Today I Learned

Many of us have probably experienced the wonderfully magical feeling called ‘love’ at one point or another in our lives, either romantically or otherwise. But what exactly is love? How do we put that feeling into words? Image Credit: Shutterstock See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

New Year’s Resolutions. It’s that time of the year again, where many of us are excitedly setting goals and dreams that we need to start pursuing from the first week of January.  But the thing about New Year’s Resolutions is, many of us also don’t stick to it after a few weeks have passed. Why does this happen? And what should we keep in mind when setting new year’s resolutions? Image Credit:...

Dato’ Seri Anwar Ibrahim has been appointed the 10th Prime Minister of Malaysia. We discuss Anwar’s journey, from his student activist days, getting sacked by Tun Dr Mahathir, the reformasi movement and becoming the Prime Minister after 25 years of fighting tirelessly. Image Credit: EPA-EFE and MaxPixel See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

GE14 was a monumental day in Malaysian history as the people voted out the incumbent Barisan Nasional government, which had been at the helm of Malaysia for 60 years. However, the events that have transpired over the past couple of years, namely Langkah Sheraton, has made some people wonder “what did GE14 actually accomplish? Did the people change anything?” Image Credit: Shutterstock See omnystud...

Many young people are feeling political apathy, not just in Malaysia, but across the globe, as well. But why is this happening and what can be done about it? We speak to Peter Beattie, who’s an expert in political psychology. Image Credit: Shutterstock See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

"Do I still need to register to vote?" "Do people from Selangor only need to vote next year?" "What's the point of voting if politicians are just going to hop around?" Feeling confused on the road to GE? In this episode, we answer all your questions (well, as many as we can) about GE15 and unpack everything you need to know as a voter heading into GE15. Image Credit: EPA-EFE & Shutterstock See...

Many of us have probably been in this situation before. Our friend or partner say they have something to tell us. We hear them and then immediately chime in to give advice or suggestions, only for them to get frustrated and say “I don’t want your advice. I just want you to understand me.”  But what is the importance of active listening? We’re joined by Sandy Clarke, Licensed Counsellor. ...

In a powerful act of resistance, Iranian women are risking their lives by burning their headscarves and protesting against their government. But what sparked these protests? Will this uprising bring about a new Iran? We’re joined by Assal Rad, Research Director, National Iranian American Council. She’s also the author of ‘State of Resistance: Politics, Culture & Identity in Modern Iran.’ Image...

Many decades ago, many countries around the world, including Malaysia, declared drug abuse the biggest threat and menace to society. The solution was to start a war on drugs, as US President Nixon had pushed for. But what if the war on drugs has been a complete and catastrophic failure? On this episode, we discuss why the war on drugs has been a failure and why we should decriminalise drugs for pe...

We’re constantly exposed to fake news and bad news. So, how do we consume news media and maintain our sanity? We discuss this with Asst Prof Peter Beattie, Media Researcher, Chinese University of Hong Kong. Image credit: Shutterstock See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Today, we live in an individualistic world, one where the term “dependence” is seen as a sign of weakness. “Self-made” has become a buzzword, especially by the rich and proponents of hustle culture. But is dependency a sign of weakness? And what does “self-made” mean, anyway? We’re joined by Sandy Clarke, licensed counsellor and author.  Image credit: Shutterstock See omnystudio.com/listener...

Criminal Breach of Trust or CBT is a term we’ve been hearing a lot lately, in light of various corruption charges involving high profile politicians. But what exactly is CBT and why is money laundering always mentioned in CBT-related reports? Raymon Ram who’s a certified fraud consultant and the secretary general of Transparency International - Malaysia, joins us to discuss.  Image credit: Sh...

The Social Contract. When we hear this term, most of us have a particular image in our heads – an image of Tunku Abdul Rahman, Tan Cheng Lock and V. T. Sambanthan in a chamber with some old British dudes signing something that has come to define Malaysian politics and history for better or worse. But what if we told you that there’s no mention of “The Social Contract” in our constitution? So, wher...

Littoral Combat Ship. Unless you’ve been living under a rock recently, you would’ve heard about the latest scandal Malaysia is embroiled in, this time centred around six military ships and 9 billion ringgit. Some have called it 1MDB 2.0, but why and who is entangled in this scandal? We’re joined by Cynthia Gabriel, Human Rights Advocate, Centre to Combat Corruption and Cronyism (C4).  Image c...

According to many studies, toxic work culture is the biggest reason why people quit their jobs. But what exactly does a toxic workplace look like? And on the flip side, how can you tell if you’re the one who’s making your workplace toxic? Deepa George, HR Consultant, joins us to discuss.  Image credit: Shutterstock See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

It’s been a month since the assassination of former Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe. The shooting came as a shock because Japan is considered one of the safest countries in the world, one where gun violence especially is very much unheard of in modern times. So what has been the sociopolitical fallout of his assassination? Image credit: Wikimedia Commons See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy...

On the 20th of July 2022, the Malaysian Parliament passed the long-awaited Anti-Sexual Harassment Bill. But did you know that the first draft of the Anti-Sexual Harassment Bill was penned 22 years ago?  On this episode, we take a look at the origins of the Anti-Sexual Harassment Bill and the significance of it finally being passed in Parliament.  Image credit: Shutterstock / Lucien Fraud...

The Elon Musk and Twitter saga continues. Billionaire Elon Musk said he’s no longer interested in buying Twitter. Twitter says it’s having none of that and will sue Musk to ensure the deal goes through. So, what does this all mean? In a follow-up to our previous conversation , we speak with Assistant Professor Peter Beattie, Media Researcher, Lecturer, Global Political Economy & Political Psyc...

Most of us probably have some experiences with shyness – That sense of awkwardness or uneasiness felt when in the company of others. The question is, why do we feel shy? And how do we overcome it?  Image credit: Shutterstock / GoodStudio See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

China is a one-party state governed by the Chinese Communist Party (CCP). But are they actually a communist (or socialist) country? On this episode of Today I Learned, we explore China's massive growth over the past three decades, the difference between Chinese socialism and Capitalism, the ups and downs of embracing the free market and how do the youth and working class people in China feel about...

Julian Assange, the founder of WikiLeaks, is facing extradition to the United States after it was given the green light by the British Government. So, what exactly is this case about and how does it threaten free speech? Image credit: Wikimedia Commons See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

World Refugee Day is observed every year on the 20th of June to celebrate the strength and courage of people who have been forced to flee their home country to escape conflict or persecution. But what does it mean to be a refugee? What are the challenges they go through? Image credit: Orlok/Shutterstock.com See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Inflation & recession. Every so often, economists and governments use these terms when discussing the economic health of the country. But what exactly do they mean and how does it affect your finances? Image credit: Shutterstock See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On the 1st of June, Johnny Depp won his defamation trial against Amber Heard.  It was televised live and social media consumed and commented on it like a spectator sport or reality tv. While some people watched the entirety of the trial, many others kept up by watching bits and pieces circulating on social media in the form of memes. The entire thing was bizarre, to say the least. Netizens ch...

Money is a big part of our lives and well-being. You need money to put food on the table, to send your kids to school and even for healthcare. But can money buy happiness? Dr Eugene Tee, Associate Professor in Psychology, joins us to explore this question. Image credit: Shutterstock See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.