Recent, Relevant, Random

Benjamen Walker's Theory of Everything

Benjamen Walker & Radiotopia

Society & Culture, Personal Journals

4.4 • 1.5K Ratings

🗓️ 25 July 2014

⏱️ 20 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

🧾️ Download transcript

Summary

We don’t have metrics to measure what happens when we read something that changes our life. So this episode is an attempt to deal with that. We begin with writer Rob Walker who tells us about his “New Old Thing,” a regular feature he produces for Yahoo Tech. Rob is one of the most thoughtful writers I know and if anyone can wean us from our addiction to the now it will be him. I also get to talk to one of my heros this week: Edwin Frank who is the editor in chief of the NYRB classics imprint. About 10 years ago I read a collection of Platonov stories, a book that definitely changed my life, and I became a life-long devotee of the series. I have always wanted to ask Edwin about his editorial sensibilities and what exactly binds all the books with the well designed multi-coloured spines together. Phyllis Rose is the author of The Shelf. She “randomly” chose a shelf at the library near her house and read every book on it – then she wrote about the experience. It is a deep funny philosophical treatise on the act of reading itself. I will be gifting this book to my friends for years.

Transcript

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0:00.0	You are listening to Benjamin Walker's Theory of Everything.
0:05.0	At Radiotopia, we now have a select group of amazing supporters that help us make all our shows possible. If you would like to have your company or
0:14.8	product sponsor this podcast then get in touch drop a line to sponsor at radiotopia
0:21.4	fm. Thanks. Hey dear listener, it's me Benjamin Walker. I just
0:26.7	want to say a quick thank you to everyone who's already donated to support Radiotopia
0:32.4	and this show during our fall fundraiser.
0:35.0	It's always great to hear from so many of you out there in listener land who feel
0:40.0	moved and connected to support the things we make. Our fundraiser is coming to a
0:46.0	close later this month and if we reach our goal of 1,000 donors after the
0:50.8	holidays we'll share a digital zine with everyone who donated to help us get there
0:55.6	but we're still a little short. As of recording this we are still needing 160 more listeners to join the fold. If you've been on the fence or
1:07.4	meaning to donate, please consider making your tax deductible gift today to support independent podcasts like this one.
1:16.0	Head over to radiotopia.F.M slash donate and make your gift today. Thank you so much for listening and supporting this show.
1:27.0	You are listening to Benjamin Walker's Theory of Everything.
1:31.0	This installment is called Recent, Relevant, Random.
1:37.0	It's easy to be like, well, what is everyone going to be wanting to know about tomorrow
1:41.6	when the new iPad comes out? They're going to be wanting to know about tomorrow when the new iPad comes out, they're going to be wanting to know about the new iPad, right?
1:45.5	So we need to be there with something to say about the new iPad.
1:48.5	That's not a difficult editorial proposition.
1:51.5	And if it didn't work they would stop but it does work.
1:57.0	Rob Walker writes about how technology is changing the way we live, the way we think, and the way we consume.
2:04.3	He says it's getting harder and harder for working technology
	...

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