Episode 278: Big Joe Breaks the Silence

05/12/25 • 61 min

In which RJ, Sarah, and Dave talk marketing trauma, cultural decline, and the pluses and minuses of the silent treatment. Also, Sarah goes on a date to WalMart, while RJ tries real hard to be the shepherd.

Click here to read Ellen Cushing's article "The Brands Are Very Sorry About Your Trauma."
Click here to read Is This the Worst-Ever Era of American Pop Culture? by Spencer Kornhaber.
Click here to read "Deafening Silence" by Sam Bush on Mbird.
Click here to read David Marchese's interview with Ocean Vuong in the NY Times.

Click here to read Ellen Cushing's article "The Brands Are Very Sorry About Your Trauma."
Click here to read Is This the Worst-Ever Era of American Pop Culture? by Spencer Kornhaber.
Click here to read "Deafening Silence" by Sam Bush on Mbird.
Click here to read David Marchese's interview with Ocean Vuong in the NY Times.

Previous Episode

Episode 277: The Big Relief of a Good Dishwasher

In which RJ, Sarah, and Dave talk Pope Francis, dirty dishes, eternal life, and Dave's new book, The Big Relief. Also, RJ bleeds in the pulpit while Sarah takes us to the alley.

Click here to listen to (and watch) Gregory Porter sing "Take Me to the Alley".
Click here to read Ellen Cushing's "There Are Two Types of Dishwasher People" in the Atlantic.
Click here to read "The Work of Small Talk" from the Oliver Bateman Does the Work substack.
Click here to order Dave's book, The Big Relief: The Urgency of Grace for a Worn-Out World.
Click here to listen to the interview that RJ mentions (Dave on Give + Take with Scott Jones). Or here to watch it.
Click here to read Bryan Jarrell's piece, "Eternal Life Is Not Embarrassing" on Mbird.

Next Episode

Episode 279: We Are All Nepo Babies

In their last episode before the summer hiatus, RJ, Sarah, and Dave talk afternoon pop-ins, cigarette nostalgia, do-gooder derogation, and rejected generations. Also, RJ watches Cobra Kai while Sarah's son (thankfully) opts not to take over the world.

To respond to the opening appeal, visit www.mbird.com/support.

Click here to read Patricia Shannon's column, "Let's Bring Back the Lost Art of the Afternoon Visit" in Southern Living
Click here to read Vox's Future Perfect newsletter about do-gooder derogation by Sigal Samuel
Click here to read David Brooks' article "We Are the Most Rejected Generation" in the NY Times
Click here to read "Nepo Babies and the Economy of Grace" by Chris Wachter on Mbird

The closing song, used with permission, is "Miracle Service" by Andy Squyres, which you can find on Spotify, YouTube, and Apple