Literally, the Worst Podcast

What's it like working for a company owned by private equity? Lauren and Anna share the real real. Well, Anna more than Lauren because Lauren wants to keep her job for a while longer. But not our gal Anna - she's got all the tea on the PE disaster she worked for. 

This is definitely one of the most meandering episodes to date, so buckle up, buttercup.

Guides Anna mentioned for bowing out of mega corps:

Cut Off the Spigot substack 

Cut Off the Spigot, specifically browsers

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Is there anything easier to hate than a Cybertruck? We don't think so. Lauren and Anna dive into Cybertruck recalls, it's design (or lack thereof), and its general horrendous-ness for passengers and anyone within a crash-able range of the dumpster on wheels.

Connect with us at literallytheworstpod.com. Or to buy us a coffee, visit buymeacoffee.com/igjm23pjux. 

You can find Lauren at www.laurenmhight.com where you can learn more about her end-of-life planning and support offerings. 

You can find Anna at www.annaschmunk.com, wh...

In this week’s episode of Literally the Worst, Anna and Lauren dive into their most frustrating petty peeves and explore their deconstruction around their beliefs around capitalism. They start by unpacking a shared definition of what capitalism is, how it works, and why it's not necessarily working anymore. 

Connect with us at literallytheworstpod.com. Or to buy us a coffee, visit buymeacoffee.com/igjm23pjux. 

You can find Lauren at www.laurenmhight.com where you can learn more about her end-of-life planning and support offerings. 

You can find Anna at www.annaschmunk.com...

A goofy gameshow clips gets this party started and begs the question, "Is it war?" Lauren brings the receipts on the Iran war - what has been spent, who has been killed, and why calling something “kinetic military action” does not make it less like a real war. 

Anna brings clarity and polish to frame what counts as an act of war even when Congress avoids the word. Together, they unpack the gap between political spin and reality, especially when the consequences are already measurable.

There are several things we can do, and a very impor...

A creepy story from Yosemite in September is resurrecting the Man vs Bear question for women. Anna and Lauren explore the nuance of that question. Do you think they'll agree? Also, Lauren gets into starting TMS, we dream about living in a land of Moomin, and we discover yet another layer of nerdy-ness together.

Connect with us at literallytheworstpod.com. Or to buy us a coffee, visit buymeacoffee.com/igjm23pjux. 

You can find Lauren at www.laurenmhight.com where you can learn more about her end-of-life planning and support offerings. 

...

Anna and Lauren dive into what happens when models in magazines are no longer real, what that means for the beauty industrial complex and how it impacts beauty standards. 

Threads Post that Kicks Off this Convo

Mentioned in this episode

Scene on Radio Episode 9, Season 7: The Tipping Point

Connect with us at literallytheworstpod.com. Or to buy us a coffee, visit buymeacoffee.com/igjm23pjux. 

You can find Lauren at www.laurenmhight.com where you can learn more about her end-of-life planning and support offerings. 

You can fin...

This week Anna and Lauren dive into the myths and misunderstood aspects of feminism. They touch on the loss of two feminist icons - Dolly Parton and Gloria Steinem, erasure of marginalized people's contributions to the feminist movement, what the Barbie movie missed, and that bra-burning feminists were never really a thing!

You'll also hear what's driving us crazy, aka what we're being petty about this week, and our current relationship to makeup.

Resources used this episode:

The Intersectionality of Feminism

https://now.org/blog/the-original-activists-black-feminism-and-the-black-feminist-movement/

Feminism 101: 10 Misconceptions About...

Anna and Lauren kick it off by discussing things they find "the worst" that are just petty - like dirty sinks and construction too close to car washes. Then, they discuss a recent episode of Pantsuit Politics that Anna listened to that triggered a memory of study findings that found that women, in general, have less hope for the future of America. Anna and Lauren explore why that might be, through the lens of the issues discussed in the Pantsuit episode. Could it be the growing misogyny that women are dealing with in the United States? 

Articles discussed and ref...

This week we discuss the history of minstrelry, why it's such a factor in Target's latest racist mess-up, and a concerning Instacart order of spider traps.

NPR: Target Halloween Costume Backlash

PBS on the History of Minstrelry

Viola Davis on Target's Apology

What Can We Do? Reduce Harm

Here are two sources mentioned to reduce harm, along with or instead of boycotting Target, minimizing your shopping trips or dollars spent per trip.

Connect with us at literallytheworstpod.com. Or...

Laugh and cry your way through a discussion on why private equity is literally, the worst. We talk about what private equity (PE) is, who benefits, and how far the tentacles of PE have spread into our lives. Since we're never able to stay on topic, we also find ourselves discussing whether or not hot dogs are a finger food when they're sans bun and wrap up with the good things in our lives right now.

Notes:

Bowling alleys are being bought by private equity:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nC8hnkUs3...