We Love in a Society Transistor (https://transistor.fm) https://feeds.transistor.fm/we-love-in-a-society Two lovers engage in sociologically minded discussions exploring books, movies, and whatever else fits the bill. © 2026 Sam Sowell and Hannah Brown 6b29853c-412b-5488-98f6-41672e062726 no en Fri, 18 Sep 2026 14:00:07 -0400 Fri, 18 Sep 2026 14:01:29 -0400 https://img.transistorcdn.com/epoCJc_eKIbFaYDiLw-uygR0dVyY-WixgpgmTC_sVns/rs:fill:0:0:1/w:1400/h:1400/q:60/mb:500000/aHR0cHM6Ly9pbWct/dXBsb2FkLXByb2R1/Y3Rpb24udHJhbnNp/c3Rvci5mbS9hZDA3/ZjAzOTI5N2NmNjM5/OTJhY2JiMWY0NWRh/ZmRlNi5qcGc.jpg We Love in a Society episodic Sam Sowell and Hannah Brown Two lovers engage in sociologically minded discussions exploring books, movies, and whatever else fits the bill. Two lovers engage in sociologically minded discussions exploring books, movies, and whatever else fits the bill. sociology, movie reviews, book reviews, leftist Sam Sowell s_sowell@aol.com No No The American myth of the pirate 16 16 The American myth of the pirate full d2902598-8948-4174-91c9-ef58f5ddb830 https://share.transistor.fm/s/2a275d64 Hannah just took a trip to the Whydah museum and now she's here to share all about the rich lives of pirates! The what-dah, you say? Find out about this sunken ship off Cape Cod as well as the pirate lives that, yo-ho yo-ho, may very well be for you and me. 

]]> Hannah just took a trip to the Whydah museum and now she's here to share all about the rich lives of pirates! The what-dah, you say? Find out about this sunken ship off Cape Cod as well as the pirate lives that, yo-ho yo-ho, may very well be for you and me. 

]]> Fri, 18 Sep 2026 14:00:00 -0400 Sam Sowell and Hannah Brown Sam Sowell and Hannah Brown 1791 Hannah just took a trip to the Whydah museum and now she's here to share all about the rich lives of pirates! The what-dah, you say? Find out about this sunken ship off Cape Cod as well as the pirate lives that, yo-ho yo-ho, may very well be for you and me. 

]]> sociology, movie reviews, book reviews, leftist No Male fantasies in popular media 15 15 Male fantasies in popular media full f3aed66a-e9a5-4599-9214-c4d407ade567 https://share.transistor.fm/s/255d531a We're always hearing about "the female fantasy" in movies like Twilight and 50 Shades of Grey, but what about male fantasies? Today, we break down different types of male fantasies, such as the "squeaky-clean hero," the "one special boy," and the "you missed the point" fantasies with popular media spanning TV and film. We talk Nolan Batman, Sam Raimi's Spider-Mens, Breaking Bad, Starship Troopers, Harry Potter, and just about every Leo character in Martin Scorsese's movies. It seems like women aren't the only ones dreaming about what their lives could be. 

]]> We're always hearing about "the female fantasy" in movies like Twilight and 50 Shades of Grey, but what about male fantasies? Today, we break down different types of male fantasies, such as the "squeaky-clean hero," the "one special boy," and the "you missed the point" fantasies with popular media spanning TV and film. We talk Nolan Batman, Sam Raimi's Spider-Mens, Breaking Bad, Starship Troopers, Harry Potter, and just about every Leo character in Martin Scorsese's movies. It seems like women aren't the only ones dreaming about what their lives could be. 

]]> Thu, 10 Sep 2026 21:41:18 -0400 Sam Sowell and Hannah Brown Sam Sowell and Hannah Brown 2847 We're always hearing about "the female fantasy" in movies like Twilight and 50 Shades of Grey, but what about male fantasies? Today, we break down different types of male fantasies, such as the "squeaky-clean hero," the "one special boy," and the "you missed the point" fantasies with popular media spanning TV and film. We talk Nolan Batman, Sam Raimi's Spider-Mens, Breaking Bad, Starship Troopers, Harry Potter, and just about every Leo character in Martin Scorsese's movies. It seems like women aren't the only ones dreaming about what their lives could be. 

]]> sociology, movie reviews, book reviews, leftist No Send Help 14 14 Send Help full 856336b4-9dfe-42fc-beca-223f720bdc96 https://share.transistor.fm/s/7451af52 Is Sam Raimi's new movie what the trailer would have us think? Or might it have more to do with gaslighting, gatekeeping, and most of Girlbossing?

]]> Is Sam Raimi's new movie what the trailer would have us think? Or might it have more to do with gaslighting, gatekeeping, and most of Girlbossing?

]]> Tue, 07 Apr 2026 17:36:00 -0400 Sam Sowell and Hannah Brown Sam Sowell and Hannah Brown 2534 Is Sam Raimi's new movie what the trailer would have us think? Or might it have more to do with gaslighting, gatekeeping, and most of Girlbossing?

]]> Send Help, Sam Raimi, Gaslight gatekeep girlboss, The fall of the girlboss No Everything is Tuberculosis 13 13 Everything is Tuberculosis full d230c759-2540-4901-8b15-411da0571ba4 https://share.transistor.fm/s/d6fb8b57 Hannah and Sam talk John Green’s last book, Everything is Tuberculosis, and talk the state of health under capitalism.

https://www.pih.org/donate

]]> Hannah and Sam talk John Green’s last book, Everything is Tuberculosis, and talk the state of health under capitalism.

https://www.pih.org/donate

]]> Thu, 19 Mar 2026 18:47:34 -0400 Sam Sowell and Hannah Brown Sam Sowell and Hannah Brown 2042 Hannah and Sam talk John Green’s last book, Everything is Tuberculosis, and talk the state of health under capitalism.

https://www.pih.org/donate

]]> John Green, Health and Capitalism, No Paraclimbing Nationals 2026 12 12 Paraclimbing Nationals 2026 full fce9357f-e534-423a-abea-618467bf99a9 https://share.transistor.fm/s/225b8cea Hannah and Sam talk about their recent trip to Texas for Hannah's first Paraclimbing Nationals, including a discussion on the dissolution of the non-binary gender category and the use of the term "able-bodied."

]]> Hannah and Sam talk about their recent trip to Texas for Hannah's first Paraclimbing Nationals, including a discussion on the dissolution of the non-binary gender category and the use of the term "able-bodied."

]]> Fri, 06 Mar 2026 17:54:20 -0500 Sam Sowell and Hannah Brown Sam Sowell and Hannah Brown 3092 Hannah and Sam talk about their recent trip to Texas for Hannah's first Paraclimbing Nationals, including a discussion on the dissolution of the non-binary gender category and the use of the term "able-bodied."

]]> climbing, top rope, able bodied, disability, No Storytelling and the Trans Experience 11 11 Storytelling and the Trans Experience full c6ddbd9f-b22e-4458-87d6-e2a147520b3d https://share.transistor.fm/s/a8692412 Hannah and Sam talk about the importance of storytelling for trans people, using Morgan Boecher's graphic novel ChickenHeart as a jumping-off point. 

Order ChickenHeart, out now: https://greenapplebooks.com/book/9781951491444

]]> Hannah and Sam talk about the importance of storytelling for trans people, using Morgan Boecher's graphic novel ChickenHeart as a jumping-off point. 

Order ChickenHeart, out now: https://greenapplebooks.com/book/9781951491444

]]> Fri, 20 Feb 2026 16:19:00 -0500 Sam Sowell and Hannah Brown Sam Sowell and Hannah Brown 2691 Hannah and Sam talk about the importance of storytelling for trans people, using Morgan Boecher's graphic novel ChickenHeart as a jumping-off point. 

Order ChickenHeart, out now: https://greenapplebooks.com/book/9781951491444

]]> ChickenHeart, Morgan Boecher, No Trans women in sports 10 10 Trans women in sports full 88f011a4-15ac-437c-9aab-c79c91537983 https://share.transistor.fm/s/fee29f7b Sam and Hannah welcome their first guest on the pod, Morgan, to discuss the moral panic that is trans women in sports and what we can learn from storytelling. 

Order ChickenHeart, out now: https://greenapplebooks.com/book/9781951491444

]]> Sam and Hannah welcome their first guest on the pod, Morgan, to discuss the moral panic that is trans women in sports and what we can learn from storytelling. 

Order ChickenHeart, out now: https://greenapplebooks.com/book/9781951491444

]]> Fri, 06 Feb 2026 16:02:47 -0500 Sam Sowell and Hannah Brown Sam Sowell and Hannah Brown 3166 Sam and Hannah welcome their first guest on the pod, Morgan, to discuss the moral panic that is trans women in sports and what we can learn from storytelling. 

Order ChickenHeart, out now: https://greenapplebooks.com/book/9781951491444

]]> Trans sports, Trans women, moral panic, Yes The linguistic creep of emotional labor 9 9 The linguistic creep of emotional labor full f0dad7a8-742e-4b64-ac4d-516dd7df111d https://share.transistor.fm/s/b9250957 Today, Hannah gives Sam language to talk through the "emotional labor" of being a pharmacist - and also how that phrase has come to mean more than what it originally meant. 

]]> Today, Hannah gives Sam language to talk through the "emotional labor" of being a pharmacist - and also how that phrase has come to mean more than what it originally meant. 

]]> Mon, 26 Jan 2026 16:14:17 -0500 Sam Sowell and Hannah Brown Sam Sowell and Hannah Brown 2636 Today, Hannah gives Sam language to talk through the "emotional labor" of being a pharmacist - and also how that phrase has come to mean more than what it originally meant. 

]]> linguistic creep, Arlie Hochschild, emotiona labor, feminism No Too Late to Die Young 8 8 Too Late to Die Young full f62b7e68-70fd-43d0-a6d3-98b8b8c1ba60 https://share.transistor.fm/s/918846da Today, we discuss "Too Late to Die Young," the 2006 memoir by Harriet McBryde Johnson. Johnson was a writer and attorney living in Charleston, South Carolina, who self-described herself as a "disabled, liberal, atheistic Democrat." Her memoir is a reflection on her various life experiences. Hannah introduced Sam to her with Johnson's famous essay "Unspeakable Conversations." We decided we'd read her memoir for the pod, and wow, what a great read this was!

]]> Today, we discuss "Too Late to Die Young," the 2006 memoir by Harriet McBryde Johnson. Johnson was a writer and attorney living in Charleston, South Carolina, who self-described herself as a "disabled, liberal, atheistic Democrat." Her memoir is a reflection on her various life experiences. Hannah introduced Sam to her with Johnson's famous essay "Unspeakable Conversations." We decided we'd read her memoir for the pod, and wow, what a great read this was!

]]> Fri, 09 Jan 2026 20:00:00 -0500 Sam Sowell and Hannah Brown Sam Sowell and Hannah Brown 2583 Today, we discuss "Too Late to Die Young," the 2006 memoir by Harriet McBryde Johnson. Johnson was a writer and attorney living in Charleston, South Carolina, who self-described herself as a "disabled, liberal, atheistic Democrat." Her memoir is a reflection on her various life experiences. Hannah introduced Sam to her with Johnson's famous essay "Unspeakable Conversations." We decided we'd read her memoir for the pod, and wow, what a great read this was!

]]> Harriet McBryde Johnson, Not Dead Yet, Disability Rights Yes Wicked: For Good 7 7 Wicked: For Good full 9d17c104-2306-4048-bf72-3e46e7db6ccb https://share.transistor.fm/s/d511f7bd We talk stigma, spoiled identity, and fascism in Wicked. Oh and how much we love Ariana Grande and Cynthia Erivo.

]]> We talk stigma, spoiled identity, and fascism in Wicked. Oh and how much we love Ariana Grande and Cynthia Erivo.

]]> Sat, 06 Dec 2025 04:20:32 -0500 Sam Sowell and Hannah Brown Sam Sowell and Hannah Brown 2390 We talk stigma, spoiled identity, and fascism in Wicked. Oh and how much we love Ariana Grande and Cynthia Erivo.

]]> Wicked, Ariana Grande, For Good, Oz No Rock Climbing 6 6 Rock Climbing full 1dbddbb4-f375-476e-8123-0180c7435f24 https://share.transistor.fm/s/e171883a Why does rock climbing attract queer people? And other questions you didn't know you had about the sport. 

]]> Why does rock climbing attract queer people? And other questions you didn't know you had about the sport. 

]]> Wed, 26 Nov 2025 18:14:35 -0500 Sam Sowell and Hannah Brown Sam Sowell and Hannah Brown 1975 Why does rock climbing attract queer people? And other questions you didn't know you had about the sport. 

]]> Rock Climbing, Queer Climbing, Disabled climbing, Paracliffhangers, Adaptive Climbing group, Para climbing, Bouldering No Frankenstein (2025) 5 5 Frankenstein (2025) full e55b1e03-992f-4a28-8a7b-b0c204ce2315 https://share.transistor.fm/s/ec59faca We talk Guillermo del Toro's 2025 movie Frankenstein and the strong parental motifs throughout. 

]]> We talk Guillermo del Toro's 2025 movie Frankenstein and the strong parental motifs throughout. 

]]> Wed, 26 Nov 2025 17:23:08 -0500 Sam Sowell and Hannah Brown Sam Sowell and Hannah Brown 4191 We talk Guillermo del Toro's 2025 movie Frankenstein and the strong parental motifs throughout. 

]]> Frankenstein 2025, Guillermo del Toro, No Abortion by Jessica Valenti 4 4 Abortion by Jessica Valenti full e26b89c5-0bfd-484d-b151-99220c6f1f0c https://share.transistor.fm/s/287bd137 Today, we talk about the book Abortion by Jessica Valenti, co-author of the blog Feministing and writer of the Substack "Abortion Every Day." We focus on how abortion is discussed in conservative communities and the medical facts these communities fail to address.  

]]> Today, we talk about the book Abortion by Jessica Valenti, co-author of the blog Feministing and writer of the Substack "Abortion Every Day." We focus on how abortion is discussed in conservative communities and the medical facts these communities fail to address.  

]]> Wed, 01 Oct 2025 15:53:11 -0400 Sam Sowell and Hannah Brown Sam Sowell and Hannah Brown 4403 Today, we talk about the book Abortion by Jessica Valenti, co-author of the blog Feministing and writer of the Substack "Abortion Every Day." We focus on how abortion is discussed in conservative communities and the medical facts these communities fail to address.  

]]> abortion, Roe, Dobbs decision No Power Slap and Jackass 3 3 Power Slap and Jackass full aaa8ebf0-e8dc-443b-ab2c-dd341400a016 https://share.transistor.fm/s/418dae36 Which is a better example of toxic masculinity: Power Slap or Jackass? (hint: it's not the one where a bunch of white dudes pull wacky pranks on each other)

]]> Which is a better example of toxic masculinity: Power Slap or Jackass? (hint: it's not the one where a bunch of white dudes pull wacky pranks on each other)

]]> Mon, 04 Aug 2025 14:40:14 -0400 Sam Sowell and Hannah Brown Sam Sowell and Hannah Brown 3339 Which is a better example of toxic masculinity: Power Slap or Jackass? (hint: it's not the one where a bunch of white dudes pull wacky pranks on each other)

]]> Power Slap, Jackass, toxic maculinity, masculinity, Dana White, No The Substance 2 2 The Substance full cdf67f39-0977-485c-9103-0901dd4d15ba https://share.transistor.fm/s/be8dfcfd We discuss the 2024 film 'The Substance,' its place in feminist cinema, and what it has to say about disability (spoilers: it's not sure).

]]> We discuss the 2024 film 'The Substance,' its place in feminist cinema, and what it has to say about disability (spoilers: it's not sure).

]]> Wed, 21 May 2025 16:36:09 -0400 Sam Sowell and Hannah Brown Sam Sowell and Hannah Brown 3470 We discuss the 2024 film 'The Substance,' its place in feminist cinema, and what it has to say about disability (spoilers: it's not sure).

]]> sociology, movie reviews, book reviews, leftist No What We Don't Talk About When We Talk About Fat 1 1 What We Don't Talk About When We Talk About Fat full 2abe4a52-a7b3-4a2b-a838-4db68778debc https://share.transistor.fm/s/73d6f83b Today, we discuss the book "What We Don't Talk About When We Talk About Fat" by Aubrey Gordon. We relate it to the social and medical models of disability. 

]]> Today, we discuss the book "What We Don't Talk About When We Talk About Fat" by Aubrey Gordon. We relate it to the social and medical models of disability. 

]]> Wed, 23 Apr 2025 13:15:51 -0400 Sam Sowell and Hannah Brown Sam Sowell and Hannah Brown 2431 Today, we discuss the book "What We Don't Talk About When We Talk About Fat" by Aubrey Gordon. We relate it to the social and medical models of disability. 

]]> Fatphobia, Aubrey Gordon, disability No