Walking alone in quiet solitude. Mmm sounds perfect. But sometimes, having someone else’s voice in our head is a welcomed change. Times where you want to drown out the everyday hum and get lost in a mind-bending crash course in black holes. These times, call for podcasts. Whether you’re working out, walking up the road, or doing pretty much anything, take one of the Sweatcoin teams top podcasts along for the journey.
Masters of Scale
If you use Sweatcoin, then aside from being smart, switched-on, and an all-around great human, chances are you have some startup blood running through your veins. Budding entrepreneurs are in no short supply In the Sweatcoin office, and this podcast is one of their sources of inspiration. Reid Hoffman, the co-founder of LinkedIn, introduces a theory of scaling at the start of each MOS episode, before interrogating and exploring the ideas with titans of industry such as Facebook’s Mark Zuckerberg, Evite’s Selina Tobaccowalla and AirBnB’s Brian Chesky.
The Black Tapes
Ever had that eery feeling that there was someone beside you, only to find there’s no one there? Chances are, it was nothing. But if you’re the type of person who might believe it was a ghost of Christmas past, or Patrick Swayze looking for a pottery class buddy, the black tapes is a show that will get your sixth sense fired up. In a nod to the detective show Serial’s format, this fictional, true crime style show follows host Alex Reagan as she investigates a series of unsolved cases belonging to paranormal Investigator Dr. Richard Strand.
Looking to improve your walking home time? Listen to some of these creepy tales of ghosts, demon worship, and witchcraft – being scared senseless will get you home in record time! This one’s not for the faint of heart; our head of growth was so spooked out after listening he “genuinely had to sleep with the lights on”.
Making Sense (formerly titled Waking Up) with Sam Harris
Listening to Sam discuss and debate neuroscience, moral philosophy and meditation practice can act as an intellectual warm up for the brain – or a wake-up call that you need to listen to more of Sam Harris! The neuroscientist, philosopher, and best selling author invites intellectual heavyweights from a range of backgrounds and disciplines to exchange and challenge ideas, with an emphasis on improving our understanding of ourselves central to each episode.
You’ll gain insights from academic bigwigs, ex-navy seal captains, biologists, FBI negotiators, and much more. Yearning to be the most well informed in the room? Are you that Sweatcoiner who just has to have the last word? Then this is right up your street. In The Russell Brand Interview, these two juggernauts of public conversation have it out in an unmissable, more comical introduction to the show.
Startalk with Neil Degrasse Tyson
Science and pop culture collide in this hit show hosted by the rock star of astrophysics. In each episode, Tyson teams up with a popular figure from the world of science, art or politics and a comedian cohost. What ensues is a dissection of straight forward theories like how the study of dark matter and dark energy might be the key to traveling backward in time, complete with a healthy dose of big kid sniggering by Tyson and his interlocutors.
You should check it out if you consider yourself a “science person”, and you should definitely check it out if you don’t. Why do we fight? What’s the science behind Brazilian jiu-jitsu? Check out Fighting, philosophy, and the primal mind with Joe Rogan, and learn about the physics of fighting, mental and physical health next time you’re jogging to the gym. Best paired with a walk under the stars.
The Joe Rogan Experience
Comedian. Mixed martial artist. Sports commentator. Master of the podcast. Joe Rogan has something for everyone, in a show that features a truly diverse range of guests, including sports stars, scientists, musicians, movie stars and more. In a recent episode, the outspoken radio host Alex Jones made some bizarre claims about interdimensional conspiracy theories, which will certainly jazz up your evening dog walk. For something with a little more substance, we choose the Elon Musk episode for the rare insights from the workaholic disrupter of the tech and engineering world (It’s the episode where he smokes a joint live on air).
The Digital Human
The show’s focus is on our relationship with technology, yet it feels more like a general analysis of today’s world, questioning the effects that technological developments have on society. Alex Krotoski keeps us informed by questioning whether the digital world is reviving our tribal connections, if we’re asking too much of sin eaters (online content moderators), and what the psychological impacts are of living online. The LOL episode will teach you about why you chortle at cat memes, and how to use the benign violation theory to figure out why that joke you cracked earlier crashed and burned.
The Guilty Feminist
“I’m a feminist but..” is how comedian Deborah Frances-White begins each weekly discussion of topics affecting 21st-century women who are proud feminists til the bitter end – but have no qualms with gentleman opening doors for them, and embrace some of these perks afforded to women. Frances-White is sending a message – that you can tackle current topics like the abusive power of patriarchal Hollywood, whilst still enjoying a good ol’ makeup sesh. Kat, one of our Marketplace Executive’s, recommends episode 126 to all sweatcoiners – whether you’re a woman who can relate, or a man looking to improve his understanding of the opposite sex. Any of those out there?
Stuff You Should Know
Corsets, LSD, schizophrenia, elastics, Occam’s razor, orgasms, landmines, Twinkies, voodoo, ballpoint pens, Atilla the hun, bullfighting, Navajo code talkers, Ponzi schemes, satanism – these are just a taste of the plethora of topics that Josh and Chuck can teach you all about. Just without a put-you-to-sleep-and-bury-you-in-academic-jargon approach that some educational shows use. Each show feels more like a chat in a cafe with your pals, owing to the pairs chemistry and frequent giggling.
Sometimes, learning from a couple of funny dudes who have only just learned the topic themselves can actually be better than learning from an expert – especially when it comes to the history of safety pins…So next time you’re on the move, get some essential knowledge downloaded onto your noggin – listen to ”two times in the 70s When People Buried Ferraris” (it’s as random a start as any!).
Atlanta Monster
Nowadays, we all fancy ourselves as amateur detectives, despite a distinct lack of skills and resources. And so we should. We’ve seen making a murderer, and pretty much have the case wrapped up. Now it’s time to put those investigative skills to the test once again, as we join Payne Lindsey in the search for answers to one of the cities darkest true crime cases.
Over 25 African American children and young adults were either murdered or went missing between 1979 and 1981, striking fear into the community and highlighting racial divisions and police failings. Whack on episode one, launch your investigation and graduate from armchair to walking detective. As you walk to the shops, you’ll find yourself matching the scenery around you to those being described to you…
The Philosophers Arms
Is the universe real? Is there life after Sweatcoin? Are you choosing to read this article out of your own free will, or was it predetermined? Like most Sweatcoiners, our Product Manager Jared is a curious soul, and he recommends this gem for anyone interested in philosophy.
Join Matt Sweet as he takes academics out of their comfort zone and into the everyday philosopher’s arena – the pub! Here they use logic and reason – not always the weapons of choice for a pub debate – to examine moral blame, trolleyology, and other such topics in a down to earth setting. Find a big open space to walk in, and fire up the episode on free will. Then report back to us, and tell us all about your epiphanies!
Shoes on, headphones in
Podcasts can be your buddy on that tranquil walk, that group convo you don’t need to answer back to, and that opportunity to learn whilst making a routine trip.
And these are just the tip of the iceberg! There are a gazillion other audio feasts out there, and we’d love to know what you plug into when you’re off sweatcoining, so drop a message in the community forum so we can have a listen! What’s that you say? Where’s the Sweatcoin podcast at? Hmm…
