how did it come to this?

how did it come to this?

By Daniel Mattes and Siobhan DoughertyNewsHistoryDaily News
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how did it come to this? episodes

  • 2.04 - “I shall endeavour to inspire the pleasing hope of its becoming essentially beneficial to mankind”
    This week on how did it come to this? Disease, death and something that can stop it. When the world is destroyed by things we catch, what could we possibly do to control such a force? Who came up with vaccination? Did early vaccines work? What dark diseases ravaged society before we could control them? What has their impact been on society? Why does my doctor have to hide the needle before he gives it to me? And ultimately, how did it come to this?

    Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    47 min
  • 2.03 - “insurmountable obstacles”
    This week on how did it come to this? We had to take the long way round for centuries, leading lots of people to ask. Isn’t there a better way? Many tried and failed. Many thought it couldn’t be done. Many thought it was an insurmountable geographical obstacle. The Suez Canal. How did the dream of the pharaohs, become the highway of international trade. Are artificial rivers really a good idea? How important is international shipping? Does a 193.3 km canal belong to a company or the world? Was a blow up doll actually piloting the Evergreen when it turned sideways? Ultimately, how did it come to this?

    Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    49 min
  • 2.02 - “Winning is not always the barometer of getting better.”

    This week on how did it come to this? A car crash that shows the fragility of life, a boy who was a champion, that grew into a man who was a champion. Flaws in the public eye, overcoming adversity, weird families and a sport that seems to pay inordinately above its accessibility. How did Tiger Woods become a living sporting legend? Is there any easy way to untangle a private and public life? Why do we care about sports people? Is Golf really a way to spoil a good walk? Ultimately how did it come to this?

    Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    41 min
  • 2.01 - “It is not power that corrupts but fear”
    This week on how did it come to this? East India Company, British colonies, military juntas, democratic elections, civil wars and numerous name changes. The little country in South East Asia known as Myanmar has become the focus this week of international attention after the military once again seized power from the elected government, making it the 5th Coup since 1960. Why has the former British colony become so unstable? How can a military be so powerful? What has the international community done to help? Why do the Generals hate Aung San Suu Kyi so much? Will the Burmese people ever see peace? And ultimately how did it come to this?

    Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    42 min
  • 1.09 - the man with the bag
    And so this is Christmas, and what have you done. I bet it’s not as much as the subject today. Keeping a running tally on every person in the world, running a large community of what appear to be indentured labour, somehow managing to traverse the globe in a single night, while stopping at every place of residence, and let’s not get started on the breaking and entering. Where does Santa come from? what is the deal with the sleigh and the reindeer? does he have a passport? Why didn’t he bring me that model train set I wanted when I was 8? How did it come to this?

    Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    38 min
  • 1.08 - “In waking a tiger, use a long stick.”

    This week, ScoMo has defended our honour and demanded an apology for what he describes as salacious claims against our nation. Australia has awoken the tiger and it did not use a long stick to do so. The trade war between the nations has escalated and neither side appears to be backing down. But where did this come from, has there always been animosity between us? How has our relationship changed? How far back do sino-australian relations go? Why is Siobhan not allowed back in China? And ultimately, how did it come to this?


    Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    49 min
  • 1.07 - our pod is girt by anthems

    The premier of New South Wales, Gladys Berejiklian, has said she feels for Indigenous Australians who say the national anthem doesn’t reflect them and their history and it’s time to make “a small gesture” and change some lyrics. This week National Anthems. Where did the Australian National Anthem come from? Are they representations of a national identity? Can they be a rallying point for a nation to heal? Are they just a leftover from 19th century nationalism? Why do I know how to sing at least 8 of them from memory? How did it come to this?


    Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    47 min
  • 1.06 - "If you want to judge my thinking, look at The Sun.”

    Rupert Murdoch's media empire has come under fire from former Australian Prime Minister Kevin Rudd. This week we follow the rise of Rupert Murdoch. How does the media control our day to day? Should personal politics inform our news? When is a company too big? Will I ever get the 20th Century Fox music out of my head? And ultimately how did it come to this?

    Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    38 min
  • 1.05 - “of these detestable slaves of the Devil”

    This week on how did it come to this? 2500 witches from the middle ages in Scotland are on the verge of being exhonerated of their crimes. Who were they? What did they do? Who was after them? Did they weigh the same as a duck? all these questions about Witches and more as we ask, how did it come to this?


    The Guardian Article


    Daemonologie by King James

    Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    35 min

About how did it come to this?

From the publisher's feed

Each fortnight we will take a current news item and look at the historical context and ask one simple question: how did it come to this?Contact us at: [email protected]:…