Are stories like oil? Is it possible that one day the human race could actually hit peak supply, then run out of narrative altogether? It hardly seems likely, given that the world seems to churn out yet another new vampire book at least every five minutes. But there are stories ... and then, there are stories. Like opinions, everyone has one, but it takes a rare talent to tell one well. So what’s it like inside the mind of a great storyteller? What can they see that the rest of us don’t? We’ll hear some grand tales - tall and true - like why exactly did Dan Kelly need the first ever “song chaperone”? And were Jack Thompson’s nude scenes really undertaken in the name of women’s liberation? Surely not!
The tiny Himalayan kingdom of Bhutan measures its national wellbeing by a “gross national happiness” index. But is it really possible to measure a nation’s happiness? Many of the world’s leaders seem to think so, with the idea catching on in countries like Britain, France and Canada. If you believe the studies - and there are plenty of them - it seems the whole world is on a grand search to find this holiest of grails. So do the “vast majority of humans throughout the vast majority of history spend their life vastly unhappy”? And if money can’t buy you love, then surely it should buy you happiness? Tonight is a contagiously happy show. Join the party.
“Americans may have no identity, but they do have wonderful teeth.” Philosopher Jean Baudrillard could afford to say that as he was French and probably carried a tiny bit of historical or maybe personal baggage. And besides, philosophers never smile enough to show their teeth to anyone. But what’s an identity anyway? Who do we think we are? And why does it matter? Tonight we explore the personal, spiritual, intellectual and physical journeys that carve the personas within us.
Winston Churchill once said that the greatest virtues of human society are created, strengthened and maintained by "the family". But you have to wonder what kind of family he was thinking of when he said that? One wouldn’t expect it was one with an adopted child from Malawi; or shared parenting duties with Mum’s new girlfriend; or perhaps a family without children altogether. So what exactly is a modern family anyway? How does the experience of family life continue to define us? And what exactly is the statute of limitations for blaming our parents for everything?
It’s this little thing about X and Y. It’s been bothering us for ... well, centuries actually. But do we seriously think men are from Mars and women from Venus? If women are taking over the world, should we be worried about a mancession (the laying off of more men than women in tough economic times) in a new gender order? And if the battle of the sexes is really over, why are there so few women perched at the top of the world's corporate ladder? Tonight we’ll take a shot at canvassing where Australia’s men and women are – right here, right now – and where we still have to go. Wish us luck – it’s sure to be a fun ride.
If 70 is the new 50, then that kind of rationale makes one of our guests the grand total of eight years old! So, does that mean the whole concept of age has lost its currency altogether? And if getting older really does make you wiser, then someone should let Mick Jagger know that it’s time to hang up the leather pants. Five guests, one theme, many ideas and a lot of life experience.
