Big Ideas

Nov 20 2024 250 ep. 53 mins 2.7k
Big Ideas Podcast artwork

Feed your mind. Be provoked. One big idea at a time. Your brain will love you for it. Grab your front row seat to the best live forums and festivals with Natasha Mitchell.

  Society & Culture  News
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Together? Or together alone? Debating the harms and benefits of social media

Nov 20 2024 63 mins  
The federal government wants to restrict social media to Australians aged over 16. But will it work? Hear from the adults and kids in the know as they debate the arguments for and against. The Great Debate was presented by the Academy of the Social Sciences in Australia as part of Social Sciences Week, recorded at the National Library of Australia on 10 September 2024. Speakers

ADHD, autism, depression — is social media causing social contagion? Jean Twenge, Sonny Jane Wise, Alice Dawkins, Sandersan Onie with Natasha Mitchell

Nov 19 2024 54 mins  
Is social media a contagious force harming young minds, a life saver helping people find their neurodiverse tribes and support, or, for better or worse, a bit of both? From the Festival of Dangerous Ideas, join Natasha Mitchell with renowned social psychologist Jean Twenge, neurodiversity advocate Sonny Jane Wise, technology policy campaigner Alice Dawkins, suicide prevention rese

Negotiating peace against the odds can be murky business

Nov 18 2024 43 mins  
Mediation in armed conflicts means sitting down with brutal war lords, hiding your true values and in an open dialogue trying to really understand all sides of the parties involved. In the most pressurised environments, there are nearly always possible pathways to a win-win outcome — but finding the way requires a combination of imagination, goodwill, timing, and street smarts.

The 4-Day-Week − creating a better work life balance or just more stress?

Nov 17 2024 52 mins  
Pressing a full-time workload into four days sounds like simply adding more stress to your job – even if you keep your pay. But many people who have tried this model say that one would need to pay them double their salary to make them go back to a standard work week. And businesses enjoy better staff retention and get a completive edge on the job market. Presented by UQ ChangeMa

From Mumbai to Studio 54 — how Asha Puthli became India's first disco star

Nov 13 2024 53 mins  
She was Andy Warhol's muse, she's been sampled by Notorious BIG, and her music was once voted on the ten best songs to dry-hump to. This is the amazing true story of how Indian-born singer Asha Puthli became a music legend. This event was recorded at Rising Festival on 7 June 2024. Speakers Asha Puthli Singer Adriana Lazaridis (host) DJ

Joanna Murray-Smith — You’re Right, I’m Wrong: The Artist's Role in a Shifting World

Nov 12 2024 56 mins  
The leading playwright Joanna Murray-Smith makes a powerful case for the role of the arts in Australian public life, arguing that moral righteousness is stifling artistic expression. The last ever Stephen Murray-Smith Memorial Lecture was recorded at the State Library of Victoria on 8 October 2024. Speaker Joanna Murray-Smith Playwright, screenwriter and novelist

The future of remembering wars past — school students speak frankly with Natasha Mitchell at the Shrine

Nov 10 2024 54 mins  
How should we reflect on wars, past and present? Do the rituals of Remembrance Day and Anzac Day hold meaning for young people? Natasha Mitchell is joined by a crowd of high school students and special guests with opinions on the future of commemoration. This event was hosted and organised by Victoria's Shrine of Remembrance to mark its 90th anniversary. Speakers: Che Weon (Mic

Ending homelessness is possible

Nov 06 2024 53 mins  
It needs strong leadership and good coordination. But most of all, it needs public opinion to rise up and push policy makers to tackle this crisis. Canada can teach us a lesson in how to do that. Homelessness is a systemic housing problem – not caused by mental health issues or drug abuse. Presented at the Australian Homelessness Conference, Australian Housing and Urban Researc

What's wrong with death? Sophia Club live philosophy with Natasha Mitchell and guests

Nov 05 2024 57 mins  
When you're alive, the idea of dying feels weird, remote, alien. Yet it's the one experience we will all have. Can philosophy help us make sense of that weirdness? What can talking about death and dying teach us about living? Natasha Mitchell is joined by a philosopher, funeral director, and a First Nations' songman for an uplifting, insightful conversation on death. This event is

From Gatsby to Huck Finn — American literature in an age of polarisation

Nov 03 2024 49 mins  
From To Kill a Mockingbird to The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, there are no shortage of options to include on those lists of "The Great American Novel". But which is the real plot in the story of America? This event was recorded at the University of Melbourne on 24 October 2024. Speaker Sarah Churchwell Professor of American Literature and Chair in Public Understanding of the