[Insanity]

Sure, but the other angle is time investment. I only listen to podcasts sporadically but I can definitely see why people like it. Not as a substitute to reading but _in addition_ to reading. Listening to a podcast can be done while driving, or cooking, etc. It beats sitting in traffic and just listening to music (to some people).

[Capricorn2481]

I don't think multitasking and giving some of your attention to two people talking in conversation format is a great way to get information. There's a strong argument it's a recipe for getting misinformation, because you aren't verifying a single thing they say, and you may be going off the vibes of the host. An uncritical "Wow that's crazy" from podcast hosts is really all it takes for people to believe anything.

And some people are so socially isolated and exposed to so much toxicity online that just listening to two people talk like friends severely lowers their guard to misinformation.