It's All Relative with Dr Eliza Filby
Dr Eliza Filby 43 episodes Nov 6, 2026
In each episode, host Dr Eliza Filby, a writer and historian, talks with relatives from different generations to explore how life has changed across generations. They discuss topics such as jobs, dating, music, and money, and look at whether generations really are that different. The conversations also bring out quirky family traditions and funny stories, giving the show a warm, Sunday-family-dinner feel.
Episodes
Who Really Runs America? | The Hidden Age Divide Behind American Politics | Samuel Moyn
Who really runs America? With the 2026 midterm elections dominating the headlines, we're talking about Republicans, Democrats, Donald Trump and who controls Congress. But I want to ask a rather bigger question.Who actually holds power in America, regardless of who wins an election?Because when you look at older voters, Baby Boomers, the US housing market, generational wealth, inheritance, and
Why Women Are Exhausted And The Hidden Cost of Having It All. Dr Corinne Low on the Mental Load
Why has modern family life become so exhausting?I'm joined by Dr Corinne Low, Wharton economist and author of Femonomics (published in the US as Having It All), to explore why the promise of "having it all" has become so exhausting. I actually tell Corinne that her book saved my marriage. And I meant it. We get into why working mums now spend more time with their children than stay-a
Why Women Are Having Babies Later And Why Work Makes It Harder
Why are women having babies later, yet feeling more pressure than ever to get the timing right?We're seeing falling birth rates, later motherhood, and more conversations about IVF, egg freezing, and pregnancy after 35. But I think one of the biggest forces shaping modern fertility is the career ladder. Women are spending longer in education, buying homes later and building careers during the v
What Happens When She Becomes the Breadwinner?
Women are earning more than men in more relationships. So why does being the breadwinner still feel like a trap?Female breadwinners, women earning more than their husbands, the mental load, mankeeping, gender roles and the economics of marriage are changing relationships across Britain and beyond. Dual-income households have become the norm, fathers are doing more domestic work, and women have ach
Is Being Childfree Really an Economic Advantage? | The Hidden Economics of Being Childfree
We’ve spent years talking about the motherhood penalty. It’s time we talked about the eldercare penalty.The number of childfree women and women without children is rising, raising some fascinating questions about money, pensions, eldercare, inheritance, retirement and the motherhood penalty. At first glance, women without children appear to have a significant financial advantage: no career break f
Should We Retire With Our Friends? How Older Women Are Redefining Retirement
Have I saved enough for retirement? Perhaps we should also be asking: who do I want to spend retirement with?We talk endlessly about retirement planning, pensions, financial security, ageing and longevity. But there's another form of retirement planning we rarely discuss: friendship. As Millennials and Gen X think about later life, female friendship, co-housing, communal living and the lonelin
Female Time Penalty | Why Corporate Time Favours Men Over Women
Women and men don't start the working day with the same relationship to time and we rarely talk about it.The pink tax, female time penalty, mental load, women at work, gender inequality, emotional labour, workplace productivity and AI are usually discussed as separate issues. I think they're connected. Women spend more time getting ready, more time organising family life and, often, more t
The Generational Inequality of Housing
The housing ladder is broken. For Millennials and Gen Z, buying a home increasingly requires a leap.The UK housing crisis, first-time buyers, house prices, mortgages, renting, the Bank of Mum and Dad, and inheritance have fundamentally changed what home ownership means. For previous generations, the property ladder promised gradual progress: buy a flat, build equity, trade up to a family home. For
The Bank of Mum and Dad Is Making Adults Financially Dependent | It's All Relative | Dr Eliza Filby
Do you still lie to your parents about money? Even in your 40s? You are definitely not alone.The Bank of Mum and Dad, inheritance, generational wealth, financial independence, family money and the cost of living are changing the relationship between parents and their adult children. We talk a lot about the inequality created by parental wealth, but much less about what happens inside families when
Why Elon Musk Is Wrong About AI and The Future Of Work | It's All Relative
Elon Musk thinks we will have AI Abundance in 10 years. Everyone is asking whether AI will replace jobs. The AI bubble is potentially on the horizon. Beyond the hype and the panic however, is the more interesting question: what is AI revealing about the way we work today?Over the past few weeks, I've become increasingly convinced that we're focusing on the wrong AI story.Yes, artificial in
Why Men and Women Are Drifting Apart | The Gender Divide
I address the gender divide, the manosphere, the femosphere, dating, social media algorithms, birth rates, and loneliness in this episode.Are men and women still living in the same world, or are our phones creating entirely different realities?I didn't set out to make an episode about the gender divide.It emerged after two completely different conversations. One was with demographer Dr Paul Mo
Who Earns the Most in 2026? | The Answer Will Surprise You | It's All Relative
Which profession earns the most? Corporate lawyers, doctors, teachers, Tech? In the context of the housing crisis, the Bank of Mum and Dad, social mobility, and the future of work. If the cost of everything has gone up, who can still afford life on a salary alone?That was the question that sparked this episode.A few months ago, my team and I analysed a simple idea: if house prices, childcare, educ
Gen Z Aren’t Lazy | They’re Adapting to a Broken System | It's All Relative | Dr Eliza Filby
Gen Z, AI, the future of work, hybrid working, graduate jobs and career advice. Why has an entire generation been labelled lazy when the real story is that work itself has fundamentally changed?Every time I speak to senior leaders, the same questions come up.Why won't Gen Z come into the office?Why don't they stay in jobs?Why are they so obsessed with work-life balance?The assumption is al
Career Advice Nobody Tells You | Freedom, Agility & Uncertainty | It's All Relative
The future of work is changing. Entrepreneurship, AI, portfolio careers, career advice, Gen Z, millennials, small business, financial resilience, purpose, and freedom are reshaping what a successful career looks like. In this episode, I reflect on my own journey from academia to building a business, and the career advice that completely changed my life.When I was in my thirties, someone gave me a
Capitalism Is Not Free Market | Grace Blakeley Explains Why | It's All Relative
The defining political emotion of the 21st century is powerlessness, says Grace Blakeley who I sat down with on this episode. Capitalism, inequality, stagnant wages, the housing crisis, Gen Z, millennials, entrepreneurship, AI, social mobility, and the future of work are all colliding in ways that are reshaping how we live, work, and think about our future.If capitalism won, why do so many people
Why Are Birth Rates Falling? The Real Cost of Having Children | Dr Paul Morland | It's All Relative
Birth rates are collapsing. Fertility rates are falling. Populations are ageing. And governments around the world are starting to panic. I sit down with world-leading demographer Dr Paul Morland, author of No One Left, to explore one of the most important and misunderstood issues shaping our future: demographic decline.Together we unpack what falling birth rates really mean for economies, welfare
Is Gen Z the Most Misunderstood Generation? | It's All Relative with Konrad Collao
I'm joined by youth culture expert and researcher Konrad Collao to unpack one of the most analysed, stereotyped, and misunderstood generations on the planet: Gen Z.Everyone seems to have an opinion about Gen Z.They're either saving the world or destroying it.They're activists or apathetic.Entrepreneurs or work-shy.Progressive heroes or victims of the manosphere.But what if most of what
The Rise Of The Moonlighting Middle Class | The New Reality Of Work In 2026 | It's All Relative
Multiple income streams, side hustles, moonlighting, portfolio careers, AI disruption, and remote work. Why are more professionals working two jobs, building side businesses and preparing for an increasingly uncertain economy?This week on It's All Relative, I explore the end of the one-salary life and the rise of the moonlighting middle-class professional.For years, we've associated multip
Gen Z’s Money Problem Is Worse Than You Think | Gen Z Money Habits Explained | With Claer Barrett
This week on It’s All Relative, I sit down with Financial Times columnist Clare Barrett to unpack one of the defining generational questions of our time:What happens when an entire generation grows up expecting economic instability?Unlike millennials, who came of age during a consumer boom, Gen Z were shaped by the aftermath of the 2008 financial crisis, stagnant wages, unaffordable housing, and t
Who Can Afford To Be An Artist in 2026? | Why Art Is Only for the Rich Now | It's All Relative
This week on It’s All Relative, I explore one of the defining cultural questions of the 2020s: Who gets to be creative anymore?Because increasingly, traditional creative careers are becoming the preserve of the financially secure.The children of affluent families. The beneficiaries of the Bank of Mum and Dad. Those who can afford unpaid internships, unstable income and years of uncertainty. And th
Side Hustles, Wages and the New Cost of Living Reality | It's All Relative
This week on It’s All Relative, I unpack exclusive polling data from OnePoll, looking at how under-45s in Britain are really coping financially.And the findings are stark.38% of respondents said they felt worse off after receiving a pay rise.Not because pay rises don’t matter.But because rising wages are being immediately absorbed by housing costs, childcare, debt repayments, tax, and the general
The Workplace Is Not Human Anymore | Why Gen Z Doesn’t Trust Work | It's All Relative
This week on It’s All Relative, I unpack my recent conversation with Simon Sinek and explore why AI is transforming work and exposing everything that was already broken about it.The collapse of stable careers.The erosion of loyalty between employer and employee.The rise of individualism.The breakdown of the old life script. For decades, we sold people a very clear promise: Work hard. Get a degree.
People on 100K Think They’re Poor | The Salary That Doesn’t Mean What It Used To | It's All Relative
Are you actually rich? Middle class wealth, income vs wealth, cost of living, generational wealth and inequality, why so many people feel poor in a rich country.If you earn £50k… you’re in the top 30% of earners in the UK.And yet most people on that salary would not describe themselves as rich.So what’s going on?In this episode of It’s All Relative, I unpack one of the biggest misconceptions shapi
Money Is Ruining Romance | The Real Cost of Love | It's All Relative
Are women becoming more “materialistic”… or just more realistic? In this episode of It’s All Relative, I unpack one of the most controversial conversations happening right now around dating, relationships, and money. Because increasingly, we’re hearing that women are becoming more selective, more financially focused, even “gold diggers”.I don’t think that’s what’s happening. I think we’re seeing t
Is University A Rip-Off? | AI, Students And The Future Of University | It's All Relative
AI in universities, ChatGPT students, is a degree still worth it? Future of education, student debt, and assessment — is AI exposing a deeper problem with higher education?Are universities facing an AI crisis… or is AI simply revealing a crisis that was already there?In this episode of It’s All Relative, I explore how AI is transforming university education — and why the real issue may not be stud
How Money Is Changing Friendship | Hidden Cost for Millennials & Gen Z | It's All Relative
Friendship and money, class differences, millennials, Gen Z, social mobility, and the Bank of Mum and Dad. How money is reshaping our friendships.We don’t like to talk about money when it comes to friendship.It feels uncomfortable. Slightly taboo. Almost… inappropriate.Friendship is supposed to be the one space where money doesn’t matter.And yet, increasingly, I think it does.In this episode of It
The Lost Pension Generation - Gen X & Millennials
Pensions, retirement planning, millennials, Gen X, and money. Why ignoring your pension could cost you hundreds of thousands.At 28, I made what I now think is one of the most expensive decisions of my life.I opted out of my pension.At the time, it didn’t feel reckless. It felt… rational. I needed cash. I was freelancing. I was living month to month. Retirement felt abstract, distant, irrelevant.Bu
Gen Alpha vs Gen Z | 8 Charts On Screens, Spending, Parenting, Gaming & More
Gen Alpha charts, Gen Alpha data, Gen Alpha parents, Gen Alpha childhood trends – 8 charts every parent must see. This week on It’s All Relative, Dr Eliza Filby reveals Gen Alpha data on the rise of only children, gaming addiction, myopia crisis, Sephora tweens, shadow schooling, and why Gen Alpha calls parents "overwhelmed."Gen Alpha (born 2010–2025) is hitting teenage years amid the AI
Prenups Rising | Why 40% of Gen Z Women Want One | It's All Relative | Dr Eliza Filby
Are prenups just for billionaires, celebrities and oligarchs… or are they becoming a normal part of modern marriage?In this episode of It’s All Relative, I explore the surprising rise of prenups among millennials and Gen Z, and why attitudes toward money, marriage and inheritance are changing rapidly.Nearly 40% of Americans under 34 who are married or engaged now have a prenup. In the UK, attitude
Double the Time, Half as Rich
This week on It’s All Relative, I’m unpacking one of the biggest economic shifts of the last 40 years: the rise of the dual-income household, and why it’s no longer a sign of feminist triumph, but financial necessity.We like to tell ourselves a story about progress. More women in professional careers. Greater equality. Higher household earnings. But beneath that narrative lies a quieter, more unco
Why Rich Kids are Miserable (Prof. Daniel Markovits)
This episode of 'It's Relative' explores the concept of meritocracy and argues why it has become a trap. Featuring Daniel Markovitz, Yale professor and author of 'The Meritocracy Trap,' the discussion dissects the rise of elite parenting, the collapse of the middle class, and how current labor markets are exacerbating inequalities. The conversation includes insights into the social and economic pr
Inheritocracy: Is Meritocracy a Myth? (Polly Toynbee)
Are we living in a world where hard work isn't enough? In this episode of It’s All Relative, join Dr Eliza Filby with guest Polly Toynbee as they dissect the societal implications of the profound shift away from meritocracy, discuss the impact on social mobility and examine what this means for the future of opportunity and economic justice. This crucial discussion challenges the very foundations o
Jaded The Must Read Novel of 2024 (with Author Ela Lee)
'Jade isn't even my real name. Jade began as my Starbucks name, because all children of immigrants have a Starbucks name.' Jaded is the must read novel of 2024, a debut from former City lawyer, Ela Lee. It's an interrogating exploration of race, class, work and sexual assault, not to mention what we tell ourselves (and others) in order to fit in at any cost. Ela sits down with Eliza
Beyond the Scaremongering: Here's what AI is really going to do (Dr. Lewis Liu)
Is AI over-hyped? Or do we dangerously underestimate its looming impact? Which businesses should embrace AI, and which might resist it? In this fascinating episode Eliza talks to tech entrepreneur and leading AI expert Dr Lewis Lui about the transformative potential of artificial intelligence, as well as the risks and complexities surrounding it. Lewis began his career at McKinsey before advising
Why Generations DO and DON'T MATTER (Prof. Bobby Duffy)
Eliza speaks to Prof. Bobby Duffy about the strengths and weaknesses of generational analysis; why it is useful, why it is not and how we can understand the generational gap a little better. Bobby and I had fun trying to dissect stereotypes from fact and some of the methodological challenges of analysing society through the prism of age. This is a good one! You can buy Bobby's book here
How We Address White Supremacy in Our Education System (Jeffrey Boakye)
Today Eliza sits down with writer, campaigner and educator Jeffrey Boakye to discuss the intersection of race and education. Race is inescapable when it comes to our education system; 86% of teachers are white even though 1 in 4 primary school pupils are from an ethnic minority and 1 million school children speak a language other than English as a first language. The disconnect is r
Why TikTok is BAD for the creator economy (Sam Barcroft)
It is the most desired profession for young people today but only 4% of influencers earn more than $100k a year... that means a lot of frustrated wannabes in an era when it is becoming ever more difficult to gain a following. Creator burnout is real and platforms are proliferating. This week Eliza sits down with the founder of Barcroft Media, Sam Barcroft, to discuss the future of the creator econ
A History of Working Motherhood (Professor Helen McCarthy)
Eliza is joined this week by Professor Helen McCarthy to discuss the history of working motherhood in the UK from the 1900s to the present day. Helen manages to put our contemporary struggles around working motherhood, childcare and parenting into a historical context covering everything from the origins of working from home for women (spoiler: they've been doing it for centuries!), to parent
How pretty people RUINED the internet (Marie Le Conte and Chris Stokel-Walker )
Join Eliza on an nostalgic tech trip with journalists Marie Le Conte and Chris Stokel-Walker in which we discussed millennials' relationship with the internet; from the early days of vlogs and blogs to the rise of monetised influencer culture and the birth of millennial self-branding. How did we mature on-line and what does the future hold as we hit mid-life and are no longer the "kool kids" of th
Why ONE simple change would trigger a revolution in fatherhood (Elliot Rae and Dr. Jasmine Kelland)
Eliza sits down with fatherhood speaker, activist and mobiliser, Elliot Rae and academic Dr. Jasmine Kelland to discuss whether we are seeing a revolution in fatherhood and what we can do to change the gender in-balance when it comes to childcare. Why is take-up of shared parental leave so low? What can companies do to help fathers and what struggles do fathers face in the workplace? What impact h
Why Millennials Need to Have Kids! (Dr. Paul Morland)
Eliza chats to demographer Dr. Paul Morland about what Elon Musk has defined as a "bigger risk to civilisation than global warming", the demographic ticking time bomb. Dr. Morland takes us through the complex subject of demography, explaining how a combination of low birthrates, ageing society and low infant mortality is playing out across the globe and is the major cause for all sorts o
What are young people thinking in China? Part II (Zak Dychtwald)
In this second part of my sit down with China expert, Zak Dychtwald, we delve a little deeper into some key themes: In what ways are attitudes towards work changing? Are we seeing a rejection of the 'slog'? What about young people's attitude towards the state, especially now that lockdowns have been lifted? What's the long-term significance of the recent riots? Are young people beginning to q
What are young people thinking in China? (Zak Dychtwald)
In this first episode of Season 2, Eliza speaks to China expert, Zak Dychtwald, about the generational and familial dynamics within the world's fastest growing economy. What has life been like for the 400-million strong Chinese millennials that not only grew up under the one-child policy, but also witnessed China's transition into an economic superpower? And what about Gen Z, to whom all this
It's All Relative: Series 2 Trailer
Join speaker and writer, Dr. Eliza Filby, as she seeks to explore how society and generations are changing in this permacrisis age. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Bonus: Jenk Oz and Carmen Greco
In this bonus episode of It's All Relative, Eliza speaks to Jenk Oz and Carmen Greco, mother-son co-founders of Thred Media. They discuss the social activism of GenZ, the upcoming-generation of entrepreneurs and the realities of life as a teenage CEO.You can follow Eliza on LinkedIn Dr Eliza Filby, TikTok @Eliza_Filby, Twitter @elizafilby and Instagram @dr_eliza_filby Hosted on Acast. See acast.co
Bonus: Alastair & Grace Campbell
In this bonus episode of It's All Relative, Eliza speaks to Alastair and Grace Campbell. They discuss political fatigue, navigating the culture wars and disarming trolls. In these turbulent times, it's not one to be missed!You can follow Eliza on LinkedIn Dr Eliza Filby, TikTok @Eliza_Filby, Twitter @elizafilby and Instagram @dr_eliza_filby Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more
Jonny & Katie Owen
Flying the flag for the Valleys of South Wales are father and daughter, Katy and Jonny Owen. Jonny is an acclaimed producer, director, writer and actor, with a penchant for telling generation-defining stories; from the Aberfan disaster that struck his father’s community in 1966, to Wales’ legendary performance in the 2016 European Football Championship. Katie is pursuing her love for mus
Patrick & Jimmy McLoughlin
What is it like to grow up with a government minister for a Dad? Eliza speaks to Patrick and Jimmy about the changing nature of conservatism, the power of social mobility, and talking Brexit at the dinner table. The Rt Hon Sir Patrick McLoughlin started his career as a coal miner, before turning his hand to politics. Serving in a variety of Ministerial positions, he was Chairman of the Conser
Johnny & Nile Marr
Is music the potent force in culture that it once was? Eliza speaks to musicians Johnny and Nile Marr about how the industry has changed (for the better and worse) over the last 40 years. Having begun his career as the guitarist and co-songwriter of The Smiths, Johnny has since collaborated with musical icons from Talking Heads to Billie Eilish and continues to achieve success as a solo artist. Fo
Tricia & Anna Cusden
Eliza speaks to Tricia Cusden who started an on-line beauty business, Look Fabulous Forever, in her sixties, and her daughter, Anna, who also works for the family business. Hear Tricia discuss why she decided to take the plunge later in life and her resentment at fulfilling societal expectations and having children young. Anna discusses why her generation is less groomed than their mothe
Prue Leith & Li-Da Kruger
In this episode, Eliza speaks to Prue Leith and her daughter, Li-Da Kruger. Dame Prue Leith is one of our leading culinary entrepreneurs and TV personalities. Li-Da Kruger is a filmmaker whose first documentary ‘Belonging’ was shortlisted for the prestigious Grierson award in 2003. Their collective family story in a cosy English Cotswolds reflects a profound and interconnected tale, one which
Julian & Jessica Fellowes
Can we agree to disagree?In this first episode, Dr. Eliza Filby speaks to uncle and niece, Julian and Jessica Fellowes. As creator and writer of the phenomenon that is Downton Abbey, Julian Fellowes has put class and familial tensions of the early 20th century under the spotlight, achieving much acclaim and a sweep of awards in the process. Author and journalist Jessica Fellowes, whose work i
It's All Relative: Trailer
Join writer and historian Dr Eliza Filby as she speaks to two different generations from the same family to discuss their contrasting lives. 'It's All Relative' is a light hearted look at the generation gap, where we will be rejoicing in our differences and uncovering our similarities and discovering that ultimately, no matter what the media headlines say, we have more in common than divides us. B
