Episode 32 - Doomsday Preppers
1 hour 15 minutes Posted Feb 3, 2019 at 5:46 am.
Mike’s holiday gift for JS
Introducing this month’s show
Concept and episode structure
Ep 1 Highlights: Mike and Chad
Ep 2 Highlights: Curt and Rodney
Ep 3 Highlights: Tracy and Dan
Ep 4 Highlights: Rob and Greg
Ep 5 Highlights: John, Bret and Shane
Mike’s quick hits for Eps 6-8
Ep 9 Highlights: Joe and Mark
Debating how much producers were egging on protagonists
Segueing into worldview and common themes
JS makes comparison b/w views of ‘extreme preppers’ and ‘conspiracy culture’
Returning to distinction b/w ‘normal’ disaster prep and ‘doomsday prepper’ identity
Other common themes – distrust of outsiders/foreigners and incoherence of scenarios
JS thinks there’s grain of truth to ‘economic collapse’ scenarios and we debate a bit about Venezuela [Go see website for coda from Mike on his argument]
Mike thought ridiculous ‘Red Dawn’ scenario was actually one of the more plausible
Mike was irritated by show’s pandering – esp. given that it was on National Geographic’s channel
Segueing into motivation behind ‘doomsday prepper’ worldview – larger-than-life performance of trad gender roles
These people are loaded with $$$ – which made Mike very unsympathetic
JS thinks that this is rooted in a ‘risk-averse’ psychology coupled with too much money
Beginning our discussion of this month’s article
JS agrees with main thrust of argument, but disagrees with some specifics – thinks that perhaps all cultural qualities are not necessarily as gendered as author describes
Mike’s defense of article’s argument and JS’s refinement of his counter-argument
JS thinks that prepper worldview is more rooted in rise of globalized economy, but Mike is skeptical
Mike thought article’s analysis of prepping as expression of traditional fatherly authority was interesting
JS picks up on earlier thread about centrality of self-reliance in prepper worldview and we discuss whether self-reliance and dependence are gendered
JS critiques sub-argument about female preppers being ‘hysterical’ based on some counter-examples from the episodes we watched
Article mentions examples of questionable authenticity and we interpret what that means for show’s authenticity overall
Ending on show’s appeal – Is there something sincere or is it entirely based in irony?
JS patiently listens while Mike rants for a while
JS announces next month’s episode
Usual stuff: email, rate/review, and don’t forget to subscribe just because Mike forgot to mention it!
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Show notes
Intro/outro music: “Gay Bar Videogame” by The Wildbunchhttp://freemusicarchive.org/music/The_Wildbunch/Gay_Bar/Gay_Bar_videogame
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