Wiser World

This is a brief summary of the Indian holiday of Holi. I share about the origins of the holiday, the traditions and celebrations, and the foods that are often made. *CORRECTION: In this episode I talk about how Hinduism is a polytheistic religion, when in reality the gods and goddesses of Hinduism are actually embodiments of one main god. Thus is appears polytheistic, but the system of Hinduism is...

This is a brief history of Carnival—noting in particular the history of Carnival, and some fun details about Carnival in Brazil, Italy, and in New Orleans (where it's called Mardi Gras). This podcast is part of the Airwave Media podcast network. Visit airwavemedia.com to learn about other fantastic history and education-centric shows that are created for curious, thoughtful people. Please contact ...

This is a brief history of the diamond industry—noting in particular the history of diamonds, what a blood/conflict diamond is, and diamond labor. This industry is very complex and I barely scratch the surface, but here is a starting point for you. Here is the TIME article on blood diamonds: https://time.com/blood-diamonds/. This podcast is part of the Airwave Media podcast network. Visit airwavem...

Have you ever wondered about Lunar New Year? Roughly 1.5 billion people celebrate it annually! This episode covers the very basics of the holiday to give us a little more understanding and clarity on this important holiday.  This podcast is part of the Airwave Media podcast network. Visit airwavemedia.com to learn about other fantastic history and education-centric shows that are created for curio...

A concise, foundational history of North Korea from the the 1990s to present day (2022).  What was life like in North Korea during the 1990s for the average person? How do people defect from North Korea and where do they go? How did the current leader, Kim Jong-Un rise to power? How does North Korea’s nuclear weapons program affect the future of the international community? We will learn the answe...

A concise, foundational history of North Korea from the the 1950s to 1990s.  What kind of lifestyle have the Kim leaders lived, and how do they pull it off? How did North Korea do economically after the Korean War? What is the Songbun caste system and how did it affect all lives in North Korea? What is Juche and why did Kim Il Sung believe in it? Why did the economy collapse in the late 1980s? How...

A concise, foundational history of North Korea from the early 1900s to mid-1950s.  What was the Korean peninsula like before it split into two countries? How did Japan rule Korea from 1910 to 1945? How do many Koreans feel about Japan as a result? How did Korea become divided, and how did the United States and the Soviet Union play into that? What happened during the Korean War? Who is Kim Il-Sung...

How do some Taiwanese feel about reunifying with China? Do they live in fear of an invasion? What is filial piety and how does it affect the young people of Taiwan today? What is it like to get an education in Taiwan? How do Taiwanese treat outsiders?  Today I have two guests living in Taiwan answering all these questions and more. Thank you to my friends Jessica Lu and Cassia (last name withheld)...

A brief, concise history of Taiwan from the late 1800s to 1970. This episode covers:  Colonial rule in Taiwan (Portuguese & Dutch, Chinese, Japanese... etc)  Sub-ethnicities within the Taiwanese people — Native Indigenous (many tribes), Hokkien, Hakka, and mainlander  Japanese rule of Taiwan from 1895 to 1945.  Post-WII change from Japanese rule back to Chinese rule 228 Incident in 1947  KMT exile...

A brief, concise history of Taiwan from 1970 to 2022. This episode covers:  Chinese/Taiwanese/US relations from 1970 to 2022 The end of martial law and transition to a multi-party democratic system  The transfer of power from a mainlander (Chiang Ching-kuo) to a native islander (Lee Teng-hui)  The first free elections and subsequent back and forth between KMT and DPP parties  The future of Taiwan—...

A brief, concise history of China from 1972 to 2022. Deng Xiaoping leadership, Four Modernizations  Economic reform, Special Economic Zones  Tiananmen Square, 1989 Hong Kong returns to China  90s - 2010s general basics  2014 Umbrella Revolution Uyghur Genocide  Censorship Chinese militarization of man made islands, military potential  Disappearances  Chinese yuan  + more  Note: I pronounced the Ch...

A brief, concise history of China from 1949 to 1976. Covers:  First steps of CCP/Mao Zedong consolidating power in PRC  Purges Great Leap Forward (Mao’s Great Famine)  Cultural Revolution (Red guards, little red book, propaganda, violence, Cult of Mao)  Mao Zedong leadership, legacy, opinions  Beginning of Deng Xiaoping leadership  A transcript for this episode is found here. This podcast is part...

A brief, concise history of China from the 1850s to 1949. Covers:  Qing Dynasty  Opium Wars / Relationships with Western nations in late 1800s-early 1900s Sino-Japanese Wars  Establishment of ROC (Republic of China), Sun Yat-sen, Nationalist Party, Chiang Kai-shek  WWI, Warlord Era, WWII  Rise of CCP (Chinese Communist Party) Mao Zedong, Long March  Civil War between Nationalist & Communists  Nati...

This episode is a very concise and basic review of Ukraine’s history in the past 100-ish years: Part 1 covers the late 1800s to 1945, and Part 2 covers 1945 - early 2022. In the U.S., we aren’t taught much at all about Eastern European countries, like Ukraine, in school. They are largely mysteries. My hope is that these episodes change that.  A transcript for this episode can be found here. This p...

This episode is a very concise and basic review of Ukraine’s history in the past 100-ish years: Part 1 covers the late 1800s to 1945, and Part 2 covers 1945 - early 2022. In the U.S., we aren’t taught much at all about Eastern European countries, like Ukraine, in school. They are largely mysteries. My hope is that these episodes change that.  A transcript for this episode is found here. This podca...

This episode is a VERY concise and basic review of Russia’s history in the past 100-ish years: Part 1 covers pre-1917 to 1949, and Part 2 covers 1949 - early 2022. Albert Einstein said, “The definition of genius is taking the complex and making it simple.” I am no genius, but I definitely tried to do the genius thing here. It was a challenge, for sure. Obviously, I leave a LOT out and I gloss over...

This episode is a very concise and basic review of Russia’s history in the past 100-ish years: Part 1 covers pre-1917 to 1949, and Part 2 covers 1949 - early 2022. Albert Einstein said, “The definition of genius is taking the complex and making it simple.” I am no genius, but I definitely tried to do the genius thing here. It was a challenge, for sure. Obviously, I leave a LOT out and I gloss over...

Why do we need to know about countries, culture, governments, economies different from our own? In this episode I give you four reasons for why having a regular diet of world material in your life benefits not just you, but everyone. *CORRECTION: At the end of this episode, I say I will launch in Season 1 on the Middle East in Episode 3. This did not happen—I pivoted according to the needs of the...

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