(Pre-) Order Kaila's new book, out August 19th:

Fetishized: A Reckoning with Yellow Fever, Feminism, and Beauty

Summary (AI Generated by Gemini 2.5 Pro):

Author Kaila Yu joins the show to discuss her powerful new memoir, "Fetishized: A Reckoning with Yellow Fever, Feminism, and Beauty." The conversation unpacks the complex and often damaging ways Asian women are portrayed in Western media. Yu deconstructs the through-line from cultural touchstones like Puccini's opera Madama Butterfly and the original Little Mermaid  to modern media, linking them to the historical origins of the Southeast Asian sex trade in American colonialism and military occupation. She shares her personal journey through modeling and music, explaining how these experiences informed her critical perspective on beauty, stereotypes, and the insidious nature of fetishization.

The discussion also explores the real-world consequences of these stereotypes, examining the rise in anti-Asian violence in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, while also considering the massive global success of K-Pop as a sign of shifting cultural representation. Yu offers a nuanced take on the feminist debates surrounding sex work, questioning the emotional toll on its participants while affirming the need for workers' rights and safety. Ultimately, the episode delves into the power of self-love and critical awareness as tools to navigate and dismantle a culture that seeks to define individuals through a narrow, fetishized lens.

Donation links for Palestine:

Amjad Hamad and his Family

Rulin and Family

Sammar and her Husband

MSF (Doctors Without Borders)

Palestinian Youth Movement

My Patreon:

Hemlock | Patreon

Check out the premium podcast Welcome to the Crusades: The First Crusade and unlock all ten episodes now. Click here for the full first episode.

I am joined by Eleanor Janega and Luke Waters of the We're Not So Different Podcast (Patreon Page) and the fellas over at American Prestige podcast (Website) Derek Davidson and Daniel Bessner.

My Patreon, fwiw~

References, Citations, People, Assorted Wikipedia & Amazon Pages:

Albert of Aix (Reputable Christian Chronicle of First Crusade)

The Rhineland Massacres (Jewish Pogrom at Start of First Crusade)

A Chronicle of the Above, Namely the Solomon bar Simson Chronicle

The First Crusade with the Chronicle of Fulcher of Chartres by Edward Peters

The First Crusade and the Idea of Crusading by Jonathan Riley-Smith

The First Crusade by Steven Runciman

Shipping, Trade, and Crusade in the Medieval Mediterranean

Best Contemporary Arab Source/Perspective: The Crusades Through Arab Eyes by Amin Maalouf

Derek's mention of the first Complete History of the World by Ali ibn al-Athir

Arab chronicle by El-Isfahani

Persian chronicler under Mongol/Il-Khanate rule Hamadani

This episode is Lecture #3 of 6 in Susan Neiman's "Heroism for a Time of Victims" lecture series, part of the Gifford Lectures delivered in May 2022. The other 5 can be found in HoPAA #171.

Read about ⁠Susan Neiman's⁠ May 2022 Gifford Lecture Series "Heroism for a Time of Victims" at the ⁠Gifford Lecture blog.⁠

View the original YouTube playlist with all six lectures (and a Q&A which I did not include) ⁠here⁠.

Music Credits:

-Schubert, Impromptu No. 3 in G-flat Major by ⁠Max John⁠

-Beethoven, Piano Sonata No. 4 in E-flat Major, Movement 2

Support me on Patreon!

Read about Susan Neiman's May 2022 Gifford Lecture Series "Heroism for a Time of Victims" at the Gifford Lecture blog.

View the original YouTube playlist with all six lectures (and a Q&A which I did not include) here.

Music Credits:

-Schubert, Impromptu No. 3 in G-flat Major by Max John

-Beethoven, Piano Sonata No. 4 in E-flat Major, Movement 2

Lecture Table of Contents:

(00:00:00) Host Intro

(00:01:33) Who Needs Heroes?

(01:06:22) Odysseus, the First Modern Hero, and his Critics

(02:09:27) John Brown: Freedom Fighter or Terrorist?

(03:09:43) George Eliot: Heroes Without Faith

(04:22:38) Einstein: Hero to Celebrity

(05:28:54) Paul Robeson: Art in Service of Heroism

This is Part 2 of Shelly Kagan's course on YouTube/Yale Open Courseware. Part 1 is linked in the description, or you can just click here. You can support Professor Kagan by purchasing his book on Death. The original YouTube series can be found here.

Support my work on Patreon and keep this stuff free and flowing for everyone:

patreon.com/c/hemlockpatreon

Music is Fauré Requiem, Op. 48, performed by ⁠Seiji Ozawa at the Hiroshima Peace Concert.⁠ Creative Commons.

Table of Contents

(00:00:00) Host Intro

(00:00:32) Nature of Death 1

(00:41:24) Nature of Death 2

(01:21:05) Dying Alone, Badness of Death 1

(02:06:26) The Badness of Death 2

(02:49:42) Badness of Death 3, Immortality 1

(03:36:28) Immortality 2, Value of Life 1

(04:22:58) Value of Life 2

(05:09:53) Aspects of Death

(05:56:34) The Fear of Death

(06:41:03) How to Live Given Death

(07:22:14) Suicide Part 1

(08:03:01) Suicide Part 2

(08:48:03) Suicide Part 3

Support my work and get ad-free full episodes on Patreon:

⁠https://patreon.com/c/hemlockpatreon⁠

Earlier episodes (#1-27) up now, ad-free on History of Philosophy Audio Archive / Spotify.

Music Credit (Cover of 99 Luftballons by NENA, performed by /millibeep)

⁠https://youtu.be/gTss-rBgUl8⁠

What the song means (⁠Genius⁠):

[Verse 1]If you have some time for me

Then I will sing a song for you

Of ninety-nine balloons

On their way to the horizon

Are you perhaps thinking of me right now?

Then I will sing a song for you

Of ninety-nine balloons

And something that came of them

[Verse 2]

Ninety-nine balloons

On their way to the horizon

Were taken for UFOs from space

Hence, a general sent

A squadron after them

To give the alarm

But there, on the horizon

Were just ninety-nine balloons

[Verse 3]

⁠Ninety-nine jet fighters

Each was a great warrior

Regarded themselves as Captain Kirk⁠

There was a great display of fireworks

The neighbors didn't understand

And instantly felt offended

But they shot at the horizon

At ninety-nine balloons

[Verse 4]

Ninety-nine ministers of war

Matches and petrol canisters

Regarded themselves as clever people

Already on the scent of a hunt⁠

They shouted, "War," and wanted power⁠

Man, who would have thought?

That someday it would come this far

Because of ninety-nine balloons

[Verse 5]Ninety-nine years of war

Left no place for winners

War ministers don't exist anymore

Neither do the fighter jets

Today, I stroll around

See the world in ruins

I've found a balloon

I think of you and let it fly

--//--

Sources:

• Archaic Torso of Apollo

  • Source: ⁠Wikipedia: Archaic Torso of Apollo⁠

  • Summary: This poem by Rainer Maria Rilke explores an ancient, fragmented statue of the Greek god Apollo, contemplating its powerful and enduring presence despite its missing parts. The poem ultimately concludes with the famous line, "You must change your life"

• JFK and the Unspeakable

  • Source: ⁠Goodreads: JFK and the Unspeakable⁠

  • Summary: James W. Douglass's book argues that President John F. Kennedy's assassination was the result of his conversion from a Cold Warrior to a peacemaker. It posits that Kennedy was killed by his own security apparatus for pursuing peace with the Soviet Union and Cuba.

• Merton Lectures on Rilke

  • Source: ⁠Goodreads: Thomas Merton on the Poetry and Letters of Rainer Maria Rilke⁠

  • Summary: This is a collection of remastered talks by Thomas Merton, a Trappist monk and renowned poet, who deeply admired Rainer Maria Rilke. In these lectures, Merton explores Rilke's poetry and letters, demonstrating how Rilke's work informed his own Catholic spirituality.

• Letters to a Young Poet by Rilke

  • Source: ⁠Goodreads: Letters to a Young Poet⁠

  • Summary: This is a collection of ten letters written by poet Rainer Maria Rilke to a young officer cadet, Franz Xaver Kappus. Rilke advises the young man not on his poetry itself, but on how to live an authentic and artistic life by looking inward for truth.

• Robert Bly Commentary of Rilke

  • Source: ⁠Scribd: Rilke and Bly⁠

  • Summary: Robert Bly, an American poet and translator, is known for his influential translations and commentary on Rilke's poetry.

• The Sonnets to Orpheus by Rilke

  • Source: ⁠Goodreads: The Sonnets to Orpheus⁠

  • Summary: "Sonnets to Orpheus" is a collection of poems by Rainer Maria Rilke, written as a tribute to a young woman who died from illness. The poems explore themes of art, life, and death through the mythological figure of Orpheus, the legendary musician who could charm all of nature with his song.

• Doomsday Clock

  • Source: ⁠Britannica: Doomsday Clock⁠

  • Summary: A symbol maintained by the Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists to represent how close humanity is to a human-made global catastrophe. The clock is a metaphor, with "midnight" representing the end of the world, and the time is assessed annually based on threats like nuclear weapons and climate change.

Patreon Support:

⁠patreon.com/c/hemlockpatreon⁠

Podcast Sources (AI Generated, May Contain Errors):

• Ada Lovelace

  • Source: ⁠Wikipedia: Ada Lovelace⁠

  • Summary: Ada Lovelace was an English mathematician and writer, chiefly known for her work on Charles Babbage's proposed mechanical general-purpose computer, the Analytical Engine. She is often regarded as the first to recognize the full potential of a "computing machine" and the first computer programmer. She was also the legitimate daughter of Lord Byron and Annabella Byron.

• The Jacquard Loom and Computers

  • Source: ⁠Britannica: Jacquard loom⁠

  • Summary: The Jacquard loom, invented by Joseph Marie Jacquard, used a series of punch cards to automate the weaving of complex patterns. This mechanical loom is considered a precursor to modern computing, as its use of punch cards provided a model for storing and reading coded information, inspiring Charles Babbage's design for the Analytical Engine.

• Byron's Dramatic Poem Manfred

  • Source: ⁠Wikipedia: Manfred (poem)⁠

  • Summary: Manfred is a dramatic poem written by Lord Byron in 1817, featuring a noble hero who is tormented by a mysterious guilt stemming from a forbidden love. The poem explores themes of transgression, isolation, and the conflict between human free will and supernatural forces.

• The Corsair by Byron

  • Source: ⁠Wikipedia: The Corsair (poem)⁠

  • Summary: The Corsair is a long narrative poem by Lord Byron, published in 1814, that became an instant success. It tells the story of Conrad, a charismatic pirate whose life of adventure and rebellion is tragically intertwined with love and betrayal.

• Lawrence v. Texas (US Court Decision)

  • Source: ⁠Wikipedia: Lawrence v. Texas⁠

  • Summary: Lawrence v. Texas was a landmark 2003 US Supreme Court decision that invalidated sodomy laws throughout the country, thereby making same-sex sexual activity legal in every state. The ruling overturned a prior decision and found that the laws violated the due process clause of the Fourteenth Amendment.

• The Marquis de Sade

  • Source: ⁠Wikipedia: Marquis de Sade⁠

  • Summary: Donatien Alphonse François, Marquis de Sade, was an 18th-century French aristocrat and writer known for his libertine philosophy and explicit novels. His works, which gave rise to the term "sadism," explored themes of transgressive sexuality, cruelty, and the subversion of social and religious norms.

• The Percy Shelley Sailing Accident

  • Source: ⁠Wikipedia: Percy Bysshe Shelley⁠

  • Summary: Percy Bysshe Shelley, a renowned English Romantic poet and a friend of Lord Byron, tragically drowned in a sailing accident off the coast of Italy in 1822. His body was cremated on the beach with Byron and other friends in attendance.

• Studio Ghibli's AI Creature Incident

  • Source: ⁠YouTube: Hayao Miyazaki's incredible reaction to horrific zombie-like AI animation⁠

  • Summary: A documentary clip shows Hayao Miyazaki's visceral reaction to a presentation by Japanese artists who created a horrifying AI-generated zombie creature. Miyazaki called the animation an "insult to life itself" and refused to acknowledge the AI's role as a creative tool.

• Hayao Miyazaki's Reaction to Tales from Earthsea

  • Source: ⁠CBR: Hayao Miyazaki's Infamous Reaction to His Son's Film, Tales From Earthsea⁠

  • Summary: Hayao Miyazaki famously walked out of the premiere screening of his son Goro Miyazaki's directorial debut, Tales from Earthsea. Miyazaki reportedly disliked the film, a moment that highlighted the creative tension and complex relationship between the father and son.

• David Lynch's George Lucas Pitch Story

  • Source: ⁠Entertainment Weekly: David Lynch's bizarre meeting with George Lucas about directing Return of the Jedi⁠

  • Summary: In a classic interview, David Lynch recalls his eccentric meeting with George Lucas about potentially directing Return of the Jedi. Lynch recounts a strange conversation where Lucas pitched the film to him in a restaurant while a "little Wookiee" sat beside him, leading Lynch to ultimately decline the offer.

It's not easy being a gay brain-sex icon and a straight brain-sex icon at the same time but ya boi Byron did it. Part 1 of 2. Poll in the thing for the next topic. I will abide by the results.

Come join the Patreon!

https://patreon.com/c/HemlockPatreon

Also, I decided Richard and I's biographical series is gonna be called "Bad Role Models" since that seems to be the theme... Also "Behind the Bastards" was already taken.

Citations:

Malcolm McDowell Movie "If...." (1968)

Byron: Life and Legend by Fiona MacCarthy

Tchaikovsky Piano Concerto No. 1 performed by Anna Fedorova and the Nordwestdeutsche Philharmonie led by Yves Abel (Creative Commons, version I used here)

IMHO the 1958 version with Van Cliburn and Fritz Reiner / Chicago Symphony on RCA is best.

Get full, official episodes of Documentary Doctors on the Shiny New Spotify Feed (coming soon) - you can watch The Riot Report on Kanopy

Support good causes:

Please consider donating to Gaza relief through the Sameer Project: https://linktr.ee/thesameerproject

Gaza Family Aid per Michael Scott Judge / Death Is Just Around the Corner Podcast:

"Rulin and Amjad, and of course their families (including Amjad's sick baby sister), have only one foot planted in the realm of the living, and that foot loses ground every day." (Donate to support their families)

Support us:

Sabrina Patreon

Will Patreon

Music by Max John, Schubert, "Impromptu No. 3 in G-flat Major" - Creative Commons License, YouTube.

Sources Mentioned in This Episode:

• I Am Not Your Negro (Raoul Peck)

  • Link: IMDb - I Am Not Your Negro

  • Summary: This critically acclaimed documentary by Raoul Peck envisions the book James Baldwin never finished, using Baldwin's words to explore the history of racism in the United States through the lives and assassinations of Medgar Evers, Malcolm X, and Martin Luther King Jr. It powerfully connects the past to the present, revealing the enduring legacy of racial injustice.

• The Warmth of Other Suns: The Epic Story of America's Great Migration (Isabel Wilkerson)

  • Link: Goodreads - The Warmth of Other Suns

  • Summary: Isabel Wilkerson's Pulitzer Prize-winning book chronicles the decades-long Great Migration of six million African Americans from the Jim Crow South to the North and West. Through the personal stories of three individuals, it illuminates the motivations, challenges, and profound impact of this internal exodus on American society.

• The Fire Next Time (James Baldwin)

  • Link: Goodreads - The Fire Next Time

  • Summary: Published in 1963, this powerful book by James Baldwin consists of two essays that deeply examine race in America during the Civil Rights Movement. Baldwin's work is a passionate and personal exploration of the consequences of racial injustice, urging both Black and white Americans to confront the nation's racial legacy.

• Killers of the Dream (Lillian Smith)

  • Link: Goodreads - Killers of the Dream

  • Summary: Lillian Smith's influential 1949 work offers a profound critique of segregation and its psychological impact on both white and Black Southerners. Smith, a white Southern liberal, bravely dissects the origins and effects of racism, arguing that it corrupts the human spirit and hinders societal progress.

• Kerner Commission

  • Link: Wikipedia - Kerner Commission

  • Summary: Established in 1967 by President Lyndon B. Johnson, the Kerner Commission investigated the causes of the widespread race riots that erupted across American cities. Its 1968 report famously concluded that the nation was "moving toward two societies, one black, one white—separate and unequal," pointing to systemic racism and lack of opportunity as root causes.

• Office of Law Enforcement Assistance (1965-1968) / Law Enforcement Assistance Administration (1968-1982)

  • Link: Wikipedia - Office of Justice Programs (See section on Office of Law Enforcement Assistance)

  • Summary: The Office of Law Enforcement Assistance, and its successor the Law Enforcement Assistance Administration, were federal agencies created to provide financial and technical assistance to state and local law enforcement agencies. These acts significantly shaped the modernization and militarization of police forces in the latter half of the 20th century.

• G-Man: J. Edgar Hoover and the Making of the American Century (Beverly Gage)

  • Link: Goodreads - G-Man

  • Summary: Beverly Gage's comprehensive biography of J. Edgar Hoover explores his unprecedented forty-eight-year tenure as director of the FBI and his profound impact on American governance, policing, and political culture. The book reveals how Hoover wielded immense power, shaped by his conservative values and deep-seated anticommunism and white supremacy.

Alasdair MacIntyre's book After Virtue:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/After_Virtue

Patreon for Supporters/Fans:

https://patreon.com/c/HemlockPatreon

Gregory Sadler:

https://www.miad.edu/faculty/gregory-sadler