Reflector Podcast: Stories About The Strange Experiences Of Being Human

 The Reflector podcast describes itself as a "documentary-style podcast that tells stories about the strange experiences of being human. Our stories focus on how beliefs shape our world, on the context behind the messy debates in our society, and on how deeply listening to one another can reveal a sense of shared humanity. Our goal is to spark wonder, unveil complexity, and ignite curiosity."

  

Documentary style podcasts get carte blanche to go on a peripatetic journey through a cavalcade of subjects, issues, and societal problems. 

When you look at the podcast's cover image, you quickly notice it's a visual metaphor for the show's thematic premise -- holding up a mirror to the human condition in all its complexity.

The Reflector people want us to know: "We believe that there’s nothing more important to a culture than the stories that shape its values and sense of what’s possible. Reflector aims to report and tell stories that celebrate moral complexity and nuance."

"We merge meticulous reporting with compelling storytelling to illuminate the era's most urgent issues. By telling a gripping story with sincerity and even handedness, we hope to help people see beyond their biases and shore up the foundations of a pluralistic society."

The show's host -- and quite a good one -- is Andy Mills, who has a resume that can make even overachievers envious. Mills was a co-creator of The Daily at The New York Times and created, produced and edited several audio documentary series including Rabbit Hole, Caliphate and The Witch Trials of J.K. Rowling.

He was the director of new show development for the New York Times and a producer with NPR’s Radiolab.

Matthew Boll was a part of the original team at the podcast company Gimlet and part of the transition team after the company was acquired by Spotify. He helped create the series Crimetown, Conviction: American Panic, The Horror of Dolores Roach, and Duet. Recently he was a producer of The Witch Trials of J.K. Rowling. He won a Peabody for his work on the music of Uncivil.

Isn't there anyone mediocre on this podcast? Anyway, the podcast is a Rockwell production, which, I discovered, is a creative studio run by Andy Mills and Matthew Boll, dedicated to excellence in storytelling and innovative journalism.

Mill and Boll pronounce: "We believe that there’s nothing more important to a culture than the stories that shape its values and sense of what’s possible."

The show has a subscription model with the usual benefits to subscribing -- "full access to the show, extra episodes and material, and you’ll also be in contact with us, our growing team, and others who care about this stuff as much as you do."

What issues does this documentary-style cover?

The first episode -- released April 30, 2024 -- was superb, as the show tackled an underreported and misunderstood issue -- the treatment of alcoholism. 

The episode setup is this: "Alcohol consumption increased more during the COVID-19 pandemic than it had at any time in the past 50 years. Even though bars were closed for weeks on end and fewer people were out on the road doing their daily commuting, Americans were drinking so much that from 2020 through 2021 there were approximately 178,000 alcohol-related deaths - which is more deaths than from all drug overdoses combined, including opioids."

On the episode, "Katie" tells the story of her self-experimentation with the drug Naltrexone to combat her alcohol addiction and helps listeners grapple with why such medications are so rarely used to help problem drinkers in America.

It's an important question, since the traditional abstinence treatment via AA has an apparent success rate of less than 10 percent.  

Mills and Boll know how to tell a story and spin a narrative that catches listeners in its web. It's one of those episodes where, if you have an open mind (so many today do not!), you will finish the episode with a new perspective on alcoholism treatment.

The show spent several episodes on election fraud misinformation, and then the August 29th show welcomed journalist, author, and lawyer Emily Bazelon of Slate's Political Gabfest. Bazelon, endlessly fascinating, who discussed gerrymandering, voter ID laws, growing distrust in institutions, with a debate the power of elites and whether we should all be worried about Election Day 2024.

 

Two exemplary episodes are ostensibly about author J.K. Rowling. In part one, author and journalist Helen Lewis guides listeners through the latest developments in women-only sports, women-only spaces, and youth transition medicine. The show explores the ways in which the United States is becoming more of an outlier, and how J.K. Rowling’s career has continued to thrive amidst the backlash against her.

In part two, the show dives into thoughts and criticism — of J.K. Rowling, and of the series the co-hosts made about her from three members of the trans community, each with a unique perspective. This includes two of listeners’ favorite guests from the original series: Natalie and Noah.

 Check out Reflector. What I like about the show is its complexity. Conservative podcasts like Bongino, Levin, and Shapiro thrive because enemies are "outed" in every episode. The enemies are: The Deep State (?), Democrats, Progressives, and elites (excluding the billionaire elites who donate to Trump). Leave your prefrontal cortex on hold. 

On Reflector, nuance, ambiguity, a wide-angle perspective, and finding common ground dominate the rhetorical landscape. Put on thinking caps and be prepared to have your confirmation bias challenged ad nauseam.