A Point of View

A weekly reflection on a topical issue.

Radio 4,839 episodes

Episodes

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Glamour in Austerity
Lisa Jardine reflects on the historic power of royal glamour in times of austerity.
30 Dec 2011,10 mins
The Memory Business
Simon Schama reflects on how the world - ten years on - remembered the events of 9/11.
29 Dec 2011,15 mins
Media Malpractice
Will Self reflects on the new landscape for the press.
28 Dec 2011,15 mins
The Meaning of Debt
Sarah Dunant looks at different aspects of debt.
27 Dec 2011,15 mins
The End, yet again?
The author and philosopher John Gray on the merits of living for the present.
26 Dec 2011,15 mins
Carols at Christmas
Lisa Jardine reflects on the power of music to move, especially at Christmas.
23 Dec 2011,10 mins
Climate Change Belief
Lisa Jardine thinks selective hearing skews the debate over climate change.
16 Dec 2011,10 mins
Beware the Experts
Lisa Jardine recalls CP Snow's lessons on the dangers of government by experts.
09 Dec 2011,10 mins
Lisa Jardine: Finding Family History
The historian Lisa Jardine finds herself converted to family history.
02 Dec 2011,10 mins
The Oxbridge Interview
Mary Beard reflects on the purpose of the much-maligned 'Oxbridge interview'.
25 Nov 2011,10 mins
Reflections on Monetary Union
Mary Beard reflects on the very first monetary union, two and a half thousand years ago.
18 Nov 2011,10 mins
On Age and Beauty
Mary Beard takes a peek at Miss World 2011 and ponders the upsides of middle age.
11 Nov 2011,10 mins
Mary Beard: On Tyrants
Mary Beard on the uncanny similarities between Colonel Gaddafi and tyrants in ancient Rome
04 Nov 2011,10 mins
The Arms Trade
Will Self deplores the arms trade, Britain's role in it and the euphemisms around it.
28 Oct 2011,10 mins
Class, race and social mobility
Will Self reflects that racism is rarely a sole cause of social injustice.
21 Oct 2011,10 mins
In praise of wind turbines
Will Self praises the beauty of wind turbines.
14 Oct 2011,10 mins
Why Prisons Fail
Will Self sees an urgent need to reform the prison system.
07 Oct 2011,10 mins
Political party membership
Will Self attacks political party members as 'donkeys led by donkeys'.
30 Sep 2011,10 mins
Churchill, chance and the black dog
John Gray reflects on the chance encounters that made Churchill wartime Prime Minister.
23 Sep 2011,10 mins
Believing in Belief
John Gray argues that the scientific and rationalist attack on religion is misguided.
16 Sep 2011,10 mins
Cats, birds and humans
John Gray considers why the human animal needs contact with something other than itself.
09 Sep 2011,10 mins
John Gray: The revolution of capitalism
John Gray on why an increasing number of people believe that Karl Marx was right.
02 Sep 2011,10 mins
Kim Philby
John Gray on why Kim Philby, and so many others, have failed to predict the future.
26 Aug 2011,10 mins
Greece and the Meaning of Folly
The celebrated thinker John Gray gives his reflection on the meaning of folly.
19 Aug 2011,10 mins
The Advantages of Pessimism
Alain de Botton on why pessimism is the key to happiness.
12 Aug 2011,10 mins
Modern Parenting
Alain de Botton takes a witty look at modern parenting.
05 Aug 2011,10 mins
On Social Climbing
Alain de Botton argues that social climbing is often much more than idle pleasure-seeking.
29 Jul 2011,10 mins
What's in a marriage
Alain de Botton on our extraordinarily high expectations for modern marriage.
22 Jul 2011,10 mins
The Art of Conversation
Alain de Botton with some food for thought for a summer picnic.
17 Jul 2011,10 mins
In Praise of the Zoo
Alain de Botton explores the relationship between humankind and animals.
08 Jul 2011,10 mins