Do We Still Need Political Parties?
Jeremy Gilbert, Nadia Idle & Keir Milburn
Why do they call them parties if they aren’t any fun? ACFM investigates.
Audio
84: How to Ace a First Date (By Two Very Different Daters)
Ash Sarkar and Moya Lothian-McLean
Are you a stranger dater or a fan of the ‘indeterminate hang’? Moya and Ash explain their very different approaches to dating.
83: Is Jealousy the Spice of Life?
Moya Lothian-McLean and Ash Sarkar
Prompted by Elena Ferrante’s novel My Brilliant Friend, Ash wonders what makes Moya jealous.
82: Help! I Can’t Stop Hating Men
Moya Lothian-McLean and Ash Sarkar
Moya wants to stop hating men, leading to a dialogue about all the things that make that difficult.
How Sci-Fi Visions of the Future Became Dystopian and Paranoid
Jeremy Gilbert and Keir Milburn
And other big questions about science fiction, from Mary Shelley to Kim Stanley Robinson.
81: Is It Wrong to Love My AI Boyfriend?
Moya Lothian-McLean and Ash Sarkar
A mystery question prompts a conversation about secrets in romantic relationships. Plus: advice for an autistic dater.
What Happened to Our Dreams of the Future?
Nadia Idle, Jem Gilbert and Keir Milburn
A weird-left explanation of how the future lost its shine, with ideas from Max Weber, Kate Raworth and Jonathan White.
80: September Is the Real New Year. Will Your Resolution Stick This Time?
Ash Sarkar & Moya Lothian-McLean
Do resolutions ever work? Why do we always want to start over?
79: Help! I’ve Moved Back Home and Now My Mum Hates Me
Moya Lothian-McLean and Ash Sarkar
Moya and Ash tackle your dilemmas this week, featuring a middle-class mum who’s become distant and critical.
78: What Does It Take to Feel Safe?
Ash Sarkar and Moya Lothian-McLean
A real-life incident prompts a conversation about trusting your gut and the politics of public safety.
Is Gardening What We’d Do If We Didn’t Have to Work?
Jeremy Gilbert, Nadia Idle and Keir Milburn
From imperial pineapples to invasive species, ACFM offer a weird-left history of gardening.
77: What’s the Difference Between a Girl and a Woman?
Moya Lothian-McLean and Ash Sarkar
Ash and Moya talk about their animal natures and fear of motherhood in a chat spurred by last week’s interview with Sophie Gilbert.
76: How Porn Went Mainstream and Changed Everything W/ Sophie Gilbert
Moya Lothian-McLean and Ash Sarkar
Ash and Moya talk to critic Sophie Gilbert about the pornification of pop culture during the ’90s and ’00s.
75: The World Needs More Flirting. Here’s How
Moya Lothian-McLean and Ash Sarkar
Moya and Ash tackle a topic that turns up in the If I Speak mailbox every week. Plus: advice on a failed friendship.
Where Did Novara Media Come From?
Richard Hames Meets Aaron Bastani, James Butler and Ash Sarkar
Novara FM is dead. Long live Novara Media.
74: Can Your Racial Identity Change Over Time?
Ash Sarkar & Moya Lothian-McLean
Ash and Moya discuss where their sense of their racial identity comes from – is it their shade, their community, or how they’re treated?
Can We Escape the Obsession With Growth?
Jeremy Gilbert, Nadia Idle & Keir Milburn
A weird-left perspective on growth, from macroeconomics to personal productivity.
73: Where Did It All Go Wrong on the Dancefloor?
Moya Lothian-McLean and Ash Sarkar
Having rekindled her appetite for fun, Ash now has a five-point plan to rescue the dancefloor from disaster.