I have always been a huge fan of podcasts, I have listened to podcasts as far back at 2008 I think it was although I never really listened to them until a few years later. My first real introduction to the world of podcasts was when I was in my last year of university and had to spend hours in the classroom with two of my friends working on our coursework into the very early hours of the morning. It would just be the three of us, myself, Matt and Tom and whilst we were working, the podcasts of The Ricky Gervais show was blasting out into the room. It was in the moment I realised that podcasts can create so much comedy and can really sort of act like a ‘best friend.’ It also sort of created a special bonding moment between the three of us and I am still very much close friends with them today.

Over the years, I have learnt that podcasts can really be so much more then the ‘laugh’ and whilst I do listen to a lot of podcasts to help get me through the tough days, the good days and the times I have to work through the night, I also have found that it can be so much more.

Over the years, the idea of what a podcast is has obviously developed, especially with the pandemic and so many more have arisen and so much more content is now available and in a saturated market it can be hard to find really good shows. I have learnt that sometimes episodes of certain podcasts can really have an effect and over time I have shown my appreciation for these episodes on my social media channels.

This week we are delving into a topic that I have many opinions on and a podcast that sort of helped me in some ways have more thoughts about it afterwards…

Podcast Episodes That Changed My Life –
Episode: Crush
Podcast: The Digital Human

I am a walking contradiction, when it comes to technology – I am obsessed with learning about the way that we interact with it and the way that it is being developed to evolve our world. I studied a degree to do with interactive media and since then I have been amazed with all things tech and even try and keep up with learning codes and editing in the latest way and trends. However, even though I love the way modern technology is evolving, I also hate it, despise it and fear it when it comes to the world of ‘online dating.’

I have always been someone I suppose, that lives with their heads in the clouds and their thoughts in the movies – waiting for the perfect guy to sweep me off my feet and ooze of romance and happy endings. There has never been a situation where I have imagined that I would have to swipe left or right on a phone, try and come up with a quirky way to ‘sell myself’ and upload the photos that I think may not represent my ‘persona’ but make me look good and sort of ‘sell’ myself in a window shop type of way.

“…This podcast spoke to me, it allowed me to not feel bad about the opinions I have about the digital world...“

Yes you guessed it I hate modern dating and it is a reason that I give up and don’t bother a lot of the time. I am incredibly outgoing but I am also incredibly shy so it makes me a walking contradiction and hate a lot of the ways we are now meant to ‘date’ and meet people. Which is sad, because like everyone, I want that dream happy ending with the big montage scene and the big ‘moment’ but I learnt a veryyyy long time ago there are so many ways in this life to be happy and live life to the full and it does not rely being with a partner for the sake of it. It is about embracing life experiences and going with the flow – however a lot of people live in their phones so whilst I may be trying to live my life in the traditional sense, a lot of people are using apps to make it easier for themselves and also for some, more accessible which can make life hard for people like myself.

I was in the process of researching for a short film that I was producing for this website – I came first came across Improbotics a long time ago, I think it was 2018 and I was fascinated with the style of improv that they were creating. As the group developed, I became more amazed so much so that I asked Piotr if I could make a short film for them to promote them to the world of my website and maybe even beyond!

“There is a discussion where the podcast goes onto state that people will always be disappointed with what is placed in front of them in an app as they are always subconsciously looking for the next big thing...”

When I was researching this, I was introduced to a book by an improviser of that team called Paul to an author called Hannah Fry who had written a book called Hello World: In The Age of The Machine. This book opened my eyes up to the world even more and I wanted to learn more – so I went on Spotify to search for a podcast. In my search I came across Digital Human – I initially used it to listen to episodes about the topic of AI but then I saw an episode that stood out to me and I knew I had to listen to it straight away as it was all about the way digital had altered the world of love.

The episode Crush delves into the world of online dating and gives you a real in depth look at two different perspectives on this topic and the world it is developing. This episode was released in 2014 but it is still very relevant today that it still makes for an interesting listen. I remember the first time I listened to this podcast it had me hooked as it was such a sensible approach to the subject and it was really interesting hearing two sides as it meant that it gave me something to think about.

The main points for me are that it talks about opinions that I sort of held and I liked the way it expanded on these feelings stating that digital love can cause unbalance in the world of what is needed between the realms of desire and love. The podcast goes on to explore the topic that online dating can lead to people always having a need in life to want something more and never really making the most of yourself and what is standing right there.

“…I am obsessed with learning about the way that we interact with it [technology] and the way that it is being developed to evolve our world…However, even though I love the way modern technology is evolving, I also hate it, despise it and fear it when it comes to the world of ‘online dating.’

There is a discussion where the podcast goes onto state that people will always be disappointed with what is placed in front of them in an app as they are always subconsciously looking for the next big thing. Something that is better then what they see before them. It does not matter what content you are writing or what photographs you are displaying, if there is someone that is saying the same thing but has better photos or words it better it can manipulate what people decide to choose. It also goes onto question if any conversations that you have online can actually be portrayed as a ‘real exchange’.

There are many counter arguments in the podcast with one of them saying that people can feel more free online and that it is a way that people can present their best self and by doing this you can attract what you want, even things that you did not think was possible. We can present our best self online and it can lead to you to attract what you want and appeal to others.

This podcast spoke to me, it allowed me to not feel bad about the opinions I have about the digital world. Due to the fact that we are ‘saturated’ now in the online world, to be someone who does not want to participate in now what is called ‘the norm’ it can be a very lonely opinion and situation to be in. You constantly wonder what is wrong with you and why you just can’t find the effort to get up and go to actually skim through thousands of profiles to hold onto a tiny bit of hope that the person you like will swipe the same or even reply to you.

“…There has never been a situation where I have imagined that I would have to swipe left or right on a phone, try and come up with a quirky way to ‘sell myself’ and upload the photos that I think may not represent my ‘persona’ but make me look good and sort of ‘sell’ myself in a window shop type of way. ..”

From past experiences, I have found the best ways to a strong relationship is by developing a bond in real life, being around that person and realise you like them because of who they are, a tiny quirk only maybe you realise that makes you feel weak at the knees and you cannot understand why. I think that is why I have never really got on with the world of the ‘online dating’ as it doesn’t feel personal, the natural emotions are not there and instead we are put into a position where we have to ‘window shop’ for what we find appealing.

This episode was so interesting and instead of making me dislike it any more it sort of made me think even more about the world of technology and really take an in depth think about the society we live in.