Tony Jones on Fear & Power

Tony Jones and The School of Life explore the role of fear and power in public debate. And why it matters to us.

We all believe in the importance of public debate and freedom of expression. Yet, when confronted with a view that we fundamentally don’t support, we become uncomfortable. This plays out in the news and in our media; fear and tribalism are running rampant and threatening to destabilise our society. So we seek comfort: we surround ourselves with people who think similarly to ourselves, we indulge in the false sanctuary of newsfeeds which echo our beliefs, and we try not to ruin dinner parties with political discussion. But where does this leave the nature of public discourse? What do we lose as a society if we shy away from true political, moral or philosophical debate? 

One of Australia’s most respected arbiters of debate and mediators of opinion, Tony Jones joins The School of Life to challenge the role of fear and power in the public conversation. We will explore the value of public political debate, the deeper value systems currently at play within our society and where public discourse is headed in Australia.