Morris Berman Returns

New World Notes #333, 28:50 (July 22, 2014)

Broadcast quality MP3 (40 MB)
Decent quality MP3 (13 MB)

Morris Berman

Back from Seattle, KD reflects briefly on urban vitality, urban decline, and the dubious future of the whole political-economic System as we know it. Then, in a brilliant informal talk (a Q&A session), cultural historian Morris Berman discusses these issues and more--including digital technology, today's youth, and the failures of the "mainstream" media.

In November 2013, we broadcast a lecture by Berman that preceded this Q&A (NWN #297, "The Hollow Men"). But Berman's remarks today--lightly edited by KD--stand nicely on their own.  Thanks to Robin Upton, producer of Unwelcome Guests, for the audio.

Thought experiment: Which would you choose: legal marijuana or good weather?  Both arrived in Seattle at the same time, in the first half of July, 2014.  During my visit, I didn't hear anybody say anything at all about pot, but everyone was marvelling at five consecutive days without rain!  To a New Englander, the Pacific Northwest takes a little getting used to. . . .

More Berman:  Want to hear more of Morris Berman?  Here are two past installments featuring him.  Right-click to download:

• NWN #297, The Hollow Men (November 2013)
  
• NWN #200, Morris Berman (January 2012)

Pioneer Square neighborhood, Seattle, July 2014. 
(Note actual sunshine.)  Photo by Kenneth Dowst.
License: Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial