Reflections on Podcasts at 20

Hard to believe, but this year marks the 20th anniversary of iTunes podcasts.

It took decades, but after the "podcast election," one thing is undeniable: authentic human voices—recorded cheaply and distributed freely—have reshaped society.

From an internet history perspective, podcasts are often seen as an extension of blogging and bulletin boards. But that comparison falls short.

Blogging was for the quiche eaters—cerebral, snarky, full of ironic hyperlinks and the occasional revolutionary pamphlet.

Podcasts? Talk radio meets TiVo. Homeric Oral Tradition. Pure limbic pleasure for the earholes.

More importantly, podcasts were People Power.

Drop a microphone in front of someone, and suddenly, they had the reach of FDR's Fireside Chats. Brought to you by the artist formerly known as ARPANet.

This was terrifying for mainstream media and the traditional tastemakers. Dr. Dobb's Journal captured the anxiety of the moment with this bit of satire:

"There are probably a million L. Ron Hubbards out there, and each one has a 500-page Dianetics inside him. The only thing keeping those manifestos locked away is the effort of typing. And now Apple has removed that barrier."

"Slick & Slack YAP on Podcasting" in Dr. Dobb's Journal, September 2005

Today, I listen to about 40 podcasts—some giants, some niche, some barely more than a guy with a mic in his garage. My life is richer for it.

So, in the spirit of Apple, here's to the wingnuts, the misfits, the rebels.

Here's to the crazy ones. The misfits. The rebels. The troublemakers. The round pegs in the square holes. The ones who see things differently. They're not fond of rules. And they have no respect for the status quo. You can quote them, disagree with them, glorify or vilify them.

But the only thing you can't do is ignore them. Because they change things. They invent. They imagine. They heal. They explore. They create. They inspire. They push the human race forward. Maybe they have to be crazy.

While some see them as the crazy ones, we see genius. Because the people who are crazy enough to think they can change the world, are the ones who do.