The Rise And Triumph of The Modern Self

Since the renaissance, the Judeo-Christian West has been the pre-eminent civilisation. History charts the rise and fall of civilisations so, where is the West on the timeline? We have so much luxury that we suffer from affluenza. We’re so cynical we sue each other for profit. We’re all working so much longer and harder to earn more to pay for more that we’re weary of our treadmill material lifestyles. Aggressive secularity has relegated religion to irrelevance and religion is fighting back with fundamentalism. So, after all the triumph and tragedy, the success and anguish, has the West peaked? As China and India revitalise their civilisations using the very systems that made the West the best, are we destined to be “under new management”?

The continuing undervaluing of an education in the West is considered. The lack of funding for primary and secondary education is also looked at. There is discussion about the transformation of universities from great learning places into businesses competing for students' money, who only want a fast-tracked easy course into a high -paying job.

The nature of modern democracy is examined in this episode and the question "Do we really live in a democratic world any more?" is asked. The erosion of democracy, media control and the use of public money for advertising is looked at.

From Philosophy to Technology, Tracing the Origin of Identity Politics