The Blindboy Podcast I listened to the rain and it told me a story about Margaret Thatcher
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Jan 21, 2026 The podcast dives into the complexities of the water cycle and the impact of its privatization, particularly in California. It explores the cultural significance of Irish rain and grasslands, weaving in traditions about sacred wells and water reverence. The discussion highlights the threats posed by AI data centers to Ireland's water resources. It critiques the neoliberal policies that prioritize profits over public good, exemplified by Margaret Thatcher's water privatization in the UK, and suggests community actions for protecting wetlands and local ecosystems.
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Water As A Relational Flux
- Water is a phase in a continuous, relational water cycle rather than an isolated object to own or sell.
- Treating water as an object enables commodification and ecological harm, says Blindboyboatclub.
Sparkling Water Became A Sacred Relic
- Irish immigrants in 19th-century America treated bottled sparkling water like sacred well relics and made shrines out of bottles.
- Meredith B. Lynn used this archaeological pattern to identify Irish slums by sparkling-water altars.
AI And Data Centers Drain Water Systems
- Data centres and AI use huge amounts of water and target regions with publicly owned, cheap water like Ireland.
- This pressure contributes to a global 'water bankruptcy' by depleting aquifers and stressing cycles.