After moving to the big city, I’ve spent a lot more time on foot over the past
few years. I eventually picked up another habit that pairs with walking
perfectly: podcasts.
As of 2016, here are my favorites:
- Common Sense: Dan Carlin on the American political system.
Dan takes the side of neither party, but comments on them from the outside in
a very informed way. He has the incredible gift to be able to speak for hours
in a way that’s hugely information-dense. No co-host required.
- Hardcore History: Dan Carlin’s podcast on history, and
maybe the best podcast that’s out there right now. Dan’s impassioned
approach to the subject makes every episode great. In particular, check on
the series on the fall of the Roman republic and the exploits of Genghis
Khan.
- Road Work: John Roderick (a musician) and Dan Benjamin (a
podcaster) talk about things. I know that doesn’t sound very interesting, but
Roderick has a way with words and is one of the world’s great story tellers.
- Waking Up with Sam Harris: Sam Harris is best known for his
atheism, but only because that’s his most controversial pursuit. He’s a great
thinker in general, and the most articulate person that you’ll ever hear.
Topics range from current events, society, or interviews with various
intellectuals, and as you’d expect, a healthy dose of criticism on religious
radicalism.
And some others that deserve mention:
- 8-4 Play: Focuses on recent developments in gaming, specifically
in Japan. I don’t play many video games anymore, but I still find it
fascinating.
- 99% Invisible: A podcast on architecture and design that
manages to drudge up original material that’s as interesting as it is
obscure.
- The Bike Shed: Titled with a concept that every programmer will
know well, this one is unsurprisingly about – software. Episode quality is
variable, but there’s occasionally some great content on advanced topics like
Rust and ORM internals.
- Planet Money: These guys really have a real knack for making
economics interesting. Its major weakness is that it never trackles a subject
in depth.
- Radiolab: Covers scientific subjects and comes with good
interviews and some great sound editing. It’s only downside is that the hosts
have a bad habit of brushing up against the realm of pseudo-science.
- Roderick on the Line: A slight variation of Road Work above,
this one is John Roderick and Merlin Mann talking about things. Recent
episodes have been a little lackluster, but comb through the backlog for some
incredible stories.
- Song Exploder: The best edited podcast on the list; breaks
down popular songs and has their composer talk through the thinking and
process that went into their creation. For best results, check the back
catalog for songs that you like.