The Dark Room

On the cusp of his rise to international popularity, controversial University of Toronto professor, Jordan Peterson, visited the The Dark Room. Illuminating as he was on a wide array of philosophical topics, some of which reveal a deeply troubling side to our humanity, there was no mention by him about an important documentary that was being about him at the time. 

Paul talks to Toronto filmmakers, Patricia Marcoccia and Maziar Ghaderi, about making that documentary, Shut Him Down: The Rise of Jordan Peterson, which premiered on CBC this month. The film present viewers with what life has been like for Peterson amid the major backlash he's received as a vocal opponent of political correctness, while also shining a light on his critics, especially the transgender community, who believe he is promoting hatred. Sensitive to differing points of view, the film shies away from being an apology or justification for either side. Rather, as Patricia and Maziar suggest, Shut Him Down invites viewers to thinking critically about the heated divisions along ideological lines Peterson's presence has created and, perhaps, a way of civilly resolving or managing them. 

Watch Shut Him Down (currently only available to stream in Canada) here. You can also learn more about and follow Patricia and Maziar's documentary work, via the follow site:

Shut Him Down website - shuthimdownfilm.com

Holding Space Films (Patricia and Maziar's film company) Instagram page: instagram.com/holdingspacefilms

Shut Him Down Twitter page - twitter.com/SHDfilm

Shut Him Down Facebook page: facebook.com/shuthimdownfilm

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CREDITS

Producer - Dr. Paul Salvatori

Writer & Host - Dr. Paul Salvatori

Sound Editor - Peter Bull

Music - Dr. Paul Salvatori

Canada is often thought of as exemplar of democracy, where all are guaranteed humane treatment. But, as recent news coverage of the appalling abuse of its prison inmates suggests, this guarantee falls short all too often.

Dr. Paul talks to Howard Sapers, the Independent Advisor on Corrections Reform to the Ontario provincial government, about the proper function of the prison system in Canada (and elsewhere) and to what extent it actually ensures the human treatment of inmates. An advocate against the overuse of solitary confinement, Howard also discusses how such segregation does more harm than good, unnecessarily comprising both the mental and physical health of inmates. In doing so, Howard brings to light that, though prisons have an obligation to correct the offender, they must do so justly--without causing excessive suffering. Finally, Dr. Paul and Howard look at how well Canada provides mental health care to inmates, while not allowing certain offenders requiring specialized psychiatric and other medical treatment to languish behind bars.

Learn more about Howard, including his reports on correctional reform, here.

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CREDITS

Producer - Dr. Paul Salvatori

Writer & Host - Dr. Paul Salvatori

Sound Editor - Peter Bull

Music - Dr. Paul Salvatori

The mainstream media has made us largely accustomed to view entertainment as escapism, such as the countless reality TV shows, televised sports event and action-packed films that surround (and distract) us every day. But can the power of entertainment actually be harnessed to promote a better, fairer world?  

Dr. Paul talks with theatre creators Aida Keykhaii, Mohammed Yaghoubi and Sarah Marchand about how they came together to produce their latest play, Swim Team, focusing on the lives of three Iranian women bravely attempting--true to the production's title--form a swim team in post-revolutionary Iran, and the impact they'd like the play to have in ending women's oppression. Beyond sport itself, Swim Team illuminates the political challenges female athletes continue to face in Iran on account of having--as mandated by sexist law intended to preserve their "modesty" or "honour"--wear the hijab even during competition, as well as the lack of key governmental and other support for female athletics. Native to Iran themselves, Aida and Mohammed also share firsthand accounts of unfair censorship and misogyny that, unfortunately, is common place in Iran and how that has, on the one hand, challenged them as democratic artists and, on the other hand, motivated them further to develop theatrical works that expose injustice. 

Learn more about and purchase tickets to Swim Team, premiering in Toronto on Sunday, August 12, 2018, here.

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CREDITS

Producer - Dr. Paul Salvatori

Writer & Host - Dr. Paul Salvatori

Sound Editor - Peter Bull

Music - Dr. Paul Salvatori

With all the vehicles we have become accustomed to seeing on the road, it is easy to think it belongs to drivers alone. Such misguided entitlement underlies the perception that the cyclist is a nuisance, interfering with the natural flow of traffic.

Dr. Paul Salvatori talks with lawyer and cyclist advocate, Albert Koehl, about the ongoing tension between motorists and cyclists that arises from this and how it can overcome to better protect cyclists, all-too-often injured or killed in the process. Beyond the domain of cyclist rights, Albert illuminates the importance of overcoming this as an ethical issue, such that cyclists are first and foremost human beings whose lives should never be unnecessarily jeopardized, such as by motorists who, in spite, drive too close to cyclists. In contrast, Dr. Paul and Albert explore how cities, incorporating well-designed and maintained cyclist routes (e.g. designated bicycle paths), can offset cyclist harm, while facilitating pleasant and secure travel for cyclists and motorists alike. Ending on a lighter note, Albert shares how the outdoor point of view of the cyclist is fundamentally different and, arguably, more enjoyable than of the driver inside a vehicle.   

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CREDITS

Producer - Dr. Paul Salvatori

Writer & Host - Dr. Paul Salvatori

Sound Editor - Peter Bull

Music - Dr. Paul Salvatori

Craft Service - Josie & Filomena Grossi

It's not unusual to hear that "Toronto the Good" is no longer, as many perceive the city as having a high crime rate that makes it unsafe. This perception, however true, has been reinforced by the swell of gun violence in Toronto this year, sadly responsible for the death of 20 people so far.

Dr. Paul Salvatori talks with Toronto anti-gun violence advocate and founder of "Zero Gun Violence Movement", Louis March, about the worrying increase, already being compared to the city's notorious "Year of the Gun" (2005). Going beyond the typical headlines and sound bites that characterize much of the reportage of Toronto's gun violence, Louis and Dr. Paul explore its deeper sociological and psychological reasons, as well as constructive ways of remedying it.

Taking issue with misguided "narratives", often employed by politicians that oversimplify and condemn gun violence as the result of gang warfare, Louis is adamant about the need for diverse community stakeholders--from residents to policy makers--to create a new and more accurate narrative, sensitive to the hopelessness and despair that brings about gun violence. This is the first step to a compassionate and viable approach to help people, especially young men, escape lives where they feel forced to pick up the gun, lest they jeopardize their survival or "honour."   

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CREDITS

Producer - Dr. Paul Salvatori

Writer & Host - Dr. Paul Salvatori

Sound Editor - Peter Bull

Music - Dr. Paul Salvatori

Most of us appreciate receiving kindness. After all, it reminds us we matter. But actually showing kindness requires going beyond ourselves and that can be difficult.

Dr. Paul Salvatori talks to Dr. Brian Goldman, emergency room physician and radio host, about his recent book, The Power of Kindness: Why Empathy Is Essential in Everyday Life, and what—in the process of writing that book—he discovered it takes to be kind in an increasingly impersonal world. As Dr. Goldman illuminates, stress and other difficult pressures we face therein make it tempting not to be kind, such that we easily become selfish and fail, as it were, to put ourselves in the shoes of others. Nonetheless, the potential or capacity for kindness is inherent in us all and when we successfully manage to exercise it, we, and the world around us, is ultimately better for it.

Learn more about Dr. Brian Goldman, including his own podcast—White Coat, Black Art—on the hidden side of hospital life, here.

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CREDITS

Producer - Dr. Paul Salvatori

Writer & Host - Dr. Paul Salvatori

Sound Editor - Peter Bull

Music - Dr. Paul Salvatori

Dr. Paul Salvatori narrates a conversation between two friends, Kinza Ansari and Hibah Salaria, who attend the same Toronto high school. The pair candidly discuss the challenges they’ve had to face growing-up “brown”, namely South Asian, in Western society and the associated—and often unfair—expectations others have for them in terms of gender, race and family. Their conversation illuminates that, though each of us desires to be unique, “fitting-in” is central to a healthy sense of identity and belongingness. Without it, we don’t feel complete.

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CREDITS

Producers - Dr. Paul Salvatori & Kinza Ansari

Writer & Host - Dr. Paul Salvatori

Sound Editor - Peter Bull

Music - Dr. Paul Salvatori

Centuries ago the Earth was believed to be flat. In fact, it was heresy to think otherwise. Throughout years of expedition and exploration we have since deemed the truth to be that there is a curvature to the planet which ultimately renders it spherical. This, along with the various imagery provided by space agencies such as NASA have conjured an unshakable notion that the Earth is indeed round. But what if the information we have all come to accept as truth was not entirely so? What if the world was indeed flat and the powers that be have merely led us to believe falsified information? According to “flat earth vegan” Ryan Oats, this is exactly what has been going on.

Jordan Randall speaks with Ryan Oats, a Flat Earth Theory activist, a vegan and musician. Citing Eric Dubay as one of his main sources, Oats describes the “flat earth” as just one of the many lies being perpetuated by world leaders.

Find out more about Eric Dubay here: http://www.ericdubay.com/

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCwgGxgY3Wff8dnz2fv65fHw

And be sure to check out Ryan Oats’ YouTube channel here:

https://www.youtube.com/user/ChromaKeyCriminals

In this debut of an exclusive audio series, "The Peterson Files", Dr. Paul Salvatori--producer of and interviewer on The Dark Room--explores important and at times controversial ideas of the well-known clinical psychologist and University of Toronto professor, Dr. Jordan B Peterson. Dr. Peterson was an impressive interview guest on The Dark Room almost two years ago, prior to the major swell in his international popularity with the release of his recent book, 12 Rules for Life: An Antidote to Chaos.

Returning to key insights made by Dr. Peterson in the interview, Dr. Salvatori delves further into the philosophical truth they reveal and deserving greater attention than the interview (time wise) allowed, while suggesting their moral and practical value in guiding human behaviour. In the first of "The Peterson Files", Dr. Salvatori does so with respect to Dr. Peterson's views on freedom of speech and evil.

For more information on "The Peterson Files" and to send your feedback on the new series, contact Dr. Salvatori at [email protected]

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CREDITS

Producer - Dr. Paul Salvatori

Writer & Host - Dr. Paul Salvatori

Sound Editor - Peter Bull

Music - Dr. Paul Salvatori & Peter Bull

Additional Content - Dr. Jordan B Peterson

The brain is a mystery, historically eluding learned scientists, philosophers and other great thinkers. Even today, it seems, doctors responsible for its care still haven't totally figured it out.  

Exploring this, Paul speaks with four young neurosurgeons from around the world. They are (left to right in episode photo): Miguel Marigil from Spain, Claire Karekezi from Rwanda, Carlos Valasquez from Honduras and Joao de Almedia from Brazil. The surgeons are also known as "fellows", short for the Toronto-based "fellowships" they are undertaking in their field of medicine and which are highly specialized mentorships. Together, they address the personal and professional challenges of being a neurosurgeon, the exceptional duty of care they have to their patients and cultural differences in the practice of medicine between their home country and Canada.  

Special thanks to Dr. Fred Gentili and his wife Gina for helping bring the participants, otherwise far apart geographically, of this rare and important episode together. Learn more about the University of Toronto neurosurgical program, in which Dr. Gentili and the fellows are involved, here.