The New Abnormal
The New Abnormal podcast (which has over 250,000 downloads) focuses on 'Now / Next / Why'. My guests have include a wide variety of experts based in locations from Los Angeles to Shanghai, Rio to Beirut, and Helsinki to Melbourne. Those guests have included activists, creatives, writers, philosophers, strategists, psychologists, lecturers, futurists etc, and asking them to explain their views has led to some fascinating conversations. Re: my bio, I'm a futurist, public speaker, and author whose written two books - my first went to No1 in the business charts whilst my second was shortlisted for the 'Business Book of the Year' Awards. (I'll be writing a third as soon as time allows.) So, I hope you enjoy listening to the series - which was set up during the early days of Covid and is therefore divided into a series per year. All rights reserved. #TheNewAbnormal podcast series © Sean Pillot de Chenecey 2020.
The New Abnormal
Tom Hodgkinson 'Slow Down, Have Fun, Live Well'
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Series One
In this episode of #TheNewAbnormal, I interview the writer Tom Hodgkinson.
His philosophy is of a relaxed approach to life, enjoying it as it comes rather than toiling for an imagined better future.
After lounging around at Jesus College, Cambridge, where he played bass in the thrash band Chopper, he took the natural step of getting a job in Rough Trade records before moving on to becoming an importer of absinthe.
Later, he and his partner Victoria Hull launched The Idler Academy; which offers courses on subjects such as foraging, singing, grammar, philosophy and astronomy.
In this episode, we discuss a range of issues alongside anecdotes about the people he's interviewed. You'll therefore hear about Damien Hirst, Iggy Pop, Rowan Williams, Brett Anderson, Paul Mason, Communism, Ethics, the Futurists, Aldous Huxley, Colin MacInnes, the Sleaford Mods, Public Enemy, Bob Dylan, Naomi Klein, and the great Sally Phillips.
Plus, a retort to the appallingly non-idling Home Secretary Priti Patel, who accused the British of being "the worst idlers in the world".
By "worst" Tom points out, Patel seems to actually mean "best".
To finish, and as The Idler states so clearly: 'Down with Silicon Valley...Open the Village Hall...Embrace Beauty...We Are Free...Anarchy in the UK!