Shows
Offline ThoughtsHow to survive this economy: layoffs, cost of living crisis & looming recessionIf there is one thing that will define the last few years it's the slow march to a recession. All the red flags are there - 260,000 people lost their jobs in the first four months of this year, the government is seeking to eliminate tens of thousands more, big tech companies like Microsoft, Tesla and Meta are reducing their headcount on levels not seen since the financial crisis of 2008 and this just the beginning. To top it all off - we are also living through a period of high inflation, high interest rates and low economic growth. The writings...2025-07-211h 07
Offline ThoughtsP Diddy: the legacy of a gangster’s son Articles and resources:New York Post, 2024. Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs’ record labels marked by murder, death, prison. [online] Available at: https://nypost.com/2024/03/31/us-news/sean-diddy-combs-record-labels-marked-by-murder-death-prison/ [Accessed 3 June 2025].The New York Times, 1973. Ten found guilty of heroin charge; convicted of taking part in drug ring. [online] Available at: https://www.nytimes.com/1973/02/24/archives/ten-found-guilty-of-heroin-charge-convicted-of-taking-part-in.html[Accessed 3 June 2025].Revolt, 2019. Can’t stop, won’t stop: A timeline of Diddy’s vast career and accomplishments. [online] Available at: https://www.revolt.tv/article/2019-11-02/84365/cant-stop-wont-stop-a-timeline-of-diddys-vast-career-and-accomplishments [Accessed 3 June 2025].CNN. (2025) 'Diddy trial: Live updates', CNN, 13 May. Available at...2025-06-041h 29
Offline ThoughtsAdriana Smith - brain dead, pregnant and exploited for political gain The worst happens - a happy pregnancy turns into a nightmare when untreated severe headaches result in catastrophic brain clots that result in being declared legally brain dead. When a Georgia hospital decides to keep the pregnant woman on life support for a further 23 weeks in order to deliver the child with a chance of survival the story quickly becomes a political volleyball between the political left and right. What is left out of the conversation (as always) is the gender and race bias at the heart of this case. Articles and resources ...2025-05-2754 min
Offline ThoughtsSinners review: culture vultures, Christianity & the music industry Sinners is breaking records everywhere you look and it has instantly become a classic. It is easy to see why. Against a background of 1932 Mississippi and its accompanying Jim Crow, the film somehow manages to make us think about heavy themes whilst not being a film about black suffering. The film has love, community and dreaming big at its heart whilst also being a classic horror film with vampires, wooden stakes, garlic and even a Rambo-style massacre scene. Sensational from beginning to end. 2025-05-201h 18
Offline ThoughtsRacist(ish) friends: can you still be friends?One of the inevitabilities of interracial friendships are that sooner or later - there will be microagressions. When those moments arise, is it worthwhile to teach the person how to be better or is it a red flag that necessitates immediate dumping? 2025-05-131h 21
Offline Thoughts10 Reasons the Trans Movement is Losing Public SupportThe UK Supreme Court's ruling on the definitions of "woman", "man" and "sex" in the Equality Act 2010 on biological terms was for some controversial, but for many a welcome decision. The aftermath of the ruling has perhaps been the most interesting - many organisations have swiftly revised their positions on including trans women in single sex spaces. Amongst these have been governing sports bodies such as the Football Association, the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB), the Ultimate Pool Group (UPG), World Athletics, and many more. This ruling and these reversal in trans policies reflects the wider backlash against...2025-05-061h 31
Offline ThoughtsWhat is a woman? The UK Supreme Court ClarifiesOn 16 April 2025, the UK Supreme Court ruled that "sex," "woman," and "man" as defined in the Equality Act 2010 referred to biological sex. Consequently, trans women and trans men holding Gender Recognition Certificates are recognised under the Act according to their biological sex. This decision carries significant implications for single-sex spaces, including sports, schools, hospital wards, prisons, and public facilities such as toilets and changing rooms.In response, the Equality and Human Rights Commission issued immediate interim guidance, marking a dramatic shift. Employers, public bodies, and certain service providers are now legally required to ensure the availability of...2025-04-2954 min
Offline ThoughtsKinks in the System: Black Hair Salon StrugglesEvery black woman will have horror stories of their experiences in black hair salons and at the hands of black hair stylists. From lateness, to rudeness, to low hygiene, to hair damage - we've experienced it all. This episode focuses on why this negative experience is universal. Key words: regulating black salons, lack of access to capital, beauty schools, internalised anti-blackness and racism. I'd love to hear your thoughts and comments at offlinethoughts.podcast@gmail.com. 2025-04-141h 02
Offline ThoughtsAssisted Suicide and Euthanasia: the Logical Conclusion to Capitalism Articles and resourcesAmzat, J., Kanmodi, K. K., Ismail, A., & Egbedina, E. A. (2023). Euthanasia in Africa: A scoping review of empirical evidence. Health science reports, 6(5), e1239. https://doi.org/10.1002/hsr2.1239 Riley, L. and Hehir, D. (2021), Last Resort: The hidden truth about how dying people take their own lives in the UK, published by Campaign for Dignity in Dying: https://cdn.dignityindying.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/Last-Resort-Dignity-in-Dying-Oct-2021.pdf ABC News, Death Drugs Cause Uproar in Oregon (2008): https://abcnews.go.com/Health/story?id=5517492&page=1 The Guadian (2024), Gosport hospital opioid deaths: police identify 24...2025-04-0850 min
Offline ThoughtsBreaking Up with Your Job: Signs It’s Time to GoAt some point in our work careers we will quit jobs. That is inevitable. But there is an art to quitting well and in a way that doesn't compromise your reputation, financial security or future prospects. Timing is also important and one of the pitfalls we fall under is allowing ourselves to be deceived by the lie that we owe our workplaces loyalty. Believing this lie sometimes mean we leave on their terms, rather than ours.Key words: Quitting jobs, work advice and hacks, failing companies, stagnating at work.I'd love...2025-03-3153 min
Offline ThoughtsWhy Tesla retail investors are about to lose their moneyAgainst a backdrop of nosediving car sales across Europe, China and the US, political activism that has seen its dealers set ablaze and in some cases shot at, and most recently the beginnings of institutional investors on Wall Street turning away from Tesla - retail investors continue to buy the stock at unprecedented levels. The question is... why?Key words: Tesla, retail investors, Elon Musk, GameStop, financial fraud, meme stocks, cult of personalities Articles: The Independent (2025), Tesla’s year keeps getting worse - now short sellers have made $16bn from Musk’s fi...2025-03-251h 14
Offline Thoughts The real reason people buy a Tesla they can't affordIn a world where money is worshipped, one of the worst positions to find yourself in is having none. Or so we're told. In fact, there is a much worse fate - the fate of having all the money in the world, but never feeling enough. Key words: status symbols, consumer behaviour, low self-worth, mindless consumption Please send your thoughts and questions to offlinethoughts.podcast@gmail.com.2025-03-171h 16
Offline ThoughtsDamned from Birth: The Problem with Christianity's Original Sin DoctrineChurch is supposed to be the spiritual house we flock to for spiritual and psychological nourishing. However, modern congregations have become increasingly loathe to attend mass on a regular basis. What accounts for this? It is likely the language of the "inherent" sinful nature of human beings and other language that condemns us. It is also other glaring issues - a church with a large proportion of gay priests and lesbian nuns but a decidedly anti-gay stance. A church with limited participation of women in positions of leadership. Iconography that is white supremacist in its depiction of all-white angels...2025-03-101h 26
Offline ThoughtsHow a US corporation invaded and occupied a country Citigroup's DEI initiatives has lasted for a shorter period of time than the company's invasion and occupation of Haiti. Beginning in the 1910s Citigroup, then known as the National City Bank of New York persuaded the US government to invade Haiti. Citigroup understood that by taking control of the country and of its central bank, it could make hundreds of millions of dollars by seizing the island nation's wealth for its own use. In 1915, Citigroup got its wish and the results were better than their wildest imagination could have conceived. Today, Citigroup stands as one of the largest bank...2025-03-031h 08
Offline ThoughtsDEI: gimmick, token or weapon?The speed with which many corporations have aborted DEI initiatives that they were "committed to" only two months ago tells us two things: (1) they have no scruples and (2) they were never truly committed to DEI. If we are honest with ourselves, we could tell from their haphazard initiatives that often focused on virtue signalling over substance and at times, resulted in marginalised people caught in the crosshairs of their ill thought out DEI campaigns. Key words: DEI, Trump Executive Order, corporate retreat from DEI programs, Target, Bud Light, affirmative action in higher education, Asian Americans...2025-02-251h 00
Offline ThoughtsWhat Nobody Tells You About Thriving at Work: 10 Unwritten RulesWorkplaces operate on unspoken rules that can make or break a career. This episode looks at the realities of office life: the critical importance of first impressions, the silent consequences of breaking social norms, and why hard work alone doesn’t guarantee promotions.From navigating office politics to avoiding the pitfalls of workplace relationships, this "survival" guide breaks down how to succeed in any workplace.Key words: unwritten rules, workplace politics, career progression, first impressions, corporate culture, workplace relationships, career advice2025-02-171h 11
Offline ThoughtsKarma: Believing the Poor & Sick Deserve Their Fate Karma is another form of believing in cosmic justice - the idea that bad people will be punished for their misdeeds. And whilst that may make us feel good and prevent us from taking revenge into our own hands, it also means believing an ugly implication. That implication, no matter how you look at it, is that the poor, the sick and the misfortunate deserve their fate, Key words: karma, poor people, sick people, misfortune, Catholic Church, politics, justice, activismPlease send your thoughts and questions to offlinethoughts.podcast@gmail.com.2025-02-101h 01
Offline ThoughtsHow We're Socialised to Believe Alcohol is Not a Drug Like many people during January I completed "Dry January" - a detox we undertake yearly to check that we are still in control of the alcohol we consume (and not the other way around). Is alcohol a drug? Are we all addicted? Do we choose to become lifelong drinkers? A month of clarity helps us answer these questions honestly. Key words: dry January, drinking culture, drugs, functioning alcoholismPlease send your thoughts and questions to offlinethoughts.podcast@gmail.com.Articles and resources:Institute of Alcohol...2025-02-031h 20
Offline ThoughtsInside Elon Musk & Trump's New Nazi America: Salutes, Deportations & PardonsJust when we thought it couldn't get any worse it did - Elon Musk does the Nazi salute. Trump pardons January 6 Capitol building rioters, begins mass deportations, repeals Civil Rights-era legislation, and calls for focus on execution of imprisoned illegal migrants.Key words: Elon Musk, Donald Trump, Nazi salute, mass deportations, Great Replacement conspiracy theoryPlease send your thoughts and questions to offlinethoughts.podcast@gmail.com.Articles and resources:The Guardian (2025), ‘The gesture speaks for itself’: Germans respond to Musk’s apparent Nazi salute...2025-01-281h 12
Offline ThoughtsBonnie Blue: Breaking the Victim Myth Around Women's SexualityBonnie Blue burst onto the national stage with her provocative marketing strategies for her OnlyFans account - recruiting young university students for filmed sexual acts. Most recently she became the internet's most infamous sensation when she allegedly had sex with 1,057 in just twelve hours. Often we are told women who engage in these kinds of extreme actions of self abuse are broken women who come from sad backgrounds. But what if women are not just victims of their circumstances but active participants in others' exploitation?Key words: predatory women, OnlyFans, sex work, online fame; rage...2025-01-201h 01
Offline ThoughtsWombs for Hire: Does Commercial Surrogacy Exploit Women or Empower Families?Surrogacy is booming—but at what cost? This episode looks at the dark side of the industry: the economic coercion of vulnerable women, exploitation in poorer countries, and the shocking ways in which surrogate mothers are treated by commissioning parents and surrogacy agencies. Do couples who can't have children for whatever reason have the right to them? Even when surrogacy isn't commercialised or for-profit, is the choice by women to subject their bodies to pregnancy and birth the ultimate act of love, or a dystopian commodification of women’s bodies? Key words: surrogacy, infertility, economic disp...2025-01-131h 16
Offline ThoughtsPrivilege and Violence: Why Luigi Mangione Is No Robin HoodIn the early hours of 4 December 2024, 26-year old Luigi Mangione walked up behind UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson and shot him dead. What followed was a five-day manhunt for Mangione. What made this case stand out in the public's imagination were many factors - an attractive and wealthy perpetrator from a powerful family, the theatre of the killing (a 3-D printed gun and silencer, engraved bullets, a manifesto railing against a broken healthcare system and corporate greed) and the public's jubilant support of the killer. But is Luigi the people's hero or a common terrorist? Please...2025-01-061h 00
Offline Thoughts100 Men in 24 Hours - Lily Phillips Proved What We Already Knew About OnlyFansOnlyFans describes itself as a revolutionary platform that gives its creators the freedom to produce highly personalised content for their fans. It should describe itself as a platform for prostitution that lures young women into engaging in activities that will ruin their lives, stigmatise them and trap them in poverty. The stats are clear - the average OnlyFans creator makes $150-180 per month and approximately 80% of creators make less than $100 per month. Lily Philips and others like her are the exception that proves the rule. Please send any thoughts, questions and comments to offlinethoughts.podcast@gmail.com.2024-12-231h 33
Offline ThoughtsTikTok Ban, Anti- China Propaganda & Zuckerberg’s WinThe TikTok ban will come into effect on the 19th of January 2025. Right now, it seems its fate is sealed – the House of Representatives has almost unanimously agreed to pass it under “national security” concerns, Congress has given it the rubber seal of approval, and President Biden has signed off under executive privilege. Despite public opinion being united in their opposition to the passing of the bill - the people will not have a say. TikTok is scrambling to find a legal avenue to challenge the decision, but the outlook doesn’t look good – it has already lost its appeal in...2024-12-1654 min
Offline ThoughtsHow to Keep Your Goals Safe from Jealousy and SabotageOften the first thing we want to do is share our good news and accomplishments with the people around us. However, the response we receive is sometimes unexpected - we can be met with ambivalence or negativity where we anticipated praise and encouragement. Recognising that people - even our loved ones - can be limited by their own insecurities, envy and self-limiting beliefs teaches us that sometimes the best way to achieve our dreams is to not share them at all. 2024-12-091h 07
Offline ThoughtsDoes Sex and Race Still Matter? Unpacking Trangender and Transracial ConversationsIntersectionality politics tells us that coalitions united around a shared goal are not free of internal power dynamics. It also teaches us that victimhood is complicated - it is possible to be simultaneously both a victim and the oppressor in certain contexts. This episode takes a look at some of those complexities as well as the parallels between the transgender and transracial movements.Please send your thoughts and comments at offlinethoughts.podcast@gmail.com.2024-12-021h 16
Offline ThoughtsRecognising Red Flags & Developing a Danger RadarThe upside of growing up in unsafe environments as a child is that people often grow up to be discerning adults who have a highly attuned ability to read the hidden meanings behind what people say and do. Sometimes this is useful in simply being able to recognise red flags that indicate certain people don't wish us well. Other times this skill serves to keep us safe and to keep danger at bay. 2024-11-2558 min
Offline ThoughtsHow to Spot Toxic Friends—and What to Do When You’re the Toxic OneSometimes we find ourself in a series of bad friendships. We form friendships with people who take from us, treat us poorly, are unkind, or, in the extreme, who that don't wish us well. Although it's easy to play the victim, the truth is more complicated - in some ways we cultivate these friendships and keep these types of friends close because they fulfil some other need we have. That could be the need to be needed, to play the hero or martyr or perhaps to feel superior in some way.Please share your thoughts...2024-11-181h 09
Offline ThoughtsElon Musk: Stealing Democracy, Apartheid Blood Money & His Many LiesElon Musk is a professional exaggerator and liar. From lying about founding PayPal and Tesla (he didn't), to lying about the death of his son and divorce from his second wife. Looking at his family history we get a little insight into the man - his father had two children with the stepdaughter he raised since she was four years old. What really defines Elon Musk though, is his capacity to wield his enormous wealth to sway public opinion and influence the democratic process.Materials you might find helpful:The Guardian, 2024. Elon Musk...2024-11-111h 30
Offline ThoughtsConsumer Espionage & How Metadata is Used Against UsThe saying goes that there's no such thing as a free lunch - if you are not paying, usually it is because you are the product. Every day we interact with platforms to read articles, share thoughts, upload our posts, make purchases, conduct research or otherwise just leisurely scroll. These platforms often have required billions of dollars of investment and many years of hard work by the brightest minds to be developed, yet we pay nothing to use them. If you have ever thought this is too good of a deal to be true - you are correct. "Free"...2024-11-041h 05
Offline ThoughtsKanye West: Victim of Fame & Mental IllnessFew have been through as many public controversies as Kanye West. During the last ten years the public has had a front row seat to Kanye's erratic, impulsive, and emotionally unstable antics. Many of these have not only been deeply offensive to many people, but they have left in their wake a destruction of his personal and business relationships, an alienation of his fanbase, a loss of credibility and increasing isolation as many in his circle publicly distance themselves from him. What is often glossed over however, is that these antics are driven by Kanye's mental illness - namely...2024-10-281h 05
Offline ThoughtsAge Gaps or Power Gaps? The Dark Side of Dating OlderAge gap relationships have existed since the dawn of time. There are many appeals for both parties - often the younger partner is looking for financial provision and protection, and the older partner is looking to hold onto their youth for a little longer. Whilst they're not necessarily always inherently predatory - they often are. Sometimes the younger partner only comes to realise this years later, long after the damage has been done. Send any questions and comments to offlinethoughts.podcast@gmail.com and they will addressed in a future episode. Materials you...2024-10-211h 24
Offline ThoughtsInternalized Homophobia: The Hidden Struggle in LGBT RelationshipsHeterosexuality as the standard, strict gender norms and negative LGBT societal messaging create in LGBT people feelings of shame, self-hatred and a deep desire to conform to the straight world - often at the expense of their own psychological well being. This episodes focuses on the symptoms of internalised homophobia and how to deal with it.Send any questions and comments to offlinethoughts.podcast@gmail.com and they will addressed in a future episode.Materials you might find helpful:Williamson, I.R., 2000. Internalized homophobia and health issues affecting lesbians...2024-10-141h 10
Offline ThoughtsP Diddy Scandals: Sextortion, Power, and Celebrity DownfallsSex, power, and corruption are inextricably linked. Control over others becomes easier when their deepest secrets are at risk of exposure. P Diddy and Jeffrey Epstein are examples of men who used people's vices against them (often through extortion and blackmail), before finally becoming victims of these same vices. They are the tip of the iceberg. Sexual blackmail and extortion is deeply baked into the deepest recesses of government and power structures, and sex has always been leveraged by both victims and villains alike to gain control. The most enduring and powerful of these vices is sex - which...2024-10-071h 06
Offline ThoughtsLuxury Brands and the Military: The Exploitation ConnectionWhile it's generally understood that high-end fashion brands market prestige and status, it’s less obvious how this same manipulation is mirrored in military recruitment, which primarily targets people from low-income backgrounds. Both these industries prey on people's insecurities and their need for self-worth, offering false promises of value and social mobility. By commodifying both goods and lives, luxury brands and the military create illusions of empowerment, when in reality, they profit from the sacrifices of the working poor and disadvantaged.Send any questions and comments to offlinethoughts.podcast@gmail.com and they will addressed in...2024-09-301h 21
Offline ThoughtsPuppets of Power: Unmasking Modern PropagandaMass psychology is used to shape our beliefs, desires, and actions. Whilst we may be aware that the advertisement and public relations industries are specifically designed to manipulate our desires and behaviours - we sometimes don't realise that propaganda is endemic in our educational system, our politics and that we often don't know that we have been propagandised. Send any questions and comments to offlinethoughts.podcast@gmail.com and they will addressed in a future episode. Materials you might find helpful: Achbar, M. and Wintonick, P. (dirs.), 1992. Manufacturing Consent...2024-09-231h 11
Offline ThoughtsImposter Syndrome: Overcoming Self-Doubt and Inner CriticismImposter Syndrome is that nagging feeling that you don’t deserve your achievements—that you’re a fraud, only succeeding due to luck, charm, or being the "best of a bad bunch". For women, people of colour, and people from lower socio-economic backgrounds, this can be a natural consequence of working in hostile environments with deeply entrenched systemic biases. Either way, the net effect is feeling out of place, second-guessing yourself, and downplaying your contributions. This episode discusses how to overcome imposter syndrome.Send any questions and comments to offlinethoughts.podcast@gmail.com and they will a...2024-09-1657 min
Offline ThoughtsToxic Generosity & People Pleasing - Why Giving More Gets You LessThe myth persists that the way to get the love or friendship you desire is by pouring into the person you care about - whether that be energy, emotions or financial resources. Nothing could be further from the truth - it is the giver that becomes entangled in the relationship the more they give, making it near impossible for them to walk away as they fall prey to sunk cost fallacy. Meanwhile, because of the law of diminishing returns, the recipient appreciates the giver less with each act of care and kindness that is given. The only way out...2024-09-091h 17
Offline ThoughtsWorshipping White Jesus & the Psychological Toll on AllJesus, the central figure of the Christian faith was over the course of centuries, white-washed from what he would have looked like - a Middle-Eastern, brown skinned, dark-haired and likely bearded man - to the white Jesus with light hair and light eyes that we know today. This transformation has not been by accident and its effects have not been without deep consequences on the psyche of all Christians and the material reality of people of colour.Please send your thoughts to offlinethoughts.podcast@gmail.comEpisode notes:Muhamad Ali - Why is...2024-09-0254 min
Offline ThoughtsThe Occult - Astrology, Witchcraft & Other Mysticisms The occult is experiencing a resurgence - as it always does following periods of social, political and economic instability. People, feeling out of control and desperate for an order to the chaos and hope for the future turn to astrology, fortune tellers, mediums and a whole host of other 'alternative' spiritual practices to fill the void. Whilst on the surface these may seem harmless - that is not the case. We pay a price for their salve. Please send your thoughts to offlinethoughts.podcast@gmail.com.SHOW NOTES:Info...2024-08-261h 10
Offline ThoughtsThe Patriarchy Within - How Both Men & Women Sustain SexismSexism is pervasive and infiltrates every aspect of our lives—from language and social norms to the structural infrastructure of our political and legal systems. The ugly truth is that all men are sexist - and that women are complicit in maintaining the sexist order in various ways.Please send your thoughts to offlinethoughts.podcast@gmail.com.SHOW NOTESArticles:Gender study finds 90% of people are biased against women, BBC: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-51751915Human Rights by Council of Europe: ht...2024-08-191h 08
Offline ThoughtsThe Southport tragedy - UK race riots and the far-rightFollowing the horrific events on the 29th of July 2024 in Southport where a 17-year-old boy stabbed and killed three girls– a wave of unprecedented xenophobic violence against Muslim people and other people of colour took place. So far, 800 rioters have been arrested and 350 charged. Amid the chao two things are clear – (1) the spread of misinformation (including by figures like Elon Musk, Tommy Robinson and Nigel Farage) played a central role in inciting the violence and (2) the rioters used this incident to further their agenda.Please send your thoughts to offlinethoughts.podcast@gmail.com.2024-08-1242 min
Offline ThoughtsUnmasking Bill Gates - Epstein ties, health lies and the power to do harmBill Gates is a man with many personas. He is the boy wonder that co-founded Microsoft despite being a college dropout. As the head of Microsoft he destroyed the competition, but eventually had to answer to congress over Microsoft's antitrust and monopolistic practices. Like a chameleon, he reinvented himself as a the world’s most generous man until the late 2010s when his relationship with convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein was exposed. This was just the tip of the iceberg. Whether global health, agricultural reform in African countries or educational reform in the USA - his seemingly good works al...2024-08-0551 min
Offline ThoughtsPolice killing of Sonya MasseySonya Massey thought there was an intruder in her home and did what any person would do - she called the police for help. Shortly thereafter, after a benign and positive interaction in which Sonya was polite, sweet, had told them 'I love y'all' and thanked them for their service - Sean Grayson, one of the attending police officers, had shot her in the face and killed her while she crouched fearfully uttering 'I'm sorry' multiple times. Listeners' discretion is advised for this episode. Please send me your your thoughts and...2024-07-2945 min
Offline ThoughtsBroke college graduates – is university overrated?There is a great myth that is sold to young people that tells them that university education will be their guarantee to wealth and financial independence. Millions of graduates out there can attest that is a lie - they are broke despite having undergraduate (and sometimes even postgraduate) qualifications. Does that mean university is overrated? I'd love to hear your thoughts and comments - please email offlinethoughts.podcast@gmail.com to let me know what you thought of the episode. 2024-07-2242 min
Offline ThoughtsDrake vs Kendrick - reaping what you sowThe Drake vs Kendrick rap beef dominated the music industry news cycle for weeks, with fans on both sides egging on the beef for our entertainment. It is clear that Kendrick won this battle. Kendrick won by showcasing the fundamental ingredient that Drake lacks - authenticity. 2024-07-1552 min
Offline ThoughtsConspiracy to make us fatThere's a conspiracy to make us fat - whether it is through predatory advertising, mass production of addictive junk food or through the intentional spread of misinformation - the food industry needs us to eat to excess. This episode is about how and why the keeps us overweight.2024-07-0842 min
Offline ThoughtsSweating the small stuff We may not be able to control the big stuff like where we are born, who we are born to, how we look and a million other things. But there ARE things we do control. Whether that is being on time, doing what we said we were going to do or not betraying our beliefs - these things have an outsized effect on our self-identity, our self-esteem, our sense of agency and how we show up in the world. 2024-07-0140 min
Offline ThoughtsStockholm syndrome - it’s just a jobThere are two realities. The first is that most of us work because we need money to live. The second reality is that no matter what they say - employers will always put profits over us, the people. Whether that means replacing workers with checkout tills, relocating production overseas to exploit workers in poor countries or pushing for zero hours contracts that give employees no guaranteed minimum income - employers show us time and time again how little we matter to them. Despite this - many of us seem to be suffering from Stockholm Syndrome where we treat our...2024-06-2449 min
Offline ThoughtsSelf-inflicted wounds: straddling two identitiesPeople of colour that are born and raised in European countries face an identity crisis that arises from straddling two identities - they are doomed to neither ever be European enough or to fit in with their origin countries. Is this is a self-inflicted wound? What would it mean to relinquish the desperate desire to be absorbed into European culture and instead embrace our true identities? Please send your thoughts and comments to offlinethoughts.podcast@gmail.com.2024-06-1742 min
Offline ThoughtsEuropean Union as neo colonisationThe formation of the European Union is an epic of good and evil, of conquest, of power, and of empire. Is it a coincidence that the richest 10 countries in the EU are nearly all former colonial powers? Is it a coincidence that the poorest countries globally were formerly colonised? No, these legacies are testaments to the resounding success of colonisation - and that (neo) colonisation has been preserved and continued by the EU. 2024-06-1041 min
Offline ThoughtsMarijuana - loss of objective realityMarijuana is one of the only drugs that has the widespread perception of being harmless. After all, it is natural and unlike "real" drugs like heroin or cocaine - it is not addictive. Whilst it may not have the same physiological and biological impact as hard drugs - it does have real consequences to users. The biggest is that is distorts the perception of time and causes users to lose their grasp on objective reality. Over time it becomes clear that chronic users are at a standstill - watching life, their ambitions and their dreams pass them by. 2024-05-2840 min
Offline ThoughtsThe magic of self deception (depersonalisation, coping mechanisms, therapy)Sometimes you have massaged the truth so much that you begin to lie even to yourself. You minimise the things that have happened to you and the things you have done. In some cases it is to protect yourself from confronting who you truly are and in others it is to preserve more pleasant illusions of your experiences and the people in your life. The problem is that you can't run from yourself forever. 2024-05-2044 min
Offline ThoughtsAndrew Tate - pimping boys, men and womenAndrew Tate is a god-like figure to his legion of fans. He teaches them how to ‘escape The Matrix’, how to make money and how to have unlimited access to women and sex. To the rest of us - he’s a predator charged with human trafficking, forming a criminal organisation and sexual assault by the Romanian authorities. Currently under house arrest but enjoying a following of nearly 9 million followers on X (formerly known as Twitter), Tate is still radicalising a generation of boys and men. Tune in to listen to how it isn’t just his female victims he pimps...2024-03-1156 min
Offline ThoughtsPornography - the bad and the ugly It’s the nation’s most hidden little secret. In the era of sex positivity and destigmatisation of sex in general - is pornography the last taboo? Tune in to this week’s episode to delve into all things pornography. Send any questions and comments to offlinethoughts.podcast@gmail.com and they will addressed in a future episode. 2024-03-0543 min
Offline ThoughtsSolidarity with Palestine Israel’s attack against the Palestinians since the 7 October 2023 attack by Hamas has left over 15,000 Palestinians dead and many more displaced. Israel’s attacks against defenceless Palestinians civilians has drawn protests and demonstrations globally, with increasing scrutiny on US foreign policy that continues to provide Israel with the military aid it uses to kill Palestinians. Tune in to discuss how we as global observers can stand with Palestine.Please send me your thoughts and comments at offlinethoughts.podcast@gmail.com.2024-02-2741 min
Offline ThoughtsConnected but lonelyThe online world offers a place for connecting with people from all over the world and for participating in online communities of like-minded people. This, in theory, should mean that we feel more connected than ever. But that is not the case. Loneliness amongst young people, in particular, is increasing and is partly driven by the displacement of offline real-life interactions by impersonal online ones. Tune in to this week’s episode to hear about how to avoid feeling disconnected and lonely.I'd love to get your feedback and hear your thoughts and comments at offlinethoughts.podcast@gm...2024-02-2141 min
Offline ThoughtsValentine's Day - putting a price on loveAggressive marketing has conditioned us to believe that gifts communicate the depth of one's affections. The age of social media also means people feel compelled to put on display their most private and intimate moments online for the benefit of the ever present public gaze. Our consumerism has further confused us to believe that the physical tokens we give and receive from our partners - whether they be flowers, jewellery, romantic dinners or other gifts - are substitutes for the patience, understanding and connection that really comprises love. In essence what capitalism has done is to render our relationships...2024-02-1241 min
Offline ThoughtsTravel- dispelling prejudice Consuming a lot of media content about the USA means we all think we know what the USA and what Americans are like. And whilst many of our pre-conceived notions are positive, some are invariably negative. As an African woman who went to a very liberal university that was critical of US power relations - I was expecting the worst. What I discovered on my first trip to the USA was decidedly different and challenged my own biases. I'd love to get your feedback and hear your thoughts and comments at offlinethoughts.podcast@gmail.com. 2024-02-0551 min
Offline ThoughtsThe agenda to feminize black men- fact or fiction?Is there an agenda in Hollywood and the wider world to feminize and emasculate black men? Looking at the long roster of back male comedians and actors who have donned women's clothes and make up at some point in their careers (think: Tyler Perry, Martin Lawrence, Eddie Murphy, Dave Chapelle and others) it is easy to see why this belief has made it into black popular culture. But is it actually true? 2024-01-2945 min
Offline ThoughtsSoft girl era and unfulfillable dreamsThe soft girl/ soft life era is upon us. Its proponents tell us that grind culture, hustle culture and corporate climbing is an inherently masculine pursuit that leaves women burnt out and out of touch with their core feminine selves. The cure, they say, is to stop the pursuit of money and focus instead on achieving a state of inner peace that can only be attained by a dedication to self-care, relaxation and disengagement from anything and anyone that brings stress. These goals centre around having a male partner that is “masculine” enough to provide financially to afford the woma...2024-01-1542 min
Offline ThoughtsEscaping the algorithm & living offline The old adage is true - there is no such thing as a free lunch. In the case of social media platforms, they may be free at the point of use but that is only because it us who are the products for sale. These platforms harvest our data to study our behaviour and subsequently sell this data to advertisers who in turn target us with carefully curated ads based on our consumer profile. These advertisers then sell our data to other vendors. The consequences are that we never really know which are our own thoughts and which beliefs...2024-01-0149 min
Offline ThoughtsYour work colleagues are not your friends This episode dives into the intricacies of workplace relationships and asks the age-old question: Are your colleagues truly your friends? Tune in to explore the blurred lines between professional connections and personal bonds and how these relationships can impact both your career and personal life.2023-12-2547 min
Offline ThoughtsKeeping the spark in long-term relationships: lovers first, friends second Online content is full of advice on how to meet "the one" and tips on navigating the early stages of relationships. There is less content on what it takes to keep the spark in a long term relationship going. Conventional wisdom tells us being friends with your partner is the most important component in sustaining a relationship. This episode discusses why that is not true and why it is more important to be lovers first, and friends second.I'd love to get your feedback and hear your thoughts and comments at offlinethoughts.podcast@gmail.com. 2023-12-1856 min
Offline ThoughtsCompeting victimhoods - trans women and cis women Intersectionality politics is the acknowledgment that people are complex and that the different facets of who they are impacts their lived experiences in different and complex ways. Within movements and between individual marginalised groups there are shared experiences and goals that binds these groups but, equally, there are power dynamics that cause tensions within and between these marginalised groups. This episode looks at the resistance women have towards the "cisgender" or "cis" label and unpacks why trans people, particularly trans women, need for this label to be adopted in the mainstream.I'd love to get your feedback...2023-12-1144 min
Offline ThoughtsChristmas joy and mindless consumption Why do we celebrate Christmas? Has the commercialisation of Christmas meant we have lost sight of what makes it special - family time, bonding, togetherness - and made it another occasion for celebrating mindless consumption? Tune in to this week's episode to chat about all the best and worst bits about the Christmas season.I'd love to get your feedback and hear your thoughts and comments at offlinethoughts.podcast@gmail.com. 2023-12-0550 min
Offline ThoughtsCassie and P Diddy: Sugar baby nightmares All that glitters isn't gold. Cassie and P Diddy once upon a time were hiphop royalty and a Hollywood power couple. They were photographed at fancy industry events in expensive jewellery and clothes and always surrounded by lavish luxury. Cassie seemed to be experiencing the princess treatment and we assumed there is nothing that P Diddy wouldn't give her. She was living every woman's fantasy. That bubble was burst in mid-November 2023 when Cassie filed court documents against P Diddy alleging years of abuse and exploitation. This episode discusses the dark side of being a sugar baby and...2023-11-2743 min
Offline ThoughtsCoach Stormy Wellington: using pyramid schemes and MLMs to exploit black womenCoach Stormy is a real life rags-to-riches story - from teen mom and former stripper to millionaire entrepreneur. She is now a wealth coach that helps women overcome their limitations to become financially independent. In addition to being a distributor and brand ambassador for TLC - Total Life Changes - she also runs the mentoring organisations Girl Hold My Hand and 1000 Families. But is there more to Coach Stormy's successes? Her detractors call her a scam artist and accuse her of running a pyramid scheme. Tune in to listen to the discourse.I'd love to get your...2023-11-2052 min
Offline ThoughtsToxic femininity: Men are incapable of love and Princella the Queen MakerPrincella the Queen Maker is a charismatic public commentator and content creator who has exploded onto the online scene. Her messages to some are revolutionary and liberating, To others they are shocking, insulting and leading women down a path of toxic femininity. Tune in to listen to why Princella the Queen Maker believes what she believes and whether women should follow her advice,I'd love to get your feedback and hear your thoughts and comments! Send me an email at offlinethoughts.podcast@gmail.com.2023-11-1348 min
Offline ThoughtsToxic masculinity: Passport Bros, exploitation and gender rolesPassport Bros and movements like them say that Western women have become overly entitled, that they have lost their traditional values and are no longer able to let men be protectors and providers in relationships. That's why they are flocking to non-Western countries in latin America, Asia and Africa on a quest to find the perfect woman - one who is submissive, deferential and knows how to cater to a man's needs. But is there more than meets the eye? This episode discusses the other side to that story. It is one of financial abuse, romantic and sexual exploitation...2023-11-0647 min