In this episode my friend Dan Holder and I dive into maybe the most referenced/least read book ever: 1984. In this episode we chat about Orwell's favourite pub, paying attention to the little things in life and how thought crime makes us lose those things, how Winston is attracted to all the little things that will get him in trouble with the Party, post truth and how word manipulation unmoors us from ourselves, how Totalitarianism gets right to the deepest part of being human, class structure, joining in on a mass feeling, and how the mind must be destroyed and re-made for true tyranny to take hold.

This was a lot of fun, I hope you enjoy it!

Finally, we made it. I was very grateful to once again be joined by Dan Holder, Lydia Rollinson and Graham King to finish off the Harry Potter books. In this last instalment of the series we talk about:

Students becoming more excellent than their teachers, changing your opinion of someone because they can change, believing in the cause, accepting help from others, leaving your safe havens for the bigger world, not hurting those who don't deserve it, being an inspiring figure, how emotions can blind you to other things that are going on, Voldemort's downfall being Harry's strengths, how tyranny is bad for everyone, upper party is the only beneficiary, opportunities costs when people of talent work on propaganda, how the journey can have sucky parts, getting the better of your low moments, feeling hurt and despair, Promethean vs. Hero, what it feels like when your crush isn't into you, deciding the right thing to do, kindness as compound interest, and seeing old friends.

Thank you to everyone who listens to this episode, this series, and this podcast. What a trip to Hogwarts it has been. See you at the next episode!

Welcome to the first foursome for Really True Fiction! A big thanks to Dan, Lydia and Graham for joining me to chat about the (best?) sixth Harry Potter book. In our conversation we cover such ground as:

Relationships as status vs feeling, the monster in the chest, Ginny's subtle art of not giving a fuck, being blinded by bias, humanized villains, evil downstream of fear, what happens when you refuse a tyrant, Malfoy starting in pride, standing up to optics and propaganda, scapegoating, solving problems as the actual best form of PR, navigating popularity, navigating management, Dumbledore's patience, and how women might not get along.

Thanks again for listening!