Intellectual Erection

I love Patrick and his community. I’ve always been interested in sex positivity and kink communities, but it’s not something that’s easy to talk about! So listening to this podcast makes me feel less lonely and more likely to reach out. Patrick’s voice and conversation style are also pretty enticing. Some things I feel can be improved: the recording studio seems to have a bit of echo, and Patrick’s particular leanings heavily influence the kinds of guests he has on. There’s a lot about polyamory, and I’d like to hear some more deep dives into people, things, and trends that are out there. Some really great things about the podcast: I love the friendly, open, and intelligent energies that interact here! The communication is always conscientious and thoughtful. Patrick asks certain questions every episode (like “what’s your earliest memory pertaining to maybe being different, sexually?”) that always provide interesting perspective for people outside the community. Much of the content in general can be very helpful for completely “ordinary” people who aren’t looking to get involved in any of this. It’s a low-pressure look into a world that’s seldom shed light upon.

I didn’t know what to expect going into this but found it fun and enjoyable. I always enjoy hearing women talk explicitly about their sexual experiences because it runs so counter to my upbringing and expectations. One negative: the last segment of the episode I listened to was billed as comic relief. It was easily the stupidest and unfunniest thing I’ve ever listened to. There was no humor in it at all.

The podcast takes an insider’s look at various kinds of sex work and kink, but it’s not the investigative journalism you might find somewhere else or even exposé interviews. The host is clearly an insider talking to other insiders. While no one completely forgets that the listeners may not be insiders, the interviews are not geared towards informing the public. These are portraits. Individuals providing glimpses into their world with a tertiary focus on informing people who might be considering dipping their toes into that world. It is still very educational. I know that I’ve picked up quite a few things, but the core of the show is the humanity of the guests, rather than the science or logistics of the work; which is what I was expecting going in.