In this episode, Dara reflects on some Jewish insights into the Israel-Palestine conflict which he found both helpful and inspiring. He posits that in the act of dehumanising Palestinians, Israel ends up dehumanising itself, which is its own kind of tragedy.
Don’t Come Out Until You’re Sorry, or To Whom Do You Need to Atone? – Episode 131 Read More »
In this episode, Dara is exercised by the things we don’t say. Why is it so difficult to express how we really feel to those we have known longest? Why do we communicate so tangentially and clumsily? What intricate layering process happens to put truth so far out of easy reach?
Getting the Words Out, or The Things We Find Impossible to Say – Episode 127 Read More »
In this episode, Dara argues that in the process of ‘othering’, many are guilty of thinking only in monolithic terms, i.e. attributing unchanging characteristics to all members of the othered party. This reduces people to stereotypes and cliches, and robs them of both their individuality and the presumption of no bias. He wonders if this isn’t a huge part of the problem with discourse around identity politics, woke culture and gender wars.
Why You Shouldn’t Bring an Axe to a Party, or How to Sit Down with Others – Episode 121 Read More »
In this week’s episode Dara reflects on the passing of Queen Elizabeth II last week and examines his own feelings about the extraordinarily long reign of the deceased monarch. He looks at the fractious history between Ireland and Britain and pays particular attention to the different identities on either side of the Irish Sea and how very different levels of historical experience and education inform them.
The Death of a Queen and the Power of Totems – Episode 69 Read More »
Dara begins this week’s episode by looking at the Irish discomfort with self-approval and putting it in the context of small-island, village mentality. He argues that it is a product of a damaged national psyche that leaves many Irish people with a pathological self-deprecation born of superstition and distrust of success.
Why Idealism Matters and the Proximity Principle of Enmity – Episode 57 Read More »
In this topical episode, once he’s dealt with a Hollywood actor’s less than enthusiastic response to Jane Campion’s The Power of the Dog, Dara gets straight into the Russian invasion of Ukraine. He discusses Putin and looks at his possible motivations for such aggression, and also considers the larger geopolitical implications of the conflict.
Lovely Horse, Shame About the Tool on Top – Episode 41 Read More »
In this episode, once he’s finished breaking down, and being revolted by, the animal dynamics at Hashtag Blessed, Dara launches into a deep dive of conflict, taking as a first reference point an article on anger by A.C. Grayling. From there he ponders the concept of dehumanisation in the context of conflict.
You Wanna Peace of Me?, or The Rocky Road to Reconciliation – Episode 22 Read More »
In this episode, following some thoughts on Afghanistan and the Taliban, Dara reflects on conflict in his own life and looks particularly closely at his marriage and the diverging paths that have emerged there.
Conflict and the Place Where You Live – Episode 13 Read More »
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