The Impossible Network

By Fabrica CollectiveSociety & Culture Business Entrepreneurship Careers

The Impossible Network episodes

February 25, 2020 082: Ryan Watson - Building Community and Social Fabric Through Urban Farming
Guest Overview
Serendipity brought Ryan Watson and Henry Sweets together, unified by their vision of the power of urban farming to improve the health of local communities, they spent seven years nurturing and building North Brooklyn Farm, on the banks of the East River in Brooklyn, nestled under the Williamsburg Bridge.
This extraordinary oasis, a gathering place for the local community amid the New York metropolis, recently closed due to the real-estate development. However, in this two-part episode, we discover that Ryan’s vision remains evident in the role and need for urban farming.
In Part One, we discuss Ryan’s upbringing, education, and what influenced him to walk away from a career in Corporate Law to pursue his love or agriculture and farming, and the genesis of North Brooklyn Farms.

In part two, Ryan and I discuss his experience and learnings from running an urban farm and community gathering space for seven years and the impact the Farm had on the community in Brooklyn. We discuss his current rural farming adventure at Wild Russet Farms in the Catskills of NY State, how a new generation of millennial farmers could create a more sustainable future beyond industrial agriculture.
In this honest and wide-ranging discussion, we also cover his views on ducation, technology, curiosity, risk-taking, failure, persistence, work ethic, values, and the future.
I hope you enjoy the contemplative perspectives social impact, and community-minded spirit of Ryan Watson.

What we discuss:
Growing up in Venice Beach California as a single child in a part Jewish and Catholic household.
The differing roles of his parents and the influences.
His fathers affect his work ethic, leadership skills and being in the Zone.
The diversity and world view that developed from his Jewish and Catholic parents and befriending Cuban and Mexican friends.
Studying political science at UCLA.
Taking a Year out to travel.
Working at an office at UCLA and not resonating with office work.
Joining the campaigning team for the Obama campaign in 2008.
Teaching in Korea.
His discovery of his love of growing vegetables and peace and splice on gardening.
After traveling he returned to New York amidst the financial crisis to study law and his LSAT’s and finally to hit a breaking point.
The value of having legal training.
The realization of the burden of having a student debt and how that would tie him down.
Getting the book the $100 start-up to focus on his venture and his uncle's support for his ambition.
New York’s culture for community gardening and taking over vacant lots and community activism especially in Greenpoint.
His early experience of working in community agriculture in Greenpoint.
Quoting his job in 2012 to start his agriculture journey and getting invaluable training at Battery Park Urban Garden.
The serendipity of meeting Henry Sweets and having a joint vision for what a farm in the community should be as part of the social fabric of a city.
The Two Trees RFP and being selected.
The experience of running North Brooklyn Farm and the impact on the community.

Links to Social
Instagram
Ryan’s Instagram

Links in show
North Brooklyn Farm
Two Trees
Wild Russet Farm
$100 Start Up
GTD
Art of happiness
Andrew Carter Small Hold
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
48 min
February 21, 2020 082: Weekly Digest - De-robing the KKK, Prof G’s Predictions, Black at The Brits , Moldy Whopper and Giving Innovation
Last Week's PodcastLast week's guest was Nick Fitz, founder, and CEO of the new charitable giving app, Give Momentum, Born in Washington DC, raised in a reform household, to socially conscious parents, Nick learned values "around justice and giving back" from an early age. Serendipity brought him together with his founding partners Ari Kagan and Ivan Dimitrov, to develop the Momentum app. It was the moment they realized there was no simple way to bridge the gap between people's willingness to donate and their actual ability to contribute. Nick and I discuss the genesis of the app, how it's disrupting the philanthropic giving sector, empowering users to give in a simple, frictionless manner and overcoming the barriers most people face when wanting to give by enabling good intentions to result in giving actions and behaviors. The app lets you arrange automated small-dollar donations that are triggered by ordinary moments or events that relate to how you live your life. Nick discusses how the app could develop, and we cover the broader challenges facing the $400+ billion philanthropic sector (U.S.), the systemic societal challenges, and the need for wholesale tax reform. Nick discusses advocacy, optimism, the evidence-based social good movement, and the value that NGO's add, in ways that the government can't. The importance of supporting independent organizations that can influence changes in government policy. Of course, we discuss serendipity, curiosity, and his perspective on risk and fear. I hope you enjoy this stimulating discussion and the insights, ideas, and social innovations of Nick Fitz. First the Podcast, we loved. Daryl Davis on The Joe Rogan Experience Daryl Davis is an African American musician who's played with many of the greats such as Chuck Berry, BB King, and Jerry Lee Lewis. But his notoriety comes from another passion, befriending members of the Ku Klux Klan and de-robbing them and transforming their lives.We were introduced to Daryl by our recent guest Arno Michaelis, and we hope to interview him soon. But Joe Rogan got to him first. Give this extensive interview a listen, and hear Daryl's extraordinary story on confronting racist hatred with kindness. Black (Live) by Dave stuns the Brit Awards The entertainment industry awards on both sides of the Atlantic have been rightly accused of institutional exclusion of people of color or paying lip service with cursory awards but in the main continuing the status quo of predictability when awarding gongs. Not anymore. This week at the Annual Music Industry Brit Awards, the audience and the country were blown away by the grime star Dave as he performed an extended version of his song Black in what must go down as the most exceptional performance ever at the Brits. This mesmeric, thought-provoking, poetic, and politically-charged performance is a must-watch. Recommended to UsOur friend and previous guest, Alex Armillotta, recommended and shared access to Professor Scott Galloway's 2020 predictions video. Galloway intelligent, rigorously researched, humorous, and self-deprecating presentations make them invaluable viewing. We have added it to our YouTube Channel. As Prof G says, "why make predictions? Eisenhower said, "Plans are worthless, but planning is indispensable." The same is true for predictions — they matter for the strategy and data behind them. Predictions are useless, but scenario planning is invaluable." Mulling On ThisAs the ad industry struggles to maintain its margins, attract and retain talent and find its purpose in a world of media manipulation and messaging misinformation, along comes a work worthy of any of the ad industry greats. Burger King's Moldy Whopper is bravery and genius giving birth to perfectly formed spot A product truth delivered perfectly wrapped in a simple idea, executed wit...
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
5 min
February 19, 2020 081: Craft Knowledge and Creativity From The Past Made Ready For The Future - Pamela H. Smith
Guest Overview
Born and raised in a small isolated California town, influenced by what she describes as a ‘consistent, persistent, and gentle’ math teacher father and the ‘artistic and creative’ mother, serendipity led her to discover her love of the history of science at Wollongong University in Australia and then commit her life to be a historian of science - is this weeks guest Pamela H Smith.
Pamela is a Professor of History at Columbia University and Founding Director of the Center for Science and Society where she leads the Making and Knowing Research Project.

In Part two we discuss how Pamela established the Making and Knowing Research Project, its purpose and we discuss the origins of her most recent launch - The Secrets of Craft and Nature in Renaissance France. A Digital Critical Edition and it’s English Translation. That might sound dry to many but this is a remarkable sixteenth-century manuscript that contains over 900 recipes for making art objects, medical remedies, and materials for the household and workshop.
Pamela explains how the craft workshop practices record extensive first-hand experimentation with natural materials and provide unique insights into the material, technical, and intellectual world of the late sixteenth century and bring a better understanding of how and why nature was investigated, collected, and used in art in early modern Europe. It sheds light on the origins of the natural sciences in the creative labors of Renaissance artists and artisans’ workshops.
The digital critical edition is an open-source resource is available for anyone to experiment and follow the recipes and directions.
We also cover her views of education, failure, persistence and the need to create a more evolved and sustainable economic model.
Please enjoy and share this extensive exploration and mind-expanding journey through history of science with Pamela H Smith.

What we discuss:
Pamela explains the Making and Knowing project and the fusion of disciplines to study the connection between craft and science
The emergence of the Royal Society and the first project of interviewing artisans to identify general principles
Active Science vs Certain Science
The parallels to the creative class of today
I ask Pamela about her thoughts in imitation and she explains the development of Intellectual property and propriety forms and the nature of our economy.
We discuss theory and practice and persistence and the culture of fearing failure.
Pamela describes the development of The Digital Critical Edition the verbatim translation of the French Manuscript of over 400 pages of artisanal recipes and makes this open-source and available for the public and artisans.
The recreation of the objects that have been created by her students.
Interest in the human hand and it's capacity in nature.
We discuss the aims of Pamela to facilitate and create a new maker sensibility in today's world and how this could create a new economic and sustainable model based on handwork and craft. Pamela cites examples from India.
We also discuss the imperative of embracing new economic models, the need to celebrate diversity, the importance of persistence.
Social Links
Digital Critical Edition
Linkedin
Twitter
Facebook

Links In the Show
Digital Critical Edition
Columbia University
Wollongong University
Buckminster Fuller
Frank Lloyd Wright
National Science Foundation
Manhattan Project
Royal Society in London
Francis Bacon
Academie Des Sciences
Aristotle
Bernard Pallisy on Theory and Practice
Bryan Stevenson True Justice
Elizabeth King Radical Small

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
41 min
February 18, 2020 080: Learning From The History of Science - Pamela H Smith
Guest OverviewBorn and raised in a small isolated California town, influenced by what she describes as a ‘consistent, persistent, and gentle’ math teacher father and the ‘artistic and creative’ mother, serendipity led her to discover her love of the history of science at Wollongong University in Australia and then commit her life to be a historian of science - is this weeks guest Pamela H Smith. Pamela is a Professor of History at Columbia University and Founding Director of the Center for Science and Society where she leads the Making and Knowing Research Project. In part one of this two-parter, we discuss Pamela’s upbringing and her journey into the history of science. We also discuss the evolution of science, human progress through the centuries, creativity, curiosity and the acceleration of knowledge and the influence of social organization and networks as our economies and trade networks developed. We also discuss the growth of cities, the emergence of artisan class and changing roles they played. In Part two we discuss how Pamela established the Making and Knowing Research Project, its purpose and we discuss the origins of her most recent launch - The Secrets of Craft and Nature in Renaissance France. A Digital Critical Edition and its English Translation. That might sound dry to many but this is a remarkable sixteenth-century manuscript that contains over 900 recipes for making art objects, medical remedies, and materials for the household and workshop. Pamela explains how the craft workshop practices record extensive first-hand experimentation with natural materials and provide unique insights into the material, technical, and intellectual world of the late sixteenth century and bring a better understanding of how and why nature was investigated, collected, and used in art in early modern Europe. It sheds light on the origins of the natural sciences in the creative labors of Renaissance artists and artisans’ workshops. The digital critical edition is an open-source resource is available for anyone to experiment and follow the recipes and directions. We also cover her views of education, failure, persistence and the need to create a more evolved and sustainable economic model. Please enjoy and share this extensive exploration and mind-expanding journey through history of science with Pamela H Smith. What we discuss:Pamela’s upbringing in a small Sierra Nevada community and the freedom she had to explore and play in the wilderness. The influence of the consistent, persistent, and gentle math teacher father and the artistic and creative streak of her mother. Living with frugality and environmental awareness at an early age.Her media consumption habits of one radio station and Time Magazine compared to today’s children. Schooling in California in the 60’s and ’70s and the importance of creativity and not testing.The lack of history in the curriculum. Developing her worldview and the influence of Buckminster FullerMoving to Australia in her final year of high school and developing her love of Science Attending University in Wollongong and how she serendipitously encountered the History of Science as part of her DegreeThe development of the science and the investment in knowledge-makingWe discuss progress, science, and creativity and the acceleration of knowledgePamela reflects on science and human engagement in nature and natural materials and the influence of social organization and networksThe emergence of technological development and trade networks that accelerated science, knowledge and social scientific theories Development of national science foundations in the 1660s We discuss curiosity through the ages and quest for knowledge and the emergence of cities and the artisan class. Development of guilds and trade association and the changing perception of mind-work and hand-work. Pam...
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
50 min
February 14, 2020 EP: 079 - CIA, Inconspicuous Consumption, Technology, Video Inspiration, and Existence
First the Podcast, we loved. Tatiana Schlossberg On Design Matters Debbie Millman is probably the most accomplished podcast host. In this recent episode, Debbie interviews Tatiana Schlossberg, journalist, author of Inconspicuous ConsumptionTatiana is also the daughter of Caroline Kennedy, and a granddaughter of John F. Kennedy, the 35th U.S. president. As a reporter for The New York Times covering climate change, she discusses her book and how climate change is entangled in everything we use, buy, eat, wear, and how we get around. She also details the small steps that we can all take to have a significant impact on the most defining issue of our time.We found this online Benedict Evans - Standing On The Shoulder Of Giants Every year, Ben, a partner at SF VC firm Andreessen Horowitz produces a comprehensive presentation on the state of Tech. He digs deep into macro and strategic trends in the tech industry. In this year's magnum opus, 'Standing on the shoulders of giants' Ben looks at what it means that 4 people have a smartphone; with everyone connected, he wonders, what is the Next Big Thing? In addition, he reflects on the fact that connecting everyone means that all our problems will also be connected. Finally, he explores where regulation in Tech will take us. He gave this presentation at an event in Davos in January 2020, in partnership with Nasdaq and Protocol.Recommended to Us136 Internet Videos that Blew My Mind From our friends at Genius Steals. This engrossing compilation that Joe Sabia, head of creative development at Conde Nast Entertainment, has assembled, of internet videos which have left some sort of impression on him. Sectioned into 7 parts - of experimental, artsy, tinkering with clips, brainy, novel pranks and lastly, "just weird" As Faris says 'this google presentation is perfect for pulling reference points, or simply brightening up a colleague's day.'Mulling On This The Sentient Puddle I was recently introduced to Robbie Stamp and during our first call, Robbie recounted the famous Puddle parable from Hitchhiker's Guide to The Galaxy creator, Double Adams. This simple yet profound analogy for how we as humans perceive our 'being' and our place on the planet should also trigger an intellectual realization that, aside from Greta and her army of climate strikers, we seem incapable of seeing the wider world outside 'the hole' and acting on it. Watch this video and reflect on our shrinking puddle. Last Weeks PodcastWeek 12 - CIA Intelligence, Consumption, Technology, Video Inspiration, and ExistenceLast Weeks Podcast Carmen Medina is a former CIA Deputy Director of Intelligence. A veteran of the Intelligence Community, she is also the author of Rebels at Work: A Handbook for Leading Change from Within.Puerto Rican born, to a fun-loving father and an achievement-driven mother, Carmen excelled through an itinerant childhood to lead school debating teams. Her forensic debating skills and serendipity led her to a University scholarship and ultimately set her on her path to a 32-year career in the CIA.In Part One, Carmen unpacks her chaotic and unsettled upbringing and childhood, the role of her education, how debating helped her develop the skills that served her well over her CIA career. We discuss her experience of interning at the CIA in 1978, a time before desktop computers, operating as a human algorithm, to running the South Africa desk, and leaning into the male-dominated CIA culture to make her voice heard.In Part Two, we discuss her perspective on power, the current state of the world, and her hope for the future. We also cover the role of curiosity and creativity in her work at the CIA, applying empathy to be heard by policy and decision-makers in today's polarized political environmentAnd finally, we end with her life insigh...
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
5 min
February 11, 2020 078: The Millennial Start-Up Founder Disrupting Philanthropy - Nick Fitz
Guest Overview
This week's guest is Nick Fitz, founder, and CEO of the new charitable giving app, Give Momentum, Born in Washington DC, raised in a reform household, to socially conscious parents, Nick learned values "around justice and giving back" from an early age.

Serendipity brought him together with his founding partners Ari Kagan and Ivan Dimitrov, to develop the Momentum app. It was the moment they realized there was no simple way to bridge the gap between people's willingness to donate and their actual ability to make a contribution.

Nick and I discuss the genesis of the app, how it's disrupting the philanthropic giving sector, empowering users to give in a simple, frictionless manner and overcoming the barriers most people face when wanting to give by enabling good intentions to result in giving actions and behaviors. The app lets you arrange automated small-dollar donations that are triggered by ordinary moments or events that relate to how you live your life.

Nick discusses how the app could develop, and we cover the broader challenges facing the $400+ billion philanthropic sector ( US ), the systemic societal challenges, and the need for wholesale tax reform. Nick discusses advocacy, optimism, the evidence-based social good movement, and the value that NGO's add, in ways that the government can't. The importance of supporting independent organizations that can influence changes in government policy.

Of course, we discuss serendipity, curiosity, and his perspective on risk and fear.

I hope you enjoy this stimulating discussion and the insights, ideas and social innovations of Nick Fitz.

What We Discuss
Discuss his upbringing to the State Department
And developing his sense of obligation
Impact his father on his critical thinking and his mother's influence his people values
Growing up an environment of safety a
Environmental stewardship influence of the progressive Jewish community
His education from Sidwell School to Grinnell College in Iowa to studying moral psychology at the University of British Columbia
Evolving his academic work at the Center for Advanced Hindsight under Dan Ariely
Psychology for good
Examples of Behavioral Science at work
How momentum came to life to enable social impact without changing people's behaviors
Evidence-based social good
The research and insights that led to creating the app
The set it and forget
Giving 100%
Letting users offer a tip
Raising Venture Capital
We cover the broader philanthropic sector
We discuss advocacy and the need for tax reform
The challenges with the Criminal justice system
Animal welfare

Social Links
Give Momentum
Linkedin
Instagram
Twitter
Facebook

Links in the Show
Dan Ariely
Center for Advanced Hindsight
Indistractable
Tristen Harris
Center for Humane Technology
Ideas 42
Peter Singer The Life You Can Save
Rutger Bergman
Rob Reich on Philanthropy
Common Sense Media
FreeWill
Freedom App
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
51 min
February 07, 2020 EP: 077 - Superbowl Ads, Anomaly, Funding Freedom, Story of Us And The Point Of No Return.
Hi everyone,It was Super Bowl weekend and we loved many of the ads. Our gut reaction was this; Google nailed the emotional heart string pull, Hyundai made us laugh, Budweiser could have gone further (but well done) and we respect Michelob for environmental standard setting and finally it was Jeep’s Groundhog Day ad with Bill Murray that we just loved. Remember if you have any interesting stories you want us to share, email us at [email protected] First the Podcast, we loved. FEARLESS - CARL JOHNSON FOUNDER OF ANOMALY If you want a creative booster shot and inspiration injection then have a listen to what host Charles Day highlights as ‘timeless’, ‘universal’ and ‘valuable insights’ of Carl Johnson. As an agitator for creativity in its broadest sense, Carl discusses the barriers“Irrelevant creativity is a waste of time and money. Harnessed, focused, disciplined creativity applied to a business problem is awesome. The debate is not creativity or commerce, it’s creativity in order to create more successful commerce” As a deviation from the norm, they use any tool they can to solve a clients business problem, Carl discusses why their keys to success is based on pursuing clarity, all day everyday on every level on every subject, and how this is applied to problem solving, hiring for values not skills. We found this online TIM URBAN WAIT NOT WHYWe have been reading the mind expanding blog posts of Tim for some time. These are not for the short of attention. Tim goes deep. His latest series, called the Story of Us is a ten chapter multi post series. #Today we suggest you read chapter eight - It’s 2020 and you’re in the future.Here is a taster.... “It’s finally the 2020s. After 20 years of not being able to refer to the decade we’re in, we’re all finally free—in the clear for the next 80 years until 2100, at which point I assume AGI will have figured out what to call the two decades between 2100 and 2120.We now live in the 20s! It’s exciting. “The twenties” is super legit-sounding, and it’s so old school. The 40s are old. The 30s even more so. But nothing is older school than the Roaring 20s.We’re now in charge of making this a cool decade so when people 100 years from now are thinking about how incredibly old-timey the 2020s were, it’s old-timey in a cool appealing way and not a boring shitty way.It’s also weird that to us, the 2020s sounds like such a rad futuristic decade—and that’s how the 1920s seemed to people 100 years ago today. They were all used to the 19-teens, and suddenly they were like, “whoa cool we’re in the twenties!” Then they got upset thinking about how much farther along in life their 1910 self thought they’d be by 1920.In any case, it’s a perfect time for one of those “shit we’re old” posts.So here are some New Years 2020 time facts” Click the link in the show notes to read on and enjoy this amazing series. Recommended to usAVOID PASSING THE POINT OF NO RETURN This timely, mind expanding perspective from Martin Weigel from Wieden & Kennedy Amsterdam was recommended by Alexandra Mecklenburg @petite_ that reinforces the need for a new narrative on the role of corporations and political leadership in what is becoming an increasingly risky void. I recommend we all read and connect on this urgent issue. Social Impact FUNDING FREEDOM Charitable giving is complex. Uncertainty over who to donate to; a lack of trust; time to research; and knowledge about where the donations go; often leads to donations being directed to low impact organizations. Every donor wants to know that their money is helping those most in need but ironically they often require money or in the case of grants to be offered on an unrestricted basis. Finally if you missed last week's podcast guest it was Josh Spodek - Host of Leadership In the Environment PodcastListen to Joshua Spodek is the...
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
6 min
February 05, 2020 076: CIA Rebel On Power, Curiosity, Empathy and Trump - Carmen Medina -Part 2
Guest Overview
Former CIA Deputy Director of Intelligence, Carmen Medina is a veteran of the Intelligence Community, she is also the author of Rebels at Work: A Handbook for Leading Change from Within.
Puerto Rican born, to a fun-loving father and an achievement-driven mother, Carmen excelled through an itinerant childhood to lead school debating teams. Her forensic debating skills and serendipity led her to a University scholarship and ultimately set her on her path to a 32-year career in the CIA.

In Part two we discuss her perspective on power, the current state of the world and her hope for the future. We also cover the role of curiosity and creativity in her work at the CIA, applying empathy to be heard by policy and decision-makers in today’s polarized political environment. And finally, we end with her life insights as she answers our quick-fire questions.
I hope you enjoy this refreshing and fun episode and learn from the kindness, reflective wisdom, and optimism of Carmen Medina.
Thanks to Munish Walther Puri for the connection.

What we Discuss
The role of curiosity and creativity in her role as an analyst
Her curiosity in soft power over hard power
Her prediction that peace would happen without violence
The brittleness of power
The evolution of the CIA’s intelligence on how societies work
Embracing cognitive bias
Dealing With Trump
Her optimism and how reading a book called Complexity changed her perspective
Her perspective on the world
What if the Romans had discovered the Internet and Electricity?
Carmen’s view on talking truth to power
Respecting decision makers cognitive style and personality and providing a broader context so they listen, and in a framework, they appreciate
The role of empathy
Her Principles
Inequality of opportunity
Expecting and demanding failure
Taking ownership of your impossible

Social Links
Rebels at Work
LinkedIn
Twitter
Links In The Show
Olive Shriner
Argo
Zero Dark Thirty
Zanu PF
Bob Gates
Iran US Embassy
Complexity Mitch Walthrop
Browser Newsletter
FW de Klerke
Steve Blank
James C Scott Two Cheers For Anarchism
Don Burke CIA
Babylon Berlin
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
43 min
February 04, 2020 075: Carmen Medina - Her Path To A Life In The CIA - Part 1
Guest Overview
Carmen Medina is a former CIA Deputy Director of Intelligence. A veteran of the Intelligence Community, she is also the author of Rebels at Work: A Handbook for Leading Change from Within.
Puerto Rican born, to a fun-loving father and an achievement-driven mother, Carmen excelled through an itinerant childhood to lead school debating teams. Her forensic debating skills and serendipity led her to a University scholarship and ultimately set her on her path to a 32-year career in the CIA.
In Part One Carmen unpacks her chaotic and unsettled upbringing and childhood, the role of her education, how debating helped her develop the skills that served her well over her CIA career.
We discuss her experience of interning at the CIA in 1978, a time before desktop computers, operating as a human algorithm, to running the South Africa desk, and leaning into the male-dominated CIA culture to make her voice heard.
In Part Two we discuss her perspective on power, the current state of the world and her hope for the future. We also cover the role of curiosity and creativity in her work at the CIA, applying empathy to be heard by policy and decision-makers in today’s polarized political environment.
And finally, we end with her life insights as she answers our quick fire questions.
I hope you enjoy this refreshing and fun episode and learn from the kindness, reflective wisdom, and optimism of Carmen Medina.

What we Discuss
The impact of her itinerant upbringing from being an Army child
The role her mother played in setting her standards for achievement
How her father made her appreciate the fun in life
The role of her grandmother in being a rock of stability
Developing a skill and talent forensic debating at school
Being the first in her family to go to college and university
Dealing with male prejudice of her father questioning her need to learn
How a serendipitous debating experience led her to secure a scholarship at a Catholic University in Washington DC
How she transitioned out of Law to Georgetown for a Masters in Foreign Service
Getting accepted as an intern at the CIA
Being asked to stay on a full time
Starting out as a watch officer before the era of Desktop computers
We discuss how her role was pre-internet days she acted as a human algorithm or search engine
Her point of view on the veracity CIA based films Argo and Zero Dark Thirty
How she was promoted to the Africa Division to cover South Africa while apartheid was still in full force.
The experience of joining a male-dominated CIA at age 24 and being determined to avoid being pigeonholed as just another token woman.
The challenges of conveying an image in the workplace as a woman.
The role of curiosity and creativity in her role as an analyst
Her curiosity in soft power over hard power
Her prediction that peace would happen without violence
The brittleness of power
The evolution of the CIA’s intelligence on how societies work
Embracing cognitive bias
Her optimism and how reading a book called Complexity changed her perspective
Her perspective on the world
What if the Romans had discovered the Internet and Electricity?
Carmen’s view on talking truth to power
Respecting decision makers cognitive style and personality and providing a broader context so they listen, and in a framework, they appreciate
The role of empathy
Her Principles
Inequality of opportunity
Expecting and demanding failure
Taking ownership of your impossible

Social Links
Rebels at Work
LinkedIn
Twitter

Links In The Show
Olive Shriner
Argo
Zero Dark Thirty
Zanu PF
Bob Gates
Iran US Embassy
Complexity Mitch Walthrop
Browser Newsletter
FW de Klerke
Steve Blank
James C Scott Two Cheers For Anarchism
Don Burke CIA
Babylon Berlin
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
42 min
January 31, 2020 074: Billy, Kobe, Davos, Networks and Smart Cities
First the Podcast, we lovedADAM BUXTON INTERVIEWS BILLY CONNOLLY Adam Buxton, the other half of UK comedy duo Adam and Joe; talks with legendary Scottish comedian, actor, musician and artist Sir Billy Connolly. This in-depth exploration of Billy’s life and memories is both life-affirming, humorous and moving, as Connolly recounts the heartbreaking final conversation he had in person with the late, great Robin Williams before the latter’s death in 2014. Find some time for this one. In light of the tragic accident and loss of basketball legend Kobe Bryant along with his daughter Gianna and the other seven victims, we recommend listening to Cal Fussman's interview with Kobe from 2018. It’s a wonderful insight into the mind of this exceptional athlete and leader and it reinforces what a loss https://www.calfussman.com/podcasts/2020/1/28/kobe-bryant-rememberedWe found this online YUVAL HARARI’S BLISTERING WARNING AT DAVOS In case you missed author and historian Yuval Noah Harari delivering a stark and blistering warning to the great and (not so) good at last week’s World Economic Forum at Davos you need to read or listen to his talk. He set out the immediacy of the three biggest existential threats to humanity this century, Nuclear Warfare, and Ecological Collapse and why Technology risks dividing the world into wealthy elites and exploited "data colonies” where digital dictatorships develop the ability to hack humans. You won’t read or watch a more explicit and dystopian vision of what could lie ahead. Recommended to usYOUR LIFE AND NETWORK EFFECTSWhat city you live in. Who you date or marry. Which job you choose. What clothes you wear.We all think we make these choices ourselves. It certainly feels like we’re in full control. But it turns out that our choices — both in our startups and in our lives — are more constrained than we think. The unseen hand in them all is the networks that surround us and the powerful math they exert on us. You’ll need some quiet time and focus for this extensive and thought-provoking pieceFilm of the weekFOR SAMA It's Oscar's Season. If you have not seen For Sama, please try. This documentary has just received an Oscar nomination. It’s a unique piece of work that shines a light on Aleppo in Syrian and gives an insight into the brutality of this horrific war. This deeply human story deserves to be widely seen and shared, so please try and find some time to watch and share.For our American listeners check it out on PBS, and for those outside the US, I am sure it will be getting indie screen time and appear on Netflix soon.Social Impact SMART CITIES This more utopian vision of what a Smart City could become from visionary novelist, activist, and theorist Cory Doctorow in the Guardian. “Smart city” is one of those science fiction phrases seemingly designed to make you uneasy, like “neuromarketing” or “pre-crime”. It’s impossible to be alive in this decade and not find something unsettling in the idea of our cities becoming “smart”. In this article, he makes the case for cities in which you are the sensor, not the thing being sensed. Finally last week’s guestThis Week’s Guest - Arno Michaelis https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-impossible-network/id1454485051?i=1000463205149Born in Milwaukee Wisconsin, Arno Michaelis grew up in a caring loving family but the combination of being told he could achieve anything while witnessing his artistic mother’s suffering from dealing with her husband’s alcoholism drove him to bullying and vandalism at school; to by age seventeen, becoming deeply involved in the white power movement and a founding member of what became the largest neo-nazi skinhead organization in the world. For years he followed the path of violence until he was confronted at a McDonald's checkout by elderly African American lady with a smile and pointing at his swastika tattoo - “Saying th...
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
5 min

About The Impossible Network

From the publisher's feed

The weekly podcast tells the stories of curious-minded, purposeful people, creating positive change for social good.

Our guests include creative problem-solvers, storytellers, activists and…

Share The Impossible Network

Sign up to save your podcasts

The Impossible Network

The Impossible Network episodes

About The Impossible Network