Heart Yoga Radio

EMPATHY & CIVILISATION

In this podcast, I examine Elon Musk's recent take on empathy, which essentially claims that it has to be applied partially for the good of civilisation. I show Musk's take to be incoherent, practically unfeasible, and redolent with MAGA fascism. In the process, I believe that I caste some useful light on empathy itself. [Free. 25 minutes.]

TRUMP STEALS GAZA - "THIS IS THE WORLD NAKED" - INTERESTING TIMES 87

In this podcast, I interpret Francesca Albanese's exclamation, on hearing Donald Trump call for the ethnic cleansing of Gaza in order that it might be reconstructed as desirable real estate, that "this is the world naked". I discuss the proposed annexation of Canada, Panama, and Greenland alongside the psychology of delusions of omnipotence and the MAGA cult. [Free. 29 minutes.]

EXTREME WEALTH, PROPERTY & POWER

In this podcast, I examine the relationship between accumulations of extreme wealth and notions of property and their connection to power. I suggest how these might be re-configured so as to eliminate their current malignant threat to general human flourishing. [Free. 29 minutes.]

STICKING IT TO THE MAN, UBI & DENIAL - INTERESTING TIMES 86

Join me on my constitutional. In this podcast, I examine how wide-spread and justifiable resentment at conditions of life under current power arrangements is channelled by the very agencies causing that resentment into serving their project of concentrating concentrate wealth and power in a very few hands. The result here is that a good many people believe passionately that they are sticking it to the man by cleaving to beliefs, action and politics which that same man devised and paid to propagate. I use the example of some recent debate around the viability of Universal Basic Income (UBI) and the role of the state. [Free. 27 minutes.]

AI, MONEY, TIME

Join me on my constitutional. In a somewhat rambling discourse, I examine an engagement with an AI on the subject of theories of money and, from there, proceed to take issue with 'technological solutionism' which suggests that technological advance of a certain kind is sufficient to solve humanity's pressing problems. Over and against this idea, I claim that technology can be immensely powerful and transformative, but is not sufficient to ensure human flourishing without the appropriate political and structural change to society. I illustrate the case with the empirical case of how massively enhanced technologically-facilitated productivity has not improved the lot of workers but has lead to the concentration of wealth and power in very few hands. I suggest the use of enhanced productivity and the ability to automate drudgery should be used to liberate time for people in general rather than serving the bottom line. [Free. 26 minutes.]

BILLIONAIRES: WHAT ARE THEY GOOD FOR?

Join me on my constitutional. I enquire into the matter of the extreme concentrations of wealth and power in the hands of a small number of billionaires and take issue with a couple of the regular justifications for this status quo. The first of these is the notion that if people can't get hyper-rich without restriction that that would be an affront to liberty. The second is the notion that the ability to accumulate vast amounts of wealth and power by a few somehow makes for dynamism and innovation which benefits everybody via trickle down. Beware! Contains utopian speculation. [Free. 31 minutes.]

LOOKING BACK OVER 2024 AND FORWARD TO 2025 - INTERESTING TIMES 85

In this podcast, I reflect on events of the past year, particularly with respect to ecological, economic, and cultural systems. I compare  my forward speculations of January 24 with events of the year itself. I also speculate on how the trends I identify might develop as 2025 unfolds. I ask if there are any hopeful signs and question what we can and should do. [Free. 69 minutes.] 

RIOTS IN THE UK BECOME ANTI-RACIST TRIUMPH - INTERESTING TIMES 82

In this podcast, I reflect on the recent riots in the UK and the various responses to them. [Free. 51 minutes.]

CONSCRIPTION: SERVICE OR SERVITUDE? - INTERESTING TIMES 81

In this podcast, I consider the grumbling discourse in the UK around conscription, which was raised as a policy by then PM Rishi Sunak in the run up to the General Election. I criticise this proposal from a variety of angles as well as teasing out the ideological ramifications of "a culture of service" which it was meant to engender. [Free. 27 minutes.]

HELL IS OTHER PEOPLE?

In this podcast, I discuss the proposition that "Hell is other people" which is found in Sartre's play Hui Clos (1944). I draw on my own reflections, and the works of Freud and Hegel rather than closely following the original play. [Free. 22 minutes.]