Spanish painter Francisco de Goya’s depiction of Saturn eating his son is a haunting portrait of lust and the fear of one’s own finitude. Christos Tsiolkas joins Waleed and Scott to look into that darkness, and discover what looks back.

Now that John Cleese has announced that the iconic series will return, it’s worth examining what made Fawlty Towers a masterpiece — and whether its interaction with the political climate of the 1970s had anything to do with it.

The podcast explores the impact of playlists on music consumption, the evolution of music listening from CDs to digital era, the importance of album structure, rise of streaming services like Spotify, and the balance between artistry and algorithms in music creation.

Australian novelist Briohny Doyle joins Waleed Aly and Scott Stephens to examine Charles Dickens’s unforgettable tale of misanthropy and remorse, and discover how its aesthetic techniques and ethical vision continue to speak to us today.

Exploring the role of the state in shaping just societies, the shift from self-interest to cooperation, the evolving state presence in people's lives, challenges of fragmented society-state relationships, risks of politicians influencing interest rates, and analyzing state actions during the pandemic.

The podcast discusses the challenges faced by marginalized communities in climate change policies, objections and protests surrounding climate policy in Australia, controversy around taxing electric vehicle drivers, the flawed assumption that fuel excise pays for roads, the leveling down argument for equality, and the ethical, democratic, and economic implications of electric vehicle road use charges.

The latest Mapping Social Cohesion report from the Scanlon Foundation paints a complex picture that helps us understand the conditions within which social cohesion is able to strengthen, and those factors which cause it to become brittle and even break down.

The podcast delves into the moral case for a ceasefire in Gaza, navigating complex ethical dilemmas, humanitarian implications, and the challenges of achieving peace in conflict zones. It also explores the emotional landscapes of warfare, political dilemmas in Gaza, refugee rights in the West Bank, and even offers a festive reflection on moral aspects of 'A Christmas Carol'.

Nearly a century after its publication, Australian novelist Charlotte Wood joins Waleed and Scott to discuss what Virginia Woolf’s essay tell us about egotism, contempt, creative freedom and the possibility of moral transformation.

The hosts discuss interpreting recent referendum results and the challenges of communication. The limitations and complexities of referenda as a form of communication are explored. The chapter also delves into the resolution of a matter and examines how communication can be perceived as racist. Brexit and the aftermath of the referendum on First Nations peoples in Australia are discussed, emphasizing the importance of different perspectives and acting on Indigenous voices.