Channel Title: Nate Hagens Channel Description: The Great Simplification is a podcast that explores the systems science underpinning the human predicament. Through conversations with experts and leaders hosted by Dr. Nate Hagens, we explore topics spanning ecology, economics, energy, geopolitics, human behavior, and monetary/financial systems. Our goal is to provide a simple educational resource for the complex energetic, physical, and social constraints ahead, and to inspire people to play a role in our collective future. Ultimately, we aim to normalize these conversations and, in doing so, change the initial conditions of future events. The “Frankly” Video Playlist is where Nate takes a deeper dive into the concepts of his work, offers candid takes on the future implications of current events, and evokes thought-provoking questions to spur the dialogue about the human predicament. <video> Taking a narrow-boundary approach to our problems can have unintended consequences across the globe. Description: </video> <video> The predicament we face is a human predicament, not a technological predicament. Description: </video> <video> NEW RELEASE - The Future is Local: Bioregioning 101 Description: </video> <video> The Meaning Crisis: Wisdom, Purpose, and the Search for Coherence with John Vervaeke Description: </video> <video> The four horsemen of the 2020s - the challenges of transitioning to a post-growth society. Description: </video> <video> Cognitive scientist describes two rising trends that point to an unfolding meaning crisis. Description: </video> <video> Wisdom, Purpose, and the Search for Coherence with John Vervaeke | TGS 158 Description: (Conversation recorded on November 25th, 2024) The crises that our world is facing seem to be constantly growing, leading to enormous and devastating systemic effects across the globe. Yet, the ripples of the human predicament are also reaching our personal lives in unexpected ways – through chronic loneliness, loss of coherence to reality, and a widespread feeling of insignificance. How do we begin to navigate the crisis of meaning that seems to accompany modernity, exacerbated by feeling out of control in the broader world we live in? In today’s conversation, Nate is joined by professor of psychology and cognitive scientist John Vervaeke to discuss the state of ‘the meaning crisis’, including the social and cultural contexts that have fostered such pervasive loss of connection and purpose. Vervaeke also unpacks the key practices that he and others have found most effective in regaining wisdom and direction while living in the modern era. What can cognitive science tell us about the role of spirituality and religion in living a life that is rich in relationships and clarity? How do flow states, rituals, and lifelong learning contribute to strengthening mental health and fostering adaptability? And perhaps most importantly, how might reconnecting with a sense of humility, wisdom, and shared humanity help guide us toward a more meaningful, collective existence? About John Vervaeke: John Vervaeke, Ph.D. is an award-winning professor at the University of Toronto in the departments of psychology, cognitive science, and Buddhist psychology. He currently teaches courses in the Psychology department on thinking and reasoning, cognitive development, and higher cognitive processes. John is also the director of the Cognitive Science program where he teaches additional courses on Cognitive Science and consciousness, wherein he emphasizes 4E (embodied, embedded, enacted, and extended) models of cognition and consciousness. Additionally, John is the director of the Consciousness and Wisdom Studies Laboratory. He is also the co-author of the book Zombies in Western Culture: A 21st Century Crisis, which integrates Psychology and Cognitive Science to address the meaning crisis in Western society. He is the author and presenter of the YouTube series Awakening from the Meaning Crisis. Show Notes and More: https://www.thegreatsimplification.com/episode/158-john-vervaeke --- Support The Institute for the Study of Energy and Our Future: https://www.thegreatsimplification.com/support Join our Substack newsletter: https://natehagens.substack.com/ Join our Discord channel and connect with other listeners: https://discord.gg/ZFfQqtqMJf --- 00:00 - Introduction 02:41 - The Meaning Crisis 06:57 - Spiritual Bypassing and Conspirituality 14:05 - Meaning in the Past 16:31 - Cultural vs Individual Meaning 21:45 - Adaptive Function of Mystical Experiences 27:53 - Humanity’s Best Technologies 30:44 - Collective Wisdom 34:16 - Flow States 38:44 - Humanity’s Potential 42:41 - Defining Meaning 46:11 - Religion and Economic Growth 54:49 - Contemplating Death 57:20 - Individual vs Collective Learning 59:46 - Transcendence 01:01:33 - Scaling Meaning 01:12:33 - Our Place in Time 01:15:45 - Human Cleverness and Foolishness 01:24:28 - Certainty 01:26:28 - Ecology of Practices 01:28:11 - Closing Questions </video> <video> Cognitive scientist explains what is needed for a human to feel a sense of meaning. Description: </video> <video> Bioregioning 101 | Reality Roundtable #14 Description: (Conversation recorded on December 11th, 2024) The past century has been marked by the rise of globalization in every sense of the word - through production, culture, agriculture, consumption and more. This trend has brought great wealth and opportunities to many people - but what have we lost and forgotten through this process? In this Reality Roundtable, Nate is joined by members of the bioregioning movement, Daniel Christian Wahl, Samantha Power, and Isabel Carlisle, to discuss the necessity of reconnecting to our local places for the sake of addressing our ecological, social, and economic challenges. In this fascinating exchange, Nate and his guests emphasize the need for decentralized governance and institutions, as well as communities organized around resilience and regeneration. How deep are the historical and indigenous ties of humanity to the bioregional way of life? In what ways can individuals begin to engage with their local bioregions and contribute to a regenerative future? Finally, how can more humans who are connected and in relationship with the land influence future societies and cultures to be more aligned to the well-being of all life? About Daniel Christian Wahl: Daniel Christian Wahl is one of the catalysts of the rising reGeneration and the author of ‘Designing Regenerative Cultures’ - so far translated into seven languages. He works as a consultant, educator and activist with NGOs, businesses, governments and global change agents. With degrees in biology and holistic science and a PhD in Design for Human and Planetary Health, his work has influenced the emerging fields of regenerative design and salutogenic design. Daniel is winner of the 2021 RSA Bicentenary Medal for applying design in service to society and was awarded a two year Volans-Fellowship in 2022. About Samantha Power: Samantha Power is a Co-Founder and the Director of the BioFi Project and the Founder and Principal Consultant of Finance for Gaia. She is a Regenerative Economist, Futurist, and Bioregionalist based in Oakland, CA on the ancestral land of the Ohlone people. Samantha channeled her 15 years of experience learning and working in this space into a new book: 'Bioregional Financing Facilities: Reimagining Finance to Regenerate Our Planet’. The book makes the case for and explains how to build institutions to shift capital to place-based regenerators to achieve global climate and nature-related goals, while enabling the transition to regenerative economies. To turn this vision into a global movement, Samantha co-founded the BioFi Project — a collective of experts supporting bioregions around the world to design, build, and implement BFFs inspired by the templates laid out in the book. About Isabel Carlisle: Isabel Carlisle is a communicator, educator and large-scale project organiser. Her experience in the London art world (where her work included writing as an art critic for The Times and curating exhibitions at the Royal Academy) led her to set up and direct the Festival of Muslim Cultures that took place across Britain throughout 2006. Over 120 events in almost every conceivable art form brought audiences into contact with the Muslim world in order to build bridges of understanding between cultures. Isabel moved to South Devon in 2010 and created and led learning programmes for children and young adults with Transition Network. Since 2012 she has trained in Regenerative Development and Design with Regenesis. --- Support The Institute for the Study of Energy and Our Future: https://www.thegreatsimplification.com/support Join our Substack newsletter: https://natehagens.substack.com/ Join our Discord channel and connect with other listeners: https://discord.gg/ZFfQqtqMJf Show Notes and More: https://www.thegreatsimplification.com/episode/reality-roundtable-14 --- 00:00 - Introduction 04:40 - What is Bioregioning? 11:29 - Bioregionalism on Mars 12:58 - Indigenous Bioregionalism 16:32 - Defining Bioregions 20:16 - Carrying Capacity 26:50 - Bioregioning and the Metacrisis 35:02 - Bioregioning vs Power Structures 46:20 - Local Action and Governance 53:00 - Roadblocks 56:04 - Change in Perspective 01:04:18 - Working with Local Governments 01:18:37 - First Steps for Listeners 01:22:37 - Bioregioning 102 </video> <video> Jevons paradox, the rebound effect, and the backfire effect are crucial for understanding technology Description: </video> <video> Cognitive scientist John Vervaeke on the power of collective learning. Description: </video> <video> Cognitive scientist John Vervaeke on how this relatively new monster maps onto the meaning crisis. Description: </video> <video> Pollution, Poverty, and Policy with Sunita Narain | TGS 159 Description: (Conversation recorded on December 4th, 2024) It is an unfortunate reality that the countries least responsible for the climate and ecological crises we face are often the ones most vulnerable to their effects today and in the future. India – with its population of 1.4 billion, rapidly rising temperatures, and limited resources compared to many developed nations – finds itself at the crossroads of these challenges. What do India’s leading scientists and advocates have to say about coping with these extreme pressures? In this episode, Nate is joined by environmentalist and policy advocate Sunita Narain to discuss the intricate relationship between environmental issues and development, emphasizing the need for economically inclusive solutions. She highlights India’s challenges with sanitation, urban mobility, and climate change, while pushing for wiser approaches to governance and community planning. How can the moral and cultural history of India combine with science and innovation to guide policy making decisions? Why does ‘sustainable development’ need to go beyond environmental considerations to include the economic availability for each nation’s poorest citizens? And perhaps most importantly, how could today’s challenges position India as a global leader in creating an economic system that prioritizes the health and well-being of all life on Earth? About Sunita Narain: Sunita Narain has worked at the Centre for Science and Environment (CSE), a research and advocacy centre based in New Delhi, since 1982. She is currently Executive Director of the Centre, Treasurer of the Society for Environmental Communications and Editor of the bi-monthly magazine Down To Earth. She is a writer and environmentalist who uses knowledge for change. In 2005, she was awarded the Padma Shri, the fourth-highest civilian award of the Republic of India. She has also received the World Water Prize for her work on rainwater harvesting and for her political influence in developing paradigms for community water management. In 2005, she also chaired the Tiger Task Force, at the request of the Prime Minister, to develop a conservation action plan for the country after the loss of the tigers in Sariska. Sunita Narain was a member of the Prime Minister's Council on Climate Change as well as the National Ganga River Basin Authority. Show Notes and More: https://www.thegreatsimplification.com/episode/159-sunita-narain --- Support The Institute for the Study of Energy and Our Future: https://www.thegreatsimplification.com/support Join our Substack newsletter: https://natehagens.substack.com/ Join our Discord channel and connect with other listeners: https://discord.gg/ZFfQqtqMJf --- 00:00 - Introduction 04:20 - Poverty and Ecological Degradation 10:20 - Continued Growth 14:02 - Climate Awareness 19:04 - Pathways Forward 23:07 - New Old Government 26:10 - Indic Wisdom 32:53 - The Role of the Wealthy 36:22 - Population and Growth 39:41 - Environment and Development 43:21 - Science in Government 48:05 - Message to the Global North 52:09 - Leapfrogging 55:15 - India’s Role in the Future 01:03:00 - Closing Questions </video> <video> Episode 159 - Reality and Perseverance in India: Pollution, Poverty, and Policy with Sunita Narain Description: </video> <video> Environmentalist speaks to the carbon disparity between "developed" and "developing" countries. Description: </video>

Contacts and Links

Description

The Great Simplification is a podcast that explores the systems science underpinning the human predicament. Through conversations with experts and leaders hosted by Dr. Nate Hagens, we explore topics spanning ecology, economics, energy, geopolitics, human behavior, and monetary/financial systems. Our goal is to provide a simple educational resource for the complex energetic, physical, and social constraints ahead, and to inspire people to play a role in our collective future. Ultimately, we aim to normalize these conversations and, in doing so, change the initial conditions of future events.

The “Frankly” Video Playlist is where Nate takes a deeper dive into the concepts of his work, offers candid takes on the future implications of current events, and evokes thought-provoking questions to spur the dialogue about the human predicament.

Videos from channel