Episodes
| Title | First Broadcast | Repeated | Comments |
|---|---|---|---|
| Always Be Optimizing | 20191104 | 20211119 (R4) 20211120 (R4) | In this essay, American essayist Jia Tolentino writes about the pressures women are under to present the very best version of themselves; to optimize their personal brand. Today, she argues, that means youthful good looks, the impression of spontaneity and a wardrobe full of expensive athleisure wear. She explores the conflicts between feminism, health, beauty and self-confidence. Jia Tolentino considers the pressure on women to be an ideal version of themselves. Jia Tolentino reads from her provocative, incisive essays about modern life. |
| I Thee Dread - Part 1 | 20191104 | 20211117 (R4) 20211118 (R4) | In this essay I Thee Dread from her 2019 collection Trick Mirror, Jia Tolentino explores the cult of the wedding industry: she's been to forty six weddings which may explain, she thinks, why she has chosen not to get married herself. She adds up the costs of modern weddings - from the first engagement photos to the honeymoon - and asks when weddings changed from a private ceremony for the bridal couple and their families, to the extravaganzas we see today. Jia Tolentino considers weddings in her essay I Thee Dread, from her book Trick Mirror. Jia Tolentino reads from her provocative, incisive essays about modern life. |
| I Thee Dread - Part 2 | 20191104 | 20211118 (R4) 20211119 (R4) | In this abridged version of I Thee Dread from her collection Trick Mirror, Jia Tolentino explores the cult of the wedding industry: she's been to forty six weddings which may explain, she thinks, why she has chosen not to get married herself. She adds up the costs of modern weddings - from the first engagement photos to the honeymoon - and asks when weddings changed from a private ceremony for the bridal couple and their families, to the extravaganzas we see today. Jia Tolentino takes on the excesses of the wedding industry. Jia Tolentino reads from her provocative, incisive essays about modern life. |
| The I In The Internet - Part 1 | 20191104 | 20211115 (R4) 20211116 (R4) | How did the internet get so bad?' asks Jia Tolentino in this wide-ranging and thought-provoking essay. She recalls her youthful love of the internet, the thrill she felt aged 10, when she created her first blogs (including an FAQ page) and considers life now when the internet is inescapable and, she argues openly torturous'. While admitting that she has benefited from the internet's focus on opinion she explores the impact of living our lives online, claiming that even people who don't interact with social media directly cannot escape its influence. Jia Tolentino asks 'how did the internet get so bad? Jia Tolentino reads from her provocative, incisive essays about modern life. |
| The I In The Internet - Part 2 | 20191104 | 20211116 (R4) 20211117 (R4) | How did the internet get so bad?' asks Jia Tolentino in this wide-ranging and thought-provoking essay. She recalls her youthful love of the internet, the thrill she felt aged 10, when she created her first blogs (including an FAQ page) and considers life now when the internet is inescapable and, she argues openly torturous'. While admitting that she has benefited from the internet's focus on opinion she explores the impact of living our lives online, claiming that even people who don't interact with social media directly cannot escape its influence. How did the internet get so bad?' asks Jia Tolentino in this wide-ranging essay. Jia Tolentino reads from her provocative, incisive essays about modern life. |