Ideas that have shaped human history as expressed in poetry, speeches, myth and documents
This podcast program is my personal effort to address ideas that have shaped human history as expressed in poetry, speeches, myths and documents. The programs will be posted weekly or more frequently depending on their content and the work involved
Mostly, but not always, the topics deal with what some people might describe as serious issues, which some might find depressing, unduly taxing on their concentration or offensive to their present world view. Such people are probably better to give this program a miss.
The program necessarily addresses existential, political, historical, philosophical, sociological and scientific issues of my choosing and no doubt, loaded with my personal biases. The purpose of is to encourage or facilitate people to think about the issues presented, for which I offer no apology for those who are offended.
Some of the literatures (poems, speeches, myths and documents) are also very long, which makes the oral presentation difficult and causes errors. It also can tax the concentration and interest of readers. For that reason, I have sometimes read only part of the relevant literature and summarised the content of the excised parts.
Episodes
25 episodes
Program 24 The History of Human Rights Declarations
This program takes up where the program on the US Declaration of Independnece and its Constitution left off.Hard copy for download
Program 22 The Poetry of the Jewish Holocaust and of the Rohingya
This program seeks to compare the poetry of these two attempted genocidesHard copy to download
Program 21: Prometheus and Pandora's box
This is about the Greek myth of the origin of evil in the world.Hard copy foor download
Program 19: Creation myths
This program comparesthe creation myths the Hewbrew and Chritian Genesis account to the those of the Babylonian , Egyptions, Hindo, Chinese and Greeks.
Prgram 18 Rhyme of the Ancient Mariner
This poem is an metaphor for humanity going to war with nature.Hardcoy to download
Program 17: Poetry about birds
This prograDm is about the nobility of birdsHard copy to download
Program 16 Poetry abouyt humanity and the environment
This program is about the impact of humanity on the envorinment and other creatures onthe EarthUpload hard copy
Program 15: In Defence of the aliens 4
This the fourth part of the book on the observatons of advanced aliens on the state of humanity on the Earth.The three small books are available on Amazon
Program 14: In Defence of the aliens 3
This the third part of the book on the observatons of advanced aliens on the state of humanity on the Earth.The three small books are available on Amazon
Program 13: In Defence of the Aliens 2
This the second part of the book on the observatons of advanced aliens on the state of humanity on the Earth.The three small books are available on Amazon
Program 12: In Defence of the Aliens 1
This is the first of a four part audio book of In Defence of the Aliens. It is about the reports of more advanced aliens on the state of humanity on the Earth.The three small books are available on Amazon
Program 11: The poetry of WWI
This program follws the previous one on the glorification of war. It deals explicitly with the poetry of WWI.Hard copy to download
Program 10: Sword of Damolces and the Gordian Knot
This program is about two common Greek myths that are still regulatly referred to today.Hard copy to download
Program 9: The poetry of A.B. Patterson
A. B. Patterson was an early Austrlaian poet who wrote on Ausstralian society with a heavy emphasis on a new found sense of nationalism following the federation of states in Australia to form one country in 1901.Any constructi...
Program 8: Glorifiying war
This episode contains poetry and speeches whose purpose is the adulation of the warrior class and the glorification of war.Any constructive comments can be emailed to ideasthatshapehumanhistory@gmail.com
Program 7: Finding meaning in life among its mundanities
This episode followings on the previous prgrams about the shortness off life and the inevitability of death. It reviews the poetry and writings of people who have had to grapple with the boring and the routine that consumes so much of our...
Program 6: The American Declaration of Independence, Gettysburg address and Mandela's Presidental speech
This program contains the above speeches in full, to allow people to contrast the aspirational to the historical relaity.Hard copy t...
Program 5: Poetry on trains
This program contains the poetry on trains.Hard copy to downloadAny constructive comments or feedback can be directed to:<...
Program 4: Earth living on borrowed time
This program is about the inevitability of the demise of the Earth as a whole and all that sail upon unless they become space faring species before that fate befalls the Earth.
Program 3: The ruthlessness of Darwinian evolution
This program focusses on Darwinian evolution as the essential driver of human violence and war.Hard copy to dowloadAny con...
Program 2: Reflections on the grave
This program follows from the prevous one on the shortness of life and the inevitabioity of death. It is poetry of people reflecting on the grave and its contents.
Program 1: The shortness of life and the inevitability of death
This program is about the shortness of human life and the inevitaiblity of our death. It contains the poetry of people over the centuries that have addressed the issue and so that have been forced to do so due to the immanancy of their death.