Episodes
Wednesday Aug 28, 2019
Ep 32: Has Disney Won The Trade War?
Wednesday Aug 28, 2019
Wednesday Aug 28, 2019
The G7 summit last week saw new tariffs but also an outbreak in niceness. Are Trump’s tariffs part of some grand master plan to win the trade war? (1:50-17:25) In the context of the Royal Commission into child sex abuse, new laws for mandatory reporting are making a big show of challenging the seal of the confession. Is this a violation of religious freedom? (17.25 – 33:00) Disney has just announced a plethora of new movies, begging the question, what are the economic and cultural ramifications of the industry giant? (33:00 – 48:12) Your hosts Scott Hargreaves and Dr Chris Berg are joined by Andrew Bushnell and Christian Kerr to answer these questions, as well as divulging their culture picks such as Quentin Tarantino’s latest movie Once Upon a Time in Hollywood, nostalgic 80’s TV show Stranger Things, rock stars Nick Cave and Warren Ellis with the MSO and Netflix TV show Mindhunter Season 2. (48:12 – 1:03:16)
Show Notes:
Once Upon a Time in Hollywood, Quentin Tarantino
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt7131622/
Stranger Things, Netflix
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt4574334/
Nick Cave and Warren Ellis with the MSO
https://www.mso.com.au/whats-on/2019/nick-cave-warren-ellis/
Mindhunter Season 2, Netflix
Wednesday Aug 21, 2019
Ep 31: Hong Kong: Nobody Puts Freedom In The Corner
Wednesday Aug 21, 2019
Wednesday Aug 21, 2019
With 1.7 out of 7.4 million people protesting in Hong Kong, the Chinese Government is under scrutiny as never before (1:35-23:40). In the latest of a series of devastating results, the federal court has dismissed a significant case that ASIC launched against Westpac. Is ASIC too hard, too soft, or just incompetent? (23:40-36:50). Donald Trump wants to buy Greenland, however, the Danish Prime Minister says she has no interest. Is this the biggest real-estate deal on earth, or a decision for the locals? (36:50-44:19). Scott Hargreaves and Dr Chris Berg are joined by Daniel Wild and Dr Zac Gorman to discuss these questions and share their culture picks, including China born British writer, Ma Jian, and his book China Dream, Toy Story 4 and its commentary on communism, Karl Popper’s old classic The Open Society and Its Enemies, and Steve Smith’s remarkable comeback in the latest Ashes series. (46:50-59:04).
Show Notes:
What If Everyone’s Wrong About China? Tyler Cowen, Bloomberg
Engineers of the Soul: Ideology in Xi Jinping's China by John Garnaut,
https://sinocism.com/p/engineers-of-the-soul-ideology-in
The State Strikes Back: The End of Economic Reform in China
https://www.piie.com/bookstore/state-strikes-back-end-economic-reform-china
ASIC loses landmark case against Westpac, Tim Boyd, Financial Review
Why does Donald Trump want to buy Greenland? Phillip Inman, The Guardian
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2019/aug/19/why-does-donald-trump-want-to-buy-greenland
Donald Trump, Twitter
https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/1163961882945970176?s=20
Dr Jennifer Marohasy at Climate Change Concern Forum in Maroochydore, Institute of Public Affairs, YouTube
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dVlu-7_FxD8&feature=youtu.be
Culture Picks:
Chinese Dream, Ma Jian
https://www.amazon.com/China-Dream-Ma-Jian/dp/178474249X
Toy Story 4
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt1979376/
The Open Society and Its Enemies, Karl R.Popper
https://www.amazon.com/Open-Society-Its-Enemies-One/dp/0691158134
Steve Smith’s comeback at The Ashes
Wednesday Aug 14, 2019
Ep 30: The Centre-Right Is Alive And Well
Wednesday Aug 14, 2019
Wednesday Aug 14, 2019
Is the Keneally-fuelled success of the inaugural CPAC Australia conference a one-off or another sign of a vibrant centre-right movement? (01:40-14:20). What is it with Greta Thunberg and her alarmist followers; and does the elite encouragement reveal the deeper agenda of expanding State control? (14:20-25:10). How does the case of Comcare v Banerji, in which a public servant used an anonymous Twitter account to criticise the government’s immigration policy, differ from the Israel Folau case? (25:10-27:30). Scott Hargreaves is joined by Dr Richard Allsop, Evan Mulholland and Gideon Rozner to discuss these questions and share their culture picks, including Nikki Sava’s latest book on the downfall of Malcolm Turnbull, John Ruddick’s argument for more democracy in the Liberal Party, a dark (if not nihilist) comedy on HBO/Foxtel starring former SNL actor Bill Hader as a hit man who wants to be an actor, and Anne Henderson’s new book on 19th century free trade Labor politician, Paddy Glynn (34:10-56:00).
Show notes:
German meat tax proposal a risk to consumption, Fitch says
In praise of the bands that said no to Greta Thunberg
https://blogs.spectator.co.uk/2019/08/in-praise-of-the-bands-that-said-no-to-greta-thunberg/
Outrage culture is killing free speech, Andrew Bushnell
https://www.spectator.com.au/2019/08/outrage-culture-is-killing-free-speech/
The Road to Ruin, Niki Savva
https://www.booktopia.com.au/the-road-to-ruin-niki-savva/prod9781925322729.html
On Mutiny, David Speers
https://www.booktopia.com.au/on-mutiny-david-speers/prod9780522875065.html
Culture picks:
Plots and Prayers: Malcolm Turnbull's demise and Scott Morrison's ascension, Niki Savva
Make the Liberal Party Great Again, John Ruddick
https://www.dymocks.com.au/book/make-the-liberal-party-great-again-by-john-ruddick-9781925642568
Barry, HBO
Federation’s Man of Letters – Patrick McMahon Glynn, Anne Henderson
Wednesday Aug 07, 2019
Ep 29: Conceptual Engineering And The Death Of The English Language
Wednesday Aug 07, 2019
Wednesday Aug 07, 2019
Does Noel Pearson’s argument that ‘the Voice’ is based on indigeneity and not race stand up? (01:30-17:00) What are the options for conservatives seeking to combat internet mobs and academic packs bent on defaming (or downright destroying) an individual, as happened recently to Nigel Biggar and Roger Scruton? (17:00-35:00) And does the Melbourne Institute’s latest HILDA survey really show a rise in inequality? (90:35-0:45) Dr Chris Berg and Scott Hargreaves are joined by Dr Bella D’Abrera and Andrew Bushnell to discuss these questions and share their culture picks, including a book on the unresolved legacy of the Vietnam War by Pulitzer Price-winning author Viet Thanh Nguyen (0:45-0:49), the final cut of the classic 1979 film ‘Apocalypse Now’(0:49-0:54), a Latin American soap opera on the Liberator, Simón Bolívar (0:54-:59) and Geoffrey Blainey’s autobiography, ‘Before I Forget’ (0:59-01:03:22).
Quillette podcast with Toby Young and Nigel Biggar on how to deal with online outrage mobs
Nothing Ever Dies: Vietnam and the Memory of War by Viet Thanh Nguyen
https://www.hup.harvard.edu/catalog.php?isbn=9780674660342
Before I Forget by Geoffrey Blainey
https://www.penguin.com.au/books/before-i-forget-9781760890339
Household, Income and Labour Dynamics in Australia (HILDA) Statistical Report 2019
Noel Pearson’s remarks to the Key Forum, Cape York Institute, 3 August 2019
https://capeyorkpartnership.org.au/all-updates/all-we-seek-is-our-rightful-place-thank-you/
Bolivar on Netflix
https://www.netflix.com/au/title/80220422
Apocalypse Now: The Final Cut