Roman Krznaric, a prominent social philosopher at Oxford, teams up with Adam McCauley, a researcher focused on technology's societal impacts. They delve into how historical lessons can provide insights into tackling today's major challenges, like climate change and social intolerance. The conversation highlights the 'disruption nexus' of crises and activism, drawing parallels with 18th-century coffee houses as spaces for democratic discourse, and emphasizes the importance of collective action in fostering societal change while combating rising authoritarianism.