Dastardly Cleverness in the Service of Good

Drew Train was a rising star on Madison Avenue, working at the legendary J Walter Thompson agency for clients like HSBC, one of the biggest banks in the world. But at night, he was going to Occupy Wall Street rallies. That's because he thought something had gone very wrong with business: it was extracting more from the world than it was putting back, and benefiting the rich over everyone else. Eve...

What if everyone got paid - even if they didn't have a job? That's the idea behind universal basic income, or UBI. Its advocates say we need it to protect humans who are losing their jobs to robots — and as one of the best ways to end poverty. In this episode, Spencer Critchley talks to Natalie Foster, co-chair of the Economic Security Project, which advocates for UBI. More at http://dastardlyclev...

We sometimes think that good communicators are just born talented, like a Jefferson or a Lincoln. And it's probably true that the great ones have a special gift. But it's also true that anyone can learn to communicate better. To explore how, Spencer talks to Sean Smith, who has worked on presidential campaigns for Bill Clinton, John Kerry, and Barack Obama, served at the Department of Homeland Sec...

Dan Schnur is a professor at the University of Southern California's Annenberg School of Communications and the University of California – Berkeley's Institute of Governmental Studies. He worked on four presidential and three gubernatorial campaigns as one of California's leading Republican political strategists. Zach Friend is a public policy and communications expert who has worked for Barack Ob...

When Santa Fe Institute Professor Mirta Galesic was a teenager, her country fell apart. She lived in what was then Yugoslavia. But after the death of president for life Josip Broz Tito, that country was riven by ethnic nationalism. Amidst all the competing claims and rumors spawned by the turmoil, young Mirta was struck by a realization: people would believe whatever supported their group. It infl...

Spencer talks with David Schmerler, a researcher who keeps track of North Korea and its weapons of mass destruction. David says his work can be like a spy novel, or a video game — and in fact he even helped create a Minecraft simulation to help people understand what's at stake. But knowing the difference between fiction and reality is crucial — for him, and for all of us. Find the full details, p...

Everything about jobs is now open to question — including whether jobs will even exist. To sort it out, we talk this time about robots, the gig economy, income inequality, the disruption of education — even bitcoin. All that and more from someone whose job is to work on the future of work: social policy consultant Kristin Wolff. Find the show notes and links here .

The Monterey Bay Aquarium is world famous for otters, sharks, a spectacular setting — even appearances in movies such as "Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home" and "Finding Dory," and TV shows such as "Big Little Lies" and the BBC/PBS series "Big Blue Live." But that's just the most visible part. The Aquarium is also a powerful force for protecting the oceans through education, advocacy, and the developm...

If we could get the first five years of life right, it would transform society: less crime, less violence, less poverty, more people having happy, productive lives. Lots of research backs that up. When young children suffer from poor health, neglect, missed learning opportunities, or trauma, they can pay for it for the rest of their lives. So do the rest of us. Many of our biggest social problems...

Cities across the United States struggle with gang violence, and the challenge can sometimes seem hopeless. But you may be surprised to learn that we know a lot about how to reduce gang violence — often dramatically. We just have to act on what we know. Our guest this time is an expert on the subject, from a small but innovative California city: Salinas. If you know about Salinas, it may be becaus...

What if we could get millions of young people good jobs, free them from college debt, and give the economy a big boost? This episode's guests say we can do it — if we just follow a proven model from Switzerland, now being tried and tested with promising results here in the United States. It's an update of an ancient concept: apprenticeships. Students attend high school while also working and learn...

The third and final part of "Hope for Democracy:" great questions from the audience. On May 17 at the Middlebury Institute of International Studies, we heard the unique perspectives of leaders with national and local experience in government, politics, the law, and media. This is Part Two of a three-part series on this event. Former Congressman Sam Farr  represented the Central Coast in the House...

More from "Hope for Democracy:" the conversation resumes with former Congressman Sam Farr describing the anger and misinformation surrounding health care reform, all the panelists addressing whether public servants really want to serve the public, and more. On May 17 at the Middlebury Institute of International Studies, we heard the unique perspectives of leaders with national and local experience...

Government institutions, the free press, the judiciary, the integrity of the election itself — all face doubt and even attack, from both foreign and domestic sources. What's the way forward? On May 17 at the Middlebury Institute of International Studies, we heard the unique perspectives of leaders with national and local experience in government, politics, the law, and media. Former Congressman Sa...