Episodes
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Jeff Bezos and other billionaires are fixated on grand visions for humanity, from building space colonies to terraforming Mars. Yet their businesses contribute heavily to the environmental and social crisis (or more generally, the metacrisis) they seem determined to leave behind. We explore why their off-world ambitions sidestep urgent issues like climate change, how their "philanthropy" is more control in disguise, and the dangers posed by their media influence. Could the dominance of billionaires in media—like Bezos’ ownership of The Washington Post, which has been criticized for avoiding the endorsement of Kamala Harris because it could disrupt his relationship with Donald Trump—be steering the United States toward a plutocracy?
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Are hunter-gatherers happier than people in modern society? Has all of our material progress led to a genuine improvement in well-being, or is something amiss? These questions lie at the core of the meaning crisis, and more broadly, the metacrisis—a series of interrelated challenges facing civilization today. Evolutionary anthropologist Dr. Vivek Venkataraman joins us to examine the lives of both prehistoric and contemporary hunter-gatherers, shedding light on the trade-offs that accompanied humanity's transition to larger and more complex societies.
Drawing from his extensive experience living with and studying the Batek people of Malaysia—a modern hunter-gatherer community—Dr. Venkataraman helps us explore the contrasts in work-life balance, social relationships, mating dynamics, cultural values, and collective decision-making between their way of life and modern civilization. The discussion ultimately probes whether the course of human history was inevitable, shaped by game-theory dynamics/incentives, and considers what lessons we might learn from hunter-gatherer societies to address the challenges of our present and future.
GUEST INFO:
Dr. Vivek Venkataraman
https://www.vivekvenkataraman.com/
https://x.com/vivek_vasi?lang=en
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Episodes manquant?
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Can capitalism evolve to help address the metacrisis? This video explores the transformative potential of regenerative economics within a capitalistic framework. Drawing on the work of thinkers like Daniel Schmachtenberger, regenerative designer Ernesto Van Peborgh helps us understand what needs to change to create a more sustainable and regenerative system. We discuss the principles and practical steps that could guide us toward an economy that restores balance, mitigates ecological damage, and aligns with the broader efforts to confront the metacrisis.
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Is the metacrisis overblown? In this episode, we debate whether we’re truly facing a global web of urgent, interconnected catastrophic and existential risks, or if the metacrisis framework—popularized by Daniel Schmachtenberger and Nate Hagens—overstates the problem. We cover a range of topics including systems thinking, the effectiveness of holistic versus reductionist approaches to solving complex issues, and whether economic growth is worth the cost of its negative externalities. We also discuss whether the metacrisis concept is too vague to offer clear, actionable solutions for humanity's most pressing challenges.
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The journey towards addressing the metacrisis begins with what Daniel Schmachtenberger describes as a "cultural enlightenment." This involves spreading awareness and understanding of the metacrisis framework, which emphasizes holistic, systems-level thinking. But how do we translate such a complex concept into a movement that resonates with the broader populace? Can we create a community that not only educates but also fosters the right conditions for meaningful thought and action? And most importantly, can we distill these ideas into a message that’s accessible to all?
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Do sociopaths bear any responsibility for the metacrisis? It’s no secret that sociopathic tendencies are driving factors for success in our current socioeconomic model: assertiveness, charisma, and risk-taking behaviors are qualities that contribute to success in work and politics, and are at times even elevated by our society as virtues for effective leadership. The likes of Steve Jobs and Napoleon Bonaparte are revered for their leadership, despite demonstrating behaviors that would otherwise fall on the sociopathic spectrum. The behavior patterns of these sorts of individuals almost certainly contribute to the interconnected problems faced by humanity today, and any steps to resolving this metacrisis will likely require checks on systems captured by sociopaths.
GUEST INFO: Chusna Prasertkul https://chusana.substack.com/
Credits: Intro music: https://pixabay.com/users/gregorquendel-19912121/
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To solve the metacrisis, we need what Daniel Schmachtenberger calls a "third attractor". In part 1, we looked at creating a model for a third attractor system at the international level - "The Meta Treaty". In this episode, we discuss the next stage of implementing the Meta Treaty Model – the ‘one world government’ – as a means of bringing about collective global action to address the compounding existential threats faced by humanity. We explore the feasibility of implementing this third attractor system and what sorts of grassroots movement would be needed to move our population from one of disenfranchised apathy to action in support of humanity.
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To solve the metacrisis, we need what Daniel Schmachtenberger calls a "third attractor". What would such a system look like in practice? Could we construct a "third attractor"-esque system at the international level, or is any sort of world government doomed to become a dystopian nightmare? In this episode, Levon and Andrey are joined by Alex – a rationalist, effective altruist, and founder of The Guild of the Rose – to discuss this potential (partial) solution to the metacrisis -- the web of interconnected catastrophic risks faced by humanity (such as climate change, AI, bio weapons, and nuclear war).
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Are self-help help gurus actually… helpful? Does the self-help industry leave us feeling worse about ourselves? We sit down with Tal Gur, a lifestyle entrepreneur and the author of "The Art of Fully Living," to tackle these questions and discuss his approach to living life to the fullest.
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The United States is facing a drug addiction crisis, with some parts of the country – such as Portland, Oregon – reporting an increase of drug-related deaths upwards of 500%. Friend of the show Brocke, a PhD neuroscientist turned educator, once again joins Radius of Reason to talk about if decriminalizing drugs is a viable solution, and what is actually causing a high level drug use in the United States. Turns out, drug addiction (in addition to porn, video game, and donut addictions) is merely a symptom of much bigger societal issues.
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Artificial intelligence, nuclear weapons, and climate change are all dire threats facing our generation, and yet it seems like nobody is doing anything to bring about true resolution to these existential questions. Levon and Andrey are joined by Alex – a rationalist and founder of The Guild of the Rose – to discuss this 'metacrisis', and break down the interconnected web of challenges faced by humanity.
To learn more about the metacrisis, check out these resources:
Scott Alexander's Meditations on Moloch https://slatestarcodex.com/2014/07/30/meditations-on-moloch/
A primer on the metacrisis from the Pleb Check
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NOie4GCI40I&ab_channel=ThePlebCheck
Daniel Schmachtenberger discussions on the metacrisis https://youtu.be/4kBoLVvoqVY?si=UDy_yWQ0bWWYY_iK https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-6V0qmDZ2gg
GUEST INFO:
Alex Hedtke
https://becomingstronger.substack.com/
https://guildoftherose.org/
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Levon and Andrey experience mental gymnastics while trying to acknowledge what Andrew Tate gets right, and dive into what that means for modern masculinity; what if Andrew Tate is more of a symptom of a greater decay in our society, and how are young men put in a position where Tate is their greatest champion?
Full Summary: The conversation explores the themes of Andrew Tate's advice, the crisis of loneliness and dating, the dangers of his message, the lack of novelty in his advice, and the rise of sociopaths and grifters. It also discusses the appeal and criticisms of Jordan Peterson, the potential rebranding of Peterson, the role models of the past, and the need for role models in day-to-day life.
The conversation highlights the importance of relationships, the toxic framing of the matrix, and the perception of left-wing politics and masculinity. In this conversation, Andrey and Levon discuss the influence of Andrew Tate as a role model for young men and the lack of left-wing role models. They also explore the impact of a lack of deep connections and the role of religion as a community. The charges against Andrew Tate and the incompatibility of his actions with religion are examined. The toxic influence of Andrew Tate and the incentive structures of social media algorithms are discussed. The failure of institutions and the need for structural changes in society are highlighted.
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Levon and Andrey sit down with Pati to discuss feminism, the future of gender relations, and whether gender equality is making anyone happier.
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The existential arms race continues: Author David Lawrence is challenging arguments against free will made by the likes of Sam Harris and Robert Sapolsky. He joins Levon and Andrey in a conversation around whether free will exists, the evidence for determinism, and what it means for humanity if it doesn’t.
Guest Info: David Lawrence, Author of Are We Biochemical Robots?: A Critique of Determinism and Sam Harris' Crusade Against Free Will. https://www.biochemicalrobots.com/
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Wikipedia Strategist Maryana joins Levon and Andrey to discuss the Internet in the era of AI, Wikipedia’s outlook on ChatGPT, how our consumption of information is changing, and the dangers posed to society by the printing press.
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Anthropologist Dr. Chris von Rueden joins Levon and Andrey to discuss the origins of status in human systems, as well as the evolution of egalitarianism and leadership in society. Tapping into his field research with Bolivia's Tsimané people, Dr. von Rueden explores the foundations of human social systems to better understand why our society is the way it is, and where we may be heading.
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Brocke joins Levon and Andrey to discuss our current neoliberal hellscape, what we can learn from socialism, and the hope of a new generation stepping into power. Guest info: Brocke is a former neuroscientist and business owner turned schoolteacher. He is also a rockstar and self-proclaimed socialist. But most importantly, just a really cool dude.
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The U.S. proudly shares a culture of legalized capital punishment with the likes of North Korea, Iran, China, Saudi Arabia, and ISIS. Levon and Andrey take stock of the 18 Americans executed on death row in 2022, and dig into the ethics of capital punishment to better understand why our justice system kills.
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As podcasters at risk of automation, Levon and Andrey examine the impacts new AI models will have on jobs, the American economy, and the psyche of the American worker. Will we live in a work-free Utopia, or is this the next step in a capitalist hellscape?
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TikTok is in the news again with congressional hearings last month over alleged national security threats posed by the app. Levon and Andrey examine allegations that TikTok is a Chinese influence op, while exploring the possibility of a new trade war between big tech companies.
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