Humans: A Monstrous History

Intelligence Squared

Arts, News, Society & Culture, News Commentary

4.2 • 1.1K Ratings

🗓️ 17 February 2025

⏱️ 35 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

What is a monster? Why do humans create stories about otherness? What does it tell you about a society that engages in monster making? Our guest today is Surekha Davies. Writer and historian, who has written a book about these questions, Humans: A Monstrous History. Davies was joined in conversation by Sophie McBain, associate editor of The New Statesman to discuss the topic. ... Or Subscribe on Apple for £4.99: - Full-length and ad-free Intelligence Squared podcasts - Bonus Intelligence Squared podcasts, curated feeds and members exclusive series … Already a subscriber? Thank you for supporting our mission to foster honest debate and compelling conversations! Visit intelligencesquared.com to explore all your benefits including ad-free podcasts, exclusive bonus content and early access. … Subscribe to our newsletter here to hear about our latest events, discounts and much more. https://www.intelligencesquared.com/newsletter-signup/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Transcript

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0:30.1	Welcome to Intelligence Squared where Great Minds meet. I'm head of programming, Connor Boyle.
0:36.1	What is a monster? Why do humans create stories about otherness?
0:40.3	And what does it tell you about a society that engages in monster making?
0:44.3	Our guest today is Syracca Davis, writer and historian who has written a book about these questions,
0:50.3	Humans a Monstrous History.
0:53.3	Davis was joined in conversation by Sophie McBain,
0:56.8	associate editor of the new statesman to discuss the topic. Let's join our speakers now.
1:02.0	Hello and welcome to Intelligence Squared with me, Sophie McVane. Our guest today is Sureka Davis.
1:09.0	She is a writer and historian and the author of humans, a monstrous
1:13.2	history, a book that minds medieval history and modern sci-fi, that we have stories of zombies
1:19.1	with plots from the Muppets, to show how people have defined, explained and vilified otherness
1:25.0	across the world through long, wild traditions of monster making.
1:29.9	The book also looks forward to consider how, amid rising political polarization, an ever more
1:35.8	powerful AI, we prevent people from being dehumanized and turned into monsters.
1:42.7	So, Syraika, to start with a very simple question, what is a monster?
1:48.0	Ha!
1:49.0	Well, one of the ways I define them is by saying there are no monsters and monsters are real.
	...

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