Art For No One
Meaning What
This week Mason and Sean reflect on Ethel Cain’s recent noise album Perverts and the broader lessons it points to about who we make art for and why. Subscribe to our for more context, and follow us on and . ——— Meaning What is a product of it's no sam studios Created by Mason Hershenow Produced by Sean Ang Edited, scored, and mixed by Mason Hershenow
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Best Picture Nominees 2025
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This week Mason and Sean discuss this year’s nominees for Best Picture at the 2025 Academy Awards. Between the two of us, we watched almost all of them—which is more than can be said for some of the Academy voters. Allegedly! Subscribe to our for more discourse, and follow us on and . ——— Meaning What is a product of it's no sam studios Created by Mason Hershenow Produced by Sean Ang Edited, scored, and mixed by Mason Hershenow
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Some Thoughts on China
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This week, Mason and Sean discuss the rising influence of China in US culture. They touch everything from the electronics we use to the clothes we wear to the politics we…um…politic; and yet, we’re still told they’re one of our biggest enemies. Is this really the case? We probably won’t definitively answer that here, but we will remind you about The House of Gucci, so there. Subscribe to our for more discourse, and follow us on and . ——— Meaning What is a product of it's no sam studios Created by Mason Hershenow Produced by Sean Ang Edited, scored, and...
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Portrait of a Lady on Fire
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For this month's Meaning What Movie Club, Mason and Sean discuss one of the greatest films ever made. Subscribe for deep dives from Mason (and sometimes even Sean!) into topics from the podcast and from the wider world of art and culture, delivered every Thursday directly to your inbox. You can also follow us on and . And you should. ——— Meaning What is a product of it's no sam studios Created by Mason Hershenow Produced by Sean Ang
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New Year Spectacular!
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A new year has dawned, and with it a fresh batch of hopes and horrors. This week, Mason and Sean discuss what the creative landscape looks like for 2025. Things may be bleak now, but hope rises with every Taylor Swift re-release. Subscribe to our , or follow us on and . ——— Meaning What is a product of it's no sam studios Created by Mason Hershenow Produced by Sean Ang
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In Bruges
Meaning What
In the Meaning What Movie Club, we are all inanimate objects. Subscribe to our , or follow us on and . ——— Meaning What is a product of it's no sam studios Created by Mason Hershenow Produced by Sean Ang Edited, scored, and mixed by Mason Hershenow
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Social Media Is Killing Culture
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This week, Mason and Sean discuss the many ways that social media has become intertwined with art and culture, and why that is a bad thing for everyone involved. Other topics include: Mason’s hatred of TikTok, how old we both are, Sean dating people who love Arby’s roast beef sandwiches, and who the most masculine group of people in the world is. This episode is especially not appropriate for children, and not suggested for Mason’s mom. Subscribe to our , or follow us on and . ——— Meaning What is a product of it's no sam studios Created by Mason...
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Chinatown (the Movie)
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This episode contains frank discussion of the sexual assault of a minor, both that which is implied in the film and that which was allegedly committed by the film’s director Roman Polanski. The Meaning What Movie Club returns with a real doozy of an episode! Mason and Sean discuss the 1974 American film noir masterpiece Chinatown, its parallels to the sins of its director, and how it is the perfect practice in Barthes’ conception of the death of the author. We also discuss Jack Nicholson’s surprising hotness, Faye Dunaway’s surprising eyebrows, Mason’s hatred of reality television,...
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Recording Woes
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No new episode this week because of audio problems. Next episode drops December 5th.
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The Death of the Author
Meaning What
This week, Mason and Sean discuss Roland Barthes' influential 1967 essay "The Death of the Author"—how it is misunderstood by the chronically online and how it is a useful and important in understanding the art that we consume. We also discuss abandoning your heroes, parasocial relationships, songwriting and what it can tell us about the differences between Taylor Swift and Mitski, and remind you that—statistically—someone you love has purchased an album by Nickelback. Subscribe to our , or follow us on and . ——— Meaning What is a product of it's no sam...
info_outlineThis episode contains explicit content that is meant for neither work nor children.
It's Pride Month, round two! This week, Mason and Sean are discussing the history of censorship of LGBTQ+ art from Robert Mapplethorpe (NSFW link) to now, and what that history can tell us about the evolution of American fine art and culture as a whole. We all discuss moral panic, religion in legislation, and deceased Republican Senator Jesse Helms. Mason rants about capitalism, Sean tries to advance the Gay Agenda, and we make an honest attempt at organically pitching our Patreon. There's something here for everyone.
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Meaning What is a product of it's no sam studios
Created by Mason Hershenow
Produced by Sean Ang and Christopher Scott McNeill
Edited and mixed by Mason Hershenow
Original music by Mason Hershenow