Alain de Botton discusses his book Status Anxiety which examines our fears over what others think about us and about how we are judged to be either a success or failure. As always, de Botton explores the history and impact of the topic. One would be wise to examine status signalling behaviours in their own lives. For better or worse, they are ever-present in our society.

We invest 'the news' with an importance and authority that used to be the preserve of religion -- but what does it do for us? He dives into the history of media and its impact on our lives.From politics to education to pop culture, a multi-disciplinary look at our sharing of information.

Finding fault with the optimistic temper of the times, philosopher Alain de Botton believes that we should all learn to be a bit more pessimistic. He draws on stoic philosphy to formulate an argument for pessimism's importance in an individuals psyche.

Twenty-first century depictions of love and marriage are shaped by a set of Romantic myths and misconceptions and with his trademark warmth and wit, Alain de Botton explores the complex landscape of a modern relationship, presenting a realistic case study for marriage and examining what it might mean to love, to be loved - and to stay in love. Alain de Botton is an internationally renowned philosopher, television presenter and author of international best sellers Essays in Love, How Proust Can Change Your Life and Status Anxiety. In this talk, he discusses his stunning new novel The Course of Love, a philosophical novel about modern relationships.

THE ART OF TRAVEL, presented by Alain de Botton (and based on his bestselling book of the same name), looks into the philosophical impulses behind travelling and in doing so offers a profound and often witty view of some of the deeper issues underlying travel and our desire for it.