The Cosmic Absurd – How The Hitch-Hiker’s Guide To The Galaxy nearly explains our world

The Bunker – News without the nonsense

Podmasters

News, Government, Politics, Society & Culture

4.6 • 1K Ratings

🗓️ 25 November 2025

⏱️ 29 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

A pocket-sized device that contains all knowledge in the universe? Which makes your life better, and not a hellscape of political rancour and surveillance capitalism? Come off it! Never happen. But that’s exactly what Douglas Adams imagined as the titular device in The Hitch-Hiker’s Guide To The Galaxy, the cosmic road novel that changed the minds of a generation. As a new immersive theatre version of “HHGTTG” opens in London, its creator Arvin Ethan David tells Andrew Harrison why Douglas Adams was the digital Wodehouse who would have held back enshittification… whether Elon Musk is Zaphod Beeblebrox … and why you still need to know where your towel is. • Get tickets for The Hitch-Hiker’s Guide To The Galaxy at the Riverside Studios, Hammersmith, London until 15 Feb 2026 at hitchhikerslive.com. • Head to nakedwines.co.uk/thebunker to get a £30 voucher and 6 top-rated wines from our sponsor Naked Wines for £39.99, delivery included. www.patreon.com/bunkercast Written and presented by Andrew Harrison. Producer: Liam Tait. Audio production: Robin Warren. Music by Kenny Dickinson. Artwork by James Parrett. Managing Editor: Jacob Jarvis. Group Editor: Andrew Harrison. THE BUNKER is a Podmasters Production. www.podmasters.co.uk Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Transcript

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0:00.0	There's quite a lot of ads on our podcasts these days.
0:02.4	We need them to pay for our team.
0:04.0	But if you find them a little distracting, annoying maybe, there's a simple solution.
0:08.4	Back us on Patreon.
0:09.4	That means no ads and uninterrupted listening.
0:12.2	Follow the link in the show notes to find out more.
0:15.4	This episode is brought to you by Vanta.
0:18.0	Security and compliance done wrong is a headache.
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0:38.5	choose Vanta. Do security and compliance right. Get started today at Vantor.com.
0:44.3	Hello, it's Andrew Harrison here. And it's Alex von Tundselman. Today's episode is brought to you by
0:49.2	naked wines. Alex, buying wines. Have you ever bought a bottle because it costs 12 quid, but it looks like it costs 20 quid? Well, whenever I can find one. It can be confusing, can't it? You find yourself sort of grasping up whatever's on the shelf and hoping for the best. What do you sense you like to drink yourself? Well, I generally drink white wine, but I mean, I like all wines. I didn't get this way by having favour at Sandry. Well, I'm the male stereotype. I like reds that are bangers, reds that are chewy.
1:13.6	It's a bit of roulette, isn't it? You never quite know what you're going to get. You know, I just don't know it at all. I mean, I am pretty ignorant about it. I have to say, I know what I like, but I don't always know how to find it. there you go. Well, the good thing about naked wines is they'll help guide you towards wines
1:26.3	that you will really like. And you can try new stuff without the risk because if you don't
1:30.9	like a bottle, The good thing about naked wines is they'll help guide you towards wines that you will really like.
1:27.9	And you can try new stuff without the risk because if you don't like a bottle, you don't pay for it.
1:32.7	Oh, okay.
1:34.0	Yeah, you let them know and they credit your account.
1:36.3	So you can try something else next time, zero risk.
	...

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