Festival of Dangerous Ideas
Festival of Dangerous Ideas
Listen to over 10 years of talks presented at the Festival of Dangerous Ideas – Australia's original disruptive ideas festival. FODI brings to light important conversations that push the boundaries of conventional thought, challenging thinking on some of the most persevering and difficult issues of our time. Hear from our festival alumni – the world's best experts, innovative thinkers and mischief makers – as they share provocative ideas and conversations that encourage debate and critical thinking.
It's time to get uncomfortable…
It's time to get uncomfortable…
Episodes
Mentioned books
Nov 29, 2018 • 57min
Sex Robots Have No Taboos (2018) | Rob Brooks, Dr Nikki Goldstein & Xanthe Mallett
Does the arrival of sex robots mean the end of intimacy or the next sex revolution? Will humanoid dolls regulate sexual perversity or provoke greater harm? Rob Brooks, Dr Nikki Goldstein and Xanthe Mallett give their independent take on the issue at the 2018 Festival of Dangerous Ideas on Cockatoo Island. The panel is chaired by Natasha Mitchell.
Nov 29, 2018 • 50min
Fight the Fear (2018) | Haris Aziz, Khandis Blake, Lee Rollins & Martina Stenzel
What we don't understand often looks dangerous. But if we're going to be able to cope with inevitable and accelerating change, we need to go beyond technophobia and moral panic. Haris Aziz, Khandis Blake, Lee Rollins and Martina Stenzel present a series of short talks at the Festival of Dangerous Ideas on Cockatoo Island, covering specialist topics from nanoparticles to genome manipulation. The session is hosted by Rob Brooks.
Nov 29, 2018 • 58min
Seth Stephens-Davidowitz (2018) | Everybody Lies (Except the Internet)
Big data reveals the sad truth that we all lie, almost all of the time. Except, that is, when we're online. Why do we treat the internet like a confessional box? What secrets do our searches contain? 'Data whisperer' Seth Stephens-Davidowitz reveals the vulnerabilities and insecurities, the patterns and potential, and the ugly prejudices that our Google searches disclose. This keynote talk was presented at the Festival of Dangerous Ideas 2018. It is chaired by Ann Mossop.
Nov 29, 2018 • 50min
Pankaj Mishra (2018) | Age of Anger
Anarchy, resentment and an urge to smash the system are spreading. What caused this age of anger? How can we understand it? And what kind of transformative thinking will help us find our way out of it? Author and academic Pankaj Mishra presents a keynote at the 2018 Festival of Dangerous Ideas on Cockatoo Island. The session is chaired by Simon Longstaff.
Nov 29, 2018 • 59min
Privacy is Selfish (2018) | Seth Stephens-Davidowitz & Zeynep Tufekci
Insights from big data can cure diseases, control epidemics, end congestion in our cities and aid the just distribution of natural resources. If withholding access to personal data undermines these social goods, does that make privacy selfish? Zeynep Tufekci and Seth Stephens-Davidowitz hash it out at the Festival of Dangerous Ideas 2018 on Cockatoo Island. The panel is chaired by Marc Fennell.
Nov 29, 2018 • 55min
Angela Nagle (2018) | Kill All Normies
In the internet culture wars, the ascendant alt-right confronts a complacent left obsessed with identity politics. Has the worst of the internet become reality? Author and writer Angela Nagle presents a keynote at the 2018 Festival of Dangerous Ideas on Cockatoo Island. The talk is chaired by Kym Middleton.
Nov 29, 2018 • 54min
Cancer on Democracy (2018) | John Hewson, Rebecca Huntley & Dee Madigan
Australian politics is in a maelstrom, fake news has taken root and increasingly, democracy is looking decidedly unwell. Does this have anything to do with our highly concentrated media ownership and vigorous partisan players? What are the costs of a polarised, opinion-driven media and the 24-hour news cycle? Dee Madigan, John Hewson and Rebecca Huntley discuss at the 2018 Festival of Dangerous Ideas on Cockatoo Island. The panel is chaired by Darren Goodsir.
Nov 29, 2018 • 58min
Choose China (2018) | Zhao Hai, Linda Jakobson & Adam Ni
As China's rise continues and the US retreats, do our strategic interests lie in a positive alignment with our region's traditional power? Could an alliance between Australia and China be founded on shared interests – despite underlying cultural and political differences? Zhao Hai, Linda Jakobson, Adam Ni put these questions to debate at the 2018 Festival of Dangerous Ideas on Cockatoo Island. The panel was chaired by Jason Yat-sen Li.
Nov 28, 2018 • 58min
Zeynep Tufekci (2018) | Our Attention Has Been Stolen
Addictive technology is on the march – from poker machines to smartphones. And it is stealing something even more valuable – our attention – in order to sell it to the highest bidder. Is it too late to get it back? Techno-sociologist Zeynep Tufekci presents a keynote at the 2018 Festival of Dangerous Ideas on Cockatoo Island. The talk is chaired by Ann Mossop.
Nov 28, 2018 • 50min
Too Dangerous (2018) | Germaine Greer, Megan Phelps-Roper & Ayelet Waldman
Controversial feminist Germaine Greer, LSD advocate Ayelet Waldman and ex-Westboro Baptist Church member Megan Phelps-Roper discuss the ethics of free speech in the age of growing intolerance. Their talk was recorded on Cockatoo Island at the 2018 Festival of Dangerous Ideas. The panel was chaired by Hamish Macdonald.
