Curious Worldview

Desmond Shum, a former insider of China's political apparatus, shares his experiences climbing the peak of China's elite and fleeing before being disappeared. Topics include dealing with abuse and the Chinese caste system, leveraging status and vanity, navigating China's politics, corruption and guanxi, dynastic wealth, publishing a book, and discussing Jack Ma. The podcast also covers topics such as how rich Chinese hide their money, fallout after publishing a book, the influence of wealthy Chinese in Australia, and the dire outlook in China.

✍︎: https://curiousworldview.beehiiv.com/subscribe🎙️: https://atlasgeographica.com/scott-patterson/Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/ryanfhogg/#148 - Scott Patterson writes for the WSJ and is author of The Quants, DarkPools and Chaos Kings. Anyone who has listened to this podcast for a while will be familiar with my affinity for Nassim Taleb and know just how influential he has been on shaping my worldview…Just a few of the characters profiled in this book include Bill Ackman, who runs the famous Pershing Square hedge fund, and made one of the greatest trades in recorded history at the beginning of Covid, Nassim Taleb and Mark Spitznagel who together have made billions via their unusual hedge fund, Universa and as well, Didier Sornet, a fascinatingly interesting french mathematician and academic who believes opposite to Taleb, that Black Swans can be predicted.In this podcast with Scott Patterson, you can expect to hear about the core of the chaos kings worldview, a lot about Nassim Taleb, serendipity and as well anecdotes for days that give you a deep insight into Scott as both a journalist and author.00:00 – Introduction02:30 – How The Chaos Kings Have Effected Scott’s Worldview10:10 – Taleb’s Hedge Fund Antifragile Trading Strategy12:40 – Scott’s Introduction To Taleb & Spitznagel21:50 – What Principles Enabled Taleb & Spitznagel To Endure Loss Day After Day28:55 – Why Do These Masters Of Risk Expose Themselves To Such Physical Risk34:15 – The Core Of The Chaos Kings Worldview47:47 – Taleb Or Sornet?48:06 – Nassim Taleb Biography?48:23 – Chamath Palihapatya49:36 – How Does A Journalist Optimise For Tail Risk + Extremistan Explained For Authors54:29 – How Will Scott Teach His Son To Optimise For Serendipity55:55 – What Country Is Scott Bullish On🍻☕: https://www.buymeacoffee.com/ryanhoggCurious Things Mentioned During The EpisodeNassim Taleb & Incerto Podcast

🎙️: https://atlasgeographica.com/tim-butcher-chasing-the-devil/Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/ryanfhogg/#147 - Tim Butcher returns to the podcast with another incredible journey through an African nation.The first time Tim appeared he spoke about his adventures through the Congo, weaving a story of an incredibly rich and beautiful country that is nonetheless un-developing. It remains easily one of my favourite episodes I’ve ever had the privilege to record. Tim, this time around takes us through his month long journey through Liberia and Sierre Leone. He wrote a book about it called Chasing The Devil, and as the title alludes, a big part of the journey was trying to come to terms with the voodoo, black magic and devil worship that he encounters along the way. Much like his Congo trip, Tim again is journeying in the footsteps of a great writer who had gone before him. In the case of Liberia it is the famous author and journalists, Graham Greene.00:00 – Introduction02:10 – What Is Good Writing & What Is Good Speaking?34:13 – Graham Greene & Liberia54:10 – Charles Taylor & The Devil Worship Of West Africa1:16:58 – The Journey Through Liberia1:37:45 – Geographical Determinism1:51:27 – The Kleptocracy Of Liberia & Africa More Broadly2:11:54 – Country You Are Most Bullish On2:17:31 – Cricket Chat🍻☕: https://www.buymeacoffee.com/ryanhoggCurious Things Mentioned During The EpisodeTim MarshallTim Butcher – Blood River Through The CongoJames Robinson – Why Nations Fail

Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/ryanfhogg/The fella who features here has been working with different divisions of Swedish law enforcement for over 20 years and this includes over 10 years with Piketen - Sweden’s equivalent of SWAT.Piketen says their work is ‘particularly dangerous and complex situations’ and  this includes hostage situations, high risk search warrants, etc. Only 8% of people manage to complete the various psychological and physical tests that are required to make it into Piketen and it was on one of his first jobs with this division that the guest on this episode was involved in an incident that will remain with him for the rest of his life.This is a deeply personal podcast going from his beginning to now, the full journey of a fella from northern Sweden who wanted to be policeman ever since he he could understand what it meant.Now, I would love to give a bit of a broader context on the current issues around law enforcement that are being discussed in Sweden, but I am afraid I would not do it justice at all, so let’s leave it at if you are Swedish, I am sure you’re already informed, and if you aren't, than many of the issues are likely mirrored in your own country. Lower trust in police, more scepticism, lower wages, less applicants, lower standards, more mistakes, harsher critics, negative media attention, and more and more and more context which paints policing overall in a negative light… which in my opinion is a losing strategy because even though everyone of us might have our own example of bad police, imagine if they weren't around, or on average, just as unskilled and as undisciplined as the rest of us. That's a grim picture. Everything is as nice as it is, because there are people who enforce the law.🍻☕: https://www.buymeacoffee.com/ryanhogg

✍︎: https://curiousworldview.beehiiv.com/subscribe🎙️: https://atlasgeographica.com/tim-marshall/Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/ryanfhogg/The following is with friend of the show and one of the most popular guests from this podcasts history.This is his third appearance – he is the king of geography writing, he is the great and powerful Tim Marshall.This interview covers everything from Tim on what makes good writing, the success of prisoners of geography, a prisoners of geography observation of Sweden, the long term effects of immigration in Europe, and of course… the future of geography… space all the way down.00:00 – Introduction01:35 – Tim Riding On A Tank With Tim Butcher03:33 – Why Writing For TV Is A Good Discipline06:25 – The Enormous Success Of Prisoners Of Geography10:18 – Sweden Through A Prisoners Of Geography Lens30:32 – The Geography Of Space All The Way Down45:05 – The Privatisation Of Space53:35 – A Prediction For Space For 205059:25 – Indonesia – A Country Tim Marshall Is Bullish On🍻☕: https://www.buymeacoffee.com/ryanhoggCurious Things Mentioned During The EpisodeTim Marshall Prisoners Of GeographyTim Marshall Power Of Geography

✍︎: https://curiousworldview.beehiiv.com/subscribe🎙️: https://atlasgeographica.com/ed-conway/Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/ryanfhogg/The following is with Ed Conway, who has written one of the most intensely curious books, it is called Material World and looks at some of these raw ingredients that have shaped the world we live in.Namely, these materials are sand, salt, copper, oil, iron and lithium. Nothing will give you a greater appreciation for globalisation and the wondrous efficiency of global trade than this book will. It is kind of a miracle that things cost as cheaply as they do, and  are as ubiquitous as they are.Time Stamps For Ed Conway00:00 – Introduction01:22 – Appreciation For Globalisation?19:02 – ASML, Sand & Microchips42:54 – Waste, Oil, Demographics & Recycling1:01:42 – I Bring Up A Bizarre Anecdote1:06:57 – Gina Reinhardt, Robert Friedland (crazy Steve Jobs anecdote) & Copper1:25:22 – Serendipity1:31:36 – Country You Are Bullish On1:31:56 – Conversation Between Two People Of History🍻☕: https://www.buymeacoffee.com/ryanhoggCurious Things Mentioned During The EpisodeJos BenschopVince Beiser

🎙️: https://atlasgeographica.com/chris-williamson-interview/Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/ryanfhogg/This was first published in early 2021 on this podcast.Chris Williamson is the host of the Modern Wisdom podcast, one of Europe's and quite frankly - the worlds - fastest growing and most exciting podcasts for the inquisitive mind.Chris has created something, in Modern Wisdom, that I quietly emulate and admire from afar. The prospect of getting the opportunity to speak with whoever you want around the world who interests you most is the absolute final motivation for why I started this podcast. Chris recently had on JBP Jordan Peterson, which marked for him this high watermark and realisation of this absolute motivation. We spoke about much. Stereotypes, being pigeonholed, stifling ones potential, imposter syndrome and not enough about cricket. 

🎙️: https://atlasgeographica.com/norman-ohler/Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/ryanfhogg/Norman Ohler is a German screenwriter, author and journalist.Norman is most widely known as the author of Blitzed, an incredible book that documents the role of Pervatin (methamphetamine) and drugs during Nazi Germany and WWII.In this podcast with Norman, you can expect to hear about…The moment of serendipity that lead to writing blitzed in the first place.A bit about the crazy debauchery of Berlin pre WWII.A brief history on drug synthesis including heroin, cocaine, methamphetamine and even Aspirin.The prevalence of meth in the nazi army and as well Hitlers codependency on his doctor.Norman addresses some of the criticism of the book.+ as well he speaks about what the overall lesson is he hopes people take away from reading the book.Time Stamps For Norman Ohler00:00 – Introduction03:30 – Wim Wenders & Normans Eclectic Nature11:58 – The Moment Of Serendipity That Lead To Blitzed17:37 – Criticism Of The Book19:35 – History Of Debauchery In Berlin, Methamphetamines & Hypocrisy Of Nazi Puritans34:52 – Bayer Developed Heroin, Merk Developed Cocaine & Germans Invented Most Drugs43:10 – Methamphetamines In The Nazi Army + Hitler & His Codependency With Morel1:09:00 – What Lesson Does Norman Ohler Want People To Read From The Book?1:15:02 – Surprised By The Success Of The Book?1:18:12 – Serendipity & Conversation Between Any Two People Of History🍻☕: https://www.buymeacoffee.com/ryanhoggCurious Things Mentioned During The EpisodeDavid De Jong

🎙️: https://atlasgeographica.com/mitchell-prothero/Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/ryanfhogg/Gateway By Project Brazen - Listen NowMitchell Prothero is a war correspondent and two time bureau chief in Iraq for both UPI and McClathcy Newspapper’s. He is a senior writer at VICE news, has written for Buzzfeed, and is now, the host of gateway, Project Brazen’s latest series which is guns, cocaine and dirty money in Europe.This is truly one of the most fascinating and important stories happening in northern Europe at the moment. As Europe as a continent  is set too, apparently, overtake the USA as the gross largest consumer of cocaine in the world. And along with the increase in consumption comes the requisite increase in violence, corruption, money laundering and other criminal networks that the scale and money behind cocaine enables.Time Stamps For Mitchell Prothero00:00 – Introduction01:54 – From Covering ISIS To Cocaine05:49 – Anecdotes With Christopher Hitchens12:05 – Deep Diving Into The Cocaine Wars Of Europe – Mafia, Violence & Narco States?36:59 – The Role Of Globalisation In All Of This + The Question Of Legalisation1:00:34 – The Stigma Around Cocaine1:08:08 – More On Cocaine In Europe + Who Are The Keyser Söze’s?1:29:12 – Who Is Mitchell Prothero & What Is This Project (Where To Find Him)🍻☕: https://www.buymeacoffee.com/ryanhoggCurious Things Mentioned During The EpisodeBradley HopeNicky WoolfChristopher TurnerJustin ScheckGateway By Project Brazen

Kevin Kelly, co-founder of Wired magazine and author of '1000 true fans', discusses serendipity in his life, the impact of Tim Ferriss, the importance of communication, and reacts to a Norm Macdonald quote. Topics include travel experiences, being famous in China, favorite aphorism, and reflections on mortality.