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What Could Go Right?

Podglomerate

What if instead of being on the brink of disaster, we’re on the cusp of a better world? No one can deny the challenges the world faces, from pandemics to climate change to authoritarianism. But pessimism and despair are too easy a response. Each week, Progress Network Founder Zachary Karabell and Executive Director Emma Varvaloucas convene a diverse panel of experts to discuss the central issues of our era, including sustainability, polarization, work, and the economy, and make the case for a brighter future. They emerge from their conversations with a counterintuitive but informed take: progress is on its way.

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Location:

United States

Networks:

Podglomerate

Description:

What if instead of being on the brink of disaster, we’re on the cusp of a better world? No one can deny the challenges the world faces, from pandemics to climate change to authoritarianism. But pessimism and despair are too easy a response. Each week, Progress Network Founder Zachary Karabell and Executive Director Emma Varvaloucas convene a diverse panel of experts to discuss the central issues of our era, including sustainability, polarization, work, and the economy, and make the case for a brighter future. They emerge from their conversations with a counterintuitive but informed take: progress is on its way.

Language:

English

Episodes

S4. Ep. 6: Entangled with Isaac Saul

3/22/2023
Are we as divided as we think we are? Is it possible to move out of our political and news silos? And is there a way to re-establish trust in the media? Isaac Saul, the founder of Tangle News, shares his effort to offer truly bipartisan journalism. Plus, what's going on with Silicon Valley Bank, fentanyl test strips, and declassified Covid information? What Could Go Right? is produced by The Progress Network and The Podglomerate.

Duration:01:04:36

S4. Ep. 5: Bootstrapping the American Dream with Alissa Quart

3/15/2023
Has the American Dream changed? Is a side hustle the answer to income inequality? And is self-reliance the all-important north star we have been led to believe it is? Today, author, journalist, and Executive Director of the Economic Hardship Reporting Project, Alissa Quart, asserts that at the heart of our distress is a misplaced belief in our independence and the conviction that we must rely on ourselves alone. Plus, a look at women's rights worldwide and a rise in guaranteed paid paternity...

Duration:01:00:50

S4. Ep. 4: Government Secrecy with Matthew J. Connelly

3/8/2023
What's with Biden's, Trump's, and Pence's classified documents? Why is everything secret in the first place? And what is this costing democracy? Matthew J. Connelly, professor of international and global history at Columbia University, principal investigator at History Lab, and author of the book "The Declassification Engine," looks at the consequence of unchecked governmental power and the effect it has on citizens. Plus, Human Rights Watch's good news for kids and open source farming. What...

Duration:01:03:20

S4. Ep. 3: Living Up to America's Promises with Peniel E. Joseph

3/1/2023
Are we actually a "United" States? Has the US lived up to the promise of inclusivity, freedom, equality, and opportunity for everyone? And where can we go from here? Peniel E. Joseph, professor at the LBJ School of Public Affairs and the history department in the College of Liberal Arts at the University of Texas at Austin, joins us to ask these questions and point to the successful building of a multiracial democracy. What Could Go Right? is produced by The Progress Network and The...

Duration:01:04:23

S4. Ep. 2: Moral Ambition with Rutger Bregman

2/22/2023
What incentivizes human behavior? How many of our problems come from a lack of cash? And how does shame work as a motivator? Join us and Rutger Bregman, author of “Humankind” and “Utopia for Realists,” to talk about balancing a critical eye with the conviction that the world can be improved upon. Plus, we look at the new billions being spent to fight HIV and malaria abroad, Kenya’s Right to Disconnect, and therapeutic psilocybin use in Australia. What Could Go Right? is produced by The...

Duration:00:52:04

S4. Ep. 1: Good Indicators: A Bird's Eye View of 2023 with Zachary Karabell and Emma Varvaloucas

2/15/2023
What's going on with "the economy"? Is now the best time to be in love in all of human history? Should we be worried about the global state of democracy? "What Could Go Right?" hosts Zachary Karabell, founder of The Progress Network, and Emma Varvaloucas, executive director of The Progress Network, take a look at the world as it currently is and as it could be in 2023. What Could Go Right? is produced by The Progress Network and The Podglomerate.

Duration:00:47:13

"What Could Go Right?" Season 4

2/1/2023
Whether you need a pick-me-up or are already an optimist looking for smart, new solutions to old problems, a new season of "What Could Go Right?" starts February 15th, wherever you listen to podcasts. What Could Go Right? is produced by The Progress Network and The Podglomerate.

Duration:00:01:11

S3. Ep. 12: Misinformation, Climate Momentum, and Negative Headlines with Bina Venkataraman

12/14/2022
Is there a shift in momentum around the climate crisis? Will we ever hit our environmental goals? How has gatekeeping and bias informed our news? Plus, we talk with Editor-at-Large for The Boston Globe and former Senior Advisor for Climate Change Innovation in the Obama White House, Bina Venkataraman. What Could Go Right? is produced by The Progress Network and The Podglomerate.

Duration:00:49:06

S3. Ep. 11: The Modern Muslim World, Social Media's Positive Effects, and Gay Marriage in America with Mustafa Akyol

12/7/2022
Are we in an ebb of liberalism worldwide, or are recent events like the protests in Iran a sign of pushback? What would a "John Locke" movement for Islam look like? We’re joined by Mustafa Akyol, senior fellow at the Cato Institute’s Center for Global Liberty and Prosperity, whose work examines the intersection of religion, culture, and government. Plus, the first GMO aimed at solving a public health issue, social media's surprisingly positive effects on American teens, and the new paradigm...

Duration:00:49:46

S3. Ep. 10: The Fix for Crypto, Healthcare, and Equal Opportunity with Avik Roy

11/30/2022
What does crypto mean for the future of banking? Why isn’t there an “Uber” for healthcare? Is negative economic growth necessarily bad? Today we’re joined by Avik Roy, President of the Foundation for Research on Equal Opportunity, to explore these questions. Plus, Sierra Leone pushes for change, Congress passes a “Bombshell” bill, and the 8 billionth person is born. What Could Go Right? is produced by The Progress Network and The Podglomerate.

Duration:00:51:14

S3. Ep. 9: Moving Away from Toxicity: Recapping the Midterms with Steve Clemons

11/16/2022
Are Americans truly done with "angertainment" and toxic politicians? Is democracy safe? Where does the United States go from here? Founding Editor at Large of Semafor and former Editor at Large of “The Hill” and “The Atlantic” Steve Clemons joins us to react to the midterm results and analyze their impact. What Could Go Right? is produced by The Progress Network and The Podglomerate.

Duration:00:50:58

S3. Ep. 8: Democracy on the Ballot, Climate Change, and Salary Transparency

11/9/2022
Will the COP27 conference strengthen action against global warming? Is democracy really on the ballot? And as crime remains a concern for many Americans, what's really going on? Join Zachary Karabell and Emma Varvaloucas as they examine what's happening today. What Could Go Right? is produced by The Progress Network and The Podglomerate.

Duration:00:46:08

S3. Ep. 7: World Energy, Student Loans, and Iran with Reza Aslan

11/2/2022
Is the world’s energy situation as bad as we think? What’s going on with student debt relief? And why aren’t we paying more attention to Iran? We’re joined by Reza Aslan, leading expert in world religions, writer, and professor, to talk about the current, and former, Iranian struggles for freedom. What Could Go Right? is produced by The Progress Network and The Podglomerate.

Duration:00:55:46

S3. Ep. 6: Midterms, Gerrymandering, Bias, and Conspiracy with Sharon McMahon

10/26/2022
Social media sensation and former high school government and law teacher Sharon McMahon joins us to discuss the need for a better understanding of how the government works. Plus, what to expect for the midterms, the latest on gerrymandering, and an encouraging trend in US military mental health programs. What Could Go Right? is produced by The Progress Network and The Podglomerate.

Duration:00:54:17

S3. Ep. 5: Space News, Hearing Aids, and a Changing Tomorrow with Jason Feifer

10/19/2022
How is NASA propelling us into the future? Who is next to legalize same-sex marriage? Plus, we hear from the editor-in-chief of Entrepreneur magazine, Jason Feifer, about how to embrace change without waiting for a crisis to push us forward. What Could Go Right? is produced by The Progress Network and The Podglomerate.

Duration:00:53:16

S3. Ep. 4: Pardons, Guaranteed Income, and "Superabundance" with Gale L. Pooley and Marian L. Tupy

10/12/2022
Has anything changed since #metoo started? When is Indigenous Peoples Day? What's the deal with guaranteed income? Plus, maybe the world is doing better than we thought. Authors of the book "Superabundance," Gale L. Pooley and Marian L. Tupy, argue that we are capable of more progress the more the world's population grows. What Could Go Right? is produced by The Progress Network and The Podglomerate.

Duration:00:57:05

S3. Ep. 3: Why Is Violent Crime Rising? with Jennifer Doleac

10/5/2022
Is Italy returning to fascism? Are we closer to a cure for cancer? And why is the violent crime rate climbing in the US? Economist Jennifer Doleac talks us though her research on the economics of crime and discrimination. What Could Go Right? is produced by The Progress Network and The Podglomerate.

Duration:00:42:31

S3. Ep. 2: Legalizing Marijuana, Electric Cars, and What’s Going on with California? with Sen. Robert Hertzberg

9/28/2022
How has the experiment to legalize marijuana gone? Do schoolchildren need more sleep? Why is California suddenly doing all the things? Plus, bans to usher in a future of electric cars, bail reform, and tackling homelessness with Senate Majority Leader Emeritus Robert Hertzberg. What Could Go Right? is produced by The Progress Network and The Podglomerate.

Duration:00:48:31

S3. Ep. 1: Vaccine Equity and Bipartisan Reality with Rep. Eric Swalwell and Gov. Jeff Colyer

9/21/2022
What's the impact of the new malaria vaccine with "world-changing" potential? Was there a lack of scrutiny over the worldwide Covid vaccine rollouts? Is there an update on the UN's Sustainable Development Goals? Plus, we talk with Congressman Eric Swalwell and Jeff Colyer, former Governor of Kansas, about the process, practicalities, and hope for a bipartisan future. What Could Go Right? is produced by The Progress Network and The Podglomerate.

Duration:00:55:04

"What Could Go Right?" Is Back!

9/20/2022
We're back to discussing the central issues of our era, including sustainability, polarization, work, the economy, and making a case for a brighter future. Join us every week as we look at what's happening worldwide, talk with a diverse panel of experts, and ask the question: what could go right? What Could Go Right? is produced by The Progress Network and The Podglomerate.

Duration:00:00:44

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