Let's face it: most of us who are parents often feel like we're fighting a losting battle. It's not a battle against monsters—but screens. Whether an iPad or TV, media seeks to shape the next generation in ways that often contradict the values we're trying to raise our children to live by.

In this episode, we speak to media critic and contributor to Signs of the Times, Mark Hadley. Mark has raised children in a media-rich environment. So, what does someone "in the industry" think about parenting in this context?

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Satan, demons, conjurings: these are all the hallmarks of the sinister subculture many know of as "the occult". It's a shadowy world of secret societies, subliminal messaging and the taboo and anathema.

It's also a world that Jamie Lehn inhabited for many years of his life. Growing up in the church, he had a traumatic experience at a young age. Seeking a way to heal his pain, he turned to drugs, occult practices and later, flirted with the possibility of being inducted into a secret society. How did it happen, what was it like and where did this journey take him? Join us on this episode to find out.

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Many of us are lonelier than ever before. According to the data, in the Western world, men are among the loneliest. When men leave the workforce and retire, many of them lose their social networks, as well as a primary driver for meaning, purpose and fulfilment. All too often, they waste away or go through messy breakups with their spouse, unable to cope with the transition. In this episode, Zanita takes a trip to her local mens' shed. It's a place where men (and women) of all ages are welcome to practice their hobby, connect and find community.

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SOURCES

• Expert reveals impact of loneliness | 60 Minutes Australia

• Male inequality, explained by an expert | Big Think

• Loneliness: The silent epidemic | ABC News

• Are We in a Loneliness Epidemic? (ft. @Katimorton) | PBS