Punk Journalism

"The average person doesn’t connect the Joker with psychosis." Years ago I asked Dr. Travis Langley, author of Batman and Psychology: A Dark and Stormy Knight, if it was problematic for Batman to go around beating his mentally ill rogues gallery to a bloody pulp. I followed up with him to see what his thoughts were in light of the recent film, Joker, and his newest book Joker Psychology: Evil Clowns and the Women Who Love Them.

Assholes come in all shapes and sizes, and we encounter them almost every day in every setting. Whether it's at work, school, home. media or government, asshole behavior abounds. Aaron James, professor of philosophy at the University of California Irvine, helps us sift through asshole types as we discuss his 2012 book Assholes: A Theory.

Denver's Punk Rock Burlesque carries out the punk ethos of acceptance for misfits. The troupe's founder, "Squeaky Springs," talks to me about how body positivity is so important to the group by celebrating all body types and backgrounds. She also lets me in on her background in the sex industry.

Many white men feel they've (ironically) found their place among the marginalized and victimized. This is based on the premise that historically, to be a straight, white male grants many privileges that are slowly slipping as minorities gain any clout. Sociologist and gender studies expert Michael Kimmel explains that while their anger may be justified, it's been sorely misdirected towards ethnic minorities, women and the LGBTQ community.

A lack of critical thought, an influx of on-demand entertainment and people who identify with a president who speaks at a fourth-grade level. Dr. John Arden breaks down chapter one of his 2003 book as we compare it to today with regards to the "lowest common denominator."

Lifestyle changes won't do the trick. Nor will we be at the point of no return by 2030. Atmospheric scientist Dr. Scott Denning humbles me when it comes to incorrect framing by the media about climate change. But, there's still the issue that so many people still deny the realities of climate change. Denning guides us on how to find the line between reality and urgency when it comes to this serious issue.

Recently Marlon Anderson was fired from his job at the Boys and Girls Club(and later rehired) after reprimanding a student who called him an n-word...by telling him not to call him an n-word. Does this zero-tolerance policy on racial slurs cross the line of common sense? When, if ever, can we use this historically foul word? Is there any proper context?

There are a lot of stigmas placed on people who work in taboo professions, and perhaps they aren't given enough opportunity to speak about their work in a fair, mature way. We talked about what led her to this career, her background and what she has planned for her future.

Do we take guns away? Do we blanket everyone with "mental illness"? Virtually always perpetrated by men, how do we get to the core of preventing mass shootings? Criminology expert Professor Prabha Unnithan shares his insights based off of years of research into criminal behavior.

Men who are insecure about the size of their dicks+firearms. Are these a good combination? We discuss toxic masculinity, what makes a man, guns and hunting.