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The Stage We're On

The Stage We're On

By: Ben Cooper
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About this listen

 The Stage We're On is a podcast about the world we're living in and the roles we're all playing inside it. From politics to media to artificial intelligence, each episode steps back to look at the patterns underneath. Not just at what's happening, but how it's being presented, who it benefits, and why it feels the way it does. This isn't about telling you what to think. It's about helping you see the stage more clearly. Hosted by Ben Cooper, a Canadian creator and former radio broadcaster, the show is shaped by a lifelong background in storytelling, sound, and observation. Drawing on decades behind microphones as a musician, producer, and narrator, Ben brings a calm, cinematic perspective to complex topics, connecting ideas in a way that feels grounded, human, and just a little unsettling in the right places.2026
Episodes
  • When Allies Don't Show Up

    When Allies Don't Show Up
    Apr 2 2026

    The U.S. is asking its allies for support… and they're hesitating.

    Airspace is being denied. Access is restricted.
    At the same time, pressure is building around the Strait of Hormuz one of the world's most critical energy routes.

    Featuring voices and reporting from Donald Trump, Keir Starmer, Micheál Martin, Bart De Wever, Rob Jetten, Katy Tur, Alan Fisher, Anne Applebaum, and Jeffrey Goldberg.

    So what happens when the system that's supposed to move together… doesn't?
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    13 mins
  • The Oldest Trick in the Book

    The Oldest Trick in the Book
    Mar 29 2026

    Propaganda didn't disappear. It evolved and now, it's personal.

    In this episode of The Stage We're On, we explore how influence has shifted from obvious messaging to something far more subtle: systems that shape what we see, what we engage with, and what begins to feel true.

    From early public persuasion to modern algorithms, this is a look at how perception is quietly built and why the most powerful forms of influence today are often the ones we don't notice.

    Featuring insights from Peter Schweizer, Luther Lowe, Robert Epstein, Marlene Jaeckel, Tristan Harris, and Jordan Peterson.

    The question isn't just what we believe.

    It's how we got there.

    CREDITS / SOURCE NOTE

    This episode was inspired in part by The Creepy Line (2018):
    Additional context informed by PopcornedPlanet.

    The Stage We're On is a podcast about the world we're living in—and the roles we're all playing inside it.
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    23 mins
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