
Ask HN: What podcast has been most influential on your life? - ricberw
If you don’t listen to podcasts, radio programs would work too.
======
mywittyname
This American Life.

I've learned so much about how other people lives through years of listening
to this podcast / radio show. I've literally been in tears during a few
episodes, or busting out in laughter at others. One episode about kids who've
lost their parents at a young age really helped me connect to my partner.

(Edit: My partner lost her father at a young age. This isn't a topic that most
people feel comfortable discussing, even with someone close. The episode came
on during a road trip and she broke into tears and turned off the radio
because it was bringing back so much emotion. Later I asked her about if her
experiences matched that of the people on the show, and she said yes.

So I went back and listened to it on my own and I felt like I learned a lot
about her from listening to others share their experience.)

Plus, I think it taught me what it means to be a good, compelling story
teller.

------
CameronBanga
The GiantBombcast.

It's a video game show, and I doubt anyone else will list it here. With
respect to #SelfImprovement or #Productivity, it hasn't helped me at all.

But every week, GiantBomb offers me more than enough audio and video content
on the latest video games. I don't get to play as much anymore because of
life, but GiantBomb's general vibe reminds me of reading EGM and GamePro back
in the 90s. And keeping up with their content makes me feel like I did when I
wanted to read every magazine and GameFAQs page I could to keep up with the
latest news.

And the cast is a group of generally great people. Who over time, feel like
friends in a conversation you're just not able to speak up and participate in.

------
jkingsbery
EconTalk.

Early in my career, I was a regular listener to three tech podcasts: Java
Posse, StackOverflow podcast, and Software Engineering Radio. All three were
valuable to my career in different ways, but EconTalk has most affected the
way I think.

For those who aren't familiar, the host of EconTalk is a professor of
economics, so many of his conversations revolve around the world of economics,
but since economics touches a lot of things, he ends up talking to a diverse
group of people. He is very good at admitting his own bias on the one hand,
and then argue against it on the other hand.

Also, I found History of Rome valuable - it's an interesting story, but it
also helps cure the chronological snobbery of assuming that our times are
vastly different from others.

~~~
maxxxxx
I tried to get into EconTalk but I found most guests mindnumbingly oblivious
to real world concerns. It felt to me that they were just sitting in their
offices making up things about the world but never bothered to check their
theories.

~~~
p_roz
Not every episode is like that.

Take [0], where John Allison of BB&T discusses his business philosophy, and as
an aside mentions that his bank doesn’t issue negative amortization mortgages
(a cause of the recession) in 2007.

Or [1], where Michael Lewis discusses _Moneyball_ and _The Blind Side_.

Or [2], where Christopher Hitchens discusses George Orwell.

Or [3], where Paul Graham talks about _Hackers and Painters_.

EconTalk has something for everyone.

[0] [http://www.econtalk.org/allison-on-strategy-profits-and-
self...](http://www.econtalk.org/allison-on-strategy-profits-and-self-
interest/)

[1] [http://www.econtalk.org/michael-lewis-on-the-hidden-
economic...](http://www.econtalk.org/michael-lewis-on-the-hidden-economics-of-
baseball-and-football/)

[2] [http://www.econtalk.org/hitchens-on-
orwell/](http://www.econtalk.org/hitchens-on-orwell/)

[3] [http://www.econtalk.org/graham-on-start-ups-innovation-
and-c...](http://www.econtalk.org/graham-on-start-ups-innovation-and-
creativity/)

~~~
FeloniousHam
Also the Frito Lay executive talks about the snack food industry:
[http://www.econtalk.org/archives/2011/08/odonohoe_on_pot.htm...](http://www.econtalk.org/archives/2011/08/odonohoe_on_pot.html)

Here's a list of one guy's ranked favorites:
[https://docs.google.com/document/d/1TejVbFNWkAaqRYQ4UaZfwNDK...](https://docs.google.com/document/d/1TejVbFNWkAaqRYQ4UaZfwNDKaGGgbUNeGYKJLa7dQ5I/edit)

------
_eze_
[https://samharris.org/podcast/](https://samharris.org/podcast/)

Sam's podcast.

The goal of finding the _best_ answer, not _your_ answer changes the
conversation completely.

If you want to see clear thinking in practice, this is where you should spend
your time.

~~~
wdbbdw
That's his brand, but I am not convinced that he lives up to that standard.
Dude lacks intellectual humility big time, and seems to support scientific
racism[0].

[0]: [https://samharris.org/ezra-klein-editor-
chief/](https://samharris.org/ezra-klein-editor-chief/)

~~~
mjgoeke
> Many readers also fail to see how asymmetrical any debate on this topic is.
> Whatever I say at this point, no matter how scientifically careful, appears
> to convey an interest in establishing the truth of racial differences (which
> I do not have and have criticized in others). Does it matter that Stephen J.
> Gould’s The Mismeasure of Man was debunked long ago, or that James Flynn now
> acknowledges that his eponymous effect cannot account for the race-IQ data?
> No, it doesn’t. This is a moral panic and a no-win situation (and Klein and
> my other “critics” know that). I did not have Charles Murray on my podcast
> because I was interested in intelligence differences across races. I had him
> on in an attempt to correct what I perceived to be a terrible injustice done
> to an honest scholar. Having attempted that, for better or worse, I will now
> move on to other topics.

He later, at the request of his audience, did a 2 hour talk with Klein. This
is all (the quote above, the links) included in the page linked in parent. You
can draw your own conclusions.

------
cushychicken
I can't say I've listened to many podcasts that have been influential in the
sense of improving my career or productivity, but I've listened to a few that
I enjoyed a whole lot.

 _Startup_ by Gimlet Media is quite good. I _really_ enjoyed the first season.

 _Dan Carlin 's Hardcore History_ is a fun dramatic reading of all sorts of
history. I've heard it called "pop history" as a jibe, but I think that's a
pretty good description for it. History as action novel makes a little more
sense than history as staid recollection.

 _Cocaine and Rhinestones_ is a personal favorite right now. I love country
and folk music, and it's all about the formation of modern country music, and
the people and influences that shaped it.

~~~
_eze_
Hardcore History takes you for a ride. Even if it's "pop history" I feel like
it gets me closer to the events then I've ever been before.

Blueprint for Armageddon does a fantastic job of convincing you that war is
bad. Don't do war.

~~~
arbitrage
That's true. Dan Carlin makes unfounded conclusions from time to time, which
you do need to take with a grain of salt. However, he is very upfront with his
admission that he is not a professional historian.

------
gpantazes
Software Engineering Daily was the first software podcast which, for me,
sparked my interest and delved into technicals but also explained the simple
things. At the time I was feeling rather like a novice even though I had a BS
in Computer Science, but this podcast really got me excited and made me feel
like I was learning what was out there; what was possible to explore. While I
still don't understand everything, the broad sweeping topics are great for
sparking certain ideas or improving overall understanding of software
engineering topics.

------
mscasts
Joe Rogan definately. Not even a competition. The long format with interesting
people is hard to beat. I love how he doesn't try and smear people when he
does the interviews. Of course, I don't listen to every episode but he
releases them so often so there is always something interesting to hear about.

Joe Rogan is how journalists should be like.

~~~
gppk
His approach is very commendable. He listens, pulls people up when they say
things that need further explination or sourcing and has a wide range of
guests.

He takes a lot of flak about being "right-wing" or missing things every now
and then but I think he honestly tries to do a good a job of getting
objective, fact based interesting topics covered by experts or "famous faces"

~~~
arbitrage
Being about as left as you can get in the States without being a complete and
utter nutjob, I agree with your assessment. He has such an honest way of
approaching whatever it is he is talking about. I might disagree with some of
his conclusions or premises, but I do enjoy listening to him for a solid
alternate point of view.

------
zellyn
In no particular order:

The Fundamentalists (Two roommates in LA, a philosopher and a comedian.) Why?
A little bit of Freudian outlook on life is super useful. Especially good if
you too have Religion Issues.

The Ezra Klein Show (His recent one with Kate Manne was stellar.) Why? Several
feel like they've really changed how I think about things.

Pete Holmes' You Made it Weird (You'll need to pick and choose. Try the recent
Conner Habib one, or Penn Jillette. Or anyone you're interested in.) Why? On
his podcast, Pete's schtick is that he dives right in and asks people about
God, and beliefs, etc. It's enlightening to hear people's experiences and
journeys.

Just for fun:

The Adventure Zone (start from the beginning, and give them a couple of
episodes to stop being juvenile idiots). Why? It's inspiring to see people
going all-in on creativity and have it pay off, and their family dynamic is so
kind yet hilarious.

Eaten by a Grue (just kidding, but you should listen to it :-)

------
refrigerator
Radiolab, specifically "The Rhino Hunter"
([https://www.wnycstudios.org/story/rhino-
hunter](https://www.wnycstudios.org/story/rhino-hunter))

Made me realise that I'm not qualified to hold an opinion on... well, almost
anything. This completely changed the way I think.

~~~
misiti3780
that was a great episode

------
gingerlime
Reply all by Gimlet (just acquired by Spotify).

Amazing in-depth journalism that’s entertaining and informative and some times
mind blowing.

------
lghh
My Brother, My Brother, and Me.

No other podcast has helped shape my humor and general positive outlook on
life. I know that a lot of the fans of the podcasts fall into the trap of just
repeating the jokes and phrases from the podcast over and over, but if you
avoid doing that you'll hopefully find you humor being more cheery and light-
hearted than it was before. The brothers all seem like genuinely good dudes
who try their best to be as good as they can be. Their related podcasts are
good too. The Adventure Zone is a great (comedy) DnD podcast (now on other
TTRPGs) that they play with their dad. Despite the controversy around the
other host, Cool Games Inc. was a surrealist humor podcasts about riffing on
game ideas submitted by listeners. There are many more, and most of them are
solid.

~~~
FeloniousHam
If you are into RPGs, I highly recommend the 3Ts[0]. Exuberant and (very)
irreverent, their "dramatic actual play" is a great Saturday afternoon chore-
cast (I also enjoy their regular show episodes).

Also The Grognard Files[1]

Also Fear of a Black Dragon[2]

[0]
[https://www.patreon.com/TableTopTwats](https://www.patreon.com/TableTopTwats)

[1] [https://thegrognardfiles.com](https://thegrognardfiles.com)

[2] [https://www.gauntlet-rpg.com/fear-of-a-black-
dragon](https://www.gauntlet-rpg.com/fear-of-a-black-dragon)

------
40acres
\- The Dave Ramsey Show: Dave is not for everyone, for one he is an absolutist
and is very religious and politically conservative, but his advice is very
simple when it comes to personal finance and provided a solid base for me to
learn more about the fundamentals of personal finance. Plus his callers are a
great deterrent from doing stupid things with money.

\- Marketplace w/ Kai Rysdall: Pound for pound the best economics podcast out
there, does a really good job with balancing micro and macro economic trends.

\- The Weeds by Vox: Fantastic job of getting into policy details, the hosts
are pretty liberal (especially Matt Yglesias) but if you can stomach it you'll
learn a lot about the details of policy, especially healthcare.

~~~
blakesterz
I really liked your description of The Dave Ramsey Show. That's exactly why
he's not for me.

Totally agree with you on Marketplace though.

------
alehul
The a16z podcast tends to provide a ludicrous amount of information and
insight on many topics. While many podcasts have interesting hosts, a16z is
the least produced, and the most information-dense. They ask the right
questions, as you'd expect from those at a solid VC.

For example, the latest episode with Novartis' CEO was an hour of really
detailed info on the future of medicine, and the hosts (as always) did a great
job of tying technology into the conversation.

It usually makes my head hurt after like 20 minutes, but in the best possible
way. :)

------
humantiy
No Agenda. I was looking for something different after starting to get burned
out from Tech news stuff a few years back. I enjoy the deconstruction of media
coverage and events that they do especially when its stuff that the media
isn't covering because they are too busy with "Trump did/said today"
sensationalism that has taken over the media as of late.

~~~
sphinxpy
I am shocked I didn't see more love for the greatest podcast in the universe.
This show has been extremely important to me for years as well.

In the morning.

~~~
ykevinator
Thanks, going to try this on my walk to work today.

------
p_roz
EconTalk.

It covers everything. It has helped me sharpen my decision making.

It exposed me to Paul Graham, which eventually led me here [0].

It is a collection of conversations, the quality of which is unmatched by
anything else I’ve come across.

[0] [http://www.econtalk.org/graham-on-start-ups-innovation-
and-c...](http://www.econtalk.org/graham-on-start-ups-innovation-and-
creativity/)

------
aloukissas
Easily the How I Built This podcast. Entrepreneurial without the Silicon
Valley kool-aid or being too mainstream. Guy is an excellent interviewer and a
very entertaining host. And I love how it focuses on a variety of different
startups, from Cisco to Starbucks. You definitely have to catch one of his
live shows.

Runner-ups: radiolab, TIA, a16z, recode, knowledge project.

------
nickthegreek
I love Hidden Brain, but I find NYT's The Daily to be a great deeper dive on a
current issue for my morning commute.

~~~
warunsl
Probably a controversial opinion, but I find the NYT Daily to be too left
leaning. I find NPR's politics podcast a little more balanced.

------
thorin
This year definitely jockopodcast. Really helps to put a lot of stuff in
perspective.

If you are interested in rock climbing and enjoy british/ Irish humour
jamcrack podcast is entertaining.

Also desert islands discs, not a podcast but episodes going back decades with
everyone who's anyone on the BBC website

------
shauntrennery
The Joe Rogan Podcast.

~~~
_eze_
I think Joe is pretty great, but is very dependent on who his guest is. I only
ever listen when someone I know or trust has recommended an episode.

------
0_gravitas
Cortex and Hello Internet: cortex has very much shaped the way I physically
operate (work ethic/process etc.), HI has shaped the way I mentally operate
(although that mostly came from a select few episodes, most of them were just
entertainment).

------
KTV0
Chapo Trap House

~~~
rinze
Just came to say that and it was already taken.

Ok, Citations Needed.

------
sotojuan
I mostly listen to podcasts just for fun, but weirdly enough, Mac Power Users.
It's a long running podcast about using Apple products and their native
software productively.

I like that it's run by non-engineers - seeing people that don't program be
more productive than me using just apps and their own smarts is very cool.
I've learned a lot of tips and found very good native software through it.

Of course, if you're not invested in the Apple ecosystem, it's probably not
for you. Same with The Talk Show, Accidental Tech, Connected, and AppStories.

------
bmh
Indie Hackers. I've learnt SO MUCH from those interviews.

~~~
mattferderer
Indie Hackers is very good for giving solid, actionable advice.

Startups for the Rest of Us also does a great job.

To a slightly lesser extent, Tropical MBA is another good one.

------
mshron
The Weeds, by Vox, and Why is This Happening, by MSNBC. Both of them take an
hour to explore one topic, usually related to politics or a cultural moment.
But it's not just a summary of recent news; they go back into history and
provide context from different sides of an issue.

They're staffed by people who are well read and bring much needed nuance to a
lot of discussions. I learn something fascinating every time

------
anaphor
Stoic Meditations (Massimo Pigliucci):
[https://anchor.fm/stoicmeditations](https://anchor.fm/stoicmeditations)

Partially Examined Life:
[https://partiallyexaminedlife.com/](https://partiallyexaminedlife.com/)

Freakonomics: [http://freakonomics.com/](http://freakonomics.com/)

------
hprotagonist
_The Enormocast._ interview format with the who’s who of rock climbing.

the craig demartino “and then i amputated my leg” episode is harrowing, the
two-part hayden kennedy episode about cerro torre and the kompressor route is
amazing, the lynn hill interview is wonderful, and he got honnold too.

 _On Being_ is hit or miss but the interviews with rep john louis, bishop
tutu, eugene peterson, nadia bolz-weber have all stuck with me.

------
forrest_bh
Go Time. For real; I've been able to get my dream job because of the
conversations these folks have. I'm bummed they're on hiatus, but.

------
mosselman
I really enjoy Sam Harris's 'Making Sense' (formerly 'Waking Up' podcast).

He invites experts on various topics and has informative conversations with
them. Some are about scientific topics such as climate change and others are
more about personal stories and explorations of thoughts such as recently with
Stephen Fry.

Sam's business model is also very exemplary: no ads and the podcasts are free.
He has the luxury of having many supporters who donate so that he can keep
doing what he is doing and some side businesses like meditation app. What this
means is that he doesn't need to shy away from difficult topics and can have
more honest conversations on those without some advertiser getting cold feet.

~~~
eswat
I do wish more podcasts had alternative support methods other than
advertising.

Unless the podcast doesn’t have ads and is done mostly out of passion and the
host's own growth (The Collective) or I can pay to receive an ad-free feed
(CANADALAND) I’m not going to subscribe to the audio-equivalent of a TV talk
show.

~~~
ryguytilidie
Why though? Most podcasts with ads also come in an app where you can just skip
past the ads with a couple clicks. Is it really not worth doing that to keep a
show you like alive?

~~~
eswat
The few podcasts I listened to with obnoxious ads won't lose much with my lack
of listenership (Tim Ferriss podcast)

They usually require more than just a few skips also (last I listened the Tim
Ferriss podcast had 4-6 minutes of ads at the beginning and due to the
variable length I couldn’t just set an auto-start to when the actual show
starts).

------
gerardes
Hello Internet :)

~~~
ricberw
Just curious - what made it influential for you?

~~~
gerardes
Not so much at all, but it's the only one podcast i'm always looking forward
to. So it influence my live some how :)

------
tanmaypatel
Akimbo, by Seth Godin ([https://www.akimbo.me/](https://www.akimbo.me/))

What I find amazing about this podcast is how it makes you think culture as a
fundamental piece of bringing the change to the world.

------
beat
I have three to recommend:

1\. Filkcast. A relatively new podcast by a friend of mine, diving into the
world of "filk" music. As a filk musician myself, I think it's wonderful, and
it's introduced me to a lot of new music. If you already know/love filk, it's
terrific. If you don't know it but like science fiction/fantasy and folk
music, you might find something new to love!

2\. Hardcore History. Long-form history studies (4-5 hour episodes, with
multi-episode series often stretching over 20 hours). The one-off "Celtic
Holocaust", about Ceasar's invasion of Gaul, is a good start to get a feel for
how it works. The epic "Blueprint for Armageddon", about WWI, is my favorite
(and the most bleak). Very much enjoying the current series, "Supernova in the
East" (the rise of Imperial Japan, culminating in WWII).

3\. Philosophize This! Hour-ish long episodes of the history of philosophy,
each episode centered on a particular philosopher or related school of them
(sometimes a few episodes for particularly important figures). Starts with the
earliest ancient Greeks, and builds forward to almost the present day (recent
episodes have covered recent concepts like semiotics, and thinkers like Jean
Baudrillard and Michel Foucault.

------
excitednumber
I was a (somewhat) early adopter of listening by way of this American life.

I love a bunch posted here already.

Around 2 years ago I subscribed to the audio edition of the economist. Now, I
have no time for podcasts but absolutely LOVE the economist and cannot
recommend it enough.

------
nmg
History of Philosophy Without Any Gaps by Peter Adamson. Told chronologically
for the layperson, with consistent tone and running jokes about Buster Keaton.
An ambitious project, valuable resource, relaxing, illuminatung, and logical.

------
pappy-0511
Build & Analyze with Marco Arment & Dan Benjamin

Not because it was insightful and entertaining (though it was) but because it
was the first tech-related podcast I listened to and inspired me to create my
first iPhone app which got me a job.

------
abnry
This is a hard question to answer because there are two possible
interpretations to this question. The first is that is asking only for
podcasts that have made a significant impact on your life. The second is to
simply go through your podcasts and pick the one that has impacted your life
the most, however small.

I'll answer according to the latter.

\--Astonishing Legends has stretched my mind with the unexplained and opened
me to the possibility of greater realities beyond what I immediately see.

\--The Lawfare podcast (and Renato Mariotti's On Topic) has given me a
(mostly) level headed and legal on-going discussion of the Trump/Russia
affair. It has educated me a lot about our legal system and the value of the
norms we keep in government.

\--Hardcore History's series (basically audiobook length) on World War I has
given me a sense about the tragedies and sufferings a previous generation
experienced en mass that nobody has experienced today. Gives some perspective
on life.

\--Hello Internet is a podcast of pure fun that has expanded my hobbies and
interests.

\--Brain Software has help give me a better understanding of human psychology
in the context of hypnosis and NLP.

~~~
muzzio
I really enjoy Hello Internet as well, but in what way has it expanded your
hobbies?

~~~
abnry
Well, I'm more interested in design than I used to be. For instance, my
interest in flags is greater. I've entertained the idea of designing my own
flag. A lot of the books Grey recommends I like to look into as well.

------
bbsimonbb
Late Night Live, Phillip Adams. The smartest people in the world, all of them,
3 a night, 4 nights a week for 20 years, with humour. This is the most
remarkable lifetime achievement in radio anywhere - better than Studs Terkel.

~~~
lucy_gatenby
I completely agree. It deserves to be better known.

------
mrpoptart
Choose FI. Being exposed to the concept of financial independence, retiring
early and providing a framework and mindset for achieving them has completely
transformed my life from aimless working for money to working for a goal.

------
jotato
No Dumb Questions - Destin (From SmarterEveryDay) and his friend just talk
about different topics. I find they have challenged me to be a better person
and father.

Criminal - A show about those who broke the law

------
andrewguy9
Cortex. Introduced me to GTD methodology, and omnifocus. Helped me get my
email under control. Made me think about investing in what I'm good at, not
trying to improve at what I'm bad at.

------
notjustanymike
Nerdist / ID10T, Conan needs a friend, Here's the thing with Alec Baldwin...

Mostly because I do a lot of UX work, and good interviewing skills are
essential for understanding what someone is trying to say.

------
Uninen
Making Sense (formerly Waking Up) by Sam Harris and Joe Rogan podcast have
been most influential but Mindscape by Sean Carrol has risen to very top of my
current favourites.

------
losthobbies
Despite the backlash it received I found S-Town to be absolutely amazing. It
really blew me away and I still think about it a lot.

Radiolab is also very good. Some really memorable episodes.

------
Nicksil
Skeptoid
([https://skeptoid.com/episode_guide.php](https://skeptoid.com/episode_guide.php))

No question

------
dilap
Human Performance Outliers and Peak Human podcasts. Really changed the way I
looked a nutrition and ate, so far with excellent results.

------
maxxxxx
Not sure about most influential but Omega Tau gave me a lot of insight into
things that are usually closed of from knowing about.

------
cryptonode
So I'm a bit late to the party, but I do habe some recomendations.

The podcast that recently has been important to me is: Conversations with
Tyler. Some people may have issues with hjs background, being a libertarian.
But he has the best interview style I have ever heard. He asks the most
thoughtful questions on so many different topics. I always come away learning
something new.

One that hasn't been mentioned in this thread is The Moth. It's very liberal,
but helps with keeping me compassionate. The way people tell their stories
often makes me emotional.

Hello internet is fun, for some reason. Somebody else said. It's like hanging
out with friends. With all of the in jokes, it might take a whike to get into.

Radiolab's More Perfect. The first teo seasons are fantastic. It's all about
the US supreme court. I don't live in the US but it still grips me.

The Ezra Klein show. Some times hit or miss. But still worth for some of his
guests with which Ezra manages to gell with.

The numberphile podcast. A more slow interviewing style, mostly about the
personalities behind the world of mathematics.

------
baccredited
Radiolab. I've learned quite a bit from it and it has changed the way I look
at the world.

------
jvagner
Rich Roll. Absolute fave. Not even vegan.

------
misiti3780
Sam Harris's - Waking Up. I have gotten the most amazing book recommendations
from his guests!

Joe Rogan - he generates a lot of content I do not care about but his
interviews like Billy Corgan, Elon Musk, Sam Harris, etc are some of the best
on the internet. (Bonus - you can watch them on youtube also)

I dont like Ezra Klein's podcast (I think he comes off as a pretentious know-
it-all), but I do like that he asks every guest for 3 book recommendations, so
I almost always skip to the end to write those down too.

------
cypherpunks01
Intercepted

------
lovestodonothin
99 percent invisible

------
jmhsf
Radiolab

------
ozzyman700
cum town

