12 Geniuses Podcast

In this episode, Don MacPherson is joined by journalist, author and retirement expert Chris Farrell. In their conversation, Don and Chris explore the ways in which the pandemic has impacted the ability to save for retirement for people of all walks of life. They also discuss the rate of new business creation, reskilling the older generation, and the impact of Covid-19 on the overall economy.

In this episode, Don MacPherson is joined by workplace expert, author, podcaster and speaker Minda Harts. Together they discuss how women -- especially women of color -- have been disproportionately impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic and what organizations can do to bring back women who have left the workforce. They also discuss paid maternity leave, the wage gap and what is needed to create an equitable work environment.

In this episode, Don MacPherson is joined by University of Minnesota professor and family therapist Bill Doherty. He’s the co-founder of Braver Angels, an organization that aims to help Americans with differing political beliefs understand each other beyond stereotypes. Don and Bill discuss how extreme the political divide has become in recent decades, the methodologies used by the Braver Angels in workshops and events, and the benefits that American citizens and politicians alike can gain from learning to communicate better with those who align themselves differently on the political spectrum.

In this episode, Don MacPherson is joined by celebrity chef and restaurant owner Justin Sutherland. When Justin isn’t in front of a camera, he can be found in one of his several Minnesota restaurants making culinary works of art. He’s also heavily involved with the community, opening up a free food shelter to distribute food to those in need during the pandemic. Don and Justin discuss the future of food, including the concept of “food deserts” and how this contributes to food insecurity for disadvantaged Americans, how the food industry can help fight climate change and the impact of COVID-19 on the restaurant industry.

In this episode, Don MacPherson is joined by sextech futurist, podcaster and speaker Bryony Cole. Bryony is on the front lines of sex technology innovation and adoption. She joined the show to discuss what exactly sextech is and how developments in sextech will change the way humans explore their sexuality, find potential partners and build relationships. Don and Bryony also discuss the importance of sex education and the possibility of a new sexual revolution.

In this episode, Don MacPherson is joined by the President of the National Police Foundation, Jim Burch. They discuss the research the National Police Foundation has collected on policing technology, training, and community building as well as the importance of procedural justice. They also discuss the impact of the death of George Floyd, the Black Lives Matter movement and the subsequent protests and unrest across the United States. 

In this episode, Don MacPherson is joined by Futurist Ross Dawson to discuss the future of social media. They explore the growth of social media over the last two decades, potential forms of regulation, and the role of social media in the coming decades. Ross provides some potential solutions for the negative effects of social media use including nonprofit networks, user ownership of data, and AI technologies for regulating harmful content.

In this episode, Don MacPherson is joined by Futurist David Houle as they discuss the future of humanity. David argues that humans are at a fork in the road with one path leading to utopia and the other leading to oblivion. David and Don examine the forces shifting the future of humanity including climate change, AI, quantum computing, and biomechanics.

Host Don MacPherson is joined by New York City Commissioner for International Affairs, Penny Abeywardena. They explore the future of cities including the impact of COVID-19, combating inequality, and addressing climate change. They also discuss the idea of broadband as a utility and the great steps taken to educate schoolchildren from home.

In this episode, host Don MacPherson is joined by AI expert, Michael Kanaan. Together, they explore the future of artificial intelligence including how it will be used both at home and work, its impact on the workforce, and the potential for AI to both help and harm us. They also discuss the ways in which AI surveillance is being used to target certain groups around the globe and the ethical questions that arise from creating AI algorithms.