The Human Survival Podcast
Hosted by Shelby Mertes, this show is part of the Human Survival Project, which was created for you and others to work together to save humanity. We combine two powerful truths: 1) humanity is facing existential threats to our world civilization, and 2) these global threats require global management by a redesigned and much stronger United Nations. We are building a global grassroots organization to help citizens push their governments to fix the U.N., to help protect the future of humanity and create a world we can be proud of. On the show, we discuss climate change, destruction of nature, pandemics, nuclear weapons and other warfare, technology (artificial intelligence, synthetic biology, etc), climate-driven migration, global wealth inequality, and of course, the international systems we need to manage these issues. We focus on solutions, and explore how to be engaged world citizens in a time of dramatic change. Learn more and sign up for our email newsletter: https://www.thehumansurvivalproject.org For the sake of all that is beautiful about humanity, we invite you to join us.
Episodes
Wednesday May 15, 2024
Wednesday May 15, 2024
In today’s world, there is so much technology at our fingertips that we don’t know how to manage it all. Technologies like artificial intelligence, synthetic biology, nanotech and chemicals have important benefits, but they could also destabilize society, destroy democracy, crash the economy, create the next pandemic or ruin the environment. And competition between companies and countries is driving advancement SO FAST. How can we reap the benefits of technology, while seriously managing the risks? And who should have the power to make these decisions?
Wendell Wallach offers promising approaches to regulating humans’ use of technology. Wendell is a Senior Fellow at the Carnegie Council for Ethics in International Affairs, where he co-directs the AI and Equality Initiative (AIEI). He is also a senior advisor to the Hastings Center and a scholar at the Yale Interdisciplinary Center for Bioethics, where he has chaired Technology and Ethics studies for 11 years. Wendell has written several books on how to avoid misusing technology and the moral considerations that factor into those actions.
By improving our governance systems, we humans can be more thoughtful, forward-looking, organized and international in our management of technology. In truth, the consequences of mismanaging technology are already here. But it’s not too late for positive change. If we act quickly and collaboratively, we can shape our future for the better.
#technology #artificialintelligence #existentialthreats #ai #bioethics #governance #TechGovernance #EthicalInnovation #EthicalTech #FutureLeaders #CollaborativeChange #FutureReadiness
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The Human Survival Podcast, hosted by Shelby Mertes.This show is offered by The Human Survival Project, a global grassroots organization pushing for a redesigned and much stronger United Nations, so humanity has the global tools to manage its global existential threats. We’re working to protect the future of humanity and create a world we can be proud of.
** Connect and learn more at: https://www.thehumansurvivalproject.org/ ** Sign up for our email newsletter, or send Shelby a message with any questions or suggestions: https://www.thehumansurvivalproject.org/connect
This show is also on YouTube. Watch this episode here:https://youtu.be/PXAlbG7M3s8?si=eJH7kjSDRUuIz38e
Please subscribe and tell your friends about the show.
Find us on social media:https://www.instagram.com/thehumansurvivalproject/https://www.tiktok.com/@thehumansurvivalprojecthttps://www.linkedin.com/company/the-human-survival-project/
RESOURCES:
Carnegie Council for Ethics in International Affairs:https://www.carnegiecouncil.org/
Wendell Wallach Bio:https://www.wwallach.com/
AI & Equality Podcast:https://www.carnegiecouncil.org/media/series/aiei
Article - A Framework for the International Governance of AI:https://www.carnegiecouncil.org/media/article/a-framework-for-the-international-governance-of-ai
A Dangerous Master: How to Keep Technology from Slipping Beyond Our Control by Wendell Wallachhttps://www.amazon.com/Dangerous-Master-Technology-Slipping-Control/dp/0465058620
Moral Machines: Teaching Robots Right from Wrong by Wendell Wallachhttps://www.amazon.com/Moral-Machines-Teaching-Robots-Right/dp/0199737975
TIMESTAMPS:0:00 - Introduction2:53 - Description of Wendell Wallach.5:01 - Where is humanity at?7:16 - Problems with technology and governance.16:15 - Seeing risks before they happen.18:44 - Computers consume lots of energy.20:52 - AI is worsening the unequal distribution of wealth.22:37 - Humans mismanage their technological powers.23:50 - Who should control the frameworks?28:30 - OpenAI and commercialization.30:14 - We need governments to put up guardrails.35:55 - Salt March Moments, like Gandhi.41:42 - Teaching citizens to create their own sense of meaning.43:01 - Managing competition between countries.44:55 - Acting with a global mindset.49:50 - Short-term and long-term risks of AI.53:22 - We need rules.56:30 - Executive agency with multidisciplinary expertise.59:34 - How do we enforce rules?1:03:10 - Reevaluating our focus on other issues.1:04:56 - America needs immigrants to fill jobs.1:06:17 - Laws of armed conflict and unnecessary wars.1:08:10 - We need a trustworthy system to enforce our agreements.1:10:12 - Keep working and acting on opportunities.1:15:21 - Direction of government funding.1:19:50 - Responding earlier.1:23:09 - Good change can happen quicker than we think.
Tuesday Apr 02, 2024
Preparing for the Next Pandemic: David Quammen - Author and Journalist
Tuesday Apr 02, 2024
Tuesday Apr 02, 2024
After the COVID-19 pandemic, it’s easy to think we won’t face another global outbreak in the next century. But viruses don’t have a schedule — the next pandemic could be tomorrow. And it could be much more fatal than COVID-19. So, how do we prepare ourselves?
With us to explain the best ways to both prevent and face these outbreaks is David Quammen, an award-winning author, and journalist on science and humans’ relationship with the natural world. He regularly contributes to many distinguished news sources, including the New York Times, the NY Times Book Review, and National Geographic. His 18 books include two on pandemics. “Spillover,” in 2012, accurately predicted a major pandemic could happen soon. In 2022, “Breathless: The Scientific Race to Defeat a Deadly Virus” thoroughly analyzed the world’s reaction to COVID-19. Quammen has traveled the world extensively, allowing him to contribute to today’s conversation with his personal experiences in third-world countries and what he’s seen in the availability of resources for those communities.
Luckily, the threat of viral outbreaks is rooted in something we can change: our actions. By regulating humans’ contact with animals, overconsumption of animal-based products, and the distribution of vaccines and education, we can act proactively on our planet. To save human and non-human creatures, we must adopt a future-oriented approach and find solutions now. If the next pandemic is tomorrow, we can be prepared.
#virus #outbreak #pandemic #pandemicawareness #protectourplanet #publichealth #existentialthreats #grassroots #globalcommunity #unitednations #diseaseprevention #coronavirus #outbreak #overconsumption #biodiversityloss #vaccine
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The Human Survival Podcast, hosted by Shelby Mertes.
This show is offered by The Human Survival Project, a global grassroots organization pushing for a redesigned and much stronger United Nations so humanity has the global tools to manage its global existential threats. We’re working to protect the future of humanity and create a world we can be proud of.
** Connect and learn more at: https://www.thehumansurvivalproject.org/ **
Sign up for our email newsletter, or send Shelby a message with any questions or suggestions: https://www.thehumansurvivalproject.org/connect
You can watch this episode on YouTube here: https://youtu.be/slmCOt5na3Y
Please subscribe and tell your friends about the show.
Find us on social media:
https://www.instagram.com/thehumansurvivalproject/
https://www.tiktok.com/@thehumansurvivalproject
https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-human-survival-project/
RESOURCES:
David Quammen’s Website
https://davidquammen.com/
New York Times - 12/19/23
Mystery Amid an Anthrax Outbreak in Africa
https://www.nytimes.com/2023/12/19/health/anthrax-africa.html?smid=url-share
Grist - 4/27/20
Deadly Leaps: These scientists saw the coronavirus coming. Now, they're trying to stop the next pandemic before it starts.
https://bit.ly/3ecYmIJ
Vox - 610/20
The meat we eat is a pandemic risk, too
https://bit.ly/3xH2Qz3
Timestamps:
0:00 - Introduction
2:20 - Description of David Quammen.
5:38 - What is the size of this risk, and what drives it?
8:00 - The three big human-caused problems (“three rivers of woe”) on Earth.
9:07 - Human contact with animals leads to most diseases.
14:30 - Dangers of wet markets.
16:24 - Domesticated meat production and its risks.
21:01 - Leaks of diseases from labs.
24:36 - Adopting a future-oriented approach to find solutions.
26:16 - Communication of information and public trust in science.
28:57 - Science is a gradual and self-correcting process.
32:15 - The next pandemic could be tomorrow (and worse than COVID-19).
38:36 - Rapid development of successful vaccines.
40:41 - Making vaccines and disease education available to ALL countries.
44:12 - Public/private funding and partnerships.
46:45 - Proactive surveillance, containing outbreaks and predictions of viruses.
52:00 - Lack of capacity and resources in hospitals.
55:13 - What is the state of the World Health Organization?
57:19 - Inspecting labs and hospitals would be valuable.
1:00:16 - We need to have more conversations on these issues.
1:01:10 - Pandemic threats and biodiversity loss are co-equal to climate change.
1:03:06 - Losing the world’s creatures.
Thursday Mar 07, 2024
How to END War: John Reuwer - World BEYOND War
Thursday Mar 07, 2024
Thursday Mar 07, 2024
How to END War: John Reuwer - World BEYOND War
Historically, war has seemed natural for humans. It is everywhere. However, at its core, conflict always comes down to a choice. When making these decisions, we need to understand the right tools to respond to all conflict levels, from neighborly disputes to global warfare.
With the help of expert John Reuwer, we learn the value of settling wars with nonviolence and civil resistance. John is the treasurer and a member of the Board of Directors at World BEYOND War (WBW), a global movement that aims to abolish the institution of war. The organization currently has signatories to their two-sentence peace pledge in 194 countries. John has had many firsthand experiences with violent conflict as a retired emergency physician and has spent decades examining the benefits of nonviolence.
In this episode, we discuss ways to manage conflict on a global scale, including the enforcement of gradual disarmament, incentivization for countries, reallocation of military budgets, and the removal of nuclear weaponry. The dangers of war continue to grow with the advancement of artificial technology; this means that humans have the power to regulate our systems and weaponry to redesign our world for a better and more peaceful future.
#betterfuture #hopeforhumanity #abolishwar #civilresistance #nonviolence #worldpeace #peacepledge #globalconflict #grassroots #globalsecurity #conflictresolution #nonviolence
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The Human Survival Podcast, hosted by Shelby Mertes.
This show is offered by The Human Survival Project, a global grassroots organization pushing for a redesigned and much stronger United Nations, so humanity has the global tools to manage its global existential threats. We’re working to protect the future of humanity and create a world we can be proud of.
** Connect and learn more at: https://www.thehumansurvivalproject.org/ **
Sign up for our email newsletter, or send Shelby a message with any questions or suggestions: https://www.thehumansurvivalproject.org/connect
This show is also available on YouTube here: https://youtu.be/PUdAysiU4_s
Please subscribe and tell your friends about the show.
Find us on social media:
https://www.instagram.com/thehumansurvivalproject/
https://www.tiktok.com/@thehumansurvivalproject
https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-human-survival-project/
Please subscribe and tell your friends about the show.
RESOURCES:
World BEYOND War’s Website
https://worldbeyondwar.org/
TIMESTAMPS:
0:00 - Introduction.
4:26 - What is World BEYOND War? How does it work? What are its goals?
8:28 - War is not inevitable or “natural” for humans.
10:51 - Nonviolence and the Golden Rule.
13:49 - War/violence mainly keeps the powerful in control.
16:40 - Manipulation of citizens’ and soldiers’ perspectives in the Russia-Ukraine war.
19:45 - What would happen if we didn’t fight? Civil resistance.
28:03 - Enforcing nonviolent approaches.
32:35 - Redesigning the United Nations.
38:38 - Cultural violence to empower the people.
40:39 - Humanity making decisions for humanity.
41:14 - Making war illegal and gradually disarming everyone.
44:37 - Difficulties of having a representative voice in government.
45:50 - Disarmament in peace policies.
47:33 - Redirecting the military budget to non-military purposes.
48:59 - How do we help countries feel safe enough to disarm?
52:47 - Transparency in policies is a choice.
55:03 - Nuclear weapons and incentivization for disarmament.
1:00:08 - International courts.
1:02:37 - To what extent is warfare economic?
1:05:05 - Humans built nuclear weapons. Humans can take them apart.
1:08:26 - World BEYOND War’s peace pledge.
Tuesday Feb 13, 2024
Building the AI Pause Button: Joep Meindertsma - Pause AI
Tuesday Feb 13, 2024
Tuesday Feb 13, 2024
Recently, the development of artificial intelligence has become exponential. As more programs like ChatGPT have been released to the public, many people see benefits of continuing investment in this growth. Some believe it might even help solve our existential threats.
But with its unregulated advancements, AI itself could be an existential threat to our world. From cybersecurity risks to autonomous weapons, artificial intelligence poses countless threats to the safety of humankind. How should we regulate AI development?
With us to talk about managing our uses of artificial intelligence is Joep Meindertsma, founder of Pause AI. Pause AI is an organization proposing a worldwide pause in development of the most powerful AI systems, through the regulation of their training and publication, alongside the creation of an international safety agency. Joep is also the CEO of Ontola and of Argu in the Netherlands. As a software engineer, he has lots of experience with technology and has seen the dangers of AI firsthand.
It’s comfortable to ignore the risks of artificial intelligence. And building a globally-functioning pause button won’t be easy. But the threat of AI has become urgent. We can’t afford to ignore its dangers to humanity any longer. Humans created artificial intelligence. It’s time for us to take responsibility and use our real intelligence to control AI before it controls us.
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The Human Survival Podcast, hosted by Shelby Mertes.
This show is offered by The Human Survival Project, a global grassroots organization pushing for a redesigned and much stronger United Nations, so humanity has the global tools to manage its global existential threats. We’re working to protect the future of humanity and create a world we can be proud of.
** Connect and learn more at: https://www.thehumansurvivalproject.org/ **
Sign up for our email newsletter, or send Shelby a message with any questions or suggestions: https://www.thehumansurvivalproject.org/connect
This show is also available on YouTube here: https://youtu.be/PUdAysiU4_s
Please subscribe and tell your friends about the show.
Find us on social media:
https://www.instagram.com/thehumansurvivalproject/
https://www.tiktok.com/@thehumansurvivalproject
https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-human-survival-project/
RESOURCES:
Pause AI’s Website:https://pauseai.info/
Pause Giant AI Experiments - An Open Letter:https://futureoflife.org/open-letter/pause-giant-ai-experiments/
TIMESTAMPS:
0:00 - Introduction
3:39 - What is Pause AI?
6:28 - Cybersecurity risks and rapid development of AI.
10:37 - Consequences of rushed decisions.
15:35 - Building an international pause button.
22:31 - Emotional obstacles to taking responsibility.
25:00 - Big successes are possible.
27:19 - Designing global governance.
35:50 - Urgency of regulating AI.
38:44 - Creating an executive agency, authorized to move quickly.
41:41 - When and what do we pause?
46:57 - Regulating hardware used for AI.
50:20 - Controlling AI democratically and open-sourcing.
53:55 - Problems of promoting AI.
57:03 - When would AI become necessary?
59:14 - Value of AI in solving existential threats.
1:03:51 - Possibilities of AI takeover.
1:13:12 - Optimists vs. pessimists.
1:17:39 - Enforcing policy measures.
1:20:41 - Solving environmental issues with narrowed AI.
1:23:19 - Approaches to different AI models.
1:24:34 - Importance of international regulation.
1:26:35 - Courage to implement treaties.
1:29:27 - Plan for the future.
1:33:06 - Every small action matters.
Sunday Dec 24, 2023
Sunday Dec 24, 2023
We are all horrified by the wars in Israel-Palestine, and Ukraine. And those are just the conflicts we hear about. There are 21 wars in the world right now - most of them barely make the news. We tend to feel hopeless as we watch the death and suffering. But what if we didn’t have to feel helpless? What if the world had ways to actually DO something, and SOLVE wars?
The Human Survival Project proposes redesigning and strengthening the United Nations, so humanity can have the global tools to manage violence, and the many other existential threats humanity faces. Today we talk about what might be possible if we had those tools.
With us to discuss this are two members of The Human Survival Project Team - Ben Gavin and Sarmad Wali Khan.
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The Human Survival Podcast, hosted by Shelby Mertes.
This show is offered by The Human Survival Project, a global grassroots organization to protect the future of humanity and create a world we can be proud of. We push for the United Nations to be redesigned and strengthened, so humanity has the global tools to manage its existential threats.
** Connect and learn more at: https://www.thehumansurvivalproject.org/ **
Sign up for our email newsletter, or send Shelby a message with any questions or suggestions: https://www.thehumansurvivalproject.org/connect
This show is also on YouTube. Watch this episode here: https://youtu.be/zDI0BYklGTQ
Please subscribe and tell your friends about the show.
RESOURCES:
Wikipedia - List of Current Armed Conflictshttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_ongoing_armed_conflicts
Tuesday Jul 25, 2023
Tuesday Jul 25, 2023
With the growing conversation on climate change, many people are now helping the planet and trying to get rid of the damaging policies and products that are worsening climate change - which is great. But we need to widen our focus from not only getting rid of the bad, but to also pushing for the good. Our response to saving our world from this existential threat needs to pick up the pace, and in order to do that, we have to be more strategic about where we’re directing our time and resources. How can we change our approach to climate change?
With us to share his thoughts on where we’re at and where we should be heading is James Jylkka, a natural resource specialist with the US Army Corps of Engineers. His work puts him at the nexus of flood risk management, recreation, and natural resource management. He began his journey toward environmental justice when he left the corporate world to embark on a solo hike of the Pacific Crest Trail. Since then, he has worked as an environmental policy analyst for the State of California and as a science teacher in underserved communities. He is passionate about issues of environmental equity and sustainability, which inform his daily life, both at home and work.
With his help, we consider how we can cut back on consumption, help third-world countries make the green transition, redirect government involvement in climate projects, and promote a value system that’s more meaningful and productive than our culture’s heavy focus on money and technology. These things can get us closer to our goal for humans, animals, and ecosystems to all thrive in our shared world.
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The Human Survival Podcast, hosted by Shelby Mertes. This show is offered by The Human Survival Project, a grassroots organization helping the human race become an intentional and forward-looking species, with the global tools to improve ourselves and protect ourselves from global catastrophic threats.
** Connect and learn more at: https://www.thehumansurvivalproject.org/ ** Sign up for our email newsletter, or send Shelby a message with any questions or suggestions: https://www.thehumansurvivalproject.o...
This show is also on YouTube. You can watch this episode here: https://youtu.be/QnioxSXFnE8
Please subscribe and tell your friends about the show.
Theme music by Moby: https://mobygratis.com/
RESOURCES:
NY Times, 3/13/22 Government Is Flailing, in Part Because Liberals Hobbled It https://www.nytimes.com/2022/03/13/op...
OUTLINE:
0:00 - Intro 6:01 - Less focus on getting rid of the bad and more focus on pushing for the good 7:36 - Changes are not moving quickly enough 9:33 - But moving too fast could lead to problems 13:11 - Managing the complexity of having many involved agencies 14:51 - Solutions aren’t new and shiny; we already have them, but they just aren’t implemented 15:03 - Need to incentivize rooftop solar 16:39 - Carbon tax or heavy subsidy of green energy is important, not a complete solution 17:28 - Motivating change on a broad scale by setting standards in huge markets like California 18:19 - Charge what things actually cost 19:26 - Incentivize the good by making it more accessible/affordable. Competitive economies. 23:14 - Government should provide guidance, regulation, incentives, and financial support 26:42 - Government bureaucracy is a huge problem 28:15 - Wealth and opportunity gap 29:20 - One additional layer of agency to coordinate all the other agencies 32:37 - Different levels of government are not aligned 33:53 - U.N. model that comes up with codes and guidelines that can adopted all the way down to the municipality level would improve alignment 34:33 - International climate change agreement can level the global playing field 35:40 - Economic sanctions 40:18 - Poverty is an existential risk that hinders the fight against climate change 44:39 - Wealthier countries need to cut back consumption. 48:52 - Artificial intelligence is going to make many of us obsolete in the workforce 49:20 - Value system 52:44 - More money to be made in solving climate issues. Makes the expenses worth it. 54:13 - Liberal vs. conservative divide gets in the way. Make the government work better. 57:00 - Difference of opinions in current news outlets 58:06 - Advocacy organizations and nonprofits bridge the divide between the government and the average voter 59:46 - Redirection of funding and resources 1:01:50 - Caring about people you can’t see, instead of self-interest 1:04:33 - Life is complex. It’s hard to keep making perfect choices. 1:06:58 - Goal is for people, animals, and ecosystems to all thrive. Compromise. 1:10:29 - Be respectful of people, show appreciation for what people do well 1:13:20 - The Human Survival Project team’s summer goals
Thursday Dec 29, 2022
U.S. Military Spending: Protection or Danger?
Thursday Dec 29, 2022
Thursday Dec 29, 2022
The United States spends an astronomical amount of money on its military - more than any other nation. In fact, more than the next 8 nations combined. It helps fund 750 military bases in 80 countries. It has quite an impact on the world.
Last week, the U.S. Congress and President Biden enacted the National Defense Authorization Act of 2023, which increased military spending to the largest level since the end of World War II, even adjusted for inflation.
Increasing technology makes war more dangerous. And growing conflict between the United States, China and Russia (and of course Ukraine) is fueling an arms race between superpowers that could end up disastrous.
Today, we consider what the United States actually gets for all this military spending. Does it make Americans and the world safer, or put them in more danger? What else could this money be used for?
And I suggest we turn to world approaches to world security - like a stronger United Nations - rather than large nations slugging it out with each other.
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The Human Survival Podcast, hosted by Shelby Mertes.
This show is offered by The Human Survival Project, a grassroots organization helping the human race become an intentional and forward-looking species, with the global tools to improve ourselves and protect ourselves from global catastrophic threats.
** Connect and learn more at: https://www.thehumansurvivalproject.org/ **
Sign up for our email newsletter, or send Shelby a message with any questions or suggestions: https://www.thehumansurvivalproject.org/connect
The Human Survival Podcast is also on YouTube.Watch this episode here: https://youtu.be/eTHb_6kLNWE
Please subscribe and tell your friends about the show.
Theme music by Moby: https://mobygratis.com/
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Resources:
~ U.S. Department of Defense, 12/23/22Biden Signs National Defense Authorization Act Into Lawhttps://bit.ly/3YOZzv0
~ Union of Concerned Scientists, 12/14/22Defense Spending Reaches Record High as Pentagon Fails Its Audit – For Fifth Timehttps://bit.ly/3jEQyVv
Data on U.S. and international military spending…~ Stockholm International Peace Research Institutehttps://bit.ly/3I7q7BV
Report on U.S. military bases around the world…~ Quincy Institute for Responsible Statecraft, 9/20/21Drawdown: Improving U.S. and Global Security Through Military Base Closures Abroadhttps://bit.ly/3G5mMR2
~ United Nations annual spendinghttps://unsceb.org/total-expenses
Other news articles about the recent military spending bill, both good and mediocre…~ New York Times, 12/18/22Military Spending Surges, Creating New Boom for Arms Makershttps://bit.ly/3Gnv9sB ~ Slate, 12/8/22There Is No Good Reason for a Defense Budget This Largehttps://bit.ly/3PYBk9R ~ CNN, 12/15/22Here’s what’s in the $858 billion defense billhttps://bit.ly/3vmC4vZ ~ Reuters, 12/15/22U.S. Senate passes record $858 billion defense act, sending bill to Bidenhttps://bit.ly/3G22isy ~ Fox News, 12/18/22Ukraine aid opened the floodgates for more Pentagon spending as US eyes Russia, Chinahttps://bit.ly/3C8QDa6
Sunday Dec 18, 2022
Can Inflation Help Save The World?: Mike Jordan - The Human Survival Project
Sunday Dec 18, 2022
Sunday Dec 18, 2022
There’s a ton of conversation lately about inflation, and its effects on the economy and on people’s personal finances. Lots of people are concerned. BUT, could inflation actually be helpful?
We are in a climate and environmental crisis that could ruin just about everything if we don’t get it under control - including the entire economy. The planet is being ruined by people buying stuff, and when stuff is expensive, people buy less. Could higher prices help us get our overconsumption under control?
Further, as we destroy the climate and nature, there will be shortages of water, food, metals, oil and just about everything, which will drive up prices. High prices are coming anyway, whether we like it or not. So maybe we should drive up prices now while we still have some nature and manageable climate left to protect.
Today, we talk about inflation, consumption and your future - and how we can manage our economy to protect us all from environmental danger.
With us to talk about all this is one of my very best friends, Mike Jordan. He is working with me to produce this podcast and to launch The Human Survival Project. He is smart, interesting, curious and lots of fun to talk with.
Thanks for approaching this controversial topic with an open mind.
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The Human Survival Podcast, hosted by Shelby Mertes.
This show is offered by The Human Survival Project, a grassroots organization helping the human race become an intentional and forward-looking species, with the global tools to improve ourselves and protect ourselves from global catastrophic threats.
** Connect and learn more at: https://www.thehumansurvivalproject.org/ **
Sign up for our email newsletter, or send Shelby a message with any questions or suggestions: https://www.thehumansurvivalproject.org/connect
The Human Survival Podcast is also on YouTube.Watch this episode here: https://youtu.be/JylIuAWXVWU
Please subscribe and tell your friends about the show.
Theme music by Moby: https://mobygratis.com/
Resources:
(5:15) Humans are consuming the equivalent of 1.7 Earths. If all humans consumed like Americans, we would need 5 Earths.~ Global Footprint Networkhttps://www.footprintnetwork.org/
(8:20) NY Times columnist Bret Stephens, after years of downplaying the threat of climate change, changes his perspective after a trip to Greenland.~ NY Times, 10/28/22Where My Climate Doubts Began To Melthttps://nyti.ms/3vjzqXX
(10:30) Mike mentioned fossil fuel industries receiving $11 trillion in subsidies each year, which he was pulling from memory. It may be that he was remembering the figure of $11 million every minute, which adds up to $5.9 trillion annually. Various analyses come out a little differently. Any way you slice it, fossil fuel subsidies are enormous.~ Yale Environment 360, 10/6/21Fossil Fuels Received $5.9 Trillion In Subsidies in 2020, Report Findshttps://e360.yale.edu/digest/fossil-fuels-received-5-9-trillion-in-subsidies-in-2020-report-finds
(12:20) The world is running out of high quality oil, and now working harder and costlier to extract lower quality oil, which will result in higher oil prices in the future.~ Nate Hagens, The Great Simplification Podcast - YouTubehttps://youtu.be/mVjhb8Nu1Sk
In our conversation, I wish I had mentioned this other project Nate Hagens is working on. They are advancing proposals like what we’ve discussed in this talk - basically, taxing resources to reduce their consumption. Please check this out - it’s terrific.~ UnTaxhttps://www.untax.org/
(21:55) The Affluent Society by John Kenneth Galbraith~ Wikipediahttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Affluent_Society
(29:30) Mike mentioned online advertising he received after shopping at a store. He was not just being paranoid. Retail stores use wifi and bluetooth to track customers and learn about their shopping behavior, and follow them beyond the store.~ Vox, 1/29/20Why you see online ads for stuff you buy in the real worldhttps://www.vox.com/recode/2019/12/19/21011527/retail-tracking-apps-wifi-bluetooth-facebook-ads~ RetailDive/SenSource, 3/4/20Wi-Fi tracking: A data gold mine or privacy nightmare?https://www.retaildive.com/spons/wi-fi-tracking-a-data-gold-mine-or-privacy-nightmare/572937/~ New York Times, 6/14/19In Stores, Secret Surveillance Tracks Your Every Movehttps://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2019/06/14/opinion/bluetooth-wireless-tracking-privacy.html
Thursday Dec 01, 2022
Please, Humanity Needs You To Be More Positive
Thursday Dec 01, 2022
Thursday Dec 01, 2022
Being positive is a good part of happiness and mental health. And being supportive is nice and friendly. But amid catastrophic threats to humanity, being positive and supportive is not just about being happy and friendly – it’s how we rally support for the ambitious policies that are bold enough to reduce death and suffering of billions of people. Productive criticism is fine, but we can’t afford negativity anymore. Today, I unpack some psychology of why it makes rational sense to be positive in these dangerous times.
“Those who say it cannot be done should not interrupt the people doing it.”-- Chinese Proverb
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The Human Survival Podcast, hosted by Shelby Mertes.This show is offered by The Human Survival Project, a grassroots organization helping the human race become an intentional and forward-looking species, with the global tools to improve ourselves and protect ourselves from global catastrophic threats.
** Connect and learn more at: https://www.thehumansurvivalproject.org/ **
Sign up for our email newsletter, or send Shelby a message with any questions or suggestions: https://www.thehumansurvivalproject.org/connect
The Human Survival Podcast is also on YouTube.Watch this episode here: https://youtu.be/hkrWc_vaq-E
Please subscribe and tell your friends about the show.
Theme music by Moby: https://mobygratis.com/
Friday Nov 25, 2022
Friday Nov 25, 2022
After decades of hard work, climate change activists have finally put the issue in the mainstream of public discourse and policy discussions. But, the world’s response to this critical threat to humanity is far too slow. We all need to be even better activists. What can we improve?
Dave Johnson has good ideas for us, brought from the field of design. He is a teacher, lawyer, author and activist. He teaches at the Stanford Law School and at Stanford’s Hasso Plattner Institute of Design (a/k/a “the d.school”). He has extensive legal experience in litigation, negotiation and as general counsel, representing Silicon Valley tech companies, state governments, and others. Dave is currently writing a book on applying design principles to climate activism.
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The Human Survival Podcast, hosted by Shelby Mertes.
This show is offered by The Human Survival Project, a grassroots organization helping the human race become an intentional and forward-looking species, with the global tools to improve ourselves and protect ourselves from global catastrophic threats.
** Connect and learn more at: https://www.thehumansurvivalproject.org/ **
Sign up for our email newsletter, or send Shelby a message with any questions or suggestions: https://www.thehumansurvivalproject.org/connect
The Human Survival Podcast is also on YouTube.Watch this episode here: https://youtu.be/CApVuG36yyw
Please subscribe and tell your friends about the show.
Theme music by Moby: https://mobygratis.com/
Resources:
Dave Johnson websitehttps://climate-activist.com/
Prof Cass Sunstein on how change happens, and why it's so often abrupt & unpredictable.80,000 Hours Podcast with Rob Wiblin(If you don’t have time to listen to this whole episode, you can at least skim the highlights and transcript here)https://80000hours.org/podcast/episodes/cass-sunstein-how-change-happens/
www.thehumansurvivalproject.org