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In 1 Mose 3 entgleitet Gott die Kontrolle über seine Geschöpfe, wenn man so will, und er muß ein Erlösungswerk initiieren. Wird uns auch die Kontrolle über unsere Geschöpfe entgleiten? Wird Künstliche Intelligenz uns kontrollieren statt umgekehrt? Wird eine Super-KI zu einem allwissenden, allgegenwärtigen und unsterblichen mechanischen Gott? Wird der Mensch mit seiner Hilfe vom Homo Sapiens zu einem Homo Deus? Verwirklicht sich "1984" oder "Schöne neue Welt"? Enden wir in Hedonismus oder Tyrannei? Fragen über Fragen. Und was sagt die Bibel dazu? Pastor Gert schaut nach.Wichtige Bibelstellen:Römer 12,2Philipper 4,8-91 Mose 31 Mose 11,1-92 Thessalonicher 2,3-11Offenbarung 13Matthäus 24,112 Timotheus 3,13Unser Spendenkonto, falls Sie uns unterstützen möchten:Delta Christl. Dienste e.V. (Vorstandsvorsitzender: Gert Hoinle)DE13 7935 0101 0000 8235 91BYLADEM1KSWPaypal? Klicken Sie hier zwecks QR-Code: https://www.delta-edition.de/WPVersio...Oder an: Spende@OnlineKirche.orgSpendenquittung? Bitte Namen und Adresse angeben.Huxley Orwell Chip
What will it take to create AI that is as trustworthy, if not more trustworthy than humans? This week, Reid and Aria sit down with Yuval Noah Harari, historian, philosopher, and best-selling author of several books including Nexus, Sapiens and Homo Deus. When it comes to outlook on AI, Yuval, Reid, and Aria agree on the importance of building both human trust in AI and AI that is genuinely truth-seeking, but they differ on how possible it is to achieve. Together, they dig into their diverging opinions on the outcomes of the AI revolution, global cooperation, and how AI will learn from humans. They also discuss the differences between intelligence and consciousness, and whether conscious AI is a goal worth pursuing. Yuval turns to history to ground his warnings about AI. Even though he's cautious about technology, he is critical of cynicism. Yuval shares his philosophy on human compassion as a guiding principle that can allow us to steer away from collapse and ultimately, build a better AI future. For more info on the podcast and transcripts of all the episodes, visit https://www.possible.fm/podcast/ Topics: 3:38 - Hellos and intros 3:58 - Questions for the Buddha 5:48 - Yuval's relationship with technology 8:57 - Technologies that help humans share stories and myths 10:37 - Is AI the most significant invention after writing 13:02 - How AI will transform society 20:12 - Guidance for a successful AI revolution 24:24 - Using AI to support humanity's self-correcting mechanisms 26:13 - Midroll 26:45 - How to build self-correcting mechanisms for a better future 31:28 - Humans as parents of AI 36:33 - What political leaders need to do to create a positive AI future 39:11 - Artificial intelligence v.s. artificial consciousness 42:35 - AI as a tool for rebuilding trust 44:50 - Rapid-fire Questions Select mentions: History of the Franks by Gregory of Tours Heartstopper Possible is an award-winning podcast that sketches out the brightest version of the future—and what it will take to get there. Most of all, it asks: what if, in the future, everything breaks humanity's way? Tune in for grounded and speculative takes on how technology—and, in particular, AI—is inspiring change and transforming the future. Hosted by Reid Hoffman and Aria Finger, each episode features an interview with an ambitious builder or deep thinker on a topic, from art to geopolitics and from healthcare to education. Each episode seeks to enhance and advance our discussion about what humanity could possibly get right if we leverage technology—and our collective effort—effectively.
Irti konsensustodellisuudesta | Juote Tuonihovi | #neuvottelija 328. Gnostilainen tieto, nousu konsensustodellisuudesta ja Philip K. Dickin ontologinen sokki aiheina yli 2 tunnin erikoisjaksossa.Konstantin Tuonihovi, Rihmastosignaali-podcastin isäntä, ja Otto Juote, Viidennen vallan, Suomen nostatuksen sekä Psyykkinen prioni-kuunnelman mestari, houkuttelevat mukaan kohti kätkettyä tietoa.00:00 Paavi Franciscuksen kuolema ja gnostilaisuuden kieltäminen00:41 Otto Juote ja Konstantin Tuonihovi Rihmastosignaali-podcastin megajaksossa04:05 Otto Juoten Psyykkinen Prioni-mind-fuck-kuunnelma07:33 Kielletty tieto ja gnostilaisuuden harhaoppileima11:43 Vaaralliset ideat ohjataan harmittomiin projekteihin14:58 Cogito ergo sum viranomaisbyrokratian ironiana18:46 Toiminnan filosofia byrokratian sijasta21:50 Demiurgi ja dystopia Dickin näkökulmasta26:03 Henkilökohtaisen uskon reformaatio ei ole gnostilaisuutta29:31 Dickin yölliset aistimukset pahuuden läsnäolosta33:29 Ennustava ja fundamentaalinen tietoisuus Harris-pariskunnan mukaan37:07 Organismi vastaanottaa tietoisuutta keuhkojen tapaan41:11 Jungilainen kollektiivinen alitajunta ja psykedeelit44:23 Ontologinen sokki – gnostilainen herääminen kokemuksina48:26 Trippien ympäristötekijät Pollanin huomioina51:43 Psykedeelit masennuksen hoidossa – Pollanin pelkoasetelma55:36 Traumageneesi – pelottavien kokemusten muovaajana58:57 Konsensustodellisuus, optimointi ja vapauden illuusio1:03:00 Tiibetin buddhalaisuuden 51 tietoisuustasoa1:06:27 Varjon integrointi – Jung ja sankarin matka Campbell1:10:12 Skientismin inkrementaalisen mallin kritiikki1:13:21 Aivot selviytymis-, lisääntymis- ja optimointikoneina1:20:28 Kosminen tyhjyys ja ihmiskeskeisyyden rajat1:23:36 Mustien aukkojen mittasuhteet ja metafyysinen hämmennys1:27:33 Organisaatioiden rappeutuminen ja johtajien malliruksailu1:30:48 Uudet moraliteetit – tekoäly ja tukiäly Hararin visiot1:34:35 Transhumanistinen mielen moottoripyörä (Homo Deus, Harari)1:37:52 Laittomien päihteiden yhteiskuntakokeilujen kapinariski1:41:40 Syntyvyyden lasku ja vakiintuneet selitysmallit1:45:02 Tutkimusinsentiivit ja julkaisemattomat tulokset1:48:55 EMG-pulssi-teoria ja väestödynamiikan vertailu1:50:01 Skifipohdintoja tulevaisuuden päihde- ja tekoälykulttuureista#neuvottelija Sisäpiiri uppoutuu vieläkin syvemmälle, kohti kosmista kauhua.Katso Sisäpiirijaksot täältä:https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCRI34L9OtDJuZpaWicbNXzg/join#neuvottelija Sami Miettinen
Wie beeinflusst Technologie unser Menschsein? Und was müssen wir über den Menschen wissen, um Technologie sinnvoll zu gestalten? In dieser Folge tauche ich tief in die Gedankenwelt von Yuval Noah Harari ein – einem der scharfsinnigsten Denker unserer Zeit. Seine Bücher Sapiens, Homo Deus und 21 Lektionen für das 21. Jahrhundert liefern spannende Antworten auf die Frage, wie sich das Verhältnis von Mensch und Maschine entwickelt. Warum sind Mythen und Fiktionen für uns essenziell? Welche Rolle spielen Daten und Algorithmen in der Zukunft? Und welche Konsequenzen hat das für die Gestaltung von Mensch-Maschine-Schnittstellen? All das und mehr gibt's in dieser Episode. Hör rein und denk mit!
"Homo Deus: A Brief History of Tomorrow" explores humanity's future, tackling themes like artificial intelligence, biotechnology, and the quest for immortality, while questioning ethics, free will, and the meaning of human existence. In this episode, I summarize the book and offer my critique.
Der Philosoph Jean-Jacques Rousseau behauptete: Im Naturzustand, in einem Zustand ohne Staat und Gesellschaft, würde der Mensch ein sehr einfaches, aber genau deswegen auch sehr glückliches Leben führen. Aber wenn das so ist – warum bleiben wir dann nicht einfach im Naturzustand? Um diese Frage geht es in der heutigen Episode. Rousseau sieht in der Entstehung des Privateigentums eine Art „Sündenfall“, der den Menschen aus dem Paradies des Naturzustands vertrieben hat. Nebenbei lesen wir ein wenig in der Bibel und in den Bestsellern von Y.N. Harari. Literatur: Jean-Jacques Rousseau, Abhandlung über die Ungleichheit unter den Menschen, NA Ditzingen 2023 Günther Mensching, Rousseau zur Einführung Hamburg 3. Aufl. 2010 Yuval Noah Harari, Eine kurze Geschichte der Menschheit, München 2015 Yuval Noah Harari, Homo Deus, München 2017
In this special episode, we gather impactful book recommendations from our guests, offering insights into the minds of leading business builders. Episode Highlights: 1:12 - Emily Holdman: Recommends "The Book of Charlie" by David Von Drehle for its profound wisdom and applicability to life changes. https://www.amazon.com/Book-Charlie-Remarkable-American-109-Year-Old/dp/1476773939/ 6:04 - Suzanne Yoon: Shares insights from "Traction" by Gino Wickman, emphasizing the entrepreneurial operating system for accountability and growth. https://www.amazon.com/Traction-Get-Grip-Your-Business/dp/1936661837/ 10:03 - Tim Schulte: Suggests Yuval Noah Harari's "Sapiens," "Homo Deus," and "21 Lessons for the 21st Century" as thought-provoking reads on humanity and its future. https://www.amazon.com/Sapiens-Humankind-Yuval-Noah-Harari/dp/0062316117/ https://www.amazon.com/Homo-Deus-Brief-History-Tomorrow/dp/0062464345/ https://www.amazon.com/Lessons-21st-Century-Yuval-Harari/dp/0525512195/ 12:00 - Eric Hansen: Describes "The Loop Files" by Rick Kaempfer and "The Mosquito Bowl" by Buzz Bissinger for their engaging historical narratives. https://www.amazon.com/Loop-Files-History-Outrageous-Station/dp/B0CNH5TZSQ/ https://www.amazon.com/Mosquito-Bowl-Game-Death-World/dp/0062879936/ 16:43 - Josh Adams: Highlights "What It Takes" by Stephen Schwarzman, "Greenlights" by Matthew McConaughey and "Shoe Dog" by Phil Knight emphasizing the engaging storytelling and life lessons. https://www.amazon.com/What-Takes-Lessons-Pursuit-Excellence/dp/1501158147/ https://www.amazon.com/Greenlights-Matthew-McConaughey/dp/0593139135/ https://www.amazon.com/Shoe-Dog-Memoir-Creator-Nike/dp/1501135910/ 19:31 - Bob Belke: Discusses "Die With Zero" by Bill Perkins, advocating for investing in life experiences, and "The Monk Who Sold His Ferrari" by Robin Sharma for its insights on living a fulfilled life. https://www.amazon.com/Die-Zero-Getting-Your-Money/dp/0358567092/ https://www.amazon.com/Monk-Who-Sold-His-Ferrari/dp/0062515675/ 26:34 - Jon Stewart: Talks about "Building a Second Brain" by Tiago Forte, which outlines a methodology for organizing information efficiently. https://www.amazon.com/Building-Second-Brain-Organize-Potential/dp/1982167386/ 31:45 - Erik Ginsberg: Recommends "Leadership and Self Deception" by The Arbinger Institute for its insights on self-awareness and organizational behavior. https://www.amazon.com/Leadership-Self-Deception-Fourth-Transforming-Relationships/dp/1523006560/ 33:21 - Darren Herman: Offers "Startup" by Jerry Kaplan for its diary-format insights on building a technology company, and reflects on "Catcher in the Rye" by J.D. Salinger as an inspirational read. https://www.amazon.com/Startup-Silicon-Adventure-Jerry-Kaplan/dp/0140257314/ https://www.amazon.com/Catcher-Rye-J-D-Salinger/dp/0316769177/ 37:16 - Christian Bullitt: Suggests "The Fund" by Rob Copeland, describing Bridgewater Associates' unique corporate culture. https://www.amazon.com/Fund-Bridgewater-Associates-Unraveling-Street/dp/1250276934/ For more information on BluWave and this podcast, go to www.bluwave.net/podcasts.
Yuval Noah Harari (Nexus, Sapiens, Homo Deus) is an author and historian. Yuval joins the Armchair Expert to discuss how people can be manipulated by misinformation, how powerful the role of an editor is, and how much our lives are shaped by bureaucracies. Yuval and Dax talk about how ideological gaps today compare to those in the past, what role algorithms play in the spread of mass media, and the difference between information and truth. Yuval explains his take on the artificial intelligence revolution, how AI is an agent and not a tool, and his suggestions for regulating it as it advances. Follow Armchair Expert on the Wondery App or wherever you get your podcasts. Watch new content on YouTube or listen to Armchair Expert early and ad-free by joining Wondery+ in the Wondery App, Apple Podcasts, or Spotify. Start your free trial by visiting wondery.com/links/armchair-expert-with-dax-shepard/ now.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
Yuval Noah Harari is a renowned historian, bestselling author of “Sapiens” and “Homo Deus,” and the mind behind the new book, “Nexus.” This conversation explores AI's impact on society through Yuval's unique historical lens. We discuss AI as “alien intelligence,” information's role in shaping political systems, embracing uncertainty, institutional trust, and finding clarity amid rapid change. His analysis of our collective human psyche in the AI era is profound and revelatory. Yuval is a treasure trove of wisdom. This one is enlightening and sobering. Enjoy! Show notes + MORE Watch on YouTube Newsletter Sign-Up Today's Sponsors: Roka: Unlock 20% OFF your order with code RICHROLL
Resenha do livro Nexus: A brief history of information networks from the stone age to AI (Tradução livre: "Nexo — uma breve história das redes de informação da idade da pedra até a inteligência artificial”), de Yuval Noah Harari. Muita gente gosta de comparar a revolução que a Inteligência Artificial generativa está fazendo agora com a primeira revolução industrial. Tudo mudou depois dela; da ocupação do ser humano no espaço físico do planeta (agora concentrado em cidades), até a maneira como a gente utiliza nossas horas (trabalhando em lugares fechados). Mas Harari nos mostra que dessa vez, estamos em outra escala de revolução e ela não se compara com absolutamente nada do que já vivemos antes. E esse livro inteiro mostra por quê. Hipnotizante, apavorante, fascinante e muito, muito interessante. Você não pode perder (ninguém pode!). Na resenha eu citei dois livros anteriores dele, Sapiens e Homo Deus e um outro livro do Ray Kurzweil chamado How to Create a Mind (é só clicar sobre cada nome e ouvir). Também falei sobre o livro A ilusão do conhecimento e O pensamento Elástico. Se você quer saber mais e estudar Nexus (sim, porque lê-lo é muito pouco), clique aqui para comprar o seu exemplar na Amazon do Brasil.
Metanoia Lab | Liderança, inovação e transformação digital, por Andrea Iorio
Neste episódio especial da quarta temporada do Metanoia Lab, patrocinado pela Oi Soluções, o Andrea Iorio (andreaiorio.com) analisa uma frase do historiador e filósofo Noah Yuval Harari, autor de best-sellers como Sapiens: Uma Breve História da Humanidade, Homo Deus e 21 Lições para o Século 21, que fala sobre como as narrativas e mitos moldam civilizações, com uma reflexão sobre o papel do storytelling e as “ficções” que construímos como sociedade.
Yuval Noah Harari is a historian, philosopher, and author, and one of the world's most influential public intellectuals working today. In books like Sapiens, Homo Deus, and 21 Lessons for the 21st Century, Harari examines topics like the future of humanity, and the connections between biology, myth, and power. His latest book is Nexus: A Brief History of Information Networks, from the Stone Age to AI. On October 1, 2024, Yuval Harari appeared at the Sydney Goldstein Theater in San Francisco to talk to technology journalist, author, and podcaster Kara Swisher.
Yuval Noah Harari's books Sapiens and Homo Deus sold millions around the world. His latest - Nexus - examines information and how we share it, from campfire stories in the Stone Age to the AI networks of today. But as the way we share information gets evermore complicated, could this be the end of a history controlled by humans?This podcast was brought to you thanks to the support of readers of The Times and The Sunday Times. Subscribe today: http://thetimes.com/thestoryHost: William Hague.Guest: Yuval Noah Harari, author and historian.Photo: Penguin Random House / Yuval Noah HarariGet in touch: thestory@thetimes.co.ukRead the Times' review of Nexus: here. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
La nuova stagione di Parola Progetto inizia con un grande ospite, Michele De Lucchi.Architetto, designer, artista, fondatore di AMDL Circle, De Lucchi ha vissuto da protagonista l'evoluzione del design italiano, a partire dal design radicale, passando da oggetti per aziende di tecnologia, fino ad arrivare a musei e ponti. Con il suo lavoro ha lasciato tracce indelebili nelle nostre vite quotidiane: ne sono esempio la lampada Tolomeo di Artemide, i contatori Enel, gli oggetti di Alessi e persino le copertine di Harry Potter.Con lui parliamo di progetti e di leggerezza, di materiali e di relazioni, di confini tra discipline e di poli opposti.La puntata è realizzata in collaborazione con Lake Como Design Festival e con il supporto di Edizioni Lithos.I link della puntata:- il sito di AMDL Circle https://amdlcircle.com - Il sito del Lake Como Design Festival https://www.lakecomodesignfestival.com- Il sito di Edizioni Lithos https://edizionilithos.it- "Homo Deus. Breve storia del futuro" di Yuval Noah Harari https://it.wikipedia.org/wiki/Homo_Deus._Breve_storia_del_futuro- "Un nuovo mondo" di Eckhart Tolle https://bit.ly/3BdWRaZ
Apple unveiled its latest gadgets at its big September event on Monday. We discuss the most interesting new features — including AirPods that can function as hearing aids and Apple Watch software that can help detect sleep apnea — and offer our advice on when to buy a new iPhone. Then, the best-selling author Yuval Noah Harari joins us to discuss his new book and his biggest fears about A.I. And finally, we crack open some criminal cases in a new segment we're calling the Hard Fork Crimes Division. We'll explain how one man made $10 million by manipulating music streaming services and how online instructions for building a 3D-printed gun have ended up in the hands of criminals around the world. Guest:Yuval Noah Harari, author of “Sapiens,” “Homo Deus” and “Nexus.” Additional Reading:Apple Unveils New iPhones With Built-In Artificial IntelligenceRussia Secretly Worms Its Way Into America's Conservative MediaHe's Known as ‘Ivan the Troll.' His 3D-Printed Guns Have Gone Viral.The Bands and the Fans Were Fake. The $10 Million Was Real. We want to hear from you. Email us at hardfork@nytimes.com. Find “Hard Fork” on YouTube and TikTok.
Sanchit Arvind returns to the show for his third appearance. We discuss recent life transitions—moving from the city to the farm and living in Puerto Rico for a few years. The importance of systems and processes for self development, books, technology, and Running for President. We discussed the books Sapiens and Homo Deus by Yuval Noah Harari in our last two episodes Rich Hebron website for daily notes & observations
I share reflections on last night's Harris-Trump Debate in the first two minutes of this podcast. In the rest of the podcast, I review Yuval Noah Harari's newest book. Harari is one of my top three favorite authors. I also love Bill Bryson and Walter Isaacson. Therefore, I was thrilled that a few months ago, I got an advanced copy of Nexus: A Brief History of Information Networks from the Stone Age to AI, which launches today, September 10, 2024. It's a 515-page book but is filled with headers over its 11 chapters, making it modular and readable. I also reviewed his previous book, 21 Lessons for the 21st Century. I loved Nexus, although Homo Deus is still my favorite Harari book. Nexus explores the evolution of information networks from prehistoric times to the present, focusing mainly on the impact of artificial intelligence (AI) on society. Outline There are 3 parts: Part 1: Human Networks focuses on history and how information went from clay tablets to silicon. Part 2: The Inorganic Network focuses on the internet age and the birth of AI. It discusses how computers differ from printing presses and how the information networks are relentless and fallible. Part 3: Computer Politics focuses on how AI will enter every aspect of our lives, governments, and businesses. He discusses democracies, totalitarianism, and the Silicon Curtain (how China and the West have different internets and AIs). Overview and Themes In Nexus, Harari argues that human history has been profoundly shaped by our ability to create and share narratives, which he identifies as the foundation of our social structures. He posits that information networks—from oral traditions to the internet—serve as the "glue" that holds societies together. The book emphasizes the dual nature of information: while it can foster cooperation and understanding, it can also propagate falsehoods and manipulation, particularly in the age of AI. Nexus is more urgent and personal than Harari's previous works. It tackles contemporary issues related to AI, warning about its potential to manipulate human behavior without direct control. Harari connects historical developments, such as the rise of farming and cities, to the evolution of information networks. Nexus mixes historical analysis and philosophical reflection with Harari's trademark ability to provoke thought about the implications of modern technology. His exploration of how AI could reshape human existence is captivating and unsettling, prompting you to reconsider your relationship with technology. One fascinating observation is that governments used to spend 80% of their budgets on the military. Today, they spend about 10% on the military and more on healthcare. Critique Harari makes the same error that many nonfiction books do: they spend 95% of the book complaining and 5% of the time discussing the solution. Conclusion Happily, Harari isn't bleak or hopeless. He isn't overly pessimistic about our future. He believes we're at a critical crossroads, akin to when Christian scholars decided what books would make it into the Bible. What we do today will have an impact forever. Totalitarianism loves AI's ability to survey and process data to keep the population in check. However, totalitarianism hates that AI is a black box that is unpredictable and hard to control. Totalitarianism may become dependent on AI to make wise decisions, and it may falter, especially if the AI doesn't do what's best for the totalitarian leader. Harari believes that democracy will triumph over totalitarianism because democracy is self-correcting and open to criticism. It's constantly adjusting to the wisdom of the crowds, whereas totalitarianism is rigid. Ultimately, he believes that strong, wise institutions will help us incorporate the best of AI while avoiding its follies and dangers. Nexus contributes to the discourse on AI and its societal implications. While it may not achieve the same universal acclaim as Harari's earlier works, like Sapiens or Homo Deus, it offers a compelling examination of how information networks have evolved and the urgent questions they raise for the future. Readers looking for a blend of history, philosophy, and contemporary relevance will find much to ponder in Harari's latest offering. After my verdict, I have included some excerpts from the book so you can get a feel for what it covers. VERDICT: 9 out of 10 stars. Excerpts To conclude, the new computer network will not necessarily be either bad or good. All we know for sure is that it will be alien and it will be fallible. We therefore need to build institutions that will be able to check not just familiar human weaknesses like greed and hatred but also radically alien errors. There is no technological solution to this problem. It is, rather, a political challenge. Do we have the political will to deal with it? Modern humanity has created two main types of political systems: large-scale democracy and large-scale totalitarianism. ========== Another common but mistaken assumption is that creativity is unique to humans so it would be difficult to automate any job that requires creativity. ========== third mistaken assumption is that computers couldn't replace humans in jobs requiring emotional intelligence, from therapists to teachers. ========== If it means the ability to correctly identify emotions and react to them in an optimal way, then computers may well outperform humans even in emotional intelligence. Emotions too are patterns. ========== Actually, computers may outperform humans in recognizing human emotions, precisely because they have no emotions of their own. We yearn to be understood, but other humans often fail to understand how we feel, because they are too preoccupied with their own feelings. In contrast, computers will have an exquisitely fine-tuned understanding of how we feel, because they will learn to recognize the patterns of our feelings, while they have no distracting feelings of their own. ========== Actually, computers may outperform humans in recognizing human emotions, precisely because they have no emotions of their own. We yearn to be understood, but other humans often fail to understand how we feel, because they are too preoccupied with their own feelings. In contrast, computers will have an exquisitely fine-tuned understanding of how we feel, because they will learn to recognize the patterns of our feelings, while they have no distracting feelings of their own. A 2023 study found that the ChatGPT chatbot, for example, outperforms the average human in the emotional awareness it displays toward specific scenarios. ========== If three years of high unemployment could bring Hitler to power, what might never-ending turmoil in the job market do to democracy? ========== The most important human skill for surviving the twenty-first century is likely to be flexibility, and democracies are more flexible than totalitarian regimes. ========== The rise of unfathomable alien intelligence undermines democracy. If more and more decisions about people's lives are made in a black box, so voters cannot understand and challenge them, democracy ceases to function. ========== Power lies at the nexus where the information channels merge. ========== For most of recorded history, the military was the number one item on the budget of every empire, sultanate, kingdom, and republic. ========== For many people in the 2010s, the fact that the health-care budget was bigger than the military budget was unremarkable. But it was the result of a major change in human behavior, and one that would have sounded impossible to most previous generations. ========== It places a heavy responsibility on all of us to make good choices. It implies that if human civilization is consumed by conflict, we cannot blame it on any law of nature or any alien technology. ========== It places a heavy responsibility on all of us to make good choices. It implies that if human civilization is consumed by conflict, we cannot blame it on any law of nature or any alien technology. It also implies that if we make the effort, we can create a better world. ========== It places a heavy responsibility on all of us to make good choices. It implies that if human civilization is consumed by conflict, we cannot blame it on any law of nature or any alien technology. It also implies that if we make the effort, we can create a better world. This isn't naïveté; it's realism. ========== The invention of AI is potentially more momentous than the invention of the telegraph, the printing press, or even writing, because AI is the first tool that is capable of making decisions and generating ideas by itself. ========== The good news is that if we eschew complacency and despair, we are capable of creating balanced information networks that will keep their own power in check. Doing so is not a matter of inventing another miracle technology or landing upon some brilliant idea that has somehow escaped all previous generations. Rather, to create wiser networks, we must abandon both the naive and the populist views of information, put aside our fantasies of infallibility, and commit ourselves to the hard and rather mundane work of building institutions with strong self-correcting mechanisms. That is perhaps the most important takeaway this book has to offer. ========== This wisdom is much older than human history. It is elemental, the foundation of organic life. The first organisms weren't created by some infallible genius or god. They emerged through an intricate process of trial and error. Over four billion years, ever more complex mechanisms of mutation and self-correction led to the evolution of trees, dinosaurs, jungles, and eventually humans. Now we have summoned an alien inorganic intelligence that could escape our control and put in danger not just our own species but countless other life-forms. The decisions we all make in the coming years will determine whether summoning this alien intelligence proves to be a terminal error or the beginning of a hopeful new chapter in the evolution of life.
In this conversation, Demetri and Chantz discuss the direction of their podcast and brainstorm ideas for future episodes. They reflect on the success of their book review episodes and decide to focus more on self-help topics and personal development. They also plan to incorporate 30-day challenges and reflection episodes into their podcast schedule. They discuss potential books to review, including 'Grit' by Angela Duckworth and 'Never Split the Difference' by Chris Voss. They also consider the idea of hiding previous episodes that are not related to their new direction. In this part of the conversation, Chantz and Demetri discuss their interest in learning new things and their love for books. They mention several books they have read or want to read, including 'Sapiens' and 'Homo Deus' by Yuval Noah Harari, 'Your Brain at Work' by Dr. David Rock, and 'Thinking, Fast and Slow' by Daniel Kahneman. They also discuss the importance of diversity in their reading choices and brainstorm ideas for 30-day challenges, such as stretching, taking the stairs, and going vegan or vegetarian. The conversation ends with a discussion about their plans for dinner and hanging out with friends. Thank you as always for listening. What did you think of this episode? Please leave us your thoughts about the episode and a rating on Apple Podcasts. We'll be responding to comments every Saturday on the main podcast! RESOURCES & LINKS:
Watching people and observing their behaviors is fascinating for many reasons. Yes, it's fun, but it can also be very revealing. To learn more about what the behavior and communication of others can tell you about them, we are joined by renowned author, retired FBI agent, and keynote speaker, Robin Dreeke. With a distinguished career that includes serving as the Chief of the Counterintelligence Behavioral Analysis Program, Robin has honed his ability to navigate complex social dynamics and build unbreakable alliances based on trust. Recognizing the vital role trust plays in business success, he has dedicated himself to helping organizations cultivate trust, enhance communication, and foster strong relationships within their teams and with their clients. Today, Robin returns to the show to discuss all things communication, particularly what people's behavior reveals about what you can expect from them. Tuning in, you'll learn about the power of asking ‘what?' questions to find out why someone inspires you, how empathy can help you resolve conflict in your relationships, why human beings don't typically thrive in abundance, what you can glean about a person by how they treat others, and so much more. Drawing on his extensive experience in counterintelligence and behavioral analysis, Robin provides invaluable insights and actionable strategies that empower individuals and businesses to thrive. If you want to become a true resource and catalyst for the success and growth of others, you'll find his tips powerful, including learning how to embrace active curiosity and key steps to inspire people to feel safe with you. Don't miss this eye-opening discussion! Key Highlight From This Episode: • How self-awareness, transparency, honesty, and vulnerability counteract toxic shame. [06:29] • Owning your role in any conflict by understanding how others perceive you and how your experiences and biases color your perception of others. [12:11] • Insight into Robin's belief that we are meant to walk the path of life together. [20:05] • The deeply complex conditions that contribute to war and death in our society. [23:20] • What someone's behavior toward others tells you clearly about what to expect from them. [27:02] • A powerful quote from Nelson Mandela and why books are the key to opening your mind. [31:04] • How to shift the focus from yourself to others with Robin's four keys to communication. [37:41] • Actionable advice for holding yourself accountable in your relationships. [40:33] • Closing with a profound question to ask yourself about your final hours on earth! [41:43] For More Information: Robin Dreeke Forged by Trust Podcast Self-Mastery Reading List: Robin Dreeke's Books Robin Dreeke on LinkedIn Robin Dreeke on Instagram Robin Dreeke on X Links Mentioned in Today's Episode: Listen to Episode 160 with Robin Dreeke, ‘Former FBI Special Agent Shares 5 Key Steps to Building Trust and Rapport'. Check out Kathy's Valentine's Day post about self-love on LinkedIn. Get your copy of Insight: The Surprising Truth About How Others See Us, How We See Ourselves, and Why the Answers Matter More Than We Think by Tasha Eurich. Read Nelson Mandela's Long Walk to Freedom to help you understand history (and how to change it). Watch Tucker Carlson's interview with Russian President, Vladimir Putin. Get these recommended reads by Yuval Noah Harari: Sapiens and Homo Deus. Become the authority in your own life with The Seat of the Soul by Gary Zukav. ——————— Ready to Take Your Professional Life and Leadership to the Next Level FAST? 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I'm teaching you how to experience greater joy, fulfilment, reward, confidence, self-esteem and meaningful impact by becoming the true author of your life, taking the reins and grabbing control of the direction of your career and the ultimate outcomes you support. In the end, you'll learn how to engage in deeply meaningful, fulfilling and successful career you love and are proud of. Check it out, join me, and jump on those savings now! Learn more at mostpowerfulyou.com. I can't wait to see you on the first Zoom call on April 3rd. ——————— Need some great podcast production support? Check out We Edit Podcasts! Hi, folks! Kathy here. So, are you thinking of launching a new podcast or have you been at it a while and recognize it's time for more or better production help to create the best podcast you can? I totally understand — I've been podcasting for over 6 years and know how challenging it can be. 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1️⃣ Présentation de l'invité : No Code, Metavers, NFT, Web 3.0. Des mots à la mode auxquels j'ai voulu m'intéresser. Et comprendre leur intérêt pour nos métiers. J'ai donc invité un expert, alors accrochez-vous et entrez avec moi dans cet univers. Bonjour Sébastien Felix. 2️⃣ Notes et références : Influence Society - agence digital marketing créée par Sebastien Felix en 2016 Les épisodes du Podcast cités : L'épisode 36 avec Clémence Férault L'épisode 28 avec Didier Arnoult L'épisode 20 avec Renaud Azema ROI : Return On Inverstment UGC : User Generated Content / Contenu créé par les utilisateurs NFT : Non-Fungible Token / Jeton non-fongible Adrian Zecha - fondateur du groupe Aman Resorts Esteban Ordano et Ari Meilich - Fondateurs de Decentraland Le livre Homo Deus : une brève histoire de l'avenir - Yuval Noah Harari Le Samouraï virtuel">Le Samouraï virtuel - Neal Stephenson 3️⃣ Pour contacter l'invité : Twitter : fleexit LinkedIn : Sébastien Felix 4️⃣ Le partenaire de l'épisode : LoungeUp contact@loungeup.com +33 (0)1 84 16 82 20 Bénéficiez de -10% sur la première année d'abonnement (réservé aux nouveaux clients, pour tout abonnement débutant avant le 30/06/2023)Si cet épisode vous a autant passionné que moi, rejoignez-moi sur : la newsletter d'Hospitality Insiders, chaque dimanche ; mon profil Linkedin, pour poursuivre la discussion ; ou sur Instagram, pour découvrir les coulisses des enregistrements. Merci pour votre fidélité et à bientôt !
Our subject in this episode is the idea that the body uses electricity in more ways than are presently fully understood. We consider ways in which electricity, applied with care, might at some point in the future help to improve the performance of the brain, to heal wounds, to stimulate the regeneration of limbs or organs, to turn the tide against cancer, and maybe even to reverse aspects of aging.To guide us through these possibilities, who better than the science and technology journalist Sally Adee? She is the author of the book “We Are Electric: Inside the 200-Year Hunt for Our Body's Bioelectric Code, and What the Future Holds”. That book gave David so many insights on his first reading, that he went back to it a few months later and read it all the way through again.Sally was a technology features and news editor at the New Scientist from 2010 to 2017, and her research into bioelectricity was featured in Yuval Noah Harari's book “Homo Deus”.Selected follow-ups:Sally Adee's websiteThe book "We are Electric"Article: "An ALS patient set a record for communicating via a brain implant: 62 words per minute"tDCS (Transcranial direct-current stimulation)The conference "Anticipating 2025" (held in 2014)Article: "Brain implants help people to recover after severe head injury"Article on enhancing memory in older peopleBioelectricity cancer researcher Mustafa DjamgozArticle on Tumour Treating FieldsArticle on "Motile Living Biobots"Music: Spike Protein, by Koi Discovery, available under CC0 1.0 Public Domain Declaration
Mungkinkah ‘Indonesia Emas' tanpa literasi? Gita Wirjawan dan Co-founder Periplus Bookstore, Judo Suwidji, membahas bagaimana kita dapat menumbuhkan budaya baca di Indonesia — yang kuncinya terletak pada gotong royong. Literasi harus disemai dari rumah tangga, dipupuk di institusi pendidikan, dan dirawat oleh segala lapis masyarakat. Yang tak kalah penting, media kontemporer juga mesti turut serta untuk menyiram dan menyinari cita-cita mulia tersebut. Mustahil kita dapat menaikan derajat dialektika bangsa, dan pada akhirnya martabat demokrasi, tanpa tumbuh subur dan semerbaknya literasi di negeri ini. #Endgame #GitaWirjawan #Literasi ----------------------- Pustaka Terkait: "Sapiens" (2011) | "Homo Deus" (2015) | "21 Lessons for the 21st Century" (2018) ----------------------- Pahami Episode Ini Lebih Baik: https://sgpp.me/eps160notes ----------------------- Berminat menjadi pemimpin visioner berikutnya? Hubungi SGPP Indonesia di: admissions@sgpp.ac.id | https://admissions.sgpp.ac.id | https://wa.me/628111522504 Playlist episode "Endgame" lainnya: Daring Entrepreneurs | Wandering Scientists | The Take Kunjungi dan subscribe: SGPP Indonesia | Visinema Pictures
Skip the Queue is brought to you by Rubber Cheese, a digital agency that builds remarkable systems and websites for attractions that helps them increase their visitor numbers. Your host is Kelly Molson, Founder of Rubber Cheese.Download the Rubber Cheese 2022 Visitor Attraction Website Report - the first digital benchmark statistics for the attractions sector.If you like what you hear, you can subscribe on iTunes, Spotify, and all the usual channels by searching Skip the Queue or visit our website rubbercheese.com/podcast.If you've enjoyed this podcast, please leave us a five star review, it really helps others find us. And remember to follow us on Twitter for your chance to win the books that have been mentioned in this podcastCompetition ends on 20th December 2023. The winner will be contacted via Twitter.Show references: https://vacevents.com/THURSDAY 5TH OCTOBER – QEII CONFERENCE CENTRE, WESTMINSTERhttps://vacevents.com/committee/ Bernard Donoghue OBECEO & Director, ALVA, the Association of Leading Visitor Attractions, Mayor of London's Culture Ambassador. Co-Chair, London Tourism Recovery Board.https://www.alva.org.uk/https://www.linkedin.com/in/bernard-donoghue-obe-0aa9b97/ Bernard has been the Director of ALVA, the UK's Association for Leading Visitor Attractions, since 2011 following a career in advocacy, communications, and lobbying, latterly at a senior level in the tourism and heritage sector. In 2017, the Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, appointed Bernard to be the Mayor's Ambassador for Cultural Tourism and a member of the Mayor's Cultural Leadership Board. Bernard is Co-Chair of the London Tourism Recovery Board. He is also Chairman of LIFT, London International Festival of Theatre; Chairman of the Bristol Old Vic, the oldest continually operating theatre in the English-speaking world, and also of the People's History Museum, the Museum of Democracy. He has been a member of the UK Government's Tourism Industry Council since 2016. Bernard was named by Blooloop in 2020 as one of the world's 50 most influential people in museums, and in July 2021 won the public vote for the COVID Special Recognition Award from the UK Museums and Heritage Awards for his service to, and leadership of the museums and heritage sector in the UK during the pandemic. Ken Robinson CBE FTS - Founder of VAChttps://www.linkedin.com/in/ken-robinson-cbe-fts-bb811312/Ken is an independent adviser who speaks and writes on tourism topics. As a "tourism enthusiast" he aims to be a pragmatic pioneer of new initiatives, strategies and solutions to optimise the economic, cultural and social benefits of tourism. Ken's Consultancy companies completed over 1500 assignments, mostly in the UK but also several hundred international projects, beginning over 50 years ago, before the days of mass tourism. He was a founding member of the Tourism Society and supported the formation of the Tourism Alliance, both of which organisations he has served as a board member and Chair, as he has on several other Tourism bodies. Specialising initially in visitor attractions, Ken initiated and subsequently chaired the National Visitor Attractions Conference, VAC, and has been on its Committee ever since. In addition to many clients in the public, private and third sectors, he has advised the UN's International Trade Centre, on national and regional Tourism strategy development. His current focus is to move the industry's thinking from marketing to the critical need to manage future tourism for the benefit of host communities, and to optimise tourist's experiences. Ken was appointed CBE for services to Tourism in 1997, and an Honorary Doctorate in 2014. Paul KellyChief Executive, BALPPA, Chair of VAC https://www.balppa.org/https://www.linkedin.com/in/paul-kelly-2714a922/Having been with BALPPA for 11 years and working with VAC for that amount of time as well, Paul started his career in the attractions sector at Thorpe Park in the 80's and then moved on to the London Eye for its opening around the millennium. He has always been involved with visitor attractions. Several more years working within Merlin followed both in the UK and abroad, mainly on business development. Being a BALPPA member for 30 years means, being Chair of the organising committee at VAC keeps Paul in touch with all aspects of the attractions industry. Liz Terry MBEManaging Director, Leisure Media Grouphttps://www.linkedin.com/in/elizterry/ Janet Uttley Head of Business Transformation for VisitEnglandhttps://www.linkedin.com/in/janetuttley/ Transcriptions: Kelly Molson: Welcome to Skip The Queue, a podcast for people working in or working with visitor attractions. I'm your host, Kelly Molson. Season 5 kicks off today with not one, not two, but three excellent guests.On today's episode, I have the pleasure of speaking to Bernard Donoghue, Paul Kelly and Ken Robinson, founders of the Visitor Attractions Conference. You also know Bernard as, Director of ALVA and Paul as CEO of BALPPA.VAC celebrates its 20th anniversary this year and I'm finding out where the idea for the event spanned from, how it's changed and developed over the years. And we take a look ahead to what 2024 has in store for the attraction sector.Unfortunately, fellow Founder; Liz Terry, the Managing Director of Leisure Media Group, and also Janet Uttley, Head of Business Transformation for VisitEngland, were unable to join us on this episode. But stay tuned for lots of insight and to find out how you can get your ticket for the VAC conference this year.Kelly Molson: If you like what you hear, you can subscribe on all the usual channels by searching Skip the Queue.Kelly Molson: Bernard, Ken, Paul, it is a treat to have you all on the podcast today. Thank you for joining me. I think this is the first time I've had three guests as well, so this could be interesting. Bernard Donoghue: And three men as well. I mean, it's like a really bad testosterone banana rama, isn't it? Really. Kelly Molson: I'm just a little flower in the middle of you thorns today. Yes, it's a real shame. So, unfortunately, Janet Uttley and Liz Terry couldn't make it along to join us today, which is a shame. But I'm sure that they will get lots of mentions as we talk through some of the things that we're going to chat about today. But first, as ever, I want to start with a little icebreaker. I'm going to ask you all the same thing because I'm intrigued as to whether you ended up doing what you thought you might. So, Ken, I'm going to start with you first. When you were at school, what did you think that you'd grow up and be when you were older? Ken Robinson: I didn't know. Kelly Molson: Had no clue at all? Ken Robinson: No, I didn't have a clue. I was lucky to have a good education. I didn't work at school. And then I got into a job, which was I was very successful at it and it was very boring. So I left. And when I discovered tourism and visitor attractions, it took me over. I didn't decide to do it. It told me that was it. Kelly Molson: Oh, I love it. It's like a calling. Ken Robinson: At the time it was, I was actually sitting in a turret room which had been vacated by Lord Montague. His desk used to face in and I liked that because I didn't have to look at the faces of the visitors going past who might complain, because in those days, buli was very expensive. And then one day I thought to myself, these people are investing their hard earned money and leisure time in making a decision to come here and it's our job to make sure they have a good time. And I turned my desk round and I looked at them all day long and the moment I turned my desk round, everything changed. Kelly Molson: I love that, because you could see the whites of their eyes and how they were engaging with the venue as they turned up. Ken Robinson: Well, it's just such a failure, isn't it? If you've got somebody who makes a choice and spends their time and money, a family decision for many people, and it should be a highlight. And if it isn't, whose fault is it? It's probably the fault of the visitor attraction, given that the person has chosen to go there in not communicating well enough with them about what they've got and what they would find interesting. Kelly Molson: This is such a brilliant story and that wasn't where I was expecting this to go either, Ken. I love it. Paul, what about you, Paul?Paul Kelly: Yeah, I mean, when I was at school, I was interested in sports and that was it, really, and luckily, that dragged me through the various places I went to. But what I was going to end up doing sports. I think once you get into sports quite seriously, you realise fairly quickly that actually you're not going to make it, so you have to find something else. So, laterally, I decided that business was a good idea. So I started doing business studies up in North Wales and for some reason were doing a sandwich course in those days, I think it was called that. One of those, I got placed at Thorpe Park. I don't know why particularly, so there's a group of six of us went down to Thorpe Park to work there and I actually started working on the rides.Paul Kelly: I'm not sure what it had to do with business at the time, but I'm glad somebody thought it did. And I couldn't believe that was a job that you could do, you could be paid for, because I came from the north at that point and there wasn't an awful lot going on in the 80s and actually be paid. Everyone enjoyed themselves, fantastic atmosphere, parties every night. I'm sure it's still like that. And it was just amazing. And from that moment on, regardless of what happened after that, including other colleges, other bits and pieces, effectively, I never left. Kelly Molson: It's always going to be in that sector. Paul Kelly: Yes. Kelly Molson: Excellent. Great. Bernard, same to you. Bernard Donoghue: Well, this may come as a surprise, but my grandfather was in the Irish Guards, my father was in the Grenadier Guards, my brother was in the Royal Marines, and I had a very large collection of action men. I genuinely thought I would probably end up in the army. And actually, I got an offer after university to go into the Household Cavalry. I don't think I've ever told anyone this before. Anyway, it just clearly I didn't pursue the application. It wasn't for me at all. Got really into politics. So I started working in the House of Commons, House of Lords and the Council of Europe in Strasbourg, and then I've just been in sort of lobbying, campaigning, political world ever since. But I still miss the uniforms. Can't deny it. Kelly Molson: I think we'd like to see you in that uniform, Bernard, if I'm not going to lie. So from the lobbying aspect, which is obviously a really big part of the role that you currently have, how did the attractions bit kind of slot into those? Where did the two join up? Bernard Donoghue: It's a really odd coincidence. I was trustee of a charity that Diana, Princess of Wales, was a patron of, and I was working full time for a charity that she was a patron of. So when she divorced Prince of Wales, now the King, she reduced her patronages down from 187 to six. And I happened to be involved with six of them. I went to work for her as a deputy private secretary, press secretary. But of course, the moment she died, which was August 31st, I had no job. Suddenly I was unemployed. And I got contacted by a woman who Ken will certainly know, probably Paul will, too, by Sue Garland, who used to be Deputy Chief Executive of VisitBritain, who'd heard me speak at something and said, "Well, we're just about to create this post of government affairs liaison. Would you be interested to working on the role while working on what you do next?”Bernard Donoghue: And that was in August 1997. And here I am still. Ken Robinson: But also, can I add something to that? Because I was lucky enough to be sitting in the room on many occasions when Bernard would give his briefing at meetings that were held by VisitBritain. And it was always a highlight of the day because Bernard, in those days, never pulled his punches. I'm not saying he does now, but he would just explain to everybody in the room what was going on with all of the political parties, which we never understood, and explain what we ought to be doing in order to best put our case. So it was really no shock when he turned up at ALVA, because I would say this if he wasn't here, he was the star of the show there, and that expertise that he showed has blossomed in the job that he's doing now. Kelly Molson: This is lovely, isn't it? Aren't you all nice? Bernard Donoghue: This is love in.. Kelly Molson: Probably why you all work together, right? You will get on so well. Right, back to you, Ken. Unpopular opinion, please. Ken Robinson: Most visitor attractions do not deliver full value for money to most of their visitors. Kelly Molson: Okay, Paul and Bernard, do you agree with this? Will our listeners agree with this? Is this an unpopular opinion?Paul Kelly: Did you use the word most, Ken? Ken Robinson: I did. Paul Kelly: I'll go for some, not most. Bernard Donoghue: Yeah, I'll go for some as well. One of my favourite programmes is Yes, Minister. And whenever you'd hear something off the wall, bonkers, they would say, that's a very brave opinion, Minister. That's a very brave opinion, Ken.Ken Robinson: Now's not the time to justify it. I'll do that on another occasion. Kelly Molson: Yeah, we will invite you back and we can do that one on one, Ken. Paul, what about you? Unpopular opinion? Paul Kelly: Well, I'm guessing that anybody that's worked in a theme park will probably have the same opinion I have. So I worked at Thorpe Park, which was 450 acres, two thirds of which was water. And at the end of the day, when you were walking out, and in those days, that could be 9, 10 o'clock at night, it was beautiful. On a late summer's evening, calm waters, walking through a park which had just been cleaned and tidied and ready for the next day. It was fantastic. And we all had the same opinion once were down the pub discussing the day. It's just a shame we have to let people into theme parks because it's the absolutely beautiful place without them there. So sometimes people let the parks down. Kelly Molson: That's a good one. That is a good one. Yeah. And you don't want to let them in to see the beautiful bit either, do you? Because then there'd be people there. It wouldn't be serene. Paul Kelly: No, I mean, those evenings, if there was still time, we'd go windsurfing on the lakes, cable water ski around the back. And it was just a shame that all these people came in every day and messed it all up. Kelly Molson: Yeah. Well, I'm pretty sure that most people who've worked in theme parks aren't going to disagree with you on that one, Paul. Good one. Bernard, what about yours? Bernard Donoghue: Even though I chair a theatre and I know how important the revenue is, I'm not a fan of selling drinks and food to people in theatres because they just make a noise. I can't bear it. I mean, it depends. I mean, it depends if it's a panto or something like that. Completely fine. Ken Robinson: Oh, no, it's not. Bernard Donoghue: It kind of allies to what Paul was saying as well, which was I don't know whether it's an unpopular opinion. I think it's probably a popular opinion. But visitor behaviour, whether it's in a theatre, a museum, an art gallery or wherever, has completely deteriorated post lockdown. Some people's behaviour is getting worse and it's very difficult to know what to do about it. Kelly Molson: Yes, agree. I don't think that's going to be very unpopular at all, actually, considering some of the things that we've seen recently. Thank you all for sharing. Okay, let's get back to the serious bit. The Visitor Attractions Conference. It's 20 years old this year. If you are listening and you're not familiar with it, one, why the hell not? And two, you need to grab a ticket today. It's the leading networking and learning event for visitor attractions across the UK. And I first visited in October 2019 and it was the first sector specific conference that I had been to. We'd been working in the sector for probably about three or four years, had never really at that point kind of gone all out on our like, "This is what we're going to niche and this is what we're going to specialise in."Kelly Molson: So I was kind of doing a bit of a fact finding mission really, and I came along and it absolutely blew me away. I think it was one of the friendliest conferences I've ever been to. I think you'd created an environment where everybody was really welcome, no stupid questions. Everyone from speakers to guests where kind of felt like they were all on the same level, really happy to answer questions that you had, really happy to talk to you. And I think that was for me. I came away from that event, I went back to my team and said, "This is where we should be. This is the event for us, this is where we should be attending, these are the people that we should be speaking to." And I've absolutely loved every minute of that. Kelly Molson: I mean, the next one I went to was a virtual one. So it was very different to the 2019 event, but still excellently organised. So firstly, thank you for making that happen. But where did the idea for the VAC come from in the first place? How did this come about? Ken Robinson: So we have to remember that the world was very different over 20 years ago. Really, really very different. Not just a question of internet or pre COVID and all those things and pre Olympics, but just very different. And attractions in those days thought and acted and communicated in their sectoral associations. Historic houses talked to historic houses, curators of museums talked to curators, bishops talked to priests, zoologists talked to botanists, but they didn't talk across the sectors. There were two exceptions to that. One was that in Visit England or English Tourist Board, there'd always been a committee there which was across the sectors, but the other one was ALVA. Now, when ALVA was formed, it was a 1 million visitors plus club for attractions, with 1 million plus visitors a year. Ken Robinson: Subsequently, groups of attractions, particularly English Heritage, National Trust, were involved originally associates, but it was a 1 million plus club and that's only 1% of the attractions in the United Kingdom had over 1 million. And it was very London centric. And ALVA had a five objectives, four of which were about government. And the interesting thing was that I was very good friends all through this time with Lord Lee, who know a very big part of the early success, pre Bernard of ALVA. I said to John Lee, “Look John, could you not change your name to ALVA and be involved with all the visitor attractions because they badly need something which glues everybody together and we need to get across this away from this sectoral stuff.” Ken Robinson: And everybody was talking about historic houses, talk about the house museums, talking about the continents of the museum but they weren't talking about visitors. They weren't talking about how you communicated with the visitors or what they were motivated by or how you could better manage things for visitors, give them better they weren't doing that. So John agreed with this and I've got the original papers here. I looked them out that I was asked first of all by ALVA in December of 2001 to write a paper on the future of ALVA which is headed: ALVA in the Future Representing All Visitor Attractions. Then after that the conversation went on and we realised that if were going to have some kind of overall event we couldn't do it without the National Tourist Board, we couldn't do it without Visit Britain, Visit England. We needed their input.Ken Robinson: We needed them to talk to DCMS and make sure it would happen. And also we wanted to do this not on a commercial basis but being by the industry, for the industry, run by the industry, not for profit. And that was a problem because we wanted to do it in the QE II Centre because we wanted to be in the centre of everything and that was going to cost an extraordinary sum of money and there wasn't that much money that could in that first year come originally from VisitEngland. So the partners in this, the partners being ALVA, BALPPA, Paul's organisation, Leisure Media the wonderful Liz Terry and her magazine which has forever been behind this event for no recompense whatever and myself put up 5000 pounds each security in order that the thing would happen. Ken Robinson: You said, "We'll stand the risk, let's do it.". So in 2004 I wrote the briefing of the first conference and I found from a 2003 the government asked for a list of topics that would be discussed in order they could work out whether or not they might like it and it's still here. What I like about it is it would do quite well for this year's conference. All those topics are still relevant. So that's where it came from. That's where it came from. We wanted it to have at the time the lowest possible attendance fee to get the highest number of people there. We wanted to involve everybody. Ken Robinson: And the cast list for that 2004 event, my goodness me, absolutely fantastic cast list in terms of the people we had for an initial event and you can imagine when it was announced and everybody was behind it ALVA was behind it. BALPPA, I should have mentioned that Colin Dawson, Paul's predecessor was an absolute stalwart of the conference in the early years he stood by know, when times were tough and that's where it came from. Kelly Molson: That is phenomenal. It was really putting your money where your mouth is, isn't it? By all of you actually personally investing in this thing to bring it to life. You don't hear many things happening in that way anymore, do you? It's all about getting investment and asking other people to make the commitment to it and take the risk. Ken Robinson: Well, we have a company now, I should say. We have a company called VAC Events, and we are all equal. The four of us are equal shareholders, that's to say, Bernard and ALVA, BALPPA and Paul, Liz and myself, for no benefit. Martin does it for us, but we are the people that carry the can, if you like, and I don't think we've ever had anything out of it apart from a nice lunch at Christmas, but apart from that, it's a great feeling of doing something. When you say everybody is very friendly and talks to one another. That's why they're all in the same business. Bishop, curator, zoologist person running a heritage railway, they're all in the same business. Kelly Molson: Obviously, the first event was a success. You've been on and you've done many, what, 20, 20 events since that first one. How have you seen it kind of change and develop over the years? So what did that first conference look like compared to what this year's will look like? And how have you kind of evolved it over that time to keep it relevant to your audience? Paul Kelly: Well, I think so. My involvement directly has been the last ten years, so I'm halfway through chairing for this one, but I was actually there at the early ones because I worked at that time. I was working at the London Eye, just across the river, and I was good friends with Colin Dawson at the time. I'd worked with him at Thorpe Park and he for some people, may well remember Colin as entertaining Princess Diana on a log flume in 92, 3 and 4. Paul Kelly: And I was there. It's hard to tell, but I was actually there. I'm not in any of the photos in Paris Match and all of those places. I have a couple of myself here. I didn't get anything signed by Princess Diana and sent over to you know, bitterness takes a while to and I've joked with Colin over this many years. Colin was there, but if you look closely behind the scenes, you'll find I was there too, but so I was great friends with Colin over many years and still am. He was obviously contacting everyone he knew about this conference. He was working for BALPPA at the time. I was working for the Two Swords Group, had the operational contract for the London Eye. Paul Kelly: So I went to the first one and I suppose my impressions of the first one was for somebody who hasn't been there before, the QE II is extremely impressive as a conference center. I don't go to many that look like that around the UK. Most of them normally the ones I go to are in attractions, they're slightly different so it was hugely impressive both on its location and what was across the road and how things went and I was a little bit starstruck I suppose, for the first one. Now I get the opportunity to sit on the stage and look out at everybody and have a slightly different view on it all, but still think it's an extremely impressive environment to do that. Paul Kelly: And I think the biggest change for me, and I think we may cover a little bit later, is how we've broken up the afternoons into separate segments and sections where people can go along to a smaller, informal group discussing a topic that they particularly want. And I think the thing I also like about that is the amount of people who want to go to more than one of them that are on at the same time and are almost complaining there's too many things to go to, which I think is hilarious, which means it's really good. And hopefully that means that next time they'll really think about which one do I want to go to, obviously I want to go to more than one, but I'm going to pick my best one. Paul Kelly: So I think for me, that's probably the biggest change over time. But what doesn't change for me is the team that we have putting these things together, which we're actually relatively slick at. Everyone gets the chance to put their opinions and I'm glad we don't record those meetings and it works out really well. And I think as a team, it's amazing how long we've stuck at it and stuck together. Kelly Molson: I'd love to be on a little fly on the wall for those meetings. Have you ever had a fallout about something? Bernard Donoghue: Yes, we're frequently violent. It's a visitor experience in its own right, I think. Kelly Molson: I'll pay for it. Bernard Donoghue: We reflect the madness that some of our visitors demonstrate on site so in that case I think we're rooted in the industry. The first one that I went to was in 2011, so I just joined ALVA at that point. And the first one I spoke, it was in 2012 and I've been doing the same kind of slot ever since. I do a kind of State of the Nation in the morning because ALVA obviously gets loads of data and information and we publish all of our visitor figures and all the rest of it, and actually we collect and commission much more data now than we ever used to. So I share all of that in the kind of Donoghue half hour copyright. Bernard Donoghue: What's lovely I mean, Paul's absolutely right is that over the last twelve years I think we've seen a real move from people desperately wanting to speak about their successes to being really open about what hasn't worked, which of course is far more interesting and useful. So there's been a really lovely shift from people saying, "No, I don't have to do the propaganda stuff.” Actually, I'm going to tell you what it was like, why it was a disaster and what we learned from it. And that's so useful. So you do get this real honesty coming from the speakers who know that's what they find useful too. So why not share it? I think the other one is I do a presentation about, is there core behaviours of successful visitor attractions regardless of type?Bernard Donoghue: And there are there's about ten of them, but one of them is the ability to foster creative partnerships with unusual suspects. So the presentations that are most fascinating for me is where a visitor attraction, it doesn't matter whether it's a cathedral or whether it's a museum or gallery or theme park, have teamed up with someone that you wouldn't expect them to team up with to tell the story of their people and places and collections in a new, innovating, exciting way. And those are fascinating, absolutely fascinating. So I love those. There's much more of that. Kelly Molson: Fantastic. Well, on that note, I want to know from each of you who has been the most inspiring speaker that you've had at the conference over the past 20 years. Ken, let us start with you. Who do you think would be on your list for that? Ken Robinson: I had a look through the programs going back to 2004 and came up with the following names which surprised me, actually. I think originally our first most inspiring speaker was Simon Jenkins, the columnist of the Times, who had very strong views, which didn't necessarily agree with what government and others were doing. He did give a very inspiring presentation and then there are some people who perhaps we would expect less. The most single most surprising speaker was somebody called Tristram Mayhew, who titles himself as the Chief Gorilla of Go Ape and in a room full of suits and quite smart dresses and trouser suits, Go Ape shambled onto the stage in a car key shirt and proceeded to explain how he'd done things differently. And frankly, it was riveting. We had a chap called Tony Berry from the National Trust who gave presentations. Ken Robinson: His first one was just stunnning, you know, in the days when HR was less popular, Tony Berry would tell you why you should be interested and he was absolutely amazing. And Sue Wilkinson, incidentally, of the National Trust, who was the person responsible really for dragging the Trust from its sort of old form to its new marketing orientated thinking about its supporters future success? She was terrific. And the other person I would mention another Tony, I don't know whether or Tony's there's Tony Butler from the Museum of East Anglian Life, who again, when Bernard was talking about people talking about doing things differently and it inspires you. Some of those examples are very interesting, but not easy to copy. Ken Robinson: In other attractions, we always look for things that do go across the piece, so anybody can learn from the lessons within the example that we're talking about. And incidentally, we do have arguments in meetings, it's about whether particular speakers and particular topics are the way of doing things. And generally speaking, when we all have a good go at it comes out better than it did when anybody said, “Well, I know what the right answer is. No, you don't. Let's all talk about it. So that works.” So you get these people that actually inspire and they light up the room, not because of clever graphics and not because of a forceful way, but they light up the room because of the originality of their ideas. Now, I'll come to my number one. Ken Robinson: I'm sorry about this, because he's sitting on my screen down there, and that's young Bernard, who since he joined our there you go. That's the top half that works. You should see the bottom half doesn't work. He's just had pins put in it. Kelly Molson: Just for our listeners here, Bernard is given a little muscle strong arm salute on screen here. Ken Robinson: Bernard combines the latest immediate knowledge of talking to people across the industry with an absolutely amazing gift of the gab, with a power of communication. And he's unstoppable. And we wouldn't have stood him for all these years if he wasn't. So of all the years and all the speakers, the consistent best is Bernard. But we have had other people, often surprising, who take know, you don't expect it, you think you're going to listen to ordinary session, all of a sudden it takes fire. Kelly Molson: Bernard, what have you got to say to that? Bernard Donoghue: What I say to Ken is there are packets of cash going from London to the south coast with immediate effect. Delighted. Thank you very much. It's really lovely, actually. I've tried to change things every year to do partly political, but also partly about good practice and who's doing what and who's interesting. I'll tell you what, one of my favourite speakers, and it was in a conversation, one of the things that we've introduced is a sort of conversation with slot, which works really well, actually, because a bit like this, you're off script, you respond to people. Liz chaired a conversation last year, so were in Birmingham last year and it was all about HR issues and of course, it know, coming out of COVID and cost of living crisis and recruitment challenges and all of those kind of stuff. Bernard Donoghue: And Tina Lewis is the director of people at the National Trust. National Trust, getting great repertoire here. She came out with an idea that they're doing at the National Trust and I've implemented it in the three organisations that I chair and it's made the biggest difference. So the National Trust, they will pay the rent deposit for your flat if you need them to. So if you're going through a cost of living crisis and you can't get up the cash to put down a rent deposit on your flat, they'll do it for you. You can't get up the cash to put down a rent deposit on your flat, they'll do it for you. That was such a transformational thing to hear. You could almost hear the gasp in the room of people going, "Oh, my God. Yeah, if we can, let's do that." Bernard Donoghue: And I've now introduced it. As I say in the organisations that I chair, not many people have taken it up, but the fact that we've said it has made such a difference to people. I mean, as it is at the Trust, actually, there's been a relatively small number of people at the Trust who've taken it up, but the very policy decision, the very communication of it, just spoke volumes about an organisation that cares about its staff, and particularly those staff who are on really limited budgets. So there's been loads and loads of speakers over the course of the last few years, but that for me was a nugget which has changed people's lives and has been implementable. Kelly Molson: I think that's the key to that part, isn't it, is that it's an incredible thing that they've done, but the fact that it can be implemented someone has listened to that talk. They can take that away, take it to their board, take it to whoever needs to okay that, and they can put that into action like that straight away. That's the power of a really good initiative and a good speaker to be able to deliver that as well. Paul, what about you? Please don't say Bernard. I think he's had enough praise today. Bernard Donoghue: No, keep going. Kelly Molson: No. Paul Kelly: You're OK, Bernard? We'll leave that one where it is, shall we? If we can squeeze Bernard into the room next. Right, so one special mention I wanted to give, actually, which is one of the years not too long ago, we invited Simon Calder to speak, the travel journalist, and I have to say I wasn't convinced, because clearly he's not working in one of our attractions and doesn't necessarily know the industry pretty well. But I have to say, he was hugely entertaining, had done his homework, was hugely knowledgeable, and so he was absolutely excellent. But I think the most important thing for me is that he left us and he said to me, “Enjoyed it so much, I'll come back later.” And I said, “Yes, of course you will.”Paul Kelly: So he went away and he came back at the end of the day to talk to all the people that he'd seen early in the day, because he loved the atmosphere and he wasn't required to do that. And he came along. And for that I have to put a special mention in one for myself to actually listen to the others when they say, “This will be good”, and secondly for him, for actually doing a bit and actually coming back later. And he was a fabulous addition and outside of our industry. So my inside the industry one is somebody I ended up working with because I was with the Two Swords group and then they were bought by Merlin with Nick Varney and his Merry Men. Paul Kelly: So Nick and his team had obviously been in the industry a very long time at this point, dipped in and out of theme parks and attractions. But Nick didn't actually do many talks. You wouldn't actually hear him speak about too much. I'd heard him speak over in the IAAPA trade show held in Orlando every November, and he was absolutely brilliant. And then Ken managed to get him to speak at VAC one year. And again, he was absolutely excellent. And this fits in nicely because now that he's retired from Merlin, he's speaking again this year. So I think that will be really interesting because he's absolutely excellent. Ken Robinson: And by the way, guys, just to show you that we know what we're doing here, this is 2004, okay? And it says here the recipe for success. Nick Varney chief executive, will talk about the components for commercial success. And that's before. So we've got him first and look what happened. Kelly Molson: I'm really looking forward to that interview, actually, and I think it would be really interesting to see how he differs now. He's kind of outside of the sector, and I think that the format that you've got him in. So that's the interview with Liz, isn't it? On stage? I think that's going to be a really great format as well. I've seen that work really well in the past where she's interviewed people and it just feels really comfortable and really conversational. I think that brings out the best of people. Bernard Donoghue: Kelly, do you want to know who's been of most variable quality? Kelly Molson: Oh, yes. Bernard Donoghue: Tourism Minister. I mean, without doubt. I mean, we've been going 20 years now, therefore we've had 20 tourism ministers, had one a year, like Christmas cards. And some of them have completely got the industry completely understood. It delivered a barnstorming speech, and then the next year you'll get the annual Tourism Minister pop up and they'll read something flat, banal, uninteresting. And we're so torched by the experience that we don't invite the one next on the year. So we're always banging on about this. Tourism is very good at job creation. In fact, we've created 20 Tourism Minister jobs in years, but they are of variable quality. Ken Robinson: The best we ever had, Bernard, I think, by far, was John Penrose, when he had completed his review of the industry and got very clear views, which he put to government. Unfortunately, government didn't do it, as they usually don't, but he was good and people liked him and gave him a high rating. I think the next best was probably Margaret Hodge, who was very good and spoke from the heart. But as you say, when we look at every year, we look at a rating of every speaker and the meeting after the event, we go through those ratings and decide, those that got good ratings, why did they get it? Was it intrinsic to their character, their nature, their topic? Was there something special? And those who didn't, why was that? Was it our fault? Ken Robinson: Did we not brief them properly? Or was it never going to be any better? Ken Robinson: And that way we managed to manage the conference. So know the attraction sector. We sometimes forget that over half of all visits to visitor attractions in the UK are free of charge. We forget that the majority of visitor attractions are medium and small businesses. We forget that there are charitable and commercial attractions. We must be able to bring this whole sector together and move our thinking forward in the way that Bernard has just explained in terms of what he does with ALVA. And the other thing that Bernard mentioned was ALVA's research now. Ken Robinson: 20 years ago, you had to wait until the annual book came out from Thames Tower and then eventually from the centre of luck look to page 16 and there would be numbers, but very little interpretation of what those numbers meant. Now, Bernard is behind much of the work that is done now with ALVA. But the key to it is it's not just numbers, it's interpretation. And because of the communication skills, when ALVA put out a message, it is interpreted. It says why it was a successful year or what was mitigating against that. And that's so important in trying to move our case forward. Kelly Molson: But it's important in improving the content that you give your audience at the conferences as well, right? If something isn't working and you've got a process of evaluating why that hasn't worked and how you improve on it for the next one. Let's just focus on why should people attend VAC this year? What is in it for them? What's on the agenda? What have they got to look forward to and how can we get them to book a ticket? Bernard Donoghue: I'll happily go first and go quite niche, actually. One of the things that I do now outside of ALVA, or because of ALVA is that I co chair the advisory board for VisitLondon. So essentially chair the London tourist board. And I do that with Kate Nichols of UK hospitality. And we created the London Tourism Recovery Group during COVID So my suggestion would be Sadiq Khan. So we've managed to get the Mayor of London to come along and speak at this anniversary conference. And it's not just because he's the Mayor of London and it's the 20th anniversary, but it's because he's the first ever Mayor of London that hazard one of his four political priorities, culture and tourism. That's number one. Bernard Donoghue: Number two is that he put his money where his mouth was and he funded the Let's Do London Recovery campaign, which was both domestic and international with the industry. We delivered it with London and partners, but he put up the lump sum behind it. And third, he completely gets that tourism and heritage and culture is both where you grow jobs and we're very good at it, but it's also where you grow people. It's where you grow people in terms of their cultural literacy or their sense of community or their independence or their sense of history. And therefore knowing where you come from enables you to be a better future citizen, if you like. Bernard Donoghue: So my quick blast would be we've got him doing a welcome, but also saying why visitor attractions and tourism are so important to him and to the economy and the politics of London. So that's not to be missed. Kelly Molson: That is a big draw. Absolutely a big draw. Paul, you mentioned earlier about the variety in splitting up that second session, that second part of the day with the seminars and the smaller talks that you do as well. That for me, as an attendee, is really valuable because you can kind of pick and choose what's relevant to you and go along and see lots of different talks. What do you think is the draw for people to come to the conference this year for you? Paul Kelly: Well, I was just jotting down, thinking about it's a little bit. An extension of what Ken was talking about is that it's the variety of what we do in one place is greater than anywhere else. And all the conferences I do because of the nature of what we do each end of the spectrum. So we've got talks about people who run charities to people who run hugely commercial operations. We've got people doing talks on which are free to get into those who are quite expensive, but focus on value for money. And you've got those that are indoor, those that are outdoor. When I spent my time business development at Merlin, they were always focused on a balanced portfolio. And a balanced portfolio meant making sure that right across your business, you have every aspect covered. Paul Kelly: So everything balances indoor, outdoor, UK, Europe, USA, whatever it is. And I think with our conference, that's what we try and do, we try and balance all of those types of different types of operations so that everything is covered, not to the point where it's too thin and you don't learn anything. And that's the key to it, is that we go into the depth. And the depth, I think, is greater now because we do those breakout sessions and we've got time to do in fact, we double up for those three different areas just for that afternoon. So I think those are the things, if anyone asks me why they should come, it's about the variety.Kelly Molson: Regardless of size of your attraction as well. And actually, from my perspective as a supplier to the industry, it's just as valuable to come along and learn and understand what's going on in the sector. You don't have to be an attraction to come along and take part and be educated about what's happening in the sector. What about you, Ken? Ken Robinson: Well, I think that those of us who have stood on the stage at the QE II Centre and looked at the people who have come can see that there aren't any slumbering faces out there. There are people making notes, people nudging the person next to them, people looking round when we ask a question. We now have a sort of red and green card system for, do you agree? Don't you agree? Which we sometimes use, which is very interesting, engaging the mood of the room. And I think that the thing about VAC is don't be lazy if we're going to come to VAC. Don't be lazy. If you're coming to VAC, l And jot down what questions you might like to ask those people or what you'd like to learn from that session. Write it down, don't think you can remember it at the time. Ken Robinson: Bring it on a note with you when you come and then you will find, and we all know this, that the networking that happens at the end of the day and in the breaks at VAC it's like a family wedding in a way. I mean, everybody wants to talk to everybody else and it's so valuable. I think everybody who goes away from VAC should have a good few things that day, which they say, “I wouldn't have thought of that if I hadn't been there”, or even, “I disagree with that”, but it's made me realise what my true opinion about that is equally valuable. But don't be a lazy attendee. Come and participate, come and enjoy, come and learn, come and take back benefit to everybody that works with you. Kelly Molson: Yeah, I couldn't agree more. I think that thing about not being scared to ask questions is really valid as well, Ken, because this happened to me, actually. I went to one of the seminar sessions, and this is back in 2019 and was really inspired by one of the speakers about it was Julez Osbek, who was at Continuum Attractions at the time, and she talked about marketing segmentation, but had a completely different perspective on it in terms of not doing it demographically, just talking about age brackets and things like that. And it was really interesting. I didn't get a chance to ask a question during the seminar, but I found her afterwards and she was very approachable, very happy to answer my question. And then I stalked her on Twitter and got her to come on to the podcast afterwards to talk about it. Kelly Molson: But that's for me, what VAC is about. It's the openness that people are really willing to share. So don't be afraid to go and find the speaker that you've been inspired by and go and ask them the question afterwards, because everyone's really happy to talk about their topic and they're really happy to help people. That's my little key takeaway from it anyway. Right, so it's going to be on Thursday, the 5th October. This podcast episode is launching on the 20th September, so you haven't got long to go and get your tickets, so make sure you do. It is the 5th October, the QE II Conference Centre in Westminster. The website address is vacevents.com. That's Vacevents.com and you can get your ticket there. All of this information will be in the show notes, so don't worry if you didn't get time to scribble that down. Kelly Molson: While I've got you all, though, because you all are in the sector and you've got lots of insights to share. I want to know from each of you what you think that attractions should be focusing on and what 2024 might look like for the sector. Paul, what about you? Start with you. Paul Kelly: So I've been chatting to some of our operators. We have some very large operators around the UK asking them how it's going? And unsurprisingly, you could have said the same question 20 years ago, what's our biggest challenge? It's the weather. It's not actually the cost of living crisis, it's not COVID you can put plans together for those things and you can work on it, but the weather always is a little bit of a challenge. So this summer inverted commerce has been quite hard to focus on what we can deliver when the days have been half decent. Actually, we've done quite well, we always do relatively well, certainly in our sector, I'm sure the others will agree, in a recession. Paul Kelly: So the key seems to be, and I'm going to put it out, I haven't quite found the right words for it, but I'll develop this once I've spoken to a few more. What every attraction for me has to have is an opportunity for people to downgrade what they did slightly. What they're doing is they're ringing it up and saying, "Can't afford to do this, have you got something that's almost like that?" But whether it's a slightly different experience, less time, one day less so whatever the packages are that people are offering, there has to be one rung lower than it was before to still encourage people to come along because they're not able to reach the same heights at the moment that they did previously. But they still want to have that family experience that day out, create those memories. Paul Kelly: All of those things are still relevant. And if you don't have that opportunity, then they'll either go elsewhere or they won't go. So, again, it's managing. So I'm not talking about huge discounts, I'm talking about being relatively clever in what you package and what you put together to make sure they still attend and they still get what they perceive to be value for money. But unless you have that option then I think they won't come. Kelly Molson: Really great advice, Paul. Thank you. Bernard, what about you? Bernard Donoghue: Like Paul, actually, especially since Lockdown ended, but actually for about the last five or six years I've noticed a particular thing which is where visitor attractions have got reserves, and that's a big if by the way, particularly in the course of the last couple of years. Actually, especially since Lockdown ended, but actually for about the last five or six years I've noticed a particular thing which is where visitor attractions have got reserves, and that's a big if by the way, particularly in the course of the last couple of years. So it comes back to Paul's point about kind of ensuring yourself against the excesses of the weather and making sure that you're still particularly a family attractive visitor attractions that'd be one. Second is cost of living crisis, certainly for the average customer, but also the energy costs for visitor attractions too. Bernard Donoghue: Just crazy amounts of money that visitor attractions are now paying i If you're a zoo or an aquarium you can't turn down the temperature of your botanics you're a living reef. So we're going to have to find some way out of that. And that means that actually for many organisations it's going to be as financially challenging over the next twelve months as it has been over the last two. And then I think the third, and this is a continual for me and Kelly, you and I have talked about it before, but it forms the last session of the day at the VAC conference which is diversity and inclusivity. And my feeling is that every visitor attraction should be critically honest about who comes, who doesn't, why they don't come and what are you going to do about it?Bernard Donoghue: And in particular those organisations who in receipt are government money or public money or who had COVID loans from the UK taxpayer. If their visitors don't look like the community in which they're housed, they have a moral question at the heart of their business. That's it. If you want to take public money you need to have an audience that looks like the diversity of the public. And that's a challenge. I get that, I completely get that. But I think that making sure that we are as accessible in every conceivable way, economically, physically. Accessible to people and that they see their stories and themselves reflected in their collections and people and staff and volunteers and board members, I think that's the biggest challenge of the sector as it is indeed to many other sectors. Bernard Donoghue: But I think we're doing some amazing things and we need to shout about it and we need to share and we need to learn from each other. Kelly Molson: Absolutely agree. And that session is going to be a really great session. That's one not to miss. Ken? Ken Robinson: Well, I would say two things. First of all, as far as our visitors are concerned, I think there is a bigger polarisation now than there ever has been between those who have money and can still afford to do things and are not much impacted by the current circumstances, despite everything. And those who haven't and those who haven't have got to find ways of saving money, getting more for their money. There are so many things they can do that are free and alternatives that charged attractions find it difficult. I think we have to remember that the biggest number of attractions in the United Kingdom are heritage based attractions and they weren't purpose built like many of Paul's members, the attractions are purpose built for entertainment. But heritage attractions have got a bigger responsibility or museums housed in historic buildings. Ken Robinson: And all the time they're having to cut their costs and finding life difficult. Money isn't going into maintaining that National Heritage. And that's a real big long term challenge, one that government can't ignore. So government has a vested interest in the health of our businesses because the more healthy they are, the less will fall back on the state eventually. One last thing, I would like to mention Martin Evans and the tourism business. Ken Robinson: For the last I don't know how many years, Martin has been the person who has put together this event for us. He has to do the heavy lifting. He is backed up by our conference organisers, who are also very efficient. And the other person that I wouldn't like to miss from this, because if she could have been here today, you would have got a different flavour, is the wonderful Liz Terry and the support that her organisation. That's Liz's Organisation, her hard work in Leisure Media Group. She publishes Attractions Management magazine. Ken Robinson: She has never asked for anything from this conference and she gives it great support, without which we wouldn't have made 20 years, as I said earlier. And also a big shout and a screen for Liz. Kelly Molson: That is lovely. Thank you. I'm sure Liz will very much appreciate that. We won't forget her. Don't worry, she'll be on the credits for this podcast. I always ask our guests to leave us with a book recommendation for our listeners. So a book that you've loved, a book that you've enjoyed as part of your career growth can be absolutely anything. So, Paul, what would you like to share with us today? Paul Kelly: Oh, I tell you what, books are a bit highbrow for me. Yes, Bernard agrees with that. So I'm from the north, so I used to travel a lot when I was working North America. Commuting a little bit. So I did read a little bit then, but I very quickly swapped over to podcasts things that I download. I watch Silent Witness from the 90's, early 2000s repeatedly. I like Meet Marry Murder, which is one of the cable channels, so I'm quite simple. So I don't really have a book recommendation. I think when I have time to read, I will look forward to reading what somebody else recommends. Kelly Molson: Well, I will take Silent Witness as a recommendation because I love Silent Witness, Paul. Oh, so good. Never miss an episode, ever. So, OK, they go I mean, I can't give it away as a prize, but go and check out Silent Witness if you haven't. Bernard, what's yours? Bernard Donoghue: Well, I've been on this before and I remember my recommendation and it sounds really facile, but it was absolutely true, was Ladybird Books when I was a kid, and then that's how I got into history and heritage and storytelling and absolutely loved them. And I've still got loads of them, which is a bit sad, actually. I'm currently confined to home with a broken ankle. So I've been going through my big Bernard book of books, of all the ones that I haven't got around to reading, and the one that I've enjoyed most and has really surprised me is Lucy Worsley's biography of Agatha Christie. Absolutely fascinating. I thought I knew her. I thought I knew all about her. I know all of her characters, I've watched every conceivable film and TV program, but what a fascinating woman. Bernard Donoghue: So that's the one that I've loved this summer. Kelly Molson: Great recommendation. Yeah. I wondered what were going to get from you, actually, because you've had a lot of time on your hands to go through that book pile. Bernard Donoghue: It was either going to be Agatha Christie or the Argos catalogue. Honestly, it could have gone. Kelly Molson: It's not Christmas yet. You only do the Argos catalogue at Christmas. Ken, over to you for our last recommendation. Ken Robinson: Well, the best book quite hard to get hold of now, but I can supply copies is Action For Attractions, the National Policy Document, written in 2000. But if you want something other than that, then I have just finished reading a book which everyone else read years ago called Sapiens, which is about this thick, that's to say two and a half inches thick. For those of you listening. It's by somebody, I've just had to look him up because I couldn't have remembered it, by Yuval Noah Harari. And it's entitled A Brief History of Humankind. And what's so interesting about it is it goes through segments explaining the great moves that have happened to us humans since we appeared on this Earth. Ken Robinson: And I found the whole thing fascinating to read in one go what took me a long time, particularly the last bit, which talks about how commerce has changed the world and what we're all doing, and that's, after all, what we're doing at VAC. We are engaged in the kind of commerce that is to entertain, amuse and give enjoyment to our visitors, and at the same time keep the heritage of the country going and keep an awful lot of people employed, so I recommend Sapiens. Kelly Molson: Ken, that's a great book. It took me a really long time to read as well, but it is an absolutely fascinating book. I would totally back up your recommendation there. Have you read the next one as well, Homodeus? Ken Robinson: No one a year is enough for me. Kelly Molson: Well, I've got a toddler, so reading doesn't come easy for me right now. But Homodus is next on my list to read because that's the next one on from Sapiens and it's supposed to be a really good read as well. Right, listeners as ever, if you want to win a copy of Ken and Bernard's book, retweet this episode announcement with the words, I want the Vax books and you will be put into a prize drawer to win them. And also, do go and watch Silent Witness, Paul's recommendation, because it is blooming brilliant. I love it. Thank you all so much for coming on to join me today. I've really appreciated it. It's been a fascinating kind of deep dive into the Visitor Attractions Conference. I genuinely love this conference. It is one absolutely not to be missed. Kelly Molson: I mean, there might be a speaker called Kelly at this one. This is so I'll be there. Come and see me too. But no, thank you. It's been wonderful. As I said, we will put all of the info in the show notes. We'll put all of the connections to Paul, Ken and Bernard too. So if you've got any follow up questions that you want to ask them, I'm sure they'd be really happy to help. But it's vapevents.com. Go and grab your ticket now. Thank you, guys. Ken Robinson: And I have to tell you, Kelly, we are going to spend our time at our next committee meeting thinking of impossible questions for you for when you're speaking at VAC.Kelly Molson: Oh, God. Do it. I love impossible questions. Put me on the spot, Ken. I'll enjoy it. Kelly Molson: Thanks for listening to Skip the Queue. If you've enjoyed this podcast, please leave us a five star review. It really helps others find us. And remember to follow us on Twitter for your chance to win the books that have been mentioned. Skip The Queue is brought to you by Rubber Cheese, a digital agency that builds remarkable systems and websites for attractions that helps them increase their visitor numbers. You can find show notes and transcriptions from this episode and more over on our website, rubbercheese.com/podcast.
In this extraordinary episode, we bring together two intellectual giants for a captivating conversation that will ignite your curiosity and challenge your perspective on the world. Best-selling author and historian Yuval Noah Harari sat down with AI expert Lex Fridman as they took a deep dive into the realms of human history, technology, and the future.
Chapter 1 What's the Book Homo Deus"Homo Deus: A Brief History of Tomorrow" is a book written by Yuval Noah Harari, an Israeli historian and professor at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem. Published in 2015, it is a sequel to his previous book "Sapiens: A Brief History of Humankind." In "Homo Deus," Harari explores the future of humanity and speculates on the direction our species may take in the 21st century and beyond. He discusses various advancements in science, technology, and human ability, such as artificial intelligence, genetic engineering, and immortality. Harari examines the potential consequences of these developments for society, religion, economics, and politics. The book raises thought-provoking questions about the nature of consciousness, free will, and the role of humans in a world where algorithms and machines play increasingly important roles. Harari presents different scenarios for the future of Homo sapiens and invites readers to contemplate the challenges and opportunities that lie ahead. Overall, "Homo Deus" delves into the possibilities and ethical implications of technological progress, offering insights into how our species might evolve and what it means to be human in an ever-changing world.Chapter 2 Why is Homo Deus Worth ReadAccording to reddit comments on Homo Deus, Homo Deus: A Brief History of Tomorrow by Yuval Noah Harari is worth reading for several reasons: 1. Thought-provoking exploration: The book provides a compelling analysis of the future of humanity and challenges readers to think deeply about the direction our species is heading. Harari delves into topics such as artificial intelligence, genetic engineering, and the potential for immortality, forcing us to consider the ethical, social, and philosophical implications of these advancements. 2. Broad perspective: Harari takes a broad view of history and combines it with a deep understanding of technology and human nature. He connects various historical events and trends to create a comprehensive narrative of how we arrived at the present moment and what the future may hold. This wide-ranging approach helps readers gain a better understanding of our current global challenges. 3. Engaging writing style: Harari's writing style is clear, accessible, and engaging. He presents complex ideas in a way that makes them easy to comprehend, even for those who are not experts in the subject matter. His thought-provoking arguments and vivid storytelling make the book a captivating read. 4. Relevance to contemporary issues: Homo Deus addresses many pressing issues of our time, such as the impact of technology on society, the rise of dataism, and the potential consequences of heightened human control over our own biology. By examining these issues through a historical lens, Harari encourages readers to reflect on the choices we are making today and the potential consequences they may have for our future. 5. Stimulating discussions: Reading Homo Deus can spark intellectual conversations and debates among friends, colleagues, or in book clubs. The book raises profound questions about the nature of consciousness, free will, and the meaning of life. It offers insights that challenge conventional wisdom and invites readers to contemplate alternative perspectives. In summary, Homo Deus is worth reading because
Recent episodes of the riveting podcast "Hidden Killers" delved deep into the mysterious case of Brian Kohberger. Host Tony Brueski, in an engaging conversation with retired FBI Special Agent and Chief of the Counterintelligence Behavioral Analysis Program, Robin Dreeke, shared intriguing insights into Kohberger's psyche and the broader implications for society's approach to mental health. The former FBI specialist began by highlighting the profound influence of one's upbringing on shaping their life trajectory. He stated, "Our genetics and biology give us what we're born with and then our upbringing, our nurture part takes over." Dreeke recalled writings from Kohberger's teenage years which vividly portrayed his emotional turmoil. "You could hear the pain in his voice," Dreeke observed. The former agent continued, “You could hear how disjointed he was. And you could hear that this is the making of someone that if he doesn't get immediate help, he is going down the path of severe psychopathy, most likely." Brueski delved deeper into Kohberger's background, revealing how he was expelled from high school following complaints from female students. Such information fits seamlessly with the behavior pattern constructed from Kohberger's youth, further emphasizing the necessity of addressing signs of severe psychopathy early. The discussion took a broader turn when Brueski questioned the challenges parents face in the United States, particularly when they suspect their child might suffer from an innate mental condition. The reluctance of many to confront this reality can, according to Brueski, lead to cases where children are shuffled between classes without truly addressing the root problem. Dreeke expressed profound empathy for parents grappling with such challenges. Discussing Kohberger's family, he said, "From the optic that we've seen, when you do the thought experiment and you look at a troubled teen that appears, you know, the parents were involved in trying to do things." Drawing attention to Kohberger's father's attempt to help him socialize by asking neighbors to engage with his son, Brueski highlighted the parents' awareness of their son's struggles. However, he also raised concerns about the limited resources and guidance available to parents in such situations. Furthermore, the conversation touched upon the broader issue of mental health in the country. "Mental health still remains the problem," remarked Brueski, who noted the challenges of both recognizing potential mental health issues and effectively preventing them. Brueski referenced a thought-provoking book, "Homo Deus," which delves into the future evolution of our species, particularly the quest to conquer death and discover happiness. He stated, "And part of that is going to have to overcome these mental health challenges. We're gonna have to really focus hard on our brain and how to make it healthy for everyone." However, with the proliferation of true crime stories and discussions across media, the duo also questioned the potential ramifications for the justice system. Can the inundation of such content taint a jury pool or interfere with a fair trial? Dreeke believes it's a double-edged sword, acknowledging that while early portrayals in series like CSI may have skewed public perceptions, unscripted discussions in shows like "Hidden Killers" might restore balance. This episode of "Hidden Killers" masterfully interweaves the individual case of Brian Kohberger with the broader societal challenges tied to mental health, parenting, and media's influence, providing listeners with both gripping details and thought-provoking insights. Want to listen to ALL of our podcasts AD-FREE? Subscribe through APPLE PODCASTS, and try it for three days free: https://tinyurl.com/ycw626tj Follow Our Other Cases: https://www.truecrimetodaypod.com The latest on Catching the Long Island Serial Killer, Chad & Lori Daybell, The Murder of Ana Walshe, Alex Murdaugh, Bryan Kohberger, Lucy Letby, Kouri Richins, Justice for Harmony Montgomery, The Murder of Stephen Smith, The Murder of Madeline Kingsbury, and much more! Listen at https://www.truecrimetodaypod.com
Recent episodes of the riveting podcast "Hidden Killers" delved deep into the mysterious case of Brian Kohberger. Host Tony Brueski, in an engaging conversation with retired FBI Special Agent and Chief of the Counterintelligence Behavioral Analysis Program, Robin Dreeke, shared intriguing insights into Kohberger's psyche and the broader implications for society's approach to mental health. The former FBI specialist began by highlighting the profound influence of one's upbringing on shaping their life trajectory. He stated, "Our genetics and biology give us what we're born with and then our upbringing, our nurture part takes over." Dreeke recalled writings from Kohberger's teenage years which vividly portrayed his emotional turmoil. "You could hear the pain in his voice," Dreeke observed. The former agent continued, “You could hear how disjointed he was. And you could hear that this is the making of someone that if he doesn't get immediate help, he is going down the path of severe psychopathy, most likely." Brueski delved deeper into Kohberger's background, revealing how he was expelled from high school following complaints from female students. Such information fits seamlessly with the behavior pattern constructed from Kohberger's youth, further emphasizing the necessity of addressing signs of severe psychopathy early. The discussion took a broader turn when Brueski questioned the challenges parents face in the United States, particularly when they suspect their child might suffer from an innate mental condition. The reluctance of many to confront this reality can, according to Brueski, lead to cases where children are shuffled between classes without truly addressing the root problem. Dreeke expressed profound empathy for parents grappling with such challenges. Discussing Kohberger's family, he said, "From the optic that we've seen, when you do the thought experiment and you look at a troubled teen that appears, you know, the parents were involved in trying to do things." Drawing attention to Kohberger's father's attempt to help him socialize by asking neighbors to engage with his son, Brueski highlighted the parents' awareness of their son's struggles. However, he also raised concerns about the limited resources and guidance available to parents in such situations. Furthermore, the conversation touched upon the broader issue of mental health in the country. "Mental health still remains the problem," remarked Brueski, who noted the challenges of both recognizing potential mental health issues and effectively preventing them. Brueski referenced a thought-provoking book, "Homo Deus," which delves into the future evolution of our species, particularly the quest to conquer death and discover happiness. He stated, "And part of that is going to have to overcome these mental health challenges. We're gonna have to really focus hard on our brain and how to make it healthy for everyone." However, with the proliferation of true crime stories and discussions across media, the duo also questioned the potential ramifications for the justice system. Can the inundation of such content taint a jury pool or interfere with a fair trial? Dreeke believes it's a double-edged sword, acknowledging that while early portrayals in series like CSI may have skewed public perceptions, unscripted discussions in shows like "Hidden Killers" might restore balance. This episode of "Hidden Killers" masterfully interweaves the individual case of Brian Kohberger with the broader societal challenges tied to mental health, parenting, and media's influence, providing listeners with both gripping details and thought-provoking insights. Want to listen to ALL of our podcasts AD-FREE? Subscribe through APPLE PODCASTS, and try it for three days free: https://tinyurl.com/ycw626tj Follow Our Other Cases: https://www.truecrimetodaypod.com The latest on Catching the Long Island Serial Killer, Chad & Lori Daybell, The Murder of Ana Walshe, Alex Murdaugh, Bryan Kohberger, Lucy Letby, Kouri Richins, Justice for Harmony Montgomery, The Murder of Stephen Smith, The Murder of Madeline Kingsbury, and much more! Listen at https://www.truecrimetodaypod.com
"Priorities are determined by the relative strengths of your needs in relation to the range of opportunities afforded by your current circumstances." - Mark Solms. In his book, "Homo Deus", Yuval Noah Harari explains that lawns offered no practical value - they weren't used for grazing animals or growing food. The size and neatness of the lawn became an undeniable symbol of status, a peacock display of wealth that couldn't be imitated. Devoting precious land or time to a lawn was unthinkable for peasants. For them, a 'lawn', if they had any, was not for relaxation but for survival, used to grow food. This historical nugget came to mind recently as I spoke to Neuropsychologist and author of 'The Hidden Spring', Mark Solms. Mark explains that needs and actions are interconnected and must be prioritized based on urgency. For example, we become aware of the need to go to the bathroom when it becomes urgent, a concept referred to as "latchkey urgency". This concept of prioritising needs also applies to organisations, which must determine critical needs based on their current circumstances. For example, I briefly worked as head of Innovation in a large bureaucratic organisation. I should have done my homework on the organisation and presumed we could foster a culture of innovation. However, I soon realised the reality of this week's Thursday Thought. You must also prioritise in an organisation. You cannot paint #innovation over the rust of a toxic culture. You must first tend to the "cultural lawn" before adding the innovative decor. This is even more pronounced if an organisation is fighting for survival. In "Organisational Fight or Flight Mode", businesses tend to double down on what we already know and become resistant to anything new. Research from former Innovation Show guest Bruce Lipton provides an interesting parallel. His work shows that cells switch between 'protection and' growth modes' based on the surrounding environment and signals from the environment, body, and brain. When a cell perceives a threatening environment, it focuses on protection, thus preventing growth. Conversely, the cell thrives in a non-threatening environment, promoting growth. The same can be applied to humans and their work environments. In a psychological climate of fear, people are less likely to take creative risks or invest in long-term planning. However, when the environment is supportive and non-threatening, individuals are more likely to thrive, plan, and grow. This is where the privilege of having a 'private lawn' comes into play. The 'private lawn' is the ability to have the time and space to plan, think and grow. For some of us, daily survival consumes all our time and energy, leaving no room for strategic thinking or planning. As business leaders, creating an environment where everyone can access their 'private lawn' - a space for growth, planning, and forward-thinking is crucial. However, we must also plan by priority.
Are you in a funk? Do you feel lost in life? This is for you. In this episode of The Modern Man, I welcome Alfi Oloo, a product designer by day and mentor/advocate for revised learning at night. Listen in as we dive deep into what to do if you're in a funk, how to unlock your potential and find fulfillment, and the power of leaning into personal development. Alfi sheds light on how to grow your curiosity and find out what you're passionate about. He breaks down how dialogue and listening is the key to solving problems, developing into a respectable man, and advancing in life. Alfi then shares powerful advice for young men who are seeking greater purpose and direction, either in their careers or just in their personal lives. He also details why mentorship is a double-edged sword, one that can either help or hinder you. “We've gone all the way from weapons and war to a conversation. Why do we rely on conversations? Because they are the things that most reliably improve us for the better.” – Alfi Oloo Your potential is immense and it's already within you. Mentorship and human connection is what will bring it to the surface and enable you to see it, feel it, and act on it. Key Takeaways / What You'll Learn: [00:53] About Alfi Oloo. [02:40] How mentorship can help you get unstuck and level up in life. [05:22] Why and how Alfi became a product designer. [11:56] Your curiosity blossoms once you take learning into your own hands. [16:56] We Need to Talk: The value of dialogue in solving problems and advancing society. [27:07] We Need to Listen: Why it's crucial for us to listen to opposite perspectives. [35:58] How respectful disagreement and being proven wrong makes us grow. [41:18] Advice for young men who are trying to unlock their potential and find fulfillment in life. [44:27] How to connect with Alfi. [45:49] As a man, what has shaped your view of the world? If you enjoyed this episode, please SHARE it with a friend, then RATE/REVIEW The Modern Man on Apple Podcasts or Spotify! Resources Mentioned: Join The Noble Knights: https://themodernman.gumroad.com/l/NobleKnights Sapiens and Homo Deus by Yaval Noah Havari: https://bit.ly/3D4Vn0M The Long Walk of Freedom by Nelson Mandela: https://bit.ly/44rBrko Letters to the Sons of Society by Shaka Senghor: https://bit.ly/3pHG2jt How to Speak How to Listen by Mortimer J. Adler: https://bit.ly/3puEVnm Connect with Alfi: Visit his website: https://www.alfioloo.com Follow him on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/alfi.oloo Connect with him on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alphonseo Subscribe to his Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UChX2cFELmADJkK4051tU75A Connect with The Modern Man: Visit our website: https://themodernmanshow.com Join our Facebook group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/244885633101820 Follow us on Twitter: https://twitter.com/TheModernMan8 Follow us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/the_modernman_show Subscribe to our YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCnyA3-wtyv7xVqUbPyB0eOg
Yuval Noah Harari is a historian, philosopher, and author of Sapiens, Homo Deus, 21 Lessons for the 21st Century, and Unstoppable Us. Please support this podcast by checking out our sponsors: - MasterClass: https://masterclass.com/lex to get 15% off - Eight Sleep: https://www.eightsleep.com/lex to get special savings - ExpressVPN: https://expressvpn.com/lexpod to get 3 months free - InsideTracker: https://insidetracker.com/lex to get 20% off - AG1: https://drinkag1.com/lex to get 1 month supply of fish oil Transcript: https://lexfridman.com/yuval-noah-harari-transcript EPISODE LINKS: Yuval's Twitter: https://twitter.com/harari_yuval Yuval's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/yuval_noah_harari Yuval's Website: https://www.ynharari.com Sapiens (book): https://amzn.to/3NQB9wt Homo Deus (book): https://amzn.to/44MzwXu 21 Lessons for the 21st Century (book): https://amzn.to/3Dfkz4D Unstoppable Us (book): https://amzn.to/3NYyBg5 PODCAST INFO: Podcast website: https://lexfridman.com/podcast Apple Podcasts: https://apple.co/2lwqZIr Spotify: https://spoti.fi/2nEwCF8 RSS: https://lexfridman.com/feed/podcast/ YouTube Full Episodes: https://youtube.com/lexfridman YouTube Clips: https://youtube.com/lexclips SUPPORT & CONNECT: - Check out the sponsors above, it's the best way to support this podcast - Support on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/lexfridman - Twitter: https://twitter.com/lexfridman - Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lexfridman - LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lexfridman - Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/lexfridman - Medium: https://medium.com/@lexfridman OUTLINE: Here's the timestamps for the episode. On some podcast players you should be able to click the timestamp to jump to that time. (00:00) - Introduction (08:36) - Intelligence (27:31) - Origin of humans (37:53) - Suffering (58:35) - Hitler (1:17:07) - Benjamin Netanyahu (1:35:30) - Peace in Ukraine (1:52:20) - Conspiracy theories (2:06:59) - AI safety (2:21:16) - How to think (2:31:00) - Advice for young people (2:33:41) - Love (2:43:50) - Mortality (2:48:14) - Meaning of life
Yuval Noah Harari es considerado como uno de los pensadores más influyentes y reconocidos del siglo XXI por su capacidad para articular conceptos complejos y abordar con naturalidad temas trascendentales, convirtiéndose en uno de los intelectuales más destacados de nuestra era. Su enfoque único, que combina la historia, la filosofía y la ética con la investigación científica, se refleja en una prosa cautivadora que desafía las narrativas tradicionales y plantea preguntas profundas sobre la naturaleza humana, la evolución y el futuro de nuestra especie. Harari ha sido objeto de debates intelectuales en todo el mundo provocando replanteamientos significativos en nuestra sociedad. Para el historiador es decisivo seguir formándose y adaptándose a los cambios porque la única certeza respecto al futuro es que va a haber cada vez más cambios, más grandes y más rápido: “La aptitud más importante es tener la mente abierta y ser capaz de reinventarse una y otra vez a lo largo de la vida. La clave para adaptarse al nuevo mundo es olvidar lo que crees que sabes y decir ‘no lo sé”. Con una sonrisa “realista” nos recuerda la importancia de la reflexión existencial en nuestra vida cotidiana, donde el tiempo se percibe cada vez como algo más escaso y valioso, y es fundamental que nos tomemos ese tiempo para ser conscientes de las consecuencias de nuestras acciones y decisiones, tanto a nivel individual como colectivo. Un gesto que reconoce tanto nuestro poder como seres humanos para tomar decisiones y actuar, como nuestra responsabilidad de hacerlo de manera ética teniendo en cuenta la cooperación como parte crucial de este cambio. Será solo a través de la cooperación y del trabajo en equipo cuando podremos superar las divisiones y conflictos que nos separan y avanzar hacia un futuro más inclusivo y sostenible para todos: “Nosotros hicimos del mundo lo que es y por lo tanto podemos cambiarlo si cambiamos la historia y cooperamos. Nos enfrentamos a grandes desafíos pero aún tenemos mucho poder para hacerles frente y es nuestra responsabilidad impedir que hagamos estupideces. Hay que ser realista y hacer algo al respecto”. Aclamado con numerosos premios y reconocimientos por sus valores en las charlas y clases como profesor, así como por su trabajo como historiador y escritor incluido el Premio Polonsky a la Creatividad y la Originalidad en el Campo de las Humanidades (2012) y el Premio Internacional de la Paz de Cataluña (2019). Harari combina su interés por la historia con una apertura mental para comprender la complejidad de la condición humana y explorar el misterio de nuestra existencia. Su trilogía ‘Sapiens', ‘Homo Deus' y ‘21 lecciones del S.XXI', así como su último libro para jóvenes, ‘Imparables', tienen un impacto significativo en el campo de la historia y el pensamiento humano, y siguen presentes entre los libros más vendidos del mundo.
Conscious Millionaire J V Crum III ~ Business Coaching Now 6 Days a Week
Michael Morrissey: HomoDeus: A Brief History of Tomorrow Michael Morrissey is the Founder of Bookflow, a Global Transformational Community devoted to collective personal development. Books at the intersection of Science, Technology & Spirituality are the armature to expand member's collective creativity - with the outcome of shaping a Web3 Future. The group creates deep communities around thought leadership then activates those communities to scale innovation and business. Welcome to the Conscious Millionaire Show for entrepreneurs, who want to achieve high sales and positively impact humanity! Join host, JV Crum III, as he goes inside the minds of conscious guests such as Millionaire Entrepreneurs and World-Class Business Experts. Like this Podcast? Get every episode delivered to you free! Subscribe in iTunes Download Your Free Money-Making Gift Now... "Born to Make Millions" Hypnotic Audio - Click Here Now! Please help spread the word. Subscribing and leaving a review helps others find our podcast. Thanks so much! Inc Magazine "Top 13 Business Podcasts." Conscious Millionaire Network has over 3,800 episodes that have been heard by over 100 million in 190 countries.
Michael Morrissey: HomoDeus: A Brief History of Tomorrow Michael Morrissey is the Founder of Bookflow, a Global Transformational Community devoted to collective personal development. Books at the intersection of Science, Technology & Spirituality are the armature to expand member's collective creativity - with the outcome of shaping a Web3 Future. The group creates deep communities around thought leadership then activates those communities to scale innovation and business. Welcome to the Conscious Millionaire Show for entrepreneurs, who want to achieve high sales and positively impact humanity! Join host, JV Crum III, as he goes inside the minds of conscious guests such as Millionaire Entrepreneurs and World-Class Business Experts. Like this Podcast? Get every episode delivered to you free! Subscribe in iTunes Download Your Free Money-Making Gift Now... "Born to Make Millions" Hypnotic Audio - Click Here Now! Please help spread the word. Subscribing and leaving a review helps others find our podcast. Thanks so much! Inc Magazine "Top 13 Business Podcasts." Conscious Millionaire Network has over 3,800 episodes that have been heard by over 100 million in 190 countries.
A little bit of everything on this weeks episode. Peter is left disappointed by a recent read, and Matt talks about C.S. Lewis. For the main bulk of the episode, we give our updated thoughts on "Homo Deus." Finally, we come up with prop bets and talk through predictions for our upcoming thriller book club. Thanks for listening, and enjoy! Contact Us: Instagram @therewillbbooks Twitter @therewillbbooks Email willbebooks@gmail.com Goodreads: Therewillbebooks ko-fi.com/therewillbbooks patreon.com/therewillbbooks
Here are the top 7 books I read that changed my life and gave me a massive leg up on my peers that will do the same for you.1. Socrates Meets Jesus https://amzn.to/3XyQt5e2. Why We Love Dogs, Eat Pigs, Wear Cows https://amzn.to/42Zq3ec3. How To Be A 3% Man https://amzn.to/46wxMDF4. Sapiens https://amzn.to/443TeOF5. Homo Deus https://amzn.to/443TbCt6. The 48 Laws of Power https://amzn.to/3CZptSZ7. Awaken The Giant Within https://amzn.to/3pq0KV1Instagram @bruce_dasilvaFor more content and ALL things Zeus With Bruce, go to https://zeuswithbruce.com/ and get in touch! Would love to hear your thoughts on this and other episodes! ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★
AI and Genetic Manipulation Show NotesSummary: We know that the capabilities of AI, Artificial Intelligence, are increasing at an exponential rate today. Many outspoken voices are sounding the warning that AI is on track to grow out of control and cause an extinction event of humanity. Others, like our friend Timothy Alberino, predict AI will cause homo sapiens to become obsolete, making it necessary for humans to alter their DNA to become Human 2.0 in order to stay competitive in society. Is it possible that by combining AI with genetics, or biometrics, we are setting the stage for what Paul calls the “strong delusion” that God will send on the Christ-rejecting world?This Episode is brought to you by: Our Premium Subscribers or “Seekers” John O., Nancy C., Marty R., Bridgette L., and Gretchen K.Links to sources:Possible End of Humanity from AI? Geoffrey Hinton at MIT Technology Review's EmTech Digital - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sitHS6UDMJc&t=644sThe AI Dilemma - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xoVJKj8lcNQ&t=29sGoogle co-founder Larry Page: “He wanted to create "digital superintelligence, basically digital god…” - Elon Musk: https://www.businessinsider.com/elon-musk-tucker-carlson-friend-larry-page-refuses-talk-openai-2023-4?op=1Humans Are on Track to Achieve Immortality in 7 Years, Futurist Says (Ray Kurzweil, March 13, 2023) - https://www.popularmechanics.com/science/health/a43297321/humans-will-achieve-immortality-by-2030/Cogito received funding from DARPA, among other investors, to develop an artificial intelligence platform and behavioral models to interpret human communication and detect psychological states automatically.https://cogitocorp.com/about/Note: Cogito is Latin for I think, part of the famous phrase, Cogito ergo sum - “I think, therefore I am.”Pause AI Development: https://www.thegatewaypundit.com/2023/03/petition-to-pause-all-major-ai-developments-circulates-the-internet-elon-musk-and-other-notable-tech-figures-sign-on/Yuval Noah Harari: professor in the Department of History at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yuval_Noah_HarariYuval Noah Harari on the Rise of Homo Deus - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JJ1yS9JIJKs&t=427sAI and the future of humanity | Yuval Noah Harari at the Frontiers Forum - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LWiM-LuRe6wScriptures:All Scripture references are from the King James Version of the BibleDaniel 12:1, 4, 2 Thessalonians 2:7-12, Revelation 14:9-11, Genesis 3:1-5, 1 John 5:9-11, Acts 4:12, Genesis 3:22-24, 1 Timothy 4:1-2, Revelation 13:11-17, Revelation 9:1-7, Revelation 16:1-2, Revelation 6:12-17, Revelation 13:4-8, Revelation 19:19-21, Daniel 7:23-28Takeaway:At Bible Mysteries Podcast we believe we are living in the last days. This current global empire is likely going to emerge as the Fourth Kingdom or Revised Roman Empire of the Beast. Ten satanic global leaders are poised to take control of the entire world and give their power to the Beast. It would appear that AI and genetic manipulation are somehow going to play a part in this deception, but this satanic kingdom will be destroyed by the Lord from heaven. Come quickly, Lord Jesus!Visit our Websites: https://biblemysteriespodcast.com & https://utbnow.comListen to our Podcast: https://biblemysteriespodcast.comBe a Premium Podcast Subscriber: https://biblemysteries.supercast.comSupport the Ministry: https://secure.subsplash.com/ui/access/BDJH89Contact Us: unlockthebiblenow@gmail.comFollow Us: https://www.youtube.com/c/BibleMysteriesFollow Us: https://www.facebook.com/utbnowFollow Us:...
Yuval Noah Harari (@harari_yuval) is a historian and the bestselling author of Sapiens: A Brief History of Humankind, Homo Deus: A Brief History of Tomorrow, and 21 Lessons for the 21st Century. His latest book, Unstoppable Us, Volume 1: How Humans Took Over the World, is out now. What We Discuss with Yuval Noah Harari: At a time when information is unlimited, has the idea that "knowledge is power" become obsolete? It all depends on how careful we are about ingesting the right kind of information — and knowing which kind to avoid. Religious texts and nation-defining constitutions are only as useful as their human interpretations — which can shift radically over the course of generations. In what ways might technology like artificial intelligence and genetic engineering threaten a humanist-centered approach to the future? How algorithms that guess new ways to sell us things we don't need can be modified to put us on the hit lists of authoritarian governments. What humanity really needs to do in order to avert climate crisis and World War III. And much more... Full show notes and resources can be found here: jordanharbinger.com/848 This Episode Is Brought To You By Our Fine Sponsors: jordanharbinger.com/deals Sign up for Six-Minute Networking — our free networking and relationship development mini course — at jordanharbinger.com/course! Like this show? Please leave us a review here — even one sentence helps! Consider including your Twitter handle so we can thank you personally!
Hello everyone!!It is time for rage and anger.This episode Frank and Leon, joined by Justin from LibraryPunk, dive into the extremely popular Yuval Noah Harari, to talk about his second very popular book: "Homo Deus: A Brief History of Tomorrow" from 2015.We dig into this self-absorbed narrative and argument that, while trying to retell most or all human history, can never escape capitalism. Even worse, one that can only see history via lenses of technological progress and development. We bring out the true technofascist nature of Harari's views and book, while sharing the pain of having read terrible historical work and even worse speculation, peddled as absolute certain prophecy.(We should note, all the prophecies have already been proved as unreal or untrue)As thanks and appreciation, check out Justin over on Library Punk!https://www.librarypunk.gayPlease support our Patreon if you're interested and want access to early content and the bonus Reading Corners! https://www.patreon.com/leftpage Intro Music: Gymnopédie Nº1, Erik Satie, 1888Outro Music: Downtime, Vistas, Miracle of Sound, 2014 -> Check out his Bandcamp! https://miracleofsound.bandcamp.com/And here are our several recommendations for this episode!Colin Garvey's Review of Homo Deus for ICONJanelle Shane's "You Look Like a Thing and I love You" book about AIIf Books Could Kill PodcastVideo Games Are The Worst Thing On Earth on MovieBob Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Last month, Alex Newman was the featured speaker at a VCY America rally in southeast Wisconsin. Alex is an award-winning international freelance journalist, author, researcher, educator and consultant. He's senior editor for The New American and contributes to other publications as well. He is author of Crimes of the Educators and Deep State- The Invisible Government Behind the Scenes. He is Founder of Liberty Sentinel.--In part 2 of this presentation by Alex, he discussed people like Yuval Harari -the author of the book Homo Deus- and others who believe we are acquiring divine powers and will become like God. --The Hebrews often times worshiped the things that they made and from what Alex explained, apparently things haven't changed much because the architects of the Great Reset seem to worship their creation of artificial intelligence which they hope will help get us to that point of being like God.--President Biden is quoted on food shortages and how they are on the way. No need to worry because the World Economic Forum has a solution. They want you to eat the food of the future-bugs---Alex then moved along to touch on the following---The move toward an in-between stage of world government known as regionalization.-Audio from Henry Kissinger who openly admitted to what he believed was the need for a New World Order.-In the memoirs of David Rockefeller he said that some see him and his family as conspiring with others around the world to build a more integrated global, political and economic structure. He admitted that if this is the charge, he stands guilty and is proud of it.--What does God think about all of this--
"One of the first things that happens when a culture loses the larger story of God is that there is only one story left—mine." A loss of our identity as Children of God, means that other identities rise in society's values. We become more prideful. Instead of us being in God's image, we make God in our image. Website - www.cwicmedia.com
“Opponents replied that when you modeled a hurricane, nobody got wet. When you modeled a fusion power plant, no energy was produced. When you modeled digestion and metabolism, no nutrients were consumed – no real digestion took place. So, when you modeled the human brain, why should you expect real thought to occur?” Welcome back to another episode of Made You Think! In this episode, we're talking all things consciousness and simulated reality with Permutation City by Greg Egan. Classified as a hard science fiction novel, the book tells the story of a man who seeks to create immortality by creating "software" copies of the mind. We cover a wide range of topics including: The complex nature of consciousness Egan's "Dust Theory" What it's like to live in a simulation Ethics surrounding death and dying The possibilities that come with computer intelligence And much more. Please enjoy, and make sure to follow Nat, Neil, and Adil on Twitter and share your thoughts on the episode. Links from the Episode: Mentioned in the Show: The Dust Theory (3:51) Biocentrism (7:37) Black Mirror - San Junipero (30:48) Turing test (35:52) Her (39:08) Building a Second Brain (1:07:05) The Expanse (1:08:08) ChatGPT Epilogue to Permutation City Books Mentioned: Godel Escher Bach (0:42) (Nat's Book Notes) The Three-Body Problem (0:58) (Nat's Book Notes) The Beginning of Infinity (16:42) (Nat's Book Notes) The Egg (19:27) The Fable of the Dragon Tyrant (24:26) The Structure of Scientific Revolutions (26:58) Where Is my Flying Car? (27:13) The Comfort Crisis (30:20) Homo Deus (44:41) (Nat's Book Notes) Altered Carbon (53:41) The Lessons of History (1:02:26) People Mentioned: Greg Egan (3:54) Arthur Clarke (16:39) Issac Asimov (16:40) Andy Weir (19:28) Liu Cixin (1:04:31) Show Topics: (0:00) If you're a science fiction lover, this week's episode is for you! We're discussing Permutation City, a 'hard science fiction' book from 1994. This book explores many concepts including The Dust Theory and achieving immortality through copying your consciousness. (4:24) Intro to Dust Theory. There are infinitely many universes existing at all space and time. As soon as a universe is perceived by a conscious intelligence, that universe comes to exist, and that universe will always continue to exist as long as there is consciousness to observe it. (8:11) Are we in a simulation? We learn in response to stimuli which is also how LLMs (large language models) learn too. (13:12) Nat, Neil, and Adil define consciousness, discuss the idea of transporting consciousness, and how we differ from LLMs. We have a private and inner mind that generates its own thoughts and feelings. We can't be certain whether computers have this or not. (22:01) There's an 'engine' in our heads that is focused on our survival and continuation. (23:21) Ethics surrounding death. One can argue that life is short, but when you've lived for thousands of years through copying your consciousness, it becomes a question of when it's enough. (28:39) If we could somehow prevent bodily decay and the death of our loved ones, would we ever be ready to die, and is aging something that we can slow down or affect? (33:43) In the book, from the perspective of the humans, the copies are just programs who look intelligent, but they aren't real. From the perspective of the copies, it's all very real. (41:31) Time dilation and running consciousness slower for the copies. The slowdown doesn't necessarily affect the copy. The time perception is still the same to them, but it may affect how they interact with the real world. (46:08) There's a baseline risk for being alive. You can try to get all of your life risks to zero, but it is best to accept that there will always be some general risk. (51:49) Collaboration in publishing. While most books have a single author, it may add some dimension to get expertise from guest authors with knowledge in different fields. (54:50) What did Greg Egan regret most about Permutation City? (1:02:11) That concludes this episode! Stay tuned for our next episode on History of the Peloponnesian War. Also on the horizon is The Three-Body Problem. Make sure to pick up a copy if you'd like to read up before the episode. As mentioned, check out this awesome epilogue created by ChatGPT! If you enjoyed this episode, let us know by leaving a review on iTunes and tell a friend. As always, let us know if you have any book recommendations! You can say hi to us on Twitter @TheRealNeilS, @adilmajid, @nateliason and share your thoughts on this episode. You can now support Made You Think using the Value-for-Value feature of Podcasting 2.0. This means you can directly tip the co-hosts in BTC with minimal transaction fees. To get started, simply download a podcast app (like Fountain or Breez) that supports Value-for-Value and send some BTC to your in-app wallet. You can then use that to support shows who have opted-in, including Made You Think! We'll be going with this direct support model moving forward, rather than ads. Thanks for listening. See you next time!
Marty Solomon and Brent Billings are joined by Elle Grover Fricks to discuss how to navigate the dangers of presentism and primitivism as we start a series on the forgotten women of the Bible.Presentation for The Forgotten Women — Presentism and Primitivism (PDF)Sapiens by Yuval Noah HarariHomo Deus by Yuval Noah HarariBEMA 240: Sin and the Archaeology of Joshua w/ Elle Grover FricksLevant — WikipediaThe Red Tent by Anita DiamantBEMA 308: The Chosen S2E9 — “The Messengers”BEMA 310: The Nativity StoryBEMA 297: Kat Armas — Abuelita Faith
Liberty Dispatch ~ February 16, 2023 Today on the Liberty Dispatch, Andrew and Matty examine the push toward the 4th Industrial Technocratic Revolution. A revolution that not only seeks to change economics and currency, human identification and social credit but seeks to usher in a new epoch in human evolution. You're not going to want to miss this one. [Segment 1] - Canadas Coming Cashless Society (10:10-25:08): Cashless Grocery Stores in Canada: https://nationalpost.com/news/canada/cashless-grocery-stores;Cashless Society Survey: https://cdn.dal.ca/content/dam/dalhousie/pdf/sites/agri-food/Report%20Cashless%20EN%20.pdf;Bank of Canada CDBC: https://www.bankofcanada.ca/2019/04/the-road-to-digital-money;Bank of Canada Digital Currency, Fintech, and CBDC: https://www.bankofcanada.ca/research/digital-currencies-and-fintech/projects/central-bank-digital-currency; [Segment 2] - Digital ID Programs Underway in Canada (26:00-55:30): Ontario Digital ID: https://www.ontario.ca/page/digital-id-ontario;WEF's Digital ID Strategy: https://www3.weforum.org/docs/WEF_Digital_Identity_Strategic_Imperative.pdf;Brazilian President Links Vax Pass to Government Aid: https://www.riotimesonline.com/brazil-news/modern-day-censorship/lula-says-that-parents-will-be-forced-to-vaccinate-their-children-to-keep-the-bolsa-familia-program; [Segment 3] - WEF Forwards Transhumanism as a Part of the 4th-Industrial Revolution (58:18-END): WEF Pushes Brain Monitoring/Transparency: https://nationalpost.com/news/canada/cashless-grocery-stores;Canada Exploring Bio-Digital Convergence: https://cdn.dal.ca/content/dam/dalhousie/pdf/sites/agri-food/Report%20Cashless%20EN%20.pdf;Emerging Bio-technology | Health Canada: https://www.canada.ca/en/health-canada/services/science-research/emerging-technology/biotechnology/role/canada-biotechnology-strategy.html. Resources on The 4th Industrial Revolution | World Economic Forum: 4th Industrial Revolution by Klaus Schwab: https://www.weforum.org/about/the-fourth-industrial-revolution-by-klaus-schwab;What the 4th Industrial Revolution means: https://www.weforum.org/agenda/2016/01/the-fourth-industrial-revolution-what-it-means-and-how-to-respond/;Everything You Need to Know About the 4th-Industrial Revolution | CNBC: https://www.cnbc.com/2019/01/16/fourth-industrial-revolution-explained-davos-2019.html;WEF Contributor Yuval Noah Harari's Books on Trans/Posthumanism: Sapiens:: https://www.ynharari.com/book/sapiens-2/; Homo Deus: https://www.ynharari.com/book/homo-deus/. Support Josh's Stand and Help Us Defend His Liberties! Sign Our Petition Here: https://libertycoalitioncanada.com/i-stand-with-josh-alexander/ SHOW SPONSORS:Join Red Balloon Today!: https://www.redballoon.work/lcc;Invest with Rocklinc: info@rocklinc.com or call them at 905-631-546;Get Your Coffee Fix, Order from Resistance Coffee Today!: https://resistancecoffee.com/lcc;Diversify Your Money with Bull Bitcoin: https://mission.bullbitcoin.com/lcc Sick of Mainstream Media Lies? Help Support Independent Media! DONATE TO LCC TODAY!: https://libertycoalitioncanada.com/donate/ Please Support us in bringing you real, truthful reporting and analysis from a Christian perspective. SUBSCRIBE TO OUR SHOWS/CHANNELS:LIBERTY DISPATCH PODCAST: https://libertydispatch.podbean.com; https://rumble.com/c/c-1687093; OPEN MIKE WITH MICHAEL THIESSEN: https://openmikewithmichaelthiessen.podbean.com; https://rumble.com/c/c-1412501; THE LIBERTY LOUNGE WITH TIM TYSOE: https://rumble.com/c/c-1639185.CONTACT US:Questions/comments about podcasts/news/analysis: mailbag@libertycoalitioncanada.com;Questions/comments about donations: give@libertycoalitioncanada.com; Questions/comments that are church-related: churches@libertycoalitioncanada.com;General Inquiries: info@libertycoalitioncanada.com. STAY UP-TO-DATE ON ALL THINGS LCC:Gab: https://gab.com/libertycoalitioncanada Telegram: https://t.me/libertycoalitioncanadanews Instagram: https://instagram.com/libertycoalitioncanada Facebook: https://facebook.com/LibertyCoalitionCanada Twitter: @LibertyCCanada - https://twitter.com/LibertyCCanada Rumble: https://rumble.com/user/LibertyCoalitionCanada YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@liberty4canada Please LIKE, SUBSCRIBE, RATE & REVIEW and SHARE it with others!
Rod and Kale record a conversation about the prophetic vision of Lewis' That Hideous Strength as a way into the notion of the Experience Machine, and the allure of the blue-pill versus the red-pill. See the links below for all the titles they discuss. Connecting Lewis with Iain McGhilchrist, they jump off into a discussion about Left Hemispheric bias and the turn towards madness in modernity. The stakes are high; no higher than humanity and the forces that would blithely take us into the post-human. Topics (in order) with links (affiliated): - That Hideous Strength by C.S. Lewis: https://amzn.to/3kjKKRk - The Master and His Emissary by Iain McGilchrist: https://amzn.to/3XG0yMB - The Matter With Things by Iain McGilchrist: https://amzn.to/3kv0LEf - Hartmut Rosa on Resonance: https://amzn.to/3J1pBpE - Rod on the Experience Machine: https://www.theamericanconservative.com/robert-nozicks-experience-machine/ - Rod on Young Christian and Eager to Escape: https://www.theamericanconservative.com/young-christian-and-eager-to-escape/ - Churchill: "we build our buildings, and they in turn build us" - Homo Deus and the prophets of post-humanity - the idea of embodied reality in Crawford's Soulcraft book: https://amzn.to/3ZQupUw - The World Beyond Your Head: https://amzn.to/3XpImHm - The Disintegration Machine vs. the Experience Machine - Hierophany at Chartres - Paul Connerton's How Societies Remember: https://amzn.to/3ku3o9m - Is our "holy story" really profane?
In this special episode of People I (Mostly) Admire, Steve Levitt talks to the best-selling author of Sapiens and Homo Deus about finding the profound in the obvious.
Yuval Noah Harari is a historian and philosopher whose books — "Sapiens," "Homo Deus," "21 Lessons for the 21st Century," and most recently "Unstoppable Us: How Humans Took Over the World" — have sold more than 40 million copies. He joins Rufus for a wide-ranging conversation about storytelling, life in the Stone Age, the future of democracy, and the threat of AI. --- If you enjoy this episode, check out our interviews with David Wengrow, Jennifer Raff, Christopher Ryan, Ray Dalio, and Jane McGonigal. You can listen to them ad-free by downloading The Next Big Idea app.
This episode is sponsored by BetterHelp. Give online therapy a try at betterhelp.com/impacttheory and get on your way to being your best self. Sign up today at butcherbox.com/IMPACT and use code IMPACT to get FREE RIBEYES for a Year plus $10 off.INVEST IN YOURSELF NOW: https://bit.ly/3WUKBThFREE LIVE WORKSHOP HOW TO MAKE ANY GOAL STICK, REGISTER NOW: https://bit.ly/3X5xHlEOn Today's Episode:What in the crypto is actually going on? In the middle of the financial crisis we're experiencing, people are acting out of desperation, and emotions are possibly leading the charge. Raoul Pal is back to help us understand what is the current state of crypto, why FTX has been using customer money and more importantly, why is this not as unusual as you may think. Raoul's insights as a macro investor, former hedge fund manager that retired at 36, and co-founder of Real Vision, a financial media company, takes us to a high level view to string together how world history and demographics have brought us to this point.The key takeaway here for you is that, “the game of money is a game of psychology.” Tom Bilyeu Once you understand that this is a game, we need to know the players, the rules. The ultimate indicator of how you play this game, as Raoul explains it, is the future version of yourself and what that version wants. It indicates your debts, your risk tolerance, and what your next financial move will be following this interview.Whatever you do, do so from a place of minimizing your emotional response and play the game well.Mentioned in this episode:Homo Deus by Yuval Noah Hariri: https://www.amazon.com/Homo-Deus-Brief-History-Tomorrow/dp/0062464310 SHOW NOTES:0:00 | What In The Crypto Is Going On?14:02 | The Emotional Cycle of Money23:46 | Inflation Vs. Debasing Currency36:37 | Why Velocity of Money Is Slow46:54 | Do We Need Central Banks?56:34 | Future Economies with Tech 1:16:42 | Can Debt Stimulus Solve This?QUOTES:“Leverage and crypto, don't go together.” [1:57]“Investments are just a manifestation of your future self.” [16:05]“It really is a psychological game, and it's a long-term game.” [19:20]“Quantitative easing is a way of saying we're going to debase the money.” [22:37]“Demographics are deflationary and inflationary depending where you are in the demographic cycle.” [27:01]“Babyboomers, the same people who caused the inflation are causing the deflation, [...] because they're holding money.” [40:56]“Nobody wants the debasement of currency, but if you don't, what is the outcome?” [47:43]“There's a lot of structural issues here, and I don't think you can do this without government, and I don't think you can do it without central banks.” [49:27]“Nobody's ever managed to get the business cycle flat, it's a degree of what volatility you'll accept.” [56:22]Follow Raoul Paul:Website: https://www.realvision.com/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/RaoulGMI Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/raoulgmi/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCBH5VZE_Y4F3CMcPIzPEB5A
One of the most enigmatic, sensational, and misguided thinkers of the last 10 years is Israeli historian and pop philosopher Yuval Noah Harari. His book Sapiens, published in English in 2015, sold over a million copies as it told the story of mankind's evolution. His 2017 book Homo Deus predicts a transhumanist future, a world where technology fundamentally reshapes what kind of entity human beings are. “We humans should get used to the idea that we are no longer mysterious souls. We are now hackable animals,” he told attendees at the 2020 World Economic Forum annual meeting. “By hacking organisms, elites may gain the power to reengineer the power of life itself,” he said two years earlier. “This will be not just the greatest revolution in the history of humanity. This will be the greatest revolution in biology since the very beginning of life 4 billion years ago.” Harari's prophecy doesn't end there: “Science is replacing evolution by natural selection by evolution via intelligent design,” he continued in 2018. “Not the intelligent design of some God above the clouds, but our intelligent design, and the intelligent design of our clouds: the IBM cloud, the Microsoft cloud … these are the new, driving forces of evolution.” Conspiracy theorists might be forgiven for having a field day with such statements. After all, Harari's outspoken fans include some of the most powerful people alive: Bill Gates, Mark Zuckerberg, former President Barack Obama, as well as executive chairman of the World Economic Forum Klaus Schwab. Despite a somewhat critical response from academics, the success of his books is undeniable. Still, Harari suffers from a fatal inconsistency. While positioning himself as a prophet, interested in solving the worst abuses that could befall our future hackable selves, he cuts the ideological ground out from anything standing in their way. A keen example is his critique of both liberal democracy and the entire concept of the “individual” as outdated political norms. “Liberalism,” he wrote in the Guardian “is unprepared for a situation when individual freedom is subverted from within, and when the very concepts of ‘individual' and ‘freedom' no longer make much sense.” Yet in nearly the same breath, Harari rushes us towards that exact conclusion: “In order to survive and prosper in the 21st century,” he writes, “we need to leave behind the naive view of humans as free individuals—a view inherited from Christian theology as much as from the modern Enlightenment.” Though he is right about the origins of classic liberalism, the result is a self-contradictory mess. In effect, Harari is saying we should stop people from being hacked by hacking ourselves first … and defend universal values by denying that they exist. “I don't know where the answers will come from,” Harari admits, “but they are definitely not coming from a collection of stories written thousands of years ago.” If those stories are just stories, Harari is correct. But as C.S. Lewis described, some stories ground us in reality. This is, in fact, what Christianity does, and what reductionist materialism makes impossible. Though new insight on technology may have helped Harari sell interesting books, dreaming of a world stripped of all values is as old as modernism itself. Had someone given him a copy of Lewis' The Abolition of Man, he may have seen his exact premise tackled by an Oxford don nearly 80 years ago. All of this matters because ideas have consequences. Harari and those like him may be attempting to shape the trajectory of transhumanism towards a utopian future but, as often the case, public intellectuals with good intentions but bad worldviews are often the blindest to the practical implications of their thinking. “How does liberal democracy function in an era when governments and corporations can hack humans?” Harari asked in the Guardian article. A better question is: How does liberal democracy function in an era when people rush to assume they are merely pre-determined “hackable animals” instead of moral agents who are responsible for their decisions, living in a society of people created equal and “endowed by their creator with inalienable rights?” History tells us the answer to that question. It can't. The entire concept of human rights is intimately connected with a Christian anthropology. Gut a society of that worldview, and there's no limit to how far we can fall. If Harari's predictions somehow do become reality, it will have less to do with technology, and far more to do with ideas: specifically, the nihilistic, reductionist humanity he so ardently promotes. Technology makes imagined futures possible, but ideas shape how and why we use technology. If he's looking for a worldview that's better for empowering techno-tyrants, corporatists, and demagogues, he could do little better than the one he's promoting. On the other hand, if he's looking to evade the oppression he fears, he should look to One of the old stories he derides.
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