What are we doing when we make promises?

FromThe Minefield

Start listening View podcast show

What are we doing when we make promises?

FromThe Minefield

ratings:

Length:

54 minutes

Released:

Jun 17, 2021

Format:

Podcast episode

Description

Should we be bound by the constraints of our former self, and the promises we have made in the past? Is moral progress a matter of consistency with one’s previous self, away from one’s previous self, or toward ever-enriching relationships with others?

Released:

Jun 17, 2021

Format:

Podcast episode

Titles in the series (100)

In a world marked by wicked social problems, The Minefield helps you negotiate the ethical dilemmas, contradictory claims and unacknowledged complicities of modern life.

Skip carousel

Should children be given the vote?: Cambridge historian and host of the Talking Politics podcast, David Runciman, has put forward a radical proposal to extend the vote to children as young as six. Waleed Aly and Scott Stephens discuss whether this is just what is needed to recover a healthy democratic culture. by The Minefield
47 min listen
False necessities: Is 'taste' enough to morally justify the mass slaughter of animals?: Is our culinary enjoyment enough to justify a complicity in cruelty which our fellow citizens find reprehensible? by The Minefield
48 min listen
2019 — the year where nothing really mattered?: What stands out to you about 2019? This week, for the last show of 2019, Waleed and Scott discuss the year that was, what it all meant, and what it means for the future of our common life. by The Minefield
41 min listen
Is COVID-19 bringing the best, or worst, out of our politics?: Is the pandemic having a chastening effect on our politics, bringing voters back to the real-world consequences of political decisions, or is the pandemic in fact playing right into the hands of populist politicians, creating ideal conditions in which to fan the flames or fear, resentment and mutual suspicion? by The Minefield
54 min listen
Can we overcome terminal disagreement in our politics and morality?: If the recent glut of "democracy in crisis" books is anything to go by, there is a sense that something has gone wrong in our common life. Social psychologist Jonathan Haidt has diagnosed the increasing 'tribalism' in and of our civic and political life particularly acutely, and he joins Waleed and Scott to discuss whether and how we might break free from its Manichean absolutism. by The Minefield
45 min listen
After the death of George Floyd: The death of 46-year-old George Floyd at the hands of Minneapolis police was both shocking and sickeningly familiar. What are the protesters communicating about the moral content of the police-killing of black men and women? by The Minefield
49 min listen
International Women’s Day – cause for celebration, or commiseration?: The corporate rebranding of International Women’s Day (IWD) couldn’t be further from the day’s revolutionary roots, or any meaningful discussion of women’s liberation. It negates any discussion of the nature of power under patriarchy, and how relations of power between women and men might be genuinely transformed. by The Minefield
39 min listen
Should the police be abolished?: Following the deaths of Breonna Taylor, George Floyd and Rayshard Brooks, there are serious calls to defund or even "abolish" the police in the United States. It’s a serious proposal, and it deserves to be taken seriously. But what does it mean, and how can it be done? Yale Law School Professor Tracey Meares joins us to discuss what police abolition looks like. by The Minefield
40 min listen
What’s wrong with swearing?: These days, mass culture, movies, commercial television, music, novels are awash with language that once would have been deemed beyond the pale. Does it still make sense to speak of 'obscene language'? What makes words 'obscene'? Can obscene language be used in such a way that removes the taint from what they refer to? by The Minefield
46 min listen
False necessities: Is economic growth a moral good?: Is economic growth a virtuous circle or a Faustian treadmill that benefits some and immiserates others (human and not)? by The Minefield
48 min listen
Can we cultivate social solidarity in a time of physical distancing?: Any meaningful recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic will require imagination, risk, solidarity and vulnerability; it will mean refusing to ‘free-ride’ and a willingness to sacrifice. How can we cultivate this capacity for social solidarity in our time of social fragmentation and mutual distancing? by The Minefield
45 min listen
Why does democracy demand transparency?: Does representative democracy depend on practices of public scrutiny, or exercises of 'popular sovereignty' between elections? by The Minefield
48 min listen
Is literary fiction necessary for the moral life?: What does a society lose when it neglects the moral discipline of reading literary fiction? by The Minefield
46 min listen
What does the coronavirus reveal about us?: Is there a way of responding to the coronavirus that is both effective and ethical? That contributes to the tasks of social cohesion and mutual concern? by The Minefield
41 min listen
What if the greatest threat to a free media was from within?: Our lives are saturated with 'news'; but far from creating informed citizens, this is producing forgetful, inattentive citizens. Megan Le Masurier joins us to discuss whether "slow journalism" could help us remember what matters. by The Minefield
43 min listen
The dangers of 'clipification': The media has always been in the business of isolating and mass circulating 'newsworthy' pieces or slivers of reality. But we are living in an age of 'clipification', where reality itself is broken up into highlights tailor-made to be shared and viewed again and again. What does democracy look like in an age of 'clipification'? by The Minefield
51 min listen
Ordinary vices: What’s wrong with lying?: This week on The Minefield, we explore what Montaigne referred to as "that accursed vice" — the most corrupt and all-corrupting of them all: lying. by The Minefield
44 min listen
How can we live with coronavirus uncertainty?: In little more than a month, the coronavirus has exploded the sense of certainty, confidence, optimism and control on which so much of modern life, the economy and politics are predicated. Were these always just illusions? by The Minefield
38 min listen
In the aftermath of the Iowa caucus …: Every four years, a disproportionate amount of attention is focused on the unlikely midwestern state of Iowa. In a very real way, the Iowa caucuses encapsulate the profound political and ethical challenges that confront the Democratic Party in its bid to defeat Donald Trump in November — challenges that continue to bedevil democratic politics in other countries: How to mobilise voters around a common cause, without tipping over into either absolutism or unprincipled, 'whatever-it-takes' pragmatism? by The Minefield
50 min listen
Is capitalism inimical to ethics?: Does capitalism cultivate an ethos, an understanding of the nature of social relations and mutual obligation that is inimical to what might be called the demands of "democratic morality"? by The Minefield
20 min listen
Is it time to end simulated sex on television and film?: Why, in the light of the #MeToo movement, have we not questioned the aesthetic, much less moral, justification for the disproportionate amount of nudity and simulated sex required of female actors? Do we really need to prolong this puerile reliance on sex to attract viewers? by The Minefield
46 min listen
Has Trump revealed democracy’s fragility or resilience?: During the week in which American voters cast their verdict on Trump’s term in office, it makes sense to ask: To what extent is Trump to blame for America’s political malaise? In what ways might Joe Biden’s nomination be a sign of democratic hopefulness? by The Minefield
47 min listen
2020 — why does the future look so much like the past?: Back in 2008, newly elected prime minister Kevin Rudd convened a summit of Australia’s "best and brightest" to discuss what kind of nation they wanted Australia to be in 2020. Now that we’re here, 2020 doesn’t look very much like the future at all. What happened? Is there a lesson here about the importance of adopting a sceptical posture, a profound reticence to claim to know, much less predict, our political future? Or are we just reading the wrong signs? by The Minefield
48 min listen
After the fires, are we invited to moral community with trees?: Over the summer months, Australia has witnessed the devastation of forests and the immolation of wildlife on an unimaginable scale. The emotional or even the tragic content of the bushfires has been — understandably — reserved for the loss of human life and home and livelihood, and for the loss of some non-human animals. But why do we grieve fauna and not flora? What if these fires present to us an invitation we refuse to heed: an invitation to rediscover moral companionship, moral community with trees? by The Minefield
44 min listen
Ordinary vices: Is pride an affront to, or the basis of, dignity?: Can pride be ‘redeemed’, and form the basis of human dignity, or is pride as such a form of moral corruption, a debased form of moral vision? by The Minefield
41 min listen
Can we avoid cruelty in the face of COVID-19?: As societies, we are having to grapple with the question of whether some will be made to bear a disproportionate amount of the cost of our collective response to COVID-19. by The Minefield
37 min listen
What if COVID-19 doesn’t go away?: What if the hoped for COVID-19 vaccine is delayed by months – or years? Do we have the emotional and interpersonal resources to bear up under the strain? Alda Balthrop-Lewis joins Waleed Aly and Scott Stephens to discuss the habits and practices which might help us cultivate the kind of inner life, and life with others, that could see us through the pandemic. by The Minefield
46 min listen
Why do we want celebrities to be 'authentic'?: Why it is that we want to know the 'truth' about celebrities? What happens when the very promise of transparency, of authenticity — of intimacy, even — becomes part of the carefully cultivated appearance of celebrity itself? by The Minefield
46 min listen
Can you enjoy sport without crowd noise?: Teams across codes and countries are facing the prospects of competing in empty or largely empty stadiums. Whatever that might mean for the players themselves, the lack of crowd noise is proving too off-putting for fans watching from home. Kasey Symons from Swinburne University joins us to discuss why. by The Minefield
47 min listen
Ordinary vices: Ingratitude: Many of us are prone to express our sense of having hardship inflicted upon us by the COVID-19 pandemic — only to be reminded that someone else, somewhere else, has it much worse than we do. Waleed Aly and Scott Stephens discuss when we are permitted to complain, without being guilty of ingratitude. by The Minefield
48 min listen

More Episodes from The Minefield

Skip carousel

Is international law powerless in the face of conflicts like Gaza?: At a time when so many eyes are on international courts, is their apparent failure to protect civilians in Gaza — or to punish the perpetrators of 7 October — further damaging an already shaky public confidence in the concept of international law? by The Minefield
54 min listen
If chatbots are polluting the commons of human communication, what are the moral consequences?: It’s 18 months since the technology company OpenAI made its wildly popular interface with an advanced large language model — GPT-4 — available to the public. What has ChatGPT done to the habits of thought and consideration that produce distinctly human expression? by The Minefield
54 min listen
What are the ethical, and legal, limits of protests at Australian universities?: Protests are, by their nature, unequivocal and univocal. They tend to avoid nuance or fine distinctions, and most often do not invite dialogue. They make demands. Does the particular vocation of universities place ethical limits on the forms of expression available to protestors? by The Minefield
54 min listen
The decency of everyday life — are unwritten rules enough to sustain a good society?: Reciprocity, cooperation, kindness, turn-taking, forbearance, empathy, experimentation — can these counter the decidedly illiberal, impatient, anti-pluralistic, well-nigh apocalyptic energies that now seem resurgent in parts of the West? by The Minefield
54 min listen
What will endure? The ethics of “Groundhog Day”: During the pandemic, there was a sudden renewal of interest in Harold Ramis’s 1993 film “Groundhog Day” — especially its bleaker aspects. But this missed its sophistication and humanity, to say nothing of its acute depiction of moral growth. by The Minefield
55 min listen
After the stabbings in Sydney — Grief? Anger? Revenge?: Residents of Sydney have found themselves understandably overwhelmed by the compound traumas of two stabbing attacks in three days. How are we to make sense of the cycling-through of emotions in response to shocking public violence? by The Minefield
53 min listen
What’s fueling the tension between the courts and the media?: There has been an odd confluence of events over the past couple weeks that has managed to intensify the sense of a conflict between two of our most important democratic institutions: the law and the media. by The Minefield
54 min listen
What would the moral obligation to avoid civilian deaths look like in Gaza?: Does the failure on the part of Israel to enable the provision of humanitarian aid or to do everything in its power to prevent civilian casualties suggest “a blameworthy indifference to Palestinian lives”? by The Minefield
53 min listen
Ramadan — the rediscovery of society: It is important to remember that Thoreau’s motivation for withdrawing was neither escapism nor apolitical quietism. The fact that he departed on 4 July signals an invitation to discover a different way of living together. by The Minefield
54 min listen
Ramadan — the importance of friendship: If Thoreau regards withdrawal and solitude as means by which we learn to escape self-deception, then they may well be little more than preparation for the moral demands friends make of one another. by The Minefield
53 min listen
Ramadan — the discipline of solitude: Solitude is neither alone-ness nor idleness. It is strenuous and takes practice. Solitude does not simply happen in the way that isolation or loneliness does — it must be inhabited. by The Minefield
53 min listen
Ramadan — the necessity of withdrawing: Are periodic bouts of withdrawal from life’s urgent demands and heated debates necessary to regain a sense of our shared humanity, and to renew the commitments that sustain the moral life? by The Minefield
54 min listen
Q+A on “the wisdom of crowds”: Waleed Aly, Scott Stephens and philosopher Stephanie Collins field questions from a live studio audience on crowd-behaviour, conformity and the importance of dissent. by The Minefield
53 min listen
How much credence should we give to “the wisdom of crowds”?: Ever since Plato, “crowds” have been associated with irrationality, emotivism, conformism, short-term thinking, and herd-like behaviour. But what if it turns out that crowds are collectively more intelligent than their individual members? by The Minefield
53 min listen
When is it right to call some act – or someone – “evil”?: What are we trying to convey when we reach for a word like “evil”? Is it something about a person’s actions or character? Is it what they do or the manner in which they do it? by The Minefield
54 min listen
From Beyoncé to Taylor Swift — what’s behind the mass appeal of live music events?: It is worth reflecting, not just on what is singular about Taylor Swift at this particular cultural moment — why she attracts both the loyalty and the animus that she does — but on what it is about live music events that now draw millions of people to them. by The Minefield
54 min listen
What is the harm in “deepfakes” — and what are they doing to democracy?: Over the last 18 months, enormously powerful generative AI tools have been placed in the hands of anyone who wants them; as a consequence, the internet and our social media feeds have been inundated with wholly or partially synthetic content. by The Minefield
54 min listen
How can trust be cultivated in a time of pervasive suspicion?: Because it is sustained by nothing more substantial than a weave of trusted institutions, shared habits and moral commitments, democracies are highly susceptible to the corrosive effects of distrust; Jedediah Purdy joins Waleed and Scott to discuss the necessary conditions for democratic life. by The Minefield
54 min listen
What do we lose by succumbing to conspiracy-mindedness?: Ours is a time when institutional distrust, digital disinformation and mutual suspicion have become pervasive — but can democracy withstand epistemic and social fragmentation of this kind? by The Minefield
53 min listen
In a screen saturated age, is literacy under threat?: Professor Maryanne Wolf joins Waleed Aly and Scott Stephens to discuss whether we are entering an age of widespread moral illiteracy — an incapacity to engage in the processes that make up the habit of deep reading. by The Minefield
54 min listen
What do we lose when we lose the capacity for boredom?: It is fair to say that boredom is a distinctly modern terror. But, as Stan Grant discusses with Waleed and Scott, what if existential boredom points us to our deeper need? by The Minefield
54 min listen
Goya’s “Saturn” and its moral challenge: Spanish painter Francisco de Goya’s depiction of Saturn eating his son is a haunting portrait of lust and the fear of one’s own finitude. Christos Tsiolkas joins Waleed and Scott to look into that darkness, and discover what looks back. by The Minefield
54 min listen
Politics, farce ... and Fawlty Towers: Now that John Cleese has announced that the iconic series will return, it’s worth examining what made Fawlty Towers a masterpiece — and whether its interaction with the political climate of the 1970s had anything to do with it. by The Minefield
53 min listen
What are playlists doing to our ability to listen to music?: Platforms like Spotify have transformed the way people listen to music through their use of recommendation algorithms and customised playlists designed to cater to either a particular activity or a particular mood. by The Minefield
53 min listen
Dickens’s philosophy of generosity: Revisiting “A Christmas Carol”, 180 years on: Australian novelist Briohny Doyle joins Waleed Aly and Scott Stephens to examine Charles Dickens’s unforgettable tale of misanthropy and remorse, and discover how its aesthetic techniques and ethical vision continue to speak to us today. by The Minefield
54 min listen
How much should we expect from the state?: What is a state for? How does its nature, actions, and limits differ from other corporate bodies? Is the relationship of a state to its citizens fundamentally that of a service provider to its clients? by The Minefield
54 min listen
Should drivers of electric vehicles be taxed more to use the roads?: If we are not careful, the use of incentives to encourage people to purchase electric vehicles could backfire by offending our sense of fairness. by The Minefield
54 min listen
What is social cohesion, what cultivates it, and what undermines it?: The latest Mapping Social Cohesion report from the Scanlon Foundation paints a complex picture that helps us understand the conditions within which social cohesion is able to strengthen, and those factors which cause it to become brittle and even break down. by The Minefield
54 min listen
What is the moral case for a ceasefire in Gaza?: Calls for an end to the devastation of Gaza, and the death and displacement of its residents, reached a crescendo on Remembrance Day. While the moral case is compelling, it raises questions that are complex and consequential. by The Minefield
52 min listen
What’s behind the anger? On Virginia Woolf’s “A Room of One’s Own”: Nearly a century after its publication, Australian novelist Charlotte Wood joins Waleed and Scott to discuss what Virginia Woolf’s essay tell us about egotism, contempt, creative freedom and the possibility of moral transformation. by The Minefield
54 min listen

Related podcast episodes

Skip carousel

Past Relationships by Relationship Anxiety
13 min listen
January 14, 2010: Past lives are fascinating to revisit and learn from. Is it necessary to heal a past life in order to grow or accomplish our desires? Could we have dreaded past lives that are holding us back from our abundance? Call in and find out about your past lives! by The Marie Manuchehri Podcast
55 min listen
Can You Be Friends With Your Ex?: Should you be friends with your ex? After a divorce or breakup, being friends with an ex can seem appealing, especially if you're co-parenting. Making the transition from partners to pals is possible. But without radical self-honesty and clear... by Love, Happiness and Success with Dr. Lisa Marie Bobby
49 min listen
Relationship with Your Past and Future Self: We have a relationship with our past self. Many of us don't think fondly of who we used to be and the things we may or may not have done. We have a lot of judgements on how we should have been different. But all this judgement and... by Living and Loving Your Life with Chantel Allen
23 min listen
Your 5 Hidden Childhood Wounds: Understanding Their Impact on Your Gentle Parenting Journey by Parenting With Understanding™ Podcast
46 min listen
Dissecting Morality: Error Theory | Matt Lutz by Brain in a Vat
62 min listen
Embracing Change: The Biggest Version of You by Seasoned Dialogue with Lisa-Marie
1 min listen
The regrets and upsets from the past that you just can't seem to get over: Do you have any regrets? Are you upset about your behavior or a loved one's behavior from long ago and just can't seem to get over it? Who you were in the past doesn't equate to who you are today. If you are going to get past some of the regrets or... by The Overwhelmed Brain
57 min listen
Inclining the Mind Toward Secure Attachment: Talk on how physiological states associated with early relational events influence our choices and behaviors in adult attachments and friendships, as well as ways to change our attachment patterns. Guided visualization follows exploring the theme.Please ... by Dharmapunx NYC
61 min listen
Are Rules Ruining Your Relationship with Your Kids? by Peace and Parenting: How to Parent without Punishments
15 min listen
A Very Offensive Rom-Com by Invisibilia
59 min listen
Healing Through Relationships with Brittany Policastro: Relationships can often bring up our deepest and most challenging wounds. Because of cultural “norms” polyamorous and ethically non-monogamous relationships can bring even more challenges to navigate. So how and where can we learn to “ride the waves”... by Sex Is Medicine ~ Intimate conversations about sexuality, spirituality, PLEASURE, and personal growth
65 min listen
Is God Really in Control?: We know God is mighty, but how does His sovereignty interact with our free will? When it comes to our careers, daily notions, or relationships, do we give God full control, or do we rely on our choices? In this episode, Juli hosts Tiffany Rogers to explore the intimate relationship between God's sovereignty and our free choice. by Sons and Daughters
39 min listen
Beyond the Mirror by Woodland Hills Church
36 min listen
What Is Your Problem?: Are you getting pressured, guilted, or blamed into taking responsibility for other people's problems? Understanding where your sphere of personal responsibility stops, and where someone else’s starts is vital to setting healthy boundaries with... by Love, Happiness and Success with Dr. Lisa Marie Bobby
57 min listen
Healing Relationships: We all carry around at least a little emotional baggage from past relationships. But by seeking out new, healthy experiences with safe people, we have the power to help ourselves heal and grow. Today, we’re talking about , and how you can create... by Love, Happiness and Success with Dr. Lisa Marie Bobby
47 min listen
Hurt People Hurt People - Love Them Anyway by From the Heart with Rachel Brathen
66 min listen
Should you erase every speck of old relationships to focus on new ones?: Is true love supposed to last throughout your life? Should you feel love for those that have wronged you in some way in previous relationships? Is it healthy? Having that loving feeling for previous partners in your life can raise questions in current... by The Overwhelmed Brain
61 min listen
“Don’t Let Lifestyle Hurt Your Family”: It takes more to equip our kids to launch into their future world and stand against the pressures of society. We must orient our lives towards the most important priorities God has set out for us. What naturally happens is a move away from what’s most important for the sake of our progressing lifestyle. This will be encouraging for every parent with important reminders of where they may want to recalibrate. All show notes, scripture references, and resources mentioned are found at COURAGEOUSPARENTING.COM by COURAGEOUS PARENTING
40 min listen
Navigating Lies From the Enemy: When we're going through a difficult season, life can seem upside down. Thoughts enter our mind that in a previous season, we would have never even entertained. No matter how we end up there, to get out of it, we must shift our perspective to navigat... by The Leader’s Cut with Preston Morrison
64 min listen
S03 Episode 62 Warm Grace / Cold Relpse: Is the endurance of temptation meant to free our souls? Or keep us in religious bondage? by Attitudes of sexual integrity! Freedom from porn and sex compulsions! Addiction Recovery [Sex] Mode!
30 min listen
Letting Go Of Resentment: Are you holding on to resentment about hurtful things that have happened in the past? Is your partner? In today's episode, we’re talking about how to let go of resentment in your relationship, so that you can both move forward, put the past behind... by Love, Happiness and Success with Dr. Lisa Marie Bobby
43 min listen
Ep. 158 Want Your Life to be Epic?: This week we go through our favorite teachings from the Epic Relationship Series to share with you what our deepest learning has been in the past year and what our leading edge of growth is now. by LET'S PLAY: THE CREATE PODCAST
64 min listen
Cutting Toxic Ties: Are you still connected to or trigger by a past relationship or situation? Are you even aware of how connected you still are to something that may have happened years ago? How do we cut and disconnect from toxic ties? Listen to this episode to hear... by You Are Not Alone w/ Spiritual Medium Erika Gabriel
30 min listen
Boundaries in Relationships: Happy, healthy relationships are built on healthy boundaries. If you struggle to establish understand your boundaries, or even define your boundaries to others, this episode is for you! I am talking with Denver Therapist, and Boundary Expert,... by Love, Happiness and Success with Dr. Lisa Marie Bobby
53 min listen
Episode 12: Paleo Desserts!: Is the term “Paleo dessert” an oxymoron? Are grain-free sweets the devil? Or are they a healthy bridge that helps people transition to a whole foods lifestyle? In this episode, we’ll dive head-first into this controversial subject, by Nom Nom Paleo Podcast
35 min listen
37: Essence Meditation by Tune Into You Meditation Podcast
13 min listen
Find Contentment Leading Now by Lasting Change
39 min listen
The Peripheral EP6: Open Relationships: Open Relationships by The Peripheral
36 min listen
An Advantage Of Healthy Self Esteem: High self-esteem enables us to set and respect boundaries, communicate effectively, maintain independence within relationships, and handle conflicts and rejections without damaging our self-worth. Tune in to learn how to foster a healthier self-image... by In Your Right Mind with Monique Rhodes
7 min listen

Discover this podcast and so much more

What are we doing when we make promises?

What are we doing when we make promises?

Description

Titles in the series (100)

More Episodes from The Minefield

Related podcast episodes