Wes and Erin continue their discussion of W.B. Yeats’ "The Second Coming." In Part 1, they analyzed the first stanza of the poem, in particular Yeats' use of "gyre"; the meaning of the phrases "things fall apart" and "the center cannot hold"; and the conflict between aristocratic and revolutionary values. In Part 2, they discuss -- with a little help from Ni ... Show More
Nov 17
Bacchic Redemption in “One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest” (1975)
Nurse Ratched likes a rigged game, according to R.P. McMurphy. And it’s true that the game he is playing—lawless and hedonistic, but also vital and free-spirited—is unwinnable on her sandlot. As their conflict develops, we seem to be asked to compare the therapeutic value of McMu ... Show More
41m 35s
May 2019
Episode 6: The .01 Percent
In this episode, Israeli poet Tahel Frosh talks to us about her debut poetry collection Betsa (Avarice, 2014), financial crisis, and the value of culture. We revisit the summer of 2011, when a series of protests spread across Israel sparked by rising housing costs, the increased ... Show More
27m 46s
Jul 2024
Material Concerns (Live!): Theory, Heart Flutters and Coach On Mic Pt. I
<p>Welcome back to another Material Concerns episode! We recorded this episode live for all our Patreon supporters so you'll notice there's a slightly different vibe; namely, Coach is on mic! We talk theory, past episodes, what's making our hearts flutter these days, and more. If ... Show More
30m 21s
May 2025
Culture | Attar's Parable of the Moths, Part 2
In this episode of Learn Persian with Chai and Conversation, we continue to the second part of The Parable of the Moths by Attar, taken from his masterpiece Conference of the Birds. I'm joined by the brilliant Omid Arabian of YOUniversal Center, who walks us through the next 4 li ... Show More
32m 13s
Nov 2024
Episode 84 - The Battle of Stiklestad (1030)
"This will be the site of a great battle, a battle that will go down in Norwegian history, and you my friends, have front row seats!" The Amelia Project is a fiction podcast comedy about fake deaths and new identities. In this episode we take you back to a defining moment in viki ... Show More
40m 14s
Nov 2017
060 - Questions After Nightfall 1
It’s our first ever Prancing Pony Podcast Q&A episode! Alan and Shawn answer live questions from our very special guests, ranging from the fun to the philosophical. Topics include our favorite villains, the surprising similarities between goblins and dwarves, and the importance o ... Show More
1h 34m
Aug 23
#305 Hot Sex-Ed Teacher Taught Us Absolutely Nothing (Patreon Excerpt)
<p>In this Patreon excerpt, Gianmarco and Russell share the downsides of not learning anything in sex ed class, and the different ways of presenting @$$. Watch the full episode exclusively on Patreon, and join for only $5 a month! <a href="https://www.patreon.com/downside" r ... Show More
15m 7s