New Thinking for a New World

Since the onset of the pandemic, much of life, school, office, shopping, entertainment, dating and even exercise has shifted from the real world to the virtual world. For many, it has been a painful, frustrating experience. For others, it has been liberating and highly productive. For all, we will inevitably emerge changed by the experience.

In this episode of New Thinking for a New World we explore living online with a woman whose job it is to make the experience as productive and pleasant as possible. Jaime Teevan is Microsoft’s Chief Scientist for Experiences and Devices, where she is helping to create the future of productivity.

Pascal Lamy, former Director General of the World Trade Organization, is arguably one of the most prominent, thoughtful and enthusiastic supporters of a global leadership role for Europe. He deeply believes that the world needs Europe’s brand of “civilized globalization” which he describes as dramatically different from the American or Chinese version—more humane, more equitable and more sustainable.

But is the Europe that seems more divided—north versus south, east versus west—than united really ready to lead? If so, how? If so, who? In this episode of New Thinking for a New World, Lamy offers some intriguing answers, further developed in his Strange New World: Geoeconomics vs. Geopolitics

2020 will probably be remembered as the year of COVID. But perhaps more importantly, to our collective futures, it's the year that saw the emergence of the scientist as an accepted, necessary player in public policymaking. Probably not since Sputnik and the space race have scientists and science been so visible in the halls of power.

Our guest in this week's New Thinking for a New World podcast, has long worked at the intersection of science, politics, and policy. Dr. Ali Nouri, a molecular biologist, is the President of the Federation of American Scientists.

2020 will be remembered as the Pandemic Year, when a deadly pathogen somehow moved from bat to human—and the rest is history still being written. Six out of 10 infectious diseases are zoonotic: everything from COVID and the other coronaviruses to rabies, West Nile, even the plague. In a Croesus-like effort to break the cycle, Denmark recently killed 17 million farmed mink to try to prevent further human infection—but that seems immoral as well as stupid.

Dr. Gladys Kalema-Zikusoka has a better idea. Dr Gladys, as she is known, believes that zoonotic disease is controllable by simultaneously working to improve the health of humans and animals, at the points where they meet. Her work, primarily with the mountain gorillas of Uganda's Bwindi Impenetrable National Park, has contributed not only to resurgence in the gorilla population, but also to an improvement in the health and welfare of the human communities that live around the Park.

She explains he approach in this episode of New Thinking for a New World.

The U.S. election has come, but not quite gone as President Trump continues to resist the otherwise apparent victory of Joe Biden. Notwithstanding that drama, what did the voting tell us about America, Americans, and democracy?

Scott Miller, political and business consultant, and Josh Steiner, investor and adviser to Bloomberg LP, are deeply immersed in U.S. politics, from significantly different perspectives. In this episode of New Thinking for a New World, they dissect the voting and the candidates. Six months ago, in our “The American Condition” episode they were optimistic that the U.S. would cope with the stresses of a difficult, partisan year. Are they still?

Once again, the Amazon is burning—and deforestation may be approaching a tipping point that could turn the world’s largest rain forest into dry savanna or even dessert.

What are the potential consequences? Why aren’t we terrified? Who should be doing what?

André Guimarães, executive director of IPAM Amazonia, one of the premier research organizations studying the Amazon, has answers in this episode of New Thinking for a New World.

The competition between China and the United States is the defining geopolitical reality of the 21st century. The evolution of its new Great Game will determine whether our collective future will be one of prosperity or disaster.

In this episode of New Thinking for a New World, Alan Stoga talks to Kishore Mahbubani, the renowned Singaporean global strategist. He knows both super powers, understand the risks of a potential collision and has ideas about how to avoid one. His most recent book—as well as this conversation—asks, Has China Won?

The United Nations turned 75 this year—but the pandemic overwhelmed its birthday party. The UN, built in a different world, has succeeded in its core mission: preventing World War III. But is the UN, as it is now constructed, relevant to the problems of the 21st century?

In this episode Alan Stoga talks to Jan Eliasson, a Swedish and global diplomat who served as Deputy Secretary-General as well as President of the UN General Assembly, about a world that seems unwilling to embrace global solutions for global problems.

Do you think we live in a world that is increasingly dangerous, full of not just Great Power competitors, but potential enemies? A world of winners and losers, where conflict and even war are possible?

Such a world is described by General H.R. McMaster, a highly decorated U.S. military officer, former national security advisor and historian in his most recent book, Battlegrounds. In this episode of New Thinking for a New World he discusses with host Alan Stoga how he believes the United States and like-minded countries can maneuver through today’s complicated global realities to produce peace and prosperity for their citizens.

Like a great magician, the pandemic has drawn our attention away from things that are hiding in plain sight. One of those has been the plight of millions of refugees and migrants who are in refugee camps or trying to escape from war, violence, poverty or other scourges.

In this episode, Myrto Xanthopoulou a consultant on migration issues who recently was on Lesbos, Greece, on a fact finding mission, Mike Niconchuk, neuroscientist and conflict researcher based in the Za'atari refugee camp in Jordan, and Megan Lopéz who heads the International Rescue Committee's work in Latin America describe the realities on the ground.

It’s not pretty.