Bullsh*t, with Mike Berners-Lee

An episode all about the subtle art of talking bollocks. 

We live in a golden age of bullshit. It can seem that our politics is riddled with it. Corporate climate communications are drenched in it. And despite the looming eco-crisis, perhaps our own brains are too. 

In this episode, Dave meets author Mike Berners-Lee to chew over his new book, A Climate of Truth. It's a brilliant balance of home truths about the state of things, with unputdownable optimism that humanity can - and must - do better. 

What distinguishes glorious bullshit from mere lying? How do we get more honesty about the state of the world into our politics and our own lives? And in the age of Trump and Boris, how realistic is it to hope that any of this will change in time to face up to, and head off climate disaster? 

All this, and Macavity the cat too. 

If you liked this episode, check out episode 19 on Honesty, with Rupert Read. 

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Owl noises = references: 

• 14:34 - Harry Frankfurt's 1986 'On Bullshit', later turned into a book. 
• 18:55 - Quassam Cassim's brilliant term, 'epistemic insouciance'. 
• 21:22 - the Political Lies website: Boris and much more. 
• 25:13 - in case you don't still remember, here's what naughty Volkswagen did. 
• 25:39 - the always superb You Are Not So Smart podcast, here talking about that study that showed you prefer sharing fake news that makes you look good. 
• 34:10 - Julian Kirchherr's paper on bullshit in sustainability literature. 

The show is hosted and produced by me, Dave Powell, who you can find @powellds on Bluesky and X/Twitter, although I don't use the latter any more.

YBOC theme music and iterations thereof, by me.  Show logo by Arthur Stovell at www.designbymondial.com.