On this episode I introduce Stuart Hall's theory of encoding/decoding in media, and Maddy and I talk about Breaking Bad, black tar versus "China White" heroin, geographical differences in drug use, the truth of addiction versus the spectacle, patriarchy and how Breaking Bad's Walt becomes the most toxic version of it possible, and lots more.

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Maddy is back to talk about the film Bodies, Bodies, Bodies from 2022, a cool, thriller-horror film that plays on the generational zeitgeist of Gen Z. We talk about how the film reflects cultural fears, cultural fetishes, and unspeakable taboos, and how it keeps us all engaged by appealing to our preexisting cultural stereotypes, our natural reaction to protect certain groups of people while fearing others, and a generational gap that has many Gen Zers stuck on their phones living a life that's fake, digital, and maybe where we are all headed in the future.

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This week I discuss the secret drugs developed in Nazi Germany during WWII, and I cover the role of methamphetamine in the Nazi Blitzkrieg attacks, the role of amphetamine in the Allies ability to eventually win the war, and I also cover Hitler's drug addiction, technologies of war, social stigma and how easy it can be disassembled in times of war, and lots more.

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