Ben Henderson presents the Witness History podcast on the BBC World Service and teaches people online about history, art, and philosophy. In this conversation, we cover a wide range of topics, discussing why Big Ben and the British Houses of Parliament are built in a Gothic style but not in the Gothic age, the impact of John Ruskin, the pros and cons of modern architecture, an introduction to Cyrus the Great, and so much more. Ben goes on to explain and explore the BBC's approach to the "new media" such as podcasts, and gives an insight into what it's like to work for the "beeb". Ben's dynamic and insightful, and you'll learn a lot in this episode. Ben's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ben.henderson.history/ Ben's X: https://x.com/benhenderson96 Listen to Witness History: https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/brand/p004t1hd My Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/joe.reilly/?hl=enWatch on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@JoeReillyPodcast 0:00 - Intro 

0:39 - Why Big Ben Is Gothic 

4:03 - John Ruskin Wasn’t A Fan 

6:23 - Ruskin vs. Orwell 

8:38 - In Defence Of Brutalism 

13:18 - An Old Approach To Modern Architecture 

17:10 - Time + Architecture = Enjoyment? 

20:58 - Trump Banning Modernism 

26:18 - Elon Musk Liking Ben’s Democracy Tweet 

32:38 - Intro To Cyrus The Great 

38:17- Ben’s Job At The BBC 

43:58 - BBC’s Approach To Podcasts

47:10 - The Ultimate Dinner Party Game