300 / Part Three: Plague Days, Fertile Grounds

May we live in interesting times.

The fertile grounds that bred a novel, deadly coronavirus and the misinformation that accompanied its spread is our subject. Over the last year-and-a-half since COVID spilled over, and more specifically, when our collective reaction to it began to reshape every aspect of our lives, I conducted numerous interviews to make sense of this thing. 

Disruptions in the very fragile (and simultaneously resilient)  global economic system, mass death, overburdened healthcare workers, the widespread proliferation of conspiracy theories, fascistic outbursts, mutual aid networks, and the uncomfortable questions that arise, characterize this audio narrative I’ve cobbled together for your listening pleasure.

Timeline:

00:00: Intro

12:12: John Feffer (Globalization)

24:42: Commentary

28:46: Alley Valkyrie (U.S. Cultural Tendencies)

35:13: Commentary

44:32: Jared Yates Sexton (QAnon)

55:58: Commentary

1:01:18: Derek Beres, Julian Walker, & Matthew Remski (Conspirituality)

1:15:18: Commentary

1:20:54: Amy Lou (Healthcare Worker)

1:35:09: Commentary

1:40:25: Shane Burley (Mutual Aid)

1:50:53: Commentary

1:54:45: Duncan Tarr (Prisoner Solidarity)

1:59:16: Commentary

2:05:18: Ja Reyalidad (Authoritarianism)

2:17:13: Commentary

2:20:32: Joe Brewer (Regeneration)

2:43:16: Commentary

2:46:16: Bayo Akomolafe (Hibakusha, Trinitite, Corona)

3:08:37: Outro

VIDEO EPISODE: