What Happened to Empathy?

What Happened to Empathy?

Send us Fan Mail [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2595929/fan_mail/new] While traveling by car on any U.S. interstate, you might encounter a bumper sticker that reads, “Nobody cares about your feelings.” The phrasing was a misinterpretation of a quote by Ben Shapiro who declared “Facts don’t care about your feelings.” Elon Musk took it  further, declaring empathy to be the fundamental weakness of Western civilization. What is empathy, and why has it come under attack? JB and Jim tackle the modern assault on human connection in America, pulling insights from Plutarch, Jeremy Bentham, Andrew Carnegie, Howard Hughes, and many others. Boomer Has It!  The transatlantic podcast you never knew you needed. About the Hosts Boomer Has It! brings together two seasoned writers from two different worlds to find common ground (or a good-natured argument) in the middle of the Atlantic through an unfiltered boomer lens. Join the Conversation We don’t just want to talk at you; we want to hear from you. Whether you agree with our take or think we’ve missed the mark entirely, get in touch: * Instagram: @boomer.has.it [https://www.google.com/search?q=https://www.instagram.com/boomer.has.it/] * YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@BoomerHasItPodcast [https://www.youtube.com/@BoomerHasItPodcast] Support the Show If you enjoyed this episode, the best way to support us is to follow the show on your favorite app and leave a 5-star review. It helps us stay visible in a "fractured age" and keeps the conversation going. Two writers. Two cities. Two opinions. One perspective you won't find anywhere else.

Get Thee to A Comedy! Here's Our Top 5

Send us Fan Mail [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2595929/fan_mail/new] It’s been a dour year so far, so Jim and JB have some comedy film suggestions to help everyone get through the summer. The remit was to each list his top 5, which turned out to be near impossible, so both have honorable mentions. The choices go back to 1926, featuring a century of laughs, including some gems a lot of people won’t be familiar with. JB provides his film historian’s perspective, and Jim explains why he’s always wanted to be an amalgam of Groucho, Chico, and Harpo. Wait, where are you going? I was going to make espresso…  For the record, Jim’s list includes: National Lampoon’s Animal House (1978) Dr. Strangelove (1964) Young Frankenstein (1974) Sleeper (1973) A Night at the Opera (1935) Jim's very honorable mentions: Charlie Chaplin, W.C. Fields, Harold Lloyd, Buster Keaton, Jackie Chan, the Farrelly Brothers, Anchorman, I'm Gonna Git You Sucka, This Is Spinal Tap. JB’s list is: The Strong Man (1926) Hail the Conquering Hero (1944) The Court Jester (1955) What’s Up, Doc (1972) Masterminds (2016)  Plus: Kind Hearts & Coronets, The Lady Killers, Monty Python and the Holy Grail, City Lights, Safety Last, Sherlock Junior, My Man Godfrey, and of course, Some Like It Hot. Boomer Has It!  The transatlantic podcast you never knew you needed. About the Hosts Boomer Has It! brings together two seasoned writers from two different worlds to find common ground (or a good-natured argument) in the middle of the Atlantic through an unfiltered boomer lens. Join the Conversation We don’t just want to talk at you; we want to hear from you. Whether you agree with our take or think we’ve missed the mark entirely, get in touch: * Instagram: @boomer.has.it [https://www.google.com/search?q=https://www.instagram.com/boomer.has.it/] * YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@BoomerHasItPodcast [https://www.youtube.com/@BoomerHasItPodcast] Support the Show If you enjoyed this episode, the best way to support us is to follow the show on your favorite app and leave a 5-star review. It helps us stay visible in a "fractured age" and keeps the conversation going. Two writers. Two cities. Two opinions. One perspective you won't find anywhere else.

Has MAGA Culture Peaked?

Send us Fan Mail [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2595929/fan_mail/new] It's not enough that MAGA controls all three branches of government, it wants to control the culture too. But what exactly is MAGA culture? Your favorite Boomer aesthetes trace the Republican cultural revolution, covering movies and TV, music, comedy and cultural institutions. From The Sound of Freedom and Gutfeld to the UFC and NFL, we’ll give you the lowdown of the high points of the grievance aesthetic and ask the question: how long can it last? Boomer Has It!  The transatlantic podcast you never knew you needed. About the Hosts Boomer Has It! brings together two seasoned writers from two different worlds to find common ground (or a good-natured argument) in the middle of the Atlantic through an unfiltered boomer lens. Join the Conversation We don’t just want to talk at you; we want to hear from you. Whether you agree with our take or think we’ve missed the mark entirely, get in touch: * Instagram: @boomer.has.it [https://www.google.com/search?q=https://www.instagram.com/boomer.has.it/] * YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@BoomerHasItPodcast [https://www.youtube.com/@BoomerHasItPodcast] Support the Show If you enjoyed this episode, the best way to support us is to follow the show on your favorite app and leave a 5-star review. It helps us stay visible in a "fractured age" and keeps the conversation going. Two writers. Two cities. Two opinions. One perspective you won't find anywhere else.

Is Male Friendship in Crisis?

Send us Fan Mail [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2595929/fan_mail/new] Dude Desert? Guy Gridlock? Brocopalypse? A 2025 Gallup study revealed a disproportionate 25% of young American men suffering from severe daily isolation. JB and Jim trace the cultural evolution of male bonds—from the post-WWII "strong, silent" to the vulnerable "bromances" popularized by Judd Apatow and Ted Lasso to today’s "strong, violent type" idealized in the modern manosphere. If the male friendship deficit is real, do Boomers bear responsibility? Were they absent parents? Did they deliberately extract wealth from the economy, leaving behind a wasteland of financial destitution and unemployment? Or is it an imagined crisis?  Boomer Has It!  The transatlantic podcast you never knew you needed. About the Hosts Boomer Has It! brings together two seasoned writers from two different worlds to find common ground (or a good-natured argument) in the middle of the Atlantic through an unfiltered boomer lens. Join the Conversation We don’t just want to talk at you; we want to hear from you. Whether you agree with our take or think we’ve missed the mark entirely, get in touch: * Instagram: @boomer.has.it [https://www.google.com/search?q=https://www.instagram.com/boomer.has.it/] * YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@BoomerHasItPodcast [https://www.youtube.com/@BoomerHasItPodcast] Support the Show If you enjoyed this episode, the best way to support us is to follow the show on your favorite app and leave a 5-star review. It helps us stay visible in a "fractured age" and keeps the conversation going. Two writers. Two cities. Two opinions. One perspective you won't find anywhere else.

Crime Novelist Charles Salzberg on Why We Can’t Get Enough

Send us Fan Mail [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2595929/fan_mail/new] Why has crime (true and fictional) seized the culture? From books, plays, docs, features, series, and podcasts, crime is on a spree. This week Jim and JB talk to veteran crime novelist Charles Salzberg (author of the popular Swann series) about how everyone is a criminal at heart. As a bonus, Charles shares his top crime books and films.  Also, JB celebrates the centenary of a living British national treasure and salutes a woman in a café who has her two young kids reading books instead of phones. Readership lives! Boomer Has It!  The transatlantic podcast you never knew you needed. About the Hosts Boomer Has It! brings together two seasoned writers from two different worlds to find common ground (or a good-natured argument) in the middle of the Atlantic through an unfiltered boomer lens. Join the Conversation We don’t just want to talk at you; we want to hear from you. Whether you agree with our take or think we’ve missed the mark entirely, get in touch: * Instagram: @boomer.has.it [https://www.google.com/search?q=https://www.instagram.com/boomer.has.it/] * YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@BoomerHasItPodcast [https://www.youtube.com/@BoomerHasItPodcast] Support the Show If you enjoyed this episode, the best way to support us is to follow the show on your favorite app and leave a 5-star review. It helps us stay visible in a "fractured age" and keeps the conversation going. Two writers. Two cities. Two opinions. One perspective you won't find anywhere else.