

Curious Worldview
Ryan Faulkner
Featuring a mix of interviews between the world's most adventurous authors, most incisive investigative journalists, geopolitical analysts, odd lots and curious life stories.Subscribe to the newsletter: https://curiousworldview.beehiiv.com/subscribe
Episodes
Mentioned books

41 snips
Jul 16, 2024 • 57min
Rory Sutherland | An Hour Surveying The Worldview
Rory Sutherland, an influential advertising executive and founder of Ogilvy's behavioral science team, returns to share his insights on creativity and consumer behavior. He discusses the interplay between literature and advertising, reflecting on Salman Rushdie's career. Rory delves into modern communication's evolution and the challenges of behavioral change, especially in smoking alternatives and energy consumption. He also explores how memetic desire influences purchasing decisions, revealing the paradox of consumerism and the irrationality behind our spending habits.

23 snips
Jul 9, 2024 • 1h 21min
Tom Chivers | It's Bayes All The Way Down... Probability & Bayes Theorem
In this engaging discussion, science writer Tom Chivers explores Bayes' theorem and its importance in understanding probability and decision-making. He highlights the interplay between Keynesian economics and Bayesian thinking, illustrating practical applications like medical testing and super forecasting. Chivers critiques misconceptions surrounding COVID-19 statistics and emphasizes the necessity of informed choices amid uncertainty. He also touches on the role of Bayesian principles in AI and the challenges of accurately interpreting probabilities in legal contexts.

Jul 2, 2024 • 2h 5min
Ash Bhardwaj | Author, Journalist & Adventurer On 'Why We Travel'
✍︎: The Curious Worldview Newsletter - the ultimate compliment to the podcast...Jon Lee AndersonCharlie WalkerFollow me on Instagram - @ryanfhoggWhy We Travel - Ash BhardwajAsh Bhardwaj is an author, journalist, film-maker and former british army who amongst his many expeditions has ventured the likes of journeying 8500km along the Russian European border. Retraced secret missions of WW2 through Albania. Walked 800km through India and The Himalayas, meeting the Dalai Lama on the way. Walked 1100km through Uganda and Sudan with Levison Wood which included the first summer crossing of the Bayuda Desert. Trekked the Mt Everest Base Camp with wounded soldiers. Worked on earthquake recovery in the Philippines. Trekked through the Jebel of Dhofar in the footsteps of the SAS, and really he’s done a hell of a lot more as well. He recently published his first book titled Why We Travel, and in discussion of his life and worldview I was privileged to have gotten to sit down with him in his home in London to record this very episode - there is a video available on youtube if you are keen.Ash really is my dream style of guest. He is a wonderful speaker, incredibly open and curious and has achieved many of the types of things, I wish to one day emulate. I am very grateful to have gotten to spend this time with him.00:00 - Who Is Ash Bhardwaj03:55 - Great Explorers From History15:13 - Differences Between Australian & New Zealand Culture 35:57 - Adventure & Travel43:44 - Ash's Most Consequential Journalism & Ukraine54:08 - Why We Travel59:53 - What Makes Great Travel Writing?1:13:43 - Publishing Market For Travel Books & Why We Travel1:29:36 - What Eat Pray Love & Cultural Phenomenon Did For Travel + (New Unexplored Paradise?)1:39:43 - Is The World Becoming More Dangerous?1:42:43 - Changing Demographics Of Travel & Getting Deep Into Why We Travel1:59:50 - Country Ash Is Bullish On🍻☕: https://www.buymeacoffee.com/ryanhogg

7 snips
Jun 18, 2024 • 1h 30min
Victor Haghani | Missing Billionaires, An Ode To Jim Simons & Top To Bottom Index Investing
✍︎: The Curious Worldview Newsletter - the ultimate compliment to the podcast...Bill BrowderNassim TalebFollow me on Instagram - @ryanfhoggThis is an interview with Victor Haghani who is among many other things… the Co-Founder of LTCM (long term capital management), the Founder of Elm Wealth and the author of Missing Billionaires.In this interview we focused on Victor himself... his experiences at Solomon in the 80s and a brush with Bill Browder (who by the way was recently knighted), comments on Jim Simons and Nassim Taleb, an incredible moment of serendipity that would have changed his life forever and ultimately an exploration of Victor's worldview...00:00 – Who Is Victor Haghani01:40 - 1997 Nobel Prize & Stockholm07:47 - Solomon Brothers & Bill Browder Anecdote16:15 - 10 Year Sabbatical24:42 - Jim Simons30:49 - Missing Billionaires & Ergodicity52:40 - Baggage We Are Carrying Around From Our Evolutionary Past1:00:40 - Nassim Taleb1:04:40 - Potentially A Confrontational Question1:11:40 - Michael Burry Index Bubble Theory1:18:26 - An Incredible Moment Of Serendipity & Why Victor's Bullish On UK🍻☕: https://www.buymeacoffee.com/ryanhogg

33 snips
May 28, 2024 • 59min
Samo Burja | The Wallenberg Family Of Sweden, Nassim Taleb & Why Organisations Thrive & Fall
Samo Burja, founder of Bismarck Analysis, discusses why groups thrive or fail, the 80/20 principle in organizations, solving nepotism, the Wallenberg family of Sweden, and the influence of Nassim Taleb on worldviews.

May 15, 2024 • 1h 14min
Marc Hijink | 'Focus'... ASML, The Dutch Behemoth
✍︎: The Curious Worldview Newsletter - the ultimate compliment to the podcast...Jos Benschop – SVP Science ASML - Episode #56Chris Miller – Chip War - Episode #81ASML Bloody Good BusinessFollow me on Instagram - @ryanfhoggWatch on youtube - https://youtu.be/Kxmf6P-JHa8ASML is certainly among the most critical businesses to the modern economy. They make the machines that make the microchips which makes modernity go round. You’ve likely heard of TSMC, the Taiwanese behemoth at the centre of Chinese geopolitics and how these are in fact the guys that make these amazing microchips. That is true! But they make them on ASML machines, and that’s the critical point to take home. The insane complexity of ASML’s EUV machine is impossible to fully appreciate. Jos Benschop, ASMLS senior vice president of Technology he makes the claim that ASML’s EUV machine is the most complex machine ever made by man.When words are overused they lose their meaning, but truly ASML’s EUV machine is by definition, unbelievable.The CTO Martin Van De Brink has recently retired from ASML – and his cultural legacy really forms the narrative for Marc’s Book – with plenty of fun anecdotes.Marc Hijink is the guest on this episode, he is a Dutch journalist and tech reporter for Handelsblad and recently went down a three year journey with unparalleled access to ASML and produced a wonderful history of this phenomenal company. 00:00 – Who Is Marc Hijink & ASML02:38 – Writing ‘Focus’ A Dream Project07:38 – ASML Origins & Culture17:23 – Culture & Martin Van De Brink24:35 – The Geopolitics Of ASML26:58 – Complexity Of The EUV Machine & ASML’s Appetite For Risk44:55 – What About The Software? + Recruitment Against Meta, Google, OpenAI50:13 – Growing At 800 Employees A Month55:28 – Fragility Of ASML’s Client Base57:17 – Focus58:38 – Serendipity In ASML & Marc’s Life🍻☕: https://www.buymeacoffee.com/ryanhogg

Apr 30, 2024 • 1h 50min
Sam Leith | It’s Rhetoric All The Way Down… From Churchill To Trump & Cicero To Hitchens
✍︎: The Curious Worldview Newsletter https://curiousworldview.beehiiv.com/subscribeFollow me on Instagram - @ryanfhoggWatch on Youtube - https://youtu.be/Kx8N66hK8kISam Leith is the literary editor for the oldest surviving weekly magazine in the world, an organisation which started publication in 1828 which means… the magazine for which he is the literary editor of, The Spectator, are on the doorstep of a famous double century in just 4 years time!While also contributing a monthly column on gaming, over the course of 30 years Sam has written 100’s of book reviews, authored multiple books himself, but as well, Sam hosts one of my favourite podcasts titled ‘Book Club’ where… in a similar fashion to this very show but with much better execution, Sam talks with interesting authors about their books. Sam’s also got a new book, scheduled for release later this year and available for per order – The Haunted Wood: A History of Childhood Reading – and although we don’t discuss it in this podcast, if you like the way Sam talks and thinks then you might be keen on checking this one out as well.But in this podcast we non exclusively discussed Sam’s 5th book – You Talkin’ to Me? Which is a book on Rhetoric from Aristotle to Obama…And so as you can imagine, I brought up Christopher Hitchens immediately as a reference for good rhetoric but in the podcast you can also expect a break down of Ethos Pathos Logos, what makes some of the great speakers great, and references to Obama, Churchill, Martin Luther King and more for what made specific things they said stick so deeply. 00:00 – Who Is Sam Leith01:43 – Who Are The Best Communicators Alive Right Now?07:23 – Sam’s Great Theory on US Presidents (Rhetoric v Anti-Rhetoric) + Obama V Trump20:04 – Good Speech… Writing or Delivery?26:03 – Christopher Hitchens (+ a bit of Peter)37:45 – How Media Is Consumed & How Media Changes (Introducing Socrates)1:03:23 – Ethos Pathos Logos1:20:23 – Story & Rhetoric (Martin Luther King)1:26:58 – Best Of Churchill1:28:53 – Speeches Lost To History1:30:25 – Podcasting & Rhetoric1:39:46 – Visit One Speech In History1:44:24 – Serendipity & Country You’re Bullish OnCurious Things Mentioned During The EpisodeMatthew Dicks – StoryworthyBen Burgis – Christopher HitchensEthos Pathos Logos🍻☕: https://www.buymeacoffee.com/ryanhogg

Apr 23, 2024 • 1h 39min
Michael Hilliard | From Geopolitical Ghostwriting To 'The Red Line Podcast'
✍︎: The Curious Worldview Newsletter https://curiousworldview.beehiiv.com/subscribeFollow me on Instagram - @ryanfhoggWatch on Youtube - https://youtu.be/ZzsFPOUzlHgMicheal Hilliard is a geopolitical analyst host and creator of 'The Red Line Podcast'… and! a fellow Aussie coming to us today from Australia’s glorious West coast capital, Perth.Micheal and his team with the 'Red Line' take a deep fortnightly dive into a eclectic mix of narrow geopolitical topics … everything from the second hand market for nuclear weapons to the growth of Chinese private military groups...And so therefore, and needless to say, the 'Red Line' is brilliant and if you have anything geopolitical populating your new episodes feed you'd be smart to too add the red line to your subscriptions. This is michael’s second appearance on the pod… in his first appearance he hinted a time in his life when he was living in Kazakstan ghostwriting geopolitical analysis and this tidbit has been on my mind ever since.Therefore this pod we do Michael Hilliard…Touring as a bass player in a rock n roll bandTid bits on TurkmenistanTop to bottom the world of geopolitics ghostwritingIndonesia from Australia’s perspectiveSerendipity… and much more00:00 – Who Is Michael Hilliard03:15 – Michael's Early Story (Touring As A Base Player)17:05 – Turning Geopolitical 19:15 – Turkmenistan Is Worse Than North Korea29:31 – Transitioning From Rock n Roll To Journalism32:35 – Geopolitical Ghostwriting (Top To Bottom)47:05 – 'The Red Line Podcast'1:00:32 – Indonesia's Geopolitics1:16:06 – Who Are The Journalist's You Most Admire1:19:59 - The Business Of The Red Line1:23:55 - Podcasting Landscape In Australia1:30:45 – Final 3 Questions… Serendipity, Fictional Character, Country Bullish OnCurious Things Mentioned During The EpisodeGeopolitics Starter PackMichael Hilliard First Appearance🍻☕: https://www.buymeacoffee.com/ryanhogg

Mar 19, 2024 • 8min
Podcast Update! (... and job opportunity?)
✍︎: The Curious Worldview Newsletter - https://curiousworldview.beehiiv.com/subscribeLink to example of clip I am looking for - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ibLyjkpYY_ELink to example of infographic I am looking for (halfway down) - https://curiousworldview.beehiiv.com/p/update-1Write to me at ryan@atlasgeographica.com

Mar 6, 2024 • 1h 16min
Ernest Scheyder | The Real Costs Mining The Cobalt, Lithium, Copper & Rare Earths That Will Dictate The 21st Century
✍︎: The Curious Worldview Newsletter https://curiousworldview.beehiiv.com/subscribeFollow me on Instagram - @ryanfhoggWatch on Youtube - https://www.youtube.com/@curiousworldview/videoshttps://atlasgeographica.com/ernest-scheyder/#170 - Ernest Scheyder runs directly towards the impossible trade-offs of mining in the ‘War Below’...The electrification of the economy is on the one hand very good. It means we can move away from consuming the carbon rich oil into our atmosphere… but it also means that we are going to need way more other stuff from the under the ground than we currently even know about. It will require mining 100’s of more sacred sites and 100’s of more beautiful vistas. Copper, lithium, cobalt and literally 100’s of other rare earths are all necessary components of batteries, electric cars, trucks, boats, even leaf-blowers… and this for a scale for 8 billion, soon to be 9 billion people…If a sacred religious sight is built atop enough copper to secure your domestic supply… should you mine it?If thousands of tonnes of lithium is built under a unique flower, almost certain to go extinct if you extract… should you do it?And if you decide to play by environmental rules while everyone doesn’t… are you doing what’s right in the short term at the cost of whats best in the long?These questions consume the book, and as well, this conversation.So here is a veteran energy journalist for Rueters, and author of the War Below… Ernest Scheyder.War Below – Ernest Scheyder00:00 – Understanding Ernest Scheyder’s ‘War Below’02:54 – Daniel Yergin & Geothermal Energy05:21 – It’s Trade-Off’s All The Way Down (Mining, Policy Hypocrisy)28:08 – Ernest’s Hesitation To Offer His Opinion36:10 – Waste, Death & Bi-Products Of Mining54:19 – Greenwashing & Child Labour1:06:16 – Appreciation For The Miners1:08:58 – Economic Protectionism1:11:18 – Robert Friedland1:12:36 – Final 3 Questions… Serendipity, Fictional Character, Country Bullish OnCurious Things Mentioned During The EpisodeGeothermal Starter PackErik Townsend – Energy TransitionInvestigative Journalist Starter Pack🍻☕: https://www.buymeacoffee.com/ryanhogg