Beer, balance, and thanking the universe

New Seen & Unseen episode.

Natalie Garrett

Natalie produces and narrates The Seen & Unseen Aloud podcast. She's an Anglican minister and a trained actor.

A painted sign on a road reads 'THANK YOU'

Caleb Chen on Unsplash.

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In this week's bumper episode, we hear Callum Elwood's exhortation to Sabbath - as opposed to constant hustling or quiet quitting; Jonathan Torrance takes seriously the marketing suggestion to "drink religiously"; Graham Tomlin suggests that the philosophy often espoused by Love Islanders - thanking the Universe - makes no sense; finally Piotr Ashwin-Siejkowski celebrates the power of the little red cross, trusted by everybody.

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Seen & Unseen Aloud

4 August 2025

1 min read

Portofino, neurodiversity, and McGovern's Unforgivable.

Poverty amid the privileged, the issue of over-diagnosing, and a difficult drama to watch.

Natalie Garrett

Natalie produces and narrates The Seen & Unseen Aloud podcast. She's an Anglican minister and a trained actor.

Portofino harbour.

Peter Thomas, via Unsplash.

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More about this episode

This week, George Pitcher takes us on our tour of the Portofino "bubble"; Henna Cundill has read Suzanne O'Sullivan's book and suggests we don't have an over-diagnosis problem, we have a society problem; and Henry Corbett describes Jimmy McGovern's brave storytelling in Unforgivable and asks whether there is such a thing as an unforgiveable sin.

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Since Spring 2023, thousands of people have enjoyed hundreds of podcast episodes and over 1,500 articles.

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This is made possible through the generosity of our amazing community of supporters.

If you enjoy Seen & Unseen Aloud, would you consider making a gift towards our work?

Do so by joining Behind The Seen. Alongside other benefits, you’ll receive an extra fortnightly email from me sharing my reading and reflections on the ideas that are shaping our times.

Graham Tomlin
Editor-in-Chief

Pledge now