Season 1
In this episode of Downtime, Toly, Lily and Emily explore a deceptively simple question: what does it actually mean to be masculine? Moving across history and cultures, the conversation examines masculinity not as a fixed set of qualities, but as something societies have continually constructed, challenged and reinvented. From Ancient Greece and Rome to medieval ideals of warriors, poets and lovers, the Industrial Revolution and the rise of the male breadwinner, they explore how ideas about what makes a “real man” have changed dramatically over time. The discussion considers how industrialisation, capitalism, religion, empire and patriarchy helped create increasingly rigid divisions between masculinity and femininity — and how qualities such as strength, reason, gentleness, emotion, beauty and affection came to be divided along gender lines. Along the way, the group discusses the idea of “masculinity threat,” the pressure men can experience when they feel their masculinity is being questioned, and how masculine ideals have historically been used to exclude or diminish women, gay men, colonised peoples and even other groups of men. But are there really masculine and feminine qualities at all — or simply human qualities that cultures have decided to label? From colourful kings and Romantic poets to Victorian breadwinners, British imperialism, childhood gender expectations and why male friends in some cultures comfortably hold hands, this episode asks how much of masculinity is truly natural — and how much we learn from the world around us. Ultimately, the conversation asks whether expanding our understanding of masculinity might allow people to live with greater freedom, affection and individuality — or whether, one day, we may no longer need the categories of “masculine” and “feminine” at all.
What did people do for fun before screens, organised sport and scheduled activities filled our spare time? And how has the way we spend our leisure changed the way we connect with our families and communities? In this episode, Toly, Lily and Emily explore recreation across different cultures and periods of history, from the streets of nineteenth-century Japan and early Melbourne playgrounds to the homes and festivals of Ireland and the courts of medieval Japan. Lily traces the changing world of childhood play, examining how children have moved from largely independent, communal play towards organised activities, indoor entertainment and technology. Using examples from around the world, the group also considers an intriguing question: as societies become wealthier, do we gain more leisure while sometimes becoming less connected to the people around us? Emily takes us into Ireland's communal traditions, where recreation often brought children and adults together. From sean-nós dancing and ancient sporting festivals to Halloween mischief and the traditions of St Bridget's Day, leisure emerges as something intertwined with family, community, ritual and the changing seasons. Toly ventures into medieval Japan to uncover an extraordinary variety of pastimes—from falconry, fishing and gambling games to shogi, kemari and the contemplative art of ikebana. These activities reveal that recreation could be about much more than simply having fun: it could teach strategy, demonstrate status, cultivate discipline or encourage an appreciation of beauty and nature. Along the way, the conversation turns to gender and the surprising ways our ideas about "masculine" and "feminine" activities have changed over time. Why were pursuits such as poetry and dance once associated with masculinity? When did those attitudes change? And what can the history of leisure tell us about the values of our own society? From handmade footballs and dancing floorboards to samurai flower arranging and children playing in the streets, this episode asks a deceptively simple question: what can the way people play tell us about the way they live?