khan: Dear Non-Muslim Allies
- NYT: The white flight of Derek Black (New College > white supremacy)
- Eric S. Piotrowski: 10 Things Every American Should Do When a New President is Elected
- Eric S. Piotrowski: What Conscience and Honesty Demands of All Americans
- Arto Lindsay: "Simply Are"
This week is a random mish-mash of stuff, from mindfulness to Trump. I haven't been saving news articles because the first month of school is always insane. But I still have things to talk about!
We'll be back soon with a normal show filled with news stories about current events, war, human rights, economics, education, and hip-hop.
Thanks for listening and please get in touch -- https://twitter.com/DukeSkath
For our 100th episode, we've got something very special: Nothing! (We'll do something special, like a live recording, another time.) Instead, here's a fun-filled breakneck journey through Obama's feminism, Trump's psychosis, TayBot's love for Hitler, and awesome hip-hop from French-Chilean rapper Ana Tijoux. Enjoy!
After a hiatus of more than eight months, the Didactic SynCast is back. Join me for a conversation with legendary author and activist Sarah Schulman. We discuss her new novel The Cosmopolitans (based on La Cousine Bette by Honoré de Balzac), the ACT UP Oral History Project, the Boycott/Divest/Sanctions Movement, writing, politics, life, and a dozen other topics.
As always, get in touch through Twitter ( @DukeSkath ) or email ( esp(at)fbesp.org ).
Here are links to events and resources we discussed:* The Cosmopolitans at GoodReads * Conflict is Not Abuse at GoodReads * Lambda Writers Retreat for Emerging LGBTQ Voices * Feminist Press * Movement for Black Lives: Platform * Mix NYC Queer Experimental Film Festival * Geri Allen: Lush Life * Nelson Algren on sentimentality * Sara Ahmed: The Promise of Happiness * Teaser for Jason and Shirley * Trailer for Portrait of Jason * Amy Goodman and DemocracyNow! * BDS Movement * ACT UP Oral History Project * United In Anger: A History of ACT UP on iTunes