The Algorithm Ate My Culture

[00:00:00] Speaker A: Foreign. [00:00:12] Speaker B: Welcome back, truth seekers and digital dissenters, to critical defiance. Neil's here. And as usual, I'm joined by the Dynamic duo ready to unplug from the Matrix. [00:00:21] Speaker A: That's me, Bobby Socks, here to remind you that the cloud isn't always your friend, especially when it comes to keeping your precious memory safe from the digital ether. [00:00:33] Speaker C: And Bill's the name analogs the game Sometimes. I may be a boomer, but I'm not prepared to give up the convenience and the clutter free space that digital archives have brought me. Which isn't to say I don't miss many of the sensory joys of physical ownership. I guess it's fair to say that I'm definitely of two minds on this issue. But still, in a world where algorithms decide what we see and hear and even own, isn't it time we talk about taking back some control? [00:01:09] Speaker B: Exactly, Bill. This week we're diving deep into the surprisingly radical act of, well, owning things. Actual physical things. From vinyl records whispering stories of the past to photo albums holding tangible memories, we're exploring why physical media and robust personal archives aren't just nostalgic relics, but vital acts of cultural preservation and personal autonomy in the age of fleeting digital ownership. [00:01:37] Speaker A: Because, let's be real, who hasn't had a favorite song disappear from their streaming service or a cherished photo get lost in the digital abyss. The it's like the algorithm ate our culture one disappearing pixel at a time. [00:01:52] Speaker C: So buckle up, buttercups, because we're about to make the case for why your dusty old CD and record collections and that shoebox full of family photos are actually acts of defiance against the digital overlords. The cool part? We're doing it with guests this time around and forming a panel of our very own to discuss the topic. Later today, we'll be joined by two of our friends from the west coast, Paul Salamoff and Joshua Lou Friedman. [00:02:24] Speaker B: That's right, Bill. Proof that we actually have friends. It's a miracle. Paul J. Salamoff is one of those behind the scenes folks who've seemingly done everything in the entertainment biz for the last three decades. We're talking film, tv, video games, graphic novels. The man's a multi hyphenate threat. Writer, producer, director, executive and a makeup effects artist. Okay? He's not afraid to get his hands dirty. He's also penned a book on movie set etiquette, which, let's be honest, sounds like it's full of stories we wish we could hear. Plus, he's the brains behind graphic novels. Like Hired Guns. And his writings have popped up in some seriously cool anthologies, including one diving into Clive Barker's Nightbreed universe and another exploring the world of Blade Runner. So, yeah, the man has range. [00:03:13] Speaker A: Joshua Lou Friedman's been in films and TV since 91, most commonly as an assistant director, wrangling things behind the scenes. He's had his hands on projects ranging from the cartoon chaos of Inspector Gadget to the gritty streets of CSI New York, and even saving the world a few times in Transformers and the Dark Knight Rises. Clearly, the man knows how to handle a production. But get this. After years of hurting actors and managing explosions, Joshua decided to step out from behind the camera. In 2023, he unleashed his producing powers with the Holiday Head Scratcher, Holiday Twist, and the Spine Tingler Wineville. Then, because apparently directing traffic on set wasn't enough, 2024 saw him grab the writing and directing reigns for the comedy thriller Marrying Mary Martindale. We're guessing he's got some opinions on all this and we're here for it. [00:04:13] Speaker B: The best part of this? These guys know each other already. [00:04:17] Speaker C: Sounds like we're going to have a hell of a lot of fun. [00:04:26] Speaker B: Hey, Defiant Ones. Before we dissect the latest absurdity served up by the news cycle, a tiny but mighty request. Show us some love. Hit that like button. Subscribe wherever you're tuning in and follow us into the digital wilderness. Let's amplify the signal. Your clicks make a real difference. Thanks in advance. Now let's get to the news. All right, guys, so it's been a Newsweek. It's been a. It's been a weird news cycle this week. Right. Am I the only one who's felt like it's been strange? Vibe wise? [00:04:58] Speaker A: It's. [00:04:59] Speaker D: Yeah. [00:04:59] Speaker B: Since the last episode. Like it's tough, dark and creepy somehow. [00:05:03] Speaker A: Yeah, it's gotten more serious and more scary. [00:05:07] Speaker B: And I think it does that every week. [00:05:10] Speaker A: But it's less in our face. It felt like this past week a little less of a bombardment and more like a now we're doing sneaky. [00:05:18] Speaker B: It's like they're moving from flooding the zone to the more. [00:05:24] Speaker A: What they really want to get done. [00:05:26] Speaker B: Yeah. [00:05:27] Speaker C: Now that we've got their heads reeling, let's slip this in while they're not paying attention. [00:05:32] Speaker A: Pretty much. [00:05:32] Speaker D: Exactly. [00:05:32] Speaker B: And that was always the plan. Shock and awe and then do what you can behind closed doors. So I guess we're on stage two, so time to keep an eye on that. But this week I think I wanted to start out with Trump's first 100 days in office. [00:05:48] Speaker A: It's been 100 days already. [00:05:50] Speaker B: It's been, it's only been, it's only been days so far. And it's been. What has it been? It's been a whole lot of retaliation, a whole lot of bullying, a whole lot of abuse. [00:06:02] Speaker C: As advertised and expected. [00:06:04] Speaker B: On top of that, we've got wonderful approval ratings. He's got the lowest at the 100 day mark in recent history, so obviously he's handled that well. He's already taken to X, formerly known as Twitter and railed and screamed about how it's all biased against him and it's fake news and they should have their licenses taken away. [00:06:23] Speaker C: What were you saying about retaliation, bullying and abuse? [00:06:26] Speaker B: Yeah, let's see, what else have we got on our Trump list? Oh, roughly 140 executive orders. [00:06:33] Speaker A: Ridiculous. A disgustingly obnoxious amount which certainly is advertised. [00:06:39] Speaker B: Yeah, yeah, but these aren't dictatorial decrees, they're management memos. We've got 145% tariffs on China. [00:06:49] Speaker C: As advertised. Loudly. [00:06:51] Speaker B: Yeah, and proudly. We've made so much money supposedly on these tariffs, supposedly that we're so much. [00:06:59] Speaker A: Closer to in a recession because we're so good at money. [00:07:03] Speaker B: And then We've got roughly 280,000 federal jobs lost so far. Thanks, Elon. [00:07:10] Speaker C: As advertised yet again, you know. [00:07:12] Speaker A: Yep. [00:07:13] Speaker B: And 139,000 deportations and counting. Not quite the mass deportations he had promised, but I'm sure they're still working on getting the military into our community streets, so give them time. [00:07:24] Speaker C: Yeah, as advertised. Once again, maybe not hitting his mark, but not for lack of trying. [00:07:30] Speaker B: We are definitely deporting the innocent and citizens. So hey, why the hell not? [00:07:35] Speaker A: The youngest was 72222. Yeah, with the seven year old. Right. And a four year old with cancer. [00:07:44] Speaker C: Four year. A four year old undergoing cancer treatment who was sent, shipped out with no medication. [00:07:50] Speaker B: Look, these, let's put it in bold terms, these people are separating breastfeeding mothers from their children in some cases and they're okay with it. So my advice to the audience is always the same. If you're not okay with the, speak the hell up because now is the time. But speaking of up, consumer prices are going up. [00:08:10] Speaker C: Wasn't advertised, was it? [00:08:12] Speaker A: No. [00:08:12] Speaker C: Surprising. No. [00:08:15] Speaker A: Not surprising. [00:08:16] Speaker B: So there's our first 100 something and then we've got Kilmorego Garcia. We can't get away from this one because he is just. The president has chosen this hill to die on. [00:08:27] Speaker A: That interview with that reporter oh, my God. [00:08:32] Speaker B: So during an interview for his first 100 days, the quick and dirty is he was asked if he could return Abrego Garcia. And he said he could at any time, but won't because he's Ms. 13. And then he started talking about the photos of the MS.13 tattoo supposedly on his fingers. [00:08:52] Speaker A: The reporter called out multiple times that this was Photoshop. And the first time the reporter called it out out, Trump said, what's Photoshop? The second time it was called out, all of a sudden he knew what Photoshop does. And no one can be that good at Photoshop. [00:09:10] Speaker B: The fact that they weren't good enough at Photoshop is why it's obvious. [00:09:14] Speaker C: Exactly. [00:09:15] Speaker B: I can't with these people. [00:09:18] Speaker A: Yeah. [00:09:18] Speaker B: But now, you know, we're trying to justify this with manufactured evidence. And then on Friday, the police department that pulled him over in the incident where the officer determined he was a gang member based on his hat, released the body cam footage. Now, I. I'm gonna just say something here that I think we can probably all agree with. When you are trying to justify the deportation of a legal permanent resident using a traffic stop, you have lost your mind. [00:09:52] Speaker C: And they are. [00:09:53] Speaker B: Yeah, yeah. I'm not even willing to hear it. [00:09:56] Speaker A: Yeah. [00:09:56] Speaker B: You know, it's. [00:09:58] Speaker A: Didn't they get Dahmer at a traffic stop and let him go? [00:10:02] Speaker B: I think they did. Well, they also Dahmer was a weird one because one of his victims actually got the police to come over and they didn't believe him. Yeah, it was domestic. [00:10:10] Speaker A: Yeah. [00:10:10] Speaker B: So that's. [00:10:11] Speaker A: But now we're deporting people for traffic violation. We can't even get serial killers. [00:10:16] Speaker B: We're not technically deporting them for a traffic violation. JD Vance has made it very clear that's one of the reasons in one of his interviews, which I thought was just hysterical. [00:10:26] Speaker C: So if I get pulled over because my left tail light is out, I could go to Shekon. [00:10:32] Speaker B: It depends on how pronounceable your last name is and if you've got a team at that point in time. The other thing, talk about welcome to America. Something that I think America is founded on is equality. So I'm going to preface it with that. The Justice Department has now ended a decades old school desegregation order in Louisiana. Last week they called its continued existence a historical wrong and suggested that others dating to the civil rights movement should be reconsidered as well. Can I say it? I think this is where I say it. Can I say it? You can't make this up. [00:11:11] Speaker A: And I'm gonna say this. Ruby Bridges is still alive. The little girl who was the first POC girl to mix into a desegregate. [00:11:25] Speaker D: She is still alive. [00:11:27] Speaker A: And so were most of the people that were throwing insults, rocks, everything. [00:11:33] Speaker B: Yeah. [00:11:34] Speaker C: And let's not forget that it took National Guard troops to get her through the front door of that school. [00:11:41] Speaker A: How is this for a lot of. [00:11:42] Speaker C: People younger than me? It seems like a hell of a long time ago. When I was a kid, when I was in my 20s, World War II seemed like a long time ago. Wasn't that damn long ago. [00:11:53] Speaker B: Yeah. [00:11:53] Speaker C: And neither is Ruby Bridges. [00:11:55] Speaker D: Yeah. [00:11:56] Speaker B: Who, by the way, I'm told, has a hell of a podcast, so you guys might want to check that out. [00:12:00] Speaker A: She does, and she's written a couple books. [00:12:03] Speaker B: So, inside the Justice Department, officials are pointing at the idea that the president has expressed his desire to withdraw from other desegregation orders because he sees them as an unnecessary burden on schools. [00:12:16] Speaker A: So now we're calling that. In no uncertain terms, is the president saying that anyone who is not white is a burden on schools? [00:12:26] Speaker B: It's it. How do you even come up with this stuff? Like, at what point do we have to stop dancing around it and just call it this? Is. There is a white power component to this guy's agenda, and it's in play from the beginning with the attack on dei, but now this stuff, this is beyond. This is well above and beyond anything I thought I was going to see in the first hundred days. And here we are. [00:12:54] Speaker A: This is the stuff that I read about in textbooks that made me go home in elementary school and start thinking and be afraid and be like, wow, I really hope I never see that in my lifetime when it comes to the Holocaust or the Civil Rights movement. Hoping that I've been born into a better world. [00:13:12] Speaker B: I thought I was. [00:13:13] Speaker A: That was history. [00:13:14] Speaker C: I don't want to delve too deeply into this because it's not today's topic, but a white power agenda has been in play for several decades, and I'm sorry it came out from under the covers when we were crazy enough to elect a black man as president. [00:13:32] Speaker B: That's basically what happened. [00:13:33] Speaker C: Now they don't have to hide it anymore. They're pissed. They're just pissed. And they're going to do something about it. [00:13:45] Speaker E: Hey there, defiant ones. Ever feel like you're wading through a swamp of information just to find the solid ground of, you know, actual facts? And wouldn't it be nice to have a map to navigate the wild world of civic engagement. Well, look no further. Your trusty companions here at Critical Defiance have cooked up something special. Our super handy resources page over@critical defiance.com Seriously, you gotta check this out. Need to register to vote and make your voice heard? Link's right there. Curious about who's pulling the levers in your district? We've got the intel, even looking for ways to boost your online privacy or maybe even unleash your inner podcasting guru. Yep, that's in the mix, too. This isn't some dusty old library of the Internet, folks. It's a curated, constantly updated shortlist of the tools we think you, the defiant ones, will actually find useful. Less clutter, more clarity. So ditch the digital noise and make a beeline for criticaldefiance.com resources. That's criticaldefiance.com resources. Or just tap the resources button hanging out on our homepage. Stay informed, stay empowered, and keep on being awesome. [00:14:55] Speaker B: Let's get rolling with big thoughts. [00:14:57] Speaker A: Ever feel like your favorite album vanished into the digital ether? Or that the only movies Netflix suggests are Adam Sandler sequels or sequels to a movie franchise, but never the first movie? You're not alone, friend. In a world where streaming reigns supreme, we're finding out the hard way that convenience can come with a hefty price tag, the erosion of ownership, and a culture diet curated by algorithms that probably think Baby Shark is high art. [00:15:30] Speaker B: All right, let's dive into the digital abyss, where content goes to, not live forever. Apparently. [00:15:39] Speaker C: We're sold this bill of goods, right? Endless entertainment at our fingertips. The entire history of film and music just a few clicks away. It sounds utopian, doesn't it? Like almost some kind of Star Trek holodeck for our ears and eyes. But what happens when the holodeck malfunctions? Or worse, when someone decides to just turn it off for certain programs? [00:16:08] Speaker A: This isn't some hypothetical fear, folks. We're seeing it happen. Take, for example, the great HBO Max content cull of 2022, Warner Bros. Discovery, their infinite wisdom and pursuit of cost cutting, let's be real. Decided to yank a whole bunch of shows and movies from their streaming platform. We're talking about original series, animated features, things people were actually watching, and in some cases, paying a premium to Access. [00:16:40] Speaker B: Remember Westworld? I loved that show. Big budget, critically acclaimed, Poof. Gone from HBO Max. You paid for that subscription, you invested your time, and suddenly it's like it never existed on that platform. It's the digital equivalent of your landlord coming in the middle of the night and repossessing your furniture because they felt like it. And it's not just about saving money for these media conglomerates. Sometimes it's about licensing agreements expiring or strategic decisions to consolidate content on other platforms they own. But the end result is the same for us, the consumers. The content we thought we had access to vanishes without warning. [00:17:21] Speaker A: Think about that animated series. Infinity Train, critically beloved, built a dedicated fan base on HBO Max and then gone. Not only were the episodes removed from the platform, but the creators even reported that their attempts to find it a new home were hampered by Warner Brothers Discoveries decisions. It's like they actively wanted it to disappear. [00:17:48] Speaker C: All those late nights, binge watching, those passionate recommendations you make of your friends. Suddenly they're trying to find this phantom show that no longer exists in the digital realm where you told them to go look for it. It's not just inconvenient. It feels a bit like being gaslit by the streaming service. Oh, you must be mistaken. We never had a show called Infinity Train. [00:18:15] Speaker B: And this isn't just a niche cartoon thing. We've seen it with music platforms, too. Artists pulling their catalogs, licensing disputes leading to entire albums disappearing. It highlights a fundamental flaw in all this digital ecosystem stuff. We don't own the content. We're essentially renting access. And the terms of that rental can change on their whims. [00:18:39] Speaker C: Which is why I started out refusing to rely on any subscription service for my music. I may not have particularly strong feelings about my access to video content, but you don't want to be the guy who comes between me and my music. I own, or I like to think I own, 5,000 plus albums in digital format. They're mine. I paid for them. Yet I still worry about just how secure my access is. Nothing lasts forever. [00:19:14] Speaker A: So the next time you settle in for a cozy night of streaming, ask yourself, how secure is this digital library? And what happens when the gatekeepers decide to lock the doors and throw away the key? It's a question we need to grapple with because our cultural heritage shouldn't be at the mercy. Corporate bottom lines and fleeting licensing deals. [00:19:39] Speaker B: So I think the best place to start when we talk about streaming versus actually having an archive, a curated collection is what our concept of ownership is we're used to. A lot of us, I'd say three out of five of us on this panel grew up in a world where you bought a physical copy of something intangible, you walked away with it, and you could add it to your collection. So the company behind it, the publisher, went out of business, you still owned that copy. Nowadays, not so much. With the advent of streaming, we've basically got a licensing scenario where very often what you're doing is purchasing the right to watch, stream, or listen to the content, but not actually receiving any form of tangible copy on your own for the same price. So I have to ask all of you guys, first off, do we. How much is this just about corporate greed? [00:20:26] Speaker C: I can assure you it's absolutely for the same price as the physical copy as my digital copies. Each one cost me as much as a full album. [00:20:35] Speaker D: You brought up a great topic, though, that I mentioned at some point earlier in the podcast about you gotta hop multiple streaming platforms to watch a full set of movies. [00:20:44] Speaker A: Because it was a few months ago. [00:20:46] Speaker D: That I finally went through all the Chucky movies we had to go to. We, I think we ended up using it was to watch all of them. From the first to curse, we had to go off a few different streaming platforms. And that's fucking annoying. [00:21:00] Speaker F: That is annoying. Yeah. I can just watch a walk over to my case and just pull out at the checking box set and have all the movies right there. My finger. This really depends on how. I guess one of the biggest philosophies behind this, the reason I buy movies is because I revisit them and I watch them. It's not a one and done. I watch these things over and over again over the lifetime. I have these discs and stuff like that. I feel like I get my money's worth from them. But if you're a casual moviegoer just wants to watch a movie and then never think about it ever again, I kind of see why streaming is such a easy option. Yeah, easy option for people being more like us who really care about film and like to study film, to rewatch movies, streaming gets annoying. To be honest with you, I'm not a fan of it, really. [00:21:47] Speaker G: While I do cultivate a digital library that I do have that I do like to have at the end of the day, if you can't loan it, you don't own it. Wow, that's how I feel. [00:22:01] Speaker B: And how many pieces of film, tv, music have you found because somebody lent it to you? [00:22:07] Speaker G: Exactly. [00:22:07] Speaker B: And if you take that out of the mix, what does it do to the industry? [00:22:10] Speaker G: I will say one thing, though. That's where the money fails. That's where it becomes a bit pricey for me because if it comes to physical media, I'm what's called a completionist. So today you've won the Friday the 13th movie. [00:22:23] Speaker D: Gotta have all of them. [00:22:24] Speaker G: I gotta have them all. I gotta have the TV series. Is there a video game? Yeah, I gotta have that too. Do I play video games? No, I just have to have it. It's part of the collection. [00:22:34] Speaker D: Hashtag. [00:22:35] Speaker F: Here's the thing too to be said for physical media is the fact about when I watch a movie, I want to explore the movie. It's more of an experience of, look, I'll go to the theater and see a movie and that's fine, but when I'm buying, I own it. It's about the special features and about all the extra stuff that's on the disc that I can learn more about the history of the film, thinking of the movie. So to me, it's like Blu Rays DVDs are almost like little encapsulations of. [00:23:04] Speaker G: Film history of history, right? [00:23:05] Speaker F: And we understand the context of the film beyond just watching the movie. And I think that's a thing that's really greatly lost in the streaming world. And I know there's some places that have added that kind of stuff to it, but it just doesn't. I don't know, it just feels like it diminishes the specialness of watching the movies. [00:23:25] Speaker G: At least with digital music, they'll retain the album covers, all the original album covers. They might animate them these days, which is new. [00:23:35] Speaker D: I mean, that sounds cool, but nothing's. [00:23:37] Speaker A: Going to replace the cd. [00:23:38] Speaker G: No, I'm saying at least they keep the original album art. Now you say buy a digital movie library. Oh, whenever they want, they can change the poster. [00:23:48] Speaker D: That's weird. [00:23:49] Speaker G: Why am I going back to my digital library? And all of a sudden my Quentin Tarantino collection all has the new posters based on the new release or in whatever posters they want. They change the James Bond posters regularly. Every other, like, with every release cycle, they always change the posters. And it drives me crazy. [00:24:11] Speaker D: I never noticed that until you brought it up. Because they pulled Scott Pilgrim versus the World from Netflix at one point and put it somewhere else. And you're right, the fucking cover art is different. [00:24:23] Speaker F: Where to even find the movie. Sometimes you go to so many different services. That's the thing is like when I want to watch, like last night I watched the first Mission. I want to watch all, rewatch all the Mission Impossible before the new one. I all walked over to my cabinet, pulled out Mission Impossible 1 and threw the Blu Ray into my Xbox. I was watching on my Xbox and it's like the comfort of knowing I can just do that and not having to down what where, you know, I. [00:24:47] Speaker G: Do want to stop you there. It sounds like a commercial for something or an advertisement, but it's really true. I overheard at a party, two people talking. I took salam off to a Christmas holiday party. You were sitting at that table. [00:25:01] Speaker B: Yeah. [00:25:01] Speaker G: And I overheard someone recommend to him that app, Just Watch. [00:25:05] Speaker F: Yeah, I have that app. [00:25:07] Speaker G: What is that now through the streaming or the digital universe, Just Watch is amazing. You type in the name of the movie or the TV show. It tells you exactly where it's streaming or where you can buy it, where you can see it for free, where you can rent it. [00:25:24] Speaker D: The Amazon TV does. [00:25:27] Speaker B: Yeah. [00:25:27] Speaker G: Like IMDb is mixed in with Just Watch. They've got contracts with everybody. So you have. [00:25:33] Speaker F: Was this using Just Watch yesterday? We try to track something down. [00:25:36] Speaker G: Well, it was almost two years ago. I've never stopped using it. [00:25:39] Speaker D: Wow. [00:25:40] Speaker G: Okay. We talk about where streaming has become a positive. When is it? When streaming is a positive and the physical media fails you. And I'm not talking about disk Rod, I'm talking about the AI whitewashing of some movies. Not whitewashing, I think, but the AI to, for instance, James Cameron's releases. What he does with the AI and that job, he gives them to look not great. He got a lot of flack for the True Lies release that he had put out. [00:26:12] Speaker B: Yeah. [00:26:12] Speaker G: And I think he was doing something similar with forget what the other title was. But then when he does the Terminator, he had fixed that problem, apparently, because people who are complaining about the Abyss or the True Lies releases of what they've done to it AI wise to make it look more like things that you're streaming. But he listened to the response, there was a backlash. And then he puts out a 4K terminator where he gave it a proper treatment. But I'm just curious about. Wow. So this copy of True Lies that I have, that I've just bought, the Blu Ray, isn't the same version of that's on the DVD that I've had sitting there forever. And therefore they're making those decisions for you. So kind of like they should offer the other cut. [00:26:55] Speaker F: Well, Star wars is the best example because you can't commercially buy the original version of the Star wars trilogy. [00:27:02] Speaker D: That reminds me, Bill, when you started re watching Trek, talking about how they keep like, re upping quality of tos, can you get TOS on DVD in the original anymore? [00:27:18] Speaker G: You can't. If I can answer that question, though. You can't. You can't stream it. The Star Trek you stream now Original series. [00:27:26] Speaker D: Yeah. [00:27:27] Speaker G: Does have the upgraded effects. [00:27:28] Speaker D: Yeah. [00:27:29] Speaker G: Well, in their defense, those effects were upgraded to look like upgraded effects for the 60s. Looking in clutter and make them look. Yes, but on those disks you can choose between original effects and remastered. And you could only do that on the physical media. [00:27:45] Speaker F: Who they did that with Doctor who as well. [00:27:47] Speaker G: Doctor who. They updated their effects as well. [00:27:49] Speaker D: Bill watched the first episode of TOS Air. [00:27:53] Speaker C: Yeah, I. I got a special dispensation on my bedtime to be able to watch Star Trek. [00:27:58] Speaker G: So any true Star Trek fan knows that you watch Charlie X when it first aired. [00:28:04] Speaker C: Damn skippy. [00:28:06] Speaker G: That's the one that pay for Air Force Bill. [00:28:09] Speaker D: How different was watching it on streaming? [00:28:12] Speaker C: It wasn't jarringly different, but there were obvious upgrades. Listen, it was the 60s. They didn't have 25% of the technology that we have now that we use in regular everyday filmmaking, never mind a low budget TV series. All the upgrades were pretty evident to me. [00:28:35] Speaker A: You couldn't. [00:28:36] Speaker C: Like I said, not jarringly. It didn't make me think I wasn't watching the original. So you fire up your favorite streaming service, eager to dive into something new, and what greets you? Rows upon rows of more of the same. Because you watched Spongebob Squarepants, the algorithm helpfully suggests you might also enjoy these 10 other shows that are virtually indistinguishable. It's like being trapped in a feedback loop of your own viewing habits. A digital groundhog day of predictable entertainment. [00:29:15] Speaker B: It's the digital equivalent of that friend who only ever recommends the same three bands Buster Hard. Except this friend is a multibillion dollar corporation with a sophisticated AI designed to keep you clicking and subscribing. And while convenience is nice, are we sacrificing genuine discovery at the altar of algorithmic efficiency? Think about it. These algorithms are trained on vast amounts of data, and that data can reflect existing biases. If certain voices or types of content are underrepresented to begin with, the algorithm might just perpetuate that lack of representation. Are we inadvertently creating cultural echo chambers where diverse perspectives are drowned out by the algorithmically amplified mainstream? [00:30:03] Speaker A: Ever notice how difficult it can be to break out of your genre comfort zone on these platforms? If you watch a lot of sci fi, you'll mostly get sci fi recommendations. Trying to branch out into, say, independent documentaries or international cinema can feel like trying to swim upstream against a current of predetermined suggestions. It's almost like the system is genre phobic against the things that might open your mind and this isn't just about what we watch. It affects the music we hear, the news we see or don't see, and even the books that are suggested to us. These algorithms, while designed to be helpful, can inadvertently narrow our cultural horizons, creating a situation where we're less likely to stumble upon something truly new, challenging, or different. [00:30:58] Speaker C: So is this algorithmic curation a benign convenience, or is it subtly shaping our cultural landscape in ways we don't fully understand? Are we in danger of having our tastes and perspectives homogenized by the digital gatekeepers, much as we've seen play out on our social media news feeds? It's something to chew on. Bobby, what are your innermost thoughts on this algorithmic rabbit hole? [00:31:29] Speaker D: So, I don't know if I know I taught a billion and Neil's the terms genre phobic. It come up from the fact that these algorithms go on what you watched, like based on what you liked, what you watched. You open Spotify for the first time and it asks you, what bands do you like, what genres do you like? And you pick those things. So then you never see anything different. If you picked rock, you might see classic rock, but they're not going to throw classical music or like Wu Tang at you. I've been on a Wu Tang kick, don't mind me. But basically, even with movies too, if you say you like sci fi or horror, you're going to get that they're not really going to be suggesting documentaries or independent films or upcoming creators or queer or POC creators, like the algorithm. Just take what you like and bury you further deeper into the hole of the same shit over and over. So how do you guys think that algorithms impact the ability to find newer movies? [00:32:35] Speaker F: Well, you know what's so funny is so I, I teach on the side at New York Film Academy, and the class I'm going to be starting to teach this semester on Tuesday is going to be genre classes. Basically teaching all about genre. In each class we cover different genres. Like a 15 week class. [00:32:52] Speaker D: I'd love to take that. [00:32:54] Speaker F: Yeah. And what's interesting about it, and I taught this class before, is one of the things we talk about is, is drama even a genre? Every movie, regardless of genre, is a. [00:33:04] Speaker G: Drama, falls into or falls into a category of storytelling. [00:33:10] Speaker F: But yeah, it's interesting. What you're talking about is these algorithms limiting the stuff that you're being exposed to. That is slightly problematic, you know, for. [00:33:21] Speaker B: You guys as part of why we wanted you on the show. [00:33:23] Speaker D: Yeah. [00:33:24] Speaker B: Because what do you do with a system that's designed to basically divide and then eliminate. [00:33:30] Speaker D: Yeah. [00:33:31] Speaker B: How do you get past that? How do you get your signal out? [00:33:34] Speaker G: First of all, I don't have the that with my personal algorithms. Apparently on my streaming services, I don't seem to have that problem as much because I already watch the wide spectrum of genres that are out there. Almost, maybe a little more sci fi and horror. But I watch plenty of foreign films. I watch plenty of these different genres. So thankfully my algorithms tend to be a little bit more like for instance, and you said in Spotify, how they ask you to pick the certain genres before you sign in? I click them all. I might not hit like true crime documentaries. That's not my thing. [00:34:12] Speaker D: No, but the way you seem to go at it is you break the algorithm before it can start forcing you something. [00:34:21] Speaker G: And now that does deviate. When you share streaming with an account, say you're sharing a Netflix account with somebody and then their algorithm might throw the algorithm of your account off, but you can always see where it comes from. [00:34:36] Speaker D: Yeah. Like how Turbo has made my YouTube give me more wrestling When I don't hate it but I don't want it. [00:34:41] Speaker G: All is a great example. Like when did I watch the Muppet Great caper last. [00:34:46] Speaker F: It's also really interesting for me with film. I like a more open algorithm. So I actually appreciate. It's funny, I actually, as I wouldn't appreciate that with film. I actually do appreciate that with music. [00:34:59] Speaker B: In some places and not others. [00:35:01] Speaker C: Yeah, interesting. A few years ago, they rolled Google Play into YouTube Music. Now I don't. I'm not a subscript. I don't subscribe. Never subscribed to either of those. I purchased all my music. I got 5,000 bloody albums. I've built huge playlists off those albums. I work at a place that's 50s themed and I'm generally the one who's in charge of the music. We have a Bluetooth jukebox, I hook my phone up, we play 50s and 60s music all bloody day. However, every time I open YouTube music to get to my library, I get the ad for the subscription service. [00:35:39] Speaker B: Yeah. [00:35:40] Speaker C: Do you know what it always suggests to me? [00:35:44] Speaker F: 50S and 60s, listening to what's being played. [00:35:52] Speaker D: And I know for me, with music, I was raised a bit genre phobic. So in the past few years, I've been breaking out of that and for. [00:36:00] Speaker C: Spotify, let's make it clear, that was not on me. [00:36:03] Speaker D: Spotify definitely knows I like emo, I like pop punk, I like things in the rock genre. I get playlists made that are specific bpm. And then I recently watched a whole Wu Tang docu series and now I'm like obsessed with Wu Tang. And my Spotify algorithm has no idea what's going on because. Because now it's going from Broadway tunes to Green Day to Wu Tang, the Everly Brothers to the Beatles to Daft Punk. I'm trying to actively go in my algorithms now and be like, what have I never listened? That's going to make my algorithm go, bish. [00:36:40] Speaker G: What the fuck? What do you guys think of on that subject then? What do you think of on some. Say you're listening to your Apple music and then they have the infinity, that little symbol, the infinity symbol to turn on the AI to suggest similar artists. [00:37:00] Speaker D: I hate that on Spotify. I hate it. [00:37:02] Speaker G: They have it on Spotify. I go with Apple Music. [00:37:04] Speaker D: Yeah, yeah, Spotify has it. [00:37:07] Speaker B: What do we think of that? Of the idea of breaking out of the algorithm and replacing it with Skynet? [00:37:14] Speaker F: Can you explain to me what you guys are talking about? [00:37:16] Speaker B: Okay, so in Google Music you don't have it yet in yours in Spotify and Apple Music have AI assisted playlist generators. Spotify actually has an AI dj. [00:37:27] Speaker D: Not only that, Spotify also has. Because I've accidentally put it on my like, songs and I hate it because I like, oh, thousands of lights on from my Spotify Smart Shuffle. And basically you turn that on and it'll play whatever playlist you chose or your like songs and then throw in random songs in there that you don't have. Like that it thinks you will like. [00:37:49] Speaker F: Yeah, Yeah, I have YouTube music and. [00:37:52] Speaker G: That'S what it does. [00:37:52] Speaker F: It gives me. There's a whole bunch of different playlists. [00:37:54] Speaker B: Or things those are algorithmically curated. [00:37:58] Speaker G: You hit the button, say you're playing a playlist, and when the playlist ends, it'll continue to add to that playlist on its own. [00:38:06] Speaker D: Oh, like how radio used to work. [00:38:09] Speaker F: That situation. [00:38:10] Speaker B: Yeah, okay, but. [00:38:11] Speaker F: But I like that. [00:38:12] Speaker G: I just wonder if you guys use it. [00:38:14] Speaker B: I use it. I don't mind it. It is an odd feeling because the system is learning from you every time you use it. It knows what you listen to. It knows if you skip, it knows how far you got and it knows how far it deviated from your norms every time you do that. So it is measuring and thinking about it. It's profiling me. It's a good thing in the user experience that it gives you. It's a bad thing in the data that they collect and then sell the. [00:38:41] Speaker D: Advertisers I know for me personally when it comes to Spotify, I don't like adding the AI shuffle because if I chose a playlist or my stuff to shuffle, like that's what I want to listen to. What I do, which is I guess is probably algorithmic, is the day list Spotify will make. Because Spotify will make you like five or six day list and take two or three of your artists and then make a playlist around that with songs that you don't have already like. [00:39:15] Speaker B: Pretty much all the major services do. [00:39:16] Speaker D: That now and I like that better than it like being forced. If I chose the playlist, this is what I want to listen to. I don't want to shuffle. And then you randomly throw in the song that I'm like the is it. [00:39:28] Speaker C: I had my Google play all set up. I had everything broken down into album and artist and genre. Then they switched it all to YouTube music. Ladies and gentlemen, if I tell you it would take me a full day to scroll through all my albums because of the lag time loading that I'm not even exaggerating. Yeah, yeah. [00:39:50] Speaker F: You know, I think that's why I'm more of a CD guy anyways, like in the car I love to listen to. I just love to roaring CDs when I'm really love my collection for those reasons where I just really want to focus on a certain band or a certain time in their career or whatever. [00:40:06] Speaker D: Yeah, yeah, yeah. [00:40:08] Speaker F: But I do find that I don't buy as many CDs I'm like the yard sale guy. So it's like, oh, it's so great. Get CDs for off guys. [00:40:17] Speaker D: Oh, there was a garage sale I went to as a kid that was like moving house, estate sale. And I got a whole, I had to be in like 9th or 10th grade and I got a whole cardboard box full of CDs for 25 cents. [00:40:33] Speaker B: There was a complete musical education in a box. [00:40:35] Speaker F: Yeah, that's a great thing that a lot of times it's oh, I'm going to fill out my collection. Classic albums that may not have, you know, CD before but yeah, you're right, you're paying like 25 cents for a CD and it's my preferred way of listening to music to be honest with you. [00:40:53] Speaker A: Remember mixtapes, burning CDs, the sheer act of curating a physical collection of music or movies. There was a permanence to it, wasn't there? A sense of ownership that went beyond just clicking add to library. You had the object, the artwork, the Liner notes It was an experience, but let's get real for a second. This digital world we live in, for all its convenience, is built on incredibly complex and often fragile infrastructure. We rely on servers, Internet connections, specific file formats and compatible devices. What happens when those things change? What happens when the technology we depend on today becomes obsolete tomorrow? [00:41:45] Speaker B: Think back to floppy disks. Remember those? They were the cutting edge of data storage for a while now. Try finding a computer with a floppy drive or Zip drives. Bet you haven't seen one of those in a minute. The digital world is constantly evolving, and file formats and storage methods that are common today might be unreadable or inaccessible in the future. [00:42:08] Speaker C: And this isn't just about entertainment. Think about your photos, your home videos, important documents that you've saved digitally. Where are they stored? On a cloud service? On an external hard drive? What happens if that service goes under or that hard drive fails? Digital data, for all its seeming permanence, can be surprisingly ephemeral. It can be corrupted, lost, or simply become inaccessible due to technological obsolescence. [00:42:44] Speaker A: Compare that to a well cared for book, a vinyl record, or even a dvd. While they aren't immune to damage, they don't rely on a specific company's servers or a particular software version to be accessed. You can pick up a book printed 100 years ago and still read it. You can play a vinyl record from the 1950s on a functioning turntable. There's a level of inherent stability and longevity to physical media that the digital realm often lacks. [00:43:18] Speaker C: Plus, let's be honest, trying to explain to your grandkids how to access that precious family video trapped on a defunct cloud service from 2035 doesn't sound like a fun afternoon. But pulling out an old photo album or a box of home movie reels, that's a tangible connection to the past. [00:43:43] Speaker A: While digital convenience is undeniable, are we perhaps taking the long term accessibility and preservation of our cultural and personal history for granted? Is there a crucial role for physical media to play as a kind of low tech insurance policy against the ever changing landscape of technology? What are your thoughts on the long term reliability of our digital lives? [00:44:07] Speaker G: I don't know if you consider this is something you would save for your epic failures of the week, but if you've noticed, they put out that that release on disk rot of your DVDs from Warner Brothers. Been talking about this from a certain year to a certain year. All of a sudden these indestructible discs, not so much. You know what I'm saying? [00:44:28] Speaker B: Yeah. [00:44:29] Speaker G: And for titles that Are out of print. [00:44:30] Speaker B: Yeah. What are you gonna do? I know these were primarily DVDs, right? [00:44:35] Speaker G: The DVDs mostly Warner Brothers from a certain. I think it's from 2006 to 2009. And they just released a list of those titles. [00:44:44] Speaker F: You have that list on my. [00:44:45] Speaker G: On your. [00:44:46] Speaker F: On my desktop, like, literally. And I do have that Superman set that in that metal box that. [00:44:52] Speaker B: Yeah. [00:44:53] Speaker F: You just look at the disc and it just. It's all rotted on the inside of that disc. [00:44:56] Speaker G: I know when I was looking at the list, I was saying to myself, my God, this is a lot. And then I realized I was only on the box set section. [00:45:07] Speaker D: So I Actually, I have a question here. We're talking about disc rod, which for. [00:45:12] Speaker A: Me is a new term. [00:45:13] Speaker D: And I know I'm the youngest here, but I started building my CD collection. What if. Disk rod, can we avoid it? What are we talking about? [00:45:23] Speaker B: So you can't avoid it. It comes down to manufacturing and manufacturing processes. When the disk is created. There's a couple ways you can make an optical disc, say a CD or a dvd. Okay. The first one is direct, and that's the most common. That's when the media. The actual foil part that you see is inside the disc. That's the most protected from environmental factors like scratching and dust and stuff like that. What we're seeing with these DVDs in particular, the ones that Josh and Paul were speaking about, is that the materials that they used to build that part of the platter were very low grade. Oh. They oxidized over time, even with the microscopic amounts of air that were making into them. So think of it like rust. [00:46:10] Speaker F: They screwed up. This is not going to happen to every CD or DVD or Blu Ray. It's really only. Only this small run of. During this time, those specific titles, like. [00:46:21] Speaker D: That patch from the manufacturer. [00:46:23] Speaker F: Yeah, Manufacturer screwed up. This is not like a. Like this is going to happen to every Blu Ray or every DVD you own. [00:46:29] Speaker G: But I don't think they're going to be doing a lot of. Are they not disc replacements on these? Are there. [00:46:34] Speaker D: Okay. [00:46:35] Speaker F: There's programs. I've actually been through a website. They actually have a program to replace them. [00:46:41] Speaker B: You know, remember, I'll throw notes on it in the show. Notes. [00:46:44] Speaker C: Yeah. Is it primarily only DVDs that are affected or audio CDs affected as well? [00:46:51] Speaker B: So audio CDs get a little weird. This particular issue we were Talking about was DVDs that were part of a production run that was flawed. CDs you generally don't bump into it unless you're dealing with one of two things. CDs you've burned, which are always a lower quality material, and various singles. CD singles were made at such low quality to make them profitable. [00:47:13] Speaker G: The 90s. [00:47:14] Speaker B: Yeah. [00:47:15] Speaker D: Is that the same with vinyl singles? [00:47:17] Speaker A: No, they're just smaller. [00:47:19] Speaker B: Vinyl singles are physically smaller and they're a little bit different sample rate. They spin quicker. [00:47:23] Speaker D: Yeah, I have a few. [00:47:26] Speaker C: Tired of. [00:47:27] Speaker B: Wearing the same old blah clothes that scream I blend in and probably watch cable news without questioning a thing. [00:47:33] Speaker E: Hey, defiant ones skeeter here and let's be real, you're out there dissecting the headlines, challenging the status quo, and probably schooling your uncle at Thanksgiving dinner. Shouldn't your wardrobe reflect that intellectual firepower? That's why we're stoked to announce the official Critical Defiance Merch store is open. We've got gear that's not just comfy, but makes a statement without saying a single tired slogan. Think subtle nods to critical thinking. Maybe a design that cleverly exposes a certain brand of media manipulation. You know, the kind only this crowd gets. We're talking high quality tees. Maybe a mug that'll have your co workers side eyeing your morning coffee in the best possible way. And who knows, maybe even a tote bag perfect for carrying all those books that prove your point. Head over to our merch store. It's linked right at the top of our homepage. And check it out. Wearing Critical Defiance Merch isn't just about looking good. It's about finding your tribe in the wild, signaling to fellow truth seekers that you're awake and aware. Plus, every purchase helps support the podcast and keep the defiance flowing. So ditch the drab. Embrace the defiant. Hit up our merch store from the link on the webpage today. You know you want to. [00:48:49] Speaker B: We are ready for big wins. [00:48:51] Speaker D: All right. [00:48:52] Speaker A: All right, y'. [00:48:53] Speaker D: All. [00:48:53] Speaker A: We have some pretty big wins this week, starting with Kamala. [00:49:03] Speaker D: She's back, baby. [00:49:04] Speaker A: Is she out here? I just need to go off for a second about her because the vibe. [00:49:08] Speaker D: And the energy of her coming back and everything she's saying and her basically. [00:49:14] Speaker A: Just going, I told y' all so that I'm here for. I. I love it. I live for it. [00:49:22] Speaker D: Yes, Queen Slay. [00:49:24] Speaker A: So former Vice President Kamala Harris, who has stayed largely out of the political limelight since leaving office, sharply criticized Donald Trump over tariffs, government cuts, and the direction his administration is taking the country. [00:49:42] Speaker B: And that was per abc, if I remember correctly, which is where we saw the video. [00:49:45] Speaker A: I was just Clapping. It was so. [00:49:48] Speaker D: It. [00:49:48] Speaker A: God, I wish she was the president. It's so nice to have her back and have her back with that spice and attitude and just. You bad bitch. And you know it. [00:49:59] Speaker B: I think my big win for the week, my. My big story was Mohsen Mahadawi was released on Wednesday in Vermont. Mahadawi had led protests against the war in Gaza at Colombia, and he was arrested by immigration officials during an interview about finalizing his U.S. citizenship. Like, he literally went to finalize his citizenship. He went to the final interview, and they were waiting there to arrest him. Him. He's lived in Vermont for 10 years, and he was detained since he was taken into custody earlier this month. And it's another one of these cases of it's just about speech. It is just about speech. It is just about trying to silence speech that they don't like. Period. End of discussion. It's not about anything else. You can't even argue anymore. And we got a judge who said no. So that was my win for the week. [00:50:47] Speaker A: Yeah, that's a big one. [00:50:48] Speaker C: Speaking of silencing speech, very quickly before we go into the mayday protest, just a couple days ago, Amazon suggested that they might very possibly list how much tariffs were adding to the price of the objects being sold. [00:51:10] Speaker B: Yep. [00:51:11] Speaker C: That was hateful political speech. [00:51:13] Speaker B: Yep. [00:51:14] Speaker C: Or at least how it's described by our overseers. [00:51:17] Speaker B: Yeah. Who immediately called Mr. Bezos and probably threatened him with exile to Mars with Elon or something. [00:51:25] Speaker C: Or something. [00:51:27] Speaker A: What dimension are we in where. [00:51:30] Speaker B: Not mine. [00:51:31] Speaker A: Like, I hate him, but damn, that was a good one, my dude. [00:51:36] Speaker B: I'll know when I have found my home reality. Because in it, Keanu Reeves is president. [00:51:42] Speaker A: Ah, perfect partisan. [00:51:44] Speaker C: Hundreds of thousands of people in the US and around the world rallied Thursday in mayday protests that united many in anger over President Donald Trump's agenda. Perhaps in the United States. Organizers framed this protest as a pushback against what they see as the administration's sweeping assault on labor protections, diversity initiatives, and federal employees. Protesters lined streets in many cities, from New York to Philadelphia to Los Angeles, and held a boisterous rally outside the White House in Washington. That's amazing, and I wish I could have been there. Same people see these things happening. [00:52:29] Speaker B: And. [00:52:30] Speaker C: They never see instantaneous change. That's not how it works. [00:52:38] Speaker A: No part of protesting is perseverance. [00:52:40] Speaker C: I watched the civil rights protests go on for over a decade. And even after civil rights legislation was passed, it didn't just happen because someone signed a bill in Washington. They still had to go out and fight for it. I was part of Vietnam War protests. That shit started in 1965. We didn't leave Saigon until 1975. It takes time. It takes concerted, repetitive effort. They have to know how serious we are, the message we're trying to send. [00:53:16] Speaker B: Every week we like to talk about things we can do and things you can do. [00:53:21] Speaker C: Let's start with reclaiming your shelf space. Seriously, consider buying some physical copies, even if it's just of the movies, music and books that truly resonate with you. Think of it as investing in your cultural ownership and long term access, not just a one time purchase. Support independent record stores and local bookstores when you can. And don't forget thrift stores. We talked about them last week. [00:53:48] Speaker A: Another thing we can do. Explore beyond the algorithm. Kick the algorithm's ass. Make the algorithm think it has an illness. If you're on Spotify and Spotify knows that your top genre is pop punk, why don't you make a hard left turn and go to like 90s rap. [00:54:12] Speaker C: Or mix in some Mozart? [00:54:13] Speaker D: Yeah, that'll fuck them up. [00:54:15] Speaker B: Yep. [00:54:16] Speaker A: Yeah, go into different artists, go into different recommendations. Go into the stuff that you would normally never touch. Let's make these algorithms really work. [00:54:27] Speaker B: So when you've got those precious personal memories right, your photos, your home videos, even your important documents, consider creating physical copies of them in addition to the digital ones. Think printed photos. Think hard drives you can store securely in a safe or at a safety deposit box, or even archiving the optical disks. Future you will, thank you. But you'll also do something as a side effect. You'll create neat keepsakes along the way that a lot of people don't have anymore. [00:54:56] Speaker C: Also, support archival efforts in your community. Look, I get it. We don't all have a ton of space. I lived in a studio apartment. When I went digital, I had no space for albums and CDs and books and videos. I simply didn't. But you have the option of looking into your local libraries, historical societies, community archives in your area. These all play a vital role in preserving our cultural heritage. Consider volunteering or donating. Or simply learn a little more about their work. Be a part of it. [00:55:37] Speaker A: Yeah, and one of the biggest ones that we could do. Start the conversation. Talk to your friends and family about the issues we've discussed. Share this episode oh, Share this episode do that. [00:55:54] Speaker C: I love it. [00:55:55] Speaker B: Subliminal messages. [00:55:57] Speaker A: Share the episode but seriously, the more people who are aware of the limitations of digital ownership and the importance of archival, the more we can collectively push for better solutions and more resilient cultural landscape. [00:56:15] Speaker B: Awesome, guys. So let's take a minute to talk about next week. Remember that promise we were all made by the TV as children? The one about hard work leading to a better life? Yeah, we're side eyeing that one, too. [00:56:32] Speaker A: Next time on Critical Defiance. We're diving headfirst into the murky waters of the 21st century point of view of the American dream. Is it still a beacon of hope or has it become a mirage in the desert of late stage capitalism? We'll be unpacking the realities behind the rhetoric and asking the tough questions about who actually gets to achieve it. You might want to do some deep breathing for this one. [00:57:01] Speaker C: Yeah. I've spent 60 years watching that dream be. You wrote it a piece at a time. There's not a hell of a lot left. And that's scary. [00:57:10] Speaker A: So, folks, the next time you're tempted to toss out that old box of photos or finally upgrade to a completely digital music library, maybe think twice. [00:57:22] Speaker C: Yeah. Consider that owning physical media isn't just about nostalgia. It's about having a say in what endures, both culturally and personally. It's about resisting the urge to let our memories and cultural touchstones be entirely dictated by algorithms and licensing agreements. [00:57:46] Speaker B: Absolutely. Keep those tangible treasures safe. Explore the beauty of physical archives, and remember that preserving our culture and personal history can be a powerful act of defiance in a digital world. [00:57:59] Speaker A: And hey, if you happen to stumble upon a killer vintage record, you know who to tell. [00:58:07] Speaker B: That's all the time we have for this week on Critical Defiance. Keep questioning, keep thinking critically, and keep those analog memories spinning. See you next time.