Does anyone else get angry listening to something and that they literally can't, for example, continue on with a podcast?

I was listening to a podcast and the guy was making a point that the Jedi were just like the janissaries of the Ottoman empire because they "stole children" and I just... got so annoyed that I couldn't listen to it anymore, even though I kinda wanted to due to the other host.

I know where the argument about the Jedi comes from, which comes from the days of the old EU and Karen Traviss and all that stuff, but I just sort-of had a flash of anger. It's just a pop culture franchise, right? It's literally just a story. Hell, The Acolyte was pretty rough on the Jedi's portrayal and I enjoyed it.

Anyway, I just found it pretty dumb, but for some reason, I found that I couldn't continue. It's like I had a mental block.

I paused for a moment but then the Spotify episode remained paused.

I wasn't even that angry, but I... just found myself not interested in this spiel even though I'm normally interested in the podcast.

It just makes me feel so... Idk, silly? Thin-skinned?

To be fair, there were a few things in the podcast that annoyed me; they berated a person that asked a question in good faith, or so it seemed, and they never seemed to challenge each other all that much.

I don't even like the Jedi that much! By the Clone Wars era, they had clearly grown dodgy and conservative. Mind you, Anakin Skywalker is or was an abuser who killed Indigenous Tuskens, but, well, you know, some of the rules and how they were implemented in the Jedi Order probably didn't help his mental state either, though that's probably more the Council's doing.

Anyway, I don't know what came over me and why my anger "paralyzes" me sometimes. I haven't watched it in a few weeks but might again. But I feel somewhat ashamed because it seemed so, err, small.

27 comments

Yes I can relate, when someone says some stupid shit I just turn it off regardless of the quality of the other hosts. Big reason why it took me so long to bother watching the Finklestein video with Rabbani, Destiny and Morris on the Israeli-made Palestine genocide. Destiny is such a dipshit proto-fascist that his contributions derail any valuable discussion that can happen. i'd say mail the podcast saying why something is stupid but honestly, most entertainers are narcissists so don't expect much.
And no you're not thin skinned, you just expect a reasonable thing which is for someone with the big microphone on some topic to say the truth. Sadly that world does not exist and any dipshit can say something. The follow count is not indicative of anything.
- Destiny is such a dipshit proto-fascist that his contributions derail any valuable discussion that can happen
  True, but on the other hand, getting to see Finkelstein dismiss him as "such a fantastic moron" to his face is a great contribution to comedy.
  
  Honestly, it needed to be said.
- Yeah, I don't know why I get livid sometimes.
  On another note, I can't stand online debates for that reason.
  Destiny sucks, yes, but moreover, I can't stand listening to him.
  It's just so... So... Bad.
  I think it's because, during my youth, I would hear these things on TV due to my parents all the time.
  
  I, too, cannot stand online debates, they are just an exercise to see if the "bad guy" character can utilise logical fallacies better than the "good guy" character can use historical recounts and truth. It is fruitless, at this point I really suggest you consider moving to the next stage which is organising locally with your fellow communists/socialists/leftists.

Star Wars is an especially contentious subject that every "enlightened centrist" and lib manages to project onto history in some offensive way. Really, it's more like a mirror for backwards education of history, so they can just go "when Star Wars does X, it reminds me of how I was taught such-and-such people did stuff." Perfect example being the Ottomans "stealing" children (neglecting the fact many parents offered their children to the devshirme because it could increase their status).
Another example, one that upset me, was some YT video about the Clone Wars episode where the Pantorans claim an ice moon and the Chairman is trying to kill the indigenous alien species, and ultimately Senator Chuchi makes peace with them by respecting their sovereignty. Somehow, someone argued that the aliens were little better than animals, brutal savages, and Chuchi betrayed her people's interests by letting them keep their planet (which didn't even have significant resources). His defense of that was that it wasn't racism, because these are aliens. I've seen other scifi videos where they justify using flamethrowers on bug people (Geonosians); and a "pro-human" speech for the movie Avatar where the villain conflates humanity with building wonders, not primitive connections to nature.
I guess what annoys me to where I can't listen is where people find a way to be racist by using proxies so when you point out "that's racist", they just roll their eyes like you're too sensitive and tell you it can't be, because it's an alien.
- Yeah, Chuchi was genuinely a good person and fought for the Clones after the war. Also, the flamethrowers was deliberately meant to, over time, showing the Republic lose their way.
  And yeah, for real, you say "that's racist" and they post that dumb "that's racist" meme (well, I've been seeing that less lately but that's barely any progress in my book).
  
  Another example of something that upsets me, unrelated to this, is glorification of capitalists. Prime example is Duck Tales. I genuinely like the show, except when they bring up how he got rich from "hard work" and never explain what exactly it is that he does to be rich.
  Another example, Legend of Korra, where Asami is literally perfect. No bad qualities at all, and she's the young venture capitalist. Even the two capitalist villains get redeemed and use their industries to create wonders for society by the end.
  And what really upsets me, and makes it slightly irrelevant to your post, is that the stories are so enjoyable that even though that shit made my eyes roll and my blood boil, I sat through both series. It somehow hurts worse when the storytelling is actually good.
  Back to your topic, I guess when people offer dogshit analysis of media that promotes prejudices, capitalist rhetoric, or fascism, that's when it makes me so mad I can't listen anymore. For all the faults of liberal media, I can usually ignore their shitty politics if it's entertaining. Only example I can think of where I couldn't was that godawful remake of V back in 2009.

I hate podcasts where the advertised subject is interesting but the host/narrator has to go off on a nonsensical tangent with their cohosts every 30 seconds (I’m looking at you Behind The Bastards).
- tbh Robert Evans is not beating the fed accusations more and more
  
  Oh rly?
- Oh rly?
  I heard good things about Behind The Bastards.
  This podcast was called "We're Not So Different" which was about the Medieval ages in Europe in particular.
  Interesting subject and sometimes interesting discussions.
  But dumb side tangents.
  
  Their choice of topics is wonderful. The manner in which they tackle them is less so.
  I prefer something a bit more serious, without all the side tracks and filler, similar to the professional journalistic approach exemplified by the ESPN or American Scandal podcasts.

Not every couple of people bullshitting about whatever topic they feel like deserves an audience to hear them out. And I put it that way because that's more or less what a lot of podcasts boil down to. There are some that are more organized and researched, but there's also a lot that is effectively just "listen to some people talk about stuff." Since you can't chime in to the conversation and voice your disagreement, that may make it more annoying to get through. Either way, you aren't obligated to give it a fair shake.
As far as the anger goes, that may be something to understand better regardless. There's usually something else behind anger and it's not just about anger alone. But I wouldn't be feeling ashamed for not wanting to finish a podcast episode.
- You're right. And thank you. Yes, it's just a podcast and there are multiple ones out there.

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