From the rubble of 2020 comes the opportunity to create a new future. Conversations That Count – Ngā Kōrero Whai Take will examine what that could look like. Subscribe here, and read host Stacey Morrison’s introduction below.
‘Unprecedented’ is starting to feel like a euphemism for this year. And it’s still only August. But from the loss and sacrifice comes a huge opportunity to engage critically with our future. In Aotearoa especially, 2020 now presents the potential to examine what we want our world to look like.
The cascading effects of Covid-19 around the world have challenged our understanding of our social structures. The response to the virus has asked us to weigh public health against the economy. On the team of five million we’ve had to contemplate personal sacrifice for a communal mission. The pandemic has brought into clear view the pressure humanity has put on Papatūānuku and the potential to reset that relationship.
As we confront the consequences and opportunities of this year, engaging in conversations that dig deep into the challenges of the future is essential. To guide us through these issues, Massey University and The Spinoff are launching Conversations That Count – Ngā Kōrero Whai Take, a new podcast, editorial and event series.
As your host for the 2020 series, I’ll be leading conversations centred on informing Aotearoa’s future in the five-part podcast. Each episode will bring together academics, industry and activist leaders to turn a lens on the issues and challenges shaping Aotearoa and te aō whānui. Released monthly from early August, Conversations That Count – Ngā Kōrero Whai Take is here to help you better understand a world that is changing fast.
Information has never been more important. But in an age where it’s so easy to access, determining truth from illusion, fact from rumour, is becoming more complicated. This series is about showcasing some of Aotearoa’s smartest minds and most interesting thinkers and giving you access to them. We want it to encourage New Zealanders to continue these conversations about the country’s future within their communities to help drive change.
The rise of the Black Lives Matter movement has made us examine the voices we have around us. We must be open to a true diversity of perspectives and people who we allow to shape our understanding of the world.
We need to break out of our ideological bubbles to understand the way people see the world beyond the filtered vision of our echo chambers. There is an opportunity to engage with conversations that challenge us and weave those into our lives. These conversations are particularly important at the present moment and Conversations That Count – Ngā Kōrero Whai Take will give you access to those diverse perspectives on Aotearoa’s future.
As we unwrap and debrief on what this year means to us, let’s be a part of conversations that have the potential to be game-changing. We’ve made huge sacrifices and this year, and now we have an opportunity to harness the opportunities we’ve created.