Circuit 01: To Cry or Not to Cry, by Yowei Shaw

The podcast explores Yowei Shaw's "To Cry or Not to Cry," an audio piece made for Audio Flux Circuit 01, which revolves around the theme of grief and personal experiences following a layoff from NPR. Shaw discusses the initial impulse to suppress tears during the layoff meeting, contrasted with the subsequent months of frequent crying. The piece involves challenging friends to intentionally make her cry while recording the attempts, revealing insights into her emotional state and confidence. Shaw also shares the story behind her dog Banana, named after the Japanese novelist Banana Yoshimoto, and includes archival tape of Banana snoring in the audio piece. The episode concludes with a discussion on the chemical makeup of emotional tears.