Local, an aesthetic: the deglobalisation of fun
6/16/202623 min
The World Cup may seem to be proof that the digital commons centralises a global audience. We find that entertainment is in fact fragmenting, with big implications for soft power. Our series examining America’s 250 years of history tackles the AIDS crisis and the war on terror. And mosquitoes may in fact be attracted to a gold-standard repellent.
Guests and host:
- Tom Wainwright, media editor
- Annie Crabill, senior digital editor
- Matt Kaplan, science correspondent
- Rosie Blau, co-host of “The Intelligence”
- Jason Palmer, co-host of “The Intelligence”
Topics covered:
- global media, World Cup, culture
- American history
- mosquitoes, science
Get a world of insights by subscribing to Economist Podcasts+. For more information about how to access Economist Podcasts+, please visit our FAQs page or watch our video explaining how to link your account.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Clips
Transcript preview
First 90 secondsJason Palmer· Host0:00
[upbeat music] The Economist. [upbeat music] Hello, and welcome to The Intelligence from The Economist. I'm Jason Palmer.
Rosie Blore· Host0:13
And I'm Rosie Bloor.
Jason Palmer· Host0:14
Today on the show, our America at Age 250 series tackles the 1980s and '90s, and why mosquitoes might not be repelled by repellent. First up, though.
Tom Wainwright0:34
[upbeat music] Denmark's Roskilde Festival is kicking off this June, and the musical lineup there is as international as ever.
Rosie Blore· Host0:47
Tom Wainwright is our media editor.
Tom Wainwright0:51
It features The Cure from Britain, Addison Rae from America, Jennie from Blackpink, which is from South Korea, and loads of other worldwide acts from Australia's Folk Bitch trio to the Pili Pili Girls of Tanzania. But if you eavesdrop on the private playlists of Danish festival goers, you might hear a more local soundtrack. The country's most streamed song of last year, "Hele Vejen" or All The Way, was by Omar and Omla, a pair of Danish artists. And in fact, nine of the top 10 tracks in Denmark in 2025 were by Danes belting out lyrics