Sucking Up: A Guide to Sycophancy Through the Ages

Available for over a year

From Dante’s flatterers in the 8th circle of Hell, to King Lear’s silver-tongued daughters - history never runs out of sycophants. In this Archive on 4 - hosted by journalist and broadcaster Matthew Gwyther - you will learn how to spot, avoid, or profit from a lickspittle. How dangerous is a leader who is vulnerable to brown-nosing? What are the consequences of a society sympathetic to sycophancy? And where does deceitful flattery hide in our world today? Only the most attractive, astute, and discerning of listeners would tune into this programme... Contributors: Emma Smith, Professor of Shakespeare Studies at Oxford University Angie Hobbs, Professor of the Public Understanding of Philosophy at the University of Sheffield Anthony Scaramucci, former White House Communications Director Year 5 + 6 from The New School, South London, led by teacher Jack Park Manfred Kets de Vries, psychologist and business consultant Andrew Lownie, literary agent and author Cody Dahler, comedian and political satirist Martin Rowson, cartoonist for The Guardian Hamilton Morrin, Psychologist at the Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience Myra Cheng, PHD researcher at Stanford University Presenter: Matthew Gwyther Producer: Jude Shapiro Executive Producer: Jack Howson Mix Engineer: David Crackles A Peanut & Crumb production for BBC Radio 4 With thanks to The Cartoon Museum and The New School.