Big Ideas cover image

Big Ideas

How to cut through political spin — Richard Denniss, Joelle Gergis, Yanis Varoufakis, Tom Keneally with Natasha Mitchell

Jan 7, 2025
Join economist Richard Denniss, climate scientist Joelle Gergis, former Greek Finance Minister Yanis Varoufakis, and acclaimed author Tom Keneally in a thought-provoking discussion. They tackle the obfuscation of political language, emphasizing its impact on democracy. Gergis highlights Australia's climate crisis urgency, while Varoufakis critiques technofeudalism. The group also discusses the failures of trickle-down economics, advocating for clearer communication to bridge public understanding and reclaim our shared humanity amidst political division.
54:35

Podcast summary created with Snipd AI

Quick takeaways

  • Political jargon, or 'econobabble,' deliberately obscures true intentions, creating frustration and distance from genuine democratic engagement.
  • The concept of technofeudalism highlights the shift to digital capital, where tech giants extract value, emphasizing the need for equitable ownership.

Deep dives

Econobabble and Political Language

Econobabble refers to the use of complex economic jargon and language by politicians to obscure their true intentions and manipulate public perception. Terms like 'fiscally responsible' often disguise a refusal to support certain policies, reflecting a tendency to hide self-interest behind a facade of fiscal prudence. This deliberate obscurity enables politicians to present inequitable decisions as being in the national interest, leading to widespread public frustration. By using metaphors like 'the market reacted angrily,' they anthropomorphize economic concepts, further distancing the public from genuine democratic engagement.

Get the Snipd
podcast app

Unlock the knowledge in podcasts with the podcast player of the future.
App store bannerPlay store banner

AI-powered
podcast player

Listen to all your favourite podcasts with AI-powered features

Discover
highlights

Listen to the best highlights from the podcasts you love and dive into the full episode

Save any
moment

Hear something you like? Tap your headphones to save it with AI-generated key takeaways

Share
& Export

Send highlights to Twitter, WhatsApp or export them to Notion, Readwise & more

AI-powered
podcast player

Listen to all your favourite podcasts with AI-powered features

Discover
highlights

Listen to the best highlights from the podcasts you love and dive into the full episode