Technology and the Ego, or Why Everyone Cares About My Opinion

I'm watching the State of the Union (not the whole thing, I still have to maintain my apathetic twenty-something reputation), and there's something distracting me in the lower right-hand corner.  Right above the ABC logo is this cryptic message: #SOTU.  If you had explained to me five years ago that this thing called Twitter would become so popular and powerful that it would be advertised during annual presidential addresses and help topple governments (not here...yet), I would have been pretty surprised.  Then again, five years ago Facebook was more of a curiosity than "The Social Network" and MySpace still had a fighting chance.  Not so today.  It doesn't really bother me, it just struck me as one of those things that we're used to today that might freak someone out from the past, even one that is relatively recent.

As for you, Barack Obama, I think all your talking about ideals is great, but if you really want to get people fired up, you should just come out on stage holding up the head of Osama Bin Laden.  There's your re-election campaign right there.

What have I been up to you say?  Well it's funny you should ask.  A couple of friends of mine, one Andrew McLeod and another Brent Hitman, indulged me in recording a conversation with the idea of turning it into a podcast.  A podcast, for old people or hipsters who find ipods too much of a meta-ironical statement on capitalist consumerism, is essentially talk radio on the internet.  I tend to gravitate toward more humorous interviews and witty banter, but there are all types to be found.  Like all Americans my age with a computer, I know that everyone is clamoring to hear what I have to say about the world around me, and hang on every self-deprecating pearl that falls from my lips and fingers.  As such, you are all invited to hear the three of us banter, as a sort of experiment.

Perhaps you have a long commute and would like something to distract you from the half-asleep homeless man on the train next to you - listen to our podcast!  Maybe you're tired of hearing other people make loud phone calls in the cafeteria on your lunch break - podcast!  Are you secretly in love with McLeod and want to know if he lets slip any secrets on how he keeps his beard so luscious?  No guarantees, but check out the podcast!  Or maybe your life has become confined to the apartment around you, a sorry nest of cats and sweaters to insulate you from the world outside.  People can be so cruel and fickle, but not our podcast!  Listen to it any time you desire human companionship without that bothersome physical presence.

In case you're curious but still unsure, let me give you a list of the topics discussed in Episode 1:

- The often-overlooked field of study on the physical existence of Heaven
- How the Twilight franchise is causing major book retailers to create new categories
- When abortion gets confused with really tasty cheese
- Andrew's first impression of the Knight children
- Debate over the founding members of Leaving Laban
- Being so emo that your songs are confused for those of Vanessa Carlton
- John talks about stealing your friends' cars
- Brent talks about getting paid to drink on the job
- The philosophical boundaries of sex and love
- The male psyche's propensity to objectify others
- Brent is made to feel old
- Andrew has an intellectual dilemma (or, in his words, "daddy issues")
- John sells out, for free
- Brent and Andrew guess what "the Accommodator" is
- John explains his transitioning away from christian music and gets called out on his sparknotes understanding of Homer's Odyssey
- The boys give instructions to their future selves

AND SO MUCH MORE!!!

So do yourself a favor and give it a listen, and when you have, suggest a name for our little diversion.  Full disclosure, there are definately some R-rated sections so if you are a relgious member of my family or just an easily offended person (who inexplicably reads my blog), consider yourself warned.
Download (free of cost restrictions and viruses alike!)
http://www.mediafire.com/?s7mdqic8ci9w8qk