Sam Bowman on what’s holding back progress (and how to fix it)

What if the biggest driver of economic growth isn’t new technology, but simply fixing what’s broke, housing, transport, and energy?

Sam Bowman, editor of Works in Progress, joins us to explore how smarter cities, faster transit, and abundant energy could unlock human potential on an unprecedented scale. We discuss why restrictive zoning laws keep millions from opportunity, how beauty and design shape public attitudes toward progress, and why rediscovering growth could restore optimism in the West.

Sam also shares what he’s learned from success stories around the world, from Houston’s neighborhood-led zoning reforms to Madrid’s low-cost metro expansion, and why he believes rebuilding belief in progress is just as important as building the future itself.

This special episode was recorded live at the 2025 Progress Conference, hosted by our friends at Roots of Progress. We’re grateful to them for bringing together so many thinkers reimagining how humanity can keep moving forward—and for making conversations like this one possible!

On the Existential Hope Podcast hosts Allison Duettmann and Beatrice Erkers from the Foresight Institute invite scientists, founders, and philosophers for in-depth conversations on positive, high-tech futures.

Full transcript, listed resources, and more: https://www.existentialhope.com/podcasts

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