Shouldn't tech help us build society, not destroy it? This tech does! - Part 2
What if technology stopped keeping us apart and started bringing us back together? In this, part 2 of my conversation with Jim Savage, we turn from diagnosing the problem of loneliness to what we’re doing about it. Jim introduces Feather, the platform he founded to make real-world connection easier, richer, and more meaningful. Unlike traditional social media, Feather is built to help enrich our social interactions in real life, in studios, clubs, dinner parties, and shared experiences IRL. We discuss how Feather is building pro social design into technology: lowering the barriers to invitation, helping organisers thrive, and fostering communities that outlast the events themselves. From acrobats in North America to local yoga studios and comedy clubs, Feather is already showing how digital tools can nurture and repair the fabric of social life.If part 1 asked why loneliness has spread, part 2 asks: what would it look like to build technology that heals society rather than harms it? Here is the link to watch the video version of this conversation.
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Why do we only hang out with people like us? - Part 1
Why, in an age of constant connection, are so many of us lonelier than ever?In this first part of my conversation with Jim Savage, entrepreneur, dinner party host, acrobat and thinker on social connection, we dive into one of the defining challenges of our time: loneliness. From the rise of singledom and the decline of community institutions, to the way technology amplifies our tendency to seek out people "just like us", we explore why friendship has become harder and why simple acts like talking to strangers seem rarer than ever.We also discuss the paradox of being wired for human connection yet behaving in ways that drive us apart, the subtle ways our social architecture is eroding and the importance of intergenerational exchange. In that regard, check out the intergenerational initiative I talk about here. It’s fantastic. If loneliness is the silent epidemic of modern life, what can we do about it? Check out part 2 of our conversation which turns to solutions, most notably Feather, Jim’s start up designed to bring people back together in the real world.Watch the video of this interview on my YouTube here.
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Don't mention the war: how politics steers clear of everything that matters
In this discussion with Crikey's Bernard Keane, we discuss the "don't mention the war" syndrome - how politicians' technique increasingly avoids discussing anything difficult. We start with the proposed Tasmanian AFL stadium inquiry as a case study.Bernard draws me out on his concern that consultants' reports have become fig leaves for predetermined decisions.I explore the way in which citizen juries just might be able to take us back to the 'glory days' of the Hawke Government. How? By answering the 'Spice Girls' question before it is debated within parliament. What does that even mean? You'll have to listen to find out!What I call 'representation by sampling' is a retrovirus that could restore genuine deliberation to our toxic political culture and enable it to engage with our problems rather than the performative buck-passing it's become.If you'd like to access the video of this discussion, it's available on YouTube at: https://youtu.be/7aYbf3RGktM
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Could Trump become richer than Putin?
In this episode of "Uncomfortable Collisions with Reality," Gene Tunny and I explore the implications of President Trump's tariffs on international trade. We discuss the micro and macroeconomic aspects of tariffs, and how these policies could reshape the U.S. and global economies. We discuss the ways in which foreigners can be induced to pay some of the tariff, even if not as much as Donald Trump says they will, while also addressing the\ impacts on industries and employment. We emphasise how abstract the economists' models are and how poorly they account for supply chain disruptions. The broader implications for U.S. foreign relations, and the rule of law are also touched upon. Why would anyone trust the US when, under this president, it breaks previous agreements whenever it fancies? If you'd like to see the YouTube recording of our conversation, it's here.
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Rent seeking or competitive oligarchy? The coming global battle
Greg Smith has a well thought out, deeply compelling and scary take on the world we suddenly find ourselves in. I thought you should hear from him and so have just recorded this conversation. I strongly recommend you check it out. If you prefer to watch the video, it is here.
In this podcast, Nicholas Gruen discusses the issues of today in a unique way. The three questions we've always got an eye to are
1) What's missing in the way people normally talk about these issues?
2) Where do they fit in the bigger picture, whether that's
* the long history of our species or
* the deeper aspects of the way we're thinking about it and
3) Do these ways of thinking help us improve the world we live in? (Which we often focus on in our shorter 'Policy Provocations' podcasts.)
UK