There is a lot of hype, especially recently, around the future of AI. The fact is that AI is present now in our world, for both positive and negative. In this episode we talk about the current reality and near-term expectations of AI, and how it relates to collapse. From surveillance and policing to job and culture loss to deepfakes, AI is helping drive us towards a dystopian future. Learn More: COVID restrictions in India are being enforced by artificial intelligence and facial recognition | Fo...
Jan 04, 2023•53 min•Ep 120•Transcript available on Metacast Our second annual installment, discussing the happenings of the previous year and how they relate to collapse. We often forget everything that's happened over the course of just 365 days and stepping back to take it all in can be eye-opening! Learn more: 2022 CPI and Inflation Rate for the United States | CPI Inflation Calculator (2022 Updated Monthly) How Africa Can Escape Chronic Food Insecurity Amid Climate Change (imf.org) Putting Africans at the Heart of Food Security and Climate Resil...
Dec 28, 2022•1 hr 6 min•Ep 119•Transcript available on Metacast In dire times, such as these, it is more important than ever to have empathetic leaders who strive to do the right thing for their people. So why do we keep electing narcissists? Learn More: Narcissism: 5 Signs to Help You Spot Narcissistic Behavior (webmd.com) Narcissistic personality disorder - Symptoms and causes - Mayo Clinic The Rich Have Higher Level of Narcissism, Study Shows | TIME.com Psychology study indicates that narcissists are more involved in politics than the rest of us (psypost....
Dec 21, 2022•45 min•Ep 118•Transcript available on Metacast Relevant in the news recently have been the multiple attempts at railroad strikes by unions. What is the cause of these strikes, what impact would they have, and will they continue? Learn More: The Averted National Rail Strike Is a Parable of Contemporary American Capitalism | The New Yorker House passes bills to stop railroad strike, give rail workers more paid sick leave - YouTube Rail Strike Ahead? Why These Workers Rejected The Contract Deal - YouTube Rail Strike: Why The Railroads Won’t Giv...
Dec 14, 2022•34 min•Ep 117•Transcript available on Metacast Infrastructure is the glue that holds our supply chain and economy together. The Army Corps of Engineers rates our roads at a grade of D, and our Public Transport at a D-. 43% of US roads are considered to be in poor or mediocre condition. With a growing backlog ($786 million) of repairs and upgrades needed, it's no mystery that our infrastructure is in a freefall of decay. This episode helps make the case for why a feedback loop of decaying infrastructure leads to collapse. Learn More: Tra...
Dec 07, 2022•33 min•Ep 116•Transcript available on Metacast We know that sea level rise is a real and accelerating threat - but what are nations doing to respond to it? In this episode, we talk about adaptation plans for two different Pacific Island nations: Fiji and Tuvalu. Learn More: https://amp.theguardian.com/environment/2022/nov/08/how-to-move-a-country-fiji-radical-plan-escape-rising-seas-climate-crisis https://www.greenbiz.com/article/what-world-can-learn-fijis-national-climate-strategy https://www.nytimes.com/2018/10/24/travel/fiji-global-warmin...
Nov 30, 2022•35 min•Ep 115•Transcript available on Metacast Shaun Chamberlin is an author and activist who has been exploring collapse and possible responses for over twenty years. He is the editor of 'Surviving the Future: Culture, Carnival and Capital in the Aftermath of the Market Economy' and his late mentor David Fleming’s 'Lean Logic: A Dictionary for the Future and How to Survive It', as well as executive producer of 2020 film 'The Sequel: What Will Follow Our Troubled Civilisation?' He puts the theory into practice a...
Nov 23, 2022•55 min•Ep 114•Transcript available on Metacast Greenland and Antarctica combine to hold a potential 225 feet of sea level rise. How much of that will be unlocked, and over what time frame? We discuss the knowns, the unknowns, and the newest research coming out. Learn More: https://sealevel.nasa.gov/faq/11/how-much-rise-should-we-expect-from-greenland-and-antarctica/ https://news.harvard.edu/gazette/story/2021/04/study-says-antarctic-ice-sheet-melt-to-lift-sea-level-higher-than-thought/ https://www.cnn.com/2022/04/14/world/antarctica-larsen-c...
Nov 16, 2022•40 min•Ep 113•Transcript available on Metacast The ancient philosophy of stoicism offers a great model for coping with collapse. In this episode we discuss its merits, along with its pitfalls. Learn More: The Practicing Stoic: A Philosophical User'... - Kindle (amazon.com) How To Practice Stoicism: An Introduction & 12 Stoic Practices - The Mindful Stoic Support the show Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information....
Nov 09, 2022•50 min•Ep 112•Transcript available on Metacast Fascist ideologies are on the rise around the United States and the Western world. What is fascism, why is it threatening us now, and how does it relate to collapse? Learn More: Eco-fascism: What It Is, Why It’s Wrong, and How to Fight It | Teen Vogue What Is Eco-Fascism, the Ideology Behind Attacks in El Paso and Christchurch? | GQ Eco-fascism: The greenwashing of the far right – DW Where in the world do people emit the most CO2? - Our World in Data Support the show Hosted on Acast. See acast.c...
Nov 01, 2022•48 min•Ep 111•Transcript available on Metacast The maintenance cost of capital continues to rise, and the US (along with many places in the world) have tied up so much into their overseer classes, especially law enforcement. This episode explores the reasons for degradation of law enforcement as well as the potential outcomes. Support the show Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information....
Oct 26, 2022•42 min•Ep 110•Transcript available on Metacast It's an ugly truth that those with children today will raise their children through extremely difficult times. This episode aims to help give some ideas and direction to parents looking to help their children the most possible. Learn More: How to talk to your children about conflict and war | UNICEF Parenting How to Talk to Kids About Difficult Subjects | Common Sense Media Resilience guide for parents and teachers (apa.org) The First Seven Years Are Key to a Successful Life (worldbank.org)...
Oct 19, 2022•41 min•Ep 109•Transcript available on Metacast In this episode we speak with the winner of season 9 of the popular History Channel series "Alone". If you're a fan of the show but haven't seen the newest season yet, skip this one (and don't read the bottom of this description) as it will obviously contain spoilers! Our guest speaks with us about the physical and mental challenges of surviving in isolation, and why community is a much better option. To learn more about the winner, or to buy his book, please visit www.j...
Oct 12, 2022•37 min•Ep 108•Transcript available on Metacast Phosphorus is an essential element to sustain life on earth, from plants to humans. Like oil, it is finite and we're using it an exponentially increasing rate. How much is left, and at what point will we hit peak supply? Learn More: http://web.mit.edu/12.000/www/m2016/finalwebsite/solutions/phosphorus.html http://phosphorusfutures.net/the-phosphorus-challenge/the-story-of-phosphorus-8-reasons-why-we-need-to-rethink-the-management-of-phosphorus-resources-in-the-global-food-system/ https://ww...
Oct 05, 2022•35 min•Ep 107•Transcript available on Metacast The way individuals view the world shapes the way they cope with the reality of collapse and respond to each crisis that presents itself. What exactly is the philosophy known as "nihilism"? Why is it such a commonly held view in the collapse community? Why do people adopt it and what are the pros and cons? Support the show Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information....
Sep 28, 2022•38 min•Ep 106•Transcript available on Metacast By 2050, 1/3rd of the world population is expected to live in urban areas. This is just one of the many issues facing humanity regarding food supply. What is vertical farming, and will it solve our food problems? Support the show Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information....
Sep 21, 2022•34 min•Ep 105•Transcript available on Metacast While last week we spoke about the inefficiencies in the US healthcare system that have existed for decades, this week we discuss the current state of the healthcare system, as recent developments continue to exacerbate the existing vulnerabilities. Support the show Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information....
Sep 14, 2022•40 min•Ep 104•Transcript available on Metacast There is too much to say about why the US healthcare system is awful. This episode discusses broadly some of those reasons, with follow-ups to come on the current state and potential collapse of the healthcare system. Learn More: https://educationdata.org/average-cost-of-medical-school https://www.forbes.com/advisor/student-loans/cost-of-medical-school/ https://www.savvypremed.com/blog/why-has-the-cost-of-medical-school-skyrocketed#:~:text=Unlike%20undergraduate%20college%2C%20the%20cost,years%2...
Sep 07, 2022•36 min•Ep 103•Transcript available on Metacast Some bold claims are made about many technologies and their potential abilities to combat or adapt to climate change. This week we discuss one that claims to reduce the urban heat island effect. Does it hold up? Support the show Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information....
Aug 31, 2022•37 min•Ep 102•Transcript available on Metacast As risks from climate change and other collapse factors rise, many people are left wondering: "what will happen to insurance?" We've got your answers here, and for many it may not be what they think. https://www.bloomberg.com/news/features/2020-11-10/wildfires-are-torching-california-s-insurance-industry-amid-climate-change https://www.iii.org/publications/insurance-handbook/regulatory-and-financial-environment/reinsurance https://www.swissre.com/dam/jcr:e73ee7c3-7f83-4c17-a2b8-8e...
Aug 24, 2022•42 min•Ep 101•Transcript available on Metacast As the planet heats up, air conditioning is becoming more and more necessary for maintaining quality of life and in some cases life itself. All this cooling comes at a high cost - much of which is another dreaded feedback loop. Learn More: https://www.technologyreview.com/2020/09/01/1007762/air-conditioning-grid-blackouts-california-climate-change/ https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2019/aug/29/the-air-conditioning-trap-how-cold-air-is-heating-the-world https://www.vox.com/science-and-healt...
Aug 17, 2022•45 min•Ep 100•Transcript available on Metacast It's no secret that collapse effects the poor and minorities first. This episode explains that idea along with some specific examples. Support the show Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Aug 10, 2022•38 min•Ep 99•Transcript available on Metacast All over the world you can find groups of people banding together to try and change the system in order to prevent the worst of collapse. In this episode we discuss a few of them. https://www.sunrisemovement.org/about/ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sunrise_Movement https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rJiiMz0CC5U https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=an5GbckznRQ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Occupy_Wall_Street https://rebellion.global/ https://www.scotsman.com/news/environment/7-pictures-from-extinction-re...
Aug 03, 2022•56 min•Ep 98•Transcript available on Metacast There is a common myth that, generally, people behave savagely towards each other in times of disaster. According to disaster social studies, this couldn't be farther from the truth Learn More: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2496928/ https://healthland.time.com/2012/10/31/how-disasters-bring-out-our-kindness/ https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/how-the-stress-of-disaster-brings-people-together/ https://hbr.org/2020/03/how-bad-times-bring-out-the-best-in-people https://b...
Jul 27, 2022•48 min•Ep 97•Transcript available on Metacast Perhaps the primary reason we continue barreling down the path to collapse is the natural resistance humans have to understanding, accepting, and confronting it. In this episode, Kory and Kellan discuss the psychological barriers that stand in the way. https://cbreilly.com/blog/well-informed-futility-syndrome?format=amp https://commonsensecanadian.ca/shades-of-green-well-informed-futility-syndrome/ https://www.britannica.com/science/confirmation-bias#:~:text=confirmation%20bias%2C%20the%20tenden...
Jul 20, 2022•57 min•Ep 96•Transcript available on Metacast As a follow up to last week's episode on the same topic, this week we talk about Myanmar, Ukraine, South Africa, and Syria. Last week the countries we talked about were suffering specifically economic issues. This week, our countries are facing particularly violent or military conflicts as well. Support the show Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information....
Jul 13, 2022•54 min•Ep 95•Transcript available on Metacast In past episodes we have focused on how societies collapsed historically, but what about countries that are collapsing today? This episode focuses on 3 countries (Sri Lanka, Venezuela, and Lebanon) who are currently experiencing economic collapse and widespread humanitarian crises. https://www.cnbc.com/2022/06/27/sri-lanka-stops-fuel-supply-to-non-essential-services-as-crisis-worsens.html https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2022/5/11/how-sri-lanka-spiralled-into-crisis-and-what-happens-next https://w...
Jul 06, 2022•46 min•Ep 94•Transcript available on Metacast Inflation is here and *surprise* - it's not transitory. What causes inflation? What kinds of inflation are there and what comes next? Support the show Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Jun 29, 2022•47 min•Ep 93•Transcript available on Metacast Every so often we publish one of our Bonus Episodes here on the main podcast. This week we discussed an article claiming that "Melting Ice means Greener Shipping" - wow. Anyway, enjoy this episode, and if you'd like to listen to our other bonus content, please join us on Patreon (link below)! Support the show Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information....
Jun 24, 2022•22 min•Transcript available on Metacast Data is a lesser-talked-about element of collapse, but an important one! "The Cloud" is, indeed, not a magical floating database in the sky where data can be stored for free. Rather, it's a vast number of energy-consuming, environment-destroying servers all over the world. As the internet grows and big data with it, how long is it sustainable, and what would take to break it? https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s11948-019-00171-7 https://techjury.net/blog/big-data-statistics...
Jun 22, 2022•35 min•Ep 92•Transcript available on Metacast