EP 70: Primal Screams
Who am I? What am I here for? These are fundamental questions in life — and throughout human history, they’ve often been answered through relationships to kin. But with the collapse of the family unit and the atomization of individuals, Tara's guest on today’s program argues, we have become unmoored. And we are now experiencing a crisis in identity, “a psychic howl” that’s shaping our culture and politics in profound ways. Mary Eberstadt is an American essayist, novelist, and cultural critic....
15 Feb 202329min
EP 69: The Year the World Went Mad
In July of 2020, in The New Statesman, Tara's guest on today’s program wrote, “I fear that history will judge lockdown as a monumental mistake on a truly global scale.” At that time, there was surprisingly little debate over an unprecedented public health intervention. But that dialogue is starting to happen now, and Tara's guest’s recent book is one reason why. Mark Woolhouse is a professor of infectious disease epidemiology at the University of Edinburgh. He’s also the author of The Y...
8 Feb 202332min
EP 68: The New Puritans
This past week in Canada, a controversy erupted around the National Arts Centre’s plans to reserve an upcoming theatre performance for Black audience members only, with many questioning why any organization would want to open the door for racial segregation, in any form. (And indeed, since this podcast was recorded, the NAC has issued an updated press release, indicating “everyone is welcome at all our shows.”) It’s the latest example of a movement that, as my guest on today’s program argues,...
1 Feb 202333min
EP 67: 'If you have the wrong opinions, it will cost you'
Without freedom of expression, there can be no great art. Artists must have the ability to express themselves fearlessly, and take risks, in order to create authentic work. So, what happens when this fundamental value is eroded within our culture? It’s a question that Tara's guest on the podcast today has thought a lot about — and one he tackles in his first Substack newsletter, dedicated to a recent incident which saw London’s Field Day Festival rescind a booking request for the rapper...
25 Jan 202330min
EP 66: 'As scientists, we have strong criteria for what we accept is true'
On the Lean Out podcast, we’ve talked a lot about the state of open debate in our society. The public conversation these days frequently involves highly contentious and nasty arguments — and science is no exception. Michael Powell at The New York Times recently reported out one such example, involving the naming of a telescope after a late NASA head, and allegations of homophobia. Several of the scientists behind the movement to rename the telescope have issued a statement since The New York ...
18 Jan 202336min
EP 65: 'Journalists are not supposed to be liked'
In recent weeks on the Lean Out podcast, we’ve been doing a deep dive into the rise of independent journalism, and looking at some of the big stories that independent journalists broke this past year. Tara's guest on today’s program, taped in December, saw several of her own pieces draw international attention in 2022 — including her reporting on the trucker convoy crisis in Ottawa, and, as we’ll discuss today, her reporting around Canada’s controversial Medical Assistance in Dying prog...
11 Jan 202328min
EP 64: 'You feel the desperation of people who are understanding their own irrelevance'
One year ago today, the Lean Out podcast launched with an interview with the American journalist Batya Ungar-Sargon. Now, 12 months later, Lean Out has listeners in 135 countries and 2900 cities. To mark this milestone — our first anniversary — we invited Batya back on the show to talk through some of the big stories of 2022. Batya Ungar-Sargon is the deputy opinion editor at Newsweek, and the author of Bad News: How Woke Media Is Undermining Democracy. You can find Tara Henley on ...
5 Jan 202330min
EP 63: 'There’s a lot of people just trying to hold on to their jobs'
Throughout the month of December, here on Lean Out, we’ve been having conversations with the independent journalists that we admire. Today, Tara is happy to welcome back to the podcast a writer and thinker whose work kept us sane during the pandemic. Meghan Daum is an essayist and author. She’s a former columnist for the L.A. Times, host of The Unspeakable podcast, and with Sarah Haider, co-host of the podcast A Special Place In Hell. You can find Tara Henley on Twitter at @TaraRHenley,...
28 Dec 202231min
