The Long Seventies Podcast

In this episode we start a four part series on the book Changing Images of Man, which is a wild 70s brainstorming session on how to shape the future of humanity by shaping how humans see themselves. In this episode we delve into the earliest roots of the ideas at play and look at how a number of seemingly unrelated movements and trends intersect during the Long Seventies and are synthesized in this study, including futurism, economics, environmentalism, cybernetics, ecology, and general systems theory.

During this period talented songwriters and musicians were handed the reins to entire soundtracks and produced a number of very successful albums that not only contributed to the success of their partner films, but helped define the musical landscape of the Seventies.

Summary: We talk movies that illustrate a shift in direction for Hollywood's portrayal of Americans, precocious teenagers, working class stiffs, and a new optimistic image of a society where hustle, ambition and entrepreneurial spirit are the keys to success.

We continue a two part story about famed explorer, anthropologist, and ethnobotanist Wade Davis' 1982 expedition to Haiti to figure out what was in the mythical zombi powder. As the story progresses we realize that the real treasure is Davis' insight into Haitian culture and the Haitian Vodoun worldview.

We start a two part story about famed explorer, anthropologist and ethnobotanist Wade Davis' 1982 expedition to Haiti to figure out what was in the mythical zombi powder. As the story progresses we realize that the real treasure is Davis' insight into Haitian culture and the Haitian Vodou worldview.

Delve into the twisted world of The Illuminatus! Trilogy by Shea and Wilson, filled with conspiracies, sex, drugs, Atlantis, and talking dolphins. Explore the origins of the Bavarian Illuminati and the mystical significance of the number 23. Unravel complex narrative structures, time travel, and the impact of conspiracy theories on society. Reflect on libertarianism, hidden fears, and the evolution of news media in the 'long 70s'.

We examine tv shows like The Brady Bunch, All In the Family, Taxi, Sanford and Son, Good Times, Family Ties, The Cosby Show, Magnum PI, Dallas and more in this episode, and try to figure out what they tell us about American society during the Long Seventies.

Why was the Long Seventies seemingly such a fertile time for serial killers? We try to answer this question and speculate on what serial killers are up to today. We discuss how serial killers are classified, how they are potentially created or born, and how media attention drives the cultural awareness and fear of these rare individuals.

The horror punk band The Misfits was born in Lodi, NJ in 1977 and became one of the most enduring and influential punk bands of the Long Seventies. Their unique blend of violence, angst, b-movie horror lyrics, stage costumes, and one of a kind songwriting and instrumentation made them relevant and attractive to fans long after they originally broke up in 1983.

We talk Christopher Lasch's 1979 book The Culture of Narcissism and assess how well it characterizes the period, what it means for today's society, and how technology and advertising have effected personality.