Series 3 Episode 10: Our Fragile State

Chris and Jim begin by discussing recent developments in the Middle East, with tensions running high and fears of escalation after Israel reserves the right to respond to Iran's launching of drones and missiles at Israel (itself a retaliation for Israel's attack on the Iranian consulate in Damascus). 
The bulk of the episode consists of a discussion of the notion of fragility, introduced in the previous episode, but developed here in relation to the climate emergency. Chris and Jim explore how political and cultural fragility, exemplified by the unresponsiveness of political systems to reality and the wishes of the population and the prevalence of disinformation in the public sphere, prevent productive debate around specific responses to the climate emergency, using the polarised debate around the introduction of LTNs (low traffic neighbourhoods) in their hometown of Oxford and the absurd misrepresentation of the notion of a 15-minute city as examples. The discussion then broadens out into a consideration of the way the climate movement has begun to engage with wider political and social justice issues, and the magnitude of the task of achieving the kind of profound social change required in a non-violent fashion.

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