‘All we know is how little we know’ once stated the late Christopher Hitchens. As we continue to learn, vast amounts of new information and ideas that never previously penetrated our minds are opened. Human endeavour and understanding is achieved through knowledge and understanding; those of us who wish to further analysis in our short time on this planet should look to multiple sources to do so.
Recently, one of the most prolific forms of insight into new ideas and information is radio programmes or, for the more modern of us, podcasts. With the absence of visual images, ideas have to be summarised through their most powerful form: words. I am able to get on with multiple tasks while listening to discussion, debate and human understanding. Clearly, the most obvious radio station for this ‘intelligent debate’ is Radio 4 – the home to verbal human insight. All the time, I am looking for new programmes that expose different topics and give me an insight into vast amounts to knowledge. For foreign affairs, necessary not only for the global politics module of my A-level course but for general world understanding, From Our Own Correspondent with Kate Adie triumphs all else. For ethics, the Moral Maze (though I am intrigued to try Inside the Ethics Committee). As for understanding specific individuals and groups dominating current affairs, Profile and the Reunion respectively offer new slants on topics. Regarding humour, I must confess I have only listened to one episode of the News Quiz (and – shock horror – no full episode of Just a Minute). Yet there is one programme I have only recently discovered that has now become part of my weekly listening. The sort of programme where, every week, each new instalment is instantly required. From the title, you may have guessed that is Archive on 4. Constantly looking at the list of different programmes that are available, I heard an advertisement for, one decade on, discussion of the 2008 bailout by Gordon Brown’s government. Not having a vast amount of knowledge of economics or indeed the financial crisis I believed it would be worth the listen. It most certainly was: the programme had interviews with those at the top level of government, carefully describing the essential difficulties of making decisions – often while travelling - that would have an impact on Britain for decades to come. Having to bring RBS into public use, sort out Northern Rock, this information using original and archive footage (hence the name) was discussed. I felt informed, a deeper though similar level of understanding to the 'Bluffer’s Guide to...’ books. Above all, I was enlightened. It was only after initially listening I realized the programme about the bailout wasn’t a one off special but part of the regular series of discussion every Saturday evening; looking at history to understand the present, topics chosen often relevant to present events. The next week, a discussion of ‘Any Questions?’ at 70 – a programme I have had the privilege of seeing live and always like to live tweet most Fridays – was to take place, the panel including the fine Bonnie Greer and one of my favourite Times columnists Matthew Parris. Again, the discussion was extremely worthwhile and informative, the panel comparing whether they decided on notes before discussions, the soundbites they always forgot to say. There was even a time, I learnt when issues that were to be debated (or had been debated) in the House of Commons within 14 days couldn’t be discussed on air. You can just imagine the out roar if that were to be the case today. The programme concluded more what hadn’t changed despite remarkable advances in technology. The format and discussion element of the programme was basically the same. It was only the topics that changed. And so to broader topics in following and past weeks. Another astute Times writer, David Aaronovitch, examined the politics of nostalgia and how we enjoy looking back at the past. Where things really better in the past than today? My broad view is, while a great support in evolving social attitudes and the principles of the Enlightenment age – putting human advancement first – from what my parents tell me, the sense of community and cohesiveness today, undoubtedly affected by the technology I so welcome, is not what it is. On the programme, the left-wing activist Billy Bragg made the interesting distinction between tradition and nostalgia. The Durham Miners' Gala, celebrating the work of miners decades ago, could be classed as a traditional event for remembrance (like the vital poppy appeal). The left and right-wing conservatism of nostalgia however, could be seen as a barrier to progress. Al fascinating stuff. Just yesterday, I finished listening to discussion of the Cod Wars, much conflict between Iceland and the UK in the latter half of the 20th century over, yes, cod. Seen as the only challenge to Kant’s democratic peace theory, the broader discussion away from fish and over territory and control – so often the precepts for war – were analysed with people involved, both fisherman, fighters and politicians taking vital decisions. I realise that this understanding past events is so vital to truly appreciate the present and look forward to the future. Such programmes, for education, insight and understanding, for those that have no knowledge of the bailout or any family members from the Cod Wars, allow intellectual curiosity. Looking to future programmes, I see a discussion on how we remember the soldiers of WW1 and a detailed profile of the late Labour politician Barbara Castle are imminent. I can’t wait.
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