Word Food: Airbnb & Winter

Pushback Talks Season 9 is here with "Word Food"!

This season, Fredrik & Leilani return with their signature bite-sized episodes: sharp, surprising, 15-minute explorations of the words that shape our world. Each week, they pick a single word (or two) and unpack how its simple surface hides deeper social, political, and economic realities.

Think of it as thought-provoking “intellectual snacking” -  quick enough for your commute, rich enough to shift how you see power, privilege, and the systems around us.

This week’s episode:

Airbnb: a critical look on how Airbnb has developed to a profit industry that takes housing space from local residents and replaces their culture with tourist-pleasing aesthetics.

Winter: a search on how to overcome winter’s darkness and feel cozy in the cold.

New episodes drop every week.

Make this your ritual for keeping your curiosity - and your resistance - alive!

Transcript

Fredrik Gertten 0:02

I'm Fredrik Gertten and I'm the filmmaker.

Leilani Farha 0:05

And I'm Leilani Farha, and I'm the advocate.

Fredrik Gertten 0:08

And this is the Pushback Talks, and we've been a bit lazy because Leilani is writing a book and I'm making a film. So we are playing around with words to keep our brains sharp. And it's quite fun. It's fun. So excuse to all guests who would like to be part of this game. We will be back with guests again. But we were a little bit out of production capacity for it. That's crazy. And we have a new Patreon, and we have several new patrons coming in. So thank you so much for supporting pushback talks. You know, it's not only about the money, a patron puts maybe five or ten dollars a month, but it's also the love. And love is extremely important in our times.

Leilani Farha 0:55

So very important.

Fredrik Gertten 0:58

Thank you very much. So, Leilani, are you ready for a word?

Leilani Farha 1:02

Little word food. It's very early over in these parts, and it's very gray, so it better be a lovely word.

Fredrik Gertten 1:10

I mean sunny Malmo. I mean, we haven't had sun for a month, but actually today it shows up. So it's not too bad.

Leilani Farha 1:17

We had the same problem here all of November. Complete grayness. I bought one of those lamps that pretends to be the sunshine. I'm not kidding. Yeah.

Fredrik Gertten 1:27

That's desperation. But I will give you a word if you're ready. I'm ready. Air mattress, bed and breakfast. Could also be shortened to Airbnb.

Leilani Farha 1:40

Thank you. Isn't that funny to think of the full long title? Air Mattress, Bed and Breakfast, which was its origins of Airbnb, something I really supported. I thought it was a super cool way for young people, young couples, maybe, to make a little extra money, rent out an air mattress on your floor during a conference, you know, and make a little cash. And of course, it has become something quite different, our Airbnb ruining. It's not just Airbnb, it's short-term rentals. Airbnb spawned a whole asset class industry. And now it's ruining cities around the world because it offers a cheaper way for people to visit a city, relocate. Even these digital nomads are using this kind of platform. And it's increasing the cost of housing for locals and making it harder to find a place to stay for locals.

Fredrik Gertten 2:45

And in some places, not even people can't even, I mean, the workers can't live in their town anymore, so they have to commute because the tourists have grabbed their apartments. Quite sad.

Leilani Farha 2:57

It's very sad. And you'll remember, Frederick, when we did a podcast with some friends from Mexico City, and they were saying they leave their home and they go on the streets and they only are hearing the English language. Right? Gone is Spanish. I mean, it's really become out of control.

Fredrik Gertten 3:20

Yeah. And you know, the film we made once upon a time, Push, it's now a lot of people are asking for it around in Italy, Spain, and many other countries, and because they want to talk about touristication. So I'm actually going to San Sebastian in in the Basque country in Spain, now in January, where we with the showing of they have a whole month, a theme month about touristication and gentrification. It's still being seen and used in important conversations.

Leilani Farha 3:51

Absolutely.

Fredrik Gertten 3:52

Actually, in Spain, I read the other day that the government of Spain has fined Airbnb because they have you know illegal ads out, and the fine is around 70 million euros. Wow. And they also forced Airbnb to take down illegal ads. They've been forced to take down 65,000 illegal ads. Governments around the world are trying to push back. But it's difficult, of course.

Leilani Farha 4:21

Well, and Spain itself is trying to eliminate Airbnb. They're not issuing any more licenses for new Airbnbs, and eventually they will reduce them. So they're taking a very strong stance, which I think is necessary.

Fredrik Gertten 4:36

It has become a political crisis in in most countries. I mean, you also have it in Canada, even if the factors are slightly different, but it's also normal people can't afford a rent anymore. And you can claim that Sora Mamdani won the election in New York because of the cost of living, you know.

Leilani Farha 4:56

And it's shown that Airbnb absolutely does raise rents. Like they do these studies where they look at where there's a concentration of Airbnbs and how what's happened to the rents, and they show that there it does absolutely increase rents. But of course, it also just simply pushes out people.

Fredrik Gertten 5:13

Yeah. But how sad that some smart kid started up this app with some kind of sympathetic idea. Yeah. But then I guess what happens is to be able to grow, you need to bring in investors. And in the end, the original idea is just lost because the investors are only interested in growth, growth, growth, growth. Yeah. And that makes even nice ideas go corrupt. And we can see that in many other sides. I mean, I wish I wish these tech guys could be nicer and friendlier and you know, be happy with not a little bit less of profit, you know. So they could also go hand in hand with the needs of the cities. I mean, obviously, the strength of Airbnb has been that some people have been able to stay in town because they've been renting out an extra room now and then, or when they go on holidays, they can rent out their apartment. All that is kind of fine, but suddenly it's I mean, it's it is not like that anymore, Lainani.

Leilani Farha 6:18

It is not. And now what we're seeing is entire buildings being built for the purpose of Airbnb rather than this small-scale utilitarian use of space, actually, to supplement your income or to ensure that when you, let's say you're traveling for a month somewhere for work, that someone is actually able to benefit from your absence. That's not what's happening at all. I saw it in Portugal actually many years ago, uh, when it wasn't really an issue, but they were revitalizing parts of Porto, and they were taking these beautiful buildings and renovating them, and it was big multinationals, in in particular a group from France, and turning them into these short-term lets rather than turning these beautiful buildings back into spaces and places for locals. So crazy, entire buildings.

Fredrik Gertten 7:15

And it's also for us. I I mean, I love to travel, but I also love to come to people's town, you know. You know, now you suddenly some of these cities have been there is no more people living there.

Leilani Farha 7:28

And you know, Frederick, I remember it was you who first said to me that the very reason people liked Airbnb was being undermined by Airbnb. So the idea of going to a city and living like a local was the attraction. But of course, when you penetrate, like if you look at Paris, for example, with thousands and thousands and thousands of Airbnb, you end up going to a place and it's no longer has the character and culture of the original place.

Fredrik Gertten 8:02

So, Leilani, before closing this word, Airbnb, what would you advise if you could make Airbnb change their mind? What would be your suggestion to them? And then if they don't, what should we do?

Leilani Farha 8:16

My suggestion to Airbnb is to get out of town. It's not sustainable. Uh it's not sustainable. Maybe go back to the origins. Um, New York has legislation that's very restrictive. And I think that that's probably reasonable, where it is a unit in someone's home, and the person resides in the home when they're having the guest.

Fredrik Gertten 8:44

Yeah. Okay. So that's I actually done that. It's that's kind of nice uh to stay in somebody's home. Yeah. Okay, and to the rest of us, just boycott the hell out of them, is that is the story.

Leilani Farha 8:56

And there's many reasons to boycott Airbnb. Not just the housing reason, like there's also political reasons around Israel-Palestine. Just look up Francesca Albanese, the special rapporteur on the occupied Palestinian territories. She has a lot of information about Airbnb in the settlements in the West Bank. So there we go. Lots of reasons.

Fredrik Gertten 9:19

Very interesting. Thank you, Nelani. So now it's over to you. Or maybe to me. I don't know how we can.

Leilani Farha 9:26

I'm gonna shoot a word to you, but what word, Frederick? What word? How about this?

Fredrik Gertten 9:34

Winter. Winter in the southern hemisphere. I like that. Uh, but okay, I'm then they wouldn't call it winter, so I guess it doesn't really work. Nope, you can't get away from winter. I can't get away. I mean, the the whole idea of winter has a beauty over it that like the nature is resting, life slows down, or maybe. And then if you can add some snow and stuff, uh it can be beautiful. But then I live in a part of Sweden where the white winters have gone since long. I mean, that's a part of the climate change, also. I mean, we had a few days of winter, maybe a weekend now in November. But the rest is just grey and dark.

Leilani Farha 10:22

When you were a kid, what was there snow?

Fredrik Gertten 10:24

Yeah, we had much more snow when I was a kid. Yeah, it's a big difference, actually. Yeah, but who cares about climate change? It's just weather. No. Um, it pisses me off, actually.

Leilani Farha 10:35

Yeah. No, because the snow, especially in Malma in the winter, it's dark. You always talk about the darkness.

Fredrik Gertten 10:42

Yeah.

Leilani Farha 10:42

And so snow makes things brighter.

Fredrik Gertten 10:45

Yeah, it sure does. And you would know living out there in the ice storm country of Canada.

Leilani Farha 10:53

I do know. The brightness of snow, yes. Yeah, yeah. It makes a difference.

Fredrik Gertten 10:58

But winter, I mean, some people claim that winter is cozy, and we go. I I I always light candles at my home. I try to bring fresh flowers to keep some kind of beauty in my home. And then, of course, I can uh drink more red wine.

Leilani Farha 11:14

It doesn't get better than that.

Fredrik Gertten 11:15

Summer is like more white wine, you know.

Leilani Farha 11:17

So it's that's right.

Fredrik Gertten 11:20

You can have a kind of a cook, like more focused, you know.

Leilani Farha 11:25

Yeah. And warm things. I like to I like to eat warm things in the winter. I eat soup almost every day for lunch in the winter, which I do not do in the summer.

Fredrik Gertten 11:36

Oh, a gazpacho maybe, but uh I I also survive w by my hot yoga, you know. So I've just been there today and I do it like three, four times a week. It's a way of not getting light, but getting um sweat and heat. Warmth, yeah. And I and I feel uh it gives me some kind of resistance. But I still must say, I must admit that for me, winter is a bit of a depressed time.

unknown 12:03

Yeah.

Fredrik Gertten 12:04

So I'm I'm born in the spring, and spring is like where life comes back.

Leilani Farha 12:09

Same, same. Born in the spring. Winter, it's funny. I've been thinking about winter a lot. We've had a very early winter in Ottawa. Uh November was gray, literally from November 1st until November 30th. Gray. We have a ton of snow. It's only December now, 16. Ton of snow, very cold temperatures. And I've been complaining about winter, as I always I always complain about winter, but this winter I've really been complaining. But I do realize that for all of my complaining, I have all of the right clothes, and it really is true. If you dress appropriately, it's not that cold outside. And when I go for my long walks with my dog, Bean, I love it. I do love it, and I love the feeling I get in my cheeks. There's a certain kind of cold feeling, and I love the feeling of coming back home into the warmth. And sometimes we have I have a fireplace, sometimes we have a fire. And so for all of my complaining, there is, I will admit to our audiences and to you, Frederick, that I have a small affection for some internal feeling in winter.

Fredrik Gertten 13:24

There. I've said it. A wintery tree tree.

Leilani Farha 13:32

Yeah.

unknown 13:34

Yeah.

Fredrik Gertten 13:34

That's sweet. I mean, the opposite to winter is summer, I guess. And summer is a lazy time, so there is no revolution in summer. So winter is like a uh time for political activity and you know, to gather people to change the world.

Leilani Farha 13:49

Yeah, to write books. And to write to write books.

Fredrik Gertten 13:52

And and maybe make some films. So, okay, let's let's use the winter to something good. And uh a big hug to you in your deep snow house out there.

Leilani Farha 14:03

Thanks, Frederick. And brightness to you in the darkness.

Fredrik Gertten 14:06

I need it. Thank you. Wow, Leilani. We we've done two words.

Leilani Farha 14:12

We did two words.

Fredrik Gertten 14:13

We did two words, and uh that means that we we can say au revoir. Uh see you next week. A bientôt.

Leilani Farha 14:23

You don't say au revoir, à bientôt. A bientôt. See you next week. Unless you don't intend to see me for a long, long time.

Fredrik Gertten 14:30

You never know. I will hope to see you next time. Next week.

Leilani Farha 14:35

Next week. Chao Chow.

Fredrik Gertten 14:36

Chow.

Kirsten McRae 14:41

Pushback Talks is produced by WG Film. To support the podcast, become a patron by going to patreon.com slash pushback talks. Follow us on social media at make underscore the shift and push underscore the film. Or check out our websites makeshift.org, pushthefilm.com, or breaking socialfilm.com