The power and peril of the optimistic mind

Future Tense

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42:18

“I used to be the largest dairy consumer on the planet. I used to eat so much dairy and meat. The more that I looked into the dairy industry, the more that I saw that it was the singular, most inhumane industry on the planet, that we've all been lied to, including myself, for years. I always believed that the picture on the milk carton, the cow standing next to her calf in the green field with the red barn in the back was true. It’s certainly the complete opposite.” – Richard (Kudo) Couto Richard (Kudo) Couto is the founder of Animal Recovery Mission (ARM), an organization solely dedicated to investigating extreme animal cruelty cases. ARM has led high-risk undercover operations that have resulted in the shutdown of illegal slaughterhouses, animal fighting rings, and horse meat trafficking networks. Recently, they released a damning investigation into two industrial dairy farms outside of Phoenix, Arizona supplying milk to Coca-Cola’s Fairlife brand. What they uncovered was systemic animal abuse, environmental violations, and a devastating betrayal of consumer trust. While Fairlife markets its products as being sourced "humanely," ARM’s footage tells a very different story—one of suffering, abuse, and corporate complicity. Despite the evidence, this story has been largely ignored by mainstream media—likely due to Coca-Cola’s massive influence and advertising dollars.…

16 days ago 28:38

MP3•Episode home

Professor Inanna Hamati-Ataya — Chair of Global International Relations, University of Groningen, The Netherlands

Sumit Paul-Choudhury — author, editor and Managing Director, Alternity Limited

Associate Professor Laura D'Olimpio — School of Education, University of Birmingham, United Kingdom

Further information

Inanna Hamati-Ataya's article on globalisation

Laura D'Olimpio's article on manifesting

Sumit Paul-Choudhury's book The Bright Side

1063 episodes

The power and peril of the optimistic mind

Future Tense

41,646 subscribers

published 16 days ago

MP3•Episode home

Guests

Professor Inanna Hamati-Ataya — Chair of Global International Relations, University of Groningen, The Netherlands

Sumit Paul-Choudhury — author, editor and Managing Director, Alternity Limited

Associate Professor Laura D'Olimpio — School of Education, University of Birmingham, United Kingdom

Further information

Inanna Hamati-Ataya's article on globalisation

Laura D'Olimpio's article on manifesting

Sumit Paul-Choudhury's book The Bright Side

1063 episodes

#Future Trends #Tech #Society #Tech News #Australia #News #ABC Radio

All episodes

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Future Tense

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The power and peril of the optimistic mind 28:38

16 days ago28:38

28:38

Human beings have a bias toward optimism, says astrophysicist turned author and editor, Sumit Paul-Choudhury. While we may not always acknowledge it, the power of optimism is what drives our species forward. But beware of the modern craze for "Manifesting" — wishful thinking, no matter how intense, only has impact if it's married to action. Also, why we need to rethink globalisation's bad rap. International relations expert, Inanna Hamati-Ataya, argues there are no pure cultures and globalisation is really the means by which humanity flourishes. Guests Professor Inanna Hamati-Ataya — Chair of Global International Relations, University of Groningen, The Netherlands Sumit Paul-Choudhury — author, editor and Managing Director, Alternity Limited Associate Professor Laura D'Olimpio — School of Education, University of Birmingham, United Kingdom Further information Inanna Hamati-Ataya's article on globalisation Laura D'Olimpio's article on manifesting Sumit Paul-Choudhury's book The Bright Side…

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AI's "hidden labour" and the move toward a linkless internet 28:37

23 days ago28:37

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The roots of techno-authoritarianism 28:38

4 weeks ago28:38

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Does the spirit of the "Futurist" movement live on today in the likes of Elon Musk and America's intrigue of techno-oligarchs? The Italian poet and fantasist Flippo Tommaso Marinetti almost died in a car crash, and out of that experience was born the "Futurist" movement. It went on to inspire the fascism of Benito Mussolini with an energetic emphasis on disruptive technology, conflict and creating an authoritarian future. Guests Annalee Newitz — Journalist and author Dr Jonathan White — Professor of politics, London School of Economics Further information Jonathan White’s article - How Trump and the new right came to ‘own’ the future – while apparently exploiting the past | Jonathan White | The Guardian Annalee Newitz’s article – How futurism took an abrupt right turn in the 20th century…

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Some challenges to conventional economic thinking 28:38

5 weeks ago28:38

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Civility, trash talking and more sociable cities 28:38

6 weeks ago28:38

28:38

It certainly feels like a very shouty world. But have we really reached a new low point in civility? And, if so, where to from here? We examine what civility really entails and how it can help foster cooperation but also lead to the submission of minorities. And did you know that even the design of our urban spaces can shape and limit acts of civility? So, how can we make our cities more sociable? Guests Dr Eduardo Sadoval — Social Roboticist, UNSW Dr Saara Liinamaa — Associate Professor, Department of Sociology and Anthropology, University of Guelph. Also, co-investigator, Sociable Cities Project Rafi Kohan — US-based freelance writer and author Dr Keith Bybee — Professor of Law and Political Science, Syracuse University Further information Rafi Kohan - Trash Talk: The Only Book About Destroying Your Rivals That Isn’t Total Garbage Keith Bybee - How Civility Works Sociable Cities Project…

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Limitarianism — could a cap on wealth reduce inequality? 28:38

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When a company CEO can be paid 1,000 times the average employee's salary it's probably time to take a long hard look at wealth inequality. And those calling for the rich to pay more aren't always the ones you'd expect – Patriotic Millionaires is a group of mega rich individuals demanding greater, not lesser taxation. Then there's the Dutch philosopher urging ordinary citizens to put a cap on their own personal wealth. She calls her approach Limitarianism. Also, Rewilding the Internet – how to purify an online environment made toxic by monopolistic capitalism. Original broadcast on June 21, 2024. Guests Dr Ingrid Robeyns – author, philosopher and Chair in Ethics of Institutions, Ethics Institute, Utrecht University (The Netherlands) Robert Guest – Deputy Editor, The Economist Morris Pearl – Chair of the Board, The Patriotic Millionaires Professor Jean-Etienne Joullie — EMLV Business School, Paris Maria Farrell – Writer and keynote speaker on technology and the future Further information Ingrid Robeyns: Limitarianism, The Case Against Extreme Wealth Robert Guest: The fallacious case for abolishing the rich Maria Farrell: We need to rewild the Internet Listen to Future Tense - Managerialism and our obsession with hierarchy…

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Understanding attention and a craving for certainty 28:38

8 weeks ago28:38

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Flow Batteries, windships, and a new approach to off-grid solar 28:38

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Modern museums, accountability, and openness 28:38

10 weeks ago28:38

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Nuclear tombs and the distant discourse of danger 28:38

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A series of massive underground tombs for nuclear waste are currently under construction. They've taken decades to plan and build and they're designed to house the world's nuclear waste for millennia to come. So where are they being built? How safe will they be? And how to devise a toxic waste warning sign that will make sense to people living tens of thousands of years from now? Also, the latest research on how climate change is beginning to impact on internal migration within countries. Guests Mark Piesing — a UK-based freelance journalist Dr Shastra Deo — Nuclear semiotics expert and author, School of Communication and Arts, University of Queensland Professor Raya Muttarak — Professor of Demography, University of Bologna (Italy) Lisa — a climate-concerned resident of South-east Queensland Further information Mark Piesing's article: How to build a nuclear tomb to last millennia…

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The danger of generational labelling 28:38

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Terms like "Gen Z", "Boomer" and "Millennial" are popular, but they have no basis in science. Demographers and social scientists are now pushing back. Generational labelling, they argue, is akin to Astrology and while politicians, journalists and media influencers find them irresistible, they actually promote pseudo-science, sew social division and can reinforce prejudicial stereotypes. So why are generational labels so popular? Guests Professor Bobby Duffy — Director of the Policy Institute, King's College London. Author of The Generation Myth. Professor Philip Coen — Professor of Sociology, University of Maryland Professor Crystal Abidin — digital anthropologist and ethnographer of vernacular internet cultures, Curtin University Professor David Costanza — Professor of Commerce, University of Virginia Further information Philip Coen’s open letter to Pew Research Center on generation labels Pew Research Center's response…

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