Shaman 8: "Shaman," Art-Making, Transmitting Knowledge, Portrait of the Shaman as a Young Man

Based on Matt’s joke opening, your friendly hosts talk about JFK and JFK for the first ten minutes, so you can probably skip that to get to the good stuff, our discussion of the last chapter of Shaman, “Shaman”! Topics include social connection, the modern divisions between work and leisure, public and private, and art as a rarified form that takes place in a specific place and time. How does art figure in Loon's world? As Loon becomes the shaman, what do his paintings mean for him and his people? We talk about the concept of genius and the role of the shaman as a medium of knowledge, as well as the nature of mediation in contemporary technological society. We talk a lot about art, cultural transformation, newness, and memory, as well as the relationship between intimacy and knowledge (and ignorance). If you're listening to this, congratulations! You're a shaman now! Before starting another Kim Stanley Robinson book we're going to do a couple episodes on movies, including John Carpenter's Escape From L.A. (or New York...or both?). If you have a suggestion for a movie you'd like to hear us gab about, you can contact us via the links below. We're still undecided on the next KSR novel on our list, so if you'd like to weigh in on that, please feel free! We'll get to them all eventually... Thanks for listening! Again! Email us at [email protected] Follow us on Twitter @podcastonmars Leave us a voicemail on the Anchor.fm app Rate and review us on iTunes or wherever you listen to your podcasts! Music by Spirit of Space