The Edition

Weimar Britain, the war on science & are you a competitive reader?


Listen Later

First: a warning from history

 

Politics moving increasingly from the corridors of power into the streets, economic insecurity exacerbating tensions and the centre of politics failing to hold; these are just some of the echoes from Weimar Germany that the Spectator’s editor Michael Gove sees when looking at present-day Britain. But, he says, ‘there are grounds for hope’ – what are they? Michael joined the podcast to discuss.  

 

Next: why did science succumb to the ‘culture wars’?

 

Biologist and peer Matt Ridley bemoans the ‘cultification of science’, arguing that ‘left-wing ideological nonsense’ ended up permeating through all scientific disciplines. Thinking ‘neutral facts’ were safe, Matt admits he – and colleagues – may have been naïve as one by one different battlefields emerged. Matt joined the podcast to discuss. Has science thrown off the shackles of the ‘culture wars’?


And finally: how many books have you read?


Emily Hill delves into the world of competitive reading this week – the rise of people publicising the books they’ve read, particularly through social media. Emily calls this ‘conspicuous’ and notes it appears to be a trend amongst mainly female influencers. But is this solely performative or – in a world of diminishing attention spans – could the trend be promoting the act of reading? Emily joined the podcast alongside BookTok blogger Lucas Oakeley.


Plus: Mark Mason provides his notes on guided walks. Mark will also be hosting a guided walk for the Spectator, for tickets go to www.spectator.co.uk/events


Hosted by William Moore and Lara Prendergast.


Produced by Patrick Gibbons.

Become a Spectator subscriber today to access this podcast without adverts. Go to spectator.co.uk/adfree to find out more.


For more Spectator podcasts, go to spectator.co.uk/podcasts.


Contact us: [email protected]

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

...more
View all episodesView all episodes
Download on the App Store

The EditionBy The Spectator

  • 4.3
  • 4.3
  • 4.3
  • 4.3
  • 4.3

4.3

38 ratings


More shows like The Edition

View all
The Book Club by The Spectator

The Book Club

10 Listeners

Best of the Spectator by The Spectator

Best of the Spectator

183 Listeners

Coffee House Shots by The Spectator

Coffee House Shots

177 Listeners

Politics Unpacked by The Times

Politics Unpacked

118 Listeners

Americano by The Spectator

Americano

261 Listeners

Holy Smoke by The Spectator

Holy Smoke

130 Listeners

The spiked podcast by The spiked podcast

The spiked podcast

215 Listeners

The Brendan O'Neill Show by The Brendan O'Neill Show

The Brendan O'Neill Show

359 Listeners

Last Orders - a spiked podcast by Last Orders - a spiked podcast

Last Orders - a spiked podcast

57 Listeners

Table Talk by The Spectator

Table Talk

9 Listeners

New Culture Forum by New Culture Forum

New Culture Forum

91 Listeners

The Daily T by The Telegraph

The Daily T

121 Listeners

Planet Normal by The Telegraph

Planet Normal

186 Listeners

The Current Thing by Nick Dixon

The Current Thing

28 Listeners

Chopper's Political Podcast | GB News by GB News

Chopper's Political Podcast | GB News

9 Listeners

The Sceptic by The Daily Sceptic

The Sceptic

3 Listeners

Quite right! by The Spectator

Quite right!

41 Listeners