Welcome to the Story Impact author interview podcast.

What does it mean to be human in the age of technology?

Writer Jesse Ratner and photographer Dan Kutler join host Lisa Towles to discuss The Cage You Carry, a provocative new book exploring technology, identity, creativity, connection, and the forces shaping contemporary human experience through poetry and photography.

At the heart of the book is the metaphor of the “cage”: the structures imposed upon us, the ones we construct ourselves, and the complicated ways they can protect, confine, and shape us. From there, the conversation goes deep into agency, vulnerability, individuality, human connection, and our relationship with the systems surrounding us.

Jesse’s visceral poetry and Dan’s photography approach these questions through two very different artistic lenses. Jesse reads from “Vending Machine Angel” and “Cathedral of Wires,” while Dan takes us inside the images and creative choices that give the book its distinctive visual language. They also share how the project came together and how Jesse’s viral writing became the catalyst for The Cage You Carry.

In this conversation: • The many meanings behind the “cage” we carry • Technology, algorithms, automation, and human agency • Connection, vulnerability, individuality, and identity • Poetry, photography, and lived human experience • The origins of The Cage You Carry • Art, creativity, and what it means to be human

Pre-Order The Cage You Carry: https://thecageyoucarry.com/

Learn more about Jesse Ratner: https://copythatconnects.biz/

Learn more about Dan Kutler: https://www.dankutler.com/

Story Impact is hosted by Lisa Towles, award-winning crime novelist, book coach, and founder of Story Impact, exploring books, meaning, and purpose through conversations with authors, artists, and visionaries.

https://lisatowles.com/ https://storyimpactconsulting.com/podcast

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