Here are my Top 5 podcast episodes I recommend listening to over the weekend.
Which podcast would you suggest? Share with the community in the comments.
📰 News
Podcast: Up First
Episode: “Friday, May 21, 2021”
Hosts: Steve Inskeep & Rachel Marton
Apple | Spotify | 🕰️ 14 min | 🗓️ 05/21/2021
The breaking news of this week is the agreement on a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas. This “Up First” episode summarizes the latest happenings in the Middle East and also refers to President Biden’s position. Furthermore, the poor living conditions of many of the 20,000 migrant children held at the US southern border are addressed.
🗳️ Politics
Podcast: Pod Save the World
Episode: “Time to call for a ceasefire in Gaza”
Hosts: Tommy Vietor & Ben Rhodes
Guest: Betty McCollum | Congresswoman
Apple | Spotify | 🕰️ 1 hr 33 min | 🗓️ 05/19/2021
Although this podcast was released before the ceasefire, I believe it contains valuable information from qualified experts. Tommy, who worked for President Obama’s National Security Council, and Ben, former deputy national security advisor, dive deep into the Biden administration’s reaction to the fighting between Israel and Hamas. One of the main discussion points is the US military aid to Israel, which is further talked about with Congresswoman Betty McCollum.
🚀 Biz & Tech
Podcast: Sway - A New York Times Podcast
Episode: “Can Snapchat Win the War Against TikTok?”
Host: Kara Swisher
Guest: Evan Spiegel | CEO | Snap Inc.
Apple | Spotify | 🕰️ 42 min | 🗓️ 05/20/2021
I couldn’t help but include another Sway episode in my Top 5 of this week’s podcasts. Kara Swisher interviews Evan Spiegel, CEO of Snap Inc. Their primary topic is the announcement of the new version of Spectacles, which has augmented-reality capabilities. Kara presses Spiegel on how he will compete with augmented-reality technology from the big tech competitors and Snap’s point of differentiation regarding Instagram and Tik Tok. I especially appreciated Spiegel’s take on content moderation and had the impression that he has very different perspectives than other tech CEOs.
💵 Finance
Podcast: This Week in Startups
Episode: “Emergency Pod! Huge Bitcoin correction, Robinhood IPO rumors, Squarespace direct listing”
Host: Jason Calacanis
Apple | Spotify | 🕰️ 34 min | 🗓️ 05/20/2021
In this “Emergency Pod” Jason Calacanis breaks down the major Bitcoin correction and the role China plays in it. He furthermore talks about the rumor that Robinhood might go public next month and what their market cap at IPO might be. Lastly, he addresses Squarespace going public via direct listing. I recommend this episode to everyone, who is looking for a succinct breakdown of this week’s most important happenings in the market.
💬 Culture & Society
Podcast: The goop Podcast
Episode: “Should All Drugs Be Legal?”
Host: Erica Chidi
Guest: Carl Hart | Psychology Department Chair | Columbia University
Apple | Spotify | 🕰️ 40 min | 🗓️ 05/18/2021
I believe that this topic will be one of the top societal discussions in the next few years. What is the difference between decriminalization and legalization? And why should all drugs be legal and regulated? Carl Hart, PhD, provides the answers, drawing on decades of scientific research, history, and his own experiences. This episode definitely included some controversial statements, which I don’t agree with entirely, however I fully support the essence of Hart’s proposal and think it’s a topic everybody has to get more educated on.
