Many of the admirable members of AT are quite seasoned. For us, listening to podcasts, especially conducted by AT’s managing editor, can offer a “unique blend of storytelling, learning, and leisure, making them a perfect companion for daily activities.”

There are a few activities outside the home that can be problematic when immersed in an intriguing podcast.

One is walking and jogging in public places. It’s mildly irritating to get minimal interaction from a passer-by who is absorbed by a podcast, especially when their dog is rampant. Besides the slobbering, out-of-control dog, there’s just no civil human engagement.

One place I worked had a nice walking trail that was popular at lunchtime. Still, one didn’t know whether to greet anyone anymore, for their ears were likely clogged with air pods, or some equivalent audio gizmo, for their favorite podcast. Sometimes it might lead to sheepish guilt during collaborative events, as a colleague harbors resentment over being ignored outside: “oh, sure, now he’s nice to me….”

While podcast listeners’ mental isolation can irk, their mental readiness to external stimuli can be dangerously diminished. Pedestrian traffic deaths have soared, with a big reason being smartphone usage -- by drivers and pedestrians. Some listening to downloaded podcasts.

The jury is out on how distracting it is to listen to music from a hands-free device while driving, but it doesn’t seem too bad. Some of it likely soothes the soul during commuter congestion; but put on heavy metal, and it’s pedal to the metal time. Even more kinetic energy is released when engrossed in intense political podcasts fraught with deep convictions and Weltanschauung. Likely, some podcast-listening drivers become oblivious to the outside world, reducing their reaction time while siphoning off much of their brain’s processing power.

We may pretend to multitask, but our brains don’t work that way -- we task-switch, and process information sequentially. Depending on the content, listening to podcasts while driving may not be as innocuous as listening to the radio, even talk radio. Podcasts require more attention, and stimulate more contemplation, another finite resource as collision hazards rush past the window.

Radio channels have lots of commercials, and often program lighter content during peak commute times. Conversely, politically-oriented podcasts can really rile someone up -- justifiably. Moreover, they can be complex, requiring a higher degree of concentration, and some of us have limited brain resources for that while guiding a 4000-plus pound projectile through unpredictable traffic. Perhaps even some seasoned AT members.

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