The New York Times podcast, Rabbit Hole, hosted by tech columnist Kevin Roose, brings an answer to a complex question: What is the Internet doing to us?
In 2020, nobody can deny that the Internet is essential to us. It has kept us together as we socially distance, and more recently served as the platform for organizing social activism. We’ve also seen its ability to create politically-charged discussions over mundane topics, such as wearing masks, and its role in polarizing our beliefs at the expense of understanding one another.
For eight episodes, Roose takes his audience down the rabbit hole to reveal the chaos of Internet culture.
The podcast focuses on how social media platforms have served as the cornerstone of an emerging alt-right, conspiracy theory political movement. To illustrate this, Roose interviews social media executives, content creators, and consumers to show the Internet’s ability to be an echo chamber of opinions.
He also centres the podcast on redemption stories, as his interviewees ascend from the rabbit hole, changed by their experiences within it. Their redemption arcs humanize the interviewees, and I found myself celebrating their new, informed understanding of how they can be manipulated without realizing it. At the end of each of their arcs, each interviewee is presented as a wiser individual, which beautifully serves as a peaceful conclusion to their chaotic story.
Wonderland-level storytelling
The emphasis on storytelling is Rabbit Hole‘s greatest strength, and what kept me hooked each episode. Rather than tiring listeners with research experts and statistics, Roose crafts engaging stories that feel like I’m watching a suspenseful play unfold.
You buy into his characters — the interviewees — as he provides the background information. It’s thrilling for the same reasons I enjoy a mysterious drama, as I eagerly wait for the next story to piece everything together. Instead of choosing either to be informative or engaging, Rabbit Hole chooses both and succeeds in equal respects.
The stories Rabbit Hole covers are also relevant and exciting. Roose looks at YouTube’s recommended section and how it propels viewers to more extreme content, then turns to discuss the growing influence of YouTube’s top creator, Pewdiepie and his tirade against the Wall Street Journal. While we commonly label politicians as the creators of political divide, I was given a new perspective from Rabbit Hole’s demonstration that many of our opinions come from celebrities, who use their audiences to advance a political agenda.
He also touches upon misinformation during the coronavirus pandemic and how conspiracy theorists create communities and friendships with each other in the process. Even if you’re unfamiliar with these topics, Roose’s calming voice and his masterful storytelling serve as a comfortable way to introduce you to this chaotic world.
Where its flaws lie
Rabbit Hole is not without its flaws, albeit small ones. For a podcast that’s focused on right-wing political movements, I would have liked to see a brief exploration of the political left. It would be interesting to see if similar conspiracy theorists exist on the opposite side of the spectrum, and compare and contrast their ideas.
Inadvertently, Rabbit Hole highlights the political divide in the United States by only focusing on one side of the political spectrum.
Its other flaw lies in its effects, though this is dependent on your audio preferences. To emphasize the ominous undertones of Rabbit Hole‘s content, jarring sound effects are used to give the reader a sense of unease — as if falling down a rabbit hole.
Some episodes will include choruses of repeated words to add suspense or stacking of different voices to metaphorically show chaos. Others may transition from scene to scene with a glitchy and uncomfortable sound effect. I enjoyed these effects for their immersion, but I could also understand that some may find them off-putting.
Don’t delay: Hop on in
Overall, Rabbit Hole is an excellent podcast that eases listeners into topics that can be intimidating. I highly recommend you give it a listen. The episodes are brief (around 30 minutes), and you’ll finish each one having learned something new. Its emphasis on storytelling creates fascinating plotlines that will naturally guide you towards the next episode, eager to learn more.
In this pandemic-stricken world, why not enjoy educating yourself on something you use every day?
Featured image from nytimes.com.
