There is a misconception that if you’re unemployed, it’s probably because you’re lazy or lack the skills that the job market requires. But what about when employers purposely downsize to maximize profits? And what happens when technology becomes so advanced, that most of us become unemployed? We speak to Dr Geoffrey Williams, Economist, Malaysia University of Science and Technology. Image Credit: Shutterstock See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information....
May 21, 2023•43 min
From ancient conflicts between empires to modern-day wars fought with advanced technology, war has been a tragic and pervasive feature of human history, claiming countless lives and inflicting immeasurable suffering. Oftentimes the horrific consequences of war are felt many, many years after the war ends. But why do wars happen? We speak to Peter Beattie, who’s a political psychologist and political economist at the Chinese University of Hong Kong. Image Credit: Shutterstock See omnystudio.com/l...
May 07, 2023•40 min
Recently, an elderly couple died after consuming pufferfish. The couple, both in their early 80s, unknowingly purchased at least two pufferfish from an online vendor. Unbeknownst to some, Pufferfish is incredibly poisonous. However, there are certain cultures that have Pufferfish as part of their cuisines. So, what’s unique about Pufferfish that make them either deadly or delicacies? Image Credit: Shutterstock See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information....
Apr 16, 2023•26 min
Over the past few years, Cryptocurrencies have gained widespread attention, for its decentralized nature, technological potential and also because many assume that it’s a good way to make a quick buck. However, cryptocurrencies have also been associated with illegal and highly unethical activities, including money laundering and financing terrorism. But how exactly does that work? We speak to Raymon Ram, Certified Fraud Examiner. Image Credit: Shutterstock See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy...
Apr 09, 2023•30 min
War crimes are defined as serious violations of international humanitarian law committed during armed conflicts, including acts such as murder, torture, and deliberate targeting of civilians. But what happens when a country commits a war crime? Who do we hold accountable? And what if the one committing the crime is a global superpower? We explore this with Devasheesh Bais from the Centre for International Law Research and Policy (CILRAP). Image Credit: Shutterstock See omnystudio.com/listener fo...
Apr 02, 2023•43 min
Ghosting. That’s a phenomenon that has become increasingly prevalent in modern dating and social interactions, especially when interactions are online. But what exactly is ghosting, why do people do it and what are its impacts? Image Credit: Shutterstock See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Mar 26, 2023•29 min
Malaysian-Indians are the third largest ethnic group in the country, making up about 7% of the nation’s population. But what exactly is a Malaysian-Indian? How has the identity evolved over the years? We speak to Dr Asha Rathina Pandi, a sociologist. Image Credit: Wikimedia / Creative Commons See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Mar 19, 2023•33 min
Imagine you’re at your high school reunion. It’s been about 15 years since you last saw your peers from school. A former classmate of yours comes up and says “Wow! You’re a professor at a university now? That’s awesome. You’ve really come a long way since your high school years, eh?” Your ex-teacher chimes in too. “Yes! You’ve changed a lot. I’m so proud of you!” You flash an awkward smile but internally wonder, “what does that mean? What was wrong with me back in the day? Was I that different? ...
Mar 12, 2023•35 min
There is often a perception that feminism is a Western worldview or culture (AKA Budaya Barat). But is that really true? How do we contextualise the movement for gender equality here in the Southeast Asian region? In conjunction with International Women’s Day, we speak to Sharon A. Bong, Professor of Gender Studies at the School of Arts and Social Sciences, Monash University Malaysia. She has also co-edited the book Gender and Sexuality Justice in Asia (2020). See omnystudio.com/listener for pri...
Mar 05, 2023•36 min
For decades, Palestinians have suffered injustice and oppression at the hands of the violent Israeli Zionist regime. There have been many attempts to resolve this conflict peacefully, but negotiations have always fallen through. But what lies at the heart of the Israel-Palestinian conflict? Baha Hilo, a Palestinian rights activist and educator. Since 2013 he has been focused on education on Palestine through an initiative called “To Be There” where he focuses on explaining the complicated histor...
Feb 26, 2023•31 min
Nepotism – that’s a word we’ve been hearing a lot lately. Whether it's during the backlash against YB Nurul Izzah when she was appointed by Anwar Ibrahim to be his economic advisor or even when we discuss celebrity culture. But what exactly is nepotism? Is it ethical? See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Feb 19, 2023•32 min
Persuasion is the act of convincing someone to do or believe something. But what makes some people so persuasive, while others aren’t? Why do some salespeople, for example, have the ability to sell water to fish? In this episode, we discuss Robert Cialdini’s Pre-Suasion: A Revolutionary Way to Influence and Persuade. Image Credit: Shutterstock See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Feb 12, 2023•36 min
The minimum wage level in Malaysia is currently at RM 1500, which isn’t even a living wage, which experts say is around RM 2700 in the Klang Valley. But it isn’t just the minimum wage. We often hear about people with bachelor’s and master’s degrees barely making a living wage. Many Malaysians, including professionals, are leaving to work in neighbouring countries, for better wages. But why are wages in Malaysia so low? Image Credit: Shutterstock See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy informatio...
Jan 31, 2023•38 min
There’s a new Artificial Intelligence tool in town. And if you, for example, ask it to write an essay on the pros and cons of capitalism, it’ll produce an in-depth piece for you in a matter of seconds. It can also write rap songs and poetry that would impress the likes of Tupac and Shakespeare. It’s called ChatGPT and it’s incredibly intelligent. But what is it exactly and is it going to take over the planet ala Skynet in Terminator? Image Credit: Shutterstock See omnystudio.com/listener for pri...
Jan 17, 2023•38 min
One of the age-old debates among linguists, philosophers and even psychologists is if language can shape the way we think. Well, Sandy Clarke, who’s an author and licensed counsellor suggests that not only can language impact one’s psychology, but also one’s perception of time can impact psychology, as well. But how exactly? Image Credit: Shutterstock See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Jan 10, 2023•34 min
Chances are, you’ve experienced failure at some point in your life, if not many points. Failure is heartbreaking and more often than not, the fear of failure can prevent you from pursuing dreams or trying new things. But what exactly is failure? What can it teach us? And does our understanding of failure focus too much on individuals rather than society? See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Jan 03, 2023•41 min
Many of us have probably experienced the wonderfully magical feeling called ‘love’ at one point or another in our lives, either romantically or otherwise. But what exactly is love? How do we put that feeling into words? Image Credit: Shutterstock See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Dec 13, 2022•25 min
New Year’s Resolutions. It’s that time of the year again, where many of us are excitedly setting goals and dreams that we need to start pursuing from the first week of January. But the thing about New Year’s Resolutions is, many of us also don’t stick to it after a few weeks have passed. Why does this happen? And what should we keep in mind when setting new year’s resolutions? Image Credit: Shutterstock See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information....
Dec 06, 2022•31 min
Dato’ Seri Anwar Ibrahim has been appointed the 10th Prime Minister of Malaysia. We discuss Anwar’s journey, from his student activist days, getting sacked by Tun Dr Mahathir, the reformasi movement and becoming the Prime Minister after 25 years of fighting tirelessly. Image Credit: EPA-EFE and MaxPixel See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Nov 29, 2022•42 min
GE14 was a monumental day in Malaysian history as the people voted out the incumbent Barisan Nasional government, which had been at the helm of Malaysia for 60 years. However, the events that have transpired over the past couple of years, namely Langkah Sheraton, has made some people wonder “what did GE14 actually accomplish? Did the people change anything?” Image Credit: Shutterstock See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information....
Nov 15, 2022•44 min
Many young people are feeling political apathy, not just in Malaysia, but across the globe, as well. But why is this happening and what can be done about it? We speak to Peter Beattie, who’s an expert in political psychology. Image Credit: Shutterstock See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Nov 01, 2022•37 min
"Do I still need to register to vote?" "Do people from Selangor only need to vote next year?" "What's the point of voting if politicians are just going to hop around?" Feeling confused on the road to GE? In this episode, we answer all your questions (well, as many as we can) about GE15 and unpack everything you need to know as a voter heading into GE15. Image Credit: EPA-EFE & Shutterstock See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information....
Oct 18, 2022•32 min
Many of us have probably been in this situation before. Our friend or partner say they have something to tell us. We hear them and then immediately chime in to give advice or suggestions, only for them to get frustrated and say “I don’t want your advice. I just want you to understand me.” But what is the importance of active listening? We’re joined by Sandy Clarke, Licensed Counsellor. Image credit: Shutterstock See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information....
Oct 11, 2022•29 min
In a powerful act of resistance, Iranian women are risking their lives by burning their headscarves and protesting against their government. But what sparked these protests? Will this uprising bring about a new Iran? We’re joined by Assal Rad, Research Director, National Iranian American Council. She’s also the author of ‘State of Resistance: Politics, Culture & Identity in Modern Iran.’ Image credit: Shutterstock See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information....
Oct 04, 2022•30 min
Many decades ago, many countries around the world, including Malaysia, declared drug abuse the biggest threat and menace to society. The solution was to start a war on drugs, as US President Nixon had pushed for. But what if the war on drugs has been a complete and catastrophic failure? On this episode, we discuss why the war on drugs has been a failure and why we should decriminalise drugs for personal use. Image credit: Shutterstock See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information....
Sep 27, 2022•25 min
We’re constantly exposed to fake news and bad news. So, how do we consume news media and maintain our sanity? We discuss this with Asst Prof Peter Beattie, Media Researcher, Chinese University of Hong Kong. Image credit: Shutterstock See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Sep 20, 2022•42 min
Today, we live in an individualistic world, one where the term “dependence” is seen as a sign of weakness. “Self-made” has become a buzzword, especially by the rich and proponents of hustle culture. But is dependency a sign of weakness? And what does “self-made” mean, anyway? We’re joined by Sandy Clarke, licensed counsellor and author. Image credit: Shutterstock See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Sep 13, 2022•27 min
Criminal Breach of Trust or CBT is a term we’ve been hearing a lot lately, in light of various corruption charges involving high profile politicians. But what exactly is CBT and why is money laundering always mentioned in CBT-related reports? Raymon Ram who’s a certified fraud consultant and the secretary general of Transparency International - Malaysia, joins us to discuss. Image credit: Shutterstock / Irina Strelnikova See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information....
Sep 06, 2022•29 min
The Social Contract. When we hear this term, most of us have a particular image in our heads – an image of Tunku Abdul Rahman, Tan Cheng Lock and V. T. Sambanthan in a chamber with some old British dudes signing something that has come to define Malaysian politics and history for better or worse. But what if we told you that there’s no mention of “The Social Contract” in our constitution? So, where did that term come from? We unpack this with Noor Nethusha Nusaybah, historian and President of Im...
Aug 30, 2022•26 min
Littoral Combat Ship. Unless you’ve been living under a rock recently, you would’ve heard about the latest scandal Malaysia is embroiled in, this time centred around six military ships and 9 billion ringgit. Some have called it 1MDB 2.0, but why and who is entangled in this scandal? We’re joined by Cynthia Gabriel, Human Rights Advocate, Centre to Combat Corruption and Cronyism (C4). Image credit: U.S. Pacific Fleet See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information....
Aug 23, 2022•32 min
