Tales of Our Time

Today we're trying something a little different and more experimental with our TAKES episode, and exploring the science fiction stories that inspire big techm or more specificaly, the people behind big tech. We'll talk mostly about X, Google, and Meta and talking inspiration (and more) they may take from 1961's Stranger in a Strange Land, and 1992's Snow Crash. Sources for today's episode: 1. Stranger in a Strange Land (Robert A. Heinlein, 1961), 2. Snow Crash (Neal Stephenson, 1992), 3. Elon Musk And Jeff Bezos Were Inspired By Sci-Fi And So Should You (Christian Stadler, Forbes), 4. Why Does So Much New Technology Feel Inspired by Dystopian Sci-Fi Movies? (Casey Michael Henry, the New York Times), 5. How Elon Musk Is Remaking Grok in His Image (Stuart A. ThompsonTeresa Mondría TerolKate Conger and Dylan Freedman, the New York Times), 6. After a wave of lawsuits, Character.AI will no longer let teens chat with its chatbots (Lisa Eadicicco, CNN), 7. What OpenAI Did When ChatGPT Users Lost Touch With Reality (Kashmir Hill and Jennifer Valentino-DeVries, New York Times)

This week, I'm talking with returning guest Cole Jones about the famous book "The Alchemist" by Paulo Coelho. Originally published in Portuguese, the book takes a much more fantatic view of the world than at first blush, offering insights into one's true purpose, and the possiblity to change it or chase it, as well as to enact change in the world at large. We also talk about how reading stories like this can help us better picture our life and the choices theat lead us around it, by putting it into the context of everything else before and after.

Today we welcome returning guest Janet Snow to discuss Ursula K. Le Guin's "A Wizard of Earthsea".  We discuss how, despite being published in 1968, the story still speaks to timeless themes such as finding self-acceptance, how to balance measuring our success with what is best for us, and which voices we should listen to.

This week, I'm talking one last time with Kris St.Amour Denis before she leaves Taiwan about Maggie Su's "Blob: A Love Story". While it may share some elements of horror, the story presents an interpersonal story about a woman struggling to make and maintain relationships, as well as a meditation about what it means to be human, and how we can strive to be better. ... In addition to some monster-adjacent shenanigans. 

This episode has a longer-than-normal summary period. Tigger warnings include: blood, violence, and suicide In our Fall Freakout FINALE episode for 2025, hosts Amanda and Michelle get jumpscared watching and discussing the 2024 Filipino horror film: Strange Frequencies: Taiwan Killer Hospital. We welcome our first NON-TAIWANESE horror film and discuss the bravery of the team for filming on location in Taiwan, and discuss the REAL Xinling Hospital, why you should ALWAYS heed the warnings of multiple supernatural experts, and NEVER pick up weird old body parts lying on the ground. Happy Halloween from us here in Taiwan~!

The podcast episode is longer than usual to allow for a longer summary period. This film has stronger than usual content warnings, including: violence, sexual violence, sexual violence against minors, torture, and graphic depitions of murder. This week hosts Amanda and Michelle are tackling 2016's "The Tenants Downstairs" (樓下的房客). We discuss not only how we have found seemingly the creepiest movies to ever come out of Taiwan, but also the importance of having both an outside opinion, and a backup -- even for a super secret undercover operation.

The podcast episode is longer than usual to allow for a longer summary period. This week hosts Amanda and Michelle are tackling 2020's "Hospital" (杏林醫院) -- a movie about a haunted hospital. We discuss the reasons why running an "Underworld tour guaranteed to see your dead relatives" may be a bad idea, the importance of having balanced yin and yang energy, how mental health days can save lives, and why this movie reminded Amanda of last year's episode on "Abyssal Spider". Don't be fooled by the simple title, we're having a great time.

The podcast episode is longer than usual to allow for a longer summary period. TW: Heavier than usual blood, gore, and upsetting events and imagery. This is not one to look up unless you have a very strong stomach for depravity.  Amanda Stephens and guest co-host Michelle Chiang dive into "The Sadness". Topics of discussion include HOW DID THIS GET MADE, what happens when people have no inhibitions, and how far can (or should) a movie go to get a scare?

The podcast episode is longer than usual to allow for a longer summary period. Amanda Stephens and guest co-host Michelle Chiang dive into the Taiwanese horror flick "The Rope Curse". They discuss bullying, boy drama, and how detrimental a lack of teaching staff can be.

Today we're warming up for our final theme of the year, our Fall Freakout-- where we watch and discuss Taiwanese horror movies, or horror movies that heavily feature Taiwan, that you may have missed on your radar. Today in the studio, I've invited back Retro Reels host Hanna Bilinski to discuss what we can learn about Taiwan, and what Taiwanese society fears, from watching Taiwanese horror films! As someone who just finished her own Ghost Month horror theme and as a movie buff in general, Hanna shares her insight into Taiwan's history of colonial violence, and how Buddhism, and a fear of what wrongs can be perpetrated against you, haunt the genre.

For September, we're talking about different books we think you should know about as summer turns to fall! Today we're speaking with creative Will Buckingham who, besides being a writer in his own right, recenetly co-editied the book "Tâigael". We talk in-depth about the advernterous project, involving four separate short-fiction authors, and five languages!  Tâigael presents stories lovingly created and translated by native speakers into English, Mandarin, Gàidhlig and Tâi-gí (in two separate writing systems), and an opportunity to enjoy stories not only inspired by four different and oddly similar language cultures, but made widely and equally available to speakers of all four!

For September, we're talking about different books we think you should know about as summer turns to fall! This week, I had the extraordinary pleasure of sitting down with Dimko Zhluktenko to discuss his memoir "Ordinary Guy at War". Meant for readers outside of Ukraine, this memoir follows Zhluktenko's life as an ordinary guy fighting for the chance to live freely. We discuss the journey from text notes on a phone to actual published book, the value that Dimko gleaned from the writing process, and the meaning he hopes that everyone can get from reading it. What would you do if you were in his shoes?

For September, we're talking about different books we think you should know about as summer turns to fall! In this episode, we speak to Rti host and author Aurélien Rossanino about his book "80 mots de Taiwan", or Taiwan in 80 Words. Part of a larger project to sum up different countries in just 80 words, Aurélien speaks to us about how he went about choosing words which best represented "Taiwan", the surprising ways the book incorporates fiction and anecdote, and the different ways that he worked to make the book more than just a read.  (Hint-- there's a playlist to listen to as you read!)

"A Marvellous Light: Creating powerful change in liminal spaces" This is the fourth and final episode in our August Spicy Summer series, where we look at one element of the romance genre and put it under the microscope. This year we're looking at the relationship dynamics in different stories, what makes them so unique, and what they contribute to a story. To wrap up our special, we're talking with Milo Bowles about the book "A Marvellous Light" and exploring the "FRIENDS to lovers" archetype, as well as historical romance. We talk about how Freya Marske's surprsingly adventerous and magical book does a great job dealing with the ideas of existing in the liminal parts of society (and what that means), while also delivering a satisfying and happy end.

Things We Never Got Over: Healing takes time, but so does love. This is the third episode in our August Spicy Summer series, where we look at one element of the romance genre and put it under the microscope. This year we're looking at the relationship dynamics in different stories, what makes them so unique, and what they contribute to a story. For the third installment of this series, guest Jun walks us through the slowburn romance in Lucy Score's "Things We Never Got Over". We talk about how the slowburn timing and conventions are exactly what allow the characters to really shine to pull together a story that shines despite the tropes.

"Romeo and Juliette: The Orginal Enemies to Lovers" This is the third episode in our August Spicy Summer series, where we look at one element of the romance genre and put it under the microscope. This year we're looking at the relationship dynamics in different stories, what makes them so unique, and what they contribute to a story. Today we're discussing perhaps the TEXTBOOK example of the "doomed" or "tragic romance" with Shakepeare's infamous: Romeo and Juliette. Here to lead us through the ups and deep, deep downs is literature teacher Hannah Gilbert to explain what we should, and defintely shouldn't, take away from this landmark play.

The Seven Husands of Evelyn Hugo: Not your typical romance This is the second episode in our August Spicy Summer series, where we look at one element of the romance genre and put it under the microscope. This year we're looking at the relationship dynamics in different stories, what makes them so unique, and what they contribute to a story. Today Kris St. Amour Denis is back to lead us through "The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo." Descried as her favorite book of 2025, this book has a lot of characters, and is a textbook example of the "forbidden love" trope... but perhaps in ways which will surprise you. 

This week, we kick off our return to last year's August theme: Spicy Summer, where we take a microscope to different elements of the romance genre, to try and understand what keeps it so enduringly popular. Last year we investigated the reptation of the romance genre, and to what degree it was earned. This year we'll be taking a look at different romantic archetypes, patterns that characters and storylines tend to fall into, and how they play out across a variety of stories in ways both familiar and surprising. To help us introduce the new month's theme, host Amanda Stephens invites back several guests from last year's Spicy Summer and invites them to discuss what they know about archetypes, their opinions on what romance adds to the stories it's often featured in. Special thanks to Emily Daniels, Jared Friesen, and Olek Shyn for their help with this week's interviews.

Today I'm talking to my friend Rich Mattias about Juso Itami's 1985 film "Tampopo". Potentially one of the most food-loving films to date, this movie loveingly explores Japan's food culture through vingettes and a main stoyline in a way that keeps it enduringly relatable and familiar. We discuss how Itami's use of non-sequitor shorts adds levels and variety to the film, while making it stand out in a way that has yet to be replicated, while also helping to further the message of the film that food is something everyone can connect on and appreciate. 

Today we're doing a belated and early Father's Day episode, with my dad: Rob Stephens! Since Father's Day in the U.S. was June 21 and Taiwan's in August 8, we decided to put this episode right in the middle, and talk about one of his most recent reads! He talks to us about Ken Follet's historical fiction, "World Without End", one of his King's Bridge Series. Dad and I talk about how the story handles inequality, and how individuals fight against the larger systems that try to control us. A content warning: World Without End deals heavily with forced or coerced sex, and should probably not be read to by minors, or those sensitive to the topic.