Has the modern world become disenchanted? Is there a way to find the magic again? In this week's show, we're discussing Walter Benjamin, the German-Jewish cultural critic from the early 20th century, who had fascinating things to say about this.

A lot of the popular culture we consume these days is produced and distributed by large studios and record companies. Should that worry us? Are doomed to mediocre music, television, and film? Or even worse: are we doomed to songs, shows, and movies that secretly serve a hegemonic propaganda machine?

Happy 114th birthday to Theodor Adorno, the influential founder of the Frankfurt School. His writings on culture, capitalism, and fascism are as timely as when they were written.