New Culture Forum

In the third week of the UK's coronavirus lockdown, CounterCulture discusses the state of our culture and whether it is generally in good health. What can we expect to happen in our culture in the weeks and months ahead. How have we reacted as a nation? How have our institutions handled the crisis? How has the media portrayed the situation and how open has it been to differing opinions? The panel this week: Peter Whittle (Host: Founder & Director of the New Culture Forum) Daniel Johnson: Founding Editor of The Article & contributing editor to The Critiic. Brendan O'Neill: Columnist, Podcaster & Editor of Spiked Online Rafe Heydel-Mankoo of the New Culture Forum, Historian & Broadcaster

[Recorded prior to the UK government's imposition of social distancing measures to combat the spread of coronavirus.] Is there "good" and "bad" feminism? According to today's "4th wave" feminists there is. They seem keen to shut down critical debate on certain issues (such as the #MeToo movement, gender pay gap and trans rights) -- even where those being shut down include leading figures in the traditional feminist movement (e.g. Germaine Greer, Julie Bindell etc.). Traditional feminism sought to empower women to take control of their destiny, assert themselves and personally battle misogyny. Modern feminism, by contrast, seems to suggest that women are victims who need protections as they are incapable of defending or advancing their own interests. Does this mean that women are being infantilized, their agency to negotiate their social and sexual engagements removed? Have today's "4th wave feminists" created a hostile environment which alienates the majority of women? Joining Marc Sidwell on this week's #NCFCounterculture are 4 women champions of free speech who appear frequently on television and radio to debate and discuss current affairs: * Emily Carver of the Institute of Economic Affairs. * Claire Fox, founder of the Institute of Ideas and former M.E.P. for the Brexit Party. * Lionel Shriver, novelist and journalist best known for her novel "We Need To Talk About Kevin", which one the Orange Prize in 2005. * Ella Whelan assistant editor at spiked, specialising in the relationship between free speech, feminism and women's liberation.

This week on #SWYSI, Peter Hitchens attacks the UK government's Coronavirus lockdown policy ("the Great Panic") and explains why its enthusiastic embrace by the British public disturbs him greatly. From the outset, Hitchens maintained that restricting civil liberties, locking down a healthy population, and stalling a healthy economy are very dangerous -- and reckless -- activities that risk irreparable harm to individuals, society and the nation. Indeed, he argues that they are a threat to our very way of life.

As coronavirus/covid19 grips the world, historian Tom Holland reflects on the impact past pandemics and plagues had on the Ancient World and whether any lessons can be drawn from historical experience. Holland & "So What You're Saying Is..." host Peter Whittle also discuss his recent book *Dominion: The Making of the Western Mind* (titled Dominion: How the Christian Revolution Remade the World for the U.S. edition), in which he examines Christianity's influence on Western civilization. Holland argues that Christianity's influence continues to be seen in ethics and cultural norms throughout the world today, even when the religion itself is rejected: "To live in a western country is to live in a society still utterly saturated by Christian concepts and assumptions."

Comedian Simon Evans (BBC TV's "Live at the Apollo" & "Michael McIntyre's Comedy Roadshow", BBC Radio 4's "News Quiz" & "Simon Evans Goes to Market" etc.) is often described as a "right-wing comedian" and has written and presented a radio show on the subject (BBC Radio 4's "Simon Evans is Right"). He has also appeared on various current affairs discussion shows (including BBC's "Question Time", "The Big Questions" and "This Week" with Andrew Neil). On this week's episode of #SWYSI, Simon and Peter Whittle discuss the state and variety of modern comedy and whether it is correct to state that it is dominated primarily by left-wing comedians. Simon also compares today's comedy with that of previous decades. This interview was recorded during Simon's tour promoting his new show “The Work of the Devil”, which he describes as unlike most stand-up performances in that, far from his usual detached style of show, it is an intimate and “personal revelation” that is unexpected and extraordinary. At the time of taping, coronavirus had not spread to the extent that public events were being cancelled. Please check: www.TheSimonEvans.com for details of future tour dates.

2.21 Lionel Shriver: Coronavirus, Woody Allen & Defending Free Speech by New Culture Forum

Peter's guest this week is Darren Grimes, the political activist and commentator who took on the might of the establishment and won. Darren was wrongly fined by the Electoral Commission and faced financial ruin at the age of 23 when he decided to fight back and took his case all the way to the High Court. He shares with us his journey so far, his thoughts on current affairs and what the future might hold in newly-blue 'red wall' seats the Tories picked up at the last election.

* Simon Evans (BBC Live At The Apollo; Michael McIntyre's Road Show; Rado 4 News Quiz, etc.) * Konstantin Kisin (Jewish Comedian of the Year; Triggernometry, free speech media pundit, etc.) * Dominic Frisby (co-Host's "Money Pit" on Dave; "17 Million F*&K Offs" Brexit hit song; Brexit Party PPC, etc.) * Rafe Heydel-Mankoo (Historian & Broadcaster with huge knowledge of 20th C. British Comedy) On this week's #NCFCounterCulture with Marc Sidwell, our expert panel, including three seasoned veterans of the stand-up circuit -- some of whom are often "accused" of being right wing -- believe great comedy is out there...just not necessarily on the BBC. BBC comedy is regularly criticised for its dominance by comedians sharing a left-wing / liberal / woke viewpoint. Critics claim this imbalance excludes comedians and comedic subjects that do not fit with this world view -- and thus falls flat for a large % of the British public. Are they correct? If so, is this an issue for the BBC alone? Or is it evidence that comedy as a whole is struggling in the era of "Woke", where comedians must constantly self censor for fear of causing offence or having promising careers curtailed by a Twitter storm? Our panel believes that comedy is in fact thriving & maybe in a new Golden Age -- if only the British public were better exposed to it or knew where to look. Thankfully, the rise of Netflix, YouTube and other new online platforms means that viewers no longer need to have their comedy "approved" by the state broadcaster's commissioning editors. The market now decides who is funny -- and many of the comedians faring best have had little to no exposure on the mainstream media. FOR TOURING DATES & OTHER INFO ON OUR PANELISTS, PLEASE SEE: * Simon Evans: www.thesimonevans.com - Twitter: @TheSimonEvans * Dominic Frisby: www.dominicfrisby.com - Twitter: @DominicFrisby * Konstantin Kisin: www.konstantinkisin.com - Twitter: @KonstantinKisin * Rafe Heydel-Mankoo: www.heydel-mankoo.com - Twitter: @RafHM

"If you're young and not a liberal you have no heart. If you're over 35 and still a liberal you have no head." How accurate is that oft-quoted stereotype? If only those aged 18-25 were eligible to vote in the recent General Election, then Jeremy Corbyn's Labour would have had a majority of over 500 seats, with Boris Johnson's Tories reduced to a pitiful 4 seats. With this in mind, does the Conservative Party have a future in British politics? How will they be able to get re-elected decades from now? Or are reports correct that the youngest generation (Generation Z) proving to be more conservative than the preceding generation of Millenials? Joining Peter Whittle this week to discuss this is a panel of Young Tories: Emily Hewertson: 19 year old member of the Conservative Party who became a national sensation following her spirited contribution during an episode of BBC's Question Time. Dominique Samuels: Originally of Turning Point UK, Dominique left TP to become President of the newest voice for conservative youth: Orthodox Conservatives Jake Scott: A Ph.D. candidate who is Head of Philosophy & Ideology at Orthodox Conservatives Rafe Heydel-Mankoo of the New Culture Forum, resident guest panellist on CounterCulture and an "old" High Tory, Historian and Broadcaster.

THE PANEL: Dr. John Barry: chartered psychologist, honorary lecturer with the Department of Psychology at University College London (UCL), member of the British Psychological Society (BPS), founder of the Male Psychology Network and the Gender Equity Network. In addition, he is a campaigner for the creation of a Male Psychology Section of the BPS, author of over 40 publications in peer-reviewed journals, a clinical hypnotherapist and Director of Research for the Male Psychology Network. Belinda Brown: Journalist who writes for the Daily Mail and Conservative Woman on gender issues and feminism. Martin Daubney: Best known as a Member of the European Parliament for the Brexit Party, Martin Daubney is also co-founder of the "Men & Boys Coalition" and was also a long-time editor of lad's mag "Loaded" magazine. Rafe Heydel-Mankoo of the New Culture Forum, historian & broadcaster. On #NCFCounterCulture this week, our panel discuss the myth of Toxic Masculinity and highly questionable statements on the "harmfulness" of "traditional masculinity" by gender studies academics as well as the American Psychological Association. Questions addressed: Are men under attack? Is there a gender pay gap? Why are white working-class males the most disadvantaged group in the United Kingdom? Why do men account for 3/4 of suicides? And why is suicide the leading cause of death for males under the age of 50? The panel argue that it is a LACK of masculinity that is the problem facing society today. (Such as fatherless families)