Beyond The Bubble

Andras Baneth
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Conversations with expats and locals in Brussels on their stories and ideas about the world. We discuss politics, global issues, AI, business, technology, society, ethics, religion, communication, marketing, psychology, self-discovery and more, to understand the world beyond the EU and outside our current paradigm.

  1. 4d ago

    #47: China's Innovation Playbook; Bottom-Up Tech; Directed Autonomy; Going Global

    In this conversation, sinologist and keynote speaker PascalCoppens discusses his book China’sNext Miracle and argues that most Western coveragefocuses too much on top-down politics while missing bottom-up forcesshaping China’s innovation. Pascal gives a detailed explanation ofhow China is engineering its way out of problems like the real-estatebubble, why technology is viewed as a positive societal upgrade, andhow “digitally enhanced directed autonomy” enables decentralizedexperimentation in government and companies. In the conversation, Andras asks abouthow Western idea-first innovation contrasts with China’smarket-first, fast-iteration model, using BYD and Xiaomi as examples,and describes China’s “new quality productive forces” agenda toshift from construction-led growth to knowledge, automation, and highproductivity, supported by millions of STEM graduates. The conversation includes privacyperceptions, globalization, advice for foreign firms to treat Chinaas a “gym,” and China’s growing role in the Global South. 02:47 – Welcome and New Book 03:20 – Becoming a Sinologist 04:32 – Explaining China to Business 06:29 – Bias and Media Narratives 08:06 – The Real Estate Bubble Explained 14:30 – From Cement to Tech: Technology as aSocial Upgrade 20:50 – Privacy, Distrust & DigitallyEnhanced Directed Autonomy 31:28 – The Fosbury Flop: China’s IterationPlaybook 37:30 – Feedback as Product: Apple vs. Xiaomi 40:12 – New Quality Productive Forces & DarkFactories 44:07 – STEM Talent & Demographics 49:59 – Going Global: Why China is Your Business"Gym" 58:50 – DeepSeek & China’s Role in theGlobal South

  2. Sep 10

    #46: “South Woman” in North Korea: being undocumented US childhood to North Korea work.

    Sun shares how she was born in the US andkept moving frequently as the child of undocumented parents. Once she was detained in Maryland, separated from her parents and placed with a foster family, then deported to Seoul at age eight. She describes adapting to Korea’s communalculture, the intense education-and-work ethos of the 1980s -90s, and later returning to the US for Rutgers and graduate school before working as a translator/interpreter and adjunct professor. A 2011–12 Associated Press assignment interpreting North Korean dialect introduced her to North Koreans and led tomultiple trips to North Korea, where she observed controlled tours, everyday professional life, and pervasive ideology alongside ordinary work routines and the lives of everyday citizens. She explains the Korean War armistice, the DMZ, and complexities of peace.   She then discusses her work co-directingthe documentary “Namnam Pungnyeo”, about North Korean women in South Korea, the matchmakers that help them connect  with South Korean men, and diverse refugee stories. The conversation ends with how she moved to Brussels with her partner and her current EU-oriented linguistic and related work.   03:03 Deportation and Language 04:53 Back to Seoul Life 08:02 Korean War and DMZ 11:04 Work Culture Pressure 17:32 Return to America Path 21:57 North Korea Interpreter Breakthrough 26:32 Touring North Korea Reality 31:44 Ideology and Collectivism 37:23 Documentary Origins 38:50 Film Title Meaning 43:08 Memorial That Grounded Film 45:11 Defection Numbers Routes 50:25 Why Matchmaking Works 51:13 Gender Gap Escape Reasons 54:41 South Korea Dating Crisis 58:55 Mutual Fantasies Collide 01:00:58 Safety After Defection 01:02:43 Visiting North Korea Safely 01:06:26 Homesickness And Regret 01:08:48 How She Sees The North 01:11:03 Love Brought Brussels 01:13:07 Card Question

  3. Aug 31

    #45: Political Persuasion; Social Change; Cognitive Dissonance; Changing Minds

    Don’t Talk About Politics (Just Yet): Building Real Political Agency In this episode of Beyond the Bubble, Andras Baneth speaks with author and public intellectual Sarah Stein Lubrano (https://www.sarahsteinlubrano.com/) about her book Don’t Talk About Politics and why political opinions rarely change through words, debates, or exposure to ideas alone.   Drawing on her background in Washington, DC, her work at The School of Life, and a PhD on cognitive dissonance, she argues politics is rooted in identity, meaning, relationships, experiences, and power rather than rational “marketplace of ideas” reasoning. They discuss the limits of empathy as a political organizing principle, how left and right relate differently to hierarchy and responsibility, and why solidarity and social infrastructure matter in crisis. Sarah outlines “gateway actions,” third spaces, and collective agency as practical alternatives to debate culture, and reflects on manipulation, legitimacy, and her own failures through a School of Life prompt.   01:45 Introduction, Meet Sarah and Her Work 07:32 Why Words Don't Persuade and Empathy Limits in Politics 15:59 Politics Power, Values and Power Dynamics 22:51 Capitalism Human Nature Unknowns 26:08 Human Flourishing and Meaning 28:55 Competition, Social Motivation, Power and Gender Myths 42:46 Why Words Rarely Change Politics 45:12 Relationships That Shift Beliefs 48:31 Experience and System Justification 54:46 Transparency Gateway Actions Options 01:02:28 Social Atrophy Explained 01:09:53 What Makes An Activist 01:13:33 Collective Agency In Practice 01:15:40 Bad Faith And Power

  4. Aug 18

    #44: Acting; Authenticity; Storytelling; Psychology; The Human Connection

    In this episode of Beyond the Bubble, Andras welcomes Edward McMillan, founder of the Brussels Shakespeare Society, actor, director, and theatre producer, for a conversation about storytelling, performance, psychology, and the role theatre plays in helping us better understand ourselves and one another. Edward begins by sharing the journey of building an English-language theatre community in Brussels from the ground up,reflecting on the challenges of creating a cultural institution, attracting audiences, and bringing together people from diverse backgrounds through a shared love of performance. Andras and Edward discuss what makes great acting, why authenticity matters more than perfection, and how actorslearn to balance technique with emotional truth. They explore improvisation, rehearsal, stage presence, and why audiences instinctively recognise genuine human connection. The conversation then turns to storytelling itself, examining why theatre continues to matter in a digital world, how stories shape the way we see ourselves, and the unique experience of live performance compared with film and television. Edward explains how theatre creates a shared emotional space where performers and audiences influence oneanother in real time. Later, they explore the relationship between drama and psychology, discussing empathy, vulnerability, identity, andthe ways performance can help people step outside themselves, become more emotionally aware, and better understand the perspectives of others. The episode is a thoughtful conversation about creativity, human connection, storytelling, and why theatre remains oneof the most powerful ways of exploring what it means to be human.

  5. Aug 6

    #43: Why Holocaust Education Matters; Truth Distortion; Yad Vashem; Memory & Preservation

    In this episode of Beyond the Bubble, Andras welcomes Dani Dayan, Chairman of Yad Vashem, Israel’s World Holocaust Remembrance Center, for a thoughtful conversation about Holocaust remembrance, historical truth, education, and the growing challenge of preserving history in the 21st centuryand post-7 October 2023 world. Dani explains why Yad Vashem is far more than a museum, serving as one of the world’s leading institutions for Holocaustresearch, education, preservation, and documentation. He discusses the importance of recovering the names and stories of victims, ensuring that every individual is remembered not simply as part of a statistic, but as a human being with a life and identity. Andras and Dani explore the purpose of Holocaust remembrance today, the lessons societies can draw from history, the rise of antisemitism across Europe, and the dangers of Holocaust denial, distortion, and historical revisionism. They discuss why confronting uncomfortable truths is essential for healthy democracies and why educationmust go beyond teaching historical facts to fostering empathy and understanding. The conversation also touches on the aftermath of October 7, the misuse and abuse of Holocaust comparisons and theterm “genocide” in public debate, and the responsibility of institutions like Yad Vashem to preserve historical truth while adapting to new technologies and the challenges of the digital age.

  6. Jul 29

    #42: Socialism vs. Free Market; Venezuela’s Oil; Blessing or Curse; Petro-states; Geopolitics

    In this episode of Beyond the Bubble, Andras welcomes Venezuelan-American economist Jorge Jraissati for a fascinating conversation about the rise and collapse of Venezuela, oil-driven populism, and what the country's story means for Europe, China, and Iran. Jorge shares his own story growing up in Venezuela during a deepening humanitarian crisis. He explains how a country that was once one of the 20 richest in the world ended up suffering the biggest economic collapse in the region's history without a war, and the longest hyperinflation ever recorded outside of wartime. Andras and Jorge trace the mechanics of the collapse: the oil boom of 1920-1980, decades of stagnation that fed politicaldissatisfaction, Chávez's rise to power, the politicization of the state oil company. They compare Venezuela's mismanagement to Norway's sovereign wealth model, and discuss why "free money", whether oil revenue or EU development funds, often creates worse incentives than it solves. The conversation then turns to Maduro's total price controls, the debt spiral, and a humanitarian crisis that pushed poverty from 40% to over 90% of the population and forced 8 million Venezuelans to leave the country. It closes on the dramatic turning point of January 2026, Maduro's arrest by the Trump administration, and what it means geopolitically, given Venezuela's oil reserves (which are larger than Saudi Arabia's), its ties to China and Iran, Argentina under Milei, the EU-Mercosur agreement, and Latin America's chance to become a unified geopolitical bloc. Jorge closes with a direct warning for Europe: economic stagnation and lost opportunity are what push societies toward radical, often destructive, political change.

  7. Jul 21

    #41: Integration & the Bubble Effect; Identity Shifts; Moving Abroad; Cultural Anthropology

    In this episode of Beyond the Bubble, Andras speaks with Efrat Tzadik, an expat expert and researcher in cultural anthropology, migration and relocation, about what it takes to integrate into a new country.They discuss how she moved to Belgium 28 years ago, how her own experience led her back to university for migration studies, and why she uses “migration” to mean any longer-term movement of people despite the term’s political baggage.Efrat explains how cultural distance, personality, networks, language, and expectations shape integration, and why many people retreat into national or international “bubbles” to preserve identity.The conversation explores identity change, dependency within couples, challenges for partners and teenagers, CBT-based coaching, and practical preparation through language learning, observation, and understanding cultural and communication codes.00:00 Welcome to Beyond the Bubble01:31 Efrat’s Expat Journey02:30 From Experience to Research04:05 Migration vs Expat Terms07:42 Culture Distance and Factors12:12 Coaching Relocation Challenges16:20 Kids and Teen Integration19:34 Identity and Belonging24:00 Career Sacrifice and Resentment27:33 CBT Tools and Remote Work30:18 The Expat Bubble Effect33:28 Cultural and Social Integration38:58 Resetting Expectations Abroad41:37 Be an Anthropologist44:44 Voluntary vs Forced Moves46:34 Migration Mindset Shift48:21 Rebuilding Identity Abroad49:45 Family Pressure and Guilt51:45 Schemas and New Anchors53:54 Couple Dynamics and Dependency57:23 Research on Migrant Women01:00:38 Bubble Effect and Transnational Ties01:02:12 Returning Home Changed01:03:11 Culture Codes and Language01:07:17 Workplace Rituals and Communication01:10:04 Nonverbal Rules and Microcultures01:14:49 Observe Without Judging01:20:23 Coaching with Respect01:22:54 Closing Card and Farewell

  8. May 25

    #40: Science vs. Pseudo-science; Climate Panic; Critical Thinking; Luxury Beliefs & Dogma

    In this episode of Beyond the Bubble, Andras welcomes philosopher, writer, and former Ghent University academic Maarten Boudry for a deep conversation about science, critical thinking, climate policy, ideology, and the Israel-Gaza debate. Maarten begins with his work on the line between science and pseudoscience, explaining why good reasoning is not limited to universities, but applies to everyday life, politics, and public debates. Andras and Maarten discuss Karl Popper, confirmation bias, peer review, and why even scientific institutions can be shaped by groupthink when politics enters the picture. They then turn to climate change, the IPCC, fossil fuels, nuclear energy, renewable energy, and the problem of turning science into activism. Maarten argues for a more realistic view of trade-offs, especially when Western climate priorities are imposed on poorer countries that still need cheap energy for development.The conversation later moves into “luxury beliefs”, Western arrogance, Israel after October 7, and the use of words like genocide and famine in the Gaza war. Maarten reflects on why he spoke publicly against the genocide accusation, how echo chambers form in academia and the media, and why sloppy or weaponized language can have serious real world consequences.

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About

Conversations with expats and locals in Brussels on their stories and ideas about the world. We discuss politics, global issues, AI, business, technology, society, ethics, religion, communication, marketing, psychology, self-discovery and more, to understand the world beyond the EU and outside our current paradigm.

Information

  • Creator
    Andras Baneth
  • Years Active
    2025 - 2026
  • Episodes
    46
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © Andras Baneth
  • Show Website
    Beyond The Bubble