Written by Keyshia Jenkins
correspondent
Podcast culture is taking the internet by storm. From celebrities to everyday people with microphones, it seems like everyone is creating a podcast channel and sharing their opinions with the world.
Podcasts of various genres touch on relationships, lifestyle choices, affirmations, inspiration, crime, and many other topics that can cater to whatever you want or need to hear at the time.
While many podcasts are harmless and can provide insightful life advice, many others promote negative or harmful stereotypes about various groups of people. Podcasts like “Emergency Meeting” and “The Pregame Live Show” play on the idea of stereotypical gender roles. Their hosts believe that gender should be kept strictly within their boundaries, and that anything outside of the binary is a sign of society's collapse. These podcasts have cultivated unfavorable fan bases and negatively influenced youth groups.
The internet is a very influential place and that's why we have influencers. You can inspire both the good and the bad in people. Podcasts are public forums that allow for discussion, positive or negative, and can provoke or incite groups of people. They demonstrated the power of words.
This allows podcasts to be used detrimentally to push any agenda an individual may have. “The Ben Shapiro Show'' pushes toxic rhetoric about race relations and politics in America. Anyone with an opinion can start a podcast and get attention, but that's not necessarily a good thing.
I'm not saying all podcasts are harmful. I listen to different podcasts that correspond to what I'm going through, or just for general life advice. However, the negative ones that instill harmful mindsets in young people seem to be the most popular.
Podcasts like “Whatever” and “Fresh and Fit” are perfect examples of this platform being abused. Both of these podcasts spend a lot of time belittling women and promoting the idea of the “alpha man.” They make young boys believe that because they are men, they automatically have authority over women's autonomy.
Podcasts like “The Kevin Samuels Show'' feature women to tell their audience that they are not “high-value women,'' and to tell their audience their idea of the perfect woman. The podcast goes so far as to say that women who don't meet misogynistic standards should be treated badly.
On the flip side, female-led podcasts where women hide behind a “life coach” persona and instead of encouraging women, tell them everything they're doing wrong and how to properly cater to men's egos. There is also. This can affect young girls' self-esteem and how they see themselves, especially in romantic relationships.
Podcasts created specifically to improve your health are the bright side of this dilemma. “Be Happier with Gretchen Rubin” and “Affirmations for Black Women” will uplift your mood, give you advice on how to approach your daily routine, and help you think better.
There are also podcasts that serve as relationship guides and offer dating tips, such as “We meets at Acme” and “Why don't you date me?” These can generally lead singles and couples to healthier relationship patterns.
General entertainment podcasts like “Suburb Talks” and “Bottoms Up With Fannita” can also be positive, as they cover a wide range of topics and interview influencers and celebrities for advice and opinions on mainstream topics. there is.
Podcasts can be a tricky platform, but they're so diverse that you'll be able to find something that's right for you. Toxic ones can be easily avoided. You need to understand that the people you are talking to are just people with opinions and you can formulate some of your own. Podcasts are one of the great forms of entertainment. You need to find the right one.