Today I Learned

Young people are suffering. Youth unemployment rate has been on the rise, salaries have stagnated for close to 20 years, despite the massive increase in cost of living. Cost of education is at an all time high and upon graduating, most people find themselves in massive debts. The average millennials and Gen Z cannot even afford adequate housing on a single paycheck, despite it being a basic necess...

Young people are suffering. Youth unemployment rate has been on the rise, salaries have stagnated for close to 20 years, despite the massive increase in cost of living. Cost of education is at an all time high and upon graduating, most people find themselves in massive debts. The average millennials and Gen Z cannot even afford adequate housing on a single paycheck, despite it being a basic necess...

The 2020 US Presidential elections was billed by many as the battle for the soul of America. The progressive left-wing, democratic party slugging out to defeat the right-wing, racist, xenophobic, conservative Republican party, led by the all-evil Donald Trump. Joe Biden’s win was celebrated as a victory for the progressives. But what if it’s all just a performance? What if I told you t...

Recently, YADIM Muslim Women's Council (MAYA) called out Feminine hygiene brand, Libresse, for misusing an image of a woman's “private part” on an ad design for its sanitary products. She said that the advertisement -- which has flowers shaped like vulvas -- "clearly undermines the dignity of women and violates the norms of decency in Malaysian society". But does it really, though? Or...

Political parties in Malaysia can be very confusing. Last week, we took a look at the parties in the Peninsula and unpacked their history and ideology. But what about our neighbours in the East? What are the likes of Warisan & GPS all about? And why do independent candidates stand a higher chance of winning in the East than the West? Political commentator Oh Ei Sun helps us unpack. Image credi...

Political parties in Malaysia can be very confusing. We have a lot of them, from UMNO to PAS to PKR to DAP to newer ones like AMANAH and Bersatu and newborns like MUDA and Pejuang. But what do we know about these parties besides the famous names at the helm? What do we know about their ideologies, particularly economically? Political Commentator Oh Ei Sun joins us to unpack the various mainstream...

We often hear things like “our economy is really bad” or “our economy is improving” but what even is Malaysia’s economy? How does it work? Do we lean to the left or right? How did we go from being the Asian Tiger once upon a time to where we are today? Image source: Shutterstock  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We often hear things like “our economy is really bad” or “our economy is improving” but what even is Malaysia’s economy? How does it work? Do we lean to the left or right? How did we go from being the Asian Tiger once upon a time to where we are today? Image source: Shutterstock  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

There’s a saying that goes “absolute power corrupts absolutely.” Which means having power corrupts people, or lessens their morality, and the more power someone has, the more corrupted they will become. But how true is this? Dr Karim Bettache joins us to discuss. Image source: Shutterstock  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Edward Sapir and Benjamin Lee Whorf once hypothesized that language influences thought rather than the reverse. The Sapir–Whorf hypothesis claims that people from different cultures think differently because of differences in their languages. But does that theory still hold weight? Dr Sharifah Ayeshah joins us to discuss how language shapes thought. Image source: Shutterstock  See omnys...

We’re all familiar with the Boy Who Lived, Harry Potter. The books, films and world that author J.K. Rowling built became a global phenomenon. So in light of the 10th anniversary of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2, we explore how exactly this franchise shaped culture for an entire generation. Image source: Shutterstock See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We’re all familiar with the Boy Who Lived, Harry Potter. The books, films and world that author J.K. Rowling built became a global phenomenon. So in light of the 10th anniversary of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2, we explore how exactly this franchise shaped culture for an entire generation. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Recently, a Bloomberg columnist claimed that Malaysia is staggering down the road to “Failed Statehood.” But what does a “Failed state” actually mean? And are we on the way to becoming one? Dr Bridget Welsh joins us to discuss. Image source: Shutterstock See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Following the end of World War 2 up until the 60s, three dozen new states in Asia and Africa achieved autonomy and independence from their European colonial rulers. Many consider this as the end of European Colonialism. But is that really true? Or are we still colonised today… only in different ways? Image source: Shutterstock  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Left wing, right wing, centrists and moderates. We’ve heard these terms before, but what do they even mean? And can they be applied to political landscapes across the globe? Assistant Professor Peter Beattie, lecturer in Global Political Economy, joins us to explain. Image source: Shutterstock See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A few days ago, US President Joe Biden signed the Juneteenth National Independence Day Act and declared that every year moving forward, June the 19th will be a federal holiday. But what exactly is Juneteenth and why is it important, particularly to the African American community? Dr Mohan Ambikaipaker, Associate Professor in Critical Race Theory & Postcolonial Studies, joins us to discuss. Ima...

We’re told since young, that there are certain words that should not be used. Swear words. Yet, we use it all the time, not only angrily to our biggest enemies, but also casually to acquaintances, our best friends and even to/with our significant other.  But why exactly do we swear? And why do we love it so much?   Image source: Shutterstock See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy...

Patriarchy. You might have heard your feminist friend talk about how we need to destroy it. But what exactly does patriarchy mean? And why is it bad for us -- all of us, both men and women. Sharon Bong, who’s an Associate Professor of Gender Studies, joins us to discuss. Image source: Unsplash See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

It is commonly said that extroverts are great at communication, while introverts are simply anti-social. But is this actually true? Are one's social skills directly tied to introversion and extroversion, or is that an oversimplification? Assistant Prof in Psychology, Dr Eugene Tee, joins us to bust the myth of the boring introvert. Image source: Shutterstock See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy...

We’ve heard these ideological terms and we’ve seen them weaponised by politicians (think Trump labelling the likes of AOC and Bernie Sanders as “communists,” whenever they come up with an economically progressive idea). But what do these terms actually mean? On this episode of ‘Today I Learned,’ Asst Prof Peter Beattie joins us to discuss. Image source: Shutters...

We’ve heard these ideological terms and we’ve seen them weaponised by politicians (think Trump labelling the likes of AOC and Bernie Sanders as “communists,” whenever they come up with an economically progressive idea). But what do these terms actually mean? On this episode of ‘Today I Learned,’ Asst Prof Peter Beattie joins us to discuss. Image source: Shutters...

It was reported earlier this year that fighting the COVID-19 pandemic has brought our global debt total to an all-time high of $281 trillion at the end of 2020. We've seen these types of reports in the past, which always leaves many of us scratching our heads. How can our whole world be in debt? Who are we in debt to? Martians? A top secret bank run by Goblins? On this episode of Today I Learned,...

You would think that after thousands of years, human beings would find more complex reasons to hate each other than race. Yet racism still prevails to this day. The question is… why are people racist? Is it biological or is it learned? On the second episode of Today I Learned , we speak to professor in social psychology and culture, Dr Karim Bettache on the psychology of racism.  &nbsp...

Feminism, according to Oxford, is the advocacy of equality of the sexes and the establishment of the political, social, and economic rights of the female sex. But in recent years, there seems to be a negative connotation to “feminism.” Not only do some actively push back against feminism, others, even some who support gender equality, do not like being labelled as a feminist. But why?...