It’s weird that this conversation is going to be listened to, extremely carefully by a mutual friend of ours…whose name shall not be named…and who often is represented on some secure modules of social media as a creature outside of his own species.
Our Pal, who at one point was our boss and FIRED ME…which actually turned out to be a favor, is usually a part of our frequent conversations and has from time to time opposed my counter points to his arguments…so you can imagine my joy in realizing that as we speak tonight, you and I…he will be unable to interrupt me.
See, it’s all about me: I’m the star! Sit Sparky, Sit. I am Steve Runner.
But my friend here whom I shall call Mr. Barton Woolrich, is someone with whom I have worked with for several years as he’ll try to explain.
A virtuoso on the famed UC-500 series of “Things That Go PING”, A musician, a damn good technical person (said with caution so as not to reveal his true identity) my pal Barton and I met at a time when the two of us, former devout Roman Catholics…began to contemplate the words of some of the worlds great skeptics: The Four Horsemen of Harris, Hitchens, Dawkins and Dennett.
Great thinkers such as ……..
Harari, Nhat Hanh, Pinker, Aslan, Sagan, Krauss, Kean, Roach, and one of our favorites:
Eugene Thacker author of "In the Dust of this Planet”…which begins with the epic words “The World is increasingly unthinkable”.
This is the 13th anniversary of Phedippidations. I can think of no better guest to have here in the belly of South Shore Productions...
Friends, fellow runners…thinkers all of you, I am honored yet a little squeamish to introduce my pal: Bart.
“In this book, the means by which philosophy and horror are related to each other is the idea of the “world.” But the world can mean many things, from a subjective experience of living in the world, to the objective, scientific study of geological conditions. The world is human and non-human, anthropocentric and non-anthropomorphic, sometimes even misanthropic. Arguably, one of the greatest challenges that philosophy faces today lies in comprehending the world in which we live as both a human and a non-human world –and of comprehending this politically.”
In the Dust of this Planet is an interesting read, Eugene Thacker wrote it as both extremely nihilistic and the philosophical science behind Death Metal, and I mean that literally.
The oxymoron-icy about my pal Mike or as he’s alternately known: “Morbid Angel” is that, like the overwhelming majority of us, he is neither all that morbid nor suspiciously angelic. he’s a smart, talented and opinionated guy. Don’t tell him I said that: shit, he’s listening to this.
That last bit, about his being opinionated: is not a bad thing. All too often these days, when someone is described as “opinionated” there’s a certain negative connotation associated with the term.
Mike, the non-present entity of who we referred to and - e myself: are all opinionated. We are not to be confused with the Honey Badger.
Because, ignoring our common creature requirement of excretion: the three of us, Mike, Myself and the unnamed “other” whom I promise will be featured on some future episode of Phedippidations: all truely GIVE A SHIT.
About the planet, about our planet’s inhabitants, and about the way our planets inhabitants are treated.
I just want to thank you for listening. I know I say alot of stupid thngs and that the theme of this goofy little podcast has changed from it’s initial intent: but please believe me when I say that 13 years ago I honestly never expected to have more than 10 of you listening. I think it’s been a good 13 years.
Yes, there have been shitty shitty times, but for the overwhelming majority of the time there have. been alot of really good times recorded here and experienced off mike since Monday July 4th, 2005.
I expect some of you might be wondering about the answer to the incredibly reasonable question of “Why the fuck are you still producing a podcast Steve?”.
To wit I’ll say “Sorry, but I don’t know, I guess I just feel like it”. I understand that such an answer might seem extremely unsatisfying, but we live in the Age of Trumpism, where vulgar is the new sexy.
But thank you for listening, and of course to those of you who have been helping me out and investing in the “show”. I don’t know where we’re going right now, but as we say in Bah-Stun “I’m wicked psyched to get a clue”.
I’m Steve Runner, reminding you to run long and taper.
Check out this episode!