This week we talk with Hugh Van Cuylenburg, a former teacher turned podcaster and public speaker who founded the Resilience Project and co-hosts The Imperfects podcast. Van Cuylenburg talks to Good Weekend senior writer Konrad Marshall about the twists and turns in his own life, the lessons he wants to impart to others and why he loves a good long run.

This week we talk with Hugh Van Cuylenburg, a former teacher turned podcaster and public speaker who founded the Resilience Project and co-hosts The Imperfects podcast. Van Cuylenburg talks to Good Weekend senior writer Konrad Marshall about the twists and turns in his own life, the lessons he wants to impart to others and why he loves a good long run.

Good Weekend Talks features in-depth conversations with the people fascinating Australians right now, from sport to politics to the arts, business and beyond, interviewed weekly by the country's top journalists. Consider it a magazine for your ears.

Good Weekend Talks features in-depth conversations with the people fascinating Australians right now, from sport to politics to the arts, business and beyond, interviewed weekly by the country's top journalists. Consider it a magazine for your ears.

Good Weekend Talks

New episodes from ongoing Metro podcast series. 

New episodes from ongoing Metro podcast series.&nbsp;

New episodes

Hugh van Cuylenburg on feeling happier through GEM

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/88b564ea-a9a6-4751-910a-a5d800019396/clips/2031d5f1-31d3-4425-bf7f-afe40020c444/transcript

It's not too much of an overstatement to say that for over 30 years, Michael Pollan's books have helped reshape conversations about industrial food systems, animal consciousness and our obligations to other living things.

His new book, A World Appears, is about plant sentience – an immersive exploration of how plants exhibit thinking and memory-like behaviours, respond to physical threats, favour their own species and supply nutrients to struggling neighbouring plants.

In this episode, Pollan discusses compelling new research that argues humans are far from the only living entities exhibiting sentience and indeed, "exquisite" awareness of their environment.

Today’s conversation is hosted by Good Weekend senior writer Greg Callaghan.

It's not too much of an overstatement to say that for over 30 years, Michael Pollan's books have helped reshape conversations about industrial food systems, animal consciousness and our obligations to other living things.
His new book,&nbsp;A World Appears, is about plant sentience &ndash; an immersive exploration of how plants exhibit thinking and memory-like behaviours, respond to physical threats, favour their own species and supply nutrients to struggling neighbouring plants.
In this episode, Pollan discusses compelling new research that argues humans are far from the only living entities exhibiting sentience and indeed, "exquisite" awareness of their environment.
Today&rsquo;s conversation is hosted by Good Weekend senior writer Greg Callaghan.

Plants remember and react, but do they mind being eaten? Michael Pollan on sentience in the natural world

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/88b564ea-a9a6-4751-910a-a5d800019396/clips/7422d2d5-eb95-4062-85f0-b4d700069f82/transcript

Melbourne-born Suzie Miller's background as a lawyer has influenced the 40-odd plays she has written, many of which feature strong social-justice themes. Best known among those works are the award-winning Prima Facie, which has been staged in Sydney, Melbourne and London, and Inter Alia, which premiered in London last year and opens on Broadway in November.
In Miller's new play, Strong is the New Pretty, she tells the story of the birth of the women's Australian Football League, the AFLW, as it moves from pipe dream to sensation.
In this episode, Miller talks to deputy opinion editor Margot Saville about sport, feminism and the manosphere.

Further reading:
‘Do we want a world that reflects a kind of tech-bro zone? I don’t think so’: Suzie Miller on raising sons

Melbourne-born Suzie Miller's background as a lawyer has influenced the 40-odd plays she has written, many of which feature strong social-justice themes. Best known among those works are the award-winning Prima Facie, which has been staged in Sydney, Melbourne and London, and Inter Alia, which premiered in London last year and opens on Broadway in November. In Miller's new play, Strong is the New Pretty, she tells the story of the birth of the women's Australian Football League, the AFLW, as it moves from pipe dream to sensation. In this episode, Miller talks to deputy opinion editor Margot Saville about sport, feminism and the manosphere.
Further reading:
<ul>
<li><a href="https://www.theage.com.au/national/do-we-want-a-world-that-reflects-a-kind-of-tech-bro-zone-i-don-t-think-so-suzie-miller-on-raising-sons-20260924-p60vyd.html?utm_source=omny&amp;utm_medium=podcast_notes&amp;utm_campaign=good_weekend_talks&amp;utm_content=&amp;utm_term=newsroom">&lsquo;Do we want a world that reflects a kind of tech-bro zone? I don&rsquo;t think so&rsquo;: Suzie Miller on raising sons</a></li>
</ul>

Intimacy in the age of porn – and when women are more successful than their partners: playwright Suzie Miller

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/88b564ea-a9a6-4751-910a-a5d800019396/clips/4db4739b-8493-4e9b-97e9-b4cc01590679/transcript

Australians know Judith Lucy as the comedian with a sardonic wit and no-fear attitude to mining her personal life, from her unconventional upbringing and numerous disastrous relationships, to drinking too much and the indignities of ageing.

For over three decades, life was work for Lucy – until it wasn't. In 2023, she had a burnout, and she's turned her discoveries from that experience into a book about deep exhaustion.

In today's episode, Judith Lucy opens up about what fulfilment means for her, and the special guilt associated with burning out when you are middle-class and middle-aged. 

She talks to Good Weekend senior writer Gay Alcorn about everything from ayahuasca ceremonies and faecal transplants to finally asking herself, in her 50s, what she wants her life to look like.

And just a heads-up, this episode contains some strong language.

Australians know Judith Lucy as the comedian with a sardonic wit and no-fear attitude to mining her personal life, from her unconventional upbringing and numerous disastrous relationships, to drinking too much and the indignities of ageing.
For over three decades, life was work for Lucy &ndash; until it wasn't.&nbsp;In 2023, she had a burnout, and she's turned her discoveries from that experience into a book about deep exhaustion.
In today's episode, Judith Lucy opens up about what fulfilment means for her, and the special guilt associated with burning out when you are middle-class and middle-aged.&nbsp;
She talks to Good Weekend senior writer Gay Alcorn about everything from ayahuasca ceremonies and faecal transplants to finally asking herself, in her 50s, what she wants her life to look like.
And just a heads-up, this episode contains some strong language.

Judith Lucy on burnout, chasing wellness and knowing you’re both deeply unhappy and a 'privileged wanker'

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/88b564ea-a9a6-4751-910a-a5d800019396/clips/a15c2eee-0459-4104-8143-b4c700adcb9a/transcript

Hugh van Cuylenburg on feeling happier through GEM

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