Cultural Touchstones – Soul Forge Podcast 170

Soul Forge Podcast

Moments that define a culture or a generation…these are our cultural touchstones. The term ‘cultural touchstone’ has been credited to Matthew Arnold in his 1880 piece “The Study of Poetry.” In short, Arnold suggested that in order to determine how much praise a new piece of poetry deserved, it should be compared to older poetry that still received the same high praise. 

So, in essence, a cultural touchstone is something that defines an era. For instance, a huge movie in the life of my Rusted Robot Podcast co-host, is The Land Before Time. That film defines her generation. I have not seen it, and several people have now suggested I must watch it. This got me thinking about things that define eras and cultures. That is this episode.

Some of the topics covered in this episode include: the 1938 War of the Worlds radio broadcast, JFK’s assassination, the Olympics, the Titanic, Star Wars, Star Trek, songs, television shows (episodes or moments), 9/11, the MCU, #metoo, and so many more.

The monologue at the end of the episode can be found on YouTube at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VSLDyAbaqlw

This week’s podcast promo: Nerdbliss

Play

ESO Network Sponsors

GEEK CHIC IS THE NEW … CHIC
COME TO THE GEEK SIDE. WE HAVE THE BEST SWAG

Support Us

A Dollar a month keeps us in orbit. Trust us it’s better that way.

Ways to Listen

Find Us Wherever Fine Podcasts are Found

Sign Up for the ESO Newsletter

WE HARDLY EVER SEND THEM OUT BUT WHEN WE DO THEY ARE AWESOME

ESO Network Archives

Archives

No matter where you go here you are

Follow the ESO Network

You didn't come this far to only come this far

Contact Us

    Remember any comment made today will be the tomorrow you worried about yesterday

    <-- see them in a pretty grid

    42 Cast
    The Best Saturdays of Our Lives
    Blurred Nerds
    But First, Let's Talk Nerdy
    Cigar Nerds
    The Con Guy
    Cosmic Pizza
    Dragon Con Report
    Drinking with Authors

    Most Recent Episodes

    Earth Station DCU
    Earth Station One
    Earth Station Trek
    Earth Station Who
    Epsilon Three
    Flopcast
    Metal Geeks
    Modern Musicology
    Monkeeing Around
    Monster Attack
    The Monster Scifi Show
    Soul Forge
    Thunder Talk
    The Watch-a-thon of Rassilon