Episodes
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Political economist and social technologist E. Glen Weyl is the Founder and Research Lead of Microsoft Research Special Projects’ Plural Technology Collaboratory, where he focuses on using ideas from political economy to develop social technology – algorithmic designs for social institutions. He is also the Founder of RadicalxChange Foundation, Founder and Chair of the Plurality Institute, and the co-author of “Radical Markets: Uprooting Capitalism and Democracy for a Just Society.." WIRED profiled him as one of 25 leaders shaping the next 25 years of technology and Bloomberg Businessweek as one of the 50 most influential people of 2018.
His latest venture, the ambitious open-source book: “Plurality: The Future of Collaborative Technology and Democracy,” is a collective manifesto for how technology might actually serve democracy rather than undermine it. Leading the project alongside Glen is Taiwan’s First Digital Minister Audrey Tang, together with members of the global Plurality community from all walks of life.
To spread awareness of Plurality, Glen and Audrey have been traveling the world this year, meeting with visionaries and community members inspired by this movement. During Glen's visit to Taiwan this summer, amid a year punctured by record-breaking global elections, we sat down to reflect on the possibilities that emerge when technology, democracy, and human cooperation intersect.
Our conversation begins with Glen's third visit to Taiwan and his experience at the Plurality Summit in Taipei. There, leaders like Audrey Tang and Vitalik Buterin gathered to explore the future of collaborative technology – a discussion that naturally flows into Taiwan's unique role as a meeting place for global democratic innovation and how different communities are embracing these ideas.
From there, we dive into the philosophical underpinnings of pluralistic thinking, drawing inspiration from John Dewey's vision of democracy and moving beyond simple binaries toward a more nuanced understanding of human agency. We also explore how plurality intersects with modern scientific thinking, and Glen’s theory of leadership – one that emphasizes holding contradictions within oneself as a way to build bridges between different worlds.
In the latter half, our discussion takes a more personal turn as Glen reflects on his relationship with Audrey Tang, whom he describes as a guru-like figure whose presence transforms those around her. We discuss the new documentary about Audrey’s impact, the future of the Plurality movement, and Glen’s excitement for expanding these ideas and connecting with people in more regions. Throughout our conversation, embodying the Vulcan philosophy of infinite diversity in infinite combinations, we weave connections between language, understanding, and reconciliation – all elements that shape our collective future.
00:00 - Glen's background & Intro
01:49 - Reflection on technology and pluralism
09:16 - Taiwan's role as a meeting place & Plurality Summit
11:51 - Plurality book
13:40 - Taiwan’s response and impact on Plurality
17:00 - Thinking beyond optimism/pessimism & being a pluralist
20:24 - Cross-pollination: Science, technology & interdisciplinary thinking
22:32 - Glen's theory of leadership & personal journey
27:00 - Opportunities in ideological clashes
27:40 - Co-creation & the future of the Plurality book
29:18 - John Dewey's influence & emergent publics
32:22 - Language, communication & articulation of desire
34:44 - Global transitions and the rising of free Asia
37:31 - Fact-building vs. fact-checking
39:50 - "Good Enough Ancestor" documentary & Audrey Tang's impact
45:50 - Finding beauty in differences & Glen’s future aspirations
48:42 - A moment of wholeness
50:13 - Closing & outro
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Original portrait by Kay Lam.
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Neuropolitical scientist, writer, and artist Dr. Liya Yu is as unique as her expertise. Born in Hunan, China, and raised in Germany, her story is one of bridging cultures from an early age. She was trained in political science, specializing in political philosophy at the University of Cambridge, and completed an interdisciplinary Ph.D. in political neuroscience at Columbia University, focusing on racial exclusion and dehumanization. Currently, she's a visiting researcher at the Institute of Medical Psychology at Ludwig-Maximilians University Munich and the Department of Political Science at National Taiwan University.
Dr. Yu's expertise extends beyond the halls of academia. She’s the author of "Vulnerable Minds: The Neuropolitics of Divided Societies" and a respected voice on anti-Asian racism, political neuroscience, and democratization in East Asia. What truly sets Dr. Yu apart is how she interweaves science, art, and activism into a unified vision she calls "Gesamtkunstbefreiung" - a holistic approach to liberation in creating a new embodied language and philosophy through which we humanize ourselves. Besides being a researcher and writer, she’s also an artist and lead singer of a doom metal band, Neuropathik.
Our conversation begin with Dr. Yu’s experience attending the protest earlier this May in Taipei, exploring what it meant to chant alongside thousands in front of Taiwan’s parliament. This sets the stage for a border discussion about Asia countries with authoritarian histories and collective trans-generational trauma. From there, we dive into her views on the turning points of social movements, the superpower of mentalizing, and why we're currently locked in a battle over the cognitive reality that feeds on dehumanization and polarization. We also delve into the existential and ideological crisis facing youth today and how Dr. Yu's neuropolitical theory offers a new path to self-humanization.
In the later half, through a more philosophical lens, we circled around the recent campus tensions simmering at Columbia, Taiwan’s unique identity challenges, and Dr. Yu’s journey of liberation in making sense of her conflicted identity growing up in between cultures.
In the end, we touch on her artistic side of performing in a doom metal band and how she aims to communicate art reflecting her authentic self. Throughout, we grapple with Nietzsche’s philosophy of confronting our human predicaments, humanness, and the desire for the zest of life.
00:00 - Introduction
05:18 - Recent protests in Taiwan
10:05 - Holding contradictions, turning points in social movements
13:43 - Cognitive biases and mentalization
26:45 - The battle of cognitive reality
31:15 - Identity challenges and existential crises among youth
35:08 - The vision and origin of “Gesamtkunstbefreiung"
42:42 - Taiwan’s identity and opportunities forward
46:31 - Campus tensions at Columbia and the state of liberal discourse
55:13 - Art as resistance and activism
58:55 - Aesthetic creation of desire
1:00:49 - Dr. Yu's metal band Neuropatik
1:02:05 - Nietzsche's philosophy in confronting darkness
1:03:50 - Nietzsche’s idea of Humaness in ‘The Gay Science’
1:08:37 - Desire as an antidote of grief
1:11:55 - Moments of profound connection and wholeness
1:13:31 - Taiwan's beauty and fragility
1:14:43 - Closing
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Original portrait by Kay Lam.
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Thai television and film director Pat Boonnitipat’s directorial debut feature film, "How to Make Millions Before Grandma Dies," is Thailand's biggest movie of 2024 and has been making waves during its theatrical run in Southeast Asia. A New York Times article titled “Why Southeast Asia is Crying Over This Movie” even reported on the trend that united audiences to document their reaction before and after seeing the movie due to its strong emotional impact.
The Thai drama is a soul-stirring tale of family dynamics and the unspoken secrets they keep. M, an aspiring game caster, played by well-known Thai actor and singer Billkin, trades his streaming dreams for a shot at a multimillion-dollar inheritance from his grandmother after learning she is terminally ill. As M navigates this balance between self-interest and unexpected revelations, he discovers he's not the only one eyeing the fortune. In a race against time and rival relatives, M finds himself going to extreme lengths to win his grandmother's favor—and perhaps learn the value of family along the way.
Now streaming on Netflix across Southeast Asia and opening in North America this week, the film will be available in theaters in many more countries later this year. I hope you get to experience this beautiful film when you can.
In our conversation, Pat shared what it meant to him to see the film resonating with audiences and the power of cinema in bringing people together through stories that mirror and transcend life itself. He also shared how his and his co-writers personal experiences are woven into the screenplay, his philosophy as the director in creating the authentic grandma-grandson relationship, and the reaction of his own grandma and family members at the film’s premiere.
This meaningful journey, filled with tears, laughter, and a million memories, brings hope and strength to the future landscape of Thai cinema and invites more dialogues on how certain dynamics constellate and bring forward the unconditional love and connection we all yearn for with the limited time we have here.
As writer Anthony Brandt once said: "Other things may change us, but we start and end with family."
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Original portrait by Kay Lam.
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Born and raised in the Philippine archipelago, Filipino photographer Gab Mejia is a National Geographic Explorer and a Board of Trustee for the World Wide Fund For Nature Philippines.
Mejia's work in visual storytelling and ecology through multidisciplinary art forms bridges ancient mystical wisdom to modern confusions and longings. His art unveils the intricate threads of the climate crisis, biodiversity loss, and cultural interconnections, prompting us to confront our socio-political and ecological challenges.
The first half of this conversation covers Mejia's latest short film, BARADIYA, which examines the declining ecological rituals of Filipino Indigenous queer shamans. Mejia also shared his approach to photography as an extension to document the ever-shifting inner landscapes, the practice of opening to serendipity, nature's inherent queerness, and the Indigenous knowledge of keeping each other sacred in a time that he calls "an extinction of experiences."
Later, Mejia shared what it truly means to be an explorer and his journey in embracing the plurality of narratives and identities. At the very end of this conversation, Gab read a piece that he wrote–it's an ode to the natural world and a reckoning of the burden we hold to truly love the other earthlings.
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Original portrait by Kay Lam.
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This week, I sat down with Kelly Kok, Executive Director of the Jane Goodall Institute Taiwan and the Jane Goodall Sustainability Academy.
Kelly has worked at the Jane Goodall Institute Taiwan since 1998, and her primary focus has been growing Dr. Goodall’s Roots & Shoots Program in Taiwan, empowering individuals with action in environmental education and conservation.
At the top, we discussed why learning with children to understand how nature works is more important than ever and how the Sustainability Academy, as Asia’s first experimental school focusing on sustainability and conservation, is helping children at a young age to learn about the importance of reconnecting with nature's awe-inspiring moments in their everyday lives.
On the back-half, we began by discussing the influence of Dr. Goodall’s seminal book, ‘In the Shadow of Man.’ We then delved into her wisdom and tenacity in transforming hope into action through Roots&Shoots, bringing solace and power to many who may be grappling with eco-grief and anxiety toward our planet.
As we explore the future of environmentalism in the digital age, Kelly shared how reimagining communities and collaborating with other Roots&Shoots chapters around the globe has amplified the collective voices of people, animals, and the environment. This celebration of diversity, while united in love, peace, and abundant joy, is a testament to the enduring legacy of Dr. Goodall's vision for a better world.
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Original portrait by Kay Lam
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World-renowned change-maker from Bali, Indonesia, Melati Wijsen has dedicated half of her life to creating a positive impact in her community. Since founding Bye Bye Plastic Bags at the age of twelve with her sister Isabel, Melati has developed a passion for environmental education and policy change. She has been honored by TIME as part of the annual list of most influential teens in the world, by CNN Heroes, and by Forbes 30 under 30.
Discover why inner growth precedes outward impact, how embracing the multifaceted nature of change fuels collective action, and a raw look at the hope and frustration at high-stakes climate conferences in the coming decade of transformation.
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Original Portrait by Kay Lam.
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