Is Gen Z entitled, or are they facing hurdles their parents didn't face? Are they as satisfied with life as other generations? Parnell Palme McGuinness, researcher at the Centre for Independent Studies, looked into what's going on with the emerging generation.

Generation Trapped report

Parnell's Sydney Morning Herald Column and X profile

(00:00) Introduction

(00:35) Research aims and findings

(09:10) Going deeper on money and agency

(16:42) Causes of the problem

(21:28) Going deeper on the post-traditionalists

(24:54) The female left-wing vote and the apparent inconsistency between preferences and votes

(29:33) Wrapping up

I interview Maxim Smith, the 20-year-old author of The Preparation, a manual for turning boys into men, through character, virtue, skills, higher learning, hobbies and recreation. Maxim is half way through as the first to trial the the program, and already he's come a long way. Now his future looks bright - he's skilled, confident and has a good understanding of himself. A possible gap year, precursor or substitute for university, The Preparation is a program all parents of boys should consider.

(00:00) Introducing Maxim Smith

(01:59) A highly skilled 20-year-old

(04:49) What is The Preparation

(09:33) Building the modern Renaissance Man

(12:35) Be, do, have – the three most important words in any language

(13:42) A substitute for university?

(18:38) What does Maxim’s future look like after The Preparation?

(24:30) Fundamental differences between The Preparation and university

(30:46) Costs and benefits of university

(35:31) Role models and the patron-client relationship

(43:12) Plugging the book and how to contact Maxim

Get The Preparation book or find the program's Substack, or follow Maxim's progress as he continues through the program.

On X, I described the report the Page Research Centre just released as "remarkable" - a genuinely pro-family policy agenda for Australia aimed at a long-term rebuilding of the country and the social fabric, and something that can offer genuine choice for families.

We touched on how the research fits into the agenda set out by the Alliance for Responsible Citizenship (ARC) and Aspire here in Australia (see episode 13), and the broader social and political realignment in Australia.

It also ties in with episodes 8 and 9 on childcare in Australia.

There's a lot to chew on in this episode, I hope you enjoy it.

(00:00) Introduction

(05:16) The need to rebuild Australia; in the footsteps of the Alliance for Responsible Citizenship

(13:14) Challenging current arrangements and narratives

(19:40) The role of policy in setting the tone for the country and conveying value to families

(24:24) Ultimately solving for one metric

(27:29) How responsive will people be to the new policy settings?

(29:39) Cultural and institutional change in childcare

(35:49) The demand for, and trade-offs around, time with your children

(41:36) Specific policy proposals contained in the paper

(47:07) How the paper fits into the broader realignment in Australia

(53:28) Finding Gerard and Virginia online

Gerard's X account: @gerardgholland

Virginia's Instagram account: @parentsworkcollective

Episode 8 with Dr Gigi Foster on childcare

Episode 9 on childcare

We've had it pretty good for a long time - a high standard of living and a relatively safe country - but things are starting to slip here in Australia. Cian Hussey, Research Fellow at the Institute of Public Affairs, has been examining this on his outstanding and highly underrated Substack, No Permanent Solutions. He joined me to diagnose Australia's current ills, outline the trajectory we're on as a country, and provide his perspective on how to effect change.

Cian's IPA page

(00:00) Introduction

(05:00) Meaning of 'No Permanent Solutions'

(07:08) Australia's problems and trajectory

(13:46) Australia relative to other countries

(18:38) Deep roots of Australia's malaise

(26:45) Views on trade, immigration, energy, speech and culture

(49:48) Cian's view on change

(59:00) Individual agency, organising and doing something

(1:02:17) Concluding thoughts

Recently, three new organisations launched on the right of Australian politics, responding to political failure and the increasingly worrisome direction of the country.

A very brief commentary from me on their launches, shared themes, and goals, while highlighting a few substantive points.

More guests to follow on this important Australian project.

(00:00) The three new organisations: Aspire, Rebuild Australia, the Surfers Paradise Institute

(04:41): Common themes and a comment on trade and domestic economic and social policy settings

(11:10) Focus for the next year

We discuss Johann Kurtz’s book, Leaving a Legacy, specifically:

*the ethics of passing on wealth to your children

*the importance of building family virtue and passing on a strong culture, and

*an aristocratic ‘Benedict Option’

(00:00) Introduction

(05:38) Matt's opening remarks

(08:50) Marty's opening remarks

(15:08) Dani's opening remarks

(22:24) Charity vs philanthropy, local vs global charity

(45:55) Questioning aristocracy; an aristocracy of excellence

(54:42) Family culture and an aristocratic Benedict Option

(1:01:40) Modernity as a 'myth of normal'

(1:06:40) Concluding thoughts

My X account: https://x.com/mattsinglebrush

My Substack: https://humanecologyaus.substack.com/

Johann's X account: https://x.com/JohannKurtz

Johann's Substack: https://becomingnoble.substack.com

The best framework I've found for maximising willpower, setting goals to succeed, and competing desires.

(00:00) Introduction

(01:39) The will and competing desires

(03:55) Desires vs demands

(06:43) Realistic goals

(09:24) Renouncing short-term desires

(10:49) Bringing it together and concluding

Here I provide my own perspective on childcare - the decisions facing modern families, facts we have to confront about childcare, and the difficulty but possibility of effecting change.

This follows from episode 08 with Dr Gigi Foster. (Apple Podcasts link)

(00:00) Introduction

(00:49) Part 1 - economic reality

(03:27) Part 2 - basic facts of childcare

(10:31) Part 3 - Discussing options for change

The fact that our society, on mass scale, places very young children in childcare, has been on my mind, and so I decided to look into it.

Firstly, I spoke with Dr Gigi Foster of UNSW about her analysis of Australian childcare. She breaks down the major issues and proposes interesting solutions. Along the way we talk culture, big government, and community, and her thinking aligns with some emerging themes of the Human Ecology podcast.

Secondly, I crunched some data on childcare, which you can find here on the Substack post that accompanies this episode.

Finally, I'll release a solo follow up episode where I'll explore the issue further.

This is an issue worth thinking about closely, and I invite you all to listen to Dr Foster's analysis as an attempt to rebalance the conversation.

(0:00) Introduction

(2:02) Background to Gigi’s research paper

(3:55) What the research says about child care

(9:01) Childcare to support labour force participation

(12:29) Liberating labour: effects of staying home on work outcomes

(15:46) Quality of research, and other frameworks of assessing childcare

(19:48) The major issues in Australian childcare

(26:41) Big government mindset, institutional decay and lack of community

(29:59) The difficulty in judging childcare quality and Gigi’s proposal

(33:03) Community-based hiring of childcare staff

(35:33) Gossiping parents, the power of community and taking the initiative

(38:41) Rethinking the focus on work

(41:08) Demand or supply side models of childcare funding

(43:03) Issues with higher education and an alternative in a castle in Belgium

(52:32) Opportunities in Australia for parallel or alternative higher education

(58:45) Gigi’s new think tank, Australians for Science and Freedom

(1:03:45) Wrapping up and flagging the follow up episode on childcare

The podcast is back. I talk about the future and my interests with the podcast.

Find me on X: x.com/mattsinglebrush

Substack newsletter: humanecologyaus.substack.com