In this episode, Dara keeps it in low gear as he attempts to conserve energy and resist the temptation to force anything. Most of all, he is determined to be uninteresting and anything but entertaining. He knows his credo and he's sticking to it!

A conversation with a friend has him thinking about happiness. Happy states and happy places. The dream of the perfect getaway seems to never lose its appeal, but Dara finds himself arguing for the internal oasis. The self-evident reality is that no matter where we go, we always bring ourselves with us, so shouldn't we be more concerned with creating the conditions in our daily lives that remove the desperate need for escape?

What is this relationship we have with desire, appetite, and yearning? How do those sensations relate to lack and abundance? And are we more thrilled by the chase than the capture? And what comes first - a state of being or a state of mind? Dara wonders if far less sexy concepts like balance, alignment and regulation might be part of the solution. But what exactly do spunky young cowboys have to do with all of this?

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In this episode, Dara is responding to three films he recently watched that all touched on themes of the expression of the individual, sovereign identity, iterations of 20th century masculinity, and the concept of success and failure implicit in those performances.

Starting with two documentaries, one covering the life and career of Broadway performer and choreographer Maurice Hines, once of the dance duo The Hines Brothers with younger sibling Gregory, the other doing the same for Carl Lewis, the outstanding athlete of his generation who refused to conform to the behavioural expectations of 80s America, especially as a young, beautiful black man. Each of Hines and Lewis walked their own path with a single-minded focus and application, and each embodied distinctly unconventional modes of black masculinity for which the former found the perfect ecosystem, but for which the latter was relentlessly ridiculed.

Paul Thomas Anderson's 2012 film The Master - informed substantially by the life of L. Ron Hubbard - is also discussed in relation to the struggle for selfhood of the American male, captured in two indelible performances by Joaquin Phoenix and Philip Seymour Hoffman as men compulsively drawn to each other by a mutual and oppositional fascination. Brittle, sensual, flawed and explosive - they are more alike than they might realise. But ultimately, there is no consummation. Which makes their characters, fictional though they are, far less successful than the subjects of the aforementioned documentaries.

Also covered: Sidney Poitier's electric moment, Francis Ford Coppola's failure to do what Ryan Coogler has done so well, a history of Black cinema, and an existential concept of happiness.

The Slate article on L. Ron Hubbard and The Master: https://slate.com/culture/2012/09/the-master-and-scientology-just-how-much-of-lancaster-dodd-comes-from-l-ron-hubbard.html

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Is there one good idea in this episode? Dara admits he is all over the place at the moment. He is not burnt out, just a bit overwhelmed. Between ageing parents in need of comprehensive care, trying to find work, doing a masters, and just keeping up with the normal day-to-day demands, it feels like a lot. So he sits down at the mic without a plan and decides to see if anything comes to him.

Guess what - it does! He wonders about the power of attitude in identifying things to be grateful for. That same attitudinal lens can be brought to bear on life's endless difficulties and challenges. What about dumping the blame game and concentrating on forward movement? What about valuing your own life and your own 'stuff' to just the right extent, avoiding the pitfalls of self-absorption?

Dara reflects on the power of dreams, defining wisdom, failing to find solutions in others, and the inevitability of bumping into yourself again and again. He also lays out his theory about hardship and love and how that explains why men don't cry.

If only one useful idea comes out of this episode, then it has been a success.

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In this strong and dominant episode, Dara shares his muscular response to Louis Theroux's new documentary exploring the dreaded manosphere. As Lori Petty said in 1991's Point Break - "too much testosterone around here for me".

Why are young men so obsessed with the dubious figures that define the so-called manosphere? Aggressive, misogynist, and utterly confused about what they call 'traditional values', these men are holding on so tight that it is no surprise that they are actually very thin-skinned - it's all that flexing!

Dara relects on his own experiences working with angry young men when he was a teacher and presents a case for holding space that can accommodate reflection and dialogue and non-judgement. Discussing his ongoing involvement with the What Does He Need? project, he tries to explain his approach to the work and how his own embodiment of masculinity is so important to the process.

And why should Kenneth Lonergan's Manchester by the Sea be prescribed viewing for the manosphere influencers?

What Does He Need? masculinity project: https://www.whatdoesheneed.com/

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In this episode, Dara is considering Scottish psychiatrist R.D. Laing's proposition that "love is a cover for violence". Informed by Game Theory and the work he did with twelve female schizophrenic patients in the 1960s, Laing came to believe the manipulative interpersonal dynamics that were playing out behind closed doors were effectively driving the Glasgow housewives mad. However, Laing concluded that the madness was a form of self-defence and arguably the only sane response to the oppressive nature of what the women were experiencing.

Dara leans into Laing's world of power and control in family relations and contextualises it within the terms of Game Theory - the idea that humans are endlessly strategising and hedging with one another as they try to achieve their personal goals while simultaneously understanding that the people they are dealing with are doing the same.

It makes Dara consider the nature of the human mind as evolved from the simian line as opposed to the canine mind which can be traced to wolves - the premise of the 2008 Mark Rowlands book - The Philosopher and the Wolf. Are humans simply evolutionarily devious and selfish? And what does that have to do with our relationship with cats and dogs?

Also in this episode, life as computer game, loving against the tide, and the spiciest toothpaste of them all!

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In this episode, Dara is leaning into the power of conversation as a means cultivating deeper thought and connection, both with others and with the self. Bumping up against parts of ourselves we would rather weren't there at all, he argues for a radical humility that completely removes the ego from the equation. Aren't we much better equipped to assess ourselves if we can do so without the burden of ego and its expectations?

The consumerist mania of the modern world actively pushes human energy in a direction that is not conducive to thoughtfulness or connection. How are we meant to have time to think when we are desperately trying to buy our way to happiness? And how is that happiness possible if we don't have the resources to build our material world? Dara reflects on the time and energy he allocates to listening, thinking, and talking and concludes it is worth the effort, even at the expense of more material considerations.

Also, Sorkin's idealised presidents, the best Stephen King movie adaptations, the inseparability of politics and cynicism, puppy interruptions, and the compelling drama of The Pitt!

Philosophy as living practice and social engagement: https://www.hearlisten.ie/

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In this episode, Dara is thinking of the old men. Well, two old men specifically - Robert De Niro and Harrison Ford, both of whom just had very public displays of emotion. De Niro started crying on a chat show as he reflected on the state of the world and hoped for a better future. Ford made a very eloquent and emotional speech as he accepted a life time achievement award in Hollywood.

Haven't these two been onscreen hard men for much of their careers? What's with letting the mask slip? Dara reckons it's nothing more than the natural course of things - men get softer and more emotional as they age. He saw it with his father at a certain point and he recognises it in himself too. It has something to do with changing roles in life and being able to remove armour.

And this gendered shift in performance of traditional roles means that women start moving in the opposite direction - they get harder and tougher and more masculine as they age as they start 'doing femininity' in a way that has very little to do with conforming to social, or male, expectations.

Also, thoughts on Iran, useful enemies, Tottenham Hotspur as The Keystone Cops, and big things you want to stay in dark rooms...

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In this episode, Dara shares thoughts and reactions to the recent Tourette's Syndrome N-word debacle at the BAFTA awards. Rather than simply weighing in with his own perspective, he referred to Higher Learning, the Black culture podcast that he was sure would address the issue squarely and fairly. Whatever about the offence given, the discourse around both racism and Tourette's, and the N-word itself, the BBC emerged from the affair with very little credit.

The idea of objectification and being denied a complex full-bodied humanity ties in well with an article by a 15-year-old girl in which she lays out in stark terms the online landscape of sexism and misogyny that young women of her age are subjected to, both virtually and in the flesh. It has Dara recalling his recent episode on the Epstein files and the language he used as a teenage boy to describe and decry his female peers. He contextualises that before considering the current landscape and its impact on how adolescent boys regard girls. Is it possible the solution lies not with censorship or restricted access, but with older men cleaning house?

Ailie Nic an tSaoir, AKA alimcforever, the brilliant media and political analyst who posts excoriating viral videos on all things relating to institutional corruption and moral failure, had something very specific and typically well-researched to say about men who post unsolicited sexual messages at women online, and her own experience of dealing with same. Funny, sharp, and absolutely on point, she argues a disconnected life awaits those men who don't understand that women are more than their curves and orifices.

Guardian article on online misogyny experienced by teenage girls: https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2026/feb/23/15-year-old-girl-misogyny-social-media-online-abuse

Alimcforever instagram profile: https://www.instagram.com/alimcforever/

Higher Learning podcast reaction to n-word BAFTAs controversy: https://www.theringer.com/podcasts/higher-learning-van-lathan-rachel-lindsay/2026/02/24/the-n-word-at-the-baftas-producing-r-kelly-and-gavin-newsom-backlash-fair-or-unfair

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In this episode, Dara revisits the careers and acting talent of two very special American actors - the very recently deceased Robert Duvall and Tom Noonan. Duvall had an amazingly long career from his breakthrough role in 1962's To Kill a Mockingbird, through the New Hollywood 70s and right on to this current decade. He was a performer of effortless and natural charm who was a master of quiet, deceptively unmannered acting.

Tom Noonan was much less of a mainstream star but no less an accomplished actor. He was utterly unique and idiosyncratic, almost impossible to pin down. An actor who always made unusual choices while fully inhabiting the characters he played, Dara recalls almost meeting him while in New York over twenty years ago. Alas, it was not to be.

Another Hollywood figure of less obvious renown also passed away this week. He was more accustomed to being behind the camera than in front of it, but his particular body of work was much less seen than those of Duvall or Noonan.

Dara shares his latest thoughts on the human condition before giving his unhappy review of Bradley Cooper's third directorial feature - Is This Thing On?

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In this episode, Dara is reflecting on ageing and mortality as he responds to his father's current health battles. His father, who has dementia, is in a particularly vulnerable state at the moment and though he is confident the situation is only temporary, Dara knows it is an undeniable sign of the direction of travel that will only end in one place.

Avoiding an overindulgence of morbid wallowing, Dara engages with his response to what's going on and how it is stirring things up in his psychic basement. He references the old Marvel comics that are strewn around the surfaces of the home studio and which were recently exhumed from a watery cellar in his parents' house. Careworn and damp, they reflect something of the memories and images that have been rising to the surface in Dara's mind. But he's not quite ready to go there yet.

Also, training the new dog, conversations by the shoreline, and sweaty bladders!

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