How mindfulness was commodified

The US election is around the corner, and the polls are neck and neck. Both candidates are zeroing in on key voter groups that could win them the election.

How much should inner peace cost? For the people selling the idea of mindfulness and inner peace the price tag can be limitless. Apps, retreats, balms and oils, mindfulness is now something you can buy. So how did a practice with ties to an ancient religion turn into a mindfulness industrial complex?

Around the globe, governments have been shifting across the political spectrum. Have some leaders exploited the public's desire for change, and are we seeing an increase in dictators and demagogues?

The advent of dating apps gave a whole new meaning to the phrase 'plenty of fish in the sea.' Suddenly, you could cast your search for 'the one' into the limitless depths of the internet. So why are people ghosting the apps and instead looking for love IRL? 

The prince of Saudi Arabia has a vision for a sci-fi like city in the middle of the desert called NEOM and he wants you to move in. The futuristic sci-fi city is being spruiked online by influencers and if you've seen the marketing you might think it's too good to be true. So will the prince's sci-fi dreams turn into reality and why does he want to get people to move to the middle of the desert in Saudia Arabia? Guest: Matt Bevan for If You're Listening If you liked this episode you might like this one Your cheat sheet for the US Presidential election or this one on why we don't have driverless cars yet. 

How much is that doggy in the window impacting climate change? And do we need to take paws for thought before buying a pet? 

Amidst the culture wars and identity politics stirred up during the election campaign, can Kamala Harris secure the presidency and make history? And if history is made do her policies align with the progressive youth base that have memed her into a lime green oval office, or are these voters not seeing the forest for the coconut trees?

The whole world is moving towards a cashless future. So what does our digital money future look like and is it for the best? 

Sex tech conjures up images of hot robots sent from the future and while that might be where this multi million dollar industry is headed - for now a big slice of the demand is from people hoping to enjoy their own body so why do we make that so hard for people living with disabilities? And who are the inventors and engineers breaking down the taboos to create the products that suit their needs?Guest - Rebecca McLaren for the Health Report If you liked this episode of Quick Smart you might enjoy our chat with Lucy Sweeney about the neuroscience of singing in a choir or our episode with James Purtill on why we still don’t have driverless cars.

Linguists have discovered that teenage girls play a significant role in shaping our future vocabulary.But how do 16-year-old girls end up being the arbiters of what we will and won't say? Guest: Fiona Pepper for Future Tense