Uncommon Sense

Amy Mullins chats with Don Watson, acclaimed author and former speechwriter to Paul Keating, about his Quarterly Essay, 'High Noon: Trump, Harris and America on the Brink.' In this historically rich and incisive account, Watson explores Donald Trump, Kamala Harris, and a nation approaching its democratic high noon. As part of his research, Don travelled across the U.S. earlier this year, exploring the question: Is the United States disintegrating? Key themes of his essay include voter suppression, the rise of fascist politics, Australian parallels, and deeply rooted systemic racism, with his queries capturing a critical juncture in history. Furthermore, he says: “The core of the problem lies in their founding documents — the Constitution and Declaration of Independence, as they never began resolving the race debate.”

Don Watson, acclaimed author and former speechwriter to Paul Keating, speaks in-depth about his Quarterly Essay, High Noon: Trump, Harris and America on the Brink, on the 2024 US Presidential Election and whether the United States of America is disintegrating. He travelled around the country as part of his research for the essay earlier this year. Amy will also be joined by a special panel with Daniel Boetker-Smith (CCP Director), Catlin Langford (outgoing CCP Curator), Jessie Norman, and Christopher Sutherland, to talk about a brilliant photography prokect and book co-published by Perimeter Editions and the Centre for Contemporary Photography. Auto-Photo: A Life in Portraits tells the story of Alan Adler, a Melbourne man who is likely the the most photographed person in Australia, and is also perhaps the oldest and longest-serving photobooth technician in the world. Alan maintained a suite of photobooths across Melbourne/Naarm for over 50 years – most notably, at Flinders Street Station – and would undertake weekly testing and servicing on each photobooth across his network. Adler would take a seat in the booth and produce a test strip of photographs – these photos from the 1970s to the 2010s – form the basis of the book and a forthcoming exhibition in 2025. In 2018, with the booth at Flinders Street Station facing imminent closure, Christopher Sutherland and Jessie Norman – whose operation later became known as Metro-Auto-Photo – began working with Adler to generate interest in his work and to successfully save his photobooth. It's Mid-Autumn Festival (also known as Moon Festival) on Tuesday 17th September. Joey Leung, founder of Joy Jaune, an artisan patisserie and dessert shop at the Preston Market, and author and Sinologist Linda Jaivin talk about the significance of Mid-Autumn Festival in China and to many other Asian cultures, including Japan, South Korea, Vietnam, Taiwan, Hong Kong, Thailand, Singapore, Malaysia, and the Philippines. They talk about the story of the Moon Goddess Chang'e, the traditions around mooncakes, family reunion, and more! Joey sells her beautiful mooncakes every Moon Festival – check out her Instagram!

British philosopher and best-selling author A. C. Grayling joins Amy in the Triple R studios for a very special in-depth conversation. Anthony tells us how we can consciously build our own philosophy of life, and why it is so important that we have one of our own. Grayling doesn't want to be prescriptive, but rather says we should take what's best for us from a range of philosophical schools and ideas. Amy and Anthony discuss free will and Sartre and Beauvoir's concept of existentialism, the key ancient philosophical schools and philosophers, including the Stoics, Cynics, and Epicureans. They also explore universal topics of love, friendship, and what happiness really is today compared with how it was conceived of in the past. He explores these ideas in his recent book, Philosophy And Life: Exploring the Great Questions of How to Live.

A very special interview was brought out of the archives as acclaimed British writer Robert Macfarlane joins Amy for an in-depth conversation about the connections between landscape, language, people, and place. This expansive conversation begins with an exploration of the aspects of nature, landscape, and place that motivate Robert’s writing. Robert says, “We can think of thought itself as site-specific and as motion sensitive,” and that bodily movement in a particular landscape can prompt transformative thoughts and feelings that are not always accessible outside that place. “There are thoughts I’ve had while climbing mountains that I could not have had at sea-level. There are thoughts that I’ve had while walking 20 to 30 miles a day that were borne of the tiredness in my body and the landscapes through which I was moving at that time,” Robert recounts. He explains what motivated his inquiry into the underland – that part of the landscape that exists underfoot, and which has long-standing significance for human culture and practices. While writing Underland: A Deep Time Journey, Robert realised this was “a very, very old human story... [and] began from that apparent paradox, why have we gone into the darkness to see things for as long as we’ve been human?” Amy and Robert also draw on ideas from his past works including, Mountains of the Mind, The Old Ways, and Landmarks. Robert is a Fellow of Emmanuel College, Cambridge University.

Author and former financier Satyajit Das joins Amy for a long-form conversation about the rise of ecotourism, the joys and wonders of seeing animals "in the wild," along with ecotourism's problematic effects, as explored in his latest book, Wild Quests: Journeys into Ecotourism and the Future for Animals (Monash University Publishing). Is Das witnessing the end of the natural world as we know it? Das was named in 2014 by Bloomberg as among the 50 most influential people in financial markets. He has held senior positions in banks and industry and now works as a consultant to investors and corporations globally. His previous books include, Traders, Guns & Money (2006), Extreme Money (2011), A Banquet of Consequences (2015, updated 2021), and Fortune's Fool: Australia's Choices (2022). He is also the author (with Jade Novakovic) of In Search of the Pangolin: The Accidental Eco-Tourist (2006).

Author and philosopher Dr Kate Manne returns to speak in-depth with Amy about her excellent new book, Unshrinking: How To Fight Fatphobia. As Kate describes it; "part memoir, part polemic, and part (all?) philosophy, this book aims to show why fatphobia is a vital social justice issue, and provide an analysis of what fatphobia is and how it works." She proposes "a radical reevaluation of who our bodies exist in the world for: ourselves and no one else." Kate spoke about her previous best-selling books with Amy in 2020 – Down Girl: The Logic of Misogyny and Entitled: How Male Privilege Hurts Women. Kate Manne is a Professor of Philosophy at Cornell University. Interview from 2020 is here: https://www.rrr.org.au/explore/podcasts/uncommon-sense/episodes/4851-kate-manne-on-sexism-misogyny-and-her-book-entitled-how-male-privilege-hurts-women Broadcast on 9 July 2024.

Amy Mullins returns to the airwaves. Regular guest Dr Emma Shortis talks all things US politics, including the 2024 Presidential election debate and race. Will Joe Biden drop out of the race to make way for a different Democratic candidate? What is the status of Donald Trump's legal battles? How has the US Supreme Court transformed US government, society, and politics (once again) through its recent decisions on presidential immunity and the Chevron Doctrine? Emma is Senior Researcher, International and Security Affairs Program at The Australia Institute. Author and Cornell University Professor of philosophy Dr Kate Manne returns to speak in-depth with Amy about her excellent new book, Unshrinking: How To Fight Fatphobia. As Kate describes it; "part memoir, part polemic, and part (all?) philosophy, this book aims to show why fatphobia is a vital social justice issue, and provide an analysis of what fatphobia is and how it works." She proposes "a radical reevaluation of who our bodies exist in the world for: ourselves and no one else." Kate spoke about her previous best-selling books with Amy in 2020 – Down Girl: The Logic of Misogyny and Entitled: How Male Privilege Hurts Women. Interview from 2020 is here: https://www.rrr.org.au/explore/podcasts/uncommon-sense/episodes/4851-kate-manne-on-sexism-misogyny-and-her-book-entitled-how-male-privilege-hurts-women Professor Andrew Walter dissects the UK election results, which saw the UK Labour Party romp it in, ousting the Tory government and decimating their levels of representation in the British parliament. What does the new Labour government look like and how has the political landscape shifted? Andrew is Professor of International Relations in the School of Social and Political Sciences at the University of Melbourne.

Professor James Curran delves into the discussions and real intentions behind the AUKUS agreement and Australia's plan to obtain nuclear submarines from the US and the UK. How exactly does the US perceive AUKUS? James reveals how the US' view differs greatly from the Australian government's view. With so many practical questions weighing around the delivery of the submarines and the cooperation of the US, UK, and Australian navies, does Australia have a Plan B? James Curran is International Editor of the AFR and Professor of Modern History at the University of Sydney. In our discussion he talks about his essay on AUKUS in the Australian Book Review, 'AUKUS in the Dock: Questions and challenges for the Albanese government.' Read his ABR essay here and his AFR columns here. Dr Bertrand Bourgeois speaks in-depth about the snap French elections for the National Assembly (lower house) called by President Emmanuel Macron. With the far-right National Rally or Rassemblement National (led by Marine Le Pen and Jordan Bardella) leading in the polls, closely followed by the far left coalition, the New Popular Front or Le Nouveau Front Populaire (comprising La France Insoumise or France Unbowed, the Greens, Communists, and Socialists), and Macron’s centrist coalition Ensemble, including his Renaissance party coming in third – was it a miscalculated gamble to go early? Why is Jean-Luc Mélenchon such a polarising figure? What do the parties and coalitions stand for and why is the far-right becoming “mainstream” in France? Dr Bertrand Bourgeois is a Senior Lecturer in French Studies at the University of Melbourne. Alison Croggon, theatre critic and Arts Editor for The Saturday Paper talks with Amy about the state of Australian theatre. Alison writes in The Monthly that, “a generation of small independent theatremakers has been betrayed by government neglect and bad policy, creating a cultural crisis.” Read Alison's essay in The Monthly here.

Dr Bertrand Bourgeois speaks in-depth about the snap French elections for the National Assembly (lower house) called by President Emmanuel Macron. With the far-right National Rally or Rassemblement National (led by Marine Le Pen and Jordan Bardella) leading in the polls, closely followed by the far left coalition, the New Popular Front or Le Nouveau Front Populaire (comprising La France Insoumise or France Unbowed, the Greens, Communists, and Socialists), and Macron’s centrist coalition Ensemble, including his Renaissance party coming in third – was it a miscalculated gamble to go early? Why is Jean-Luc Mélenchon such a polarising figure? What do the parties and coalitions stand for and why is the far-right becoming “mainstream” in France? Dr Bertrand Bourgeois is a Senior Lecturer in French Studies at the University of Melbourne.

Dr Richard Denniss, Executive Director of The Australia Institute, joins Amy as he talks all about inequality in Australia – the topic of his current national speaking tour. To attend the online live-streamed event being hosted in Adelaide, visit: https://australiainstitute.org.au/event/unequal-australia-adelaide/ To listen back to Amy's past interview with Richard about his book, Econobabble: How to Decode Political Spin and Economic Nonsense: https://soundcloud.com/uncommonsense-rrr/interview-with-richard-denniss-econobabble

Acclaimed writer Ceridwen Dovey brings real space objects to life in her new collection of short stories, Only The Astronauts (Penguin Books). Ceridwen reflects on the stories and inner lives she creates for Elon Musk's rocket test mannequin, 'Starman,' as well as the International Space Station, the first sculpture ever taken to the Moon, the Voyager 1 space probe carrying the Golden Record, and more. Ceridwen speaks with Amy in-depth about the restorative effects of reading and writing fiction, as well as her process for writing these wonderful short stories in the form of a fable. Listen to Amy's past interview with Ceridwen on the commercial satellite mega-constellations damaging the night sky: https://soundcloud.com/uncommonsense-rrr/interview-with-ceridwen-dovey-only-the-astronauts Ceridwen Dovey is an Australian fiction writer, creative non-fiction writer, science writer, and anthropologist based in Sydney. She is also the author of Blood Kin; Only The Animals; In the Garden of the Fugitives; On J.M. Coetzee: Writers on Writers; Life After Truth; Inner Worlds Outer Spaces; and Mothertongues (with co-writer Eliza Bell and original songs by Keppie Coutts). Ceridwen's science writing has been recognised with an Australian Museum Eureka Award and two UNSW Press Bragg Prizes for Science Writing.

British best-selling author Johann Hari joins Amy Mullins to talk about his excellent new book, Magic Pill, which examines the benefits and risks of controversial new weight-loss drugs, like Ozempic and Wegovy. Johann has in fact tried this medication himself and is conflicted about whether they are the miracle solution for obesity that they appear to be. We get into all the nuances of the science and debate around these medications, as well as the real causes of obesity and why people who try to lose weight the old-fashioned way (through diet and exercise) – may initially lose weight but struggle to keep it off. Hint: it actually isn’t your fault. This interview is essential listening for all people wanting to understand how our modern society has geared us towards obesity and disrupted our metabolic systems.

With pressure on the government (again) to raise the rate of JobSeeker, will they finally prioritise the welfare of those on the lowest incomes in the country? Greg Jericho, Guardian columnist and Chief Economist for The Australia Institute previews the upcoming Federal Budget with Amy, which is to be delivered on Tuesday 14th May. Greg tells us what budgets are really all about – choices. British best-selling author Johann Hari joins Amy Mullins to talk about his excellent new book, Magic Pill, which examines the benefits and risks of controversial new weight-loss drugs, like Ozempic and Wegovy. Johann has in fact tried this medication himself and is conflicted about whether they are the miracle solution for obesity that they appear to be. We get into all the nuances of the science and debate around these medications, as well as the real causes of obesity and why people who try to lose weight the old-fashioned way (through diet and exercise) – may initially lose weight but struggle to keep it off. Hint: it actually isn’t your fault. This interview is essential listening for all people wanting to understand how our modern society has geared us towards obesity and disrupted our metabolic systems. Victoria Johnson, spokesperson for the Gippsland Forest Guardians, talks about a significant discovery of Slender Tree-ferns (Cyathea cunninghamii) in the Strzelecki ranges, south-east of Melbourne. They are critically endangered in Victoria and the total population is estimated at less than 1,000. Slender Tree-ferns are listed as Critically Endangered under the Flora and Fauna Guarantee (FFG) Act 1988 and have current species-specific prescriptions in the Code of Practice for Timber Production 2014 (as amended in 2022). However, they are currently under threat due to logging operations occurring very close to the endangered ferns at Turtons creek, in some cases only 5 metres away. Victoria tells us about this unique plant species and what we can do to ensure its protection.

Amy speaks with Bruce Pascoe and partner Lyn Harwood about their new book, Black Duck: A Year at Yumburra (Thames & Hudson), which is a personal reflection on life, Country and the consequences of Dark Emu through six seasons on Bruce and Lyn’s farm. Bruce Pascoe is a Bunurong, Yuin and Tasmanian Aboriginal writer of literary fiction, non-fiction, poetry, essays and children's literature. He is the enterprise professor in Indigenous Agriculture at the University of Melbourne. He is best known for his work, Dark Emu: Aboriginal Australia and the Birth of Agriculture (Magabala Books, 2014). Lyn Harwood has worked as a teacher, a dancer, an editor, a publisher and an artist. She is a director on the Board of Black Duck Foods, promoting Indigenous food agriculture and has instigated a community based fuel management practice for the Mallacoota township.

Amy Mullins is joined by renowned author and Professor of Philosophy A. C. Grayling for a deep examination of his new book, Who Owns The Moon? In Defence of Humanity’s Common Interests in Space. With rare earths and natural resources that are essential for future technology from microprocessors to EV batteries running out on the Earth – humanity is now looking towards its closest solar neighbours for future resources. Moving away from the question of should we harness these resources, A. C. Grayling instead asks 'who' should access these natural resources, what rules are required to govern its use, and what they owe to the denizens of planet Earth. Grayling tells Amy, “What we are actually trembling on the brink of at the moment is humanity in the form of Chinese and private entrepreneurs now taking possession of the moon and space beyond the moon, shaping how things will happen out there – unconstrained by any really serious mature-minded, robust and enforceable set of agreements of how they should behave out there. And so we’ve just stepped out of the front door of our house and found a complete wild west.”

Julian Assange's brother Gabriel Shipton joined Amy Mullins to update us as to Julian's state of mind and health ahead of the UK High Court's impending decision, which is to be handed down tonight 9.30pm AEDT (10.30am London time). The court will decide whether Wikileaks founder and journalist Julian Assange will be able to appeal the decision to extradite him from Britain to the United States where he faces 18 charges for publishing US military documents and diplomatic cables and up to 173 years in prison or even the death penalty. Gabriel tells us about his attendance as a guest of Kentucky Rep. Thomas Massie at President Joe Biden's 2024 State of the Union Address and the intense lobbying efforts happening behind the scenes at the US Congress. When will the Australian government make greater representations to the United States on its citizen's behalf? Gabriel Shipton is a film producer and produced a documentary on the persecution of Assange called, ITHAKA (free to watch on ABC's iView). You can listen to that May 2022 interview here. To support Julian Assange and take action, visit the campaign website: https://www.action.assangecampaign.org.au

Graham Readfearn, the Guardian Australia’s Environment Reporter gives us the latest on local and global environmental news, including a coral bleaching event taking place right now on the Great Barrier Reef. He also tells us about Antarctica’s sea ice reaching alarmingly low levels, a mystery paralysis syndrome afflicting lorikeet populations, and his podcast series, Weight of the World – the climate scientists who saw the crisis coming. For International Women's Day, award-winning author and science journalist Angela Saini joins Amy from New York to talk about her latest book, The Patriarchs: How Men Came To Rule. Angela delves into the origins of "the patriarchy" and gendered oppression and finds that patriarchal societies are a far more recent historical development than we might imagine. She also talks about our fascination with matriarchy and women-led matrilineal societies and reveals that many different types of matrilineal societies exist across the world today. Angela explains how patriarchy is not inevitable and what feminists and people seeking a gender equal world can do to turn the tide. The Patriarchs was shortlisted for the 2023 Orwell Prize. It's published by Harper Collins Australia. This is the extended full version of the interview with Angela Saini. Angela's previous books are, Inferior: How Science Got Women Wrong, and Superior: The Return of Race Science. Renowned Australian-born film critic Adrian Martin joins Amy to discuss the brilliance of Jean-Luc Godard’s cinematic masterpiece, LE MÉPRIS (Contempt, 1963), starring Brigitte Bardot, Michel Piccoli, Jack Palance, Giorgia Moll, and Fritz Lang. Filmed in Capri, Italy, LE MÉPRIS depicts the breakdown of a marriage, but it is also about much more than that as you'll hear. It has been newly restored in 4k and is having its Australian premiere at Europa Europa Film Festival in Melbourne on the 6th and 11th March 2024 (Hawthorn and Elsternwick). The screenings are co-presented by Melbourne Cinémathèque. This is the extended full version of the interview with Adrian Martin. In the original interview that aired, we heard some of the iconic music by Georges Delerue who composed the epic and sweeping soundtrack to LE MÉPRIS, including Générique and Camille. To view Godard's films from home, they can be found at your local library, university library, Picture Search Video & Vinyl in Richmond, on Kanopy (often via your library's subscription, here is LE MÉPRIS), and Apple Movies and Google Movies. Godard's films are distributed in Australia by Madman Entertainment and Umbrella Entertainment.

For International Women's Day, award-winning author and science journalist Angela Saini joins Amy from New York to talk about her latest book, The Patriarchs: How Men Came To Rule. Angela delves into the origins of "the patriarchy" and gendered oppression and finds that patriarchal societies are a far more recent historical development than we might imagine. She also talks about our fascination with matriarchy and women-led matrilineal societies and reveals that many different types of matrilineal societies exist across the world today. Angela explains how patriarchy is not inevitable and what feminists and people seeking a gender equal world can do to turn the tide. The Patriarchs was shortlisted for the 2023 Orwell Prize. It's published by Harper Collins Australia. Angela's previous books are, Inferior: How Science Got Women Wrong, and Superior: The Return of Race Science. This is the extended full version of the interview with Angela Saini.

Renowned Australian-born film critic Adrian Martin joins Amy to discuss the brilliance of Jean-Luc Godard’s cinematic masterpiece, LE MÉPRIS (Contempt, 1963), starring Brigitte Bardot, Michel Piccoli, Jack Palance, Giorgia Moll, and Fritz Lang. Filmed in Capri, Italy, LE MÉPRIS depicts the breakdown of a marriage, but it is also about much more than that as you'll hear. It has been newly restored in 4k and is having its Australian premiere at Europa Europa Film Festival in Melbourne on the 6th and 11th March 2024 (Hawthorn and Elsternwick). The screenings are co-presented by Melbourne Cinémathèque. This is the extended full version of the interview. In the original interview that aired, we heard some of the iconic music by Georges Delerue who composed the epic and sweeping soundtrack to LE MÉPRIS, including Générique and Camille. To view Godard's films from home, they can be found at your local library, university library, Picture Search Video & Vinyl in Richmond, on Kanopy (often via your library's subscription, here is LE MÉPRIS), and Apple Movies and Google Movies. Godard's films are distributed in Australia by Madman Entertainment and Umbrella Entertainment.

Award-winning photojournalist Andrew Quilty joins host Amy Mullins for an in-depth conversation about his latest book, This Is Afghanistan: 2014–2021. The stunning book is a visual record of the nine years Andrew spent living and working in the complex, beautiful, and war-torn country. Andrew talks about his experiences photographing the War in Afghanistan, capturing life, destruction, conflict and the natural landscape. You can view some of Andrew's work on his website, including some of the images we discuss in this interview. Andrew's book, This Is Afghanistan, is published by Miegunyah Press: Melbourne University Publishing. Andrew Quilty is the recipient of nine Walkley Awards, including the Gold Walkley, for his work on Afghanistan, where he was based from 2013 to 2022. He has also received the George Polk Award, the World Press Photo Award and the Overseas Press Club of America award for his investigation into massacres committed by a CIA-backed Afghan militia. August in Kabul (MUP: 2022), was his first book.