The Sunday Magazine for June 12, 2022
This week on The Sunday Magazine with Piya Chattopadhyay:
Inflation is up, unemployment is down — what does it all mean for Canadians?
Food costs more. Gas prices are high. Interest rates are climbing amid rising inflation. And it's not just Canadians feeling the pinch. This past week, the World Bank warned that many countries are facing recessions. To break down what it all means, Chattopadhyay speaks with Armine Yalnizyan, an economist and fellow with the Atkinson Foundation, who focuses on the future of workers.
Who wellness culture is for, and who it leaves behind
A day at the spa, face masks, cleanses, cult-like spin classes — all these things have come to be known as acts of self-care. Companies like GOOP, savvy marketers and social media have propelled self-care into a movement worth billions of dollars. Canadian-born artist and writer Fariha Róisín has been writing about self-care for years. Her own experience navigating a chronic illness is part of what prompted her to take a more critical look at the industry. From yoga and meditation to the use of turmeric, Róisín chronicles how the "wellness industrial complex" has co-opted teachings and practices from other cultures. She speaks to Chattopadhyay about her book, Who is Wellness For?: An Examination of Wellness Culture and Who It Leaves Behind.
Simu Liu's real-life immigrant superhero origin story
Canadian actor Simu Liu rose to international fame after being cast in the Marvel blockbuster Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings. At 33-years-old, the former star of CBC's Kim's Convenience has penned a memoir called We Were Dreamers: An Immigrant Superhero Origin Story, which goes well beyond Hollywood headlines. His real-life story doesn't gloss over family strife and violence, the weight of diverse representation in Hollywood and his own missteps along the way. He opens up to Chattopadhyay about all of that and the hope his story will inspire others to pursue their dreams in the face of uncertainty.
Busting myths about female creatures in the animal world
Lucy Cooke is a British zoologist, author, television producer, director, and presenter. In her latest book, Bitch: On the Female of the Species, she challenges, debunks and then reconstructs common narratives about female animals. She says they've been mischaracterized by years of sexist science, going back to her hero, Charles Darwin. Cooke joins Chattopadhyay to talk about why she wanted to reset the narrative and bust stereotypes that suggest female animals are hard-wired for things like motherhood and monogamy — tropes that have also impacted how we see gender roles in humans.
Note: Audio from this episode will be available Sunday afternoon.
Subscribe to The Sunday Magazine podcast or download the CBC Listen app.