Perspicaz Podcast

Perspicaz Productions

A series of conversations discussing social, cultural and political issues attempting always to be as perspicacious as possible.

Episodes

  1. Oct 29

    What is beauty and why does it matter?

    Saskia told a friend she found the Royal Palace in Madrid beautiful. Her friend disagreed — completely. That small moment sent us down a much bigger rabbit hole: what actually makes something beautiful, and does anyone get to decide? In this episode, Daniela and Saskia work through the question from Plato and Kant to Roger Scruton: harmony, form and pleasure, the subjective experience that colours how we see a thing, and the idea of beauty as a conduit to the divine. We look at ugliness as beauty's inversion, and at the Venn diagram where something physically unlovely can still be beautiful — scars, stretch marks, the rotting apple. Then we get into the uncomfortable bits. Has the move to make everything subjective left us unable to say anything is objectively beautiful? What do Ozempic-thin and body positivity have in common? Where's the line between enhancing your beauty and faking it? And if beauty can be used for vanity, deception and worse — Dorian Gray, Hitler's looted paintings — can it really be a value on its own? We finish with public space: broken windows, clean streets, painted shutters, and why beauty is both attractive and generative. Plus the one object of beauty each of us keeps at home. Truth, curiosity and a healthy bit of disagreement, as always. Music: Rachmaninoff Piano Concerto No 3 Recorded, produced and published by: Gregor Quendel https://www.gregorquendel.com Creative Commons - Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International Classicals.de © 2025 www.classicals.de

  2. Sep 10

    The Digital Town Square: Free Speech, Truth & Social Media

    Social media promised connection and the free flow of information. So why does it so often leave us divided, anxious and scrolling for something we can't quite name? In this episode, Daniela and Saskia finally tackle the topic that's been lurking behind so many of our previous conversations. We start by defining what social media has become: a digital town square, a public library, and a place to find community when you feel alone. From there, we get into the rise of citizen journalism and the collapse of trust in legacy media, and the big free speech questions. Should everyone have a public platform? Where does speech tip into incitement? And who gets to decide what's "harmful"? We also look at platforms designed like slot machines, the vulnerability of young people growing up online, whether tech companies should be held legally liable, and what role (if any) governments should play. Along the way, we draw on The Wave, Baudrillard's Simulacra and Simulation, and our earlier Manosphere episode to get to the deeper question: what are we actually looking for when we open the app? Music: Rachmaninoff Piano Concerto No 3 Recorded, produced and published by: Gregor Quendel https://www.gregorquendel.com Creative Commons - Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International Classicals.de © 2025 www.classicals.de

  3. Aug 24

    Human Nature, Wealth & the Systems We Live In

    What actually makes a society prosperous? In this episode, we continue our conversation about wealth and move beyond the question of who has it to ask how societies create the conditions for people to create, contribute and flourish. We talk about wealth creation, incentives, human nature, poverty, opportunity, psychological and spiritual wellbeing, culture and whether some social systems are genuinely better than others. It's a conversation about a deceptively difficult question: can we build systems that work with human nature rather than against it? We don't arrive at a neat answer — but we do end up somewhere much more interesting. Music: Rachmaninoff Piano Concerto No 3 Recorded, produced and published by: Gregor Quendel https://www.gregorquendel.com Creative Commons - Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International Classicals.de © 2025 www.classicals.de

  4. Jul 7

    Wealth Taxes: Fairness, Envy, or Bad Economics?

    "Tax the rich" has become one of the most popular political slogans of the last decade—but does it actually solve the problems it's trying to fix? In this episode (part 1 of our discussion), we unpack the economics, psychology and morality behind wealth taxes. We explore the difference between wealth and income, why many people misunderstand how businesses and investment actually work, and whether governments are the best institutions to redistribute resources. We also discuss entrepreneurship, inherited wealth, philanthropy, inequality, and the question at the heart of it all: are we trying to reduce poverty, or simply reduce the gap between rich and poor? Whether you agree or disagree, this conversation aims to move beyond slogans and towards a more nuanced discussion about fairness, responsibility and prosperity.

  5. Jun 25

    Toxic Femininity and Weaponising Empathy

    In this episode, Saskia and Daniela explore one of the most difficult and controversial questions in modern culture. They discuss: • why compassion is one of women's greatest strengths—but can also be manipulated • whether social media amplifies empathy while reducing critical thinking • identity, belonging and why women are drawn to communities and causes • feminism, politics and the search for meaning • comparison, perfectionism and the impossible expectations placed on modern women • why objective truth may matter more than feelings alone Rather than attacking women or dismissing genuine compassion, this conversation asks a deeper question: How do we care deeply about people without losing our ability to think clearly? A thoughtful discussion about psychology, culture, identity and what it means to flourish as a woman in today's world. Music: Rachmaninoff Piano Concerto no.3 Recorded, produced and published by: Gregor Quendel https://www.gregorquendel.com Creative Commons - Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International Classicals.de © 2025 www.classicals.de

  6. Jun 1

    What Good Fathers Give Their Children

    What role do fathers play beyond simply providing and protecting? In this episode, we reflect on the lessons we learned from our fathers and explore what positive masculinity looks like in practice. From building confidence and resilience to teaching responsibility, courage and emotional strength, we discuss the unique influence fathers can have on their children's lives. Drawing on our own experiences of growing up with deeply involved fathers—and the experience of losing them—we explore the impact fathers have on identity, relationships, risk-taking, and our understanding of the world. A conversation about fatherhood, masculinity, grief, and why good fathers matter more than we often acknowledge. Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@PerspicazPodcast Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theperspicazpodcast/ Music: Rachmaninoff Piano concerto No.3 Recorded, produced and published by: Gregor Quendel https://www.gregorquendel.com Creative Commons - Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International CC BY-NC 4.0 Classicals.de © 2025 www.classicals.de

  7. May 22

    The Manosphere, Modern Women & the Crisis Between Men and Women

    Why are so many young men drawn to figures like Andrew Tate and the modern “manosphere”? Saskia and Daniela explore the emotional, cultural, and relational forces behind the rise of online masculinity movements — from fatherlessness and male shame to dating culture, feminism, vulnerability, and the modern crisis between men and women. This is not a reactionary takedown or a defence of the manosphere. It’s an attempt to understand what happens when both men and women feel disconnected, disillusioned, and misunderstood. Music: Rachmaninoff Piano Concerto No. 3, Op. 30https://www.classicals.deRecorded, produced, and published by: Gregor QuendelThe arrangement is based on the notes by: hmscompLicense Terms: CC BY-NC 4.0

  8. May 12

    Immigration, Identity and Responsibility

    In this episode of the Perspicaz Podcast, Saskia and Daniela explore the complex realities of immigration, borders, nationalism and integration. Drawing on perspectives from South Africa and Europe, they unpack questions around culture, responsibility, labour, identity and what people really mean when they talk about immigration. A nuanced conversation about belonging, citizenship and the future of modern nations. Music: Rachmaninoff: Piano Concerto No 3, Op. 30 Recorded, produced, and published by: Gregor Quendel The arrangement is based on the notes by: hmscomp  License Terms: CC BY-NC 4.0 Credit to © 2025 CLASSICALS.DE EXCLUSIVE RECORDINGS

  9. May 5

    Pilot Episode: Looking for truth through curiosity

    Welcome to our first episode! A series of conversations between Saskia van Ryneveld and Daniela van Aswegen. In this episode we discuss how to have difficult conversations about controversial topics, balancing the desire for truth with intention, trying to communicate through curiosity and how to be perspicacious. Enjoy!

  • 9 Episodes

About

A series of conversations discussing social, cultural and political issues attempting always to be as perspicacious as possible.

Information

  • Creator
    Perspicaz Productions
  • Years Active
    2026
  • Episodes
    9
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © Perspicaz Productions
  • Show Website
    Perspicaz Podcast