Robert Wright's Nonzero

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.nonzero.org0:28 The scope of Trump's assault on Harvard 8:17 What Trump demanded from Harvard 11:25 What makes certain universities vulnerable 15:35 Ideology and “viewpoint diversity” at Harvard 22:40 Trump’s attacks on media and cultural institutions 27:56 The costs of lost research 33:25 How woke was Harvard? 37:19 Antisemitism and philosemitism at Harvard 47:11 Steve's new FP piece on the importance of global rules (Heading to Overtime)Robert Wright (Nonzero, The Evolution of God, Why Buddhism Is True) and Stephen Walt (Harvard University, Foreign Policy). Recorded June 3, 2025.Twitter: https://twitter.com/NonzeroPods

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.nonzero.org0:30 Headlines 4:57 Trump's sanctions dilemma: Migration crackdown vs. regime change 6:23 How sanctions helped trigger Venezuela’s economic collapse 9:58 The power of 'secondary sanctions' 14:17 How sanctions drove inflation, hunger, and state failure 19:11 From Venezuela to the US: Understanding the migrant wave 21:03 Inside the Trump split: Rubio’s hardline vs. Grenell’s dealmaking 33:16 Francisco: The US needs to be more realistic about Maduro 40:46 The path to restoring democracy in VenezuelaRecorded May 30, 2025.Read this week's edition of the Earthling: https://www.nonzero.org/p/trumps-national-security-carouselhttps://twitter.com/NonzeroNews https://twitter.com/NonzeroPods

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.nonzero.org0:30 Paul aces Bob’s worthwhile Canadian pop-quiz 5:48 Trump’s corruption: Illegal or just unprecedentedly gross? 10:49 Elon bows out 16:40 Trump’s crusade against elite colleges continues 24:41 Is JD Vance more dangerous than Trump? 31:52 Are AI doomers walking their talk? 40:44 Trump makes Canada a golden offer 45:53 Heading to OvertimeRobert Wright (Nonzero, The Evolution of God, Why Buddhism Is True) and Paul Bloom (https://smallpotatoes.paulbloom.net, University of Toronto, The Sweet Spot, Against Empathy). Recorded May 29, 2025.Twitter: https://twitter.com/NonzeroPods

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.nonzero.org0:28 Why Max helped organize the 2023 “Pause AI” letter 7:12 AI as a species not a technology 12:32 The rate of AI progress since 2023 21:44 Loss of control is the biggest risk 32:42 How to get the NatSec community’s attention 36:12 How we could lose control 38:17 He we stay in control 47:30 Heading to OvertimeRobert Wright (Nonzero, The Evolution of God, Why Buddhism Is True) and Max Tegmark (MIT, Future of Life Institute, Life 3.0). Recorded April 30, 2025.Twitter: https://twitter.com/NonzeroPods

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.nonzero.org0:30 Headlines 4:29 Bob joins to talk foreign policy 5:52 The DC shootings and the war in Gaza 12:12 Israel's growing isolation 24:23 Are we headed toward an arms race in space? 33:56 An end to the era of arms control? 35:34 Programming update and transition to OvertimeRecorded May 23, 2025.Read this week's edition of the Earthling: https://www.nonzero.org/p/the-ai-doctor-will-see-you-nowhttps://twitter.com/NonzeroNews https://twitter.com/NonzeroPods

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.nonzero.org0:28 How significant are the Middle East data center deals? 12:27 Why did AI safety hawks quit talking about international cooperation? 19:02 Why build data centers in the Middle East? 27:44 Microchips and security risks 31:10 The unexamined assumptions of Sinophobia 42:24 What ever happened to peace, love, and understanding? 48:10 AI Czar David Sacks takes on his critics 51:35 Heading to OvertimeRobert Wright (Nonzero, The Evolution of God, Why Buddhism Is True) and Paul Triolo (Albright Stonebridge Group, https://pstaidecrypted.substack.com/). Recorded May 19, 2025.Twitter: https://twitter.com/NonzeroPods

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.nonzero.org0:30 Headlines 5:25 Why the PKK's disbanding should be the biggest news of the week 10:22 How did Turkey get the PKK to lay down arms? 13:47 A breakthrough for Turkey-Iraq relations 20:35 How Syrian Kurds are trying to make nice with Damascus 27:09 The end of US sanctions on Syria 34:29 Rebuilding a shattered state 37:42 Turkey and Israel: Syria caught in the middleRecorded May 16, 2025.Read this week's edition of the Earthling: https://www.nonzero.org/p/a-monumental-week-in-the-middle-easthttps://twitter.com/NonzeroNews https://twitter.com/NonzeroPods

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.nonzero.org0:28 Is Kanye’s new song really pro-Hitler? 12:31 How free should free speech be? 16:49 Substack economics 23:59 Welcome to Sam Altman’s orb 30:25 Can higher education survive AI? 41:19 Did Carney tame Trump? 44:35 Good and bad signs from Trump 2.0 49:11 Heading to OvertimeRobert Wright (Nonzero, The Evolution of God, Why Buddhism Is True) and Paul Bloom (https://smallpotatoes.paulbloom.net, University of Toronto, The Sweet Spot, Against Empathy). Recorded May 15, 2025.Twitter: https://twitter.com/NonzeroPods

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.nonzero.org0:28 The week's major international stories 3:22 Trump's approach to everything 9:04 The Houthi deal 11:47 Trump's Middle East trip and Gaza 15:50 India-Pakistan conflict 20:22 Media coverage of Trump 2.0 24:10 Trump’s biggest Jan 6 transgression 30:39 Is the Republic at stake? 31:44 Heading into overtimeRobert Wright (Nonzero, The Evolution of God, Why Buddhism Is True), Derek Davison (Foreign Exchanges, American Prestige, Discontents), and Daniel Bessner (American Prestige, University of Washington). Recorded May 13, 2025.Twitter: https://twitter.com/NonzeroPods

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.nonzero.org0:30 Headlines 6:32 Is Trump breaking with Israel? 12:16 Making sense of the US-Houthi ceasefire 16:20 Will the US give Saudi Arabia nuclear power? 23:00 Reading the tea leaves on US-Iran talks 27:19 Would Trump really go to war with Iran? 29:28 Are restrainers gaining ground in the Trump administration? 35:56 How Israel could undermine US-Iran talksRecorded May 9, 2025.Read this week's edition of the Earthling: https://www.nonzero.org/p/hot-wars-cold-wars-and-strange-orbshttps://twitter.com/NonzeroNews https://twitter.com/NonzeroPods