Uploaded July 2026 | Updated September 2026, 2 weeks ago
Watch acclaimed author and broadcaster Stan Grant in this special edition of The Fifth Estate as he reflects on the fragility of words and why contemplation and philosophy matter in an era of increasing division, with host Sally Warhaft.
Originally presented on Tuesday 16 July by The Wheeler Centre in partnership with RMIT University.
Drawing wisdom from an array of thinkers and artists, including Plato, Simone Weil, Cormac McCarthy, Thomas Aquinas and even Radiohead, Stan Grantโs expansive and philosophical new book When Words Fail Us invites readers to reconsider the meaning and necessity of silence in an age of noise, speed and relentless distraction.
Written after stepping away from public life, the book explores how words can fail to meet the moment in the context of Australiaโs history, identity and political division. Grant offers a rare insight into how the power of listening can lead to connection, compassion and love.
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The Wheeler Centre acknowledges the Wurundjeri Woi Wurrung people
of the Kulin Nation as the Traditional Custodians of the land on which the Centre stands. We also acknowledge and pay our respects to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples and their Elders, past and present, as the custodians of the world's oldest continuous living culture.
๐ ๐๐ฎ๐๐ฌ๐๐ซ๐ข๐๐ ๐ญ๐จ ๐จ๐ฎ๐ซ ๐๐จ๐ฎ๐๐ฎ๐๐ ๐๐จ๐ซ ๐ฆ๐จ๐ซ๐ ๐ญ๐ก๐จ๐ฎ๐ ๐ก๐ญ-๐ฉ๐ซ๐จ๐ฏ๐จ๐ค๐ข๐ง๐ ๐๐จ๐ง๐ฏ๐๐ซ๐ฌ๐๐ญ๐ข๐จ๐ง๐ฌ
youtube.com/@WheelerCentre
๐๐๐จ๐ฎ๐ญ ๐๐ก๐ ๐๐ก๐๐๐ฅ๐๐ซ ๐๐๐ง๐ญ๐ซ๐
The Wheeler Centre is where writers, storytellers, thinkers and readers connect through live events, insightful conversations and compelling stories in Melbourne.
๐๐ฑ๐ฉ๐ฅ๐จ๐ซ๐ ๐ฆ๐จ๐ซ๐
Live and digital conversations, debates, readings, podcasts and discussions at The Wheeler Centre.
๐ ๐ข๐ง๐ ๐ฎ๐ฌ ๐ก๐๐ซ๐ ๐
๐ Website: wheelercentre.com
๐ Instagram: instagram.com/wheelercentre
๐ Facebook: facebook.com/wheelercentre
๐Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/wheelercentre.bsky.social
๐ LISTEN wherever you get your podcasts: tinyurl.com/TWCLISTEN
Watch acclaimed author and broadcaster Stan Grant in this special edition of The Fifth Estate as he reflects on the fragility of words and why contemplation and philosophy matter in an era of increasing division, with host Sally Warhaft.
Originally presented on Tuesday 16 July by The Wheeler Centre in partnership with RMIT University.
Drawing wisdom from an array of thinkers and artists, including Plato, Simone Weil, Cormac McCarthy, Thomas Aquinas and even Radiohead, Stan Grantโs expansive and philosophical new book When Words Fail Us invites readers to reconsider the meaning and necessity of silence in an age of noise, speed and relentless distraction.
Written after stepping away from public life, the book explores how words can fail to meet the moment in the context of Australiaโs history, identity and political division. Grant offers a rare insight into how the power of listening can lead to connection, compassion and love.
-----
The Wheeler Centre acknowledges the Wurundjeri Woi Wurrung people
of the Kulin Nation as the Traditional Custodians of the land on which the Centre stands. We also acknowledge and pay our respects to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples and their Elders, past and present, as the custodians of the world's oldest continuous living culture.
๐ ๐๐ฎ๐๐ฌ๐๐ซ๐ข๐๐ ๐ญ๐จ ๐จ๐ฎ๐ซ ๐๐จ๐ฎ๐๐ฎ๐๐ ๐๐จ๐ซ ๐ฆ๐จ๐ซ๐ ๐ญ๐ก๐จ๐ฎ๐ ๐ก๐ญ-๐ฉ๐ซ๐จ๐ฏ๐จ๐ค๐ข๐ง๐ ๐๐จ๐ง๐ฏ๐๐ซ๐ฌ๐๐ญ๐ข๐จ๐ง๐ฌ
youtube.com/@WheelerCentre
๐๐๐จ๐ฎ๐ญ ๐๐ก๐ ๐๐ก๐๐๐ฅ๐๐ซ ๐๐๐ง๐ญ๐ซ๐
The Wheeler Centre is where writers, storytellers, thinkers and readers connect through live events, insightful conversations and compelling stories in Melbourne.
๐๐ฑ๐ฉ๐ฅ๐จ๐ซ๐ ๐ฆ๐จ๐ซ๐
Live and digital conversations, debates, readings, podcasts and discussions at The Wheeler Centre.
๐ ๐ข๐ง๐ ๐ฎ๐ฌ ๐ก๐๐ซ๐ ๐
๐ Website: wheelercentre.com
๐ Instagram: instagram.com/wheelercentre
๐ Facebook: facebook.com/wheelercentre
๐Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/wheelercentre.bsky.social
๐ LISTEN wherever you get your podcasts: tinyurl.com/TWCLISTEN
