Double Think Episodes

The average American's worldview is under constant assault from propaganda. We are in desperate need of a new set of skills to navigate the landscape. This set of skills is widely referred to as media literacy—a concept that extends literacy beyond the ability to read and write, into the ability to understand how and why messages work across different forms of media. Joining us is special guest Renee Hobbs, media literacy scholar, educator, and founder of the Media Education Lab. 

It probably won’t come as much of a surprise that the Pentagon was involved in the making of Top Gun. What may be more surprising is the sheer scope of film and television projects the Pentagon has had a hand in—and just how deeply involved it is in the production process.

What aesthetics and ideas defined the branded propaganda targeting millennials in the 2010s, and why do they increasingly fail to resonate with Gen Z audiences?

San Francisco ad man Howard Gossage's work in both consumer marketing and advocacy messaging was brilliant.

Liberal “pro choice” messaging has historically conceded the moral high ground.

David Shields joins us to dissect the brutal reality of politics as performance.

Unpacking how the Culture War feeds on emotional shortcuts, and more.

Is art propaganda? Is propaganda art? A free flowing conversation about a spectrum that exists between the two.

Malcolm and Josh revisit the “vibe shift” of the US election when President Biden dropped.