The Great Simplification: Episode #5 - Daniel Schmachtenberger

Bend Not Break Part 1: Energy Blindness

This weeks conversation is with my friend Daniel Schmachtenberger. Daniel is best known for the work his organization The Consilience Project does on social media/AI/algorithm risks to improve the ability for society to make sense of our situation and have informed societal discourse. He is also a co-founder of the concept of Game B - a cultural destination other than our current cul-de-sac.

This is the first of several episodes unpacking the biophysical/cultural constraints we face. Broadly we want to discuss what society/government/individuals need to do to navigate towards a ‘bend’ scenario and avoid ‘breaking’ in coming decade(s). In this first conversation, Daniel flips the script and interviews me on how energy, materials and technology interrelate to a growth based civilization. Our culture is energyblind.

NB: This week we launched the youtube channel, where this episode is in video form and all future podcasts will be in audio (or video). Please hit subscribe on the youtube channel. We have a lot of content planned in near future.

I’ve spent last 20 years learning, honing and simplifying the core drivers of the human predicament: energy/technology, anthropology/psychology and ecology. Many others have arrived at conclusions that rhyme but add more context, insight and hope. Daniel is one of those. It will take a village to meet our challenges. Emergence, both from events, and from the ideas, collaboration, and spirit that arise from people with shared purpose and care about our world is one of the core things that gives me hope.