In Part 2 of my conversation with Dr. Ralph Schoellhammer, Head of the Center for Applied History and IR Theory at MCC, Budapest, we explored the shifting dynamics of global power and its impact on the culture and values of nations. Our discussion spanned continents—from Africa to Asia, Europe to the Americas—covering the rise of BRICS, the future of the U.S. Dollar, migration, and the growing influence of the state on the family unit.

In case you missed part 1, watch it here.

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In this two-part series, we sit down with Dr. Ralph Schoellhammer, Head of Center: Applied History and IR Theory at MCC, Budapest. Ralph specializes in the cultural dimensions of identity formation and its impact on social cohesion. He offers incredible insights on understanding the current political climate in America, especially in light of the shifting dynamics in the country’s political landscape.

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Meet Alexander Huang, Chairman of Taiwan’s Council on Strategic & Wargaming Studies. In this conversation, we focus on the geopolitical dynamics involving Taiwan, China, and the United States. Alexander emphasizes the critical importance of Taiwan’s ties with the West due to its strategic location and its role as a major producer of 90% of the world’s advanced semiconductors. He asserts that if Taiwan falls from Western influence, China emerges victorious.

The discussion also covers Taiwan’s close watch on the U.S. election, which they believe will significantly impact their future. Additionally, we explore topics such as nuclear weapons, the potential gun rights for Taiwanese citizens, and the social resilience of the population during wartime. This intense conversation provides valuable insights into the complex interplay between Taiwan, China, and the United States.

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Wael Taji Miller is a Visiting Fellow at the Mathias Corvinus Collegium’s School of Psychology. Taji’s research focuses on the intersection of innovation, evolved psychology, and contemporary societal challenges.

We discussed social and cultural evolution, particularly the implications of losing our capacity to engage differing viewpoints. We agreed that the erosion of the possibility of dialogue with those who hold opposing perspectives poses a threat to society. This is a kind of cultural decay that's linked not only to entrenched ideologies but also to the challenges posed by modern technology, which too often amplifies division rather than fostering understanding.

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Mia Hughes is an Ottawa-based British journalist and researcher for Michael Shellenberger's nonprofit, Environmental Progress. Mia authored the WPATH Files report, which exposed widespread medical mistreatment of children, adolescents, and vulnerable adults in the realm of gender-affirming care.

We were both in Lisbon, Portugal, for the Genspect conference—which uncoincidentally coincided with WPATH’s conference. (NB I reached out to WPATH organizers and speakers to have a conversation about their reasoning for gender-affirming care. As expected, I received no responses. Throughout this conversation I made an effort to steelman WPATH arguments.)

Mia and I began with the concept of "Gender Soul." This led to a discussion about medical interventions in gender-affirming care.

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StealthGPT can write academic papers. It can also write peer-reviewed papers and Ph.D. theses. And it can write them in such a way that they are undetectable by AI. In this conversation, I talk with Jozef Gherman, creator of StealthGPT.

• Jozef on X

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In this conversation with author and consultant Africa Brooke, we discuss addiction, self-sabotage, and self-censorship. Africa shares her journey from Zimbabwe to the United Kingdom and how it shaped her understanding of the world and herself—including her struggle with a ten-year alcohol addiction. Writing became a lifeline as did helping others to understand and identify self-sabotage: what are we trying to escape from, and why do we fall into destructive patterns?

Africa's book, "The Third Perspective"

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Dr. Jan Bentz is a lecturer and tutor at Oxford who specializes in the convergence of medieval and modern philosophy. We covered a wide range of philosophical themes, truth, delusions of utopia, applied epistemology, the importance of friendship, the nature of realism, and if we can claim to know something absent the “dogma” of the scientific method.

How does caring for others influence our epistemology? Jan delved into the nature of identity, arguing that when it is rooted in the "I" (Descartes) it can lead to more problems than when it is based in a shared reality (which allows for the acceptance of others).

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