The Subtext: Macklemore, Ed Sheeran, and Vanity Politics

This week on The Subtext: Macklemore, Ed Sheeran, free speech, and the billionaire power behind the music business. Lee and Savannah unpack the controversy, looking to Dolly Parton as a guide.

What happens when public outrage becomes a purity test? Is it all just “vanity politics,” or what are we actually doing about the things we say we care about?

Things we mentioned in this episode:

M*A*S*H*

All in the Family

Olivia Fox Cabane (on the science of charisma) on Armchair Expert

The Charisma Myth by Olivia Fox Cabane

Christ in the Rubble by Munther Isaac

Munther Isaac on No Small Endeavor

Dr. Queenie Johnson’s Analysis on what she calls “Vanity Politics”

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