Best Of: 'Origin' Dir. Ava DuVernay / How Algorithms 'Flatten' Culture

Fresh Air

NPR

Tv & Film, Arts, Society & Culture, Books

4.4 • 34.4K Ratings

🗓️ 20 January 2024

⏱️ 53 minutes

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Summary

Ava DuVernay's new film Origin explores a new way to consider the historical subjugation of Black people in America: as the adverse result of a caste system. The film is inspired by Isabel Wilkerson's book Caste: The Origins of Our Discontents. In the movie, Wilkerson embarks on a journey to learn about caste, traveling to Germany and India to get to the root of the Black experience in America.

Also, we'll talk about how algorithms flatten culture with journalist Kyle Chayka. He says algorithms affect every aspect of our lives — from what we watch on Netflix, what songs are at the top of the charts, to what our local coffee shop looks like. His book is Filterworld.

Transcript

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0:00.0	This message comes from NPR sponsor Talking Pictures, the new podcast from TCM and Max, hosted by Ben Mankowitz.
0:07.7	Hear intimate conversations with influential filmmakers, Nancy Myers, Mel Brooks, and more.
0:14.0	Listen to talking pictures, wherever you get your podcasts.
0:18.0	From W HYY in Philadelphia,
0:20.0	I'm Tanya Mosley with Fresh Air Weekend.
0:22.0	Today, Director Ava Duvernay I'm Tanya Mosley with Fresh Air Weekend.
0:23.0	Today, Director Ava Duvernay, her new film origin, explores a new way to consider the historical
0:29.0	subjugation of black people in America as the adverse result of a cast system. The film is inspired by
0:36.4	Isabel Wilkerson's book Cast, The Origins of Our Discontents. In the movie
0:41.2	Wilkerson embarks on a journey to learn about cast, traveling to Germany and
0:45.8	India to get to the root of the black experience in America.
0:49.9	Also, we'll talk about how algorithms flatten culture with journalist Kyle Chaca.
0:55.0	He says algorithms affect every aspect of our lives, from what we choose to watch on
1:00.0	Netflix to the songs that are at the top of the charts to what our local coffee shop
1:04.6	looks like. I could reliably land in any city in the world and easily find my way
1:09.4	to a coffee shop with cappuccinos with nice latte art and minimalist reclaimed wood furniture.
1:16.0	That's coming up on Fresh Air Weekend.
1:19.3	This message comes from NPR sponsor, HBO.
1:22.3	True Detective is back.
1:24.1	Deep in the Alaskan Arctic,
1:25.9	two detectives are in search of answers
1:28.2	regarding a group of missing scientists
	...

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