Future Thinkers

We had a great pleasure to interview John Vervaeke, a lecturer at the University of Toronto in the departments of psychology, cognitive science and Buddhist psychology. John’s excellent lecture series on YouTube called Awakening From the Meaning Crisis has inspired us to invite him on the show and discuss how to overcome the meaning crisis in today’s world.

In this interview we also dive deep into the topics of integrating scientific and traditional views of the search for meaning, multiple kinds of knowing, and the ecology of transformational practices. We draw on various resources from cognitive science, psychology, philosophy, religion and spirituality. 

This episode is divided in two parts. In Part 1 we talk about what is the meaning crisis, why it has emerged and what are some of the practices and solutions to deal with it. 

Show notes: http://www.futurethinkers.org/98 

Check out our two courses in personal evolution - Cultivating Sovereignty and Integrating the Shadow at http://courses.futurethinkers.org  

In this episode we discuss further on one of our favorite topics - how to gain more sovereignty in modern world, as well as how it relates to the notion of personal identity. We use Jordan Greenhall's framework to describe sovereignty as developing and practicing three basic capacities: perception, sense making and agency. We discuss these capacities in the context of dominant framework of secular thought in the Western world, the crisis of meaning, entrepreneurship, identity politics etc.

The ideas and inspiration for our discussions come from weekly group calls that are part of the course in personal evolution that we are currently facilitating.

Show notes: http://www.futurethinkers.org/97 

Mike and Euvie discuss the Jungian concept of The Shadow, and why it is relevant today as a framework for developing personal and collective consciousness.

Show notes: http://www.futurethinkers.org/96

Check out out Course in Personal Evolution: http://courses.futurehinkers.org/ 

Michael Taft, a long-time meditation teacher, author, and founder of Deconstructing Yourself blog and podcast, discusses the stages of personal development and the awakening path, deconstructing reality, and the benefits of a regular meditation practice.

Show notes: http://www.futurethinkers.org/95 

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In Part 2 of our interview with media theorist Douglas Rushkoff, we talk about transhumanism, the distrust in the corporate-run digital environment, and using intersectionalism to reunite human species.

Show notes: http://www.futurethinkers.org/94

Part 1 of the interview: http://www.futurethinkers.org/93 

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Our guest in the next two episodes is Douglas Rushkoff, a media theorist, lecturer, and author of Team Human, as well as a dozen other books on media, technology, and culture. In recent years, he has become a critic of technology for separating us from what makes us human.

In Part 1 of this interview we discuss the still untapped possibilities of digital technology, the causes and potential solutions to dystopian visions of the future, as well as transhumanism and its assumptions about human nature.

Complete show notes: http://www.futurethinkers.org/93 

A Course in Personal Evolution - Take the course designed to help you create a life of meaning, purpose and impact: http://futurethinkers.org/evolution

We're excited to host Rupert Sheldrake in this episode, a biologist and author best known for his hypothesis of morphic resonance. Besides getting into the details of this hypothesis, we also talk about paradigm shifts in science, psy phenomena, experiments in consciousness, and about his new book called Ways to Go Beyond And Why They Work, where he describes some of the most well known spiritual practices for altering consciousness.

Complete show notes: http://www.futurethinkers.org/92 

A Course in Personal Evolution - Take the course designed to help you create a life of meaning, purpose and impact: http://futurethinkers.org/evolution

This is Part 2 of our interview with Joe Brewer of the Center for Applied Cultural Evolution, where we talk about modern versions of rites of passage, and why they are important. We also discuss the ways to support cultural evolution and develop regenerative cultures that are capable of dealing with global problems and existential risks.

Show notes page: http://www.futurethinkers.org/91

Part 1 of the interview: http://www.futurethinkers.org/90 

Sign up for Future Thinkers Course on Personal Evolution: http://www.futurethinkers.org/evolution 

Our guest in this episode is Joe Brewer, Executive Director at the Center for Applied Cultural Evolution. Joe is a complexity researcher, cognitive scientist, and evangelist for regenerative culture design. We invited him onto the show because we felt that our ideas about adult development, rites of passage, and overcoming the chasm of nihilism strongly resonated with his thinking and work on cultural evolution. This interview turned out to be very dense and we talked about complex subjects, so we divided the episode in two parts.

In Part 1 we talk about what kind of education we need in order to prepare for an evolutionary transition, why even intellectuals can’t wrap their heads around climate change, and the importance of the grieving process for psychological and spiritual growth.

Complete show notes with links: http://www.futurethinkers.org/90 

The Ancient Art Of Adulting - Take the course designed to help you create a life of meaning, purpose and impact: http://futurethinkers.org/adulting

Identity politics have become a hot topic in the Western world. People tend to attach their sense of identity to certain political ideas, gender identity, ethnic or religious group, sexual orientation etc, and often get triggered when they perceive their identity is being threatened.

Today we discuss why it is useful and important to detach from these categories in order to develop psychologically. We talk about how to deconstruct your identity and tell the stories of how we have done it.

In This Episode Of Future Thinkers:

• What it means to deconstruct your identity, and how it enables us to see things more objectively
• The current narratives of diversity, oppression and globalization as formative forces
• The relationship between individual expression and narcissistic culture
• Why it is difficult to stand out in a globalized culture and why we emphasize differences
• Why people remain attached to ideas even after those ideas are disproved
• The role of basic human needs when it comes to attachments
• The different methods for deconstructing identity
• Getting comfortable with contradiction and letting go of the attachment to results

Complete show notes with links: http://www.futurethinkers.org/89 

Preorder Future Thinkers Courses: http://courses.futurethinkers.org 

In this episode we are discussing the concept of "adulting" and why it's relevant today. We also talk about how being an adult will change in the future and what meta-skills one needs to develop in order to adapt to the fast-changing world.

Adulting is an ironic term used by the Millenial generation to describe holding grown up responsibilities like paying the bills or taxes for example, but not feeling like an actual adult while doing that. We discuss why the adult "script" that was handed to us by the previous generations (go to school, get good grades, get a career for life, get married etc) doesn’t seem relevant or even possible for many young people today.

Instead of the specific skills that are taught in schools and tailored for the traditional script of adulthood, we are exploring meta-skills, or the general skills that one can apply to any area of life to learn other skills.

In This Episode of Future Thinkers:

• Why Millenials don't feel like adults today even if they are technically grown up
• The differences in going through the stages of life between our parents' and our generation
• How the increasing social and technological complexity causes anxiety among young people
• The history and reasons behind the "coddling" style of parenting in 1980s
• The traits of today's young generations that make them vulnerable to real life challenges
• How to adapt to the present and future world and increase personal sovereignty
• Three pillars of cognitive sovereignty
• The examples of meta-skills that are useful for learning any other skill and adapting to changes

Show notes: http://www.futurethinkers.org/88

Join the Future Thinkers Community on Discord: https://www.futurethinkers.org/discord

This episode is sponsored by: http://www.futurethinkers.org/qualia

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We recently participated and spoke at DGOV Council in Berlin, an event that explored new principles of human-centric scalable governance. The experience inspired us to think more deeply about distributed governance, the emergence of collective intelligence, anti-fragility and sovereignty. In this episode we are discussing what kind of collective system is possible in the future and how to manage the diversity of values in such system.

In This Episode Of Future Thinkers:

• The definition of collective intelligence
• The difference between a decentralized and distributed governance
• How ideological frameworks corrupt personal sovereignty on every level
• Why we need a system world view and flexible frameworks to think about the society
• Internet meme tribes as a form of fulfilling the need to belong to a community
• How to learn to have a conversation with someone with different values
• The emergence of natural hierarchy vs. flattening bureaucracy
• How to solve the issues with dominance and tyranny in a collective system
• The possibility of building an optimal omni-thrive system that supports thriving of each subsystem

Show notes: http://www.futurethinkers.org/87

Join the Future Thinkers Community on Discord: https://www.futurethinkers.org/discord

This episode is sponsored by: http://www.futurethinkers.org/qualia

Recommend a sponsor for Future Thinkers: http://www.futurethinkers.org/recommend

Support us on Patreon: http://www.futurethinkers.org/support

Our guest in this episode is Alex Gladstein, the Chief Strategy Officer at Human Rights Foundation and VP of Strategy for Oslo Freedom Forum. We attended and spoke at Oslo Freedom Forum last year, and it was one of the best conferences we have ever been to - it was really well produced, with amazing participants who talked about important topics and ideas.

In this interview we discuss why civil liberties make a country better for its people, what the future of governance, internet and money looks like, and why anti-authoritarian technologies like Bitcoin are important for that future.

In This Episode Of Future Thinkers:

• The mission and activities of Human Rights Foundation and Oslo Freedom Forum
• Why countries with civil liberties are generally better for people
• The recent global tendency towards totalitarianism, and what it means
• Governance, internet and money - key areas of change for future societies
• Anti-authoritarian technologies vs. technological colonialism and authoritarianism
• The emergence of sophisticated surveillance and social credit platforms, i.e. in China
• The importance of old school activism and civil initiatives to keep governments in check
• The opportunities and limits of a direct democracy
• Competition as the main characteristic of decentralized systems
• How to create urban design that protects the privacy of citizens
• The problems of shifting responsibility and decision-making from governments to technologists

Show notes: http://www.futurethinkers.org/86

Join the Future Thinkers Community on Discord: https://www.futurethinkers.org/discord

This episode is sponsored by: http://www.futurethinkers.org/qualia

Recommend a sponsor for Future Thinkers: http://www.futurethinkers.org/recommend

Support us on Patreon: http://www.futurethinkers.org/support

This is the second part of our interview with Kevin Kelly, the founding editor of Wired magazine, former publisher of the Whole Earth Review, and author of many books, including his latest one called "The Inevitable" (https://goo.gl/78orqo), which forecasts the twelve technological forces that will shape the next thirty years.

In this part, we look at how artificial intelligence and artificial consciousness will shape the future of work and life, what will make humans uniquely useful in this scenario, and reasons to be optimistic for the future.

In This Episode of Future Thinkers:

• What technology wants: the biases of technium, or technology viewed as a whole system
• Deep engagement with technology as the only way to become aware of its wants
• Inevitable vs. unpredictable developments of technology
• New sharing economy and the transition of value from owning to the benefit of access
• Smart environment - the idea of superabundance or fulfilling all life needs on demand
• Flattening of hierarchical structures and the cost of decentralization at scale
• Why the idea of a global government meets resistance on both left and right side of political spectrum
• Mobility as a universal human right and why next generation cities and states will compete for humans
• How we can work together with different varieties of conscious AIs in the future
• Asking good questions — a uniquely human trait that cannot be replicated by AIs
• Possible future professions related to AI industry like AI curator or AI whisperer
• Implications of AI safety movement and the inconsistent ethics of humans
• Decentralizing manifestations of AR — mixed reality world
• Censorship concerns in a post-ownership society
• Why studying history can make us optimistic about the future

Show notes: http://www.futurethinkers.org/85

Join the Future Thinkers Community on Discord: https://www.futurethinkers.org/discord

This episode is sponsored by: http://www.futurethinkers.org/qualia

Recommend a sponsor for Future Thinkers: http://www.futurethinkers.org/recommend

Support us on Patreon: http://www.futurethinkers.org/support

Today our guest is Kevin Kelly, the founding editor of Wired magazine, former publisher of the Whole Earth Review, and author of many books, including his latest one called "The Inevitable", which forecasts the twelve technological forces that will shape the next thirty years.

This episode airs in two parts. In the first, we talk about what technology wants, the new sharing economy, and creating a smart environment.

In This Episode of Future Thinkers:

• What technology wants: the biases of technium, or technology viewed as a whole system
• Deep engagement with technology as the only way to become aware of its wants
• Inevitable vs. unpredictable developments of technology
• New sharing economy and the transition of value from owning to the benefit of access
• Smart environment - the idea of superabundance or fulfilling all life needs on demand
• Flattening of hierarchical structures and the cost of decentralization at scale
• Why the idea of a global government meets resistance on both left and right side of political spectrum
• Mobility as a universal human right and why next generation cities and states will compete for humans
• How we can work together with different varieties of conscious AIs in the future
• Asking good questions — a uniquely human trait that cannot be replicated by AIs
• Possible future professions related to AI industry like AI curator or AI whisperer
• Implications of AI safety movement and the inconsistent ethics of humans
• Decentralizing manifestations of AR — mixed reality world
• Censorship concerns in a post-ownership society
• Why studying history can make us optimistic about the future

Show notes: http://www.futurethinkers.org/84

Join the Future Thinkers Community on Discord: https://www.futurethinkers.org/discord

This episode is sponsored by: http://www.futurethinkers.org/qualia

Recommend a sponsor for Future Thinkers: http://www.futurethinkers.org/recommend

Support us on Patreon: http://www.futurethinkers.org/support

Duncan Trussell - actor, comedian and the host of Duncan Trussell Family Hour, is back on Future Thinkers for the second time. In this episode we talk about some of the pressing topics of our time, like developing individual and collective consciousness, evolving the structure and functioning of the human society, and the importance of a consistent spiritual practice for understanding ourselves and the world we live in.

In This Episode of Future Thinkers:

• Why there is so much anxiety in the Millennial generation
• Horizontalism - a decentralized way for groups to organize
• Stigmergy, or indirect coordination, in animals and humans
• The origins of the legal ban of psychedelics
• The illusion of individualism and how our society got fragmented
• Is liquid democracy viable?
• Disowning the collective narratives and embracing impermanence
• The benefits of contemplating your own mortality
• Is there a fundamental nature to all things?
• How to recognize when you are being coaxed into a certain narrative
• The myths around enlightenment, and why it is not special
• Why the purpose of meditation is not in chasing peak experiences

Show notes: http://www.futurethinkers.org/83

Join the Future Thinkers Community on Discord: https://www.futurethinkers.org/discord

This episode is sponsored by: http://www.futurethinkers.org/qualia

Recommend a sponsor for Future Thinkers: http://www.futurethinkers.org/recommend

Support us on Patreon: http://www.futurethinkers.org/support

Our guest in this episode is Charles Eisenstein, the author of "Sacred Economics" and his most recent book "Climate: A New Story". Charles explores deep civilization narratives and mythologies, and connections between economics, politics and spirituality. We talk about why the current narrative of climate change is not working, and how to create conditions for a deep change on the personal and collective level.

This interview comes out in two parts. In part one we talk about transitioning from a reductionist view of climate change to a holistic, system-based view of the living planet. We also discuss our civilization and our stories from an archetypal perspective, and talk about how to adapt to the future.

In part two we cover the basics of the gift economy, the concepts of economic de-growth and demonetization, and what it takes to implement these changes in our societies. We also talk about restoring the wealth of time, relationships and meaning.

In This Episode of Future Thinkers:
- The current climate narrative, and why it isn't working
- The reductionist mindset and the climate crisis
- The war mentality and externalizing energy
- What needs to change about the way human civilization solves problems
- How to change the mindset from materialistic to holistic, and the role of psychedelics
- Why young generations default to a more sophisticated consciousness than the older generations
- What are the concrete steps to make a change and adapt to the future
- Archetypal perspective on civilization and the completion of the Hero phase
- The important social change initiatives around the world
- Why cryptocurrencies are "the old story in disguise"
- The gift economy and the technological ways to restore the gift culture
- The concepts of economic de-growth and demonetization
- Changing the mindset from economic growth to growing in connections, time and meaning
- Stepping into the King and Queen archetypes as a civilization

Show notes: http://www.futurethinkers.org/81

Join the Future Thinkers Community on Discord: https://www.futurethinkers.org/discord

This episode is sponsored by: http://www.futurethinkers.org/qualia

Recommend a sponsor for Future Thinkers: http://www.futurethinkers.org/recommend

Support us on Patreon: http://www.futurethinkers.org/support

Our guest in this episode is Charles Eisenstein, the author of "Sacred Economics" and his most recent book "Climate: A New Story". Charles explores deep civilization narratives and mythologies, and connections between economics, politics and spirituality. We talk about why the current narrative of climate change is not working, and how to create conditions for a deep change on the personal and collective level.

This interview comes out in two parts. In part one we talk about transitioning from a reductionist view of climate change to a holistic, system-based view of the living planet. We also discuss our civilization and our stories from an archetypal perspective, and talk about how to adapt to the future.

In part two we cover the basics of the gift economy, the concepts of economic de-growth and demonetization, and what it takes to implement these changes in our societies. We also talk about restoring the wealth of time, relationships and meaning.

In This Episode of Future Thinkers:
- The current climate narrative, and why it isn't working
- The reductionist mindset and the climate crisis
- The war mentality and externalizing energy
- What needs to change about the way human civilization solves problems
- How to change the mindset from materialistic to holistic, and the role of psychedelics
- Why young generations default to a more sophisticated consciousness than the older generations
- What are the concrete steps to make a change and adapt to the future
- Archetypal perspective on civilization and the completion of the Hero phase
- The important social change initiatives around the world
- Why cryptocurrencies are "the old story in disguise"
- The gift economy and the technological ways to restore the gift culture
- The concepts of economic de-growth and demonetization
- Changing the mindset from economic growth to growing in connections, time and meaning
- Stepping into the King and Queen archetypes as a civilization

Show notes: http://www.futurethinkers.org/81

Join the Future Thinkers Community on Discord: https://www.futurethinkers.org/discord

This episode is sponsored by: http://www.futurethinkers.org/qualia

Recommend a sponsor for Future Thinkers: http://www.futurethinkers.org/recommend

Support us on Patreon: http://www.futurethinkers.org/support

The last two feminine archetypes we are covering in this series are The Witch and The Queen.

The common association with The Witch is a wicked old woman that we see in many movies or stories for children. However, this interpretation has a lot of historical religious bias, which we deconstruct in this episode. We discuss The Witch in her fullest - as a powerful creative force and bringer of disruptive ideas.

We also talk about The Queen Archetype, a fully integrated combination of all the other feminine archetypes that can emerge when the woman matures.

At the end we propose a few exercises that can help you evoke different archetypes in your psyche or better understand other people's behavior.

Understanding the archetypes can help us see our blind spots, refine our strengths, and ultimately bring about deep and profound personal transformation.

So with this episode we are finishing our Jungian archetype series, where we explored four masculine (Lover, Warrior, Magician, King) and five feminine archetypes (Mother, Amazon, Lover, Witch, Queen).

In This Episode Of Future Thinkers:

• The Witch - the seeker and bringer of deep and secret knowledge
• Pagan origins of witches
• Connection with the secret laws of nature, medicine and healing
• Why the church was afraid of the witches and tortured them
• Modern manifestations of The Witch archetype in arts, science and technology
• Examples of women who embody this archetype
• Childhood manifestations of the Witch archetype
• The biggest vice of the shadow version of The Witch
• The Manipulator and The Fool - the active and passive shadows of The Witch
• Why it's harder for women to integrate all the archetypes in modern society
• The Queen - completing the sequential development of feminine archetypes
• Practical questions and exercises to help you recognize and develop different archetypes

Show notes: http://www.futurethinkers.org/80

Join the Future Thinkers Community on Discord: https://www.futurethinkers.org/discord

This episode is sponsored by: http://www.futurethinkers.org/qualia

Recommend a sponsor for Future Thinkers: http://www.futurethinkers.org/recommend

Support us on Patreon: http://www.futurethinkers.org/support

Today we are exploring the feminine archetype of The Lover, which to a certain extent mirrors its masculine counterpart but also has its own specific traits. The feminine Lover is the embodiment of love, beauty and creativity. While researching this topic, we've discovered that it is difficult to talk and write about this archetype, as female sexuality still hasn't been fully reconciled and accepted in post-agricultural society. We are covering the Lover Archetype through history, psychological development, culture, arts and popular media.

In This Episode Of Future Thinkers:

• Hetaira - the version of the Lover Archetype in ancient Greece
• Why societies have had problems with female sexuality throughout history
• Time-biased and role-based descriptions of The Lover archetype in literature
• The Lover in hippie culture of the 20th century - mythological interpretations
• The full expression of the Lover Archetype and its benefits for women
• Connections between sexuality and creativity
• How The Lover and The Amazon complement each other in the same person
• Oppression and abuse as common triggers of the Lover's shadow versions
• Childhood manifestations and the shadow version of Daddy's Girl
• Femme Fatale as the expression of childhood oppression of sexuality
• Initiation through acceptance of grief and ways to overcome trauma related to sexuality
• How men can support the full expression of feminine Lover archetype