We know a show has struck a chord when it provokes an emotional response. That generally means it sparked more questions in our own minds, and in the minds of listeners who heard it. Take, for instance, our recent show, “Is Anger Useful?”
Some thought we could find inspiration for other shows in the interviews:
“Great, great show, thank you so much for putting it on, it's so rich. Alice Walker mentioned the Tibetan nun, you could do several shows on her and her teachings, a wonderful woman.”
While most of the interviews were with women, the inclusion of a man’s voice — a neuroscientist on how the brain processes anger — was met with conflicting response:
“As I listened to the first two very thoughtful sections on women’s anger, I was wishing I would feel more of the kind of anger about social injustice that would propel me to action. It didn’t take longer for me to become actually outraged at your bringing in a male to tell us that actually anger is wrong. I may have been more receptive had you featured him on another program. But, your bringing him in when you did, was wrong. It had the effect of ‘Here comes the white male expert to set us straight.’”
But others disagreed:
“[I] adored him. We do need both, access energy of indignation and the moral compass that something that is going on is wrong. I agree with him, you have to be grounded, be clear, examine motivations. If not, you are floundering. Come back to center, and practice that. So you can call upon it when you need it.”
One listener said she found the film clip from “Thelma and Louise” really difficult to hear as it brought back memories of how that movie gave her nightmares. Even still, she said:
“I loved the topic and the discussion. Thank you again for your thought-provoking heart opening, informing show!”
And it stirred some action:
“Really great topic, so glad I listened this morning, it has motivated me. I think I can clean off my dining room table because I’m angry at how messy it looks.”
We love hearing what you think, listeners, whether a show generated a feeling or thought or something indescribable in between. Tell us all about it at listen@ttbook.org.
— Shannon