Why are intellectual podcasts so bad?

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Style Pass

2024-10-22 04:30:05

There seems to be an endless supply of intellectual podcasts available now, and on paper, this should be amazing—so much new content with brilliant thinkers! But to be candid, most intellectual podcasts suck. It’s not because they have poor production values or bad guests. In my view, the problem is much more frustrating: the hosts often don’t really care about the quality of the conversation.

The hosts typically do minimal research, display little genuine enthusiasm, and ask predictable questions lacking in substance. The same guests rotate through the podcast circuit, while less popular but deeply fascinating new voices remain absent.

I’ve thought about this a lot, and here’s my theory: Most intellectual podcasts, despite being intellectual podcasts, are hosted by relatively non-passionate social climbers.

I want podcast hosts who are infovores—the real nerds who stay up until 3 am reading obscure books on the Safavid Empire or long-form articles on theft in the Nigerian oil industry, or who comment on nerdy blogs. Of this group, few already have platforms or fame, and those who don’t are typically the kinds of people who feel uncomfortable putting themselves out there or facing rejection. In contrast, there is an abundance of highly ambitious people who know how to climb social ladders.