Keen On
2,195 episodes - English - Latest episode: 5 days ago - ★★★★ - 72 ratingsNobody asks sharper or more impertinent questions than Andrew Keen. In KEEN ON, Andrew cross-examines the world’s smartest people on politics, economics, history, the environment, and tech. If you want to make sense of our complex world, check out the daily questions and the answers on KEEN ON.
Named as one of the "100 most connected men" by GQ magazine, Andrew Keen is amongst the world's best-known technology and politics broadcasters and commentators. In addition to presenting KEEN ON, he is the host of the long-running show How To Fix Democracy and the author of four critically acclaimed books about the future, including the international bestselling CULT OF THE AMATEUR.
Keen On is free to listen to and will remain so. If you want to stay up-to-date on new episodes and support the show please subscribe to Andrew Keen’s Substack. Paid subscribers will soon be able to access exclusive content from our new series Keen On America.
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Episodes
Eight literary tricks and treats to scare you this Halloween: Bethanne Patrick on "app-aritions", cultural ghosts and unfamiliarly familiar haunted houses
October 28, 2023 19:24 - 38 minutes - 26.7 MBEPISODE 1828: In this regular KEEN ON show with LA Times book critic Bethane Patrick, Bethanne talks about eight scary new books to keep you awake this Halloween Bethanne Patrick maintains a storied place in the publishing industry as a critic and as @TheBookMaven on Twitter, where she created the popular #FridayReads and regularly comments on books and literary ideas to over 200,000 followers. Her work appears frequently in the Los Angeles Times as well as in The Washington Post, NPR Books...
Why our cyborg AI future may already have arrived in the trained-on-jargon "person" of Sam Bankman-Fried: Hito Steyerl on pyramid schemes, on-boarding tools and the "mean" creativity of our AI age
October 28, 2023 16:10 - 33 minutes - 22.9 MBEPISODE 1827: In this KEEN ON show, Andrew talks to the filmmaker, artist and writer Hito Steyerl about what she calls the "pyramid schemes", "on-boarding" tools and the "mean" creativity of our AI age Hito Steyerl (born 1 January 1966) is a German filmmaker, moving image artist, writer, and innovator of the essay documentary. Her principal topics of interest are media, technology, and the global circulation of images. Steyerl holds a PhD in philosophy from the Academy of Fine Arts Vienna. ...
Is the venture capital industry a big ponzi scheme? Keith Teare separates the hyperbole from the hysteria of VC techno-optimism
October 27, 2023 18:56 - 34 minutes - 23.6 MBEPISODE 1826: In this regular weekly KEEN ON with Keith Teare, THAT WAS THE WEEK newsletter author, Keith tries to separate the hyperbole from the hysteria of VC techno-optimism Keith Teare is a Founder and CEO at SignalRank Corporation. Previously he was Executive Chairman at Accelerated Digital Ventures Ltd - A UK-based global investment company focused on startups at all stages. He was also previously the founder at the Palo Alto incubator, Archimedes Labs. Archimedes was the origina...
The American Shakespeare or trash of the veriest sort? Peter Slen on Mark Twain's ADVENTURES OF HUCKLEBERRY FINN, the adventurous story of a young man and young nation on a great and not-so-great adventure
October 27, 2023 17:25 - 31 minutes - 21.7 MBEPISODE 1825: In this KEEN ON show, Andrew talks to Peter Slen, Executive Producer of the C-SPAN series BOOKS THAT SHAPED AMERICA, about Mark Twain's 1884 novel HUCKLEBERRY FINN, the adventurous story of a youthful nation on a great and not-so-great adventure Peter Slen is the senior executive producer and a host at C-SPAN, a television and radio network known for its unbiased coverage of government proceedings. Named as one of the "100 most connected men" by GQ magazine, Andrew Keen is am...
A Graphic Diary of the War in Ukraine: Nora Krug on the contrasting realities of a Ukrainian journalist and a Russian artist in the first year of Russian invasion
October 26, 2023 22:28 - 37 minutes - 25.4 MBEPISODE 1824: In this KEEN ON show, Andrew talks to Nora Krug, author of DIARIES OF WAR, about the contrasting realities of a Ukrainian journalist and a Russian artist in the first year of the Russian invasion Nora Krug is a German-American author and illustrator whose drawings and visual narratives have appeared in newspapers, magazines and anthologies internationally. Her illustrations have been recognized with gold and silver medals by the Society of Illustrators and the NY Art Directors...
The Dismal Science investigates that most dismal of things - economic inequality: Branko Milanovic on visions of inequality from the French Revolution to the end of the Cold War
October 26, 2023 20:04 - 49 minutes - 33.7 MBEPISODE 1823: In this KEEN ON show, Andrew talks to Branko Milanovic, author of VISIONS OF INEQUALITY, about how different economists have made sense of economic inequality over the last 250 years BRANKO MILANOVIC is a Senior Scholar at the Stone Center on Socio-Economic Inequality at the CUNY Graduate Center and the author of the forthcoming Visions of Inequality: From the French Revolution to the End of the Cold War. Branko’s main area of work is income inequality, in individual countries...
That Sinking Feeling of Falling Out of the Middle Class: Ray Suarez on his fear of being poor in the America of the inegalitarian Twenties
October 26, 2023 16:28 - 47 minutes - 32.6 MBEPISODE 1822: In this KEEN ON show, Andrew talks to Ray Suarez, author of "That Sinking Feel", about his fear of being poor in the America of the inegalitarian Twenties. Ray Suarez has had a more than 40-year career in print, radio, and television news. He recently completed an appointment as a visiting professor of political science at NYU Shanghai. He currently hosts the radio program and podcast On Shifting Ground for KQED, the podcast Going for Broke for the Economic Hardship Reporting ...
Celebrating a transcendental photography of nature that blurs art and science: Photographer Anand Varma on his lifelong wonder with the natural world
October 25, 2023 22:16 - 37 minutes - 25.7 MBEPISODE 1821: In this KEEN ON show, Andrew talks to Anand Varma, author of NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC INVISIBLE WONDERS, on about his lifelong curiosity with the natural world Anand Varma is a National Geographic Explorer and award-winning photographer based in Berkeley, California. He has devoted years of his life to developing innovative techniques—even building some of his own equipment—to create intimate, dramatic and surprising images of nature. He holds a degree in integrative biology from U...
How to stand up to the apocalypse: Peter Sarris on Justinian, the 6th century Byzantine ruler who confounded a narrative of decline
October 25, 2023 16:27 - 40 minutes - 28 MBEPISODE 1820: In this KEEN ON show, Andrew talk: Peter Sarris on Justinian, the legendary 6th century Byzantine ruler who resurrected the Eastern Roman Empires to Peter Sarris, author of JUSTINIAN, about the legendary 6th century Byzantine ruler who resurrected the Eastern Roman Empire and confounded a narrative of decline. Peter Sarris read Modern History at Balliol College, Oxford (1990-93), after which he was elected to a Prize Fellowship (by examination) at All Souls College, Oxford (w...
The Fruit of the Gods or of the Devil? Alexander Sammon on the sordid history of the avocado, the thirstiest fruit on the planet
October 25, 2023 01:12 - 35 minutes - 24.6 MBEPISODE 1819 In this KEEN ON show, Andrew interviews Alexander Sammon, author of "Forbidden Fruit: The Anti-Avocado militias of Michoacan, about the sordid history of the avocado, the thirstiest fruit on the planet Alexander Sammon is a writer based in New York. His latest piece in Harpers is “Forbidden Fruit” Named as one of the "100 most connected men" by GQ magazine, Andrew Keen is amongst the world's best known broadcasters and commentators. In addition to presenting KEEN ON, he is the...
Why Nineteen Eighty-Four wasn't really like Nineteen-Eighty Four: Sandra Newman on Julia, Winston Smith and the totalitarianism of gender that George Orwell ignored in his masculine dystopia
October 24, 2023 23:15 - 40 minutes - 28.1 MBEPISODE 1818: In this KEEN ON show, Andrew talks to Sandra Newman, author of JULIA;A NOVEL, about Julia, Winston Smith and the totalitarianism of gender that George Orwell ignored in his iconic dystopia Sandra Newman is the author of the novels The Men, The Heavens (a New York Times Notable Book of the Year), and The Country of Ice Cream Star, longlisted for the Baileys Women’s Prize for Fiction and named one of the best books of the year by the Washington Post and NPR, as well as several ...
How to Reawaken the American Dream: David Leonhardt on unions, constitutional reform, immigration and the need for a progressive populism
October 24, 2023 21:27 - 39 minutes - 27.2 MBEPISODE 1817: In this KEEN ON show, Andrew talks to David Leonhardt, author of OURS WAS THE SHINING FUTURE, about on unions, constitutional reform, immigration and the need for a progressive populism David Leonhardt is a senior writer at The New York Times, where he writes its flagship newsletter, “The Morning.” He has also been the newspaper’s Washington bureau chief, an op-ed columnist, a staff writer for The New York Times Magazine, and the founding editor of “The Upshot.” He has won the...
Why Generative AI could make artists extinct: Karla Ortiz warns about the existential "theft" at the heart of the AI revolution
October 24, 2023 19:59 - 32 minutes - 36.8 MBEPISODE 1816: In this KEEN ON show, Andrew talks to concept artist Karla Ortiz about the existential "theft" at the heart of the AI revolution Karla Ortiz is a Puerto Rican, internationally recognized, award-winning artist. With her exceptional design sense, realistic renders, and character-driven narratives, Karla has contributed to many big-budget projects, including Jurassic World, World of Warcraft, Rogue One: A Starwars Story, Marvel's Thor Ragnarok, Black Panther, Infinity Wars, Loki,...
Memoirs of a cranky old New York Gen X'er: Christian Lorentzen on the half-life of a literary critic in our digital age of cultural decay and disinformation
October 23, 2023 23:08 - 36 minutes - 24.8 MBEPISODE 1815: In this KEEN ON show, Andrew talks to Christian Lorentzen, author of the new Liberties Quarterly essay "In Dreams Begin Responsibilities: a Memoir", about the half-life of a literary critic in our digital age of cultural decay and disinformation Christian Lorentzen's writing has appeared in the London Review of Books, Harper’s Magazine, Bookforum, Artforum, n+1, the Times Literary Supplement, the New Republic, the Paris Review, the Baffler, the New York Times, Slate, the Liter...
What makes humans so special? John Parrington on how human brains, unlike those of all other species, can turn matter into meaning
October 23, 2023 19:13 - 35 minutes - 41 MBEPISODE 1814: In this KEEN ON show, Andrew talks to John Parrington, author of CONSCIOUSNESS, about how human brains, unlike those of all other species, can turn matter into meaning John Parrington is an Associate Professor in Molecular and Cellular Pharmacology and a Tutorial Fellow in Medicine at the University of Oxford. He is the author of three previous books and over 110 peer reviewed articles. His research focuses on how chemical signals regulate important processes in the body. Nam...
What the data tells us about the cancellation of the American mind: Greg Lukianoff on why today's cancel culture is as much of a threat to free speech as the McCarthyite Red Scare of the 1950s
October 23, 2023 16:39 - 40 minutes - 27.9 MBEPISODE 1813: In this KEEN ON show, Andrew talks to Greg Lukianoff, co-author of THE CANCELING OF THE AMERICAN MIND, about why today's cancel culture might be as much of a threat to American free speech as the McCarthyite Red Scare of the 1950s Greg Lukianoff is an attorney, New York Times best-selling author, and the President and CEO of the Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression (FIRE). He is the author of Unlearning Liberty: Campus Censorship and the End of American Debate, Fre...
Why an elite establishment economist is calling bullsh*t on the promise of the American dream: Jeff Fuhrer reveals the existential crisis of economic inequality now threatening the United States
October 22, 2023 20:43 - 43 minutes - 29.6 MBEPISODE 1812: In this KEEN ON show, Andrew talks to Jeff Fuhrer, author of THE MYTH THAT MADE US, about the the existential crisis of economic inequality now threatening the United States Jeff Fuhrer is a Non-Resident Fellow at the Brookings Institution and a Foundation Fellow at the Eastern Bank Foundation. He was previously Executive Vice President and Director of Research at the Federal Reserve Bank of Boston, where he was also responsible for the bank’s diversity and inclusion functions...
Why Poland is still in therapy over its "complex" World War II history: Roger Moorhouse on the forgotten story of a Polish diplomatic rescue operation to save the lives of Polish Jews
October 22, 2023 18:32 - 47 minutes - 32.3 MBEPISODE 1811: In this KEEN ON show, Andrew talks to Roger Moorhouse, author of THE FORGERS, about the forgotten story of a Polish diplomatic rescue operation to save the lives of Polish Jews Roger Moorhouse is a historian and author specialising in modern German and Central European history, with particular interest in Nazi Germany, the Holocaust and World War Two in Europe. A visiting professor at the College of Europe in Warsaw, he is also the author of a number of books on modern German ...
How "responsible" was Benjamin Netanyahu for the events of October 7? Israel novelist Noa Yedlin on the worst thing that has happened to the Jewish people since the Holocaust
October 22, 2023 16:39 - 45 minutes - 31.1 MBEPISODE 1810: In this KEEN ON show, Andrew talks to Noa Yedlin, the Israeli writer and author of STOCKHOLM: A NOVEL, about the events of October 7, Benjamin Netanyahu, and how winning the Nobel prize might and might not change us Noa Yedlin is a bestselling Israeli author, the recipient of the Sapir Prize (the Israeli Man Booker) and the Prime Minister’s Literature Award. Yedlin is also the creator of a prize-winning television series based on her bestselling novel Stockholm. Another of he...
Broken bodies, broken homes, broken families & broken work: Alissa Quart reveals life on the edge in the world's richest country
October 21, 2023 18:58 - 39 minutes - 27.1 MBEPISODE 1809: In this KEEN ON show, Andrew talks to Alissa Quart, an editor of GOING FOR BROKE and Executive Director of the Economic Hardship Reporting Project, about living on the edge in the world's richest country Alissa Quart is the author of five acclaimed books of nonfiction including Bootstrapped: Liberating Ourselves from the American Dream (Ecco, 2023). They are Squeezed, Republic of Outsiders, Hothouse Kids, and Branded. She is the Executive Director of the non-profit the Economi...
How to resurrect the World's Greatest Detective: Sophie Hannah on her latest Agatha Christie sanctioned murder mystery HERCULE POIROT'S SILENT NIGHT
October 21, 2023 16:25 - 40 minutes - 27.6 MBEPISODE 1808: In this KEEN ON show, Andrew talks to Sophie Hannah, author of HERCULE POIROT'S SILENT NIGHT, about how to recreate the World's Greatest Detective. Sophie Hannah is a Sunday Times and New York Times bestselling writer of crime fiction, published in forty-nine languages and fifty-one territories. Her books have sold millions of copies worldwide. In 2014, with the blessing of Agatha Christie’s family and estate, Sophie published a new Poirot novel, The Monogram Murders, which wa...
In Defense of Place: Seth Kaplan on how to repair American society, one zip code at a time
October 20, 2023 22:21 - 34 minutes - 39 MBEPISODE 1807: In this KEEN ON show, Andrew talks to Seth Kaplan, author of FRAGILE NEIGHBORHOODS, on how to repair American society, one zip code at a time Seth D. Kaplan is a leading expert on fragile states. He is a Professorial Lecturer in the Paul H. Nitze School of Advanced International Studies (SAIS) at Johns Hopkins University, Senior Adviser for the Institute for Integrated Transitions (IFIT), and consultant to multilateral organizations such as the World Bank, U.S. State Departmen...
Should we celebrate or mourn technological abundance? Keith Teare weighs up the costs and benefits of abundant artificial intelligence
October 20, 2023 21:49 - 37 minutes - 25.5 MBEPISODE 1806: In this KEEN ON show, Andrew talks to Keith Teare, publisher of the THAT WAS THE WEEK tech newsletter, about the costs and benefits of abundant artificial intelligence Keith Teare is the founder and CEO of SignalRank Corporation. Previously, he was executive chairman at Accelerated Digital Ventures Ltd., a U.K.-based global investment company focused on startups at all stages. Teare studied at the University of Kent and is the author of “The Easy Net Book” and “Under Siege.” H...
Why Oliver Wendell Holmes' book "Common Law" is most uncommon: Peter Slen on the 1881 legal classic that has profoundly shaped America
October 20, 2023 21:25 - 21 minutes - 14.6 MBEPISODE 1805: In this KEEN ON show, Andrew talks to Peter Slen, Executive Producer of the CSPAN series BOOKS THAT SHAPED AMERICA, about Oliver Wendell Holmes' classic text "Common Law", the 1881 book about the law that has most shaped America Peter Slen is the senior executive producer and a host at C-SPAN, a television and radio network known for its unbiased coverage of government proceedings. Named as one of the "100 most connected men" by GQ magazine, Andrew Keen is amongst the world's...
What is it about scientists that makes many of them so consensual and collaborative? Lorraine Daston explains how scientists have learned to cooperate with each other
October 20, 2023 20:19 - 30 minutes - 35.1 MBEPISODE 1804: In this KEEN ON show, Andrew talks to Lorraine Daston, author of RIVALS, about how scientists have learned to cooperate with each other over the last 300 years Professor Lorraine Jenifer Daston is the Executive Director of the Max Planck Institute of the History of Science and an Honorary Professor at Humboldt Universitaet. She has done countless research on the history of the natural and human sciences from 16th-19th centuries. She has published on the history of probability ...
Why the American Dream has turned into a nightmare for many Americans: Andrea Dobynes Wagner on life in the United States as a black woman with an invisible disability
October 19, 2023 22:00 - 22 minutes - 26 MBEPISODE 1803: In this KEEN ON show, Andrew talks to Andrea Dobynes Wagner, a contributor to GOING FOR BROKE, on life in America as a black woman with an invisible disability Twenty-six years ago, Andrea Dobynes Wagner didn’t pass her preschool vision test. She was later diagnosed with retinitis pigmentosa, a group of genetic eye disorders that lead to peripheral vision loss and difficulty seeing at night. Growing up legally blind, doctors warned Andrea that she’d never lead a normal life. T...
Listening Once Again to Prozac: Peter D. Kramer offers a thirty year history of antidepressants and the remaking of the American self
October 19, 2023 20:16 - 37 minutes - 25.7 MBEPISODE 1803: In this KEEN ON show, Peter D. Kramer, author of LISTENING TO PROZAC, offers a thirty year perspective on the history of antidepressants and the remaking of the American self Peter D. Kramer is the author of eight books, including Against Depression, Should You Leave?, Ordinarily Well, the novels Spectacular Happiness and Death of the Great Man, and the international bestseller Listening to Prozac. His essays, op-eds, and book reviews have appeared in the New York Times, Washi...
The Impact of Small Things: Best-selling writer and Hollywood actress Annabelle Gurwitch on her experience of taking in a homeless couple in Los Angeles
October 19, 2023 18:22 - 42 minutes - 29 MBEPISODE 1802: In this KEEN ON show, Andrew talks to best-selling writer and Hollywood actress Annabelle Gurwitch on her experience of taking in a homeless couple in Los Angeles ANNABELLE GURWITCH is a New York Times Bestselling author, actress and activist whose most recent collection of essays "You're Leaving When? Adventures in Downward Mobility" is a 2021 New York Times Favorite Book for Healthy Living, a Good Morning America Must Read and a finalist for The Thurber Prize for American Hu...
Are handheld video games a valuable kind of art or are they a worthless technological curse? Jon Doyle celebrates the glory years of video gaming when handheld devices provided their users with a simultaneously social and intimate experience
October 18, 2023 22:05 - 27 minutes - 19.1 MBEPISODE 1801: In this KEEN ON show, Andrew talks to Jon Doyle, CEO of LOST IN CULT, about the glory years of video gaming when handheld devices provided their users with a simultaneously social and intimate experience. Jon Doyle is an award-winning creative director and designer specializing in product concept and development. Creator of the smash hit gaming journal [lock-on], Jon Doyle has coordinated projects with clients such as PlayStation, SEGA, Walt Disney, HarperCollins, Netflix, and...
Didn't we learn anything from COVID? Joe Nocera on why American capitalism needs to be radically reformed if it is to successfully confront the next pandemic
October 18, 2023 20:17 - 37 minutes - 26 MBEPISODE 1800: In this KEEN ON show, Andrew talks to Joe Nocera, the co-author of THE BIG FAIL, about why he believes American capitalism needs to be radically reformed if it is to successfully confront the next pandemic Joe Nocera is an op-ed columnist for The New York Times. His previous books include All the Devils Are Here (with Bethany McLean), Good Guys and Bad Guys, and A Piece of the Action. He has won three Gerald Loeb Awards for excellence in business journalism and was a finalist ...
Burn Baby Burn: M.R. O'Connor on the life-giving force of fire to regenerate nature
October 18, 2023 16:42 - 32 minutes - 37.6 MBEPISODE 1799: In this KEEN ON show, Andrew talks to M.R. O'Connor, author of IGNITION: LIGHTING FIRES IN A BURNING WORLD, about the life-giving force of fire to regenerate nature M.R. O’Connor is a journalist who writes about the politics and ethics of science, technology, and conservation. Her work has appeared in The New Yorker, The Atavist, Slate, Foreign Policy, Nautilus, UnDark and Harper’s. Her first book, Resurrection Science: Conservation, De-Extinction and the Precarious Future of ...
Ten Years that Didn't Change the World: Vincent Bevins on the global mass protests of 2010-2020 that failed to change anything
October 18, 2023 01:15 - 36 minutes - 25.1 MBEPISODE 1798: In this KEEN ON show, Andrew talks to Vincent Bevins, author of IF WE BURN, about the global mass protests between 2010 and 2020 that mostly failed to bring about radical change Vincent Bevins is an award-winning journalist and correspondent. He covered Southeast Asia for the Washington Post, reporting from across the entire region and paying special attention to the legacy of the 1965 massacre in Indonesia. He previously served as the Brazil correspondent for the Los Angeles ...
The Canceling of the American Mind: Rikki Schlott on why she believes cancel culture is an existential threat to the free speech of both conservatives and progressives
October 17, 2023 20:24 - 41 minutes - 28.3 MBEPISODE 1797: In this KEEN ON show, Andrew talks to Rikki Schlott, co-author of THE CANCELING OF THE AMERICAN MIND, about how she believes cancel culture threatens the free speech of both conservatives and liberals Rikki Schlott is a New York Post columnist, News Features reporter, and author of "The Canceling of the American Mind." Schlott completed a research fellowship with the Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression (FIRE) and co-hosts the Lost Debate podcast. She covers higher ...
The American Ant King who transformed our understanding of animal behavior: Richard Rhodes on E.O. Wilson and his scientific life in nature
October 17, 2023 18:26 - 45 minutes - 31.3 MBEPISODE 1796: In this KEEN ON show, Andrew talks to Richard Rhodes, author of SCIENTIST, about E.O. Wilson and the great biologist's life in nature Richard Rhodes is the author or editor of 22 books, including The Twilight of the Bomb, the last volume in a quartet about nuclear history. The first, The Making of the Atomic Bomb, won the Pulitzer Prize, a National Book Award, and a National Book Critics Circle Award. He has received numerous fellowships for research and writing, including gr...
Being less anxious about today's epidemic of anxiety: David Rosmarin on why anxiety is both normal and healthy and how we can thrive with it
October 17, 2023 00:44 - 33 minutes - 22.9 MBEPISODE 1795: In this KEEN ON show, Andrew talks to David H. Rosmarin, PhD, author of THRIVING WITH ANXIETY, about why anxiety is healthy and how to thrive with it David H. Rosmarin, PhD, is an associate professor at Harvard Medical School, a program director at McLean Hospital, and founder of Center for Anxiety, which services over one thousand patients per year in multiple states. Dr. Rosmarin is an international expert on spirituality and mental health whose work has been featured in Sc...
The Big Fail or A Big Success? Bethany McLean on what the Covid pandemic reveals about strengths and weaknesses of American healthcare, innovation and capitalism.
October 16, 2023 20:21 - 31 minutes - 21.9 MBEPISODE 1794: In this KEEN ON show, Andrew talks to the co-author of THE BIG FAIL, Bethany McLean, about what the Covid pandemic reveals about American healthcare, innovation and capitalism Bethany McLean is a writer for Vanity Fair and the coauthor of The Smartest Guys in the Room. She was previously editor at large of Fortune and spent three years working at Goldman Sachs. She lives in Chicago. Named as one of the "100 most connected men" by GQ magazine, Andrew Keen is amongst the world'...
It's a Horrible Situation..... I Wish I Could Sound More Cheerful: Former British Ambassador Alexander Hall Hall on Israel, Gaza and the New Global Disorder
October 16, 2023 16:15 - 38 minutes - 26.2 MBEPISODE 1793: In this KEEN ON show, Andrew talks to Alexander Hall Hall, the co-host of the Global Disorder podcast, about Israel, Gaza, the Ukraine, Brexit and her long career as a British diplomat Ambassador Alexandra Hall Hall is a former British diplomat with over 30 years’ experience, including as the British Ambassador to Georgia from 2013 to 2016, and as Brexit Counsellor at the British Embassy in Washington, before resigning from the Foreign Service in December 2016 due to a conflic...
The Care Economy as the Highest Stage of Capitalism: Premilla Nadasen explains why we need to bring care back to what she calls the "care" economy of healthcare and teaching
October 15, 2023 23:08 - 31 minutes - 21.9 MBEPISODE 1792: In this KEEN ON show, Andrew talks to Premilla Nadasen, author of CARE: THE HIGHEST STAGE OF CAPITALISM, about why we need to bring care back to what she calls the "care" economy of healthcare and teaching Premilla Nadasen is a professor of history at Barnard College, Columbia University, where she is co-director of the Barnard Center for Research on Women. She is the author of Welfare Warriors and Household Workers Unite. Named as one of the "100 most connected men" by GQ ma...
How to get to a regenerative future before we blow ourselves up: Trond Undheim on averting the end of the world by 2075
October 15, 2023 22:48 - 32 minutes - 22.2 MBEPISODE 1791: In this KEEN ON show, Andrew talks to Trond Undheim, author of ECO TECH, about how to avert the end of the world before 2075 Trond Undheim is a futurist, scholar, podcaster, venture partner, nonresident Fellow at the Atlantic Council, co-founder of Yegii, and Lead Ecosystem evangelist at Tulip. He formerly worked with MIT, WPP, Oracle, and the EU. He’s a co-author (with Natan Linder) of Augmented Lean (Wiley 2022), an author of Health Tech (Routledge 2021), Future Tech (Kogan ...
An obscure 1722 naval battle off the coast of West Africa which had a monumental impact on the history of America: Angela C. Sutton on the battle of Cape Lopez and the birth of chattel slavery as an American institution
October 15, 2023 19:05 - 35 minutes - 24.2 MBEPISODE 1790: In this KEEN ON show, Andrew talks to Angela C. Sutton, author of PIRATES OF THE SLAVE TRADE, about the battle of Cape Lopez in 1722 and the birth of chattel slavery as an American institution ANGELA SUTTON is a social and digital historian of the Atlantic World interested in the tools and methods that preserve and widen access to the sources that help refine and redefine popular understandings of American slavery and its modern consequences. She is the director of the Fort Ne...
Placing African-Americans at the center of their own story: Dylan Penningroth excavates the hidden histories of Black civil rights in 19th and 20th century America
October 14, 2023 22:53 - 45 minutes - 31 MBEPISODE 1789: In this KEEN ON show, Andrew talks to Dylan C. Penningroth, author of BEFORE THE MOVEMENT, about the hidden histories of Black civil rights in 19th and 20th century America Dylan C. Penningroth is a professor of law and history at the University of California, Berkeley. Recipient of the MacArthur Fellowship and author of the award-winning The Claims of Kinfolk, he lives in Kensington, California. His latest book is BEFORE THE MOVEMENT: The Hidden History of Black Civil Rights ...
Why cheap food isn't really cheap: Will Harris on the repellant nature of industrial farming and why the future of food should be local
October 14, 2023 20:44 - 34 minutes - 23.5 MBEPISODE 1788: In this KEEN ON show, Andrew talks to Will Harris, author of A BOLD RETURN TO GIVING A DAMN, about the repellant nature of industrial farming and why the future of food should be local Will Harris is the owner of White Oak Pastures, a holistically managed, regenerative ranch and farm in Georgia’s semi-tropical Coastal Plain. Described by his daughters as an “organic icon” of the Real Food movement, he is one of the very first people to bring grass-fed and humanely raised meat ...
What makes writing, speaking and computer programming similarly human activities: Michael Littman on why all humans, in our AI age, should learn a little programming
October 14, 2023 01:00 - 35 minutes - 24.4 MBEPISODE 1787: In this KEEN ON show, Andrew talks to Michael L. Littman, author of CODE TO JOY, about why - in our age of AI - everyone should learn a little computer programming Michael L. Littman, Ph.D. is a University Professor of Computer Science at Brown University and Division Director of Information and Intelligent Systems at the National Science Foundation. He studies machine learning and decision-making under uncertainty and has earned multiple awards for his teaching and his resea...
How to Take Liberties with History: Abby Smith Rumsey on what we should remember and what we should forget about the past
October 14, 2023 00:42 - 34 minutes - 24 MBEPISODE 1786: In this KEEN ON show, Andrew talks to Abby Smith Rumsey, author of MEMORY, EDITED, about what we should remember and what we should forget about history Abby Smith Rumsey is an intellectual and cultural historian. She focuses on the impact of information technologies on perceptions of history, time, and identity, the nature of evidence, and the changing roles of libraries and archives. Her most recent book is When We Are No More: How Digital Memory is Shaping our Future (2016)...
How to be Abe Lincoln: Jonathan Shapiro offers seven steps to finding a moral compass and living a worthy life
October 13, 2023 20:27 - 31 minutes - 21.7 MBEPISODE 1785: In this KEEN ON show, Andrew talks to Jonathan Shapiro, author of HOW TO BE ABLE LINCOLN, about the seven steps to finding a moral compass and living a worthy life Since 2000, Jonathan Shapiro has written and produced some of television’s most iconic legal dramas, including HBO’s The Undoing, Amazon Prime’s Goliath, and NBC Peacock’s The Calling. An Emmy and Humanitas Award-winner, Shapiro’s other television credits include Peacock’s Mr. Mercedes, based on the Stephen King nov...
Why OpenAI could be worth $5 trillion by 2028: Keith Teare explains how OpenAI might already be the most valuable company on the planet
October 13, 2023 19:54 - 34 minutes - 24 MBEPISODE 1784: In this KEEN ON show, Andrew talks to Keith Teare, THAT WAS THE WEEK newsletter author, about why, he suspects, OpenAI will be worth $5 trillion by 2028. Keith Teare is the founder and CEO of SignalRank Corporation. Previously, he was executive chairman at Accelerated Digital Ventures Ltd., a U.K.-based global investment company focused on startups at all stages. Teare studied at the University of Kent and is the author of “The Easy Net Book” and “Under Siege.” He writes reg...
The Man Who Could See Around Corners: Peter Slen on Frederick Douglass and his 1845 autobiography about his life os an American slave
October 13, 2023 17:03 - 32 minutes - 22 MBEPISODE 1783: In this KEEN ON show, Andrew talks to Peter Slen, host of the CSPAN show BOOKS THAT SHAPED AMERICA, about Frederick Douglass and his 1845 autobiography about life as an American slave Peter Slen is the senior executive producer and a host at C-SPAN, a television and radio network known for its unbiased coverage of government proceedings. Named as one of the "100 most connected men" by GQ magazine, Andrew Keen is amongst the world's best known broadcasters and commentators. In...
America in the Dillon era: Richard Aldous on Douglas Dillon and mainstream Republicanism in the Eisenhower, Kennedy and Johnson administrations
October 13, 2023 00:24 - 43 minutes - 29.8 MBEPISODE 1782: In this KEEN ON show, Andrew talks to Douglas Dillon, author of THE DILLION ERA, about Douglas Dillon and mainstream Republicanism in the Eisenhower, Kennedy and Johnson administrations Richard Aldous is Eugene Meyer Professor of British History and Culture at Bard College. He is also author of Schlesinger: The Imperial Historian, which was a New York Times notable book and Reagan and Thatcher: A Difficult Relationship, which was also named a New York Times notable book. Name...
An American Gun for the age of Sandy Hook and Uvalde: Cameron McWhirter and Zusha Elinson on the history of the AR-15, an assault weapon that captures contemporary America's love affair with technology, freedom and guns
October 12, 2023 22:41 - 41 minutes - 28.7 MBEPISODE 1781: In this KEEN ON show, Andrew talks to Cameron McWhirter and Zusha Elinson, co-authors of AMERICAN GUN, about the history of the AR-15, an assault weapon that captures America's contemporary love affair with technology, freedom and guns Cameron McWhirter is a national reporter for The Wall Street Journal, based in Atlanta. He has covered mass shootings, violent protests and natural disasters across the South. He is also the author of Red Summer: The Summer of 1919 and the Awake...
How to transform yourself from a good girl into a bad b***h: Lisa Carmen Wang's bad b***h business bible for taking charge of your body, boundaries and bank account
October 12, 2023 18:13 - 33 minutes - 22.9 MBEPISODE I780: In this KEEN ON show, Andrew talks to Lisa Carmen Wang, author of BAD B***H BUSINESS BIBLE, about how to seize control of your body, boundaries and bank account Lisa Carmen Wang is the Founder of BAD B***H EMPIRE, a global community platform building unapologetic worth and wealth for women. She is a former Olympic-level, four-time USA National Champion and USA Hall of Fame gymnast, serial entrepreneur, venture capitalist, international speaker, certified executive coach, and h...