What the Folk

Russian history scholar and political scientist Michael Iasilli joins us to discuss, what else, the war in Ukraine. Besides giving us a fascinating tour through Russian and Ukrainian history, Iasilli also has a lot to say about avoiding xenophobia against Russians during this time. Naturally, your hosts and Michael got along swimmingly because we all agree that we have much more in common with the regular people in other countries than we do with our respective governments. Afterward, Joy and Sarah riff on the idea of finding common ground, living in a world of multiple truths, and discuss the latest infuriating developments in the Assange extradition case. 

Featured music is “Soul Creature,” “Staircase,” and “Scary Days” by Michael Anthonia

FOLLOW MICHAEL’S WORK
https://www.maiasilli.com/

MICHAEL’S MUSIC

Instagram: Michaelanthonia_music 

Facebook: @realmichaelanthonia 

Spotify:  https://open.spotify.com/artist/14D2f50WgDvuTLVEVzOAhk?si=X1iwTHp_TTWUiIWgOkp9gg

FURTHER READING

In reference to the data on Russian citizens’ displeasure with Putin’s war: see “FBK” (a sociological survey in Russia:

https://navalny.com/p/6615/?fbclid=IwAR3h2PzC3w1X2or27-6WjXg_WgGNNwZg2OihGpfYm27otGwvaWskQFhmUik

On racism in Ukraine refugee policy

https://www.cbsnews.com/amp/news/black-ukraine-refugees-racism-discrimination-russian-invasion/

HISTORY BOOK RECOMMENDATIONS

The Affirmative Action Empire: Nations and Nationalism in the Soviet Union by Terry Martin
Red Nations: The Nationalities Experience in and after the USSR by Jeremy Smith
Russia in Flames by Laura Engelstein
Red Famine: Stalin’s War in Ukraine by Anne Applebaum

The fabulous Lauren Flynn returns to the pod! We talk about the inspiration for her awesome new band, Buried Blonde, trust and intuition in the creative process, why artists are essential workers, and grappling with death at the Cheesecake Factory. Afterward, Joy and Sarah discuss the lessons they have learned during the pandemic, Colonel Bruce Hampton, and how to have a non-monogamous relationship with yourself.

Featured music is “Like a Scar” and “Perfect Machine” by Buried Blonde, and “Good Riddance Fake Bitches” by Joy Damiani, courtesy of the artists.

FOLLOW BURIED BLONDE

We’re baaaack! Again! Thank you, dear listeners, for being understanding about our (sometimes variable) apocalypse release schedule. We are rewarding your patience with a fantastic episode featuring Nicole Foerster, an advocate for psilocybin mushrooms as a treatment for cluster headaches, a mental health professional, and a proponent for the full decriminalization of entheogenic plants and fungi. In this episode, we talk about their work as director of Decriminalize Nature Colorado which recently submitted a ballot proposal to decriminalize entheogens in the 2022 Colorado statewide election, why decriminalization offers a more intentional and just model for psychedelic access, and the emerging models for holistically supporting mental health. Afterward, Joy and Sarah wander through strange metaphors as they reflect on these strangely psychedelic times in the Society of the Spectacle. 

GET INVOLVED

Decriminalize Nature Colorado
https://www.facebook.com/decrimnaturecolorado/

Insta: @decrimnaturecolorado
https://www.instagram.com/decrimnaturecolorado/?hl=en

Decriminalize Nature (national)
https://decriminalizenature.org/

FEATURED MUSIC

“All the Same” by FaceKiss
https://facekiss.bandcamp.com/

“Hey Moon” and “Peter Pan” by Ray Diess
https://open.spotify.com/artist/2k9ZPxMCH5vm2E7KHBwmfD
https://music.apple.com/us/artist/ray-diess/1553592537

RECOMMENDED READING AND RESOURCES

Your Healing is Killing Me
https://bookshop.org/books/your-healing-is-killing-me/9780991418398

Our Right to Drugs
https://bookshop.org/books/our-right-to-drugs-the-case-for-a-free-market/9780815603337

The Book of Woe: The DSM and the Unmaking of Psychiatry
https://bookshop.org/books/the-book-of-woe-the-dsm-and-the-unmaking-of-psychiatry-9798200063345/9798200063345

Psychiatric Survivors
https://www.psychiatricsurvivors.net/

Mad in America
https://www.madinamerica.com/

Students for Sensible Drug Policy
https://ssdp.org/

SPORE: Society for Psychedelic Outreach, Reform, and Education
https://www.thespore.org/

Unlimited Sciences
unlimitedsciences.org/

How do we enter into dialogue across differences, especially in a world where we are actively discouraged to do so by the powers that be? That question is not only at the heart of Corey Nathan’s work on his podcast Talkin’ Politics & Religion Without Killin’ Each Other, but also a principle we put into practice during this episode. Corey and your folking hosts come from different (at times, vastly different) perspectives but we navigate thorny subjects such as religion, democracy, and cancel culture without losing our shared goal of unfucking the world – or our senses of humor. This episode is praxis-y af, y’all! Afterwards, Joy and Sarah dive further into the ideas of dialogue, curiosity, and building shared spaces in our “this AND that” reality.

We would like to wish our What the Folk fam a safe and, hopefully, joyous New Year. Or at least a year where the silver linings stay in view. Onwards to 2022!

Featured music is “It’s All Right to Not Be Okay” and “Brains in Meat Suits” by Joy Damiani.

FOLLOW COREY’S PODCAST
Talkin’ Politics & Religion Without Killin’ Each Other
@TPandRPod on all the socials
www.podbean.com/site/podcatcher/i…blog/Yedrl1sr7igl

Happy holidays What the Folk Fam! Our gift to you – not sure you asked for it, but you shall receive – is a whole hour of Sarah and Joy’s stoney shenanigans! Joy has a new single and accompanying video, “It’s All Right to Not Be Okay,” dropping on December 21st. We dive into the therapeutic and combat-sport inspirations for the song and vid, as well as the challenges of trying to get your work noticed as an independent solo artist in the algorithm wilderness. This mini-interview is sandwiched with talk of Assange, abortion rights, creating utopia, and Sarah’s rather embarrassing amount of basic Matrix references. Wishing a safe and cozy holiday season to all, whatever you may or may not be celebrating.

FOLLOW JOY AND GET THE PRE-SAVE LINK FOR THE NEW SINGLE
joydamiani.com/
IG: @joydamianimusic
FB: facebook.com/trynottobeadick

Featured music by Joy Damiani:
“Please Don’t F With Me (This Xmas)”:
joydamiani.bandcamp.com/track/please-…-me-this-xmas

“(No Such Thing As) Bad Words”:
joydamiani.bandcamp.com/track/no-such…-as-bad-words

The fabulous Lola Jean Darling returns for the latest episode of What The Folk! We go on a journey through the NOLA mutual aid response post-Hurricane Ida, discuss why adaptability is better than planning, consider how to turn anxiety into art — and even find time to throw some casual side-eye at René Descartes. Extra laughs and extra realness abound in this one. Afterward, Sarah and Joy dive into their shared fed-up-ness with the vaccine discourse and their shared loathing of comic sans font, while wrestling with various issues of human nuance. If you stay till the end, you will be rewarded with some questionable Canadian accents too!

FOLLOW LOLA
Insta: @lolajeandoesart
Bandcamp: lolajeandarling.bandcamp.com

NOLA MUTUAL AID
Lex Lindell: Venmo @Lex-lex indicate mutual aid
Bayou Disaster Kitchen: Venmo @SusiQ-Beck indicate disaster kitchen
Lola & Onishona: Venmo/Cash App @theloladarling, PayPal: theloladarling@gmail.com indicate Lola or Ona

FEATURED MUSIC: “Waves” and “The Years” by Lola Jean Darling, courtesy of the artist

For this joint, we’re joined by anthropologist and filmmaker Marty Otañez to dive into under-discussed labor issues in cannabis, using digital storytelling to disrupt academia, and how anthropology can inform public policy. There’s a lot of hope in this episode, as well as lots of drug discourse, which is truly our favorite type of discourse. Afterward, Joy and Sarah discuss the shouldn’t-be-that-surprising revelations about Facebook, ponder whether algorithms have sentience yet, and generally do an awesome job navigating the English language.

FOLLOW MARTY:
Twitter @otanezm
twitter.com/otanezm

GETTING HIGH ON ANTHROPOLOGY
fsandgreen.org/

NALOXONE CHAMPIONS
clas.ucdenver.edu/anthropology/naloxone-champions

CANNABIS WORKERS’ UNION
www.ufcw.org/who-we-represent/cannabis/

RECOMMENDED RESOURCES
The Women of Weed
maryjanesfilm.com/

Breaking the Grass Ceiling: Women, Weed & Business
bookshop.org/books/breaking-the…ness/9781541096592

FEATURED MUSIC: “In a Major Key” by Joy Damiani (released under Emily Yates)