OK, I decided to put aside my initial aversion to the voices and just listen. It’s easier for me to read them to listen to these voices, but I thought I would just sample the voices. They’re growing on me in the same way that the Lego war protest songs coming from Iran are growing on me. I’m grateful for that Christopher. And your musings on the demands of relationship remind me of some short videos that Alain de Botton has published on big think. Have you run into him in your journey?
Oh, I think you would really like what he has to say about the complexity of relationship.. he’s quite a famous author, but he’s also a psychotherapist and he has a thing he calls “the school of life.”He’s both highly erudite and so fresh and funny at the same time. If you do check him out, I’d love to hear what you think. I haven’t seen him here on Substack. He might be here, but he’s got a strong presence on YouTube including the channel big think.
I love everything about the language in here except the cartoon voices. They really do put me off and I’d really love to hear the humans speak these words with human voices. I’m curious about why you’re using the cartoon voices to share such deep thoughts
Thank you for listening, and for asking this so thoughtfully.
The cartoon voices are a deliberate choice, though I completely understand why they may not work for everyone. Dear Future Overlords has always been built around a kind of layered mediation between serious ideas and a less literal presentation style.
Part of that comes from older forms of popular art that shaped me: radio drama, Sunday newspaper comics, early animation, and other formats where stylization was not a barrier to meaning, but part of how meaning was made.
For me, the voices create a small amount of distance between the listener and the subject matter. That distance can make difficult or abstract ideas easier to enter, especially when the conversation is dealing with human fear, identity, technology, grief, power, or change.
That said, I take the concern seriously. There is always a balance between stylization and distraction, and if the performance starts getting in the way of the language, then it is worth revisiting.
I do periodically fine-tune the voices, and this is a good reminder that it may be time for another pass. I also keep a written version of every episode for people who prefer to engage with the words directly.
I so appreciate your thoughtful response, too, Christopher. I assumed the cartoon voices were a deliberate choice. They're just not my cup of tea. Too many years sitting with my kids and cartoons, I think... I understand the voices work for you and I can also understand the links to radio drama for you. My links are just different in those realms. I grew up with tiny earphones from my transistor radio blocking out the screaming in my home... and I'm listening to zen teaching series on my iPhone when I can't sleep these days. It's a personal preference... and I love what you're doing making a contrast between the serious ideas and the "less literal" presentation.
OK, I decided to put aside my initial aversion to the voices and just listen. It’s easier for me to read them to listen to these voices, but I thought I would just sample the voices. They’re growing on me in the same way that the Lego war protest songs coming from Iran are growing on me. I’m grateful for that Christopher. And your musings on the demands of relationship remind me of some short videos that Alain de Botton has published on big think. Have you run into him in your journey?
Oh, I think you would really like what he has to say about the complexity of relationship.. he’s quite a famous author, but he’s also a psychotherapist and he has a thing he calls “the school of life.”He’s both highly erudite and so fresh and funny at the same time. If you do check him out, I’d love to hear what you think. I haven’t seen him here on Substack. He might be here, but he’s got a strong presence on YouTube including the channel big think.
That does sound like my speed. Now on my list. Thanks for the recommendation.
Well, I hope you enjoy it. Let me know.
Thank you for giving them another chance. That means a lot. I am not familiar with him. I will have to go check it out.
I love everything about the language in here except the cartoon voices. They really do put me off and I’d really love to hear the humans speak these words with human voices. I’m curious about why you’re using the cartoon voices to share such deep thoughts
Thank you for listening, and for asking this so thoughtfully.
The cartoon voices are a deliberate choice, though I completely understand why they may not work for everyone. Dear Future Overlords has always been built around a kind of layered mediation between serious ideas and a less literal presentation style.
Part of that comes from older forms of popular art that shaped me: radio drama, Sunday newspaper comics, early animation, and other formats where stylization was not a barrier to meaning, but part of how meaning was made.
For me, the voices create a small amount of distance between the listener and the subject matter. That distance can make difficult or abstract ideas easier to enter, especially when the conversation is dealing with human fear, identity, technology, grief, power, or change.
That said, I take the concern seriously. There is always a balance between stylization and distraction, and if the performance starts getting in the way of the language, then it is worth revisiting.
I do periodically fine-tune the voices, and this is a good reminder that it may be time for another pass. I also keep a written version of every episode for people who prefer to engage with the words directly.
I so appreciate your thoughtful response, too, Christopher. I assumed the cartoon voices were a deliberate choice. They're just not my cup of tea. Too many years sitting with my kids and cartoons, I think... I understand the voices work for you and I can also understand the links to radio drama for you. My links are just different in those realms. I grew up with tiny earphones from my transistor radio blocking out the screaming in my home... and I'm listening to zen teaching series on my iPhone when I can't sleep these days. It's a personal preference... and I love what you're doing making a contrast between the serious ideas and the "less literal" presentation.
I appreciate this. If we all liked the same things, the world would be boring.
Zen sounds great. I enjoy mindful meditations.
Well, maybe you’ll like this : https://youtu.be/DeMOwLjkyDI?si=xS4p_o4sfhuO0yGA