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Plain English with Derek Thompson

How the Logic of Cults Is Taking Over Modern Life

Plain English with Derek Thompson

The Ringer

News Commentary, News

4.81.8K Ratings

🗓️ 3 May 2024

⏱️ 55 minutes

🧾️ Download transcript

Summary

Several years ago, I told some friends that I had an idea for a second book. It would be called ‘Everything Is a Cult.’ I’d noticed that in an age of declining religiosity, capitalism was filling the god-shaped hole left by the demise of organized religion with companies and services and products that were amassing a cult-like following in media, entertainment, and marketing. I never ended up writing the book. But last week, Sean Illing of ‘The Gray Area’ podcast with Vox asked me to come on his show to talk about my thinking on cults, identity, and the history of news media. Today, we're running that conversation on this feed in a rare example of me getting interviewed on my own show. Enjoy! If you have questions, observations, or ideas for future episodes, email us at [email protected]. Host: Derek Thompson Guest: Sean Illing Producer: Devon Baroldi Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Transcript

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0:00.0

Nathan Hubbard, Spring has sprung, the birds are chirping, and the pop girls are popgirling.

0:06.0

Oh, and you know what that means, Nora Princeiotti.

0:09.0

Every single album is back.

0:11.0

This spring is packed with new releases from some of the biggest pop stars in the world,

0:15.0

including our girl Taylor Swift, and we'll be covering it all.

0:19.0

We'll of course break down every angle on the Tortured Poets Department,

0:22.0

and we'll also cover new music

0:23.8

from Beyoncée duelipa Maggie Rogers Casey Musgraves and Ariana Grande.

0:28.9

It's pop girl spring on every single album. New episodes starting March 28th on Spotify

0:34.0

Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts.

0:38.0

Sign up to the economist for in-depth

0:40.0

curated expert analysis of world events and topics ranging from business and culture to science and technology.

0:47.0

You'll get the weekly digital edition, online only articles, curated newsletters on politics, the markets, science culture and China, and

0:56.0

full access to The Economist Podcast Plus.

0:59.3

The Economist is independent journalism for independent thinking.

1:03.4

Go to Economist.com and get your first month free.

1:08.3

Today we have something a bit special and unique on the plain English feed.

1:12.0

Most weeks I interview some people about their

1:14.8

best ideas. Today somebody interviews me about a topic I've been fascinated by for a

1:20.2

long time but have never had an opportunity to turn into a big

1:23.7

podcast or essay or book. It's a conversation about modern media and the nature of

1:29.1

cults with Sean Elling of the gray Area Podcast where this interview originally appeared.

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