This is a screenshot from this morning’s back-end stats, indicating that we have at last passed the 1 million download mark for this server (which we phased over to a few months in, but our traffic prior to that point was very low anyway, and we don’t have accurate counts on that). That’s right, you all have now downloaded 1,000,000 PEL episodes, and we thank you highly for that.
As you can also see, our monthly downloads are over 100K per month, which only started happening in December when the iTunes store featured us and started sending us heaps more traffic. In the past month I’ve noticed us in the “What’s Hot” section not only in our traditional “Society & Culture” category (the parent of “Philosophy”), I’ve seen us likewise featured on the Arts and Comedy category pages, as well as the overall podcast “Staff Favorites.”
We also recently hit our 3rd birthday; our first episode was recorded on April 19, 2009, with our web site up on May 12. Huge thanks to all of your for listening, reading, and participating. Thanks also to the great guest participants and bloggers, as well as the people who’ve helped us edit our recent episodes (anyone else with sound editing experience want to get in on this?), and those who’ve helped get the word out through their own blogs, Facebook posts, Tweets, and other outlets. It’s been a great trip so far, and we have no plans to stop until 13% of the earth’s population recognizes the value and enjoyment of philosophy. (And I’m sure the $1 suggested donations for all those million episodes will be coming in any day now so we can all quit our jobs.)
-Mark Linsenmayer
Fine!
It has been a beautiful production. Hard as it has been to keep up with an explanation of what the mind has proposed as the purpose, effect, or potential of the mind from those who have carelessly considered the effect of the conclusions.
b.
Mark, Love the downloads.
What’s with the foul language? I have noticed this in several places. e.g. the I love f….. science facebook page–which frightens me because of the naive view of science and the bully like nature of the title.
Also noticed it as a staple of a certain class of american academic. Not a fan. Wondering if you philosophers would take a stab at explaining for me. Thanks, for the site. I can say that my life is more partially examined since finding it.
Now you’ve got me thinking about the social role of cursing, which is I think actually pretty complex. In this circumstance, it’s primarily a way of expressing excitement and amazement, but there’s an interesting story in there about the genesis of its use in the contexts you’re referring to (as if American academics are trying to show they’re not stuffy and instead undertaking their pursuits with a certain brand of take-no-prisoners bluntness that’s more likely to cut to the truth) as well as the social context of public (but not face-to-face) discourse, i.e. on the podcast and here, I speak with a casualness that I wouldn’t in most social situations, e.g. if I came to your church.
It does seem largely a matter of cultural preference; the presence, type, and degree of cursing serve to connect rhetorically with an particular audience in ways comparable to other conventions, e.g. what instruments are used in music: the same basic song/emotion could be conveyed with a country twang or prog noodling, and each of these styles will alienate/attract particular audience segments. As a spectator, I think the solution is to just adapt to enjoy your source; being offended is not a virtue. (And I say this as someone who definitely still has his limits; I can’t enjoy hardcore rap or really any talk that does smack of actual bullying, hostility, or misogyny.)
Thanks for the thoughtful reply. The f…. million hits comment is a chest bump we can all enjoy. Good work!
This podcast made me more openminded.I’d never have checked out Hegel or Kierkegaard before I discovered it.And you’ve introduce me to so many different ideas and figures.I’ve told many of my friends about PEL.Also love the banter and the swearing, Keeps it real.
Glad you are enjoying it Scott and it is helping you expand your horizons. Keep the feedback coming and share with others who might enjoy!
congratulations, fine gentlemen!
a million hits is a pretty damn big deal.
may you keep on posting…
peace.
Thanks Joan!
Congratulations guys! You’re wonderful! Now its time to start an online class in your special approach and discourse on life with philosophy in 2012!
The tuition could pay your bills! And we can all sit around–online as we’re all everywhere–and discuss, argue and, most importantly, drink!
Yay! 😉