I Need a Critic: May 2025 Edition
1Digest
This podcast episode features a segment called "I Need a Critic," where the hosts answer listener questions. Listeners seek recommendations for fast-paced books (noir novels and short stories suggested), positive depictions of fatherhood (films and novels showcasing involved fathers recommended), and ways to overcome "book guilt" (self-acceptance and prioritizing personal enjoyment emphasized). Other questions cover TV shows suitable for mealtimes ("Midnight Diner" suggested), media depicting the anxieties of being average in one's 20s ("Sentimental Education" and "Middlemarch" recommended), identifying good acting (subjectivity and naturalistic styles discussed), secular morality ("Peanuts" and "First Reformed" suggested), using pop culture in sermons (adapting material to the desired mood highlighted), media for emotional release ("Better Things" recommended), and life-affirming poetry and music (Sharon Olds and TJ Douglas recommended). The episode concludes with the hosts sharing their own questions and summer plans.
Outlines
Introduction & Listener Questions on Media & Life
The episode opens with introductions and then delves into listener questions spanning diverse topics, including book recommendations, positive portrayals of fatherhood, overcoming "book guilt," and media choices for various moods and purposes.
Acting, Morality, and Pop Culture in Sermons
Listeners seek guidance on identifying good acting, finding moral frameworks outside religion, and using pop culture effectively in sermons. The hosts discuss the subjectivity of acting, suggest resources for secular ethics, and explore the nuanced use of pop culture to address various emotional tones.
Emotional Release, Life Affirmation, and Personal Reflections
The final segment addresses listener questions on media for emotional release and life-affirming art, followed by the hosts sharing their personal questions and summer plans.
Keywords
Existential Narcissism
Self-centered focus on one's existence and perceived lack of significance, often experienced during young adulthood.
Method Acting
Acting technique emphasizing emotional recall and immersion in a character's psychology.
Secular Ethics
Moral systems independent of religious beliefs, focusing on reason and human experience.
Pop Culture in Religious Contexts
Use of popular culture in religious sermons to connect with contemporary audiences.
Book Guilt
Feeling guilty about not reading all purchased books.
Positive Depictions of Fatherhood
Media portraying fathers in a positive and involved light.
Fast-Paced Books
Genre fiction, noir novels, and short stories offering quick, engaging reads.
Emotional Release Through Media
Using media like TV shows and music to process and release emotions healthily.
Life-Affirming Art
Poetry and music offering hope and positivity.
Q&A
How can I find high-quality books that are also easy and fast-paced to read?
Consider genre fiction, particularly noir novels or short stories.
What are some hallmarks of good acting?
Good acting is subjective but often involves a naturalistic style that feels authentic and engaging.
How can I find a moral framework outside of religion?
Explore secular ethical systems based on reason and human experience.
What are some good resources for a minister to use in sermons that address current societal challenges without feeling overly heavy?
Pop culture can be used effectively; the minister's interpretation determines the overall mood.
What kind of media can help with processing emotions in a healthy way?
Shows like "Better Things" offer a blend of humor and poignant moments. Poetry and music can also be helpful.
Show Notes
In a new installment of the Critics at Large advice hotline, Vinson Cunningham, Naomi Fry, and Alexandra Schwartz field calls from listeners on a variety of cultural dilemmas, and offer recommendations for what ails them. Callers’ concerns run the gamut from the lighthearted to the existential; several seek works to help ease the sting of the state of the world. “I can’t say that we will solve those deeper issues,” Cunningham says. “But to share art with somebody is to offer them a companion.”
Read, watch, and listen with the critics:
The New York Issue of The New Yorker (May 12 & 19, 2025)
“Birds of America,” by Lorrie Moore
“Eighth Grade” (2018)
“Gilead,” by Marilynne Robinson
“Danny, the Champion of the World,” by Roald Dahl
“Midnight Diner” (2016-19)
“Sentimental Education,” by Gustave Flaubert
“Middlemarch,” by George Eliot
“My Life in Middlemarch,” by Rebecca Mead
“How the Method Made Acting Modern,” by Alexandra Schwartz (The New Yorker)
Charles Schulz’s “Peanuts”
“First Reformed” (2017)
“Better Things” (2016-22)
“The Functionally Dysfunctional Matriarchy of ‘Better Things,’ ” by Alexandra Schwartz (The New Yorker)
“Odes,” by Sharon Olds
TJ Douglas’s “Dying”
Mozart’s “The Magic Flute”
“Peppa Pig” (2004—)
Aaron Copland’s “Billy the Kid”
Dennis Wilson’s “Pacific Ocean Blue”
Caetano Veloso’s “Ofertório”
Crosby, Stills & Nash’s début album
New episodes drop every Thursday. Follow Critics at Large wherever you get your podcasts.
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