Truth Island

Alexander and I discuss the future of work and the meaning behind what we do.

Topics:

Work in relation to Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs.

Poorly and highly developed recreation .

Slackin' it versus becoming the best you can be.

Create art as if your life depended on it.

AI...the next Michelangelo?

Failure is the breeding ground for new art.

Replication can never pass for new.

Accountability within the Recreational Economy.

Kenny and I discuss the pros and cons of a society that favors individuals over collective action.

Topics:

We should never be ashamed of our strengths.

The border between arrogance and confidence.

Dismissing those who are pressuring us to conform.

Self-made or socially produced billionaires?

Changing the incentive structure for positive behavior.

Charity must be voluntary and never compulsory.

Collectivism can draw out the very best in us, but it can also pull out the very worst.

Individualism and collectivism as a means of checks and balances.

Kenny and I discuss why the need to feel special might be one of man's worst desires.

Topics:

I'll take eight hours of sleep...thank you very much.

Let's face it...we're not all created with the same talents.

Self-help or self-destruction?

10,000 hours? No thanks.

Don't commit to things that you don't enjoy.

Better to be who you are than pretend to be something else.

Goodness can never be manufactured.

Gabby joins me to share her exciting journey quitting her conventional 9-5 and starting her very own podcast Corporate Quitter.

Topics:

What exactly is this company trying to achieve?

The power of positive micro-interactions.

5:00...quitting time?

Where has all the overtime gone?

The 8-8-8 day.

The inverse relationship between 'meaning' and pay.

The squeeze in the middle.

Don't pull up the ladder behind you.

Mentorship or suppressing potential competition?

Take a risk...but don't fail on my watch.

Not benefitting the average Joe.

***Check back soon for a link to Gabby's new podcast Corporate Quitter***

This episode is the eleventh part of a larger series in which I am joined by Roman Empire expert Brett Davidoff, as we discuss some of the parallels of ancient Rome to the United States and other historical instances of democratic decay. In this episode we discuss the prosperous rule of the emperor Marcus Aurelius. 

This episode is the tenth part of a larger series in which I am joined by Roman Empire expert Brett Davidoff, as we discuss some of the parallels of ancient Rome to the United States and other historical instances of democratic decay. In this episode we discuss the prosperous rule of the emperor Trajan. 

This episode is the ninth part of a larger series in which I am joined by Roman Empire expert Brett Davidoff, as we discuss some of the parallels of ancient Rome to the United States and other historical instances of democratic decay. In this episode we discuss the prosperous rule of the emperor Domitian. 

Alexander and I discuss the philosophical implications if humans are not the only form of intelligent life.

Topics:

We as a species don't have our act together.

Problems tend to travel with us.

We'll never have it as good as we do right now on this big blue ball called Earth.

We are no longer evolving with this planet.

Good Technology versus bad technology.

The dangers of playing with genetics.

Aliens feeding us breadcrumbs?

Entitlement can cause contempt.

Alexander and I discuss the importance of leadership and empathy.

Topics:

Empathy is sometimes more of a journey.

Experiences can make the abstract real.

A walk down the emphatic trail...

The more experiences you can comprehend the better you can predict how people will behave.

You can't quench the thirst of a village with tears alone.

Training people to see beyond the veil of false empathy.

Sometimes it's the people that appear to care the least, that care the most.

Alexander and I, discuss why during periods of frustration, flipping the table over almost never works.

Topics:

A Case Study: The French Revolution

Revolutions are typically started by those already in the front of the line.

Second tier elites have a magical ability to rile people up.

We need to be a lot more mindful if our representatives are living true to the ideals they espouse.

Power has a funny way of alienating representatives from the very people they were entrusted to represent.

Consequences is the watchdog ensuring the captain is taking us where we were promised.

Overturning Citizens United is a good place to start.

Campaigns financed by smaller donors, creates a much stronger pipeline to those in power.

None of these ideas can work, if we don't do our part in holding powerful people accountable.