Olly Mann and The Week delve behind the headlines and debate what really matters from the past seven days.
In this week’s episode, we discuss:
Dopamine fasting
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Flicking through Twitter, shopping online and even engaging in deep conversation are some of the many daily activities that tech executives are dodging in the latest trend that’s set to sweep across Silicon Valley: dopamine fasting. The idea is simple: go without life’s instant thrills for an hour or so every day to improve productivity and reduce stress - but some may already be taking it a step too far.
AI recruitment
Singapore’s largest bank has been using an AI chatbot named Jim to screen entry-level job applicants. The bank says AI is better at evaluating applicants because it’s faster and has no bias. Soon the company may deploy AI to help with the actual interview process. This raises several questions: is speed really the most important factor in sorting applicants? How do you write a cover letter that appeals to a robot? What kind of biases might creep in? And are we ready to lose the human element of hiring?
New music for old people
When your elderly relatives decry your youthful taste in music, it's easy to dismiss them as curmudgeonly or simply out of touch. But it turns out science may be on their side, with a new study revealing that people stop discovering new music at around the age of 30. But will streaming and available music break this rule for good?
You can subscribe to The Week Unwrapped on the Global Player, Apple podcasts, SoundCloud or wherever you get your podcasts. It is produced by Sarah Myles and the music is by Tom Mawby.
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Who were the ‘weekend snipers’ of Sarajevo?Under the Radar Italian authorities launch investigation into allegations far-right gun enthusiasts paid to travel to Bosnian capital and shoot civilians ‘for fun’ during the four-year siege
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A free speech debate is raging over sign language at the White HouseTalking Points The administration has been accused of excluding deaf Americans from press briefings
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Glinda vs. Elphaba, Jennifer Lawrence vs. postpartum depression and wilderness vs. progress in November moviesthe week recommends This month’s new releases include ‘Wicked: For Good,’ ‘Die My Love’ and ‘Train Dreams’
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The Week Unwrapped: Polygamy, fish protests and tippingpodcast Why is India changing its marriage laws? What led French and British fishermen to join forces? And who really benefits from the tips we leave?
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The Week Unwrapped: Real-life Succession, Iranian football and China’s #MeToo momentpodcast Do we need a new model for business leaders? How has Jordan’s football team reignited the gender debate? And has China silenced an Olympian?
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Business Unwrapped - Navigating Chinafeature The cultural, legal and ethical questions for British companies working in China
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Business Unwrapped - China’s legal systemfeature The cultural, legal and ethical questions for British companies working in China
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Business Unwrapped - China’s culture and customsfeature The cultural, legal and ethical questions for British companies working in China
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The Week Unwrapped: #PakistanToo, Jack Ma and printing moneypodcast How is the Me Too movement evolving as it spreads? Why is China going after its best-known businessman? And what are the consequences of quantitative easing?
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Business Unwrapped: fresh startfeature How the coronavirus crisis and our response to it could change business for the better
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The Week Unwrapped podcast: Arctic chlamydia, oil and alcohol-free beerIn Depth How did an STI get to the Arctic seabed? What’s going on with the price of oil? And why are we drinking more low-alcohol beer?
