Heart Yoga Radio

TACO? - INTERESTING TIMES 94

In this podcast, I consider president Trump's blood-curdling threats to eliminate the entire civilisation of Iran and his sudden reversal into claiming that Iran's ten-point requirement to cease firing is a basis for future talks and an immediate cease fire. I consider this in the light of a number of actual events, certain expert commentary, and the notion that fascism is the weaponisation of the death instinct. [Free. 34 minutes.]

MISSILES, STARMER, GAZA - INTERESTING TIMES 92

In this podcast, I attempt to paint a picture of where we are now by drawing on Starmer's two-faced approach to war in West Asia, the on-going genocide in Gaza and the firing of missiles towards Diego Garcia by Iran. I take all of these as signalling the beginning of the end for the hegemon. [Free. 23 minutes.]

GREENS WIN IN UK! - INTERESTING TIMES 89

In this podcast, I offer a contextual analysis of the Green Party's resounding win in the Gorton and Denton by-election in which a local working class, female plumber was elected to Parliament with a very decent majority over second place Reform, a fascist party aligned with Trumpism. Labour was relegated to third place having dominated in this region since 1932. I examine the intensifying rhetoric ay tricks aimed at the Greens as a result from both the far right and the technocratic Labour government. I argue that a seismic shift has occurred and celebration is in order, but only for a brief while before intense struggle resumes. [Free. 30 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.] 

LOOKING BACK OVER 2023 & FORWARD TO 2024 - INTERESTING TIMES 73

In this podcast, we look aback over 2023 and offer our prognostications for 2024. Amongst themes discussed are war, environment, economy and geopolitics. [Free. 52 minutes.]

CLICK BAIT, RAGE BAIT & CALM BAIT

In this podcast, we discuss rage bait and its role in the manipulation of behaviours through news and social media and what seems to be the deliberate arousal of strong emotions. We consider the application of behavioural science in conjunction with massive amounts of data collected by big tech in the persuasion business, especially as applied to nudging election results. The discussion ranges wide and includes  a comparison of psychoanalytic approaches to behaviour manipulation with those derived from behaviourism. [Free. 34 minutes.]

THE JUBILEE, PSYCHOANALYSIS & OTHER GOSSIP - INTERESTING TIMES 53

In this podcast, I consider the question of the nature of the UK monarchy as revealed by the current jubilee celebrations, and if psychoanalysis might be useful for answering it.  Recorded as I take my constitutional so contains some real-world sounds :) [Free. 39 minutes.]

MONARCHY: INSTITUTION & SOAP OPERA - INTERESTING TIMES 26

Though prompted by the Prince Harry - Megan Markle interview with Oprah Winfrey and the ensuing furore, this podcast largely avoids the detail of those events, instead (initially) questioning the nature of the public and media interest in them. Consequently, I examine monarchy as an institution, drawing out the job it does of promoting hierarchical inequality, the hereditary principle, and a culture of deference. I go on to examine monarchy in its role as living soap opera which, I contend, serves to distract from urgent matters of public concern. I finishing by proposing the need for a new and fully democratic constitution for the UK and a method of writing it, inspired by recent developments in Chile. [Free. 27 minutes.]

THE DRY TINDER OF RESENTMENT & OPPORTUNITIES FOR EMANCIPATION - INTERESTING TIMES 25

Borrowing a metaphor from Chris Hedges, I consider the UK body politic as rather like a bulk of dry tinder waiting for a random spark to ignite a conflagration of unrest.  I suggest that both Brexit and the COV19 pandemic are intensifiers of this flammability. I treat the matter as having economic and cultural-ideological dimensions, particularly lighting on recent trade union activity in the UK. The recent UK budget receives some attention, particularly the 1% pay rise offer made to health service workers and the angry response that the health professionals made to it. I make suggestions as to how the broad left might not be caught disorientated the day after the inevitable sublime moments that are now waiting in the wings. This involves the judicious use of the utopian imagination to co-ordinate the many strands of progressive activism. [Free. 43 minutes.]