Episode One / The good news about hell
For our first episode, we get the band back together and dive into Helly's sub-optimal onboarding experience. We are joined by our friend and expert on academic wellness, Professor Narelle Lemon.
We explore the concept of emotional labor, the unique experience that is university onboarding, and the societal fear of older women.
Inger talks about waffle slabs a bit too much, while Anitra explains corporate culture building using a ladder, a monkey and a banana.
Episode Two / Half Loop
We are joined once again by our friend and academic wellness expert Professor Narelle Lemon to take on corporate gaslighting.
We discuss how the work of MDR is the best description ever of analysing student experience survey results and the unique grief caused by corporate restructures. Then we deconstruct the strategies used to give purpose to purposeless work.
In much the same way that Ricken outs Mark S for being severed, Inger outs Anitra’s secret past as CD cleaning kit seller of the month.
Episode Three / In Perpetuity
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In Episode Three of Severance, work friendships take a dark turn and we discuss it all with Anitra’s ex-and-current-coworker, Senior Learning Designer Miriam Renoyldson.
Anitra mangles the word cishertrowhitemaletriarchy, which Miriam then neatly illustrates by pointing out that all the five founders of the University of Melbourne Business School were white men named John.
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We discuss how corporate bingo cards is the ultimate act of symbolic violence, and Inger warns about buying white shirts to power dress at work.
Episode Four / The You You Are
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In this episode we are joined by Inger’s ANU colleague and fellow podcaster Will Grant and we are talking about how no one wants to go into the break room. Like, ever.
We dissect Cobel’s (unasked for) freelancing — ‘wet work’ at Petey’s funeral — and whether or not she is getting any stock options. Will disturbingly points out the ways humans are never very far away from choosing violence.
Episode Five / The Grim Barbarity of Optics and Design
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We saved this one for Anitra's co-worker and Director of Digital Experience, Joyce Seitzinger, because it is the infamous "bring-your-baby-goat-to-work" day episode.
There is also a lot of Ricken in this ep, which gives us an excuse to talk about our favourite academic. Anitra compares Ricken to Yoda while Joyce points out that the comparison works only if Yoda were really really self-involved. Plus, mysterious baby goats.
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Episode Six /
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We saved the infamous "bring-your-baby-goat-to-work" day episode for Anitra's co-worker and Director of Digital Experience, Joyce Seitzinger, because it is .
There is a loooot of Ricken in this ep, so we spend time talking about our favourite academic. We reflect on the Harvard Business Review's advice about avoiding tribalism in universities and Anitra compares Ricken to Yoda. Joyce points out that the comparison works only if Yoda were really really self-involved. And, of course, we can't forget about the mysterious baby goats.
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