I know this was Energy/Geo-Politics centric, and the contributors are all incredibly well versed, but it was also Ecology blind. I was just left with the empty feeling that if this is what humanity is about, we may as well not bother. Especially when we got to The Wire analogy at the end..is that really the inspiration we want for world leaders? How about having a voice for nature on a roundtable such as this, or would that be seen as naive and not "letting go of childlike things"?
Really debilitating talk, this roundtable. The seeming primacy of markets and greedy trade in energy sources confounds me. I can’t stand the stupidity of the whole money-printing business either. The financial monstrosity is the big beast to tackle. And don’t get me started on military buildup .. It’s not too late to learn something as a species. 🙏
After all is said and done and here we are, now what? Perhaps we need to get it to be cooperative. Or else. Like this is a test. Either humanity can pass it or we’re gone.
I'm happy to see some critical responses to this episode; and agreed largely with Coombe below. While I too recognize the expertise of the participants and enjoyed the detail of treatment of multiple topics - I did find the views of Berman and Every a little siloed and pat. I suppose working in energy and money your whole life does give you one sense of "the way" the world works - but let's be aware that it is only one way of thinking among many. I found the characterization of alternative perspectives on energy transition as "naive" and "childish" to be esp strange. I had a creepy feeling that this was some kind of bro-signalling, a masculinist insistence that no, we'll never never see the day when growth and greed won't direct all human aspiration and actvity. What finally flipped my lid was Every's energetic assertion that those out of touch with "the way" the world works should... watch The Wire or Top Boy on Netflix. Really! watch some effing TV! If his point is to say that human nature is crystallized in the depictions on these shows, then I'd reply that he needs to expand his reading and viewing on human nature - and indeed nature. Predatory behaviour exists - but in countless ways, nature shows us that collaboration and cooperation confer equal, arguably superiour advantages. There is a relatively small proportion of biomass at the top of a food web subsisting soley on predation; there is a whole lot more biomass making a living in more naive and childish ways.
After listening to this TGS episode, I heard what I feel is a more realistic analysis and forecast of the economic and social consequences of the policies being implemented by current leadership in the U.S. The interview was on Gaslit Nation, which was co-founded by writers Sarah Kendzior and Andrea Chalupa, experts on authoritarian states:
Michael and Izabella are neoliberal economists not experienced in geopolitics. There were a lot of words but not any real in depth insight from them on a geopolitical scale.
Michael says how stupid people involved in geopolitics on the ground are because he knows more than anyone else about what’s going on. Unbelievable arrogance.
Izabella said Trump is the first president to understand the role of energy! Really? Much of USA policy has been to control oil (energy) producing countries.
She also wrongly says (Michael agrees) that Trump is crashing the stock market and introducing tariffs to redistribute money down to the people. Then why fire 1,000s of workers and eliminate social security they have paid into for their entire lives while giving billionaire Musk millions$$$ in government contracts that milk taxpayers money. Musk’s companies have also received billions $$$ in government subsidies which is taxpayers money going up to support the richest rich. The tax cuts he gave in first term heavily favour the richest. NB, tax cuts don’t help unemployed and tariffs increase costs.
Izabella also said people basically have to wear a time of authoritarianism and not to worry about the loss of democracy. I prefer to listen to Snyder and Stanley who studied authoritarianism than an economic commentator who pushes cryptocurrency (which again favours the rich).
The most ridiculous position by Izabella is that in peacetime people think & do stupid things but in war they invent things that help society (please ignore the millions killed and all the destruction of infrastructure) . Maybe starting wars is part of people thinking and doing stupid things. Just maybe
Nate’s propensity to include neoliberal economists to comment on geopolitics and the need to have babies (previous interview) with little challenge has me wondering about his commitment to the great simplification.
P.S. Trump behaving crazy, it’s not a winning strategy
Nate, I cannot listen to or watch Round table #16. Is this behind a paywall? I'm not seeing a link to join. I'd really love to listen to this episode. It looks so good!
I know this was Energy/Geo-Politics centric, and the contributors are all incredibly well versed, but it was also Ecology blind. I was just left with the empty feeling that if this is what humanity is about, we may as well not bother. Especially when we got to The Wire analogy at the end..is that really the inspiration we want for world leaders? How about having a voice for nature on a roundtable such as this, or would that be seen as naive and not "letting go of childlike things"?
Agreed, thank you!
Really debilitating talk, this roundtable. The seeming primacy of markets and greedy trade in energy sources confounds me. I can’t stand the stupidity of the whole money-printing business either. The financial monstrosity is the big beast to tackle. And don’t get me started on military buildup .. It’s not too late to learn something as a species. 🙏
After all is said and done and here we are, now what? Perhaps we need to get it to be cooperative. Or else. Like this is a test. Either humanity can pass it or we’re gone.
Becoming an Island of Coherence
A way to change the world
https://substack.com/home/post/p-144129957?source=queue
I'm happy to see some critical responses to this episode; and agreed largely with Coombe below. While I too recognize the expertise of the participants and enjoyed the detail of treatment of multiple topics - I did find the views of Berman and Every a little siloed and pat. I suppose working in energy and money your whole life does give you one sense of "the way" the world works - but let's be aware that it is only one way of thinking among many. I found the characterization of alternative perspectives on energy transition as "naive" and "childish" to be esp strange. I had a creepy feeling that this was some kind of bro-signalling, a masculinist insistence that no, we'll never never see the day when growth and greed won't direct all human aspiration and actvity. What finally flipped my lid was Every's energetic assertion that those out of touch with "the way" the world works should... watch The Wire or Top Boy on Netflix. Really! watch some effing TV! If his point is to say that human nature is crystallized in the depictions on these shows, then I'd reply that he needs to expand his reading and viewing on human nature - and indeed nature. Predatory behaviour exists - but in countless ways, nature shows us that collaboration and cooperation confer equal, arguably superiour advantages. There is a relatively small proportion of biomass at the top of a food web subsisting soley on predation; there is a whole lot more biomass making a living in more naive and childish ways.
After listening to this TGS episode, I heard what I feel is a more realistic analysis and forecast of the economic and social consequences of the policies being implemented by current leadership in the U.S. The interview was on Gaslit Nation, which was co-founded by writers Sarah Kendzior and Andrea Chalupa, experts on authoritarian states:
"We Are Becoming an Apartheid State"
https://youtu.be/67jIJQ-tog4
Cross-posted in YouTube
Michael and Izabella are neoliberal economists not experienced in geopolitics. There were a lot of words but not any real in depth insight from them on a geopolitical scale.
Michael says how stupid people involved in geopolitics on the ground are because he knows more than anyone else about what’s going on. Unbelievable arrogance.
Izabella said Trump is the first president to understand the role of energy! Really? Much of USA policy has been to control oil (energy) producing countries.
She also wrongly says (Michael agrees) that Trump is crashing the stock market and introducing tariffs to redistribute money down to the people. Then why fire 1,000s of workers and eliminate social security they have paid into for their entire lives while giving billionaire Musk millions$$$ in government contracts that milk taxpayers money. Musk’s companies have also received billions $$$ in government subsidies which is taxpayers money going up to support the richest rich. The tax cuts he gave in first term heavily favour the richest. NB, tax cuts don’t help unemployed and tariffs increase costs.
Izabella also said people basically have to wear a time of authoritarianism and not to worry about the loss of democracy. I prefer to listen to Snyder and Stanley who studied authoritarianism than an economic commentator who pushes cryptocurrency (which again favours the rich).
The most ridiculous position by Izabella is that in peacetime people think & do stupid things but in war they invent things that help society (please ignore the millions killed and all the destruction of infrastructure) . Maybe starting wars is part of people thinking and doing stupid things. Just maybe
Nate’s propensity to include neoliberal economists to comment on geopolitics and the need to have babies (previous interview) with little challenge has me wondering about his commitment to the great simplification.
P.S. Trump behaving crazy, it’s not a winning strategy
Perhaps my favorite episode ever. Would love to see you add Indy Johar, Chuck Watson and Daniel Schmachtenberger to this trio!
I have been waiting for this!!!! Thank you!
Nate, I cannot listen to or watch Round table #16. Is this behind a paywall? I'm not seeing a link to join. I'd really love to listen to this episode. It looks so good!
It's on YouTube, and it's very good.
I found it. For some odd reason I couldn't watch it. Now I did. It was so good. I could listen to them talk for days.