Podcast
99% Invisible
It was described as a case for how much film and television shapes us as individuals and as a society, beyond what we normally give it credit for.
This is Walt Hickey, data journalist and author of a new book called You Are What You Watch.
— Episode: 571- You Are What You Watch
Episode: 571- You Are What You Watch
It was described as a case for how much film and television shapes us as individuals and as a society, beyond what we normally give it credit for.
This is Walt Hickey, data journalist and author of a new book called You Are What You Watch.
I say that you are what you watch because obviously it's alluding to the idea that you are what you eat. But I was just kind of consistently struck how often I found people whose lives were meaningfully or permanently changed by a thing that they watched or people who encountered an idea that ended up changing the course of their lives.
In your book, I was fascinated by the strange connection between violence in the movies and violence in the real world. I grew up in an era where there was this notion that violent movies get people riled up and then they go out and commit crimes. And I was actually surprised to know that there's a little kernel of truth in that. I always thought it was just complete nonsense. But you also say that violent movies can actually bring crime down. Can you tell me that story?
The book is so much fun. People are going to have so much fun reading it.
Walt Hickey's book is out now. It's called You Are What You Watch. How movies and TV affect everything. It's got cool charts. It's got pictures. It's got short stories that you'll love. Probably one touching on your favorite movie franchise. You should definitely check it out.