The Reith Lectures: Archive 1976-2012

Rhetoric that Binds and Blinds


Listen Later

In his third Reith Lecture, the Nobel Laureate, playwright, poet and political activist Wole Soyinka examines the power of political and religious rhetoric.

Between God and Nation, and Sieg Heil, a complex set of social impulses and goals are reduced to mere sound. It is a potent tool that moves to vibrate a collective chord and displace reason. A willed hypnosis substitutes for individual will and the ecstasy of losing oneself in a sound-cloned crowd drives the most ordinary person to throw away all moral code and undertake hitherto unthinkable acts. Is the language of Political Correctness aiding and abetting its proliferation?

...more
View all episodesView all episodes
Download on the App Store

The Reith Lectures: Archive 1976-2012By BBC Radio 4

  • 4.8
  • 4.8
  • 4.8
  • 4.8
  • 4.8

4.8

16 ratings


More shows like The Reith Lectures: Archive 1976-2012

View all
Global News Podcast by BBC World Service

Global News Podcast

7,913 Listeners

The Archers by BBC Radio 4

The Archers

1,086 Listeners

From Our Own Correspondent by BBC Radio 4

From Our Own Correspondent

376 Listeners

More or Less by BBC Radio 4

More or Less

863 Listeners

Newshour by BBC World Service

Newshour

1,067 Listeners

The Reith Lectures by BBC Radio 4

The Reith Lectures

159 Listeners

In Our Time by BBC Radio 4

In Our Time

5,576 Listeners

The Documentary Podcast by BBC World Service

The Documentary Podcast

1,808 Listeners

6 Minute English by BBC Radio

6 Minute English

1,729 Listeners

Learning English Conversations by BBC Radio

Learning English Conversations

1,018 Listeners

The Infinite Monkey Cage by BBC Radio 4

The Infinite Monkey Cage

1,952 Listeners

Political Fix by Financial Times

Political Fix

149 Listeners

You're Dead to Me by BBC Radio 4

You're Dead to Me

3,245 Listeners

The Bomb by BBC World Service

The Bomb

1,010 Listeners

The Rest Is History by Goalhanger

The Rest Is History

15,506 Listeners