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Award winning broadcaster, author, and professor Michael Krasny shares in-depth interviews with leading newsmakers, scholars, authors and intellectuals.

125 episodi

#Science #Tech #Society #Politics #News Talk #Government #History #Michael Krasny #Culture #Democracy #Fitness

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updated circa 8 ore fa

Pagina principale della serie•Feed

Award winning broadcaster, author, and professor Michael Krasny shares in-depth interviews with leading newsmakers, scholars, authors and intellectuals.

125 episodi

#Science #Tech #Society #Politics #News Talk #Government #History #Michael Krasny #Culture #Democracy #Fitness

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1
Ambassador Dennis Ross - Statecraft 2.0 and the Middle East 1:11:59

8 hours fa1:11:59

1:11:59

A discussion of ongoing negotiations with Iran began this episode with the former leading Middle East negotiator and author of Statecraft 2.0 Ambassador Dennis Ross, and proceeded to dialogue about Turkey, Syria, Saudi Arabia and Israel and the shift in regional balances of power in the Middle East. Michael Krasny brought up President Trump and statecraft as well as Trump's tariff strategy, the way he views U.S. allies and his overall mendacity. Ambassador Ross spoke of leverage diminishing without geopolitical successes and the reality of our presently no longer being in a unipolar world. This rich and highly engaging conversation went on to include discussion of deterrence and compromise and working with China and leverage Trump has with Putin if he would use it, as well as the difficulties policy makers face in making objectives clear – Lyndon Johnson on Vietnam, Joe Biden on Iraq and Barack Obama on Syria serving as the Ambassador's examples. Former White House Chief of Staff James Baker and current Secretary of State Marco Rubio were discussed along with the tools of statecraft, including the role of kindness and empathy, the importance of focusing on issues and the role of social media. Krasny and Ross went on to talk about Yasser Arafat, which led the Ambassador to highlight what he could have done better with the PLO leader, and to reflect on the Camp David talks and what he wished he had done. This richly expansive dialogue concluded with reflections from Ambassador Ross on present day Saudi Arabia under MBS and what both sides of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict must do to move forward toward peace. In anticipation of Mother's Day, this episode added, following the Krasny-Ross conversation, an interview with Eva Hausman, co-founder of the Mother's Day Movement, which gives assistance to mothers around the world.…

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1
Chris Heiser - Inside a Small Press 1:00:06

6 giorni fa1:00:06

1:00:06

Why does this press call itself unnamed, how has it succeeded and what are the challenges of being an independent press? Along with asking about the role of multimedia, the vision of challenging the status quo and how the impact of published books is measured, those were the opening questions posed by Michael Krasny to publisher Chris Heiser. A dialogue followed related to the publishing of poetry and the importance of how a book looks and feels and Chris Heiser spoke of bookcases as embodiments of personal histories. A discussion of social media, marketing and book selling challenges then moved forward along with a question from Michael Krasny about a series from Unnamed Press on contemporary women's writing and what Chris Heiser believes the effects Artificial Intelligence will have on the book business and recent actions toward book censorship. What followed was a discussion of five unnamed books Chris Heiser felt were "truly representative" of the literary press he runs, including the classic imprint of an Edith Wharton novel and four other books all, as Michael Krasny pointed out, by academic authors with PhD degrees. Krasny then brought up the essential importance for readers of engagement and the size of different genres as well as John Barth's declaring the death of the novel. Heiser spoke of the diluting power over books of other media, whereupon Krasny asked him what it means to be literary and a rich conversation followed about the role of the reader. This vital and deeply informed and informative conversation concluded with Krasny asking about the role of translation, the influence on Heiser of Gabriel Garcia Marquez and how and why Heiser sought out a career in publishing.…

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Scott James - Who Gets 18 Months for Killing 100 People? 57:56

13 giorni fa57:56

57:56

Initial focus in this episode was on the devastating and tragic 2003 Rhode Island Station nightclub fire seen by hundreds of millions of people, how it happened, its takeaways, and the quest for justice as well as related issues on fire safety which continue to persist today. Scott James also spoke about "people without clout" and a frightful incident involving "the killing" of his mother by a driver driving on the wrong side of a one way street. He and Michael Krasny spoke of heroism, victims and survivors and the desire and need to assign blame for tragedies, humanization of villains and how tough it is in the present to be a journalist. Scott James related how his book on The Station nightclub fire became a major story on the television show 48 Hours and the stigma, anger and blowback that was directed at him as well as reported stories that never occurred and media demonizations. He also discussed the role of AI in newspapers now and up ahead, differences between fiction and non-fiction and what writing novels taught him. Michael went on to ask James about the pioneering digitalization of his novels and the early uses of video and YouTube to promote them. James also spoke of the major influence on his novel writing of Kurt Vonnegut, his experiences with homophobia as a young gay writer, why he came out of the closet, differences he sees between journalism and fiction and his work for The New York Times. He spoke nostalgically of New York being "a playground for journalists" and Krasny asked him what his thoughts were as a Columbia graduate on the $400 million held back from Columbia by the federal government. A highly intelligent and wide ranging deep dive interview!…

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Arlie Hochschild - The Other Side of the Cultural Pay Wall 47:32

5 weeks fa47:32

47:32

Renowned sociologist Arlie Hochschild offers a penetrating analysis of contemporary American political and social dynamics. Through a nuanced exploration of working-class experiences, economic disparities, and political allegiances, Hochschild provides critical insights into why many traditional Democratic voters have shifted towards supporting Donald Trump. Her work illuminates the deep emotional and psychological factors that drive political choices, particularly among white working-class Americans, while emphasizing the importance of cross-class understanding and human connection in bridging political divides. Michael Krasny began by asking Hochschild what she believed had changed in the division of home labor for men and women, which she wrote about in her 1989 best-selling book "Second Shift". They went from there to delve into the communities of poverty Hochschild wrote masterfully about in her later work. She spoke of the ongoing challenges of blue-collar men and read a passage from one of her books to clarify why she believes many of lesser economic means voted for Donald Trump. She spoke of what she believed needed urgently to be done to bring back once-traditional Democrats from the working class who now support Trump and the GOP, and she spoke of what she called "the psychological power of loss." Krasny talked with her about Obama and his talk years ago of how the people in Pennsylvania only care about their guns and their bibles, and she spoke of her last two books being "an attempt to make us bilingual," with respect to creating greater understanding between the classes. Hochschild then explained what she called "the four-moment shaming ritual of Donald Trump" and Krasny asked her if she perhaps was possibly putting too much stock and hope in the resurgence of the Democratic Party and labor unions. Hochschild argued that the majority of working people and once-strong Democrats voted for Trump because Democrats had nothing to offer them. The two discussed economics, and Hochschild provided her view of what separates liberal from conservative thinking and the importance of human connection with what she ultimately advanced as her idea of how we best get out of our present major source of political stasis.…

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Jeremy Bailenson - Exciting and Immersive Virtual and Augmented Realities 41:44

6 weeks fa41:44

41:44

In this episode, Michael Krasny sat down with virtual reality and augmented reality expert and Stanford professor Jeremy Bailenson in an expansive and highly illuminating discussion about the present and future of both VR and AR and the ongoing and imminent connections to AI. Krasny began by asking Bailenson about his evolution as a VR pioneer and its present status. Bailenson spoke of "presence" and the filming of a Sixty Minutes episode complete with a real feeling earthquake and an accompanying panic attack, followed by a discussion of "the proteus effect" and the effect of avatars. Krasny then asked Bailenson about funding and his history with Meta's Mark Zuckerberg and Bailenson spoke about NSF and NIH funding and concerns and safeguards he had if funding is hit under Trump, as well as his past experiences with politicians who sought to stop funding VR and AR research and what he (Bailenson) has done by way of preparation for that possibility. Krasny then asked Bailenson about the downsides and dangers of VR and AR, possible guidelines and his work with athletic teams through STRIVR. The two then spoke about visualization and uses of VR in different sports as well as "zoom fatigue," a phenomenon Bailenson coined the term for, and end of life VR use, and went on to discuss VR and mental health, VR and education and VR in the workplace, its effect on productivity, as well as VR and AR and sex. This rich and illuminating dialogue concluded with talk about the Sphere in Las Vegas, (which Bailenson has been very involved in), and immersive experiences in general, as well as Gen AI and talking in the future to figures from one's past. In the end of the interview, Krasny asked Beilenson to gauge and evaluate the effect and impact of the Stanford environment on his research.…

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1
Max Boot - The Greatest Geopolitical Challenge 57:00

7 weeks fa57:00

57:00

In this episode, Michael Krasny sits down with political commentator and Washington Post columnist Max Boot for a wide-ranging discussion on contemporary American politics, international relations, and the evolving media landscape. Their conversation spans from immediate concerns about editorial independence to broader historical comparisons between presidential administrations and their foreign policy approaches. The episode began with a question from Krasny to Boot about the Washington Post's future editorials in light of the Jeff Bezos-ordered changes. It proceeded to a full discussion of the Reagan and Trump presidencies, Trump's attitudes toward Zelensky and Putin, and the present shift in relations between the U.S., its allies, and the ongoing war between Russia and Ukraine. Questions emerged about China and Taiwan and the South China Sea; tests for presidents before assuming office; the inconsistent and mercurial nature of the presidency; and the influence of Ronald Reagan on fake news. The discussion also touched on Reagan and Trump's belief in divine intervention. Krasny told a funny story about Reagan and a Lebanese ambassador, while Boot spoke of social media regulation and editorial boundaries. Krasny then brought up the difference in cruelty between Reagan and Trump. The two concluded by discussing when the Russia-Ukraine war might end, Russian war crimes, and the economic views of Reagan and Trump. They also explored Boot's own political shift from the right, Musk and Vance's support for AfD in Germany, and where hope for the future may reside.…

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We Asked Sarah Lacy Are We in an Oligarchy of Tech Bros Under Trump? 58:30

8 weeks fa58:30

58:30

In a wide-ranging and provocative conversation that traversed the intersections of technology, politics, and social change, veteran tech journalist Sarah Lacy and host Michael Krasny engaged in a candid dialogue that explored the most pressing cultural and political issues of the moment. The conversation began with Lacy opining on venture capitalists investing in Trump. They went on to talk about the increase in hypermasculinity, and Lacy brought up the diminution of trans rights. Krasny asked Lacy about her falling out with Kara Swisher and why they aren't speaking. They then discussed press exclusions from the White House and the decision by Jeff Bezos to limit opinions on the editorial page of The Washington Post. Krasny inquired about Lacy's political views, including her feminist perspective, and asked for her major advice for working mothers. Lacy then spoke more about trans rights and shared her views on Gen Z, as well as the influence of her parents on her life. The conversation shifted to discussions of profit and money-making via chaos. They talked about Lacy's most recent book, her Palm Springs bookstore, and the future of tech journalism. It was an invigorating and illuminating hour!…

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NY Times Film Critic Alissa Wilkinson on Villains and Evil in Today's Films and Nickle Boys as the Year's Best 59:01

9 weeks fa59:01

59:01

We began this episode talking about Joan Didion as a Hollywood figure and the importance of John Wayne, as well as her importance as a political writer with early strong conservative political views. Didion's portrayal of Hollywood and her lesser-known film criticism also came up for discussion, followed by a consideration of the work of the legendary film critic Pauline Kael and how Wilkinson, a film critic for The New York Times, decides what films to review or critique. Alissa Wilkinson then spoke of what she views as the job of the film critic, and she spoke of her strong admiration for "Nickel Boys," which she called this year's best film. She and Krasny spoke of blockbusters, disaster and apocalyptic films, and Spielberg's "Jaws," and the larger question of the effect on our imaginations of the so-called Hollywood dream machine. Krasny and Wilkinson discussed villains and evil in contemporary films and Martin Scorsese's notion of too many films being like thrill rides and avoiding ordinary people and nuanced drama. They spoke, too, of the Oscars and discussed the history of the Oscars, and then went on to the impact of social media and streaming platforms and technology shifts and the question of misunderstood and too-long films and the tensions between art and commerce. They returned to Didion and her overall importance and concluded with a discussion of Wilkinson's view on faith and how she became a film critic and her film critic-filled Brooklyn neighborhood.…

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Orville Schell - China and Russia Linked in Grudges 57:47

11 weeks fa57:47

57:47

Tik Tok and data acquisition, scary topics on China up ahead. Michael Krasny featured leading Sinologist Orville Schell and began by asking Schell for his response to the Trump administration's imposed tariffs and their potential effects on a possible trade war, fentanyl out of China and U.S. China relations. Schell spoke of Xi Jinping's irrational actions and what appears to bind him and Putin together and Krasny asked Schell if he foresaw a role for Beijing brokering a peace between Russia and Ukraine. Krasny then proceeded to ask Schell about Tik Tok, data acquisition by China, Chinese surveillance and the AI race and Schell spoke of what he called "unequal relationships." Krasny asked Schell about China's persecution of the Uyghurs and whether it can be labeled as genocide. A subsequent listener question brought up population growth in China and what its effects are likely to be on the country's economic future. Schell addressed the question by speaking of China's internal labor shortage and its policy of not taking in immigrants, which he called a time bomb. Krasny then asked Schell to talk about soft power and Chinese projects in developing and third world nations as well as what profits accrued to U.S. politicians or Elon Musk via China. A discussion followed centering on the EV market in China and globally and on Teslas and the presence of Apple in China. China's ongoing role as a major market and geopolitical force then followed. Krasny wanted to know from Schell how much of a threat China posed and the status of ongoing tensions with Japan. The two spoke of long-term China grievances and grudges. After this decidedly rich and wide ranging discussion Krasny asked Schell about his recently published novel My Old Home, thirty-five years in the making, which centers on music and the cultural revolution. The two then wound up discussing the ongoing effects of the cultural revolution and China's leader Xi Jinping.…

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Louis Ferrante - An Offer He Couldn't Refuse 1:07:04

12 weeks fa1:07:04

1:07:04

Former Gambino family mobster Lou Ferrante joined us for an episode about his three volumes of research on the Mafia. He spoke of the alleged role of the Mob in the JFK assassination just as the files were about to be opened and he and Michael Krasny explored the ethos of the Mob -- the law of Omerta and the past frequency of so called "whackings," as well as the perks of being a mobster and such Cosa Nostra figures as John Gotti, Henry Hill and Joey Gallo. They spoke of politicians and the Mob and how the mob is portrayed in film and television and they exchanged humorous narratives as Ferrante told a funny personal tale and Krasny told a joke. Ferrante spoke of his prison experiences and how he became a writer while incarcerated, including the influence on him of historian Barbara Tuchman. Krasny asked Ferrante of analogies he made in print between the Kennedys and the Medicis and the episode concluded with Krasny drawing out a humorous story from Ferrante about Cuba, President John F Kennedy, Ian Fleming and the CIA's Allen Dulles, and asking Ferrante about the ultimate fate of Teamster leader Jimmy Hoffa and what drives and inspires Ferrante to write.…

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1
Greg Sarris - Native American Identity 59:00

13 weeks fa59:00

59:00

Michael Krasny interviewed Professor Greg Sarris, Chair of the Federated Indians of Graton Rancheria and Chair of the Board of Trustees of The Smithsonian Museum of the American Indian. This was the fourth interview sponsored by the Bill Lane Center for the American West. The dialogue began with Krasny asking Sarris his views on what separated Indians of the West from Indians of other regions in America. The conversation then moved into discussions about Indian casinos and the uses of their resources, online gaming, and the Wild West. They also explored Sarris's compelling personal story, including the influence of a remarkable medicine woman and basket weaver on his life. They discussed the effects of both personal and historic trauma. The conversation turned to the challenges of legal rights, as well as the psychological and generational problems facing Native people. They examined the importance of storytelling and the work of various American Indian writers. Later, Krasny shared an anecdote about mentioning Native American writer Tommy Orange's name in Maui and sought Sarris's views on cultural appropriation. Responding to a listener's question, Sarris discussed sovereignty and race versus treaties. He also addressed Indian poverty, life expectancy, and life on the reservations. Their discussion covered Indian stereotypes, and Sarris elaborated on the effect of nature on Indians and their need for connection. Krasny inquired about Sarris's role on the U.C. Board of Regents and his Jewish identity through his mother. The two concluded this rich and manifold dialogue with a discussion of Indians, the American West, and environmental stewardship.…

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Lisa Krieger - A Deeper Understanding of Bird Flu, COVID, Southern California Fires, and More 50:28

14 weeks fa50:28

50:28

In this episode, Michael Krasny sought answers to what we need to know-and still don't know-about what many are convinced might be our next pandemic. Leading health and environmental journalist Lisa Krieger provided an immense amount of important information about avian flu (H5N1), discussing what humans need to be most concerned about and how it affects different animals, as well as vaccines, surveillance, what to avoid, and routes of transmission. A listener asked Krieger what she, one of the nation's best and most awarded science writers, believes is the most underreported health or science story. This allowed Krieger to share her opinion and shed light on scientific progress, as well as questions surrounding the human genome project, health policy, and affordability. Another listener raised questions about the CDC's prioritization of the norovirus, followed by Krasny questioning Krieger on the fires in Southern California and COVID-including new variants, vaccines, and long COVID. The discussion concluded as a listener inquired about AI and healthcare, and Krasny asked Krieger about the new HIV drug and her perspective on the ongoing battle with climate change. Throughout this wide-ranging conversation, Krieger's expertise illuminated complex scientific and environmental challenges facing our society today. Her insights offered valuable perspective on how these various health and environmental issues interconnect, and what steps we might take to address them effectively.…

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Viable Hospitality and Valuable Wisdom from Hotelier Chip Conley 1:06:36

15 weeks fa1:06:36

1:06:36

Michael Krasny began this episode with author, hotelier and long-time wisdom seeker Chip Conley, who was in Baja, talking about the terrible fires in Los Angeles and what if any lessons can be learned from them. They spoke of wisdom seeking and Conley of the metaphor for our lives of a rental car as well as his ongoing struggle with cancer, which he calls his teacher. Krasny brought up wrong headed views of cancer that place too much blame on the individual self and they spoke of environmental and so-called lifestyle effects tied to it and then proceeded to discuss identity and what Conley, a gay man, has called "identity cleansing." The two also discussed Conley's history as a hotelier and his philosophy of hospitality, including how to deal with so-called "A-holes," as well as Conley's thoughts about seeking and finding joy. A good deal of this rich and highly illuminating conversation included talk of aging and shifting views of longevity, as well as ritual and the changing nature of the workplace and the role AI is likely to play in our future. The role and importance of mentorship also came up as did the significance of love. Conley spoke of his years of leadership at Airbnb, what he means by being a super host and what he calls karmic capitalism and the importance of imprint in memory.…

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Nicholas Kristof Chases Hope 55:16

16 weeks fa55:16

55:16

The episode with two-time Pulitzer Prize-winning New York Times op-ed columnist Nick Kristof focused on his recent inspirational and hope-filled book, "Chasing Hope." The conversation began with Kristof speaking to Michael Krasny about the effects on him and the moral challenges he faced covering Tiananmen Square, as well as the lessons he gleaned from his early reporter's work in Cambodia and the U.S. He opined on the fight for democracy and weighed the effect on him of the oppression and suffering of children. Krasny then brought up the role and impact of Kristof's parents, and Kristof spoke of compassion fatigue and what he believes needs to be done. He emphasized the need for more stories that call attention to humanitarian crises and the public good. The two then spoke of journalism as an act of hope and discussed contrasts between former U.S. President Jimmy Carter and President-elect Donald Trump, as well as Kristof's past decision to run for Governor of Oregon. When Krasny asked Kristof about his views on race versus class and New York Times coverage of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, Kristof spoke about rising anti-Semitism, the meaning of the word genocide, and his feelings of frustration at the slow pace of change despite remarkable progress on many fronts. The conversation turned to journalistic ethics, human rights, and Kristof's wife Sheryl's Chinese ancestry. Kristof also addressed the concept of "white saviors" and answered a listener's question about the effect of Artificial Intelligence. The two then returned to further consideration of journalistic ethics, Janet Malcolm, journalists as storytellers, Tiananmen Square, and Gaza. Kristof spoke of making the ineffable effable and of David Brooks' dichotomy of a resume versus a eulogy. It was a brilliant and enlightening conversation with one of America's leading journalists.…

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Stephen Zunes - Middle East Expert on an Imminent Shift There 54:17

17 weeks fa54:17