By Dr Steven Davies
The podcast currently has 20 episodes available.
In this fourth episode of the second season, Alex and Steven delve into Sigmund Freud's seminal work, "Civilisation and its Discontents." They navigate the realms of civilisation's promise and its inherent discontent, exploring the psychological tapestry Freud weaves to elucidate human suffering in the face of social evolution.
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In this thought-provoking bonus episode, Alex and Steven journey through the landscapes of Alexander Payne's 2013 film, "Nebraska." Join them as they navigate the complex world of Woody, a character on a quest that speaks to universal human experiences. Topics discussed include:
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In this third episode of the second season, Alex and Steven delve into Paula Fox's captivating novel, Desperate Characters. They explore the intricacies of the characters and their interactions with the world around them, as well as the socioeconomic conditions of New York at the time. Topics discussed include:
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In this second episode of the second season, Alex and Steven discuss Anthony Storr's insightful and humane work called Solitude. Topics discussed include: Has the world of therapy almost pathologized the need for solitude? What are the main benefits of solitude? Are there ways in which solitude could be detrimental? To what extent is a lack of solitude a contributing factor to mental health issues in the modern world?
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In this first episode of Season 2, Alex and Steven discuss the film version of Edward Albee's iconic play Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf starring two of the great actors from the Golden age of Hollywood, Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton. Topics explored include: the reasons behind the antagonism between the couple; was the playwright making a social and political critique of America with his portrayal of Nick, the ambitious young academic?; why have the couple clung to the illusion of having a son and is Albee right about the death of grand narratives leading to either fantasy or an examination of the self?; was the relinquishing of the illusion a positive step forward for the couple?
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In this bonus episode, Steven and Alex, with a loving yet critical eye, take a look at one of the most iconic movies of all time: Stephen King's Shawshank Redemption. Topics explored include: What are Andy Dufrene's character qualities that allow him to endure the arbitrary cruelties of prison life and aid him in his successful plot to escape?; What can we learn from this movie about how power and authority corrupts institutional life?; Is this movie a critique of prison life itself?; What kind of redemption is achieved at the end of the movie, given Andy's innocence?
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In Episode 12, Alex and Steven explore the horror classic "The Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde" by R.L. Stevenson. Topics discussed include: why is this novel so iconic?; in what ways might the typical reaction to Hyde reveal the nature of evil?; how can we understand the narrator, Utterson, from a psychological point of view?; how might Jekyll have dealt with his conflicts in a more constructive fashion and are there problems with his dividing the psyche into good and evil?; and finally, what might be the problems with viewing human nature as subject to irreconcilable conflicts between good and evil?
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In this eleventh episode, Alex and Steven discuss Viktor Frankl's iconic work 'Man's Search for Meaning'. Topics explored include: In what ways did Frankl's concentration camp experiences help him understand the pivotal role of meaning in a human being's life?; What is the essence of logotherapy and how does it differ from other psychotherapy approaches?; Is the will to meaning the quintessential human motivation?; What kind of clients might be best suited to logotherapy?
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In this bonus episode, Alex and Steven explore Alfred Hitchcock's examination of the American psyche and of the nature of cinema in his 1954 masterpiece, Rear Window. Topics discussed include: is Jeffries' voyeuristic behaviour 'normal' or 'unhealthy' (or perhaps both!) and what is its ethical status?; what does Jeffries' desire to watch his neighbours' private lives say about the nature of cinema?; and does the film portray romantic relationships in a cynical fashion or does it allow for the possibility of love?
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n their tenth episode, Steven and Alex explore the trials and tribulations of the autumnal stage of life in their discussion of Barbara Pym's Booker Prize short-listed novel, 'Quartet in Autumn'. Topics examined include: Does the office quartet, with their hesitancy about getting involved in each other's lives, suggest that human beings in general are somewhat reclusive?; What is each character's blind spot and how does it relate to the themes of loneliness, isolation and moral responsibility?; How does Pym portray the challenges of retirement and why might it be a difficult phase of life for so many?; How does the theme of self-deception relate to the ethical question of our responsibility towards others?; What is the significance of the novel's conclusion? How realistic was she in portraying the characters' futures?
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The podcast currently has 20 episodes available.