True Friends

Kate Vancil & Elizabeth Bradshaw
  • 5.0 (2)
  • SOCIETY & CULTURE

an everyday ethics podcast where two true friends discuss the complexities of the everyday decisions we all have to make. From beauty standards to politics, we’re bringing you our hot takes on modern debates and arguing the way only true friends do. Disclaimer: We acknowledge that we are two white women with our own experiences of identity and privilege and we recognize that this positionality gives us blind spots in these conversations. That being said, this is not a "both sides" podcast and you will never catch us debating human rights, defending billionaires, or justifying hate. Email us: truefriendspod@gmail.com

  1. MAR 17

    Episode 16: Should I stop watching reality TV?

    Kate and EB debate the ethics of reality TV. For today's episode, we watched Reality Check: America's Next Top Model, the documentary on the infamous reality show. We discuss our opinions and experiences and land on some hard truths about the reality of reality TV. Sources: Get Real: The Tension Between Stardom and Justice for Reality Television ParticipantsWhat are the legal rights of reality TV stars, really?Questions? Compliments? Criticisms? Email us at: truefriendspod@gmail.com

    1h 6m

  2. FEB 17

    Episode 15: Should I delete my Instagram?

    Kate and EB discuss the ethics of quitting social media. We look at research, online discourse, and examine our own opinions about the value of deactivating our Instagram and TikTok accounts. Sources: The Evolution of Social Media: How did it begin, and where could it go next? (2020)Smartphone History: A Complete Timeline (Paavola, 2022)Demystifying the New Dilemma of Brain Rot in the Digital Era: A Review (Yousef et al, 2025)Questions? Compliments? Criticisms? Email us at: giveussomethingtothinkabout@gmail.com

    1h 2m

  3. FEB 10

    Episode 14: Do I actually need to stop shopping at Target?

    Kate and EB discuss the ethics of boycotting. We look at research, online discourse, and examine our own opinions about the value of cancelling our prime memberships or refusing coffee from Starbucks.  Sources: Is boycotts an effective system of economic punishment? (Reddit AskEconomics, 2024)Do boycotts work? (King, 2017)Do the boycotts against McDonald’s and Starbucks work? (Mello-Klein, 2023)Target withstood DEI boycotts to show signs of reputation recovery (Danziger, 2025)Starbucks workers are still without a contract four years after their first union win. Here’s why (CNN Business, 2025)The 10 biggest strikes in U.S. history (Investopedia, n.d.)

    1h 2m

  4. FEB 3

    Episode 13: Is everything an ad?

    Kate and EB discuss the ethics of targeted advertisements. We look at research, online discourse, and examine our own opinions on the hard truths about the insidious advertisements taking over our social media platforms and the data big companies are collecting on our habits and behavior. Sources: What is Targeted Advertising? (Lau, 2024)What is Targeted Advertising, and How Does it Work?The Truth In User Privacy And Targeted Ads (Froelich, 2022)Targeted Ads Are Rewiring Your Thinking (Aurelia, 2025)Imagining a World Without Targeted Advertising…is it POSSIBLE? (Project No Buy, 2025)Project No Buy on YouTuber/Anticonsumption on RedditBuy Nothing Austin on FacebookQuestions? Compliments? Criticisms? Email us at: giveussomethingtothinkabout@gmail.com

    1h 12m

  5. JAN 27

    Episode 12: Have the mommy vloggers gone too far?

    Kate and EB discuss the ethics of family influencers. We look at research, online discourse, and examine our own opinions on the hard truths about the monetization of children and parenting. Sources: Family Influencing in the Best Interests of the Child (Chicago Journal of International Law, 2025)The Horrifying True Story Behind Hulu’s Devil in the Family: The Fall of Ruby Franke (Brodsky, 2025)Why You Should Think Twice Before Posting That Cute Photo of Your Kid Online  (Limbong, 2024)The Dangers of Parents Sharing Their Children’s Lives on Social Media (Sy & Hastings, 2024)Influencer Parents and the Kids Who Had Their Childhood Made Into Content (Latifi, 2023)The First Social Media Babies Are Adults Now. Some Are Pushing for Laws to Protect Kids from Their Parents’ Oversharing (Karimi, 2024)Questions? Compliments? Criticisms? Email us at: giveussomethingtothinkabout@gmail.com

    1h 20m

  6. JAN 20

    Episode 11: Is it cheating if it's ChatGPT?

    Kate and EB discuss the ethics of having a romantic relationship with Artificial Intelligence. We look at research, online discourse, and examine our own opinions on the hard truths about the isolation of modern life and the technology people use to cope with it. Sources: IBM AI DefinitionsIBM ChatGPT DefinitionsReddit Thread: Is it weird for me, a human, to be in love with ChatGPT?She’s in Love with ChatGPT (Hill, 2025)Will users fall in love with ChatGPT? A perspective from the triangular theory of love (Chen, Jing, Gong, Tan, 2025)How My Relationship with ChatGPT Became Disturbingly Too Personal (Ponte, 2025)Questions? Compliments? Criticisms? Email us at: giveussomethingtothinkabout@gmail.com

    1 hr

  7. JAN 13

    Episode 10: Why can't I stop buying Shein?

    Kate and EB discuss why we can't stop buying fast fashion even when we know the impact. We look at research, online discourse, and examine our own opinions on the hard truths of our shopping addictions and ways we can mitigate it.  Sources: The Environmental Impact of Fast Fashion, Explained (Rashmila Maiti, 2025)Fast Fashion Statistics (UniformMarket Editorial Team, 2025)The Psychology of Influencer Marketing (Bradley Hoos, 2019)Why Shopping Is Addictive (Alana Semuels, 2022)Debunking the Myth: Is Ethical Fashion Always More Expensive? (GreenEarth Cleaning Editorial Team, 2024)Questions? Compliments? Criticisms? Email us at: giveussomethingtothinkabout@gmail.com

    57 min

  8. JAN 6

    Episode 9: Am I getting red-pilled?

    Kate and EB discuss the "red-pill" phenomenon and what leads young men to fall down it. We look at research, online discourse, and examine our own opinions on the hard truths of this extreme misogyny and what we can do to fight it. Sources: Red Pill Blue Pill Wikipedia Definition Chad Wikipedia DefinitionMen Who Hate Women from Incels to Pickup Artists: The Truth about Extreme Misogyny and How It Affects Us All (Bates, 2023) Men who hate women: The misogyny of involuntarily celibate men (Halpin, Preston, Gosse, Maguire, 2025) Guardian interview (2021)Take the Redpill: Understanding the Allure of Conspiratorial Thinking Among Proud Boys (Ktuner, 2020)Swallowing the Red Pill: a journey to the heart of modern misogyny (Marche, 2016)Swallowing and spitting out the red pill: young men, vulnerability, and radicalization pathways in the manosphere (Botto & Gottzén, 2023)Red Pill Women: Heterosexual Fantasies in Misogynistic Spaces (Hoebanx, 2024)Questions? Compliments? Criticisms? Email us at: giveussomethingtothinkabout@gmail.com

    1h 1m
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Ratings & Reviews

5
out of 5
2 Ratings

About

an everyday ethics podcast where two true friends discuss the complexities of the everyday decisions we all have to make. From beauty standards to politics, we’re bringing you our hot takes on modern debates and arguing the way only true friends do. Disclaimer: We acknowledge that we are two white women with our own experiences of identity and privilege and we recognize that this positionality gives us blind spots in these conversations. That being said, this is not a "both sides" podcast and you will never catch us debating human rights, defending billionaires, or justifying hate. Email us: truefriendspod@gmail.com

Information

  • Creator
    Kate Vancil & Elizabeth Bradshaw
  • Years Active
    2025 - 2026
  • Episodes
    16
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © 2026 True Friends
  • Show Website
    True Friends