The Good Life: Andrew Leigh in Conversation
Our society places a lot of emphasis on 'smarts' but not enough on 'wisdom'. In this podcast, I seek out wise men and women to see what they can teach us about living a happier, healthier and more ethical life.
If there's a guest you'd like to hear on the podcast, please drop me an email to let me know.
The podcast is available through Spotify, Apple Podcasts or your favourite podcast app.
Thanks to 'The Podcast Reader' magazine, many of our episodes have been transcribed. We hope you enjoy reading them.
Transcripts
Leigh Sales on luck, doubt, trolls and what makes a great interview
ANDREW LEIGH: Leigh Peta Sales has worked as an Australian journalist for a quarter of a century. In that time, she has covered floods, murder trials, sporting scandals, surf accidents, and the Royal Brisbane show. She has worked in Brisbane, Sydney and Washington DC, interviewed innumerable world leaders including Hillary Clinton, Tony Blair, and celebrities like the Dalai Lama, Henry Kissinger, Leonardo DiCaprio and Patti Smith. Until moving to 7:30 in 2011 Leigh anchored the Lateline programme and before that was the ABCs national security correspondent. From 2001 to 2005, she was the network's Washington correspondent covering stories including the aftermath of September 11, and the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq. Leigh has two Walkley awards and is the author of three books Detainee 002: the case of David Hicks, On Doubt, and Any Ordinary Day. Her writing has appeared in numerous publications including the monthly in the Australian literary review, with Annabel Crabb Leigh hosts pop culture podcast Chat 10 Looks 3, which is nearly at its 100th episode. Leigh Sales, Welcome to The Good Life podcast.
Read moreMaree Crabbe on pornography and gender equality
ANDREW LEIGH, HOST: In the mid 2000s, Maree Crabbe was working as a youth worker with Brophy family Youth Services when she became aware that many of the troubled young men she was assisting had poor relationships with their partners and watched a lot of pornography. As someone who's worked on sexual violence prevention for more than two decades, Maree became increasingly interested in the role of pornography in shaping modern sexuality and relationships. It led her to produce two documentary films, Love and Sex in an Age of Pornography, and the Porn Factor. She has also produced in the picture resources to support secondary schools dealing with the rapid changes in the nature of pornography, and how young people consume pornography.
A warning to regular good life listeners. This is an episode about pornography. I think it's an important question in terms of thinking about how one lives a good life. But if you're listening with children, you might want to be aware that we're going to be talking about porn for the next hour or so. Right?
Welcome to the podcast. So hasn't porn always been around? I mean, what's changed?
Read moreSisonke Msimang on exile and home, hatred and belonging
UNCORRECTED TRANSCRIPT
ANDREW LEIGH, HOST: Sisonke Msimang describes herself and her sisters as born in exile, and says that they spent their whole lives making your way and making our way back home. Always Another Country chronicles her journey from South Africa through Zambia, Kenya, Canada, the United States, back to South Africa, Mozambique and finally to Australia. It's strong, punchy and funny. confronting the reader with a sense of the complexities of race and identity. At a time when many around the world are seeking to create racial divisions. It carries an urgency and a sense of wisdom that's sorely needed. Sisonke has written for a range of international publications, including the new york times the Washington Post's The Guardian, Newsweek, and Al Jazeera.
Okay, I want to start off with your father, who was the reason that you left South Africa. What was it that led him to become a freedom fighter for the ANC?
Read moreNat Heath on Ironman Triathlons and Indigenous Identity
ANDREW LEIGH, HOST: I first got to know Nat through my involvement with the indigenous marathon project. He's just the most relaxed bloke, somebody who is incredibly comfortable with his extraordinary athletic ability, and Nat has knocked off no fewer than six Iron Men run multiple marathons and can run a marathon in less than three hours. He is the manager for the Aboriginal services team at the New South Wales Department of Education, and has completed a Bachelor of Science, social science Majoring in Aboriginal studies, sociology and social policy. He’s somebody who's deeply steeped in the worlds of athletics, indigenous education, and somebody who at this particular moment in history, I thought could offer us some really fresh and thoughtful insights. Now, thanks so much for joining us in the good life podcast today.
NAT HEATH, FOUNDER AND CO-PRESIDENT OF TRIMOB AND INDIGENOUS MARATHON FOUNDATION BOARD DIRECTOR: Thanks for having me. Andrew. Just want to acknowledge that on meeting on Bidgigal country here in Sydney, currently based over in Maroubra, beautiful little suburb here in Sydney. And yeah, Big thanks for obviously giving up your time and having the interest to I guess, share my story and have a yarn with you.
Read moreCordelia Fine on female brains, boys' toys and other delusions of gender
UNCORRECTED TRANSCRIPT
ANDREW LEIGH, HOST: Have you ever thumbed through men are from Mars, women are from Venus. Have you ever heard a new parents say well, I used to think gender was all nurture. But then I gave my daughter a truck and she just tucked it into a bed. Or maybe you've heard people talk about the female brain and the male brain. Today's guest is the best antidote for those outdated views. Cordelia fine is a professor of history and philosophy of science at the University of Melbourne. She's author of three books including delusions of gender, and testosterone wrecks, and she's the recipient of the prestigious Edinburgh medal and the Royal Society science Book Prize. Cordelia is a brilliant thinker who's changed the way that I and many others think about gender. And I'm really chuffed to have her on the podcast today, Cordelia, thanks for joining us.
CORDELIA FINE, PHILOSOPHER, PSYCHOLOGIST, AUTHOR OF DELUSIONS OF GENDER: Thank you so much for having me.
Read moreJonathan Haidt on the coddling of the American mind
UNCORRECTED TRANSCRIPT
ANDREW LEIGH, HOST: Jonathan Haidt is a professor at New York University originally focused on cultural psychology who moved into political and moral psychology in recent decades. His three big books, The Happiness Hypothesis, The Righteous Mind and The Coddling of the American Mind with Greg Lukianoff, explore big questions in modern psychology. Today will be focused on the Coddling of the American mind book that Jonathan has been discussing recently on his visit to Australia. Jonathan. Welcome to the Good Life podcast.
JONATHAN HAIDT, SOCIAL PSYCHOLOGIST AND AUTHOR OF THE CODDLING OF THE AMERICAN MIND: Thank you Andrew. It's a pleasure to be talking with you. I had a great time in Australia a couple weeks ago.
Read moreJess Hill on power, control and domestic abuse
UNCORRECTED TRANSCRIPT
ANDREW LEIGH, HOST: Jess Hill is an investigative journalist. During her career, she has worked for the ABC's background briefing programme as Middle East correspondent for the Global Mail. In 2015, she was commissioned to write a piece about domestic violence for the monthly and found herself hooked by the topic. Four years later, she published See What You Made Me Do. Power Control and Domestic Abuse. Jess is the recipient of two Walkley awards on the stellar prize. She currently works is the inaugural journalist in residence at the University of Technology, Sydney. Jess, welcome to the Good Life podcast.
JESS HILL, AUTHOR OF SEE WHAT YOU MADE ME DO: Thank you, Andrew.
Read more