Remake

035. Christian Madsbjerg: Why the Humanities Matter

Nov 24, 2022

Christian Madsbjerg, Professor of Applied Humanities at The New School and co-founder of Red Associates, discusses the critical value of humanities in business, his work with Lego, skepticism toward AI and design thinking, and the importance of observation and suspending judgment.

57:36

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Episode guests

Christian Madsbjerg

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Quick takeaways

The importance of suspending judgment to truly observe and understand our surroundings.

The power of observation and seeing, immersing ourselves in the details and complexities of the world.

The need for a more sophisticated and genuine version of design thinking that embraces complexity, uncertainty, and curiosity.

Deep dives

The importance of suspending judgment

One key insight discussed in the podcast is the importance of suspending judgment. The speaker suggests that by suspending judgment and refraining from forming opinions immediately, we can open ourselves up to truly observing and listening to the world around us. This ability to suspend judgment allows for a deeper understanding and a more objective perception of our surroundings. It is described as a skill that good observers, scientists, and even good thinkers possess. The speaker highlights the need for suspending judgment in society, particularly in a context where people are quick to judge and make assumptions about others.

Introduction

4min

The Impact of COVID-19 and the Need for Data

11min

An Accidental Journey to Understanding Humans

6min

Rediscovering the Value of Physical Toys

8min

Bringing the Humanities into Business

16min

Skepticism towards Design Thinking

6min

Writing a Play Inspired by the Nonsensical World of Business and Tech Consulting

3min

The Power of Observation and Suspending Judgment

4min

TODAY'S GUEST Christian Madsbjerg is a Professor of Applied Humanities at The New School and a co-founder of the pioneering Red Associates, a consultancy with offices in Copenhagen and New York City, which brings the human sciences to bear on strategic business problems, mostly dealing with companies in trouble.

Christian writes, speaks, and teaches on the practical application of the human sciences, latest as a Professor of Applied Humanities at The New School for social research. His work has been featured in publications such as The Wall Street Journal, Financial Times, The Washington Post, Der Spiegel, and Bloomberg Businessweek.

His latest book, Sensemaking: The Power of the Humanities in the Age of the Algorithm, was released in the spring of 2017 by Hachette Book Group, and is out in 16 languages.

EPISODE SUMMARY

In this conversation we talk about:

Growing up on a small island near Sweden.
His work with Lego, helping them identify harmful, false assumptions around play and childhood.
The critical value of the humanities in business, and why it's been overlooked for so long.
The value of slowing down.
His book, Sensemaking.
His skepticism around AI, big data, and design thinking.
And many other topics.

I'm a big believer in the power of the humanities, from anthropology to history, poetry to philosophy, to teach us critical tools and skills for the world of business. And I think this conversation will be eye-opening to many people.

It's one of a dozen or so weekly conversations we already have lined up for you with thinkers, designers, makers, best-selling authors, entrepreneurs, and impact investors who are working to change our world for the better. So follow this podcast on your favorite podcast app, or head over to remakepod.org to subscribe.

And now let's jump right in with Christian Madsbjerg.

TIMESTAMP CHAPTERS

[3:28] Life During Covid

[14:42] Early Childhood Observations

[16:27] A Path of Early Projects

[20:03] Rebuilding Lego

[27:28] Assumptions and Questions

[29:13] Introducing Humanities to the Business World

[34:38] Sensemaking and the Role of Humans vs Technology

[41:59] The Concept of the Human

[44:36] An Observation of Design Thinking

[49:10] How to Pay Attention

[51:08] H1B

[54:29] A Short Sermon

EPISODE LINKS

Christian's Links
- 🌍 Christian Madsbjerg Official Website
- 🏫 The New School
- 🔬 ReD Associates
- 📘 Sensemaking: The Power of the Humanities in the Age of the Algorithm
- 📘 The Moment of Clarity: Using the Human Sciences to Solve Your Toughest Business Problems
- 🎤 TED Talk
- 💼 LinkedIn: LinkedIn Profile
Other Links

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Remake

035. Christian Madsbjerg: Why the Humanities Matter

Episode guests

Podcast summary created with Snipd AI

Quick takeaways

Deep dives

The importance of suspending judgment

The significance of observation and seeing

Critique of bad design thinking

Exploration of the concept of the human

The absurdities of the business world

Remember Everything You Learn from Podcasts