The Trendaddy (formerly The McFuture)

My guest today is the provocative and fearless Glenn Loury, Professor of Economics at Brown University. He is an outspoken critic of Black Lives Matter and our new 'Awokening' . His dissent is rooted in a lifetime dedicated to studying racial inequality and effective social policy solutions. Glenn Loury became the first black tenured professor of Economics at Harvard University in 1982. He's also...

Ever have the most infuriating customer service call...mid-pandemic...with an executive at a company that screwed you over...and lecture them on customer service? Then, release the full recording publicly, with scathing commentary? No? Enjoy. (Watch the full video here or embedded below.)  Patreon supporters got this over a week early! Become a Patreon supporter to get lots of exclusives & pre-rel...

Our Coronavirus conundrum has exposed our fragility. In the first part of this episode, I explore the importance of mourning our old lives and how we must adapt. Then I revisit Idiocracy, a member-only episode, on how we've bred fragility into our society. It's even more salient in light of this pandemic. In it, I cover the one thing that will decide if we get smarter or end up watering our crops...

Hilarious comedian Alonzo Bodden joins me to discuss the future of comedy and live entertainment business, post-coronavirus and quarantine. But before we do, we somehow end up slaughtering every sacred cow - from Trump to religion to abortion to guns. Grab a jug of wine and enjoy! (If you're in a rush, jump +40 min ahead to hear about the fate of the entertainment business.) Listen to the bonus ep...

So what happens next? What happens months, years, a decade after the pandemic? And what will be our biggest missed opportunity. Steve Faktor shares a few thoughts on our future. This 9-part Quarantine Edition of The McFuture podcast explores the economics of the deadly Coronavirus – and how we can avoid the possibly deadlier consequences of its cure – a deep recession, or worse. This series will c...

Ideas, strategies, tactics, and examples of ways small businesses, startups and employees can survive - or even thrive - even under a pandemic quarantine. This 9-part Quarantine Edition of The McFuture podcast explores the economics of the deadly Coronavirus – and how we can avoid the possibly deadlier consequences of its cure – a deep recession, or worse. This series will cover: Opportunity – my...

How is a $2 Trillion rescue package even possible?? Where does that money come from? And what else should we be doing with it RIGHT NOW? This 9-part Quarantine Edition of The McFuture podcast explores the economics of the deadly Coronavirus – and how we can avoid the possibly deadlier consequences of its cure – a deep recession, or worse. This series will cover: Opportunity – my inspiration for th...

Is your job safe? How the coronavirus quarantine will impact jobs and the economy. This 9-part Quarantine Edition of The McFuture podcast explores the economics of the deadly Coronavirus – and how we can avoid the possibly deadlier consequences of its cure – a deep recession, or worse. This series will cover: Opportunity – my inspiration for this series: our last recession – and why I’m optimistic...

Did we do it? Is it cured? How do we know if our leaders did well? What's a "good" outcome? Here are three measures of “success” for handling the coronavirus pandemic. This 9-part Quarantine Edition of The McFuture podcast explores the economics of the deadly Coronavirus – and how we can avoid the possibly deadlier consequences of its cure – a deep recession, or worse. This series will cover: Oppo...

In this episode, I calculate the coronavirus death toll and DARE to put a $-value on human life. Dark and forbidden.   This 9-part Quarantine Edition of The McFuture podcast explores the economics of the deadly Coronavirus – and how we can avoid the possibly deadlier consequences of its cure – a deep recession, or worse. This series will cover: Opportunity – my inspiration for this series: our las...

This 9-part Quarantine Edition of The McFuture podcast explores the economics of the deadly Coronavirus – and how we can avoid the possibly deadlier consequences of its cure – a deep recession, or worse.  Here, I explain my inspiration for this series - our last recession. And why I'm optimistic we can make something positive from this turmoil. This series will cover: Opportunity – my inspiration...

Over 40 new religions have spawned beneath us & we are all disciples. Here's what it means for our future.

Here's a killer clip from the Q&A with AR Bernard, who does not pull punches on Mike Bloomberg, stop & frisk or taking money from Mike. (Full audio podcast below). Fresh from my recent live event on The Future of Belief, a truly spectacular chat with Pastor AR Bernard, founder of Christian Cultural Center (CCC) megachurch with over 40,000 members in NYC. Not only is the Pastor incredibly sharp, ph...

What is a disruptor? What does it take to be one? And do you have what it takes? This episode attempts to define the five characteristics of true disruptor. It was inspired by Ricky Gervais's hilarious, defiant monologue at the Golden Globes, where he skewered Hollywood hypocrisy. So did Ricky disrupt Hollywood? If not, what did he do? And what will it take? And who is the real deal? Lots of great...

Ever get the urge to run all your wild theories by a Nobel Prize-winning economist? Well, I got to do just that with the former Chief Economist of the World Bank, Columbia University Professor, and author of:  People, Power, and Profits: Progressive Capitalism for an Age of Discontent The Euro: How a Common Currency Threatens the Future of Europe The Price of Inequality: How Today's Divided Societ...

The holidays are upon us. It's time to show our families how much we care...by maiming strangers for cheap flat screens at Wal-Mart. Of course, I'm joking. No one's got that kind of upper body strength, anymore. Credit cards work great from bed. But what is it that makes us buy? How do companies squeeze more and more profit from us every year? And why do we let them? On this very special holiday e...

This episode is all about POWER! And it lives somewhere between 'distraction and destruction'...remember that phrase. The 4 types of media disinformation...yet only one matters The 7 stages of our rage cycle and each player's real motives The 4 cancellation tactics of "cancel culture" And why none of it matters. Whatever side you're on, you've been played. Chumps. The real beneficiaries have been...

What if I told you Twitter was sitting on something BIG? Get your mind out of the gutter! Buried deep inside Twitter is a simple, sexy fix for our social media woes - hate speech, cancel culture, rage mobs, demonetization and silencing of free speech. The same fix would work for Facebook, YouTube, and other social media services. There's just one problem. Like a Japanese horror flick, the social m...

Ever wonder what a real-life Revenge of the Nerds might look like? Well, it's here. And it's nothing like the bawdy 80's sex comedy. Turns out it's more like Night of the Living (Brain) Dead and it's taking over America. Imagine if anyone who ever took a Marxist Manspreading & Toxic Phallocentrism course suddenly got to RUN THE WORLD. As if hating your parents' money wasn't bad enough... A generat...

Five disjointed sermons on technology and economics morph into an absurdist plea for clarity...in a country faking its way forward. Come feel the Bern of this week's episode of The McFuture podcast.  In This Episode: DeepFake It Till You F%*$ It Kneel Before Nike The Real Juul of San Francisco Multipolar Bear What The F Are We? If you enjoy the show, support it on Patreon and get awesome bonus con...

"Influence" is the most powerful and misunderstood force in society today. It's often confused with power, fame, talent and even force. But real influence is far more graceful and subversive. Real influence is born out of conquest but wielded with grace. And real influencers have more in common with pioneers who settled the West, than Kanye West. But the recent rise of "influencers" is an insurgen...

Sure all those social media apps on your phone have quirky logos and cutesy names. (Is Fandoogle taken?) But every one of these companies is a stone cold KILLER. While filling our days with grumpy cat videos, they fill their bellies with fleshy chunks of hopeful, desperate media partners, who learned the hard way that you can't French kiss a cannibal. In fact, media is jam-packed with half-eaten z...

Why did Netflix become a devious backstabber? In a game of F***/Marry/Kill, why would Spotify marry me, murder Adele, and f*** Sony? And why the does the future of YouTube hang on our loins? Believe it or not, each of those questions is deeper and funnier than it looks. This three part series dares to take on the unwieldy future of all media - and lay out 12 new rules for consumers, creators, and...

In this very special episode of The McFuture, we'll bust 12½* modern myths about money, business, education, tech and government. Many of our assumptions deserves ruthless scrutiny. Questioning assumptions is how we innovate and shape our future.  It's how we demand more from ourselves, employers and leaders.   Some of these will definitely trigger you. But a little controversy can't hurt, right.....

What can $500,000 buy you...? Apparently, admission for your dumbass kids to any top-tear collidge. (Trying to relate.) I did a video (below) on the rich and famous college bribery scandal, but thought it deserved a bit more depth and ranting. Here, I expand on why this isn't just about wealth and privilege, but branding and religion. I also talk about the future of education and job recruiting. W...