Think Twice Show

Humanism sounds great, but today we dissect its several flaws and question how suitable it is for our time. After all, is emphasising human rationality wise when we are deeply irrational beings? And can purely scientific rationale truly explain life's deepest spiritual questions?

Humanism is an intellectual and political framework that emphasises human rationality, dignity and agency and rejects the need for divine authority or organised religion. It has its intellectual roots in Ancient Greece and the Renaissance, and is deeply associated with scientific discovery and artistic progress.Welcome to The Philosophy of Humanism: Part 1, the first half of our first ever two part series.In segment one, we ask ourselves: Should we subscribe to humanism? After all, emphasising rationality, dignity and welfare sounds like a good idea. But at what point do the ideas and the reality diverge?In segment two, we explore whether or not religion should influence how society is governed.Religion seems to have always played a part in the way human beings have chosen government over the centuries, but what about in 2026?Instead of our moral dilemma this week, Beno takes us through a famous story involving King Henry VIII and the Catholic church and leaves us on a cliffhanger for next week's part 2.Enjoy ❤️Let us know what your answers to each of the segments were in the comments!-------------------------Subscribe to our channel: https://bit.ly/tt-subJoin our Patreon for early access to all of our episodes, our show notes and community chat: https://www.patreon.com/c/ThinkTwiceShowTikTok: https://tiktok.com/@thinktwiceworldInstagram: https://instagram.com/thinktwiceshow--------------------humanism, secular humanism, Renaissance, Enlightenment, Erasmus, reason, ethics, human rights, freethought, secularism, assisted dying, AI ethics, misinformation, meaning crisis, human dignity

Music is the soundtrack of the soul and the spice of life. But the music industry can be treacherous. Many of our favourite artists can't release music without navigating a predatory system with limited support and finances.

Why is it like this? And has it always been this way? This week, we are joined by the award winning artist Ella Eyre⁩ to breakdown the politics of music. Ella draws on her experience in the spotlight at a young age and her personal journey from a major to independent label to analyse the modern music scene and position of the artist in 2026.We start by dissecting the image of the 'struggling artist'. Is it an image that is forced by the capital exploitation inherent in the industry, or is it a facade that is cultivated to sell records? Because on some level, the people do just want a good story.The last few decades has seen a dramatic change in the way music is produced, distributed and consumed- everything is online. In segment two, we explore whether artistic depth can even survive in a digital age. How can you appreciate true artistry when you're swiping every 5 seconds on Tiktok?In segment three, we talk about personal branding. Why is it that artists are forced to curate their Instagram profiles and create short form video content? They want to be in the studio, perfecting their craft. Is it the internet that has forced artists to 'brand' themselves or has it always been an important part of artistry? After all, the musical greats of pre internet age do have amazing personal brands.In the moral dilemma, we force each other to chose between commercial success and authenticity.

Enjoy ❤️

As ever, comment to let us know what your thoughts and answer this episode's questions yourself.

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You know what it feels like to be at a good party. You're surrounded by beautiful people, drinks are flowing, your favourite music is blaring... you feel euphoric. And that nourishes your soul. But why is it difficult to replicate that feeling in every day life?

In this week's episode we are joined by the talented musician and DJ Ahadadream to figure out why partying can feel magical, and what that tells about the human condition, music and culture.

In segment one, we ask each other if clubbing is an essential part of society. If not, what other activities help us be completely present and connect with each other authentically?

In segment two and three, we dive into the history and cultural impact of music. Can you meaningfully engage in music without understanding its context and history? And if not, are we asking too much of people who enjoy music to do deep research? Crucially, we try to understand how cultural exchange should be done in music.

Enjoy ❤️

As ever, comment to let us know what your thoughts and answer this episode's questions yourself.

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Subscribe to our channel: https://bit.ly/tt-subJoin our Patreon for early access to all of our episodes, our show notes and community chat: https://www.patreon.com/c/ThinkTwiceShowTikTok: https://tiktok.com/@thinktwiceworldInstagram: https://instagram.com/thinktwiceshow

What if our world view was fundamentally wrong? What if viewing ourselves as isolated individuals is actually causing us unnecessary suffering? This week's exploration of Buddhism forces us to rethink our understanding of ourselves and our relation to the universe.To help us navigate Buddhism's philosophical roots, practices and real world impact, we are joined by David Woodger, a Nicherian Buddhist at Soka Gakkai International (SGI) UK.We start by exploring what Nicherian Buddhism is, how it is practiced and how it has changed David's own life by shifting his perspective and empowering him to rewrite the narrative of his past. Here, we answer the question of human potential. Can everyone truly achieve their full potential? Or are some of born with limitations that we must overcome.In the second segment, we explore human suffering. Suffering is an inevitable part of the human condition, but how do can we overcome it? Do we change ourselves or change our environment?In segment three, we explore faith and belonging. What is it about religion that is appealing to people? Younger generations' relationship to faith is changing- what does this say about our society as a whole?Enjoy ❤️As ever, comment to let us know what your thoughts and answer this episode's questions yourself.---------------------Subscribe to our channel: https://bit.ly/tt-subJoin our Patreon for early access to all of our episodes, our show notes and community chat: https://www.patreon.com/c/ThinkTwiceShowTikTok: https://tiktok.com/@thinktwiceworldInstagram: https://instagram.com/thinktwiceshow--------------------

This week we have our very first return guest!

We are joined by the brilliant musician kamal to discuss hope, meaning and mental health.

In our chaotic world where large systems dictate our everyday lives, it can seem like we don't have the agency to make positive political change. So what do you do? Stand up and fight systemic injustice anyway? Charge it to the game and try to make do for yourself? Or give up completely? In our first segment, we answer this question and assess the state of hope in our society.In segment two, we move on to a discussion around counter culture and political disagreement. What makes a counter culture tick- belonging or truth? And who gets to decide what is truth anyway?

In the moral dilemma, we recreate a version of Nozik's pleasure machine and explore the value of human struggle and what makes a life worth living.Enjoy ❤️As ever, comment to let us know what your thoughts and answer this episode's questions yourself.---------------------Subscribe to our channel: https://bit.ly/tt-subJoin our Patreon for early access to all of our episodes, our show notes and community chat: https://www.patreon.com/c/ThinkTwiceShowTikTok: https://tiktok.com/@thinktwiceworldInstagram: https://instagram.com/thinktwiceshow--------------------

Think Twice are back with a new season!

We missed you all very dearly- but we needed our summer holidays and some down time. It's own right that we come back with an episode that gets us back up to speed on the summer's biggest news stories and (for the first time ever) a life update from us both.

The new stories we cover include the tragic passing of Professor Jason Arday, the controversy around Ed Sheeran, Macklemore and Palestine and the worsening of the climate crisis. We analyse these stories with a critical lens and do some macro analysis to figure out what these situations highlight for society and politics.Leisure is at the heart of the most difficult philosophical and existential questions ever: what does it mean to live a good life? Today we explore what 'leisure' really means and why it is so important to us. Here, Beno takes the view that leisure and creativity are fundamental to our humanity, while I explore my own methods of gaslighting myself into seeing work as leisure. ITS GOOD TO BE BACK.This season we'll be making an effort to be more engaged in our comment section, so please let us know your thoughts as you're watching.

Enjoy ❤️

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Note from Tef:

Here are some of my sources that informed my analysis of today's news stories. If you enjoy this and want more references, let me know and I'll keep going.Organizing a Rainbow Coalition of Revolutionary Solidarity (Middlebrook, 2019)

Marx on how capital shapes ideology (base + superstructure): Preface to the Contribution to the Critique of Political Economy (1859)

Video lecture by Julian Philosophy: Ed Sheeran/Macklemore/Free Palestine...(2026)

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Thinkers!Sorry that we couldn't release our season finale today- our guest has had some issues come up that prevent us from releasing our episode at the moment.BUT thank you for supporting us this season, we've had a lot of fun. Drop a comment telling us your favourite episode from season 6!Make sure that you hit the bell so you are notified when we drop season 7 and sign up to our Patreon below.

In the meantime we'll see you on socials!

Love from Beno and Tef ❤️------------

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Around 65,000 years ago, our ancestors painted an everyday scene on the wall of a cave in Indonesia. It tells the story of 3 human beings surrounding a pig, possibly on hunt.

In 2026, the tools, customs and cultural references might have changed, but human beings are still doing the same thing in their art- telling stories.

The stories we tell each other are so powerful- they help us understand the truth about the world around us and ultimately, who we are.

But what happens when stories are twisted, divorced from the truth and weaponised? How can we assess and critique

And in the world of books, what makes a good fictional story? is it one that tells us something about our lived reality, or one that helps us imagine beyond it?

This week we are joined by artist and author Kelechi Okafor, who knows all about storytelling. Through her books and acting, she creates captivating stories that challenge and excite and through her scoial media, she challenges and critiques the dominant narrative of the British political landscape.

Together we explore storytelling through fiction, news and everyday interactions.

Enjoy ❤️

“It starts at home.” It’s where we first feel love, where we say our first words and crucially, where our parents raise us.And our parents’ choices mould us into the adults we are today.Today we have a special guest to explore both sides of the parent/ child relationship- Guvna BIn segment one, we explore the morality of our parents’ influence on us. Yes, they moulded us the best they can, but was that right? As a child, you can’t consent to their guidance- does the lack of consent make the morality of parenthood murky?In segment two, we discuss the issues with bringing children up in Britain as diasporans.Did our parents have it easier than we did? How can we navigate culture as parents, whilst we are separated from the African continent.Let us know what you think in the comments!Enjoy ❤️---------------------Credits: Thumbnail art by Tomi Olopade (@eddieapollo on instagram)---------------------Subscribe to our channel: https://bit.ly/tt-subJoin our Patreon for early access to all of our episodes, our show notes and community chat: https://www.patreon.com/c/ThinkTwiceShowTikTok: https://tiktok.com/@thinktwiceworldInstagram: https://instagram.com/thinktwiceshow--------------------Topics: Parenthood, childhood, psychotherapy, therapy, trauma, church, christianity, adolescence

It feels natural to judge people based on what we see.

After all, we experienced the world through our senses- our sight, smell and touch. And we analyse what we experience, including the people we meet and speak to.

But is judging people morally acceptable. After all, you shouldn't never judge a book by his cover.

Today we tackle the issue of judgement. Our conversation addresses judgement of others in interpersonal interactions and also in political conversations. It is old news that political polarisation is sky high and people on different sides of the political conversation consistently judge one another - somewhere along the way we have forgotten to recognise each other's humanity.