Plato's Cave: Economic and Media Analysis in a Dark Time

Professors Bill Waller and Linda Robertson
  • 5.0 (4)
  • Politics
  • Updated Weekly

Critically examining current political and economic policy, and more importantly, how the media is framing our current policy debates.

  1. 6d ago

    When is a IPO like a Ponzi Scheme? Or Tulip Mania? Can Altman be trusted?

    Join us as we discuss how OpenAI secured a lucrative Pentagon contract after Anthropic turned it down for ethical reasons. Then, take a deep dive into how the stock market really works to understand why commentators agree with us that Musk's IPO is a Ponzi Scheme and should remind everyone of the Tulip Craze, except then at least there were tulips after the bubble broke.

    40 min

  2. Jun 5

    Incompotus Names Incompetent Intel Director; Can the US Default on its Debts? Tulipmania and AI; The Murder of "60 Minutes"

    We know you keep up on the news. If you yearn for informed analysis spiced with humor, you have come to the right place. Bill, an academic economist, and Linda, a retired academic in media studies, are here to make sense out of the turbulence. This week: In National Intelligence, competence matters, so Trump names a loyal real estate mogul to the job; Sam Altman can charm the birds out of the trees. Is his race for unregulated Artificial General Intelligence another Tulipmania, only without anything as lovely and harmless as tulips? Bari Weiss, the hired gun of CBS News, "murders" "60 Minutes,"

    43 min

  3. May 27

    Ep 39: Bond Yields and the Feds; Musk Loses Lawsuit; Altman's Open AI; Rubio, the Jock?

    On the cusp of Musk losing his lawsuit against Altman, or the Battle of the Stupid Titans, Linda takes a deep dive into Altman's charm, his hypocrisy, and why we should all be worried. Bill explains why the increase in bond yields means Trump will not get the lower interest rates he devoutly wishes for, even with his handpicked head of the Federal Reserve. Bill applies Thorstein Veblen's economic theories to argue that neither Altman nor Musk is an innovator, but each relies on the trappings of status to signal they have the Midas touch. Linda fulfills a promise to listeners to find out if Rubio was a jock in college (because of that crystal football he gave to the underwhelmed Pope).

    35 min

  4. May 15

    Ep. 38: The Economy, Defending the Strait, and Irony

    It was a week even the Onion couldn't invent. A customer service representative in Chicago hung up on the Pope, people believed a spoof prank about the "Gays of Hormuz," and the Secretary of State gave the Pope a tiny, crystal football. The economy continues to head in the wrong direction, and the plan to escort shipping from the Gulf of Hormuz using AI sounds like a sci-fi thriller about totally autonomous warfare.

    38 min

  5. May 6

    Slopaganda, Inflation Metrics, Assassination Cynicism, the King's Speech

    Linda takes a deep dive into "Slopaganda" and the pro-Iranian Lego animation videos flooding the platforms; Bill explains how the incoming head of the Federal Reserve will change how inflation rates are tracked and why it will not help with affordability; we discuss the widespread cynicism that the assassination attempt on Trump was staged; and we salute the King who schooled Congress.

    44 min

  6. Apr 27

    Ep. 36 The New Fed Head, Enshittification: Amazon; Threat of Stagflation Looms

    Bill explains the route to approval by the new Fed Chairman, we discuss how the war in Iran threatens to lead into stagflation; Linda explains how enshittification of Amazon relates to Amazon's entry into the online entertainment industry. Bill introduces us to AI Theology Porn in response to Trump's meme of himself as Jesus, and Linda introduces the term Slopaganda to describe the AI generated videos from Iran that are flooding YouTube.

    44 min

  7. Apr 15

    Ep35. AI Danger to Financial Markets; War in Iran; Oh! Netanyahu, What Did You Do?; Whose God, part 2; Lego Propaganda; Enshittification; Funniest Headline Ever

    Bill walks us through the potential dangers of every major financial bank using the same AI at the same time, and the War in Iran stalemate; Linda analyzes the response to the NYT article about Netanyahu's war pitch to Trump; we take a first peek at the Lego propaganda ads coming from Iran; Linda explains why medievalists are thrilled with the attacks on the Pope and the enshittification of digital platforms; and presents the funniest headline ever.

    1h 6m

  8. Apr 8

    Episode 34: God and War; Traitorous Insider Trading; Economic Troubles; Lift Off!

    This week, Linda explores the Roll Calls of God by Netanyahu, the Ayatollah, Hegseth, and the Pope as the War in Iran continues; Bill considers when insider trading is treason and gives a gloomy picture of a looming recession; and we both celebrate the success of NASA's mission.

    58 min
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Ratings & Reviews

5
out of 5
4 Ratings

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Critically examining current political and economic policy, and more importantly, how the media is framing our current policy debates.

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