I think I’m a little too late for a hot take on last year, but that’s just how I digest news these days. This approach emerged during the delirium of the last 18 months: a deliberate decision to step back from the incessant churn of the 24-hour news cycle. My “news diet” now consists of a weekly binge of information, supplemented by bits and pieces I might hear on podcasts throughout the week.
It’s about all I can handle. The last four years might have been someone else’s party, but all I’m experiencing now is the hangover.
2024 was the year my astute, successful friends told me could “go fuck itself.” I didn’t object.
Despite a supposed "common sense" movement starting to bridge the old and new media landscape, everything still feels jaded. Even as I jump into my daily cold plunge, I have to remind myself I’m doing it for health, not because it’s trendy on social media.
2024: The Year of Truth and Poetic Justice
Where to begin? Maybe with Donald Trump’s inauguration—a $150 million spectacle bankrolled by Pfizer, OpenAI, Amazon, Meta, and a constellation of cryptocurrency firms. It seemed antithetical to the ethos of MAGA and DOGE. A more fitting tone might have been getting right to work first and saving the party for when, you know, “promises made” are “promises kept.”
They called 2024 the “Year of Truth,” thanks partly to comedian Kat Williams’ watershed podcast on Club Shay Shay. Truths surfaced everywhere, from TikTok to deep dives in darkest corners of the internet—paradoxically, where the brightest light often emerges. Yet being labeled a “Truther” remains a pejorative.
Then there was the Piddy thing—right in front of us for years but now exposed. And from another mansion, on an Island, the fallout from the Epstein saga continued, though we’re still waiting for the whole truth and nothing but it.
A personal highlight? The poetic justice of Jay Bhattacharya, co-author of The Great Barrington Declaration, being nominated as director of the NIH by "The Don." Bhattacharya remained sane and honest while pundits and experts lost their heads—a theme worth embracing in 2025.
Billionaires and Podcasts
Given poignant truth stories broke on platforms like Club Shay Shay, by year’s end, does it come as any surprise that President-elect Elon Musk was reportedly considering buying MSNBC?
Marc Andreessen, on yet another podcast, pointed out the obvious: elections and the world itself are now fully digital. X (formerly Twitter) is the new mainstream media, YouTube is the new TV, and podcasts are the new talk shows.
A New Era of Biohacking
Bio hacking has long been a lifestyle choice for many a podcast bro. In 2024, however, longevity became truly mainstream, thanks to Bryan Johnson, who inspired a Netflix documentary. While many ridicule him, his ideas are no longer confined to the manosphere.
Social Media, Smart Phone Addiction and Censorship
Mark Zuckerberg, now a “cool podcast bro himself,” sat ringside at a UFC match with Dana White and declared Facebook would censor less—a subtle confession that they’d censored plenty. Kudos to Michael Shellenberger of the Public Substack for exposing that.
Meanwhile, social paranoia railing against right-wing reverie reached new heights. Reports surfaced of queer communities stockpiling weapons, forming groups like “Pink Pistols” and “Rainbow Reload.” It’s oddly endearing—proof that, at their core, they’re still properly 2nd Amendment Americans.
Jonathan Haidt made strides against phone and social media addiction with his bestseller The Anxious Generation. His four foundational rules for rewiring childhood—no smartphones before high school, no social media before 16, no phones at school, and more unsupervised play—are gaining traction.
Of course, while the parents seem to be on board, aren’t we all still taking hits of blue light either in the water closet or in the back alleys between classes and after school?
At times, it felt like a handful of KY jelly was needed to get through the year. So is it any surprise the term “Rawdogging it” (flying without tech, booze, or bad food) went viral, offering a brief reprieve from our digital addiction while turning air travel into a quasi dark cave silence retreat.
Faith and Resilience
Christianity’s resurgence in 2024 dwarfed even Brendan Fraser’s whales sized comeback (from the year prior). Whether it’s a quest for truth, meaning, tradition, or community, it’s sparking debates on podcasts worldwide.
Alongside this, Jordan Peterson released We Who Wrestle with Christ. Joe Rogan hosted Christian apologist Wesley Huff. Even I joined a faith-based WhatsApp group. Still, as long as Christmas remains a ratings war between the NBA and NFL, I’ll be skeptical about Christ’s full return to Christmas.
Let’s face it: 2025 will just be a reheated 2024 unless we strive to keep a level head and do better.
Politics: Demand more from leaders than catchy soundbites. Populism isn’t a substitute for governance. From here on out, change and trust should only happen when politicians admit their errors and callout their own parties’ missteps. Not sure what that looks or sounds like…watch Real Time’s Bill Maher.
Truth: It’s 2025 and Sentient A.I. is about to take over the world. So how about let’s have fully honest conversations, even if it’s the last thing we do. This means giving us, the people, all the facts. We can handle the truth.
Digital Life: Remember, digital life is real but it’s incredibly impersonal. Spend less time interacting through your online persona and more time breaking bread with people. People are far nicer in person anyway!
Self-Improvement: While Bryan Johnson is inspiring, don’t chase his level of perfection. Just aim for “better” and stay grounded.
Social media and phone addiction won’t vanish overnight. Like any other addiction, it requires ongoing commitment to rehabilitate.
Politicians are civil servants not celebrities. Be cautious with gurus, celebrities, and leaders’ opinions. Learn from them but remain critical and informed. Lean into the questions and play the long game in the search for truth—whether spiritual, scientific, or otherwise.
Final Thoughts
Maybe we’re all just “podcast bros” trying to fill the god- and community-sized holes in our hearts.
The algorithms aren’t going to drive the all the snakes out of Ireland, so to speak. Left or right, Christian, atheist or whatever, your journey to do better lives within you.
Let the dust of the past year settle. With level heads and a commitment to doing better, 2025 can be the year we truly move forward.
