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🎙️ There was a time when conversations were… just conversations. Now? Everything feels like a podcast.

I wake up, and my alarm doesn’t ring, rather, it introduces the episode. “Welcome back to Morning with Manpreet, today’s topic, Why am I still tired?”

On my commute, if any, the train announcements sound suspiciously like sponsored content. “This delay is brought to you by Signal Failures, reminding you that patience is a lifestyle.”

But the real overload isn’t just listening to a podcast. It’s the sharing that happens.

Everyone has become a walking, talking distribution network for podcast wisdom.

A colleague says, “I heard on a podcast…” Another adds, “You have to listen to this episode.” Someone forwards a link with the message, “This explains everything.”

Everything.

Productivity. Parenting. Marriage. Breathing.

Suddenly, my brain has 34 unfinished episodes queued, all promising to “change how you think forever.” The cognitive load is unreal. I’m not tired, I’m buffering. 🙂

Even silence feels guilty now. If you’re not listening to something, are you even learning?

And then there’s home.

I try talking to my wife, and it feels like I’ve walked into a long-form interview.

I say, “How was your day?” She responds, “That’s a great question. Before I answer, let me give you some context.”

Ten minutes later, I’ve learned the backstory, the emotional arc, two side characters, and a teaser for next week’s episode.

If I interrupt, I immediately regret it. “Let me just finish this thought,” she says, which is podcast code for we’re not even halfway 🙂.

My kids narrate their lives like true creators. “Dad, today’s episode is called Why My Homework Is Actually Your Responsibility.”

At this point, I’m afraid to think out loud. My own thoughts feel like they need a mic, an intro jingle, and a disclaimer.

The scariest moment? When I catch myself replying to my wife with, “Yeah… that really resonates.”

If this article suddenly stops, don’t worry. We’ll continue this conversation in Part 2, right after everyone sends me one more podcast link I absolutely must listen to. 🎧 😄