In this episode of the Solutions With David Ansara podcast, I speak with futurist, Bronwyn Williams of Flux Trends, about the relationship between technology and freedom. 

Bronwyn and I talk about the growing tendency of people to willingly reduce their individual freedom for the sake of technological convenience. Outsourcing your decision-making to automated algorithms will gradually erode your personal agency, she says. 

We also delve into behavioural economics and discuss the moral problems with 'nudging' people to make decisions they would not have made otherwise. So-called 'Libertarian Paternalism' is an oxymoron, Bronwyn says.

We also explore the potential unintended consequences of environmental engineering, as well as the dangers of Modern Monetary Theory. 

TIMESTAMPS

(00:00) Intro

(03:40) Bronwyn Williams on personal agency

(10:26) Bronwyn Williams on the risks of decentralisation

(14:45) Bronwyn Williams on the limits of technology

(25:12) Bronwyn Williams on nudging 

(35:30) Bronwyn Williams on climate change

(45:42) Bronwyn Williams on Modern Monetary Theory

(52:58) Bronwyn Williams on reclaiming your agency

(54:55) Conclusion

RESOURCES  

About Bronwyn Williams: https://www.fluxtrends.com/about-bronwyn-williams/