The Future is Now

12/15/21 • 45 min

Good morning and happy Wednesday! I'm pleased to have my first episode out on time in a little while here and man, does it feel good. Today on Episode 19 of Cherry Picking we talk about the Metaverse. Or Meta? The Meta. Metaverse. Something vaguely reminiscent of Facebook but more ominous and somehow even less cool. This episode covers a brief history of a long slew of the legal entanglements of FB and Mark Zuckerberg, our favourite lizard barbeque, before getting into some more.. opinion-driven ideas of what this transition to 'augmented reality' means for us.
In all honesty, I am a nerdy granola girl at heart. I love reading and being outside, and technology has a way of keeping me from doing that sometimes. I despise the metaverse and everything it stands for, but each day that passes I am reminded of how thin a line we walk as our lives become increasingly integrated digitally with technology. The social, economic, and political implications of the modern trajectory of social media are already profound, and what is sure to come next will be... more profound?
If any of this is interesting to you, hop on and join the ride. It is a weird world to exist in when the promise of an ideal, online, augmented, artificial reality genuinely appeals to ANYONE over the real thing. And if this world gives you the ick, you're not alone.

Cheers,
Alexia
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Cheers,
Alexia
Instagram

Previous Episode

Are White People 'Indigenous'?

Hello! Before anything else, I would like to answer the above question with a resounding no! However, in today's episode of Cherry Picking, we'll dive into the opinion of someone who might disagree. To start off we'll discuss the concept of racialization, the process of developing and attributing features to a group of people on the basis of race with the intention of justifying a specific form of treatment. We'll be piggybacking off of some content from last week for this, so if you want to, check that out first! It isn't necessary though.
Then, we'll apply this concept to Indigenous people and the Canadian state, and how the social construction of race was used to differentiate Indigenous Peoples from the rest of Canada. This was done in order to apply them to a system of civic stratification, or the conditional application of rights and privileges based on one moral and legal social standing in society.
Finally, we'll close the episode off with a reading of one of the most interesting Instagram captions I've ever read. Yes, this is where the title of the episode comes from, and yes, it's because a white woman feels left out and wants to be Indigenous. This caption provides an excellent case of white privilege and the entitlement and ownership that many people express towards Indigenous identity and culture. Yes, these are sensitive topics to engage in. But it is valuable work to do and there is so much to learn from perspectives that are different from yours, even perspectives we may write off as wrong or bad.
Additionally, I would like to extend a big thank you to everyone who regularly listens and downloads the podcast supporting me and my creative pursuits. We've had over 400 downloads of the podcast now, and I am so happy and grateful to have each and every one of you here <3 Without you, this is nothing.

Cheers,
Alexia
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Next Episode

The Finale + RCMP Update

Hello everyone! Today marks our 20th episode of the show, and with that milestone, also the conclusion of our first season. And what a season it has been! Today we go over some pleasantries and I lay out my plan for this break, catching listeners up on what I have in store for season 2 and what can be expected. Lots of little tweaks and improvements to be made, and I couldn't be more excited!
I also reiterate some of the lessons I've learned during the process of becoming acquainted with podcasting, discussing some of the challenges I've had as well as all the ways this adventure has opened up my mind to a world of possibilities. Most importantly, I also thank my listeners for their endless support. Whether you've listened to one episode or listened every week, you're a part of the tree. Researching, recording, and editing is fun and all. But being able to share the finished product with you? Now that's something else.
Finally, if you want to skip to about 20 minutes into the episode, I also cover and discuss the very recent news which broke on December 20th updating the cost of RCMP enforcement at Fairy Creek to $6.8 million.
And that's a wrap! Happy happy holidays, take care, and enjoy your time with family, friends, and loved ones. While I won't be publishing new episodes for a little while, all my current episodes are all up and here to stay. I'll catch you in the New Year. Until then, stay frosty.

Cheers,
Alexia
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