Why I listen to podcasts that I don’t understand.

I love podcasts. I would argue that they are the most valuable source of media ever conceived. Each episode is an opportunity to dive deeper into familiar oceans or explore new territories. You never have to leave your desk to learn about the unbanked population in India or the Gold Coats dementia prison program in California. Podcasts are as educational as they are entertaining.

While I enjoy listening to podcasts that cover topics I am comfortable with, I also force myself to listen to podcasts that are completely outside of my domain. Very often, I listen to podcasts that are likely meant for a person far more experienced and educated than myself. These types of podcasts usually deal with topics like stock market investing, economics, technology, and politics. I have very little knowledge of these industries and even less interest in them, but I compel myself to listen to episode after episode.

To be clear, I have so litter understanding of what is being discussed in these podcasts that they might as well be in a foreign language. No, I take that back- I could definitely learn a foreign language faster and with greater ease than I can learn to understand these…