This episode contains offensive language.
In this episode of Reasonably Sound we talk about how it is that through repetition, seemingly innocuous sounds come to be laden with meaning and can even guide the behavior of subjects exposed to them.
First, we spend a little time on how dogs are trained and the difference between classical and operant conditioning: a little bit of Pavlov, and a little bit of B.F. Skinner (an unwitting participant in the design of addictive games and social media, by a certain view).
After talking for a bit about dog whistles of the ultrasonic kind–the ones you can’t hear, but fido can–we spend the second half of the episode talking about dog whistles of the political kind. We talk about why certain kinds of political messages, ones dealing largely in hatefulness, are named after a piece of silent pup training paraphernalia, and how they can work to guide the behavior of people who have the ability hear them.
Double extra super THANKS to all of Reasonably Sound’s Patrons, who help keep the show afloat. Special shoutout to Allie, Andy McMillan, Autumn, Brandon, Camilla Greer, Chelsea Herrington, Coral Kennelty-Cohen, Dale Jakes, Elliott, Hans Buetow, Ildaris, Jesse Gamble, Joachim, Joe Krushinsky, John Cifuentes, Kyle Adkins, Liz M, Scott, Susan Rugnetta, Talia F E, Tim, Tod Kurt, Xander C
Reasonably Sound’s music is by Will Stratton
Its visual design is by Tida Tep.
SOURCES
On Dog Whistle Racism, Generally:
- Actually, Many ‘Inner Cities’ Are Doing Great
- Thank Ronald Reagan and Bill Clinton for Donald Trump’s Dog-Whistle Ways
- Mike Pence and ‘Conversion Therapy’: A History
- Donald Trump used to dog-whistle racism. Now he just yells it
- Globalism: A Far-Right Conspiracy Theory Buoyed by Trump
- American crossroads: Reagan, Trump and the devil down south
- … and many, many more.
Quoted
- Exclusive: Lee Atwater’s Infamous 1981 Interview on the Southern Strategy
- Dog Whistle Politics by Ian Haney-López
General
- Sanctuary Cities and Dog Whistle Politics by Christopher N. Lasch
- No Dog Whistle Needed by Gary Younge
- Higher Frequency by Sarah L. Webb
- How Progressives Should Talk About Racism by Heather McGhee and Ian Haney-López
- What’s the Matter with What’s the Matter with Kansas?
- Why did the Democrats Lose the South? Bringing New Data to an Old Debate
- The truth about the white working class: Why it’s really allergic to voting for Democrats