The Cynic and The Optimist

Episode 28: What is the future of the human race? Does it even have one? Alex and Muna discuss the threats of nuclear war (past and present), climate change, AIDS, the power of fear and how it's used by media and politicians to give us a sense of impending doom, the almost-inevitable (to Alex) AI takeover, viruses in brain chips, overpopulation, declining sperm counts and a new perspective on Darwin's theory of evolution...

Episode 27: What and where is home? Why do some of us feel the urge to travel and live in other countries, or escape the city for the countryside? Conveniently, the German language has words for these drives but Muna and Alex discuss them in English. Anti-homesickness, travel, the difference between expats and immigrants (if there is one), wanderlust, forced hugging, farming in New Zealand, what expats miss out on, and how hard it is to ever go back...

Episode 26: Whistleblowers are people who reveal company or state secrets for the "greater good." However, sometimes the actions of whistleblowers can have unintended consequences, for society and for themselves. Here we discuss Julian Assange, Edward Snowden, the limits of secrecy contracts, the brief attention span of the general public, international spying, the changing behaviour of corporations as a result of whistleblowing, peaceful and violent protest, the magical 3...

Episode 25: A deathly special for Hallowe'en! Half an hour of conversation on the topic of death, reincarnation, the meaning of existence (or lack thereof), cosmology, higher beings and a pregnant pope. With a spooky cackle from Muna, Alex's unconventional method of determining how his remains will be processed, and the almost obligatory mention of Muna's cottage-in-the-woods granny.

Episode 24: What is the metaverse? Or should that be: what are the metaverses? Web 3.0, immersive VR, massive online worlds, gamification, augmented reality or all of the above? But how does this affect the way we interact as people, and are such virtual worlds good for us as individuals and society? Muna and Alex don't necessarily think so. Join us for a critical look at metaverses in particular, simulations in general (including, possibly, our own) and much more...

Episode 23: Online dating services and apps have changed romantic and sexual relationships completely - but for better or for worse? Muna and Alex discuss the changes that have occurred in the past decade or so, what the algorithms behind the apps might be doing, how (or if) the path of the human race is changing as a result, and what's likely to happen in the future. With honorable mentions of Incels, harems and the gamification of sexual and romantic attraction.

Episode 22: Do our elected representatives actually represent us, or merely their own self-interest? Politicians increasingly seem to have their own agendas, some of which do not align with the needs or desires of their electorate. There's not so much optimism in this episode, more degrees of cynicism, but is there light at the end of the tunnel? With examples of unrepresentative representatives from Germany, the UK, the Czech Republic and the EU in general...

Episode 21: Exploring the pros and cons of critical thinking versus appeals to authority. This episode includes the false authority of financial experts and central banking (and the priesthood), Muna and Alex swapping metaphorical chairs, the illusion of critical thinking, internet fact-checking fallacies, and how to get smarter...

Episode 20: Is human adaptability a good thing or a bad thing? Is our ability to adapt to changing events a vice or a virtue, or does it depend on circumstances? Join us as Muna recounts her experiences of contrasting cities (including an earless man) and we discuss homelessness, classical music as a deterrent, the Ratchet Effect, public toilets, the constant baseline of happiness, the increasing rate of technological change and how we adapt (or not) to it, Muna's declaration of love, the...

Episode 19: It's high summer as we're recording this episode, too hot for a conversation about anything serious, so join us as we discuss adult playgrounds instead...