Episodios
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(Conversation recorded on May 7th, 2024)
Show Summary:In contrast to âThe Great Simplificationâ, some might call the events of the last few hundred years a âGreat Complexificationâ in terms of relationships, governance, supply chains, and many other human activities. Todayâs conversation with economics journalist Ed Conway focuses on the six essential resources that underpin our modern economies â sand, salt, iron, copper, oil, and lithium - and dives into the (often unseen) environmental and human costs of extracting them, as well as the surprisingly fragile global supply chains they fuel.
In order to understand what possibilities â and dangers â may await us in the future, we need to understand the realities and constraints of the present, as well as the fail points of the past. What does it take to mine, refine, and transform the materials that are foundational to the world around us - which many of us now take for granted? How can we ensure the stability of global supply chains, and could we predict potential disruptions and chokepoints before they arise? If we understood the intricate web of complexity, energy, and resources that go into everything we consume, would it change our expectations for how much we need in order to live a good and fulfilling life?
About Ed Conway:
Ed Conway is a writer and broadcaster. He is the Economics and Data Editor of Sky News and has written for many newspapers and publications, including the New York Times, the Times of London and the New Statesman. His latest book, Material World, was an Economist and Sunday Times Book of the Year and was shortlisted for the 2023 FT Business Book of the Year Award. He has also written two other critically acclaimed and bestselling books and has won numerous awards for his journalism. He was educated at Oxford and Harvard. He lives in London.
For Show Notes and More visit:
https://www.thegreatsimplification.com/episode/127-ed-conway
To watch this video episode on Youtube â https://youtu.be/4C2-tWcFKfQ
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(Conversation recorded on May 8th, 2024)
Show Summary:As the human predicament continues to accelerate, the conversations regarding the future are still dominated by older generations - yet it is their younger successors who will face the brunt of these issues throughout their lives. Todayâs Reality Roundtable with Priscilla Trá»nh, James Branagan, and Natasha Linhart, focuses on Generation Zâs perspective of the metacrisis, how learning the reality of the human predicament has affected their worldview, and what they see as viable future paths for themselves and the world. How might we approach intergenerational relationships to encourage the transfer of knowledge in both directions, without blame or resentment? What are the unique challenges that young people face when addressing the layers of complexity and risk in the world, and thinking about how to respond? Could fostering community, empathy, and personal responsibility act as a bridge across generational divides, steering us towards a more unified and compassionate future?
About Priscilla Trá»nh:
Priscilla Trá»nh currently serves as Director of Communications at the Post Growth Institute and co-coordinator of the Minnesota Youth Institute. She is also the creator of the #postgrowth jobs board and a founding member of The Overstory Alliance. Additionally, Priscilla is an editor at the Blue Marble Review, and contributor to the Minnesota Womenâs Press. Priscilla holds a B.S. in Sustainable Systems Management and resides on OÄhĂ©thi Ć akĂłwiĆ lands (Minnesota, USA) and when not working, can be found near a body of water or in the kitchen.
About James Branagan:
James Branagan is a content creator and video editor, posting content on slow living and philosophy from his channel, The New Naturalist. At a young age, he became disillusioned with many different components of society, becoming fascinated by the prospect of humans figuring out how to live in an ecologically compatible way. He's committed to the task of addressing some of the many facets of Our Human Predicament, particularly education and food production systems.
About Natasha Linhart:
Natasha Linhart graduated from the University of Amsterdam in 2023 with a degree in BSc in Politics, Psychology, Law and Economics with a focus in Economics and Business, and electives in Degrowth and Critical Theory. For the last year, she has been working as a Research Associate with the Institute for the Study of Energy and Our Future. Natasha is also a passionate educator, founding her own tutoring company with a holistic approach to high-school education (IBCompanions).
For Show Notes and More visit:
https://www.thegreatsimplification.com/episode/reality-roundtable-9
To watch this video episode on Youtube â https://youtu.be/SnpsxGQ0aZY
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¿Faltan episodios?
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(Conversation recorded on May 5th, 2024)
Show Summary:In this episode, Nate welcomes back Daniel Schmachtenberger to unpack a new paper, which he co-authored, entitled Development in Progress, an analysis on the history of progress and the consequences of âadvancementâ.
Current mainstream narratives sell the story that progress is synonymous with betterment, and that the world becomes better for everyone as GDP and economies continue to grow. Yet, this is an incomplete portrayal that leaves out the dark sides of advancement. What are the implications when only the victors of history write the narratives of progress and define societal values? What are the value systems embedded in our institutions and policies, and how do they reinforce the need for ongoing growth at the expense of the natural world and human well-being? Finally, how do we change these dynamics to form a new, holistic definition of progress that accounts for the connectedness of our planet to the health of our minds, bodies, and communities?
The full paper discussed in this episode will be available on The Consilience Project website in the near future.
About Daniel Schmachtenberger:
Daniel Schmachtenberger is a founding member of The Consilience Project, aimed at improving public sensemaking and dialogue.
The throughline of his interests has to do with ways of improving the health and development of individuals and society, with a virtuous relationship between the two as a goal.
Towards these ends, heâs had a particular interest in catastrophic and existential risk, with focuses on civilization collapse and institutional decay. His work also includes an analysis of progress narratives, collective action problems, and social organization theories. These themes are all connected through close study of the relevant domains in philosophy and science.
For Show Notes and More visit:
thegreatsimplification.com/episode/daniel-schmachtenberger-7
To watch this video episode on Youtube â https://youtu.be/tmusbHBKW84
0:00 - Introduction
0:46 - Guest Introduction: Daniel Schmachtenberger
2:24 - Personal Catch-Up and Observations
3:55 - Paper on Development and Progress
6:19 - Definition and Importance of Progress
11:03 - Critique of Technological Advancement
14:05 - Historical Context of Progress Narratives
18:53 - Social Structures and Restraint
21:21 - Technological Efficiency and Wisdom
27:41 - Climate Change and Technological Solutions
30:32 - Historical Analysis of Conquerors
35:30 - Multipolar Traps and Progress
45:01 - Asymmetry and Power in Evolution
46:29 - Definitions of Progress
47:15 - Ecological and Economic Risks
52:54 - Case Studies of Externalities
56:14 - Corporate Personhood and Sociopathy
1:02:22 - Influence of Dominant Narratives
1:09:09 - Global Coordination and AI
1:11:51 - Self-Terminating Path of Winning
1:13:45 - Addressing Systemic Ecological Issues
1:20:17 - Human Wisdom and Restraint
1:23:27 - Jevons Paradox and Energy Efficiency
1:30:07 - Historical Analysis of Warfare
1:35:30 - Cancer and Industrial Toxins
1:39:03 - Influence of Dark Triad Traits
1:45:01 - Environmental Impact of Corporations
1:52:54 - Long-Term Ecological Solutions
2:00:27 - Role of Education in Progress
2:07:02 - Ethical Considerations in Technology
2:13:45 - Philosophical Foundations of Progress
2:20:17 - Addressing Social Inequality
2:23:27 - Integrating Traditional Knowledge
2:30:07 - Future Prospects and Challenges
2:35:30 - Personal Reflections and Closing Thoughts
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(Recorded May 28, 2024)
Description
In this weekâs Frankly, Nate offers an update on the current state of conflict between NATO and Russia and the increasing threat of escalation, followed by 7 high-level questions about how to think about war, the human predicament and our work for a more stable future. While these issues may seem too looming and overwhelming for our everyday lives, the society-ending (world-ending?) ramifications of them would trump every other issue if the worst were to happen. When thinking of how we define âwarâ, is it even possible to âwinâ within a complex, interconnected, global society given the level of our military technology? Is the way we view and participate in war a result of governance systems that no longer are fit for purpose? Taking a step further, could we change our cultural values - starting with individuals and communities around us - to reorient towards peace-centric structures that rely on cooperation and stability?
YouTube Link here
Show Notes
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(Conversation recorded on March 25th, 2024)
Show Summary:In this episode, Nate is joined by educator and researcher Vanessa Andreotti to discuss what she calls âhospicing modernityâ in order to move beyond the world weâve come to know and the failed promises that âmodernityâ has made to our current culture. Whether you refer to it as the metacrisis, the polycrisis, or - in Nateâs terms - the human predicament, Vanessa brings a unique framing rooted in indigenous knowledge and relationality to aid in understanding, grieving, and building emotional resilience within this space. What does it mean to live and work within systems that are designed to fail, embedded in an aimless culture? How do we as individuals steady ourselves and create inner strength before engaging with such harrowing work? Importantly, what could education look like if founded in the principles of intergenerational knowledge transmission and emotional regulation, that are centered on our collective entanglement with the Earth?
About Vanessa Andreotti:
Vanessa de Oliveira Andreotti is the Dean of the Faculty of Education at the University of Victoria. She is a former Canada Research Chair in Race, Inequalities and Global Change and a former David Lam Chair in Critical Multicultural Education. Vanessa has more than 100 published articles in areas related to global and climate education. She has also worked extensively across sectors internationally in projects related to global justice, global citizenship, Indigenous knowledge systems and the climate and nature emergency. Vanessa is the author of Hospicing Modernity: Facing humanity's wrongs and the implications for social activism, one of the founders of the Gesturing Towards Decolonial Futures Arts/Research Collective and one of the designers of the course Facing Human Wrongs: Climate Complexity and Relational Accountability, available at UVic through Continuing Studies.
For show notes, including referenced articles and additional resources:
https://thegreatsimplification.squarespace.com/episode/125-vanessa-andreottiTo watch this video episode on Youtube â https://youtu.be/h5kQ7_IZ8YI
00:00 - Intro
1:52 - The House of Modernity
16:34 - Hospicing the House of Modernity
22:56 - Theory of Change
31:49 - Affective Responses
43:55 - Healing Trauma
54:42 - Relational Intelligence
59:11 - Metabolical Literacy
1:04:59 - Dopamine Dependence
1:07:25 - Depth Education
1:09:27 - Reception with Young People
1:14:38 - How Do You Keep Going?
1:20:22 - Personal Advice
1:28:34 - What Would You Do with a Magic Wand?
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(Conversation recorded on April 23rd, 2024)
Show Summary:On this episode, Nate is joined by climate physicist Levke Caesar for a comprehensive overview of the Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation (AMOC) and its connections to broader planetary systems. Amid a complex and heavily interconnected climate system, the AMOC is a powerful force for regulating temperature between the Northern and Southern Hemispheres along the Atlantic Ocean - yet itâs estimated to have slowed down by about 15% over the last few decades. What are the possible domino effects of this slowing oceanic powerhouse at a regional and global scale? How well do we understand what drives the AMOC, its cyclical patterns, and connections with other currents? More importantly, how does the AMOC interact with other biospheric mechanisms that have shaped our stable, life-supporting planetary home?
About Levke Caesar:
Levke Caesar is a climate physicist at the Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research, mainly known for her studies on the Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation (AMOC) and its pivotal role in the climate system. Her research primarily focuses on the past, present, and future evolution of the AMOC and its intricate interactions within the North Atlantic region. Caesar's seminal work on the historical evolution of the AMOC has been featured in prestigious journals such as Nature and Nature Geoscience, garnering hundreds of citations. Since October 2023, she has assumed the role of scientific lead for the newly launched Planetary Boundary Science Initiative (PBScience) at PIK.
Show Notes
Watch this video episode on Youtube
00:00 - Intro
1:59 - Levkeâs Background
4:29 - What is the AMOC?
10:45 - AMOC Risks
15:25 - Ocean Salinity
20:47 - Three Potential Scenarios
31:11 - Canfield Ocean
36:46 - Effects in Europe and Globally
45:31 - Public Awareness
49:02 - Measuring AMOC
52:40 - The Gulf Stream
56:24 - AMOC Feedbacks
1:00:18 - Scientific Consensus
1:04:53 - Levkeâs Work
1:10:02 - Interventions and Suggestions
1:16:52 - How to Live a Normal Life
1:21:38 - Personal Advice
1:26:35 - What Would You Do with a Magic Wand?
1:27:36 - Closing Thoughts
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UPDATE: We are no longer accepting survey submissions. Thanks for your feedback!
Greetings! As we look ahead to the future of our podcast and organization, we hope to continue bringing you the most relevant information, guests, and conversations surrounding The Great Simplification. To that end, weâre asking for your feedback.We have put together a brief survey that includes questions about what issues, content, and worldviews are most important to you.
Take the Survey â https://forms.gle/egpgLxVHpiB27Kv28
Weâve also set up a Discord community as a way to connect TGS viewers and listeners (who span across the globe).
đ Join the Discord â https://discord.gg/ZFfQqtqMJf đ
As the world converges on the systems synthesis of energy, ecology, behavior, etc., we hope to scale the reach and impact of our work to more humans, communities, and organizations. Thank you for helping us in this goal!
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On this episode, Nate is joined by ER doctor, nuclear power advocate, and podcast host Chris Keefer for a broad ranging conversation including the basics of nuclear energy, how he engages with opposing opinions, and hypotheticals for a future medical system. Coming from a broad background, Chris understands what it means to have a human to human conversation and put together the pieces of our systemic puzzle in a clear and compelling way. What role could nuclear play for our future energy needs - and how are different countries making use of it today? How can we prioritize the health and safety of people under energetic and resource constraints? Most of all, how do we listen to others that we donât agree with - regardless of the issue - to foster the diverse perspectives necessary to navigate the coming challenges of the human predicament?
About Chris Keefer:
Chris Keefer MD, CCFP-EM is a Staff Emergency Physician at St Joseph's Health Centre and a Lecturer for the Department of Family and Community Medicine at the University of Toronto. He is also an avid advocate for expanding nuclear power as the President of Canadians for Nuclear Energy and Director of Doctors for Nuclear Energy. Additionally, he is the host of the Decouple Podcast exploring the most pressing questions in energy, climate, environment, politics, and philosophy.
PDF Transcript
Show Notes
00:00 - Chris Keefer works + info, Decouple Podcast, Canadians for Nuclear Energy
04:45 - Egalitarian hunter gatherer society, infant mortality
05:12 - Bow drill fire
07:10 - Yukon
07:30 - Humans and livestock outweigh wild mammals 50:1, not in the Yukon
08:10 - Dr. Paul Farmer
08:45 - Most humans use to work in agriculture, ~15% now involved in healthcare
10:56 - Ontario nuclear power, one of lowest electric grid in the world
12:01 - Justin Trudeau
12:24 - Simcoe Clinic, Canadian Center for Victims of Torture
14:01 - World population over time
14:36 - Paleodemography
14:59 - Degrowth
15:19 - Infant mortality in developed countries
15:55 - Tight link between energy, materials and GDP
20:54 - Duck and Cover Drills
21:05 - Environmental Movement and Nuclear
21:21 - Nagasaki bomb radiation injuries
21:49 - High dose radiation is deadly, low dose radiation less so
21:05 - Strontium-90 found in the teeth of babies
21:10 - Atmospheric weapons testing ban
22:33 - Fukushima meltdown, health impacts are negligible
23:09 - 20,000 people died from the Fukushima earthquake and following tsunami
23:47 - Fukushima contaminated water has been filtered out and is safe
24:24 - How radiation is measured
26:02 - Health effects from alcohol
26:16 - Drinking culture in the U.S.
27:22 - Nuclear energy density, land footprint
28:23 - Best nuclear applications and limitations
30:01 - Those who live in nuclear powered areas fare better
30:33 - Price of nuclear energy over the lifetime
30:45 - Nuclear power in France
31:18 - Canada energy history, center for nuclear research outside of the Manhattan Project
32:23 - 1000 people die prematurely every year due to coal
33:25 - Ontario population
33:38 - Candu Reactors
34:15 - Levelized cost of electricity, skewed with renewables
37:01 - Lazard Graphs
38:09 - Mark Jacobson
41:07 - Carbon emissions by power source
41:23 - Lifespan of nuclear plants
43:11 - Land use change impacts
43:31 - Nuclear and job creation
46:05 - US spending on military vs healthcare
48:49 - Meiji Restoration
49:33 - Vaclav Smil
50:42 - AI electricity demands
50:55 - AI risks
51:29 - Meredith Angwin
52:42 - Nuclear fuel
53:10 - 46% of uranium enrichment happens in Russia
54:15 - Known Uranium Reserves
54:25 - Haber Bosch
54:55 - Breeder Reactors
55:42 - Uranium in seawater
56:14 - Slow vs Fast Neutrons, fertile elements
57:04 - Sodium Fast Reactor
58:45 - China built a nuclear reactor in less than 4 years
1:00:05 - Defense in depth
1:01:11 - EMP, solar flare
1:01:30 - HBOâs Chernobyl, wildlife thriving in chernobyl area
1:03:13 - Death toll from radiation in Chernobyl
1:05:13 - Scientific literature and confirmation bias
1:08:12 - Chernobyl Childrenâs International
1:08:44 - Genome sequencing of highest exposures to radiation from chernobyl
1:09:09 - Germline mutations if the father smokes
1:10:02 - The Great Simplification animated video
1:10:32 - Peak Oil
1:12:10 - Complex 6-continent supply chains
1:12:30 - I, Pencil
1:15:19 - Nuclear Fusion
1:16:24 - Lawrence Livermore
1:17:45 - Tomas Murphy, Galactic Scale Energy
1:18:11 - Small Modular Reactor
1:19:26 - Cost saving in nuclear comes from scaling
1:19:34 - Wrightâs Law, economies of multiples
1:23:33 - Biden administration policies and advances on nuclear
1:24:00 - Non-profit industrial complex
1:24:24 - The size of the US non-profit economy
1:24:44 - Sierra Club, anti-nuclear history
1:25:14 - Rocky Mountain Club
1:27:15 - Hans Rosling
1:27:32 - Somalia infant mortality rate
1:27:42 - Cuba 1990s economic shock and response
1:27:42 - Vandana Shiva + TGS Episode
1:30:27 - Cognitive Dissonance
1:31:45 - Jonathan Haidt + TGS Podcast, Righteous Mind
1:32:48 - Fatality and hospitalization statistics for COVID for first responders
1:33:22 - Truckers protest in Ottawa
1:34:15 - The problem with superchickens
1:36:54 - How social media tries to keep you online
1:37:12 - Paleopsychology
1:37:55 - Tristan Harris and Daniel Schmachtenberger on Joe Rogan
1:39:45 - John Kitzhaber + TGS Episode, Robert Lustig + TGS Episode
1:39:55 - US healthcare 20% of GDP, 50% of the worldâs medical prescriptions are in the US
1:41:55 - Superutilizers
1:42:37 - Cuban medical system, spending, life expectancy, infant mortality
1:43:06 - Cuban export of pharmaceuticals
1:44:08 - Preventative medicine, chronic disease management
1:44:25 - Cuban doctor to person ratio, rest of the world
1:48:47 - Social determinants of health
1:49:20 - Cement floor reducing illness in Mexico
1:50:03 - Hygiene hypothesis
1:50:28 - Zoonotic disease and human/animal cohabitation
1:50:50 - Roundworm life cycle
1:52:38 - Acceptable miss rates
1:53:16 - Cancer screening effectiveness
1:53:58 - Drugs produced from nuclear plant byproducts
1:58:18 - Timothy OâLeary
2:02:28 - Superabundance
2:02:40 - Julian Simons and Paul Ehrlich bet
2:02:15 - Malthusian
2:06:08 - Pickering Plant
Watch this video episode on YouTube
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On this Reality Roundtable, Nate is joined by Mohit Trivedi, Abhishek Thakore, and Kejal Savla, three NGO leaders in India active in driving social and cultural change using the perspective of the Indic Mind. As a subcontinent, the Indic people have faced crisis after crisis, yet have still held onto the optimism and compassion foundational to their culture. Submerged in this history and context, there is so much for the West to learn from those active in the metacrisis space in India. How has Indiaâs unique history shaped the way they approach coming resource constraints, as they prepare to experience disproportionate global heating and extreme weather? Why is it important to hold paradoxes that look beyond the black and white, towards more complex and nuanced perspectives of the world? How could community be at the center of the responses to converging challenges we face - and what would it mean to practice relationality across all areas of oneâs life?
Mohit Trivedi is the co-found of 2069 Ecosystems. He is also a learning designer, facilitator and movement weaver, with a passion for spiritual and socio-political transformation. With a background in psychology, nursing, alternative education and social entrepreneurship, Mohit is aspiring to have harmony in his relationships with power, money, work and connections with others. He is actively stewarding a pan-Indian movement bringing together various individuals and organizations who are looking to practice collective leadership and decentralization, and nurture the next generation of spiritual and socio-political leaders.
Abhishek Thakore is a serial social entrepreneur and a systems change expert with over two decades of experience. As the founder of The Blue Ribbon Movement, he has created an ecosystem of initiatives aimed at building youth leadership, civic engagement, and thriving cultures across the social sector. An MBA from IIM Bangalore and a Senior Fellow of Bhoomi College, he uses his diverse expertise for serving humanity's evolutionary purpose and responding to the metacrisis.
Kejal Savla is the co-founder and CEO of Wisdom Tree- an organization that works with non-profits across rural and urban areas to work on organizational challenges through culture and leadership. She works with the integration of psychology, spirituality, and management to tap into organization's soul-force to reach its highest potential. Kejal is a weaver of social change for humans and systems to co-exist non-violently. She comes with a decade-long experience of working in the social space with youth on deep democracy, local problem-solving, and 100% consent-based decision-making.
For Show Notes and More visit: thegreatsimplification.com/episode/reality-roundtable-8
To watch this video episode on Youtube â https://youtu.be/XQbP4UJaiCw
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On this episode, Nate is joined by philosopher and educator Zak Stein to discuss the current state of education and development for children during a time of converging crises and societal transformation. As the pace of life continues to accelerate - including world-shaking technological developments - our schools struggle to keep pace with changes in cultural expectations. What qualities are we encouraging in a system centered on competition and with no emphasis on creating agency or community participation? How is unfettered technology and artificial intelligence influencing youth - and what should parents, adults, and teachers be doing in response? What could the future of education look like if guided by true teacherly authority with the aim to create well-rounded, stable young humans with a sense of belonging and purpose in their communities?
About Zak Stein:
Dr. Zak Stein is a philosopher of education, as well as a Co-founder of the Center for World Philosophy and Religion. He is also the Co-founder of Civilization Research Institute, the Consilience Project, and Lectica, Inc. He is the author of dozens of published papers and two books, including Education in a Time Between Worlds.
PDF Transcript
Show Notes
00:00 - Zak Stein works + Info, Civilization Research Institute, Education in a Time Between Worlds, Center for World Philosophy and Religion, First Principles and First Values
03:24 - No Child Left Behind
03:56 - Joseph Tainter + TGS episode
03:53 - Iatrogenic
05:30 - Daniel Schmachtenberger (TGS Episodes), Ken Wilbur, Marc Gafney
16:01 - Effects of screens and social media on teen mental health
16:54 - Marshall McLuhan
17:20 - The importance of adult boundary and limit setting for children
18:17 - How social media affects the brain
19:06 - The rise of ADHD in the 90s and effects on education - a timeline
19:58 - Hypercompetitive primary education systems
20:20 - High level of stress and cheating in primary education
22:28 - Scandinavian school systems
26:27 - Cold war effects on the education system
26:35 - Sputnik
27:25 - Tech elites donât give their kids tech
28:35 - Elite overproduction, Peter Turchin
34:10 - Your Unique Self
37:28 - Iain McGilchrist + TGS Episode
38:02 - Moral Relativism
43:27 - Foundations of advertising
47:07 - Negatives of standardized testing
47:22 - Donald T. Cambell - Campbellâs law
48:57 - Nature vs Nurture Debate
49:20 - Cooperation and competition
52:10 - Effects of a competitive school environment
55:02 - The effects of an above-and-beyond teacher
55:42 - Legitimate teacherly authority
59:55 - Importance of the environment in the first 5 years of life
1:02:20 - John Dewey
1:10:31 - The best way to learn is to teach
1:11:40 - David Graeber, Bullshit Jobs
1:15:25 - How standardized testing increased high education access
1:16:08 - Civilian Conservation Corp, Lawrence A. Cremin
1:17:02 - New Deal
1:22:07 - Risks around artificial intelligence
1:24:58 - Rise of relationships with AI
1:28:41 - First Chatbot ELIZA
1:30:01 - Electricity use of AI
1:37:30 - The Future of Human Nature
1:41:19 - Peak Oil
1:42:29 - Mental Health Crisis
1:46:35 - Correlation of COVID with IQ loss
Watch this video episode on YouTube
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On this episode, Nate is joined by maverick ecologist Pella Thiel to discuss the legal frameworks behind the Ecocide and Rights of Nature Movements. Our current economic and legal systems have no mechanisms to consider nature in our decision making - much less to make systemic planetary stability a priority. Could redefining the destruction of our biosphere to be considered a crime parallel with that of genocide alter the way we structure laws governing our societies and economies? How are countries legislating and enforcing these ideas - even going so far as to act against the flow of the superorganism? Most importantly, how could top-down legal ideas such as these interact with bottom-up individual action to create powerful shifts in cultural values and motivations?
About Pella Thiel:
Pella Thiel is a maverick ecologist, part-time farmer, full-time activist and teacher in ecopsychology. She is the co-founder of Swedish hubs of international networks like Swedish Transition Network and End Ecocide Sweden and a knowledge expert in the UN Harmony with Nature programme. Pella was awarded the Swedish Martin Luther King Award in 2023 and the Environmental Hero of the year 2019.
Watch on YouTube: https://youtu.be/JgRlgKHvKCE
More info, and show notes: www.thegreatsimplification.com/episode/121-pella-thiel
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Recorded April 22 2024
Description
For this Earth Day in 2024 Frankly, Nate walks through 7 thought experiments geared towards imagining scenarios and outcomes for ourselves, society, and the planet. While not rooted in reality, thinking through hypotheticals can be a valuable way to reflect on our ethics, ideals, and future decision points. From the perceived quick-fix of solar panels to magic solutions for infrastructure and governance, how might human cultural values impact outcomes for the biosphere? How do humans and the climate shape each other, and what does that mean for the less stable climate weâre headed towards? If they knew what we do today, could humans from hundreds of years ago have avoided the carbon pulse - and what opportunities do we have today, living in the future's past?
YouTube Link here
For Show Notes and More: https://www.thegreatsimplification.com/frankly-original/62-seven-thought-experiments-for-earth-day
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On this episode, Nate is joined by inventor and investor Tom Chi to take a broad look at the principles guiding innovation and capital - and how we might shift these to be more biophysically aligned in the future. For the past few centuries, our global industrial system has been dominated by growth-based economics without awareness of its dependence on the biosphere - or the waste that it leaves behind. What would it mean for our technology to be ecologically centered, working in service of and in synergy with complex, biodiverse life on Earth? How can we work within our current financial and governance systems to create initiatives that benefit both ecosystems and economies? More broadly, what cultural shifts could we imagine that move beyond seeing ourselves as simply dependent on ecological systems - but rather as a part of the entangled whole?
About Tom Chi
Tom Chi is the founding partner of At One Ventures, which backs early-stage (Seed, Series A) companies using disruptive deep tech to upend the unit economics of established industries while dramatically reducing their planetary footprint. Previously, Tom was a founding member of Google X where he led the teams that created self-driving cars, deep learning artificial intelligence, wearable augmented reality and internet connectivity expansion.
Watch on YouTube: https://youtu.be/AjGOGfzAvyc
More info, and show notes: https://www.thegreatsimplification.com/episode/120-tom-chi
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Recorded April 17 2024
Description
In this weekâs Frankly, Nate focuses on the importance of the Strait of Hormuz, a geographic location within a 700-mile radius of Israel called the âBlack Gold Triangleâ where more than half of the worldâs remaining oil lies under the sand. In the midst of high-stakes geo-political events where the misery and threats from warring nations dominate discourse, we remain (mostly) energy blind to the choke points that lie at the center of these conflicts, which if disrupted could send our liquid-combustible-fuel dependent economies crashing. How could the threat of expanding regional wars - especially Iranâs potential response in the Strait of Hormuz - impact the worldâs reliance on the flow of oil? Who are the people making world-altering decisions - and do they have the best interest of the future in mind? Can a heightened awareness of our global systemâs dependency on fragile energy supply chains shift our focus away from escalating risks towards deconfliction and peace?
YouTube Link here
For Show Notes and More: https://www.thegreatsimplification.com/frankly-original/61-the-strait-of-hormuz-and-the-spice
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On this episode, Nate is joined by Solar Oven collector and educator Luther Krueger to discuss the ins and outs of solar cooking. In the western world, most of us are used to indoor, gas or electric stoves, typically powered by fossil fuels, and in a third of the world, people are still using solid fuels - wood, coal, or dung - which come with many health and environmental risks. Solar ovens are an alternative which makes use of passive solar energy at a range of temperatures and can be made from basic or reused materials. What would it take on a cultural and economic level for more people to adopt these low-tech solutions? How can solar cooker designs vary to match the needs of the individual and community in varying environmental conditions? Could we take inspiration from this example of Goldilocks Technology for other areas of our lives in a slower, lower-energy throughput future?
About Luther Krueger
Since 2004 Luther Krueger has been collecting unique classic and contemporary solar cookers and promoting solar cooking as the means to halt deforestation, clean unsafe drinking water in remote areas of developing countries, and reducing any community's dependence on fossil fuel. Krueger's unincorporated, volunteer-run Big Blue Sun Museum of Solar Cooking aims to preserve the history of solar cooking while promoting the practice through the video series on the Museum's youtube channel and as contributing moderator to the Solar Cookers World Network on social media and by promoting solar cooking at regional events. Krueger is a Senior Community Faculty member at Metropolitan State University where he teaches the Capstone course for the Master of Public and Nonprofit Administration degree program. Krueger retired from the Minneapolis Police Department in 2023 after twenty-eight years as a civilian community liaison and crime analyst, where he developed and launched several community policing initiatives.
Watch on YouTube: https://youtu.be/AaLHkRRbbT4
More info, and show notes: https://www.thegreatsimplification.com/episode/119-luther-krueger
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Recorded April 8 2024
Description
In this weekâs Frankly, Nate offers a list of things he is absolutely certain of⊠or as certain as any human can be. Each of us has grounding beliefs about the reality around us with which we shape our outlook on the world and how weâd like to interact with it. How will planetary and energetic limits interact with human society and culture in the future? Can we recognize truisms about our world without becoming closed off to ways of learning and understanding? What are the fundamental realities of the world around us - and how do they constrain our pathways for the future?
YouTube Link here
For Show Notes and More:
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On this episode, Nate is joined by financial analyst Michael Every to discuss global macro trends in economics, politics, and social movements. By taking a wide-view lens of current events, we can better see how seemingly isolated events interconnect and what mainstream economic theories tend to miss. What do rising political tensions and dissatisfaction around the globe amidst increasing GDP tell us about the accuracy of our economic measures? How much are geopolitical conflicts and supply chain disruptions contributing to current inflationary pressures? And what can we learn from current economic models as we steer towards a new system with lower energy throughput in a multipolar world?
About Michael Every:
Michael Every is Global Strategist at Rabobank Singapore analyzing major developments and key thematic trends, especially on the intersection of geopolitics, economics, and markets. He is frequently published and quoted in financial media, is a regular conference keynote speaker, and was invited to present to the 2022 G-20 on the current global crisis. Michael has lived and worked in 9 countries and been in the industry for nearly 25 years, with previous roles at Silk Road Associates, the Royal Bank of Canada, and Dun & Bradstreet. He holds a BA from Lancaster University, and a masterâs degree from University College London.
Watch on YouTube: https://youtu.be/F_DhZaVoflA
More info, and show notes: https://www.thegreatsimplification.com/episode/118-michael-every
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Recorded April 4 2024
Description
Based on this weekâs podcast episode with Geoffrey West, which covered how biological scaling applies to human economies, this weekâs Frankly is a reflection on what this might mean for the future of our societies. Throughout history and up to today, there are scaling patterns driving our social and infrastructural metabolism - potentially shedding light on some long debated questions about the limits of our ability to design our societies. Do we as humans have the agency to create different paths towards less resource consumption, or are we trapped within a previously hidden law of nature? Will the resource and waste limitations of our biosphere force us to live differently, regardless of our choices? More hopefully, can understanding we have a metabolism change our metabolism, and steer futures away from the current default?
Watch on Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7qb-9CMM6Ac
For Show Notes and More: https://www.thegreatsimplification.com/frankly-original/59-7-meta-questions-about-our-global-metabolism
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On this episode, physicist Geoffrey West joins Nate to discuss his decades of work on metabolic scaling laws found in nature and how they apply to humans and our economies. As we think about the past and future of societies, there are patterns that emerge independently across cultures in terms of resource use and social phenomena as the size of a city grows. Does Kleiberâs law, which describes the increasingly efficient use of energy as an animal gets larger - also apply to human cities? How have humans deviated from this rule through excess social consumption beyond a human bodyâs individual metabolic needs? What could we learn from these scaling laws to adjust our communities to be more aligned with the biophysical realities of energy and resource consumption? Can an understanding of social metabolism impact our social metabolism?
About Geoffrey West
Geoffrey West is the Shannan Distinguished Professor and former President of the Santa Fe Institute and an Associate Senior Fellow of Oxford Universityâs Green-Templeton College. West is a theoretical physicist whose primary interests have been in fundamental questions ranging across physics, biology and the social sciences. His work is motivated by the search for unifying principles and the âsimplicity underlying complexityâ. His research includes metabolism, growth, aging & death, sleep, cancer, ecosystems, innovation and the accelerating pace of life. Most recently he has been developing a science of cities and companies, including the challenge of long-term global sustainability of the anthroposphere. He is the author of the best-selling book Scale; The Universal Laws of Growth, Innovation, Sustainability, and the Pace of Life in Organisms, Cities, Economies, and Companies.
Find out more, and show notes: https://www.thegreatsimplification.com/episode/117-geoffrey-west
Watch on YouTube: https://youtu.be/my9a9Ftr7ek
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In this Frankly, Nate recasts his favorite book series, the Hobbit and the Lord of the Rings by JRR Tolkien, with some speculative âarchetypesâ of our human world grouped by various timelines. The eventual reduction in energy and material accessibility will likely alter the archetypes that weâre familiar with today - perhaps to become something not helpful to larger society. What categories of human archetypes in the future will have the potential to best influence their communities and the Earth? What will the most powerful among us choose when it comes to protecting their (monetary, temporary) wealth vs using it towards prosocial collective responses? Finally, and most importantly what archetypes will form a new Fellowship of humans to âbring the ring to Mordorâ during humanityâs âBend not Breakâ moment? Which archetype do you resonate with? Are there others?
Watch on Youtube here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3oh-zdo-l8I
For Show Notes and More: https://www.thegreatsimplification.com/frankly-original/58-the-fellowship-of-the-ring-bend-not-break-version
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