My Zune has become, in no small way, my pre-Singularity foolscap. Through it, I am enjoying a personal renaissance in my thirst for diverse learning. Many (esp. my sons) would think it strange that I rarely use my Zune for music. I’m sure I would if I had more music listening time in my day. What makes the Zune rock for me is it’s form factor, interface, software and connectivity. Twice a day on my 15minute commute–and during most other drives, short or long, I plug the Zune into my car stereo. At work when I’m on a mundane task (quite rare these days) I’ll dial in a tech podcast. The office workstation is also my primary dock/sync point.  In the morning at the club, I always have it with me catching up on daily news and events. The next major improvement? The Zune implant.

As with most superb technology, the device itself recedes into the background. It is the dramatically improved access to content which makes this game-changing. What content? In my current  ”Collection” (see at left) I’m currently subscribed to 45 podcasts–a mixture of video and (mostly) audio. Today while resting in recovery from a bug I caught at MIX, I listened to three deeply insightful episodes from one of my favorites: Krista Tippett. Krista is a master of the interview. With a voice and speaking style that is so captivating as to almost be distracting, her weekly exploration of meaning, philosophy, religion and faith, Speaking of Faith, has secured a position at the top of my weekly must-listen list. The first, A History of Doubt first aired last May, should be required listening for those who, like me, struggle with a childhood of faith no longer held dear.

Poet and historian Jennifer Michael Hecht says that as a scholar she always noticed the “shadow history” of doubt out of the corner of her eye. She shows how non-belief, skepticism, and doubt have paralleled and at times shaped the world’s great religious and secular belief systems. She suggests that only in modern time has doubt been narrowly equated with a complete rejection of faith, or a broader sense of mystery.

The second, Muslim Women and Other Missunderstandings from December 2006, is similarly at the top of my recommended listening list for Westerner’s yearning to better understand the ‘Muslim world’.

Is there such a thing as the Muslim world? Is the “veil” a sign of submission or courage? Is our Western concern about women in Islam really a concern for the well-being of women? Our guest, Egyptian-American Leila Ahmed, challenges current thought on these and other questions.

The third, Pagans Ancient and Modern, I found fascinating from several angles.

An environmentalist who pursued the ecological impulse of Paganism, from its ancient roots to its modern revival in Europe and North America, discusses his observations about the spirit of Paganism and its influence on everyday Western culture — and even on old-time religion. 

I’m looking forward to listening through the entire SOF Archives. I always have a few synched to the Zune at any given time.

Filed under: Books, Future, Religion, Technology, Tools, Zune