A Point of View

Rebecca Stott reflects on why we should be looking to the Romans, and our other ancestors, for imaginative ways of building. "People who walked the planet long before us knew more sustainable ways to build their homes", she writes. With concrete responsible for 8% of the world's carbon emissions, Rebecca argues that we urgently need to find alternatives. Producer: Adele Armstrong

"The Venetian Republic," writes Adam Gopnik, "built one of the greatest and most beautiful churches in the world, Santa Maria della Salute, to celebrate the end of one of their plagues in 1630." Adam examines why today - as we attempt to put the pandemic behind us - any sense of exaltation is notable by its absence. Producer: Adele Armstrong

Zoe Strimpel questions some of the dominant gender narratives around the Me Too movement. 'The problem,' she writes, 'is that there is no space in all this for the lives and experiences of the many straight women who don't have this problem, who do not live in fear of men, and who are not sexualised at every turn.'Producer: Adele Armstrong

David Goodhart reflects on group identities in the aftermath of the Sewell report and argues that the mere existence of a difference is not evidence of unfairness.He calls for a more nuanced understanding of group difference and the challenges this poses in an egalitarian age. Producer: Adele Armstrong

'While self-righteousness loosens the tongues of fools,' writes Howard Jacobson, 'self-censorship ties the tongues of the wise.’Howard argues that it's not autocracy that has bedevilled us in the past twelve months, it is levity. Producer: Adele Armstrong

Michael Morpurgo reflects on meeting the Duke of Edinburgh when he was 16 and the indirect effect that meeting had in shaping his views later in life. 'He realised', writes Michael, 'that investing in our young people is the most important investment we can make as a society' .He says the Duke's passion for helping young people will be needed more than ever in the difficult months ahead, as we come out of the pandemic. Producer: Adele Armstrong

"The K beater, the whisk and the dough hook are rattling around in the bowl, and I am tasting butterscotch Angel Delight on my lips." Rebecca Stott relives memories of her 1970s childhood with one kitchen device taking centre stage. And she sees a lesson for today.Producer: Adele Armstrong(This episode was previously broadcast on the 9th October 2020.)

Adam Gopnik on the intricacies of the generation gap. It's highlighted, Adam argues, by what he calls the ‘Florida Phone Call’ - the call you get from your children ‘announcing that not only are you no longer fully competent to grasp contemporary life and its technology...but there is no longer any chance that you will grasp contemporary life and its technology!’ Producer: Adele Armstrong

Sara Wheeler explains why online packages arriving at her house are now addressed to 'The Right Reverend Sara Wheeler'!Sara looks back at the surprising history of the Mrs-Miss distinction and concludes it has no place in contemporary Britain. Producer: Adele Armstrong

'There is a theory,' writes Sarah Dunant, 'that we needed to pull back from too much face-to-face conversation...because we had all got so damn angry with each other.' The past year has certainly put a stop to much conversation, angry or otherwise. Sarah imagines how conversation will be - once we're finally able to talk to each other again, face to face. Producer: Adele Armstrong