Print this page George Shipp Memorial Lecture 2026

Kindness: A Species Survival Skill

Drawing on the work of archaeologists, neuroscientists and psychologists, Hugh Mackay will explore what it means to be human. He will then identify a series of social trends that have been reshaping Australian society, contributing to a rise in social isolation and loneliness, with adverse consequences for our mental health. Finally, he will propose ways of reconnecting with our essential human nature.

Presenter: Hugh MacKay AO