Walter Benjamin - a special programme on his work and influence
Thinking Allowed
BBC
4.4 • 997 Ratings
🗓️ 7 June 2019
⏱️ 29 minutes
🧾️ Download transcript
Summary
What is the value of forgotten histories, of possibilities not realised? What can a quite amble down a backstreet tell us about the nature of modernity? How has technology affected the nature and purpose of art? In the mid-twentieth century Walter Benjamin explored all these questions and brought Marxist thinking to high culture, exploring people's relationship to objects and art. His influence is probably felt now more than ever. Laurie Taylor presents a special programme on the work of this pioneering German intellectual and theorist. He's joined by the philosopher Jonathan Ree and the professor of political aesthetics, Esther Leslie. Revised repeat
Producer: Charlie Taylor
Transcript
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| 0:00.0 | Take some time for yourself with soothing classical music from the mindful mix, the Science of |
| 0:07.0 | Happiness Podcast. |
| 0:08.0 | For the last 20 years I've dedicated my career to exploring the science of living a happier more meaningful life and I want |
| 0:14.4 | to share that science with you. |
| 0:16.1 | And just one thing, deep calm with Michael Mosley. |
| 0:19.4 | I want to help you tap in to your hidden relaxation response system and open the door to that |
| 0:25.5 | calmer place within. Listen on BBC Sounds. |
| 0:31.6 | I'm Laurie Taylor and this is a podcast for BBC Radio 4's Thinking Aloud. Can you name a philosopher who successfully combines German idealism, romanticism, Western Marxism and Jewish mysticism. |
| 0:46.4 | You're right? |
| 0:47.4 | It's Walter Benjamin. |
| 0:48.8 | Well done. |
| 0:49.8 | Find out more. |
| 0:50.8 | Here. out more here. BBC Sounds, Music Radio Podcasts. |
| 0:59.0 | Hello, as I well remember from my days at York, |
| 1:02.0 | this is a nervous time for third-year university students. |
| 1:06.1 | It's the time when they're either writing up their assessments and projects or about to take their |
| 1:10.5 | numbered seat in an examination hall. So I wasn't all that surprised to have an email from a third year student at a Northern University which asked me as a matter of extreme urgency if any past editions of thinking aloud had been |
| 1:24.8 | specifically devoted to theorists. Well yes said my prompt reply and what's |
| 1:30.9 | more in the coming weeks at the usual thinking allowed time we'll |
| 1:34.3 | be covering theorist Michel Foucault, Erwin Goffman, Pierre Bourdieu and in today's |
| 1:39.7 | repeat Walter Benjamin. |
| 1:43.5 | We began with some background on this extraordinary critic, essayist and social theorist. |
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