Podcast appearances and mentions of Niall Ferguson

As his self-proclaimed 10-day window for dealing with Iran approaches its end, what are President Trump's options? GoodFellows regulars Niall Ferguson, John Cochrane, and H.R. McMaster weigh the merits of a US military strike versus an interim diplomatic solution. They also probe the Epstein scandal's impact on the British landscape and the Supreme Court's ruling against the Trump administration's use of emergency powers for tariff implementation. Later, in the “lightning round”: why US Secretary of State Marco Rubio was warmly received at the Munich Security Conference; the Pentagon's desire to sever academic ties with Harvard University; Barack Obama's suggesting that aliens exist; plus H.R.'s remembrance of film great Robert Duvall, aka Apocalypse Now's Lt. Col. Bill “I Love the Smell of Napalm in the Morning” Kilgore.  Subscribe to GoodFellows for clarity on today's biggest social, economic, and geostrategic shifts — only on GoodFellows.

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit andrewsullivan.substack.comSally is a journalist, columnist, TV commentator, author, wife to Ben Bradlee, and legendary DC hostess. Who better to talk to about the implosion of The Washington Post? She also founded the Post's religion website, “On Faith.” She's the author of six books, including the spiritual memoir Finding Magic, and We're Going to Make You a Star — about her time at “CBS Morning News.” Her latest novel is Silent Retreat, and she's now working on a memoir called Never Invite Sally Quinn. Her energy at 84 is, well, humbling. We had a blast.For two clips of our convo — on Sally's initial impression of Bezos, and the time Bill Clinton called her the b-word — head to our YouTube page.Other topics: born in Savannah, GA, and learning voodoo as a kid; moving as an Army brat; her general dad who captured Göring and helped create the CIA; at Smith College wanting to be an actress; rebelling against Vietnam and the wishes of her dad by marrying Bradlee; the Georgetown party circuit and how it's grown more partisan; throwing a pajama party for Goldwater; dating Hunter S. Thompson; Watergate and Woodstein; the Grahams; Tom Stoppard; Hitchens; Howell Raines; Newt's revolution; Bill's womanizing; Hillary defending her cheater; the Monica frenzy; Obama rising on merit; Barack the introvert; Jerry Brown; the catastrophe of Biden running in 2024; Dr. Jill's complicity and cruelty; Jon Meacham; Maureen Dowd; David Ignatius; Bradlee's dementia; declining trust in journalism; Bezos nixing the Harris endorsement; his life with Lauren Sanchez; sucking up to Trump; the Will Lewis debacle; Sally's spiritual life; silent retreats; Zen meditation; the humor in Buddhism; the denial of death; debating the the Golden Rule; children in Gaza; and the need more than ever for in-person gatherings.Browse the Dishcast archive for an episode you might enjoy. Coming up: Jeffrey Toobin on the pardon power, Michael Pollan on consciousness, Derek Thompson on abundance, Matt Goodwin on the UK political earthquake, Jonah Goldberg on the state of conservatism, Tom Holland on the Christian roots of liberalism, Tiffany Jenkins on privacy, Adrian Wooldridge on “the lost genius of liberalism,” and Kathryn Paige Harden on the genetics of vice. As always, please send any guest recs, dissents, and other comments to dish@andrewsullivan.com. A listener writes:Thanks for all these good episodes. Is Vivek still planning to be a guest soon? I have been looking forward to that episode.He got cold feet. Too bad. On the other hand, I tend to avoid active politicians. Because they're rarely as candid as I'd like a guest to be. Oh well.A fan of last week's pod who lives near Atlanta writes, “The longtime Dishheads on the Mableton cul-de-sac definitely approve of your interview with homegrown talent Zaid Jilani”:I agree with his description of Mableton as a bit like the United Nations; I see that diversity in our grocery stores and local restaurants. He mentioned how he was often the only Pakistani and thus perceived as a nonthreatening minority. It makes me wonder how much the diversity mix affects how people perceive immigration? If a large group from one country arrives, does that seem more like an invasion? If a similar number arrives but from a wide range of locations, does that seem more like the normal American melting pot?After 30 years of living in Mableton, this may partly explain why I am not bothered by immigration in the way that you are, Andrew. I expect to see and hear all sorts of people wherever I go in my neighborhood. Today the teller at the bank spoke accented English. There are regular clerks at my grocery store who are immigrants. Our new HVAC was installed by immigrants. As an Atlanta suburb, there are many people descended from African slaves. European ancestry is merely one possibility off the long colorful menu around here.I think pace and numbers matter. A slower pace and fewer — with no massive homogenous populations arriving at once. And a new emphasis on Americanization over “multiculturalism”.From a listener who wants to “Make Democrats Great Again”:Great conversation with Zaid Jilani last week. I am very concerned that hardly any Democrats are being at all introspective, trying to figure out where they went wrong and how to become a party that can actually win elections — maybe even hearts and minds. They are only defined as anti-Trump, and their only hope is for Trump to go down in flames — which he very well might, but all they aspire to is winning as the least-worst party.The policy directions for reclaiming sanity and moderate voters are obvious (to me, at least). Here are my top three issues:1. AffordabilityThe longest lever to affect affordability is housing. Democrats have been complete failures in this regard, with strongholds like California and NYC being the least affordable places. When they talk about “affordable housing,” they only mean housing that is forced below market rate for the few poor people lucky enough to get it. They offer no solutions for the middle class or young people.The solution is obvious: build more. Plough through the various restrictions that are preventing housing from being built. There is no reason housing can't be cheap, except for NIMBY politics. Scott Weiner in California has been doing great work on this.Health care is the second-longest affordability lever. Obamacare made some progress, but not nearly enough, especially in terms of keeping costs down. But I'm not sure we're ready for another push on this; I say focus on housing.2. ImmigrationObviously there should be some immigration, and obviously we have structured our economy such that many jobs are only done by immigrants. But the Democrats' policy of simply not enforcing immigration law is untenable, especially for a group asking to be put in charge of law enforcement. We need those migrant workers, so find a way for them be here legally. Not through amnesty, but through some sort of bureaucratic process: have the employers fill out a form; have the prospective worker fill out a form in some office in Mexico; have someone process the form; and give them a green card.This is simple stuff! And yes, it would be helpful to admit that open borders, sanctuary cities, and subverting the law were not good ideas.3. CultureEnd wokeness. America is not a country consumed by white supremacy, and the people who voted for Trump are not racists. There are hardly any racists! And drop the other insanities, like the trans stuff.The message needs to be, “We are the Democrats and we want to help anybody from any state who needs help.” Hard to convince struggling white people in the South that you're going to help them when you seem to despise them. Love your brother, for crying out loud. And naturally, today's woke Democrats would be much more accepting of this message if it came from a racial minority candidate.Another wanted to hear more:I wish you had asked Zaid about Josh Shapiro. Also, when Zaid talked about affordability, he never mentioned housing — which is why there are so many ex-Californians in his home state of Georgia and elsewhere. “Build Baby Build” should be the slogan of the Democratic Party, rather than gaslighting Americans into believing housing prices will come down because we are getting rid of immigrants (Vance).Here's a dissent:About 20:30 into your interview with Zaid Jilani, he said that the root of all the Abrahamic faiths is that the meek have rights. You replied that this applied more to Christianity and Islam than to Judaism. I say this neither rhetorically nor to admonish you, but how much do you know about Judaism? Your comment is completely mistaken. Just what do you think Judaism says about the meek?Another has examples:In Genesis, you find that all humans were created b'tzelem Elohim (in the image of God). Moreover, Jewish texts consistently frame care for the poor as a legal obligation and moral imperative, not mere charity. Every Jewish child learns that promoting economic justice is mandated. It is called tzedakah.This religious mandate has manifested itself in the real world. Jews have been disproportionately represented in social justice movements aimed at promoting human equality. It wasn't an accident that two of three civil rights movement activists murdered in Neshoba County, Mississippi by the Ku Klux Klan were Jewish.Points taken. Big generalizations in a chat can be dumb. My quarrel may be semantic: the meek is not merely the weak. It's about the quiet people, those easily trampled upon. Like many of Jesus' innovations, it takes a Jewish idea further.Another listener on the Zaid pod:I wonder if you ever play the game of “which time would you like to go back to”? I do! And only half-jokingly, I often say 1994 in DC. Something about, for example, Christopher Hitchens on CSPAN in a dreary suit jacket discussing such *trivial* aspects of politics in a serious way. How perfect! When I listened to your episode with Zaid Jilani about how the left can win, it seemed dated to about this period in the early ‘90s.Ah yes, the Nineties. They were heady times and I think we all kinda realized it at the time. The economy was booming, crime was plummeting, Annie Leibovitz took my picture, and we had the luxury of an impeachment over a b*****b. Good times.On another episode, a listener says I have a “rose-colored view of President Obama”:In your conversation with Jason Willick, you said that Obama was a stickler for proper procedure and doing things the right way. I might instance, on the other side:* Evading the constitutional requirements on treaties in pursuit of the Iran deal (an evasion that the Republicans were stupid enough to go along with)* Encouraging the regulatory gambit of “sue and settle”* The “Dear Colleague” letter* “I've got a pen and a phone”Points taken. Especially the DACA move. But compared to Biden and Trump? Much better. One more listener email:I've been following you for years, but more recently I became a subscriber, and it's a decision I don't regret! I usually listen to the Dishcast over the weekend, and I always find it extremely stimulating, but there is also something relaxing about the length and scope of your conversations.I want to respond to something you said in your Claire Berlinski episode on the subject of Ukraine. Although I appreciate your position in defence of international law, you implied that Russia's claim to Ukrainian land is somehow “historically legitimate.” This is not only problematic from a logical standpoint (does Sweden have a historically legitimate claim to Finland and Norway, or does the UK have a claim to the Republic of Ireland, the US, and all its former colonies?), but also not based on historical reality.Unfortunately, this is not the first time your comments on Ukraine seem come through the prism of a Russian lens. I am sure it's not intentional; perhaps that's not a subject you have invested much time in, which is legitimate. However, I find it a bit surprising that, as we approach the fifth year of Russia's full-scale invasion, you still don't seem to have had the curiosity to explore this and invite any specialist on Ukraine. If Timothy Snyder is too political these days, I would recommend Serhii Plokhy — possibly the most eminent historian of Ukraine — or Yaroslav Hrytsak. They would each be a very interesting conversation.The Dishcast has featured many guests with expertise on the Ukraine war, including Anne Applebaum (twice), John Mearsheimer, Samuel Ramani (twice), Edward Luttwak, Fiona Hill (twice), Robert Wright, Robert Kaplan, Fareed Zakaria, Douglas Murray, Edward Luce, and Niall Ferguson.A reader responds to last week's column, “The President Of The 0.00001 Percent”:Like you, I'm not against people getting rich. A lot of good is done by a few people who have enough money to seed research and the arts, and pursue things that ordinary worker bees would never have the margin of time or resources to pursue. Good so far.But all strong forces need regulation and/or protective barriers, whether it's the weather, sex, patriotism, or capitalism. What's going on now is obscene. Progressive taxation is a social good: it doesn't stop anyone from getting richer and richer; it doesn't remove the positive motivators for success; it just means that the farther they get, the higher their proportionate contribution to the system that lets them get there. There are various ways to tweak the dials, but there is nothing philosophically wrong with tweaking them in a way the sets some outer limit. Let it be very high, but let it not be infinite.Here's a familiar dissent:You were right to torch the nihilism of the .00001 class. You were right to call out moral evasions. But when you referred to “the IDF's massacre of children in Gaza,” you collapsed a morally and legally distinct reality into a slogan. Words matter. “Massacre” implies intent. It suggests that the deliberate killing of children is policy rather than tragic consequence. That is a serious charge, and it deserves serious evidence.The governing reality in Gaza is not that Israel woke up one morning and decided to target children.

Are we living in the Second Cold War? And if so, what can we learn from the last one that might help us through it? Historian and author Niall Ferguson sets out his view of global affairs right now and says why, compared to many times in the past, there is lot to make us optimistic. Gayle Markovitz interviewed Niall Ferguson at the World Economic Forum Annual Meeting 2026 in Davos. Links: The Global Risks Report 2026: https://www.weforum.org/publications/global-risks-report-2026/ Related podcasts: Top global risks in 2026 and how the Davos 'spirit of dialogue' can help us face them: https://www.weforum.org/podcasts/radio-davos/episodes/global-risks-report-2026/ "Everything has changed" - Gita Gopinath on the global economy in 2026: https://www.weforum.org/podcasts/radio-davos/episodes/gita-gopinath-global-economy-2026/ What just happened in Davos?: https://www.weforum.org/podcasts/radio-davos/episodes/davos-2026-what-just-happened/ Chief Economists' Outlook January 2026: reassuring resilience and a 'good' bubble?: https://www.weforum.org/podcasts/radio-davos/episodes/chief-economists-outlook-barclays-christian-keller/ Check out all our podcasts on wef.ch/podcasts:  YouTube: - https://www.youtube.com/@wef/podcasts Radio Davos - subscribe: https://pod.link/1504682164 Meet the Leader - subscribe: https://pod.link/1534915560 Agenda Dialogues - subscribe: https://pod.link/1574956552

Unlike the romanticized tale the Chinese Communist Party tells of itself—long marches and a long game of outlasting and outwitting its foes—the early years of the CCP were ones of unrepentant violence and a rise to power made possible only with external help. Frank Dikötter, the Hoover Institution's Milias Senior Fellow and author of the forthcoming book, Red Dawn over China: How Communism Conquered a Quarter of Humanity, joins GoodFellows regulars Niall Ferguson, John Cochrane and H.R. McMaster to discuss what shaped the CCP from the years 1921–1949, plus parallels between Xi Jinping and Mao Zedong in terms of amassing power, purging rivals, and practicing economics and geopolitics. After that: the fellows debate the assertion by a New York Times columnist that Donald Trump has “lost the country,” as well as how much faith to put in economic indicators, plus songstress Billie Eilish's belief that “no one is illegal on stolen land.”   Subscribe to GoodFellows for clarity on today's biggest social, economic, and geostrategic shifts — only on GoodFellows.

Andrew Humberman BioSnap a weekly updated Biography.Andrew Huberman, the Stanford neuroscientist behind the massively popular Huberman Lab podcast, just landed a blockbuster gig as one of 19 new contributors to CBS News, announced January 27 by The Futon Critic. This move catapults him into mainstream TV, rubbing shoulders with heavyweights like Peter Attia and Niall Ferguson to tackle tough questions on politics, health, and science—think his expertise on brain plasticity, stress, and vision repair shining in prime time. CBS News tweeted the star-studded roster, tagging his Huberman Lab handle, signaling a huge biographical pivot from lab coats to broadcast stardom.Hot on that heel, Word on Fire published a glowing profile on January 27 hailing Huberman as one of the most famous scientists alive, diving into his neuroscience breakthroughs and tenured Stanford perch in neurobiology and ophthalmology. No public appearances popped in the last few days, but his podcast dropped a fresh episode yesterday, February 2, via HubermanLab.com, unpacking how dopamine and serotonin drive decisions, motivation, and learning—a neuro goldmine that could reshape self-help circles long-term.Business-wise, whispers from Fox News on January 8 noted health experts buzzing over Huberman backing the Trump admin's revamped food pyramid, though that's older tea with no fresh ripples. His lab keeps churning peer-reviewed papers in Nature and Science, and that upcoming book, Protocols: An Operating Manual for the Human Body, looms as a potential bestseller. Social media stayed quiet on direct mentions, but the CBS tag lit up timelines. No unconfirmed rumors or scandals—just a quiet power play positioning Huberman as the go-to brain guy for the masses. Eyes peeled for his TV debut; this guy's trajectory screams icon status.Get the best deals https://amzn.to/3ODvOtaThis content was created in partnership and with the help of Artificial Intelligence AI

Is there a deeper strategy underlying President Trump's actions?Dan is joined by historian, Free Press columnist, CBS contributor, and Senior Fellow at Hoover Institution Sir Niall Ferguson to connect the dots on how President Trump is using leverage, unpredictability, and selective force across Iran, Venezuela, Europe, and beyond. They discuss why a counter revolution in Iran has little chance without foreign intervention, what “regime alteration” means, whether we're still living through Cold War II, and why Europe keeps taking the bait.In this episode…- Iran strike timing, targets, and endgame- “Regime alteration” vs. regime change- Why Iran's protests failed and fear works- Turkey's mediation and Erdoğan's ambitions- Saudi pressure and regional deterrence logic- Cold War II and the authoritarian axis- Davos, Europe's weakness, and the Greenland distraction- MAGA tensions, Israel, deterrence, and TaiwanThis episode was sponsored by United Hatzalah. Donate today at IsraelRescue.org/CallMeBack. Add this number to your phone right now if you live in Israel – 1221, and for those visiting it's 972-2-5-383838.From the episode:- Niall Ferguson's essay in the Free Press, “The Myth of Revolution in Iran”More Ark Media:Want to join Ark Media? Check out our careers page for new openings.Subscribe to Inside Call me BackListen to For Heaven's SakeListen to What's Your Number?Watch Call me Back on YouTubeNewsletters | Ark Media | Amit Segal | Nadav EyalInstagram | Ark Media | DanX | DanDan Senor & Saul Singer's book, The Genius of IsraelGet in touchCredits: Ilan Benatar, Adaam James Levin-Areddy, Brittany Cohen, Martin Huergo, Mariangeles Burgos, and Patricio Spadavecchia, Yuval Semo

Is there a deeper strategy underlying President Trump's actions? Dan is joined by historian, Free Press columnist, CBS contributor, and Senior Fellow at Hoover Institution Sir Niall Ferguson to connect the dots on how President Trump is using leverage, unpredictability, and selective force across Iran, Venezuela, Europe, and beyond. They discuss why a counter revolution […]

Donald Trump's drop-in at the World Economic Forum and the ensuing kerfuffle between the American president and the attending globalist elites raises the question: Who is winning on the world stage, Trump or his foes—or do they have more in common than is commonly recognized? Tyler Cowen, an economist, blogger, and Free Press columnist, joins GoodFellows regulars Niall Ferguson, John Cochrane, and H.R. McMaster to discuss Trump's third presidential visit to the Davos, Switzerland, lion's den, plus the rise of “democratic socialism” and “affordability politics” embodied in the ethos of New York Mayor Zohran Mamdani. After that: the three fellows discuss lessons from Minneapolis in the aftermath of two protestors shot to death by federal immigration agents; the odds of American military strikes against Iran; the significance of China's latest military purge; plus whether the show's resident historians are comfortable with the (over)use of phrase “the right side of history.” Subscribe to GoodFellows for clarity on today's biggest social, economic, and geostrategic shifts — only on GoodFellows.

Matt and Nic are back with another week of news and deals. In this episode:  Matt is heated about the Belichick HoF vote Fidelity launches a stablecoin FIDD on Ethereum Market structure passes Senate Ag Cmte The White House crypto council is being revived to find a compromise on stablecoin yield Fairshake has another war chest for the midterms Do stablecoins cause bank deposit contraction? Tether has 140 tons of gold now Why is Bitcoin not participating in the "debasement" trade? Is gold at risk from alchemy? People are still worried about quantum Will Worldcoin save us from AI bots? What's the solution to the AI slop apocalypse? Digital alibis with blockchains Content mentioned in this episode: Niall Ferguson and Manny Rincon-Cruz, Stablecoins Are the Future but Banks will Survive McKinsey and Artemis, Stablecoins in payments: What the raw transaction numbers miss

01:00 Hated by All the Right People, https://lukeford.net/blog/?p=167109 05:00 David Pinsof: The Alliance Theory of Political Belief Systems, Meaning of Life, and Morality, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7kMPxH0yxts 11:00 Tucker Carlson and the Unraveling of the Conservative Mind, https://lukeford.net/blog/?p=167104 18:00 Jewish Conservatives Are Terrified Of Tucker Carlson, https://lukeford.net/blog/?p=167099 26:00 What Will Life Be Like For Jews Under A President Tucker Carlson?, https://lukeford.net/blog/?p=167131 34:00 The Rise Of Mike Benz, https://lukeford.net/blog/?p=167085 45:00 The New York Times Sells Elite Alliance Coordination, https://lukeford.net/blog/?p=167083 57:00 Why Do Elites Want To Restrict Speech?, https://lukeford.net/blog/?p=167068 59:00 NYT: Genetic Data From Over 20,000 U.S. Children Misused for ‘Race Science', https://www.nytimes.com/2026/01/24/us/children-genetics-race-science.html 1:15:00 The Pro-Israel Strategy, https://lukeford.net/blog/?p=167107 1:20:00 Matt Drudge – Alliance Accelerator, https://lukeford.net/blog/?p=167081 1:28:00 That Noble Dream: The ‘Objectivity Question' and the American Historical Profession, https://lukeford.net/blog/?p=167115 1:36:00 The Holocaust in American Life, https://lukeford.net/blog/?p=167113 1:41:00 The Return Of The R-Word, https://lukeford.net/blog/?p=167121 1:47:00 The Return Of The N-Word, https://lukeford.net/blog/?p=167123 1:52:00 Why is the C-Word Widely Accepted in Australia But Rarely in America?, https://lukeford.net/blog/?p=167125 1:56:00 Aussie Racism, https://lukeford.net/blog/?p=167127 2:01:30 The Nathan Cofnas Trajectory, https://lukeford.net/blog/?p=167049 2:07:00 Explaining the Ben Shapiro Trajectory, https://lukeford.net/blog/?p=167047 2:09:00 The Charlie Kirk Trajectory, https://lukeford.net/blog/?p=167045 2:12:00 How do you build a career fighting anti-semitism?, https://lukeford.net/blog/?p=167042 2:15:00 How do you build a career as a Chabad rabbi if you are sent to a community with few Jews and no shuls?, https://lukeford.net/blog/?p=167040 2:18:00 How do you build a career as a Modern Orthodox congregational rabbi?, https://lukeford.net/blog/?p=167038 2:23:00 How Do You Build A Career In Talk Radio?, https://lukeford.net/blog/?p=167038 2:30:00 How Do You Build A Career As A Right-Wing Pundit?, https://lukeford.net/blog/?p=167033 2:33:00 How To Get Ahead In Academia, https://lukeford.net/blog/?p=167019 2:40:00 The Replication Crisis, https://lukeford.net/blog/?p=167017 2:45:00 Niall Ferguson once seemed like a serious scholar, https://lukeford.net/blog/?p=167015 2:50:00 National Review Struggles To Stay Relevant In The Age Of Trump, https://lukeford.net/blog/?p=167013 2:59:00 The Fox News Trajectory, https://lukeford.net/blog/?p=167011 3:04:00 What Drives Yoram Hazony & National Conservatism?, https://lukeford.net/blog/?p=167008 3:10:00 The Fascism Charge In American Politics, https://lukeford.net/blog/?p=167005 3:13:00 Never Trump & The Principled Conservatives, https://lukeford.net/blog/?p=166963

WarRoom Battleground EP 931: Sir Niall Ferguson, One Of The Greatest Living Historians, Converts And Confesses Jesus Christ

Live from Davos, Scott Galloway and historian Niall Ferguson examine why today's geopolitical moment looks less like a “new world order” and more like a return to Cold War power politics. They discuss Trump's foreign policy tactics, China as the central global rival, the limits of alliance politics, and why Ukraine's war may only end through a fragile and imperfect peace. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In this edition of BizNews Daybreak, Alec Hogg unpacks the global and local stories moving the markets this morning: Diplomatic Friction: Tensions between the US and the EU escalate while South Africa's own relationship with Washington deteriorates over Iranian participation in naval exercises. Retired US intelligence analyst Col. Chris Wyatt weighs in on whether Pretoria should "dig in" or repair relations to protect trade. More on the "Madman" Theory: Piet Viljoen provides another perspective on historian Niall Ferguson's argument that Donald Trump's erratic behaviour—including his aggressive bid for Greenland—is a calculated strategy. Market Movers: On a relatively quiet JSE while the US takes a holiday, Sibanye Stillwater jumps 3% on news of a strategic pivot at its Keliber lithium project in Finland, while Sasol falls below R100 on lower oil and a stronger Rand. Investment Outlook: Counter-cyclical investor Piet Viljoen explains why 2026 could be another banner year for South African assets. Sign up for the BizNews Conference in Hermanus (March 10-12) as seats are filling up - details at BizNews.com.

Iran admits brutality; Niall Ferguson on Trump's “Madman Theory”; Andrew Ross Sorkin on the next Great Depression; China's play for Iron Ore pricing power. In this edition of BizNews Daybreak, Alec Hogg unpacks a volatile start to the week: Iran on the Brink: Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei (86), in power for 37 years, breaks his silence, admitting to the brutal repression of recent anti-government protests that billed thousands. Method to the Madness: Historian Niall Ferguson explains why Donald Trump's chaotic geopolitical moves—like the bid for Greenland—might be a calculated application of Nixon's “Madman Theory” to deter adversaries. Market Crash Fears: With anxiety rising, New York Times columnist and author of a recent bestseller on the subject Andrew Ross Sorkin weighs in on whether a 1929-style collapse is possible today, or if government debt is the real ticking time bomb. Commodities Shift: Beijing makes a major move to centralize iron ore purchases, threatening the pricing power of global mining giants. Check the bond market, watch the tariffs, and win the day.

This week I'm joined by historian Niall Ferguson to help me make sense of Iran's unprecedented wave of protests. We talk about why this moment feels different to previous uprisings, the regime's growing crisis of legitimacy, the limits of sanctions, and how the long shadow of 1953 still shapes everything in Iran. We also look at what Trump's “maximum pressure” could mean, and the risks posed by any form of U.S. intervention. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

As Iran's theocracy teeters on the brink, the question turns to what the Trump administration's abiding interest in other bad regimes (Venezuela, Cuba, Colombia) and its appetite for land acquisitions (greenbacks for Greenland?) say about the American president's worldview. GoodFellows regulars Niall Ferguson, John Cochrane, and H.R. McMaster discuss policy options for Iran now that protests have turned tragic; the relative silence from the same campus leftists who fervently protested the war in Gaza; Nixonian echoes in Trump's foreign policy; plus Secretary of State Marco Rubio's emergence as a geopolitical jack-of-all-trades. In the second segment, John weighs in on the significance of the Justice Department's criminal investigation into Federal Reserve chair Jerome Powell; H.R. contends America's designs on Greenland are no laughing matter; and Sir Niall previews what to expect from Trump's appearance at the upcoming World Economic Forum in Davos. Finally, GoodFellows' resident “Deadhead” bids a fond farewell to the late Bob Weir, guitarist and cofounder of the Grateful Dead. Subscribe to GoodFellows for clarity on today's biggest social, economic, and geostrategic shifts — only on GoodFellows.  

Sir Niall Ferguson—historian and author—joins Justin Thomson, head of the T. Rowe Price Investment Institute, to discuss how understanding the past can shape smarter investment decisions, help navigate risk, and spot the big calls that move markets.

Emergency Pod: Nick Kumleben of Greenmantle, the geopolitical risk consultancy headed by Niall Ferguson, joins us to discuss the events in Venezuela, the 'Donroe' Doctrine and what it means for commodities. Is Venezuela an oil story or something else? Is the Donroe Doctrine a structured, intelligible set of principles or just a catchy phrase coined by a New York tabloid ? Intelligible or not, what does it mean for adversaries, allies (Denmark and Greenland?) and the rest of Latin America. Commodities once again sit at the heart of global power politics and it's through that lens we investigate. And what in turn does it mean for commodity markets themselves... can they withstand such unpredictability and government interventions.

American special forces capture Venezuela's president and his wife in a daring nighttime operation, returning the deposed first couple to the US to stand trial for alleged narcoterrorism. Meanwhile, protests in Iran over worsening living conditions, coupled with a cratered economy, threaten that theocracy's future. GoodFellows regulars Niall Ferguson, John Cochrane, and H.R. McMaster kick off 2026 by discussing both the precedent and the consequences of the move on Maduro, whether other nations (i.e. China) will invoke their own “Monroe Doctrines” to justify regional power grabs, plus the chances of similar fates awaiting Greenland, Colombia, or Cuba. After that: the panel's thoughts on whether Iran's regime is in its dying days as conditions on the ground deteriorate; and the chances of political transformation spreading worldwide in 2026—a là the end of the first Cold War—potential signposts of freedom as America celebrates 250 years of individual liberty. Finally, the fellows send their best wishes to a pair of GoodFellows guests—former Nebraska Senator Ben Sasse and Hoover's Victor Davis Hanson—as the two gentlemen do battle with cancer.   Subscribe to GoodFellows for clarity on today's biggest social, economic, and geostrategic shifts — only on GoodFellows.  

Guest: Gregory Copley. Discussing Niall Ferguson's comparison of the current geopolitical climate to the imperialism of 1906, Copley argues that while territorial annexation is less common, a new form of technological and economic imperialism has emerged where the U.S. maintains spheres of influence through dominance in global defense sales. Copley notes that while Turkey attempts to reassert Ottoman-style control through "gunpowder diplomacy" despite being bankrupt, and the U.S. acts as a self-proclaimed global guardian, the primary rival, China, is currently failing due to internal collapse rather than expanding like the powers of the early 20th century.1905 TR BROKERS PEACE.

In today's episode: The Venezuela Crisis: The latest from Bloomberg, historian Niall Ferguson argues Trump's intervention was telegraphed months ago, while the FT provides critical context on the situation. Global Markets: Bitcoin hits $93,800, Gold holds near $4,500, and US oil stocks react strongly. Local Movers: The Rand strengthens to R16.32. On the JSE, Lewis hits a new high while Arcelor Mittal drops to a trough. Tech Watch: Updates on Nvidia and the overnight action on Wall Street.

Sir Niall Ferguson is a Scottish historian, author, and public intellectual known for his work on economic history, empire, and global politics. | Hypnozio: Expert hypnotherapy https://sponsr.is/hypnozio_Triggernometry Triggernometry is proudly independent. Thanks to the sponsors below for making that possible: - Wild Alaskan Company: premium, wild-caught seafood. Go to https://wildalaskan.com/TRIG for $35 off your first box - Go to https://sponsr.is/hypnozio_Triggernometry and use our code TRIGGER15 to grab 15% off your first subscription with Hypnozio - Füm: Head to https://www.tryfum.com/Trig and use promo code TRIG to get your free gift with purchase, and start The Good Habit today! Join our exclusive TRIGGERnometry community on Substack! https://triggernometry.substack.com/ OR Support TRIGGERnometry Here: Bitcoin: bc1qm6vvhduc6s3rvy8u76sllmrfpynfv94qw8p8d5 Shop Merch here - https://www.triggerpod.co.uk/shop/ Advertise on TRIGGERnometry: marketing@triggerpod.co.uk Find TRIGGERnometry on Social Media: https://twitter.com/triggerpod https://www.facebook.com/triggerpod/ https://www.instagram.com/triggerpod/ About TRIGGERnometry: Stand-up comedians Konstantin Kisin (@konstantinkisin) and Francis Foster (@francisjfoster) make sense of politics, economics, free speech, AI, drug policy and WW3 with the help of presidential advisors, renowned economists, award-winning journalists, controversial writers, leading scientists and notorious comedians. 00:00 - Introduction 01:41 - What Is Money? 06:29 - The Connection Between Money And Precious Metals? 12:46 - The Formation Of Banks 18:47 - The Renaissance Era 25:23 - Why This Happened In Europe And Not Elsewhere In The World 30:55 - Risk 40:51 - The End Of The Reign Of Kings 49:42 - How Did You See The 2008 Financial Crash Coming? 54:23 - Are We Headed In A Direction Similar To The 1920/30s? 01:02:22 - The Addiction To Borrowing 01:11:06 - Chinese Debt 01:13:33 - What's The One Thing We're Not Talking About That We Really Should Be? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This past year wasn't easy—but it was certainly eventful. Donald Trump returned to the White House, issued a record number of executive orders, deployed the National Guard to American cities—like LA and D.C.—imposed sweeping tariffs on all our trading partners, gutted the government with the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), and unleashed a massive crackdown on immigration. But that was only the beginning. The administration also reached a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas—and all the living hostages came home from Gaza. Israel and the United States struck Iran's nuclear sites. We got the first American pope. And we haven't even started listing the pop-culture moments, like the Sydney Sweeney jeans ad, the Travis Kelce–Taylor Swift engagement, or when Lauren Sánchez Bezos and Katy Perry went to space. There was truly so much, and if we kept going we'd be here all day. But this, after all, is a prediction episode. So what will 2026 bring? Bari and Free Press deputy editor Olly Wiseman called up some friends of the pod—and experts in their fields—to get a better sense of what's in store for the year ahead. They spoke to political analyst and legal expert Sarah Isgur, who told them what to expect in Trump's second year; to Suzy Weiss on the cultural calendar ahead; to linguist John McWhorter on how new words and language will evolve; to Dr. Mark Hyman on how to get healthier in 2026; to writer and fashionista Leandra Medine Cohen on fashion trends to watch for; and to historian Niall Ferguson on whether or not we're right to have nightmares about World War III. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

FERGUSON'S ANALYSIS, THE EMPEROR SYSTEM, AND AUGUSTAN AUTHORITY Colleagues Gaius and Germanicus, Friends of History Debating Society, Londinium, 91 AD. The speakers critique historian Niall Ferguson's recent characterization of Donald Trump as a composite of Andrew Jackson, William McKinley, P.T. Barnum, and Richard Nixon. Germanicus dismisses Ferguson's analysis as a cynical attempt to force a conventional republican narrative onto what is actually a systemic shift toward an "emperor system." He argues that the Americanpublic has embraced this imperial transition due to the "ruin" and dysfunction of the traditional republic caused by a corrupt elite. While Ferguson attempts to minimize Trump's significance by linking him to past politicians like the "salesman" Barnum or the "aristocratic" Jackson, Germanicus asserts that the "gold leaf" aesthetic of the Trump era correctly signals a return to Augustan authority. The conversation concludes by contrasting the necessary "dignitas" of future American emperors with the degradation of the office under Bill Clinton, whom Germanicus describes as ethically "worse than Tiberius" due to his association with the Epstein scandal. They finish by reflecting on the resilience of the Byzantine emperors, such as Basil II, who successfully maintained imperial continuity for centuries through strong leadership. NUMBER 3

Nearly a century ago, after years of investors on a champagne high and warning signs ignored, a stock market crash led to a descent into a global depression. Andrew Ross Sorkin, a New York Times financial journalist and author of the bestseller 1929: Inside the Greatest Crash in Wall Street History—and How It Shattered a Nation, joins GoodFellows regulars Niall Ferguson, John Cochrane, and H.R. McMaster to discuss how the events of 1929 resonate to this day, what's misunderstood about the fabled crash, whether Herbert Hoover (only seven months into his presidency when disaster struck) gets a fair shake, plus what the future holds for Federal Reserve independence, the bidding war for Warner Bros. Discovery, and Wall Street's relationship with Washington. After that: The three fellows look back on 2025 with their choices for individual of the year, the most significant or ignored stories, what they learned in 2025, plus predictions and resolutions for the new year. Finally, a surprise visit by Hoover Institution visiting fellow Kris Kringle, who asks the panel for its holiday wishes (oddly enough, H.R. is never around when jolly old St. Nick shows up).      Subscribe to GoodFellows for clarity on today's biggest social, economic, and geostrategic shifts — only on GoodFellows.

Two institutional sectors are in both steady and rapid decline in terms of public trust: Congress and academia. Ben Sasse, former US senator from Nebraska and president of two universities, joins GoodFellows regulars Niall Ferguson, John Cochrane, and H.R. McMaster to discuss what ails Congress and how to fix it (based on his eight years in the Senate), plus how America's educational system has set a low bar for readying students for higher learning and life after college. Next the three fellows weigh the merits of the Trump administration's new National Security Strategy and what strategy there is (or isn't) regarding Venezuela and drug trafficking; the shortcomings of fuel-efficiency standards; whether they'd buy an American-made “tiny car” (no way, says our resident former tank driver); and, with the World Cup coming to America in 2026, how to clear up the confusion between US-brand “football” and the international “beautiful game” that goes by the same name (Sir Niall's solution: Change US football to “armored rugby”).    Subscribe to GoodFellows for clarity on today's biggest social, economic, and geostrategic shifts — only on GoodFellows.

After the Hoover Applied History Working Group book-launch seminar on Tuesday, December 2, 2025, Hoover Institution fellow Niall Ferguson interviewed Molly Worthen the author of Spellbound: How Charisma Shaped American History from the Puritans to Donald Trump. Watch the full book-launch seminar here: https://youtu.be/bXkccTi7ZDE

Sir Niall Ferguson, Senior Fellow at the Hoover Institution, columnist for The Times and The Free Press, and best-selling author, joined The Guy Benson Show today as a knighted guest on the show. Ferguson discussed the knighthood process, from nomination to the moment you are told you will be knighted, and reflected on the significance of the honor. Ferguson also weighed in on President Trump's global record just a few months into his second term, saying you "cannot deny" the remarkable number of foreign and domestic policy achievements during the Trump administration, and explained why he's come to view Trump as "the Disrupter-in-Chief." Listen to the full interview below! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

A hostage return and the signing of a cease-fire agreement signal a new chapter in the long-running dream of peace in the Middle East. Did it matter that the key negotiators, on the US side, were financiers and real-estate developers rather than scions of America's diplomatic corps? Russell Berman, a Hoover Institution senior fellow and codirector of Hoover's Working Group on the Middle East and the Islamic World, joins GoodFellows regulars Niall Ferguson and John Cochrane to discuss the sturdiness of the Trump White House's 20-point peace plan, the futures of Hamas and the Abraham Accords, the likelihood of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's reliving Winston Churchill's fate (a successful wartime leader rejected by a war-weary electorate), plus whether the “real estate-ism” approach to diplomacy is applicable to President Trump's upcoming meetings with his Russian and Chinese counterparts. After that, Niall and John reflect on the likelihood of a market crash (it is October, after all), the chances of a full-fledged tariff war with China, the merits of a US-Argentina currency swap, plus an ominous warning from the International Monetary Fund regarding global debt. Finally, the fellows salute the legendary economist Thomas Sowell, the subject of a Hoover Institution tribute later this month.   Subscribe to GoodFellows for clarity on today's biggest social, economic, and geostrategic shifts — only on GoodFellows.

Niall Ferguson, Victor Davis Hanson, and Stephen Kotkin are all senior fellows at the Hoover Institution, and this is the first time they have appeared together in a public discussion. The topic: Is the United States in decline or on the verge of renewal? Exploring topics including Donald Trump's second term and the transformation of the Republican Party, relations between China and Taiwan, America's fiscal crisis, the current state of universities, and the upcoming 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence, this wide-ranging and often passionate conversation dives deep into history, politics, and the fate of Western civilization. Subscribe to Uncommon Knowledge at hoover.org/uk

Are all empires equally bad? If some were better than others, what criteria can we use to make such judgments? Why must we study networks, not only hierarchies, to understand our past, present, and future? What happens to societies in times of catastrophe, and who has the best chances of survival? And finally — why is Ukraine so important for the world today? *** Host: Volodymyr Yermolenko, a Ukrainian philosopher, editor-in-chief of UkraineWorld, and president of PEN Ukraine. Guest: Niall Ferguson — a renowned British-American historian and author of numerous books, including “Empire”, “The Square and the Tower”, “The War of the World”, “Doom”, and others. Ferguson is the Milbank Family Senior Fellow at the Hoover Institution. We had this conversation during the Yalta European Strategy Forum in Kyiv in September 2025. *** Thinking in Dark Times is a podcast of reflection from Ukraine. We try to see the light through — and despite — the current darkness. This episode was made possible thanks to the support of Politeia, a Ukrainian NGO dedicated to preparing a new generation of change-makers in Ukraine. *** UkraineWorld is an English-language media about Ukraine run by Internews Ukraine You can support UkraineWorld on https://www.patreon.com/c/ukraineworld We rely on crowdfunding to continue our work. You can also support our regular trips to the frontlines, where we provide support to both soldiers (cars) and civilians (books): PayPal, ukraine.resisting@gmail.com *** CONTENTS: 00:00 - Intro: Niall Ferguson, a renowned British American historian and author of numerous books. 01:58 - Why does historian Niall Ferguson keep coming back to Kyiv, and what value does he find here? 04:06 - Does the war in Ukraine truly hold a global meaning? 10:01 - Was the British Empire good or bad for the world? 12:17 - What's the difference between a 'liberal' empire and an 'illiberal' one? 19:30 - Does the European Union find a balance between the Empire and the Nation-State? 26:59 - Can Ukraine become an 'antifragile' state? 28:48 - Is being threatened by a 'big bad neighbor' the key to becoming an innovative society? 31:07 - How did the last decade of Russian aggression ultimately lead to the birth of the Ukrainian nation?

This week commemorates the two year anniversary of October 7, 2023. That morning, Hamas invaded Israel. They slaughtered some 1,200 people and took another 250 hostage. Forty-eight hostages, some alive and some dead, are still being held in Gaza. In these last two years, the world has changed. In many ways, the past two years have felt like two decades. The world feels like it has tilted on its axis.  There is nobody better suited to make sense of this moment—the lessons learned, the harsh realities that have been revealed, and America's changing role in the world—than Niall Ferguson. Niall is a columnist at The Free Press. He is also senior fellow at the Hoover Institution at Stanford, the author of 16 books, and one of the most influential historians of our time. This conversation with Niall was a Free Press livestream. To never miss those conversations, and to be able to join them as they unfold, become a subscriber at thefp.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

One great power (China) has a relentless thirst to build that comes with a terrible human cost, while its main rival (America) is a more lawyerly and free society that's prone to stifling ideas both good and bad. On the 76th anniversary of the founding of the People's Republic of China, Dan Wang, a Hoover Institution research fellow and author of the bestseller Breakneck: China's Quest to Engineer the Future, joins GoodFellows regulars Niall Ferguson and H.R. McMaster to discuss what the future holds for the two Cold War 2 rivals, plus Wang's firsthand experiences witnessing China's engineering boom and enduring its draconian pandemic policies. After that, the fellows weigh in on President Trump's recent United Nations address and the state of that institution, the likelihood of Trump's Gaza peace plan coming to fruition, the provision of long-range Tomahawk missiles to Ukraine, plus the merits of a US military strike inside Venezuela to counter narco-terrorism. In the lightning round: why America's military brass gathered at Quantico; National Guard troops head to Portland, Oregon; Scotland's frustration with illegal immigration; and the feasibility of the US regaining Afghanistan's Bagram Air Base.  Subscribe to GoodFellows for clarity on today's biggest social, economic, and geostrategic shifts — only on GoodFellows.

Today marks the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation. In observance of this day, The Globe and Mail is not publishing a new Decibel episode. We hope to encourage learning, reflection, and meaningful conversations about the history and ongoing impacts of colonialism in Canada.Just two months after ChatGPT was launched in 2022, a survey found 90 per cent of college students were already using it. But students are no longer using artificial intelligence for writing essays – AI is used in generating ideas, conducting research, and summarizing reading. In other words: they're using it to think for them. What does this mean for higher education? And what are the real costs of AI in critical thinking?Machines Like Us Host Taylor Owen, welcomes two guests – Conor Grennan, chief AI architect at NYU's Stern School of Business and Niall Ferguson, senior fellow at Stanford and Harvard, and the co-founder of the University of Austin.Subscribe to The Globe and Mail's ‘Machines Like Us' podcast on Apple Podcasts or Spotify  Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

La guerra en Ucrania, estancada desde hace tres años, no muestra un final cercano pese a los esfuerzos de Estados Unidos y Europa por lograr una solución negociada. Los europeos, más inflexibles, temen que una victoria de Putin le anime a atacar países de la UE, como las repúblicas bálticas, mientras que en EEUU la postura ha variado mucho en el último año. En origen Trump apoyó a Rusia y criticó a Zelenski, pero recientemente ha reconocido que Ucrania podría ganar aduciendo la ineficiencia militar rusa. Este cambio refleja su creciente confianza en los aliados europeos y una reevaluación del discurso inicial sobre el conflicto. Ninguno de los bandos puede cumplir los objetivos que se había propuesto. Ucrania quería repeler la invasión y recuperar Crimea, mientras que Rusia aspiraba a ocupar el país y establecer un Gobierno afín. Tras tres años y medio de guerra ambas metas son inviables. La propuesta actual es que Ucrania ceda territorios a cambio de paz inspirándose en el tratado entre Finlandia y la Unión Soviética de 1944, cuando la primera cedió territorios a la segunda a cambio de mantener su independencia con algunas condiciones. Esta “finlandización” de Ucrania, defendida por figuras como el presidente finlandés Alexander Stubb y el historiador Niall Ferguson, se debate como posible solución. Pero para inspirarse en la historia, primero hay que conocerla. Cuando con el pacto germano-soviético de 1939 Hitler y Stalin se repartieron Europa del Este, Finlandia, independiente desde 1917, resistió la invasión soviética, pero al final no les quedó más remedio que ceder a la URSS el 10% de su territorio, incluyendo la segunda ciudad del país. El final de la guerra con la victoria aliada consolidó esas pérdidas, a las que sumó la exigencia de neutralidad y pagos en concepto de reparaciones. Extrapolar esto a la Ucrania de nuestros días es problemático. Finlandia, un país pequeño y periférico, no tenía la relevancia estratégica ni sentimental que Ucrania tiene para Rusia, a la que ven como parte integral de su esfera cultural e histórica. Una Ucrania independiente desafía el proyecto imperial ruso, lo que hace improbable que el Kremlin acepte una paz sin sometimiento absoluto. A diferencia de Finlandia, Ucrania necesitaría un ejército fuerte, armamento avanzado y garantías occidentales para evitar futuras agresiones. Además, el contexto geopolítico actual difiere del de 1945, cuando la URSS priorizaba otros frentes. Hoy, Ucrania es el foco principal para Rusia. Otros precedentes, como las divisiones de Alemania y Corea tras la Segunda Guerra Mundial, indican que una frontera de facto, sin reconocimiento legal, podría ser viable. Pero ceder de iure territorios como todo el Donbás sería política y estratégicamente muy costoso. Un mal acuerdo podría permitir a Rusia rearmarse y volverlo a intentar. Desde la perspectiva ucraniana, los objetivos de hace tres años ya no son realistas. Occidente, especialmente el Gobierno Biden, contribuyó a esta situación retrasando la ayuda militar. Europa, más preocupada que nunca por su seguridad, debe incrementar el apoyo a Ucrania para evitar un acuerdo que debilite al país y amenace a las repúblicas bálticas y a Polonia. Una paz sostenible requiere un Ucrania fuerte y un compromiso occidental firme, no una solución que recompense de alguna manera la agresión rusa. En La ContraRéplica: 0:00 Introducción 3:54 La 'finlandización' de Ucrania 33:37 Contra el pesimismo - https://amzn.to/4m1RX2R 35:25 La desafección de la medicina 38:39 La bomba de deuda europea 45:00 Pedro Sánchez y Donald Trump · Canal de Telegram: https://t.me/lacontracronica · “Contra el pesimismo”… https://amzn.to/4m1RX2R · “Hispanos. Breve historia de los pueblos de habla hispana”… https://amzn.to/428js1G · “La ContraHistoria del comunismo”… https://amzn.to/39QP2KE · “La ContraHistoria de España. Auge, caída y vuelta a empezar de un país en 28 episodios”… https://amzn.to/3kXcZ6i · “Contra la Revolución Francesa”… https://amzn.to/4aF0LpZ · “Lutero, Calvino y Trento, la Reforma que no fue”… https://amzn.to/3shKOlK Apoya La Contra en: · Patreon... https://www.patreon.com/diazvillanueva · iVoox... https://www.ivoox.com/podcast-contracronica_sq_f1267769_1.html · Paypal... https://www.paypal.me/diazvillanueva Sígueme en: · Web... https://diazvillanueva.com · Twitter... https://twitter.com/diazvillanueva · Facebook... https://www.facebook.com/fernandodiazvillanueva1/ · Instagram... https://www.instagram.com/diazvillanueva · Linkedin… https://www.linkedin.com/in/fernando-d%C3%ADaz-villanueva-7303865/ · Flickr... https://www.flickr.com/photos/147276463@N05/?/ · Pinterest... https://www.pinterest.com/fernandodiazvillanueva Encuentra mis libros en: · Amazon... https://www.amazon.es/Fernando-Diaz-Villanueva/e/B00J2ASBXM #FernandoDiazVillanueva #ucrania #rusia Escucha el episodio completo en la app de iVoox, o descubre todo el catálogo de iVoox Originals

Just two months after ChatGPT was launched in 2022, a survey found that 90 per cent of college students were already using it. I'd be shocked if that number wasn't closer to 100 per cent by now.Students aren't just using artificial intelligence to write their essays. They're using it to generate ideas, conduct research, and summarize their readings. In other words: they're using it to think for them. Or, as New York Magazine recently put it: “everyone is cheating their way through college.”University administrators seem paralyzed in the face of this. Some worry that if we ban tools like ChatGPT, we may leave students unprepared for a world where everyone is already using them. But others think that if we go all in on AI, we could end up with a generation capable of producing work – but not necessarily original thought.I'm honestly not sure which camp I fall into, so I wanted to talk to two people with very different perspectives on this.Conor Grennan is the Chief AI Architect at NYU's Stern School of Business, where he's helping students and educators embrace AI. And Niall Ferguson is a senior fellow at Stanford and Harvard, and the co-founder of the University of Austin. Lately, he's been making the opposite argument: that if universities are to survive, they largely need to ban AI from the classroom. Whichever path we take, the consequences will be profound. Because this isn't just about how we teach and how we learn – it's about the future of how we think.Mentioned:AI's great brain robbery – and how universities can fight back, by Niall Ferguson (The London Times)Everyone Is Cheating Their Way Through College, by James D. Walsh (New York Magazine)Your Brain on ChatGPT: Accumulation of Cognitive Debt when Using an AI Assistant for Essay Writing Task, by Nataliya Kos'myna (MIT Media Lab)The Diamond Age, by Neal StephensonHow the Enlightenment Ends, by Henry A. KissingerMachines Like Us is produced by Mitchell Stuart. Our theme song is by Chris Kelly. Host direction by Athena Karkanis. Video editing by Emily Graves. Our executive producer is James Milward. Special thanks to Angela Pacienza and the team at the Globe & Mail.Support for Machines Like Us is provided by CIFAR and the Max Bell School of Public Policy at McGill University. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

As a seemingly interminable conflict in Ukraine concludes its 43rd month of ground combat, aerial drone strikes, and stalemate, America's culture war enters a new phase with the assassination of conservative activist and Turning Point USA founder Charlie Kirk, followed by the suspension of late-night television host Jimmy Kimmel for an on-air comment made in the aftermath of Kirk's murder. GoodFellows regulars Niall Ferguson, John Cochrane, and H.R. McMaster discuss the current state of affairs in Ukraine (Sir Niall fresh off a visit to Kyiv), Kirk's murder as a watershed moment in a potential new cycle of political violence, plus whether America has reached a tipping point regarding free speech and government meddling for partisan benefit (our resident “grumpy economist” calling for the elimination of the Federal Communications Commission). Finally, a little sunshine (as in the Sundance Kid): the three fellows offering their favorite Robert Redford movies in honor of the recently deceased (and Scottish?) screen legend.  Subscribe to GoodFellows for clarity on today's biggest social, economic, and geostrategic shifts — only on GoodFellows.

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit andrewsullivan.substack.comNiall is one of my oldest and dearest friends, stretching back to when we were both history majors and renegade rightists at Magdalen, Oxford. He is the Milbank Family Senior Fellow at the Hoover Institution and a senior faculty fellow of the Belfer Center for Science and International Affairs at Harvard. He's also the founder and managing director of Greenmantle LLC, an advisory firm. He's written 16 books, including Kissinger, 1923-1968: The Idealist and Doom: The Politics of Catastrophe (which we discussed on the pod in 2021), and he writes a column for The Free Press.For two clips of our convo — a historical view of Trump's authoritarianism, and the weakness of Putin toward Ukraine — head to our YouTube page.Other topics: attending Niall's 60th birthday party in Wales with an all-male choir; Covid; Cold War II; China's surprisingly potent tech surge; the race for semiconductors and AI; Taiwan; global fertility; Brexit; the explosion of migrants under Boris and Biden; the collapse of the Tories; Reform rising; Yes Minister; assimilation in the UK; grooming gangs; the failure of “crushing” sanctions on Russia; the war's shift toward drones; Putin embraced by Xi and Modi; Trump's charade in Alaska; debating Israel and Gaza; the strike on Iran; the Abraham Accords; the settlements; America becoming less free; Trump's “emergencies”; National Guard in DC; the groveling of the Cabinet; the growth of executive power over many presidents; Trump's pardons; Kissinger; tariffs and McKinley; the coming showdown with SCOTUS; Jack Goldsmith's stellar work; Mamdani; Stephen Miller's fascism; the unseriousness of Hegseth; the gerrymandering crisis; the late republic in Rome; Tom Holland's Rubicon; Niall's X spat with Vance; Harvard's race discrimination; Biden re-electing Trump; wokeness; and South Park saving the republic.Browse the Dishcast archive for an episode you might enjoy. Coming up: Jill Lepore on the history of the Constitution, Karen Hao on artificial intelligence, Katie Herzog on drinking your way sober, Michel Paradis on Eisenhower, Charles Murray on religion, David Ignatius on the Trump effect globally, and Arthur Brooks on the science of happiness. As always, please send any guest recs, dissents, and other comments to dish@andrewsullivan.com.

Is Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi's embrace of his Russian and Chinese peers a mere signal of his displeasure with American tariff policy, or the beginning of a deeper geopolitical realignment? Hoover senior fellows Niall Ferguson, John Cochrane, and H.R. McMaster discuss the significance of Modi's summitry with Vladimir Putin and Xi Jinping. This leads into a broader conversation about Ukraine's durability (with Niall soon to visit Kyiv), as its conflict with Russia becomes a predominantly drone war. Also discussed: the question of power-wielding in Washington—the American president derided as a modern-day fascist for his use of executive authority; the differences between Trump Derangement Syndrome in the past versus the present; the Federal Reserve's independence (and sprawl); plus the merits of the federal government taking a 10% equity stake in chip manufacturer Intel. Finally, some bad news for our London fans: While the GoodFellows will be gathering in the UK's capital city, there are no plans for a rooftop concert à la the Beatles atop their Apple Corps building. Subscribe to GoodFellows for clarity on today's biggest social, economic, and geostrategic shifts — only on GoodFellows.

When high-profile food critic and journalist Giles Coren revealed he had begun attending church as a 'lapsed atheist' he joined an increasing number of people now using that label to describe themselves. Justin Brierley investigates why other public figures like Konstantin Kisin, Louise Perry, Niall Ferguson, James Lindsay and Carl Benjamin are trying out church as 'lapsed atheists'. He also hears from a new breed of thinking atheists - Alex O Connor (aka Cosmic Skeptic) and Joe Folley (aka Unsolicited Advice) on what it would take for them to believe. But what moves 'lapsed atheists' towards Christian faith? Ross Douthat, author of 'Believe: Why everyone should be religious' offers advice, and Luke Thornton a young convert from atheism to Christianity tells his story. 'Responding To The Rebirth' Conference: http://rebirthconference.net/ More info, book & newsletter: https://justinbrierley.com/surprisingrebirth/ Support via Patreon for early access to new episodes and bonus content: https://www.patreon.com/justinbrierley/membership Support via Tax-deductible (USA) and get the same perks: https://defendersmedia.com/portfolio/justin-brierley/ Give a one-off gift via PayPal: https://www.paypal.com/paypalme/brierleyjustin Buy the book or get a signed copy: https://justinbrierley.com/the-surprising-rebirth-of-belief-in-god/ Got feedback? Share it with us by emailing: feedback@think.faith Ep 19 show notes: https://justinbrierley.com/surprisingrebirth/season-2-episode-19-lapsed-atheists The Surprising Rebirth of Belief in God is a production of Think Faith in partnership with Genexis, and support from The Jerusalem Trust. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

On this episode of Crazy Wisdom, host Stewart Alsop speaks with Michael Jagdeo, a headhunter and founder working with Exponent Labs and The Syndicate, about the cycles of money, power, and technology that shape our world. Their conversation touches on financial history through The Ascent of Money by Niall Ferguson and William Bagehot's The Money Market, the rise and fall of financial centers from London to New York and the new Texas Stock Exchange, the consolidation of industries and the theory of oligarchical collectivism, the role of AI as both tool and chaos agent, Bitcoin and “quantitative re-centralization,” the dynamics of exponential organizations, and the balance between collectivism and individualism. Jagdeo also shares recruiting philosophies rooted in stories like “stone soup,” frameworks like Yu-Kai Chou's Octalysis and the User Type Hexad, and book recommendations including Salim Ismail's Exponential Organizations and Arthur Koestler's The Act of Creation. Along the way they explore servant leadership, Price's Law, Linux and open source futures, religion as an operating system, and the cyclical nature of civilizations. You can learn more about Michael Jagdeo or reach out to him directly through Twitter or LinkedIn.Check out this GPT we trained on the conversationTimestamps00:05 Stewart Alsop introduces Michael Jagdeo, who shares his path from headhunting actuaries and IT talent into launching startups with Exponent Labs and The Syndicate.00:10 They connect recruiting to financial history, discussing actuaries, The Ascent of Money, and William Bagehot's The Money Market on the London money market and railways.00:15 The Rothschilds, institutional knowledge, and Corn Laws lead into questions about New York as a financial center and the quiet launch of the Texas Stock Exchange by Citadel and BlackRock.00:20 Capital power, George Soros vs. the Bank of England, chaos, paper clips, and Orwell's oligarchical collectivism frame industry consolidation, syndicates, and stone soup.00:25 They debate imperial conquest, bourgeoisie leisure, the decline of the middle class, AI as chaos agent, digital twins, Sarah Connor, Godzilla, and nuclear metaphors.00:30 Conversation turns to Bitcoin, “quantitative re-centralization,” Jack Bogle, index funds, Robinhood micro bailouts, and AI as both entropy and negative entropy.00:35 Jagdeo discusses Jim Keller, Tenstorrent, RISC-V, Nvidia CUDA, exponential organizations, Price's Law, bureaucracy, and servant leadership with the parable of stone soup.00:40 Recruiting as symbiosis, biophilia, trust, Judas, Wilhelm Reich, AI tools, Octalysis gamification, Jordan vs. triangle offense, and the role of laughter in persuasion emerge.00:45 They explore religion as operating systems, Greek gods, Comte's stages, Nietzsche, Jung, nostalgia, scientism, and Jordan Peterson's revival of tradition.00:50 The episode closes with Linux debates, Ubuntu, Framer laptops, PewDiePie, and Jagdeo's nod to Liminal Snake on epistemic centers and turning curses into blessings.Key InsightsOne of the central insights of the conversation is how financial history repeats through cycles of consolidation and power shifts. Michael Jagdeo draws on William Bagehot's The Money Market to explain how London became the hub of European finance, much like New York later did, and how the Texas Stock Exchange signals a possible southern resurgence of financial influence in America. The pattern of wealth moving with institutional shifts underscores how markets, capital, and politics remain intertwined.Jagdeo and Alsop emphasize that industries naturally oligarchize. Borrowing from Orwell's “oligarchical collectivism,” Jagdeo notes that whether in diamonds, food, or finance, consolidation emerges as economies of scale take over. This breeds syndicates and monopolies, often interpreted as conspiracies but really the predictable outcome of industrial maturation.Another powerful theme is the stone soup model of collaboration. Jagdeo applies this parable to recruiting, showing that no single individual can achieve large goals alone. By framing opportunities as shared ventures where each person adds their own ingredient, leaders can attract top talent while fostering genuine symbiosis.Technology, and particularly AI, is cast as both chaos agent and amplifier of human potential. The conversation likens AI to nuclear power—capable of great destruction or progress. From digital twins to Sarah Connor metaphors, they argue AI represents not just artificial intelligence but artificial knowledge and action, pushing humans to adapt quickly to its disruptive presence.The discussion of Bitcoin and digital currencies reframes decentralization as potentially another trap. Jagdeo provocatively calls Bitcoin “quantitative re-centralization,” suggesting that far from liberating individuals, digital currencies may accelerate neo-feudalism by creating new oligarchies and consolidating financial control in unexpected ways.Exponential organizations and the leverage of small teams emerge as another key point. Citing Price's Law, Jagdeo explains how fewer than a dozen highly capable individuals can now achieve billion-dollar valuations thanks to open source hardware, AI, and network effects. This trend redefines scale, making nimble collectives more powerful than bureaucratic giants.Finally, the episode highlights the cyclical nature of civilizations and belief systems. From Rome vs. Carthage to Greek gods shifting with societal needs, to Nietzsche's “God is dead” and Jung's view of recurring deaths of divinity, Jagdeo argues that religion, ideology, and operating systems reflect underlying incentives. Western nostalgia for past structures, whether political or religious, risks idolatry, while the real path forward may lie in new blends of individualism, collectivism, and adaptive tools like Linux and AI.

What to expect from this week's Putin–Trump summit in Alaska? Hoover Institution Director and former US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice—no stranger, she, to engaging in statecraft with Russia's enigmatic president—joins GoodFellows regulars Niall Ferguson, John Cochrane, and H.R. McMaster for a spirited conversation about Vladimir Putin's motives (is the summit only for domestic Russian consumption?), how to characterize the present US-Sino competition (Secretary Rice tossing cold water on “Cold War 2”), plus the sensibility of the Trump administration's threats to withhold federal research funds from leading universities in order to change campus cultures. Following that, Sir Niall recounts his recent sit-down with Argentinian president Javier Milei (is that nation's “vibe shift” real or contrived?); and tariff-agnostic John Cochrane assesses the progress of the Trump administration's ever-evolving trade strategy. Finally, the three panelists discuss the recent 80th anniversary of the only wartime use of atomic weapons and the importance of its annual remembrance.

This week we look at communion on the moon; banning Jews in Edinburgh; Kate Forbes resigns;  Lord of the Rings;  England v. India;  Country of the Week - India; Prison Officers compelled to lie; Chinese spies in the UK;  Angela Rayner and Muslim Heritage Month; Brisbane Anglicans reject Scripture; the Dutch self-generating sea wall;  the Chinese Vertical Forest City; The News Agents on the Quiet Revival;  the closure of Spurgeons College and Trinity; Feedback on Gaza; Niall Ferguson on genocide;  recognising Palestine: Major Andrew Fox on Triggernometry;  Final Word - Psalm 46  -  With music from REM; Radiohead; Booker T and the MGs;  Shankar- Essen- Loy;  Bridge Music; Golden Earring; Annie Lennox;  and Larry Norman;    

How does a young Scotsman go from struggling actor and failed politician to internationally acclaimed (and knighted) historian? In a solo installment of GoodFellows, Sir Niall Ferguson, Hoover's Milbank Family Senior Fellow, discusses his academic journey, fellow historians he admires, keys to successfully multi-tasking through life, plus how he and his spouse, Hoover Research Fellow Ayaan Hirsi Ali (who also appears in this episode), are raising their two sons. Also discussed: Sir Niall's newfound passion for sailing, his non-Scottish attitude toward golf and fishing, why he doesn't see retirement as a viable lifestyle, plus the pride he takes in a music legend recently lauding him as the “Jimi Hendrix” of his profession.   Recorded on July 30, 2025. Subscribe for clarity on today's biggest social, economic, and geostrategic shifts — only on GoodFellows.

In contrast to the 20th-century bosses of industry who ran America's big cities, New York City seems poised to elect an unabashed socialist with dreams of government-run bodegas, rent freezes, and wealth redistribution. Rick Caruso, noted Los Angeles real estate developer and possible political candidate in 2026, joins GoodFellows regulars and Hoover senior fellows Niall Ferguson, John Cochrane, and H.R. McMaster to discuss the future of America's big cities—whether his other major cities will follow Gotham's lead, plus how to bring needed change to municipalities notoriously averse to innovation (and in LA's case, a city perhaps unprepared for the 2028 Summer Olympics).  The three fellows next reflect on the Ukraine-Russia conflict, now entering its 42nd month with no end in sight, then engage in a “lightning round” that touches on Harvard's reported desire to create a Hoover Institution of its own; Hunter Biden's skewed take on illegal immigration; the Epstein scandal's effect on the MAGA movement; plus a “heated” debate over why Sir Niall and his countrymen choose to live without air conditioning.  Recorded on July 22, 2025. Subscribe for clarity on today's biggest social, economic, and geostrategic shifts — only on GoodFellows.  

To celebrate the release on July 29th of The War on Science, we have recorded 20 podcast interviews with authors from the book. Starting on July 22nd, with Richard Dawkins, we will be releasing one interview per day. Interviewees in order, will be:Richard Dawkins July 23rdNiall Ferguson July 24thNicholas Christakis July 25thMaarten Boudry July 26thAbigail Thompson July 27thJohn Armstrong July 28thSally Satel July 29thElizabeth Weiss July 30thSolveig Gold and Joshua Katz July 31stFrances Widdowson August 1stCarole Hooven August 2ndJanice Fiamengo August 3rdGeoff Horsman August 4thAlessandro Strumia August 5thRoger Cohen and Amy Wax August 6thPeter Boghossian August 7thLauren Schwartz and Arthur Rousseau August 8thAlex Byrne and Moti Gorin August 9thJudith Suissa and Alice Sullivan August 10thKarleen Gribble August 11thDorian Abbot August 12thThe topics these authors discuss range over ideas including the ideological corruption of science, historical examples of the demise of academia, free speech in academia, social justice activism replacing scholarship in many disciplines, disruptions of science from mathematics to medicine, cancel culture, the harm caused by DEI bureaucracies at universities, distortions of biology, disingenous and dangerous distortions of the distinctions between gender and sex in medicine, and false premises impacting on gender affirming care for minors, to, finally, a set of principles universities should adopt to recover from the current internal culture war. The dialogues are blunt, and provocative, and point out the negative effects that the current war on science going on within universities is having on the progress of science and scholarship in the west. We are hoping that the essays penned by this remarkable group of scholars will help provoke discussion both within universities and the public at large about how to restore trust, excellence, merit, and most important sound science, free speech and free inquiry on university campuses. Many academics have buried their heads in the sand hoping this nonsense will go away. It hasn't and we now need to become more vocal, and unified in combatting this modern attack on science and scholarship. The book was completed before the new external war on science being waged by the Trump administration began. Fighting this new effort to dismantle the scientific infrastructure of the country is important, and we don't want to minimized that threat. But even if the new attacks can be successfully combatted in Congress, the Courts, and the ballot box, the longstanding internal issues we describe in the new book, and in the interviews we are releasing, will still need to be addressed to restore the rightful place of science and scholarship in the west. I am hoping that you will find the interviews enlightening and encourage you to look at the new book when it is released, and help become part of the effort to restore sound science and scholarship in academia. With no further ado, The War on Science interviews…As always, an ad-free video version of this podcast is also available to paid Critical Mass subscribers. Your subscriptions support the non-profit Origins Project Foundation, which produces the podcast. The audio version is available free on the Critical Mass site and on all podcast sites, and the video version will also be available on the Origins Project YouTube. Get full access to Critical Mass at lawrencekrauss.substack.com/subscribe

Send us a textThis show reflects on what it means to see the future too clearly and the cost of carrying that vision alone.A few weeks ago, America burned on the monitor behind me. Cameras rolled in Santa Monica. Steve Drobny, founder of Clocktower Group, advisor in global hedge funds, told me to sit straight, but I didn't care. We discussed the future and America's possibly undead economy.The previous night, a girl at a Venice Beach bar asked where I'm from. “The future,” I replied. She was 30, blond, beautiful blue eyes, an image I haven't shaken off. When you return from the future, you're never whole. Details are too sharp, too strange. People blink. They don't want to hear it. That's why I wear goggles. That's why they call me unhinged.Knowing what's next doesn't give control. It gives doubt. It exiles you from Main Street.I vibed on John Buchan's The Gap in the Curtain. A country house, a strange German professor, a handful of guests glimpsing a year ahead. One sees a financial headline. Distant words that unravel everything. Once you've seen what's coming, you carry it like a tumor made of light.I drew a line from that story to Saint Peter in Gethsemane. His denial wasn't betrayal; it was fear dressed as certainty. The same fear I see in markets, politics, people I've loved. We say "impossible" when scared. But the future doesn't knock. It slides in through the back door. Think of me as The Back Door Man.That's the curse, not that no one believes you, but that eventually, you stop believing yourself.Our conversation shifted between memories: Blanc Bleu, my house in St. Barts, Bitcoin, bond markets, old debates with giants like Niall Ferguson. Moments I stood and said what no one wanted to hear.Being early feels like being wrong until the chart catches up.The Curse of Knowing isn't about money, it's about myth. Trading safety for clarity. Leaving comfort to speak truths no one's ready for. It's about friends reunited, because ultimately, the only constants are those you love(d).HughSupport the show⬇️ Subscribe on Patreon or Substack for full episodes ⬇️https://www.patreon.com/HughHendryhttps://hughhendry.substack.comhttps://www.instagram.com/hughhendryofficialhttps://blancbleustbarts.comhttps://www.instagram.com/blancbleuofficial⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Leave a five star review and comment on Apple Podcasts!

It's the fourth day in the war between Iran and Israel. Many questions hang in the air. Chief among them: Will Israel be able to fulfill its main goal in the war—to end Iran's nuclear program? Will it put troops on the ground to do so, specifically to blow up Iran's most important nuclear site? Or will the U.S. get involved? Will Trump provide the bunker-busting bombs necessary to destroy the facility at Fordow? Will the regime fall—and if so, what will come next? How does this struggle fit into the much, much larger geopolitical conflict between the U.S. and China? So today, I have two experts to break it all down: Niall Ferguson and Dexter Filkins. Niall Ferguson is a historian and Free Press columnist who just wrote in our pages, “Israel's attack restores the credibility of the West.” Dexter Filkins is a longtime foreign correspondent who has reported from Iran. He is a contributor at The New Yorker, has covered this topic for years, and is the author of The Forever War. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Sam Harris speaks with Niall Ferguson about the current geopolitical situation. They discuss how Trump is handling the war in Ukraine, Europe's changing relationship to the U.S., security concerns around Trump's appointees, the economic impacts of Trump's policies, how China views political turmoil in the U.S., whether democracy can withstand Trump 2.0, Elon Musk and X, free speech in the United Kingdom, Trump's plan for Gaza, and other topics. If the Making Sense podcast logo in your player is BLACK, you can SUBSCRIBE to gain access to all full-length episodes at samharris.org/subscribe.   Learning how to train your mind is the single greatest investment you can make in life. That's why Sam Harris created the Waking Up app. From rational mindfulness practice to lessons on some of life's most important topics, join Sam as he demystifies the practice of meditation and explores the theory behind it.