Why is work important? The pandemic has spawned new movements dedicated to fighting against the oppression of wage labour. So this week, we take a look at the burgeoning Anti-work movement. One that started off as a minor subreddit and has now grown into a popular idea.

We discuss what makes the Anti-work movement influential and ask if it is a positive sign that people are questioning modern work patterns. We also cover the concept of Bullshit Jobs, inefficiencies in the job market and techno-utopianism. Finally, we speculate about what we would be doing if work was no longer a necessity. Enjoy this podcast at your leisure.

A few things we mentioned in this podcast:

- Job Leavers in the US https://fred.stlouisfed.org/series/LNS13023705

- US Real Median Wages https://fred.stlouisfed.org/series/LES1252881600Q

- Cognitive Engineering Podcast: Good Things Coming from Bad Things https://alephinsights.com/podcast/2020/04/good-things-coming-from-bad/

For more information on Aleph Insights visit our website https://alephinsights.com or to get in touch about our podcast email [email protected]

Image: C&S Northway via Flickr

Is Tracey Emin entitled to ask the current Government to take down artwork that she gave to the Government when David Cameron was in office or is that unreasonable? We look at whether it is ever permissible to ask for a gift back.

In this week’s podcast, we discuss gifts and ask what rights you have when you give a gift to someone and whether these rights change depending on who the gift is for. We explore the complex moral and legal implications of giving a gift, the curious case of engagement rings and discuss why ISIS fighters have a penchant for the Toyota Hilux. Finally, we share some of our best and worst gift experiences.

A few things we mentioned in this podcast:

- Tracey Emin requests No 10 take down her neon artwork https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-60066844

- Joan Edwards – a curious case of a generous bequest https://www.gedye.co.uk/article/joan-edwards-a-curious-case-of-a-generous-bequest/

For more information on Aleph Insights visit our website https://alephinsights.com or to get in touch about our podcast email [email protected]

Image: Gratuit via Free Images Live

The human body is full of seemingly uncoordinated processes and sensations. Needing to pass and then drink water in quick succession, developing an insatiable hunger just before bedtime, getting an itchy nose when your hands are both full. It often feels like there are some inherent design flaws in the human species.

In this week’s podcast, we discuss redesigning humans. Why are some biological processes seemingly so inefficient? How could we optimise the human species using physiology from different parts of the animal kingdom? We also discuss the brain stimulation concept known as "wireheading", provide a novel solution to the Prisoner’s dilemma and unpack the inner workings of human anatomy and DNA, to muse on questions of existence.

- Urination https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Urination

- Do Neurons Process Information Efficiently? https://jim-stone.staff.shef.ac.uk/BookNeuralInfo/lectureneuralinfoJVS.pdf

- How would lives play out if humans only died from unnatural causes (like car accidents)? https://polstats.com/#!/life

For more information on Aleph Insights visit our website https://alephinsights.com or to get in touch about our podcast email [email protected]

What is a life without risk? From going outside to eating our lunch, we take dozens of risks every day without stopping to consider them, let alone attempt to quantify them.

In this week’s podcast, we are joined by Jerry Smith, Head of Advisory at the risk analysis company, CHC Global. Jerry helps us to unpack how the insurance market operates, the idea of malicious versus benign risk, and why high impact and low probability events are difficult to insure. We also discuss how data might be used to present and examine risk in new ways.

A few things we mentioned in this podcast:

- CHC Global https://www.chcglobal.co.uk/

- Pool Re https://www.poolre.co.uk/

For more information on Aleph Insights visit our website https://alephinsights.com or to get in touch about our podcast email [email protected]

As the UK Government teeters on the edge of a precipice, we look back to a key moment in the genesis of the current crisis: the lobbying scandal that brought an end to Conservative MP Owen Paterson’s political career. We use these events to analyse the issue of politicians’ pay.

In this week's podcast, we consider the issue of optimal remuneration for our political classes. We debate whether we would get better politicians, with fewer vested interests, if they were paid more money. We also chart the history of salaries in British politics and examine how the UK stacks up against other countries. Finally, we debate how to incentivise talented people to take up a career in politics and interrogate whether or not there is a correlation between the rates of pay among politicians and levels of corruption.

It’s one of Britain’s most loved yet least considered products: the humble crisp.

In this week’s podcast, we discuss the association between colour and crisp flavours. We ask all the burning questions: What does your favourite crisp flavour say about you? Have crisp packets always been the same colour? Is there really a definitive colour palette for each flavour? Along the way, we take you through the contentious history of crisps, differences in preference across countries and generations, and search for an objective basis for the colour of crisp packets.

A few things we mentioned in this podcast:

- So long, salt and vinegar: how crisp flavours went from simple to sensational https://www.theguardian.com/food/2020/jan/14/so-long-salt-and-vinegar-how-crisp-flavours-went-from-simple-to-sensational

- Generation ready salted https://yougov.co.uk/topics/politics/articles-reports/2014/08/30/generation-ready-salted

- Crisp packet colours should have an international flavour standard https://www.goodfood.com.au/eat-out/news/crisp-packet-colours-should-have-an-international-flavour-standard-20200306-h1mc8u

- On tasty colours and colourful tastes? Assessing, explaining, and utilizing crossmodal correspondences between colours and basic tastes https://flavourjournal.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s13411-015-0033-1

For more information on Aleph Insights visit our website https://alephinsights.com or to get in touch about our podcast email [email protected]

Image: Vauxford via Wikimedia Commons

Taking a walk through the woods with the family pet can sometimes unearth some unexpected surprises. Sticks, stones or even, buried treasure.

In this week’s podcast, we discuss what counts as treasure and how you might distinguish it from trash. We survey the historical legal definitions of treasure, assess the likelihood of a detectorist striking gold and present examples of how finding treasure can ignite our imagination and become a bridge to the past. Finally, we share the treasures we would most like to discover ourselves.

- Detectorists jailed for stealing £12m Viking hoard of gold and silver https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2019/nov/22/detectorists-jailed-for-stealing-12m-viking-hoard-of-gold-and-silver

- Buried treasure: record UK haul fuelled by rise in metal detectorists https://www.theguardian.com/culture/2021/feb/03/buried-treasure-record-uk-haul-fuelled-by-rise-in-metal-detectorists

- A Survey of Metal-Detector Users in the UK https://tuhat.helsinki.fi/ws/files/120984316/Searching_for_Answers.pdf

- Missing Gold Fabergé Egg Found by Scrap-Metal Dealer https://fadmagazine.com/2021/09/23/missing-gold-faberge-egg-found-by-scrap-metal-dealer-and-pair-of-royal-sculptures-reunited-to-feature-in-va-exhibition/

For more information on Aleph Insights visit our website https://alephinsights.com or to get in touch about our podcast email [email protected]

Image: Pixabay

"If I could talk with the animals, just imagine it..."

In this week's podcast, we discuss what it would be like if we could indeed talk with animals. We consider the ethics of such conversations and try to work out what our non-human friends might be able to teach us. We also dive into topics such as language processing, communication and intelligence.

A few things we mentioned in this podcast:

- Are We on the Verge of Chatting with Whales? https://www.hakaimagazine.com/features/are-we-on-the-verge-of-chatting-with-whales/

- Philosophical Investigations by Wittgenstein https://static1.squarespace.com/static/54889e73e4b0a2c1f9891289/t/564b61a4e4b04eca59c4d232/1447780772744/Ludwig.Wittgenstein.-.Philosophical.Investigations.pdf

- Wittgenstein and the Lion https://www.philosophy-foundation.org/blog/wittgenstein-and-the-lion

- Arrival https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arrival_(film)

- Tardigrade Becomes First 'Quantum Entangled' Animal in History https://www.livescience.com/tardigrade-quantum-entangled-experiment

For more information on Aleph Insights visit our website https://alephinsights.com or to get in touch about our podcast email [email protected]

UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson has said he "certainly broke no rules" as questions continue to plague the government over parties during lockdown last Christmas. In the wake of the Christmas party scandal, we think it is timely to revisit our podcast on ministerial accountability.

Christmas parties row: Three gatherings to be investigated by top civil servant https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-politics-59591610

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Some government ministers seem to constantly court controversy, while others manage to fly smoothly under the incompetence radar. Is this down to luck or judgement, and what is it realistic to expect from our politicians?

In this podcast, we examine ministerial accountability using Gavin Williamson as a case study. We consider whether it is realistic to expect a government minister to be infallible, and if so what level of fallibility is acceptable. We also delve into concepts of ministerial responsibility and honour, and try to understand when something is a minister’s fault.

A few things we mentioned in this podcast:

- The Crichel Down Affair https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Crichel_Down_affair

- List of political scandals in the United Kingdom https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_political_scandals_in_the_United_Kingdom

- Institute for Government chart of ministerial resignations https://www.instituteforgovernment.org.uk/charts/ministerial-resignations-outside-reshuffles-prime-minister

- Gordon Brown - Taking Responsibility https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CND6i2o7tTE&t=3s

For more information on Aleph Insights visit our website alephinsights.com or to get in touch about our podcast email [email protected]

Image: Chris McAndrew via Wikimedia Commons

Magic, spells and wizardry aren’t things you normally associate with local government(unless you're in Environmental Services). But in the city of Christchurch, New Zealand, a man employed as the ordained city wizard was let go after 23 years of toil and trouble.

In this week’s podcast, we address the vital topic of unemployed wizards. We start by discussing if there might be more value in employing a wizard than a strict accounting metric would suggest, then ask if we should be placing an 'existence value' on oddities in public spending. Finally, we share the joys of placing importance on pointless luxuries and celebrate the superfluous.

- Council to stop paying The Wizard $16,000 a year after 23 years on the payroll https://www.stuff.co.nz/the-press/news/126624095/council-to-stop-paying-the-wizard-16000-a-year-after-23-years-on-the-payroll?fbclid=IwAR2mxd3cUAKsNS6yC8I1dRucIZfFun0YDo2E_VmmZ7xt1irIKo2YEQ4dReM

- Aleister Crowley’s concept of Magick https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Magick_(Thelema)

For more information on Aleph Insights visit our website https://alephinsights.com or to get in touch about our podcast email [email protected]

Image: New Zealand Defence Force