The Festival of Dangerous Ideas is no ordinary event. Leading Australian thinkers, academics and writers have previously posited controversial ideas such as All Women Are Sluts, Let Banks Fail, Hypocrisy Rhymes With Democracy, Surrogacy Is Child Trafficking and A Killer Can Be A Good Neighbour. Now back in its 2022 edition, the program is looking as radical and bold as ever before.
Festival of Dangerous Ideas
Set to take place at Carriageworks on September 17 and 18, the FODI hosts uncomfortable conversations meant to provoke thought and discussion. Providing attendees with a space to voice out radical opinion, it encourages debate and critical thinking in a world where the two are becoming increasingly scarce.
If your interest has piqued and you’re planning to visit, make sure you go with an open mind. The most important skill preached at FODI is the ability to listen – to hear out opposing perspectives and give them the courtesy of critical thought.
Program highlights
Like every year, FODI is not scared to push the limits as evidenced by its stacked program. The festival will be headlined by Frances Haugen, a whistleblower who disclosed thousands of Facebook’s internal documents in 2021 showing how the social media giant values profits over people.
Precious White Lives, Just Be Evil, Stealing Culture and The Crime Paradox are other invigorating discussions on the cards across the two-day program. Secretive Australia: A Rational fear on September 17 prides itself for being “A fast-paced comedy panel that could see everyone involved going to jail.”
There will also be an installation on-site by Wiradjuri artist Brook Andrew portraying a brain with two halves representing Indigenous and non-Indigenous people.
There’s a lot more on the horizon if you’re willing to put your resilience to the test and engage in some truly invigorating (and mortifying) discussions.