Radio Phetasy + Phetasy Digest
America Has Pride Fatigue | Unleash The Bald Eagles, Men Are Back | UFC Showdown At The White House | Tribalism And The Gen Z Stare | Luke Burgis Talks Social Contagion | Bridget’s Latest Articles
Few things are as poetic as the pursuit of flawless songs. Crate-digging for vinyl. Poking through alphabetized CDs at the mall, the “clunk” when you shove an 8-track cartridge into a car stereo, the fuzz of cassettes. All of these experiences produce warmth, the primordial joy of a successful hunt. Now that the music ecosystem has been mostly digitalized, these connective experiences have vanished. Analogue connected our physical bodies to the invisibility of music. And, thankfully, we’re seeing a resurgence in vinyl purchases, saving so many record stores that were on their deathbed. Radio is the king of analogue, and while it’s no longer as important as it was during Elvis, it’s the body of recorded music. Lately, I’ve been obsessed with NTS Radio. (Apparently, “NTS” stands for “Nuts To Soup” lol.) It’s very digital, but also very analogue. It’s hard to find a lot of the songs—apparently, 40% of the music is not available on Spotify.
It’s got two live stations, 24/7, and 16 stations with different genres of infinite mixtapes, hour-long sets by different DJs or musicians, as well as tribute sets (there are a ton devoted to David Bowie alone). Poolside is the most lovable, and the most reliably fun and relaxing. It’s almost always very cool. I highly recommend this station. The other day, the DJ was playing Yacht Rock and Eagles b-sides, and you could hear the crackle of the spinning vinyl.
4 to the Floor is for anyone who missed the days of tent raves in a field. Slow Focus is great when you’re working or studying. Memory Lane is folk. Low Key is mellow hip-hop and great R’n’B, including some absolute bangers nobody should live without. Although if you’re looking for R’n’B or Soul or funk, go to Feelings. It’s incredible. Jazz, Reggae, Post-Punk. And two stations that pair well: Sheet Music, the realm of beautiful compositions, and The Pit—METAL!!!! And lastly, there’s Field Recordings. Just check it out. It’s weird and amazing.
Or better yet, put on Radio Phetasy. Here are this week’s bangers:
DUMPSTER FIRE - EPISODE #324
UFC At The White House Proves Men Are Back
Trump hosted UFC fights on the South Lawn of the White House and men are back! Blue Angels, Thunderbirds, a bald eagle, fireworks, and a 6-1 underdog who emerged victorious. Bridget draws a straight line from the 2016 pussy hat marches to UFC on the White House lawn, and what this means for the country.
WALK-INS WELCOME - EPISODE #395
Forging Identity in the Age of Social Contagion | Luke Burgis
Bridget sits down with Luke Burgis to discuss his new book, The One and the 99: Forging Identity in the Age of Social Contagion. They explore one of the most uncomfortable ideas in modern thought: that we don’t actually know what we want — we copy the desires of others. They discuss why tribalism is surging even as loneliness is rising, the longterm effects of turning everything - even religion - into “content”. They share a variety of stories from attending seminary to winding up at an ashram cult, analyze the Gen Z stare, and talk about what it means to be a real person in an increasingly mediated world.
DUMPSTER FIRE - EPISODE #325
Even the Gays Are Over Pride
Americans are suffering from Pride fatigue. Bridget breaks down how Pride went from a winning cause to a divisive one, why MLB players are getting warned by the league for writing Bible verses on their Pride Night hats, and why California now requires actual proof of being gay — paperwork and all — to win public utility contracts worth millions.
THE SPECTATOR
The internet is dying and so are we
There is a lot of proof that the internet is dying. People aren’t burned out of politics, although that’s part of it. They are burned out from going “is this real?” No one has the bandwidth to become an investigative reporter for each post.
A Love Letter to the Sane Women Holding It Down
Mar 22
I’ve been wanting to write this for a while because, more often than not, I find myself doomscrolling, screaming “NOT ALL WOMEN!” It seems like most of the women represented in media are, for lack of a better word, insane. I blame the algorithms for elevating the craziest of us. So this is for you—the woman reading this who has been quietly holding it t…
THE DAILY WIRE
America Tried To ‘Fix’ Men For Two Decades. Here’s What It Got Instead.
America spent two decades trying to “fix” masculinity. It nearly broke the country — and the guys who complained the loudest about it turned out to be the ones with the least ability to fix it. America needs manly men — not men who are afraid of their masculinity, and not men who only talk about it.
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I’m excited to check out NTS radio! Thank you for the recommendation. ♥️
Appreciate the NTS recommendation!