Valentine’s Day is all about sweet sweet love. Every year we see the same picture perfect image: man and woman in love, some children, a perfect nuclear family.

But where does that idea of partnership come from, and why do people (us included) keep picking it?

And what about the kids? Surely they would benefit from being raised by a ‘village’, like they are in many non Western cultures?

Let’s say you’re good with monogamy… why is dating so difficult these days?

These are all questions that we tackle in today’s Valentine’s special- The Politics of Love.

We touch on our own romantic relationships, childhoods and research on dating.

Special mentions include: The Industrial Revolution, Karl Marx, Pop The Balloon and Margret Thatcher

Enjoy!

"Dream big", "Go get the bag", "Money haffi mek"

These are all sayings that you have been familiar with since your childhood. Maybe you know to take them with a pinch of salt, but let's discuss what they mean on a deeper level.In the context of our economic system, is having personal ambition for wealth and success a noble, moral endeavour? And if it is, where is the limit to your ambition? What truly separates your ambition from the ambition of a ruthless capitalist like Jeff Bezos or Elon Musk? In this part of our discussion, we reference philosophers of antiquity like Epicurus and Marxist critiques of modern capitalism.

In our second segment, we move to a look at the wider economic system in more depth and ask the question, 'is national economic growth opposed to morality'?

Enjoy!

In today's episode, we try to understand why fascism has always been popular in modern European political history. Across the continent, and in the US, political parties like Reform UK and MAGA have been able to gain massive popularity in recent years with Fascist rhetoric. Whenever inequality rises and poverty takes hold, fascist politicians always seem to be able to manipulate the people and exploit racial division to create a political platform of hatred, violence and ultimately murder.

We start by exploring identity groups- are they an unavoidable part of the human experience, or are they an optional part of societal living? The distinction of the in-group and out-group is a key part of Fascist Philosophy, but is it actually built into human nature? And by being part of an 'identity group', do we open up the door to mistreating people who aren't in our group?

Once an in group and out group has been established, a slippery slope to Fascism might be inevitable, but how do these ideas even manage to take hold in a modern society? It could be that Western society was susceptible to fascism all along. Here, we explore how Fascist ideas have been embedded into Western society, and material possibility of a full blown Fascist state in a modern internet age.

If you have made it this far down, I want to ask you a question. Sure, you are anti fascist. But how does your anti-fascism manifest itself? It might feel right to demonise fellow citizens who support MAGA, or Reform UK, but ultimately, aren't we just creating another in group/ out group, which is the very thing we are accusing them of doing? Some food for thought.

Enjoy xx

Chapters:

0:00 Intro

1:22 Is group identity an unavoidable part of human nature?

17:20 Is modern society inherently susceptible to fascism?

28:02 Moral Dillema

Music is one of life's greatest joys.

The right song can inspire you, unlock your emotions or even touch you on a spiritual level. So who better than Kwaku Asante, RnB and Neo Soul PHENOM, to join us in the studio this week.

We discuss how RnB has changed over the years, going from a polished, curated musical genre, to a raw and moody one. Has this change been driven by society's honesty or it's sadness?

The traditional music industry has long had a bad reputation for exploiting musicians and gatekeeping talent, so more and more artists chose to take the independent route. Whilst it does have its benefits, independent artists face their own host of new modern challenges, including funding, marketing and social media. The question is, which version of the industry created better music?

Join us as we dive deep on the ethics, production and artistry of music.

Music is one of life's greatest joys.

The right song can inspire you, unlock your emotions or even touch you on a spiritual level. So who better than Kwaku Asante, RnB and Neo Soul PHENOM, to join us in the studio this week.

We discuss how RnB has changed over the years, going from a polished, curated musical genre, to a raw and moody one. Has this change been driven by society's honesty or it's sadness?

The traditional music industry has long had a bad reputation for exploiting musicians and gatekeeping talent, so more and more artists chose to take the independent route. Whilst it does have its benefits, independent artists face their own host of new modern challenges, including funding, marketing and social media. The question is, which version of the industry created better music?

Join us as we dive deep on the ethics, production and artistry of music.

Your identity is a complex issue, but one thing is certain- representation matters.

Through the media you watch, you are told a certain story of who you are. Naturally, you find personalities who you can relate to, athletes that inspire you and institutions that connect with your lived experiences.

But what happens when those characters deviate from your own self image? What happens when the people who claim to represent you are actively discriminating against you and your people? What does that mean for your own identity and self esteem?

Today's episode starts by attempting to answer these questions about the British Monarchy, an institution that has subjugated black people for hundreds of years, but remains atop the British socio- political hierarchy.In segment two, we tackle the more topical issue of athletes switching allegiances. Notable athletes like Mo Farah have dual nationality and can select which nation to represent, but when this decision plays out in the public eye, everyone (including us) has something to say.

Chapters:

0:00 Intro

1:30 British Royal Family: Net positive or not

17:01 Switching allegiances: Net positive or not

Marxism is many things to many people.

For some, it’s a buzzword used by the right-wing to denigrate their political opponents.

For others, it's a comprehensive political ideology that has important and timely critiques of capitalism.

However, ‘Marxism’ makes you feel, today we dig below the surface and look at the philosophy of Karl Marx that came before the politics- Dialectical Materialism. 

The philosophy is a combination of two distinct ideas.

The first is Dialectics, which has European roots in Ancient Greece (Plato) and is understood in traditions all over the globe. Put simply, Dialectics is the principle that ideas are constantly in conflict with opposing ideas and this tension causes the birth of new ideas in a never ending process that drives human progress. Hegel, who was Karl Marx’ mentor, is often attributed as the author of this framework and the father of ‘modern’ Dialectics.

Marx took Hegel’s Dialectic and applied it to the second idea, Materialism, to create Dialectical Materialism. In a break from Hegel’s idealism (the belief that consciousness gives rise to the material world), Marx believed in the primacy of the material world (materialism).

Instead of ideas driving human progress, Marx explained the history of humanity as a material class struggle between the capitalist class and workers, which would end in a Communist worker’s paradise.

In today's episode, we try to unpack Marx's ideas and interrogate the materialist worldview from a modern perspective. 

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Topics: Karl Marx, Marxism, Leftists, Dialectical Materialism, Plato, African Spirituality, Buddhism, Capitalism, Revolution, Human progress, Hegel, Engels, Plato, Dialectics, Hoteps

You know how important your physical, mental and spiritual wellbeing is, but sometimes staying on top of it all can seem like an endless list of tasks. Will finishing your self improvement to do list ever help you find you wellbeing? Or is a list of fool's errands that just keeps you busy?Today we are joined by Savannah Blake, founder of Sol (wellness community), to help us answer discuss some of these big questions. In segment one, we discuss the age old question of how to life a good life- balancing enjoyment with emotional regulation. We also ask each other about whether our best memories come from chaos or comfort, and what that means for how we should live our lives going forward. Let us know what you think of our new introduction format and any other feedback in the comments section! Enjoy ❤️

Chapters

0:00 Intro

1:44 Does chasing a balanced life rob you of joy?

8:33 Do your best memories come chaos or comfort?

13:42 Does happiness come from ambition or acceptance?

23:45 Moral Dilemma- The Getaway Retreat

It's obvious that our environments and relationships shape us, but to what extent can we resist or negotiate these influences?

In segment one, today’s discussion tries to uncover the influences that change and mould our personalities. We touch on Social Identity Theory and the work of Stuart Hall (Jamaican sociologist) to navigate our thoughts.

In segment two, we shift the focus towards how we influence others. The way our actions, speech and behaviour influence those around us is sometimes difficult to fully understand, especially in the context of power imbalances. But when does influence become manipulation? And where exactly do the ethical problems arise?

In our moral dilemma, we look at the classic scenario of criminal juries. Behind closed doors, jurors influence each other in sometimes drastic ways as shown in dramatised TV shows like The Jury: Murder Trial. In the Channel 4 drama, audiences follow two juries who are shown and deliberate their verdict. Strong personalities end up dominating the room and, in dramatic fashion, sway the decision of the entire group and the course of justice. Scary

Chapters:0:00 Intro1:27 Do social groups help find your voice?16:36 Is manipulation ALWAYS wrong?29:46 Jury Duty

Benz and Tef dig into what real political change looks like and whether it comes through steady reform or moments of rupture. They discuss the flaws of democracy, the value of each voice, and when conflict becomes unavoidable. The conversation builds to a stark choice in the moral dilemma - do you step away and make your opposition clear, or stay on the inside and try to bend the system from within?Enjoy!---------------------Credits: Thumbnail art by Tomi Olopade (@eddieapollo on instagram)---------------------Subscribe to our channel: https://bit.ly/tt-subTikTok: https://tiktok.com/@thinktwiceworldInstagram: https://instagram.com/thinktwiceshow--------------------Topics: Protest, Politics, Political Change, Revolution, Haitian Revolution, Russian Revolution, martin Luther King Jr, Malcolm X