'Podcasts' to listen to while under COVID-19 lockdown
The Business Standard suggests four podcasts you can listen to as COVID-19 keeps us isolated from the outside world
In 2004, journalist Ben Hammerslay invented the word "podcast" at a time when mediums of audio entertainment were nascent and definitely not a fad.
Since this inventio, 16 years have passed and we are currently living in the golden age of podcasts. Nearly a quarter of American citizens listen to podcasts at least once a month. A myriad of such podcasts is available online that caters to a niche audience group.
Here are five podcasts you can listen to get into the habit of listening to podcasts while you are self-quarantined against COVID-19. We have picked five different genres of podcasts to cater to people of all tastes.
Revisionist History
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Writer and journalist Malcolm Gladwell has become a beloved public intellectual in the US over the years. His books have gained an impressive following from people interested to learn more about his work. It came as no surprise when Gladwell's podcast received praise from most listeners upon its release.
Revisionist History is a 10-episode podcast series with the tagline "Sometimes the past deserves a second chance". Gladwell uses his intricate words to unravel past events that were misjudged, overlooked or misinterpreted.
Gladwell's counterintuitive approach to storytelling makes the podcast worth a listen.
Narrated by Gladwell himself, Revisionist History is currently running its fourth season.
The NoSleep Podcast
We have all watched horror movies set in spooky atmosphere, accompanied by equally terrifying sound work. The NoSleep Podcast is similar to horror movies, but with only the audible element.
This podcast narrates horror tales, incorporating the underlying elements of atmospheric music and dramatic voice acting. David Cummings, the producer and host of the podcast seems to fill up the silent voids with his unsettling voice acting that adds a bone-chilling effect to the podcast.
"I'm constantly hearing from fans that they would rather listen to the podcast than watching a horror movie. That's such a gratifying feeling," Cummings said in an interview.
The NoSleep Podcast is a treat for fans of gruesome and terrifying horror movies.
WorkLife with Adam Grant
Organizational psychologist Adam Grant decodes the recipe of making one's career more meaningful. After listening to this podcast, you will never perceive your job the same way again.
Adam Grant engages his listeners through grappling topics such as "Networking for people who hate networking" or "The perils of following career passion."
Grant peeks inside the minds of several professionals to help them discover the key to having a happier work-life. From learning to love your rivals to accepting rejections, Grant has all the dimensions covered.
Surviving Y2K
Y2K is the shorthand for the year 2000, commonly referred to the computer bug problem that was supposed to wreak havoc in the digital world, but did not.
As the year 2000 approached, programmers realized that computers might misinterpret data due to a change of digits from 1999 to 2000. The news spread faster, making people anxious as the new year inched closer.
However, many skeptics believe the outcry was a bloated event and would merely affect our daily lives. Surviving Y2K narrates the ins and outs of this global phenomenon that fell short of turning into mass hysteria.
