2 chapters across the catalog
The hosts review a list of community-driven No Agenda projects, including art galleries, proxies, and mobile apps. They introduce three new books for the "No Agenda Book Club": Jason Matera's "Obama Zombies," Matthew Crawford's "Shop Class as Soulcraft," and Jack Cashill's "Popes and Bankers." They emphasize the importance of listener-supported media in a landscape of corporate consolidation.
Shop Class as Soulcraft and the Loss of Self-Reliance
Matthew Crawford, author of "Shop Class as Soulcraft," discusses the dismantling of vocational training in American schools in favor of a "knowledge-based" college track. He argues that modern design intentionally hides how machines work, leading to a culture of passivity and dependence. The hosts reflect on the disappearance of wood shop, metal shop, and home economics, which they believe is part of a plan to reduce individual responsibility.
