How did we end up here?: Recent Episodes
AG
If you were the kind of child who irritated your parents and friends by endlessly asking ‘why?’ at every opportunity, this podcast might be for you.
I, too, was one of those children, and I still haven’t grown out of the habit as an adult.
Not content with just drinking a cup of coffee, I felt the need know who decided to make a drink from roasted coffee beans in the first place and why they did it.
I wondered about fundamentals like why is the week 7 days long, to less profound, but equally significant, questions like why do we keep animals in our homes.
This podcast is my attempt to scratch the itch of that curiosity.
From the language we speak and the parliament that governs us, all of these things we take for granted haven’t always existed as they do today. Whether they came about through a calculated process of invention, or just random change, all of these things and customs have a backstory.
These are those backstories. This is: How Did We End Up Here?
Don’t worry, I’m not going to try and explain how we ended up with the current government. I value your time, and my sanity, too much to attempt to cobble together some kind of explanation for that mess.
What I can do is explain is how we ended up with our system of government. After centuries of rule by kings and queens, the power of the monarchy has been all but replaced by elected officials in parliament. But why did this happen? How does our voting system work anyway? And will we ever end up with a government we all like?
This is: How did we end up here, with parliamentary rule?
Music: Nkhondo by 33nano, https://pixabay.com/music/introoutro-nkhondo-16489/
The week being 7 days long seems just seems natural. Like dogs chasing cats or Bart Simpson prank calling Moe. It’s just the way things are.
But has it always been this way? What were the alternatives? And how might the work week change in the future?
You can find out by listening to this: How did we end up here, working 5 days a week?
Music: Nkhondo by 33nano, https://pixabay.com/music/introoutro-nkhondo-16489/
Whether it’s espresso, americano or late, part of your morning routine or an occasional indulgence, from coffee connoisseurs to those with a caffein craving, most of us drink coffee in some form.
But who decided to roast and brew bitter coffee beans? How long have people been drinking coffee? And how has the coffee culture changed over the years?
You can find the answers to these questions, and more, in this: How did we end up here, drinking coffee?
Music: Nkhondo by 33nano, https://pixabay.com/music/introoutro-nkhondo-16489/
The English language. It’s absolutely everywhere. At this point, there probably isn’t a person alive who doesn’t know at least a few words of English.
Us native English speakers use it 24 hours a day, whether reading, writing, talking, watching tv, listening to podcasts or just thinking or dreaming.
In this episode, I’ll look at the ingredients that make up the English language, it’s development into the language we speak today, and the way in which English became globally dominant.
This is: How did we end up here, speaking English?
Music: Nkhondo by 33nano, https://pixabay.com/music/introoutro-nkhondo-16489/