Ever found yourself trapped in a shopping spree you didn't see coming, all because of one shiny new possession that made everything else look drab? That's the Diderot Effect for you, and hosts Helen Villars and Paul Russell are no strangers to its wily ways. On this whirlwind of a podcast, we confess our own consumer confessions and unravel how a philosopher's coat can lead to a home renovation. We'll unpack why after acquiring a fabulous new item, we often find ourselves caught in a flurry of spending to make everything else match, and we'll explore this phenomenon's reach beyond the realm of material goods.

Let's face it, looking good isn't always easy, especially when society's rules for women and men are worlds apart. From a cringe-inducing run-in with an outfit doppelgänger to a botched DIY hairdo, we get real about the pressures and absurdities of keeping up appearances. Then, we zoom out to the grand scale of human behaviour, tracing our consumerist roots from the dawn of communal living to the modern day experience chase. Join us and our hilarious banter as we connect the dots from the Incas to Instagram, shedding light on the hidden forces that nudge us towards that next purchase.