Who is the Real George Soros?

Vox Conversations | 1 April 2021 | 0h 58m | Listen Later | iTunes
Interview with Emily Tamkin about her book The Influence of Soros: Politics, Power, and the Struggle for an Open Society. Discusses the life and legacy of George Soros, unpacking the meaning of the smear campaign against him, and the inherent contradictions of a wealthy man trying to use his influence to make societies more democratic.

The Scout Mindset with Julia Galef

Venture Stories | 4 April 2021 | 0h 55m | Listen Later | iTunes
Interview with Julia Galef about her book The Scout Mindset. Discusses why everyone, including entrepreneurs, should want to see reality more clearly; the fact that the bottleneck to more rationality is not lack of knowledge, but lack of motivation to see the world as it really is; why the “soldier mindset” is the default mindset and why signalling keeps it that way; why thinking probabilistically has a calming psychological effect; how to adopt the scout mindset by thinking in bets, considering what you’d do if another person was in your shoes, and noticing where you’re defensive of your beliefs; how to get your organization to adopt a scout mindset; her thoughts on changing minds with mistake theory versus conflict theory; and the evolution of the rationality space over time.

Gregory Clark on Social Status and Genetics

Coffee With Cornelius | 19 June 2020 | 1h 06m | Listen Later | iTunes
Interview with Gregory Clark discussing his research on social mobility, the effect of elite fecundity on the Industrial Revolution, and economic history more generally. Draws on his books The Son Also Rises, A Farewell to Alms and the forthcoming For Whom the Bell Curve Tolls.

Shipwrecked at the End of the World

Constant Wonder | 17 July 2020 | 0h 52m | Listen Later
Interview with Joan Druett about her book Island of the Lost: An Extraordinary Story of Survival at the Edge of the World. Explores the drivers of the divergent outcomes of two crews shipwrecked on opposite ends of the same island south of New Zealand in the late 19th century. One group fared well and all survived – whereas the other group largely perished.

Walter Isaacson on CRISPR, Jennifer Doudna, Gene Editing, and the Future of the Human Race

The Tim Ferriss Show | 4 March 2021 | 1h 25m | Listen Later | iTunes
Interview with Walter Isaacson about his book The Code Breaker: Jennifer Doudna, Gene Editing, and the Future of the Human Race. Backgrounds CRISPR, tells the story of its development, and discusses the future for genetic technology.

The Western Front: A Cauldron of Innovation

History Extra | 10 March 2021 | 0h 30m | Listen Later | iTunes
Interview with Nick Lloyd about his book The Western Front: A History of the Great War, 1914-1918. Argues that the Western Front in World War I was a cauldron of innovation and an epic struggle against the odds, shaped by transformative military and technological advancements.

The Entire History of Russia in One Hour

Angry Planet | 29 July 2020 | 0h 53m | Listen Later | iTunes
Interview with Mark Galeotti about his book A Short History of Russia, from Pagans to Putin. Reviews the history of Russia, considering how external forces have shaped Russia and noting how it repeatedly rewrites its past to steer its present and future.

Joel Kotkin: The Coming of NeoFeudalism

The Power Hungry Podcast | 11 August 2020 | 1h 15m | Listen Later | iTunes
Interview with Joel Kotkin about his book The Coming of Neo-Feudalism: A Warning to the Global Middle Class. Discusses the rise of the technocratic elite, the importance of homeownership, suburbs in the time of covid-19, California’s regressive energy policies, and what he calls “the betrayal of the middle and working-class” by policymakers.