Earworms of Mass Destruction

How should we feel about city officials blasting pop songs to disperse protesters? Better than tear gas, but more disturbing that they're trying to weaponize our precious "Macarena?" 

Big Brother's DJs were in effect in Wellington, New Zealand's capital — where protesters, inspired by Canada's own anti-vax demonstrations, took to the streets. The Wellington authorities' response? Barry Manilow, "Baby Shark," and even some James Blunt (at his request).

We decided to look at why weaponizing music is such a popular pastime for governments trying to assert control over public dissent ... or to break suspected terrorists.

The soundtrack of mass suppression includes your Britneys and your Meow Mixes, but police and military aren't afraid to get deep into electronica with the sick beats of a Long-Range Acoustic Device. And of course any selection of sound attacks wouldn't be complete without Havana Syndrome, which might be some sort of energy weapon, it might be mass psychogenic illness, or it might be something else entirely.

But why dwell on the negative? Stephen shifts gears to talk about the use of music for health (instead of merely crowd control or dumb old dancing). We get into some music for making pain relief, but also for light horticulture.

What we're really humming a tune about the place of things, about how taking music, or people, out of their "proper" context can threaten the whole. And that means talking about the secret meaning of dirt, and where we all belong these days.

Join Brandon & Stephen on the threes & fours ... 'cause the ones & twos ain't enough.

JOURNOS is produced by Heather "Eagle Ears" Wilson. Music by Nathan "Nerth" Readey

Notes

New Zealand's COVID numbers are pretty nice // James Blunt was really in the military // More on Mary Douglas // More on protest and "dirt"

Audio Clips

James Taylor, "You've Got a Friend" // New Zealand protests // G20 Protests, CNN // Havana Syndrome, NBC News // Binaural Beats // Birds! // Hans Zimmer // "Plantasia"