Claim OwnershipJohn Anderson: Conversations
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Join Former Deputy Prime Minister of Australia John Anderson in conversation with some of the world's foremost thought leaders, to examine in detail the social, cultural and political landscape we live in today.
175 Episodes
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1In this interview, John Anderson speaks with Peter Court and Walter Purio, experts in maritime security, about Australia's vulnerabilities in shipping logistics and maritime defence.
They highlight Australia's lack of domestically registered international trading ships, leaving the country heavily reliant on foreign vessels. They also examine the economic and strategic risks posed by this dependency, especially during crises.
In this conversation, John joins Alexander Downer to explore the significant geopolitical challenges of today, drawing comparisons to the dangerous period of the 1930s.
Alexander warns of potential large-scale conflicts stemming from entanglements in Ukraine, the Middle East, and the South China Sea, emphasizing the need for a strong, principled approach to foreign policy.
Dennis Prager joins John to explore the deepening divisions in America today. Concerned with the destructive tendencies of left-wing movements, Dennis points to growing difficulties for young men and women who are deprived of the structure and blessings of Western civilisation.
He emphasises that while these issues are daunting, despair is not an option, echoing his belief that "despair is a sin.” Confronting the polarising shifts between red and blue states, which give little reasons for hope, Dennis opts to fight for goodness and truth on principle, regardless of the odds for victory.
Professor Hanson joins John to discuss his new book The End of Everything, as well as the considerable unrest across America in the lead up to the 2024 Presidential election. They unpack the recent turmoil in higher education and its aggravation due to the unchecked left-wing ideology of those in leadership. They also discuss the unassailable appeal of Trump among Republican voters due to his outsider status and thick skin.
They finish on a discussion of his new book The End of Everything, examining various historical parallels with our time, and the importance of recognising patterns of decline to prevent another civilisational catastrophe.
In this interview, John talks to highly esteemed author, commentator and theologian, Dr Albert Mohler.
Dr Mohler and John discuss the political history and landscape of America in the lead up to the 2024 presidential election.
Dr Mohler explores Christian perspectives on American politics, including the difficult choice both President Trump and Biden present to voters due to their disqualifying ethical views and character traits.
They also address the rise of Christian nationalism, and the misunderstandings and hostilities towards evangelicalism.
In this interview, John is joined by author and journalist Helen Joyce to discuss the recent Cass review and its revelations that medical treatment for children with gender confusion has rested on ‘shaky foundations’.
John and Helen talk about the history of transgenderism, where it stems from and where it is going. Helen explores the demographics affected by transgender ideology, namely, the large number of children that fall prey to it, and the struggles their parents face in trying to help them.
Helen explains the insidious impact of this ideology on the institutions, including the fallout from the Tavistock scandal in the United Kingdom.
In this interview, John talks to Dave Rubin, author, TV personality and political commentator. John and Dave discuss the current political landscape of America, commenting on the upcoming US election in a time of deep polarisation.
Dave examines the ineptitude found in the political class, and the contrasting roles of Generation X and Z for securing a hopeful future in America.
In this interview John speaks with Molly Worthen, a highly acclaimed religious historian and journalist. They explore religious liberty, separation of church and state, and the impact of Christianity on America.
Molly also speaks about her journey from thoughtful pragmatist to Christian convert, which has only occurred in recent years.
John sits down with Konstantin Kisin to discuss a variety of topics, from the war in Ukraine, to multiculturalism and the gradual decline of the West, as well as what it's like to grow up on a farm.
Raised in the Soviet Union, Konstantin is not persuaded by leftist visions of utopia, and exhorts reasonable people to speak out against the 'woke mob'. He also argues that multiculturalism should be rebranded as multi-ethnic societies with a 'mono-culture', uniting everyone from different backgrounds.
In this interview, John sits down with Conservative MP Danny Kruger at the recent ARC conference to discuss his role in the rise of 'New Conservatism'.
Danny argues that over time the UK government has drifted away from the will of the people, eroding traditional values and focusing on global over domestic interests. This shift has provided an opportunity for conservatives to unite the country, appealing to basic traditional values people still possess, even in typically safe labor seats.
This change was most evident in the Brexit referendum of 2016 and the election of Boris Johnson in 2019. Kruger argues that this 'New Conservatism' is not a matter of changing values, but rather returning to the values that the public never gave up, such as family, national sovereignty, and patriotism.
In this interview, John has an in-depth discussion with renowned historian and writer Victor Davis Hanson. They discuss a wide range of topics including immigration, the current state of tertiary education, the condition of the Biden administration, and the 2024 presidential election.
John and Victor talk about changing demographics in politics, and how, against all odds, younger generations are tending towards independent, rather than institutionalised, views.
Victor also addresses the conflicts in Israel and Ukraine, critiquing the concept of proportionality in war, and examining the extent to which western countries should be involved. Lastly, they explore emerging concerns about immigration, now that Americans are identifying it as one of the most important issues for the coming election.
In this interview, John sits down with Mary Harrington for a discussion on a wide range of topics, from the advantages of conformity to transhumanism.
Mary shares her journey from radical leftist and non-conformist, to discovering fulfillment in embracing traditional societal expectations. She uses her story to highlight our obsession with non-conformity, as is so often modelled in popular media.
She also offers commentary on elitism and the current state of democracy, arguing that its current form fails to represent the will of the masses. This, she suggests, is due to their diminishing leverage over the ruling class in the modern age.
Mary is a brave and original thinker who offers a perspective that will challenge the beliefs of any listener, regardless of their political or philosophical leanings.
In this interview, John speaks with British political scientist, Matthew Goodwin.
Matthew recounts the emergence of a new class of elites and the ways in which they have diverged from the more traditional British ruling class, and more importantly, from the general public.
In this interview, John speaks with evangelical author Prof. Nancey Pearcey.
Pearcey offers valuable insights into issues surrounding the concept of masculinity, from the importance of fatherhood, to the history of the nuclear family, and the impact of Christianity on marriage. She argues that the latest sociological research shows that faithful Christian men make the most stable marriages, loving fathers, and happy families despite claims Christianity makes men "toxic".
Pearcey also critiques the modern loathing poured onto young boys and how it is manifesting in poor educational, physical, and familial outcomes. As a result, male social media influencers who present a harmful version of masculinity which encourages promiscuity and the rejection of marriage, have gained widespread support amongst young men. John and Pearcey conclude that to reverse these harmful effects, we should value fatherhood, promote positive Christian masculinity which is grounded in responsibility, and stop the open disdain of men in the public square.
In this conversation, John speaks with political scientist and international relations scholar Professor John Mearsheimer about the recent war in Ukraine, and the potential for conflict in Taiwan.
Mearsheimer argues for what he calls 'offensive realism,' which holds that conflicts between states are driven by the need to maximize power in relation to other states. This is in contrast to the heterodox liberal framework, which Mearsheimer contends was only tenable under the recently ended ‘unipolar’ era. Using this framework, Mearsheimer famously predicted the recent Russian invasion, arguing that it was an inevitable outcome of NATO's eastward expansion.
John sits down with Cambridge University Associate Professor James Orr to discuss multiculturalism, religion, and the therapeutic nature of modern society.
He contends that religious communities are ‘bunkers’ in the modern world, acting as places of refuge from culture. Moreover, Dr. Orr addresses his controversial tweet, ‘import the Arab world, become the Arab world’, unpacking the complexities of multiculturalism. He also discusses how our increasingly therapeutic culture has had serious ramifications on our understanding of suffering, and on our relationship to the law and to the state.
John is re-joined by pre-eminent historian Niall Ferguson to analyse the latest conflict between Israel and Hamas. Ferguson argues that due to the nature of Hamas’ urban warfare, tunnel systems and civilian shields, Israel will have a long and difficult campaign ahead. He also points out that the decline in Western support for Israel, particularly in the younger generations, is due to a woke university system propagating Islamist and left-wing viewpoints, attempting to create a moral equivalence between the October 7 terrorist attacks and Israel’s response.
In this conversation, John sits down with journalist and author Douglas Murray to discuss the war on Western culture in light of the recent conflict between Israel and Hamas.
Murray argues that Western Civilisation is being eroded by the collapse of history, faith and moral clarity. This cultural decay, Murray suggests, has been caused by a variety of factors including illegal immigration, secularisation, identity politics and the rise of radical Islam. Nonetheless, Murray is encouraged by the growing support for initiatives like the Alliance for Responsible Citizenship (ARC) and a common sense middle class who reject elitist identity politics.
John sits down with journalist and author Peter Hitchens to discuss the ongoing conflict between Israel and Hamas. This conversation was filmed on the 26th of October.
While Hitchens labels himself as 'pro-Israel' he argues against their current course of action as both politically and militarily disasterous. Moreover, Hitchens is a self-proclaimed 'free speech absolutist' which he discusses in the context of anti-Semitic speech and the ongoing political challenges facing Britain.
John is joined by military historian Victor Davis Hanson to discuss the escalating conflict in the Middle East. This conversation was recorded on Wednesday the 18th of October.
Hanson argues that Israel is in a unique position to retaliate unencumbered by American opposition, due to the bi-partisan support it currently has in the US. However, he contends that conflicts like this, and others such as the war in Ukraine, would probably not have transpired had President Trump still been at the helm.
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that was very entertaining i really in joyed this chat
Honest analysis that Defence needs to heed. Would be curious to learn how New Zealand adds another layer of complexity.
Great interview ❤️ Thank you, both. 🇺🇸🇺🇸
Very good episode. VDH is the bomb!!
Thank you Mr Hughes. 🙏I am definitely going to share this episode around. I really appreciate you.
"A strong sense of human agency"! LOVE IT. Listen to this guy
Bjorn Lomborg👍 Climate justice warriors really should listen to this episode. So much raw material to ingest and learn. This guy has really given me some hope. Society needs to stop thinking reducing carbon emissions is any type of an answer for what is being called "climate change" nowadays.
Wonderful interview.
👍Smart lady.
If you are worried about climate changes, you should have a listen to this episode, and relax a little bit. Dr. Ferguson is very well informed. trigger warning : Mr President is mentioned😵
Great guest. "Leadership is not about the leader..... ". That really messes with my mind 😳
Listening to these two gentlemen speak just reaffirms my belief that leaders of this caluber are a vanishing breed. None of the so called leaders on the stage today are worthy to tie these men's shoes.