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* (hulu.com/series/ae94231d-0f04-482a-b9ee-9911e3…)

All in the Family (amzn.to/47zwR6V)

Olivia Fox Cabane (on the science of charisma) on Armchair Expert (armchairexpertpod.com/pods/olivia-fox-cabane)

The Charisma Myth by Olivia Fox Cabane (amzn.to/4AQy6fv)

Christ in the Rubble by Munther Isaac (amzn.to/4hvb0na)

Munther Isaac on No Small Endeavor (nosmallendeavor.com/munther-isaac-palestinian-…)

Dr. Queenie Johnson’s Analysis on what she calls “Vanity Politics” (threads.com/@dr.queenie.educates/post/DdXxELUG…)

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