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Uncomfortable Conversations with Josh Szeps

Josh Szeps

The world has never been more connected. Yet never more divided. We yell at each other from inside our echo chambers. But change doesn’t happen inside an echo chamber. It’s time to get out, to stretch our legs, to step on some land mines. It's time to have an uncomfortable conversation with Josh Szeps. A DM Podcast  

  1. What Trump & Xi are Really Up To! with fmr White House Official Tom Wright

    3 DAYS AGO

    What Trump & Xi are Really Up To! with fmr White House Official Tom Wright

    Trump is in China, and you need to know what he and Xi are up to. What new world order are they creating? Today, Josh sits down with a senior US former national security official to understand how three men - Trump, Xi and Putin - are remaking the world. Tom Wright was a special assistant to President Biden and the Senior Director for Strategic Planning on the US National Security Council, where he helped to shape US policy on Ukraine, Taiwan, semiconductors, and the China relationship as it lurched from confrontation, to managed competition, and back again. Now, from the outside, he's trying to make sense of what Trump, Xi and Putin are building together, and what it means for every country they don't run (yet). Josh probes Tom about the night he learned about the famous Chinese spy balloon in US airspace, about President Biden's mental decline, the Kamala Harris campaign, and how medium-sized powers might navigate a brave new world. Tom is a scholar of international relations by training, originally from Ireland. He's a senior fellow at the Brookings Institution, a nonresident fellow at the Lowy Institute and a contributing writer to The Atlantic. He joined Josh at the Uncomfortable Conversations studio during a tour of Australia to discuss the Trump-Xi summit, Putin in Ukraine, nuclear submarines, and why you shouldn’t buy a Chinese EV. His new paper for the Lowy Institute is ‘Inflection Point: Biden, Trump and the Future World Order.’ Our thanks to the Lowy Institute for facilitating this conversation.

    12 min
  2. PREMIUM: What Trump & Xi are Really Up To! with fmr White House Official Tom Wright

    4 DAYS AGO • SUBSCRIBERS ONLY

    PREMIUM: What Trump & Xi are Really Up To! with fmr White House Official Tom Wright

    Trump is in China, and you need to know what he and Xi are up to. What new world order are they creating? Today, Josh sits down with a senior US former national security official to understand how three men - Trump, Xi and Putin - are remaking the world. Tom Wright was a special assistant to President Biden and the Senior Director for Strategic Planning on the US National Security Council, where he helped to shape US policy on Ukraine, Taiwan, semiconductors, and the China relationship as it lurched from confrontation, to managed competition, and back again. Now, from the outside, he's trying to make sense of what Trump, Xi and Putin are building together, and what it means for every country they don't run (yet). Josh probes Tom about the night he learned about the famous Chinese spy balloon in US airspace, about President Biden's mental decline, the Kamala Harris campaign, and how medium-sized powers might navigate a brave new world. Tom is a scholar of international relations by training, originally from Ireland. He's a senior fellow at the Brookings Institution, a nonresident fellow at the Lowy Institute and a contributing writer to The Atlantic. He joined Josh at the Uncomfortable Conversations studio during a tour of Australia to discuss the Trump-Xi summit, Putin in Ukraine, nuclear submarines, and why you shouldn’t buy a Chinese EV. His new paper for the Lowy Institute is ‘Inflection Point: Biden, Trump and the Future World Order.’ Our thanks to the Lowy Institute for facilitating this conversation.

    1hr 17min
  3. Josh vs the News: BUDGET BONANZA!

    5 DAYS AGO

    Josh vs the News: BUDGET BONANZA!

    It’s the biggest day in a generation for Australian economic reform (and for those of you abroad observing our friendly foreign land). From house prices to entrepreneurship to the far right to the abundance agenda Josh brings you everything you need to know about the 2026 Budget but were afraid to ask.

    1hr 8min
  4. Nazi Salutes = Free Speech? with John Safran

    10 MAY

    Nazi Salutes = Free Speech? with John Safran

    Is anything too offensive for our post-cancel-culture world? When Trump & Elon wield "freedom of speech" as a way to silence their enemies, who's defending unpopular voices? When anti-Zionism, anti-Semitism and Islamophobia can be weapons, how do we decide what's beyond the pale? John Safran is Australia's Michael Moore, a provocateur and writer whose new documentary is ‘Shut Your Big Fat Mouth’. As a Jew, he interviews neo-Nazis, conspiracists and porn stars to understand what open expression means in a chaotic and hostile world. 'Shut Your Big Fat Mouth John Safran’ premieres Sunday 24 May at 7:30pm on SBS, and streams free on SBS On Demand.

    1hr 25min
  5. Should You Be A Nationalist?

    7 MAY

    Should You Be A Nationalist?

    Does nationalism have to be xenophobic or racist? What would it mean to be a nationalist who isn’t a blood-&-soil bigot but a pluralistic liberal? How can multicultural societies like ours sustain strong national identities? Could we actually reinvigorate democracy with a big ole dose of chest-thumping and flag-flying? David Moscrop, is a Canadian writer, academic and public intellectual. He has a PhD in Political Science and was a regular contributor for The Washington Post. He joined Josh ahead of a trip to Australia to discuss national identity on a dog-eat-dog planet, the left’s overreach in the culture wars, Canadian truckers, right-wing anti-vaxxers, multiculturalism, jingoism, how all of us can be more coherent as a democratic unit, and most importantly, why Love Actually is a terrible film. David Moscrop appears at Melbourne Writers Festival (7-10 May) and Sydney Writers' Festival (17-24 May).

    54 min
  6. PREMIUM: Should You Be A Nationalist?

    7 MAY • SUBSCRIBERS ONLY

    PREMIUM: Should You Be A Nationalist?

    Does nationalism have to be xenophobic or racist? What would it mean to be a nationalist who isn’t a blood-&-soil bigot but a pluralistic liberal? How can multicultural societies like ours sustain strong national identities? Could we actually reinvigorate democracy with a big ole dose of chest-thumping and flag-flying? , is a Canadian writer, academic and public intellectual. He has a PhD in Political Science and was a regular contributor for The Washington Post. He joined Josh ahead of a trip to Australia to discuss national identity on a dog-eat-dog planet, the left’s overreach in the culture wars, Canadian truckers, right-wing anti-vaxxers, multiculturalism, jingoism, how all of us can be more coherent as a democratic unit, and most importantly, why Love Actually is a terrible film. David Moscrop appears at Melbourne Writers Festival (7-10 May) and Sydney Writers' Festival (17-24 May).

    1hr 52min
  7. Josh vs the News: Trump Cancels "Project Freedom!"

    6 MAY

    Josh vs the News: Trump Cancels "Project Freedom!"

    The latest chaotic development under “Operation Epic Fury” has continued to show the catastrophic strategic position the United States has found itself in. But it could be worse! It’s not like the Iranians know about the midterms, and the impending electoral annihilation coming for Trump if this latest oil shock isn’t resolved. Oh wait… Josh breaks down the the failure of “Project Freedom”, how Iran has discovered an asset even more valuable than nuclear weapons, and why the rest of the world is about to pay a tremendous price for America's miscalculation.

    37 min
  8. Jimmy Carr: "The World is Being Rebuilt from Scratch"

    4 MAY

    Jimmy Carr: "The World is Being Rebuilt from Scratch"

    Jimmy Carr is one of the most successful stand-up comics on earth (and one of our most recurring guests). His hilarious, brutal crowd work is a viral sensation, and his television credits include hosting some of the UK’s longest running panel shows such as 8 Out Of 10 Cats, Big Fat Quiz Of The Year and his smash-hit Netflix specials, Natural Born Killer, and His Dark Material. Whilst touring Australia for his latest live show, JIMMY CARR: LAUGHS FUNNY, he joined Josh in the flesh at the Uncomfortable Conversations studio to discuss revolution, A.I, fame, hair transplants, and why some things just can’t be fixed. His new podcast is ‘Jimmy Carr: Crowd Work’ (https://open.spotify.com/show/72DxXJcIZGKEjX5hOoE2hk?si=e216f378b7b84f3f).

    1hr 24min
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The world has never been more connected. Yet never more divided. We yell at each other from inside our echo chambers. But change doesn’t happen inside an echo chamber. It’s time to get out, to stretch our legs, to step on some land mines. It's time to have an uncomfortable conversation with Josh Szeps. A DM Podcast  

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