Written by Dominic Giuliano
What podcasts are you listening to?
When asked to write about top podcasts for uni students I was initially cautious. Maybe because I realise how skewed my listening behaviours are.
As a training psychologist, I have a fascination with the brain, biology, behaviour, the law and crime, philosophy, and history. While these enormous fields could occupy a curious person for an entire lifetime, I am the first to acknowledge they are not representative of all of what is out there for lovers of podcasts.
This challenge got the better of me to begin with. I tried dipping my toes into different genres and feigned interests. But this was unsuccessful.
It seems to me that our interests are spontaneous and highly individual. In other words, it is hard to deceive ourselves into being interested in something we aren’t.
With that in mind, I decided to simply write about podcasts that do an excellent job (in my mind) covering my topics of interest.
If you enjoy a podcast exploring the mind and behaviour, business and finance, self-development, or even having a good laugh, then buckle up, because these podcasts may be just what you need.
A final disclaimer. I realise many podcasts could be included here that are brilliant but are yet to capture my attention long enough to appreciate them. Apologies for my ignorance.
Here are my top 6 podcasts in no particular order:
1. Huberman Lab
![Dr Andrew Huberman. [Photo taken by BLABACPHOTO from the Huberman Lab Website].](https://charlie.csu.edu.au/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/image-10.png)
Dr Andrew Huberman is a professor of Neurobiology and Ophthalmology at Stanford University. His podcast explores neuroscience and scientific tools to improve overall health and wellbeing.
While the content he discusses is quite broad and complex, Huberman has a way of simplifying it for lay-people, explaining why many millions of people subscribe to his channel.
I like this podcast due to its scientific rigour, as well as the fact Huberman cites all the papers he refers to.
My favourite episode is on habit formation, where he explores the neuroscience behind habit formation and removal.
I was surprised by many of the ideas listed in this episode, and I can proudly say I’m sticking to the guidelines provided (at least, some of the time).
You can find that episode here.
Episode Duration: 1-2 hours
2. Straight Talk with Mark Bouris
Mark Bouris is an Australian businessman, famous for founding Wizard Home loans and, more recently, the Yellow Brick Road.
His podcast invites many Australian entrepreneurs, business leaders, as well as cultural figures and sporting legends to discuss their stories.
I like this series, as there is no sugar coating, the language is raw and unfiltered, and the discussion style is informal and easy to listen to.
My favourite episode is an interview of a current Australian neurosurgeon who had his license to practice suspended in 2021 for performing dangerous yet potentially life-saving surgical procedures on patient’s brain stems.
This episode considers the ethics of medical practice and the difficulty in decision-making in such high-stakes environments.
You can find that episode here.
Episode Length: 1-2 hours
3. Hamish and Andy
Finally, something a little lighter! With over 3 million listeners, this classic Australian comedy duo continues their success after retiring from the radio scene in 2017.
Hamish and Andy are refreshing, down to earth and hilariously funny.
If you are interested in listening to this podcast, it is recommended to start from the beginning as there are many running jokes and inside stories that make the experience much funnier.
It’s hard to listen to these two and not feel like they are your mates. Hamish and Andy have a self-effacing sense of humour and unique ways of one-upping one another in what has been an international podcast success story.
It is difficult to rank my favourite episode, but the most popular on the LiSTNR app is here.
Channel: LiSTNR App
Episode Length: 40 minutes
4. Jordan Peterson Podcast
I “ummed and ahhed” about including this podcast in this discussion.
Few people spark controversy quite like JPP. Dr Peterson was a professor of personality psychology and clinical psychologist in Canada.
He has published many academic papers on political psychology and personality, as well as books on deeper philosophical topics including meaning making, mythology, and narrative psychology.
He is controversial for some of his political claims, which can often be inflammatory and critical. In the minds of some, his views are reprehensible.
Nevertheless, when his topics are concerned with psychology and neuroscience, he is a prominent commentator. He wields an expansive knowledge and speaks with great fluency and articulation.
His podcast series invites many guests of many different disciplines including actors, scientists, political figures, sports personnel, and other cultural figures.
While I recognise he is not loved unanimously, he is nonetheless a detailed thinker and a gifted speaker, making his podcasts novel and enjoyable for their length.
Even if you disagree with his politics, it can be interesting to hear what “the other side” has to say.
My favourite episode is his interview with the above Andrew Huberman, where they discuss the interface between neuroscience and psychology, dopamine and reward, and the basis for anxiety.
You can find that here.
Episode Length: 1-2 hours
5. Feministory
As a shoutout to our gals in the Charlie team, I highly recommend having a listen to Feministory. Here Faith Hanstock and Sophie Norris explore the great women of history, including Eleanor Roosevelt, Virginia Woolf, and Queen Victoria II.
Each episode unpacks the rise to glory of some of the most impressive women in history. These great stories are well expressed by two of Charles Sturt’s up-and-coming communications students.
I particularly like the episode on Jewish diarist Anne Frank, whose diary was published posthumously detailing the horrors of World War II and the Nazi occupation of the Netherlands.
You can listen to that episode here.
Channel: 2MCE
Episode Length: 30 minutes
6. Philosophize This!
If you are interested in philosophy, ethics and morality, then this podcast series is a goodie. Host Stephen West explores the history of ideas, beginning with the origins of the academy in ancient Greek and early eastern philosophy, and traces how thought developed in different thinkers over time.
The podcast identifies the emergence of different schools of thought, particularly how the different branches of rationalism and empiricism became the basis of modern philosophy and science.
For lovers and seekers of knowledge, a history of human understanding (epistemology) can be a great starting point.
The podcast provides an insight into the origins of different ideas and the war of ideas over the course of history.
Philosophy is all about the big questions in life, and it takes brave people to consider different ways of thinking. Philosophy turns the familiar into the unfamiliar, and in the process changes how you see the world.
There are many episodes that I like, especially the episode on Hannah Arendt’s book “The Banality of Evil.”
This examines Arendt’s concerns that the perpetrators of the Holocaust weren’t extremely ‘perverted or sadistic’ but rather ‘terrifyingly normal’.
This episode challenges you to think critically about human nature and behaviour to avoid the mistakes of the past.
Check that out here.
Episode Length: 30 minutes
So, there you have it. How does this list compare with your own? Hopefully you’ll find this list useful, either as a way of supplementing your studies at university (or avoiding them in the case of Hamish and Andy).
