Stu Otten was raised on a tough Liverpool estate, where drug-taking was rife, and established crime families enacted violent retribution.

Aged 17, he became a bar-room bouncer - and soon found himself dealing drugs, protecting human traffickers, and defending his territory in a turbulent turf war.

In this raw, insightful interview, Stu reveals to Olly the self-loathing, drug-induced hallucinations and spiritual awakening that led him away from his marriage, his city, and organised crime - and into seeking forgiveness from those he’d hurt the most.

Stu now works for Causeway, stepping in to prevent today’s young people from echoing his mistakes. Find out more about his work, and donate, via their website, https://www.wearecauseway.org.uk/ 

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Meanwhile, in the Zeitgeist, Ollie Peart examines how, in this election year, the war for our votes is being fought online - from A.I.-generated memes to disinformation campaigns.

How do MPs stay on top of fake news? How can social media users research who’s targeting them? And - eight years on from Donald Trump’s first Presidential election - how come foreign entities are still able to buy their way on to our Facebook feeds? 

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Elsewhere, down the Foxhole, Alix Fox discovers ‘fraysexuality’, and asks if some men get off on… having STI swabs.

If urethral sounding does give you a kick, what’s the safest way to introduce it to your sex life? What are the downsides of a ‘doctors and nurses’ fetish? And IS ‘Cotton Eyed Joe’ by the Rednecks really about syphilis? 

With the help of Sophie Cohen from House of Vixens and Dr Kareem Mahmoud from Flo, Alix has the answers… 

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Finally, in music corner, our Record of the Month comes from Aberdeen punk rockers Cold Years, and their not-very-aptly-for-a-podcast-named new track, ‘Radio’ - from their forthcoming album, ‘A Different Life’.

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Thanks so much for listening! Our monthly magazine show relies on your support - so, if you enjoy our independent podcast, and want to help us to keep making it, please BUY US A BEER 🍻using the secure links on our website, https://modernmann.co.uk/beer

… and we’ll see you on 10th May!

x Olly, Alix, Olle & Producer Matt

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Presenter: Olly Mann. Contributors: Alix Fox, Ollie Peart, Stu Otten, Cold Years. Producer: Matt Hill. Theme Music: ‘Skies Over Cairo’ by Django Django. Graphic Design: Terry Saunders. Copyright: Olly Mann / Rethink Audio 2024.

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