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Jesse Mulligan presents an upbeat mix of the curious and the compelling, ranging from the stories of the day to the great questions of our time.
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Whenever we talk about misinformation, the state of democracy, or what new technology is doing to public debate, one book comes up over and over again even though it was written 40 years ago. Amusing Ourselves to Death; Public Discourse in the Age of Show Business by Neil Postman. It argued distraction would be our undoing, and once everything becomes entertainment, serious thought to take on serious issues is hard to come by. Neil Postman saw this coming long before social media feeds, constant scrolling, and smartphones in every pocket. Andrew Postman is a writer and Neil Postman's son, He wrote the introduction to the latest edition of his father's prescient book. He offers insights into the man who sounded the warning about mindless screentime all those years ago.
Time for Bookmarks, that's our weekly feature where we spend some time chatting to interesting people about what interests them. Today Laura Vincent is going to share what she likes to listen to, watch and read. Laura is a writer who recently published her first ever novel Hoods Landing, and just today she was announced as a finalist for the Ockham New Zealand Book Awards!
Kelly Gibney joins Jesse to share a recipe - click here if you would like it.
If you have a other travel story you'd like to share on Heading Off - then get in touch on 2101 or Jesse@afternoons.co.nz Today we're chatting to Chris Watson from Tauranga, about his road trip along the length of Africa.
Our Changing World host Claire Concannon chats to Jesse about what she's been discovering this week. Today they talk about the native species centrostephanus, the long spined urchin, and how it is threatening the Poor Knights Island marine reserve.
Twenty years ago, Tahi was a struggling cattle farm, today it's been transformed into a flourishing 800-acre eco-reserve on the Northland coast, home to 71 rare and endangered native birds. Dr John Craig has been involved with Tahi's transformation. John is a former Professor of Environmental Management and Deputy Dean of Science at the University of Auckland and co-designed the Tiritiri Matangi Open Sanctuary. He chats to Jesse.
You'll know Pene Pati as one third of the much-loved Sol3 Mio From singing in church halls in South Auckland with his brother Amitai Pati, to sold-out shows around the world and performing on some of the most prestigious opera stages, his journey has been nothing short of extraordinary. Now that story has been captured in a new documentary 'Tenor: My Name Is Pati' which is in cinemas from tomorrow 1:30 From farm to eco-reserve: How Tahi was created Twenty years ago, Tahi was a struggling cattle farm, today it's been transformed into a flourishing 800-acre eco-reserve on the Northland coast, home to 71 rare and endangered native birds. Dr John Craig has been involved with Tahi's transformation. John is a former Professor of Environmental Management and Deputy Dean of Science at the University of Auckland and co-designed the Tiritiri Matangi Open Sanctuary. He chats to Jesse.
David Rennie has been named the new All Blacks coach, beating out Jamie Joseph for what many call the most pressured job in world rugby. The former Chiefs and Wallabies coach will lead the national team through to the 2027 Rugby World Cup in Australia Rennie also becomes the first All Blacks coach with Pasifika heritage. For reaction veteran sports journalist and broadcaster Phil Gifford chats to Jesse.
In the hours after the attack on Iran, President Trump urged Iranians to "take over your government" and Prime Minister Netanyahu echoed that theme arguing that a regime change would be attainable. President Trump has since mused on who could lead Iran, saying they need "somebody that's there, that's currently popular, if there is such a person". But is it up to President Trump to decide? The Islamic Republic of Iran has led the country since 1979, so how easy would a regime change actually be? and what would that look like anyway? To help answer those questions Jesse is joined by Javed Ali is an associate professor at the University of Michigan. He has previously held positions at the Defense Intelligence Agency, the Department of Homeland Security, and the FBI. He also held a senior role at the National Security Council under the Trump Administration.
People pleasers are everywhere. They're the ones who put the needs of others first, carrying the load without complaint. They laugh at bad jokes, drop you off at the airport if you ask and never want to cause a fuss. It may look like kindness or sound like generosity, but psychologist Ingrid Clayton says it's often fear in disguise. She calls it fawning and says in many cases it's the reflex to please as a way to stay safe. It becomes a survival strategy learned early and practiced well. Dr Clayton traces where that impulse begins, how it shapes our relationships, and what it takes to unlearn it without losing our capacity to care. Fawning: Why the Need to Please Makes Us Lose Ourselves and How to Find Our Way Back' by Ingrid Clayton.
Tuesdays on Afternoons means we share a dilemma and you, our audience, decide the outcome. This week we're looking at a question from listener Katie, who asked if it's okay to track her elderly parents' location on her phone, despite them not wanting it. Let us know your thoughts - 2101 on the text!
A battle is being waged in the United States between a company called Anthropic and the US Pentagon, and it's all over rules about using AI for mass domestic surveillance and autonomous weapons. Anthropic is refusing to comply with requests from the Pentagon, and now President Trump has announced the entire federal government will stop working with Anthropic. Finn Hogan joins Jesse to explain why we should care, and shares introductory tips for using AI to your benefit.
Afternoons book critic Catherine Robertson has been binge reading crime novels and joins Jesse to share her thoughts on: City of Vengeance by D.V. Bishop (Pan McMillan) Dead Man's Axe by Bing Turkby (Guitarmerston North) Exit Strategy by Lee and Andrew Child (Bantam)
It's time for Mayoral minutes, where we speak with a local mayor about the challenges they're facing, how they're working to solve them, and what makes their community special. Today we're heading to the Porirua, from where Mayor Anita Baker joins Jesse.
We were delighted to receive an email last week from the Mohua Marine Trust, one of Afternoons' Critter of the week t-shirt fund recipients They wanted to share their progress on their latest project, so Secretary of the Trust Neil Wilson joins Jesse with an update.
There are calls for the Misuse of Drugs act to be thrown out with experts arguing that rather than reducing drug-related harm, the 50-year-old act is "instead a major driver of harm". Leading researchers from the University of Otago and the NZ Drug Foundation are urging politicians to work together to update the law with a modern framework focused on health and justice outcomes To discuss the issue is University of Otago Professor Michael Baker, one of the authors of a public health communication centre briefing on the topic.
This week, there's a new exhibition in Auckland that brings together some New Zealand's most exciting designers and makers. It's called 'In the Making,' and has everything from weaving and welding, to working with discarded materials, and it offers a look into our current design identity. One of those involved is artist, designer and inventor Adam Ben-Dror, he joins Jesse.
Throughout the world there are certain strategic passageways on which global trade is dependent on. One of those is The Strait of Hormuz. It's a narrow outlet of the Persian Gulf and is a major shipping lane for the world, ships crossing it carry around one fifth of global oil supplies. That strait has now become a major focus of concern as the conflict in the Middle East really heats up. To find out what happens when shipping channels and supply chains start to fracture, and how it could affect us here in New Zealand, Jesse is joined by Sherelle Kennelly, CEO of NZ Customs Brokers and Freight Forwarder.
Most of us say we want more patience and we want it now. But suffering a bit while waiting in line or for a text response from a friend is good for you says Dr Sarah Schnitker. She's a Professor of Psychology and Neuroscience at Baylor University, where she directs the Science of Virtues Lab. Dr Schnitker says our penchant for speed and ease is undermining important attributes like persistence. Her research shows that people with patience are healthier and often happier. Dr. Schnitker invites us to tolerate, even embrace the everyday frustrations of waiting at work and at home.
Actor Claire Chitham joins Jesse to share what she's been watching on the box. Today she reviews: How to Get to Heaven from Belfast (Netflix) Wonder Man (Disney)
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