Intergalactic Tarboush

Iyad and Ahmed delve into the relationship between language and thought, discuss ideas about a potential Arabic-language podcast, and even pivot to modern discoveries about the Earth's mantle; in true Intergalactic Tarboush form.

Episode Timetags:

00:00 - Does language affect thought?

03:30 - Arabic & translating vs. rewriting

05:50 - The decline of the Arabic-language public sphere

07:45 - An Arabic-language Kawaakibi Foundation podcast?

08:20 - How Iyad's son navigates being quadrilingual

11:30 - Is Hisham Matar an "Arabic writer"?

16:00 - Strange blobs in the Earth's mantle

20:30 - The Quran on the moon "splitting"

Iyad and Ahmed continue talking about why the long-term prospects and strategic situation of Egypt are so depressing, why Steven Seagal is such an asshole and ideological polical opposition in Saudi Arabia.

Episode Timetags:

00:00: Egypt's troubles

04:20: 'Syriana,' the movie

06:30: Alaska and global trade

07:30: Why is Steven Seagal such an asshole?

10:00: The privilege to insulate yourself from self-awareness

15:40: A new study on Universal Basic Income: https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/new-leaf-project-results-1.5752714

19:00: Saudi political parties and ideological opposition

22:00: Mustafa Akyol's book, 'Islam without Extremes'

In this episode, Iyad and Ahmed discuss changes in world order and the relationship between citizenry and government in traditional versus modern 'great power' political structures.

Episode Timetags:

00:50 - great power politics & world change

04:40 - how do we defend human rights in the "new world"

06:00 - the influence of modern citizenry on political power

09:10 - The future of Egypt & its water security

14:30 - Egypt & "mega projects"

17:00 - The Toshka project & corruption

In this episode, Iyad and Ahmed discuss how a broad range of political and economic factors can impact democracy, and how the concept of a 'public sphere' can either strengthen or weaken democratic nations.

Episode Timetags:

05:00 - Centralisation of political and economic activity & weakened democracy

06:00 - Economic inequality as a threat to democracy

07:00 - APPGs in the UK, captured by the private sector - article referenced: https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2022/feb/17/lobbying-fears-as-mps-interest-groups-receive-13m-from-private-firms

10:00 - French colonial censorship in Syria

11:00 - "Public sphere" theory & democracy (+ shout-out to Belabbes Benkredda!)

12:30 - Jurgen Habermas - German philosopher of the public sphere

14:30 - Disinformation in the public sphere & the destruction of Arabic Twitter

15:30 - What is the impact of a shared public sphere on nationalism?

17:30 - Two public languages in The Middle East: Indo-European & Semitic

In this episode, Iyad and Ahmed discuss advancements in the world of technology and communication, and how they have impacted politics and humanity as a whole.

Episode Timetags:

00:55 - Consuming information via podcasts

03:55 - Tweets & threads as sources of information

05:55 - Expansion of humanity via social media & communication

09:25 - Global divides & scientific racism

11:10 - Putin & how age affects decision making

15:15 - Bitcoin mining as part of national policy

In this episode, recorded prior to Russia's invasion of Ukraine, Iyad and Ahmed discuss Putin's politics and its significance both regionally and globally.

Episode Timetags:

01:00 - Predictions on Russia & Ukraine

04:50 - US foreign policy - Obama, Assad & chemical weapons

09:00 - Geopolitics & Russian motivations for the invasion

14:45 - Recent books - 'Red Notice' & 'The Man Without A Face'

18:00 - Putin not being ideological, only understanding hard power

21:00 - What is cancel culture?

In this episode, recorded last year, Iyad and Ahmed switch gears a little and hone in on issues of religion. Topics include separating "life" from religious acts, and glorifying the divine through honouring the human being.

Episode Timetags:

01:00 - Muslim leadership & human rights

03:40 - Charity fundraising & religious identity versus morality

08:00 - Spirituality versus religiosity

12:05 - A chance encounter with Raed Jarrar

13:50 - Gratitude for working in human rights

14:50 - Breaking down the meaning of Surah Al-Ikhlas

20:00 - Looking at Surah Al-Fatiha

23:00 - Tribalism & lessons from the story of Prophet Ibrahim

25:55 - Fiqh as a product of its time

In this episode, Iyad and Ahmed discuss the revolutionary nature and potential of Bitcoin, sectarianisation in Yemen and around the region, and reframing perspectives on mental health.

Episode Timetags:

01:00 - Human rights use cases of Bitcoin

05:50 - Financial situation in Libya

08:00 - Alex Gladstein's work on Bitcoin (article links below)

09:50 - 'Sectarianization' - Danny Postel and Nader Hashemi

12:20 - Summarising Yemen's process of sectarianisation

15:50 - Mental health paradigm

20:10 - Iyad thinks Koalas are stupid

Alex Gladstein's articles:

https://bitcoinmagazine.com/culture/bitcoin-replacing-us-super-imperialism

https://bitcoinmagazine.com/culture/the-hidden-costs-of-the-petrodollar

https://bitcoinmagazine.com/culture/check-your-financial-privilege

Cartoon - 'Young Koala With a Mental Health Problem':

https://www.madinamerica.com/2019/05/young-koala-mental-health-problem

In this episode, Iyad and Ahmed discuss productivity and novel sleeping concepts, European imperialism and its impacts on various languages and races, and the future of cryptocurrency in and outside of the United States.

Episode Timetags:

0:28 – Sleep routines and productivity

06:35 – Imperialism, language & Native American DNA across the Americas

12:47 – The origin of Urdu as ‘the camp language’

14:20 – WWI, WWII & the end of colonialism

15:25 – Cryptocurrency & American versus global economies

20:00 – Shifting power and world order

In this episode, Iyad and Ahmed discuss the concept of futurism and its relation to our work, as well as optimism versus pessimism in the spheres of religion, politics and human rights activism.

Episode timetags:

00:30 - Futurism - tradition and modernity

05:50 - Pessimism in the Muslim community

08:45 - China's growth - birth rates, power and risk

15:10 - Genetic supremacy - Germanic germ theory

17:00 - Britain & colonialist nostalgia

19:00 - France & the nationalism of decline