Ben Yeoh Chats Benjamin Yeoh

Rasheed Griffith discusses the factors impeding progress in the Caribbean and shares his optimism for the region. He identifies the decline in public sector quality since the 1960s as a major obstacle. Transcript and links here.





Griffith suggests that reforming the public sector could significantly advance the Caribbean by attracting international talent and improving policy implementation. He also discusses the historical impact of British technocracy in the Caribbean, proposing that adopting a more internationalized public service could be beneficial. Griffith urges a shift towards leveraging global trade for growth.





The discussion also touches on the potential of dollarization, the limited utility of charter cities in the Caribbean, and the importance of understanding regional culture through food and history. 





“every Caribbean country should be dollarized. No exceptions. Caribbean countries, any small country, there is very little utility of having your own currency except for having the ability of the government to mismanage it at some point in time. And that has historically been the case in the Caribbean, been the case in Latin America, been the case in Europe, Asia, it goes down the line.





There is no real extra benefit you have from having your own currency, as a very small country, dependent on a global currency anyway. This manifests even stranger things. So for example, Caribbean still has very harsh capital controls, not all Caribbean, but the ones that have their own currency do, and that limits people's freedom to consume as much as what they want.

It also has again, the ever present risk and reality of the government abusing the exchange Abusing money creation tool obviously hurts the exchange rate hurts inflation all those kind of things So when you really look into it, there's no proper counter argument to dollarization to me when someone says What's the counter argument to me?





That's like saying what is the argument in favor of having an unsound currency? It's a non starter in that sense.”





We talk about culture including reggae, VS Naipaul and Rastafarians. And on food:



“when you understand why you, in Barbados, eat curry goat and roti, of course that has a very big impact on how you think about your own history. Jerk chicken, is very famous in Jamaica. I think it's very difficult to get good jerk chicken outside of Jamaica. There are some spots in London that have some good jerk chicken, but usually, if you go to a place that has jerk chicken, it's likely not actually jerk chicken.

Any case, even jerk chicken, for example, if you understand how it works is very deeply into how Jamaican history operates. So it came from Mexico after the slaves, this plantation has this thing called Maroon, like free slave holdings in the mountains in Jamaica. And jerk chicken is one of the food products they actually created.

It's very, goes really far back. And one of the current ingredients of jerk chicken that we usually use in sauce is soy sauce. Now soy sauce, of course, it's not from Jamaica, it's from China primarily speaking. So you see how the Chinese influence in Jamaica, for example, goes back to the food, like the core Jamaican food has this Chinese influence as well.”





We discuss how to assess talent, what questions to ask in an interview and how to be better for interviews. 





We play underrated/overrated on: GDP, Universal Basic Income and carbon tax.





Griffith shares insights into his creative process and the importance of public intellectual engagement. 







Finally we end on some advice thoughts. Advice:

"I think people should try to be a lot more public in their thoughts. Writing things online for the public is a nice constrained device."

A conversation with Henry Oliver, author of 'A Second Act', exploring the concept of late bloomers. Transcript here.

Oliver elaborates on societal pressures, hidden talents, and how these impact individual successes at various life stages, advocating for a broader recognition of potential beyond conventional timelines.

The dialogue includes themes such as the significance of networks, the role of luck, and the historical context of late blooming, challenging prevailing notions of talent and achievement.

Following this, the conversation delves into the philosophical contributions of John Stuart Mill, particularly focusing on his expansion of utilitarianism and its inadvertent influence on contemporary moral behaviors like vegetarianism. It contrasts Mill’s stance on liberty and value measurement with other philosophers and highlights the importance of engaging with diverse perspectives for personal growth. The chat connects Mill’s philosophies to present-day issues. 

We end on Henry’s advice: the importance of personalized approaches to absorbing content, seeking expertise, the application of tailored advice over generic guidance; and to ignore those who do not have recent advice experience.

On Hidden Talents and Societal Barriers:

"So in the case of someone just happens to emerge later, and in the case of someone has been held back, I would call that hidden both times. Because very often when you've been held back by your circumstances, people like actually cannot see your talents. And so they are hidden, not in the sense that you've kept them in, or you were scared, or whatever, but in the sense that, you could have put it on your t-shirt and people wouldn't have realized."

On Overcoming Historical Bias and Recognizing Talent:

"And obviously historically, very often that was to do with if you were a woman, if you were a person of color people just aren't going to, people literally aren't going to take that seriously. But that, to me, is interesting, it's an interesting demonstration of the fact that, You can be very confident that you know how to find talent, and that you know who's a good chap and who would be good at this job, and be completely blind to what is right in front of you."

Contents:


00:13 Learning from Henry’s mother


01:01 Exploring Hidden Talents and Societal Constraints


03:34 The Nuances of Midlife Crises and Opportunities for Growth


07:45 The Power of Networks and Circumstances in Shaping Late Bloomers


10:23 Margaret Thatcher: A Case Study in Late Blooming


16:20 Seizing Luck and the Importance of Being Prepared


21:32 The Role of Networks in Realizing Potential


30:20 Addressing Societal Biases and Embracing Equality of Opportunity


34:29 Rethinking Talent: Early Bloomers vs. Late Bloomers


42:55 The Fluidity of Intelligence and the Potential for Growth


45:29 Exploring Misunderstood Characters in Literature


45:56 Audrey Sutherland: The Unrecognized Kayaking Legend


47:09 Malcolm X: A Misunderstood Figure in History


48:46 The Ones That Didn't Make the Cut: Missed Profiles


51:28 The Writing Process: Insights and Personal Habits


54:51 The Fascinating World of London's Churches


59:36 Underrated and Overrated: A Deep Dive into Mindsets and Philosophies


01:18:23 Current Projects and Life Advice

Alyssa Gilbert, the director of the Center for Climate Change Innovation at the Grantham Institute, talks about the current gaps in climate technology investments. She discusses her research into areas that are currently underfunded, including transport and energy. She also covers the importance of energy efficiency, especially in relation to the built environment. Alyssa emphasizes the necessity of various models in the fight against climate change, including private sector initiatives, philanthropy, and governmental grants - and highlights the need for a diverse range of solutions. She also speaks about the innovation within the London climate tech ecosystem and shares her perspective on various topics including carbon offsets, behavior change, and geoengineering.

Transcript/Video here: https://www.thendobetter.com/investing/2024/3/1/alyssa-gilbert-climate-tech-innovation-policy-technology-podcast




00:15 Discussion on Climate Technology Investment


01:15 Exploring Areas of Underinvestment in Climate Change


01:54 Climate Change Adaptation and Innovation


02:23 The Role of Heavy Industry in Climate Change


03:15 Climate Change Policies and Energy Efficiency


05:10 Challenges in Implementing Energy Efficiency


08:09 Debate on Degrowth vs Techno-optimism


11:34 Role of Venture Capital and Philanthropy in Climate Change


16:11 London's Climate Tech Ecosystem


21:58 Pitching Climate Change Ideas


24:17 Role of Big Companies in Climate Change Innovation


25:49 The Importance of Corporate Involvement in Innovation


26:26 A Glimpse into a Day in the Life of a Climate Innovator


29:13 Overrated or Underrated: A Discussion on Climate Solutions


40:48 Exciting Projects on the Horizon


44:02 Advice for Those Interested in Climate Action

Garrett Graff, a writer and historian who specializes in 'near history', discusses his book, 'UFO', about the US government's search for alien life. He touches upon how we often misunderstand UFO sightings, suggesting they could be due to a mix of physical anomalies and governmental or adversary secret flight technologies. Graff also shares his belief in the possibility of alien civilizations, arguing probabilities suggest the existence of life outside Earth. He then relates UFO conspiracies to a societal mistrust in government and institutions, tying it back to events like the Watergate scandal. Graff finally introduces his forthcoming oral history book on D-Day, emphasizing how his work emphasizes explaining and organizing complex events in an understandable and comprehensive way.

"When people ask 'do UFOs?'...That's not actually the question that they mean. The question that they really mean is, 'are we alone?' Because the truth of the matter is of course UFOs exist. All a UFO is an unidentified flying object, and there are things out there that we don't know what they are. Whether those are extraterrestrial is a very different question and potentially unrelated to the question of, are there extraterrestrials."

Transcript and video available here: https://www.thendobetter.com/arts/2024/2/14/garrett-graff-aliens-mysteries-of-ufos-watergate-911-government-trust-podcast

Contents:


00:31 Exploring the Mysteries of UFOs


03:05 The Probability of Alien Life


06:21 The Government's Role in UFO Research


19:03 The Impact of Conspiracy Theories


29:40 The Connection Between UFOs and Politics


33:28 The Importance of Trust in Government


47:21 The Writing Process and Future Projects

In this in-depth conversation, data scientist and researcher Hannah Ritchie delves into key insights from her new book 'Not The End of The World', which challenges the pervasive idea that human society is doomed due to environmental degradation. She explores various environmental problems, including climate change and plastic pollution, and emphasizes the potential for progress in tackling these critical issues. Hannah also discusses the essential role of technology and outlines the importance of lifting people out of poverty as a measure against climate change. Her argument centers around the balance of environmental change and human impact in achieving a sustainable planet. Furthermore, she provides advice on dealing with climate anxiety, career progression, and essential work ethics. Link to transcript, video and more here: www.thendobetter.com/arts/2024/1/26/hannah-ritchie-sustainability-progress-not-the-end-of-the-world-podcast



Approach: Hannah's work is primarily driven by data, focusing on the interplay between sustainability, climate change, and patterns of global development. Her new book, "Not the End of the World," addresses one of the most significant challenges of our time - environmental sustainability. 

In the book, Hannah dispels a range of myths associated with environmental issues. She counters the prevailing narrative which claims we are doomed and there's nothing left to do about our environmental crisis. Instead, she believes we can change the narrative and become the first generation to build a sustainable planet.

Tackling Climate Change:   

Hannah's optimism for combating climate change stems from the significant strides made in technology, especially renewable energy technologies. These technologies are no longer mere futuristic imaginings. They are realistic, economical, and deployable on a large scale. 

However, she acknowledges the difficulty of the task at hand. The world is on track for 2 and a half to 3 degrees of warming which puts us in challenging terrain. We need rapid technological change coupled with significant societal transformation to alter our trajectory. 

Addressing Biodiversity Loss: 

Biodiversity loss, according to Hannah, is among the most challenging problems explored in her book. The manifestation of this crisis is nuanced as it involves intricate geo-political and economic dynamics. While technology can help, solving the biodiversity crisis will require simultaneous action on many fronts, from controlling deforestation to addressing climate change and overfishing. 

Hana Loftus is a co-founder of HAT Projects. HAT are award winning architects, planners and enablers for the built environment. Projects include: London’s Science Museum Smith Centre, transformation of Trinity Works (a disused church), Ely Museum, Jerwood gallery and Jaywick Sands’ Sunspot. As well as practising planning and design, she writes on the subject and plays a great fiddle and violin.

Transcript and Video here: https://www.thendobetter.com/arts/2024/1/10/hana-loftus-architecture-regeneration-planning-resilience-design-podcast

The discussion is around the challenges and opportunities in architecture and urban planning. The topics range from finding systemic housing solutions for poverty-stricken communities in Alabama, exploring the importance of practical real-world experiences for architecture students, 

"I think as a young architect, firstly learning how a building is actually put together; nailing bits of wood together, wiring a house, plumbing a house, pouring foundations, all of that practical stuff is critical... And anybody can do that. Anybody can get tools and learn how to build something."

and discussing the Sunspot project that addresses affordable business units in Jaywick Sands, a poor area of east England. Hana talks about the lifespan and adaptability of buildings. She highlights the critical aspect of maintaining quality in construction and the risks in cost-cutting, referencing the Grenfell tragedy.

We discuss the political challenges of the Green Belt policy, proposing a 'finger model' for development, and the importance of exploring rural domains. Hana emphasises acquiring practical experience and making a concrete impact in the world.

Transcript and summary bullet points below.


Building Houses and Rural Studio Experience


Understanding the Realities of Rural Alabama


The Impact of Building with Your Own Hands


Working with the Community: The Story of Miss Phillips


The Importance of the Front Porch in Southern Homes


Reflections on Building Experience


Transition from Alabama to East of England: Jaywick Sands


Understanding the History and Challenges of Jaywick Sands


The Regeneration Strategy for Jaywick Sands


The Complexities of Place-Based Regeneration


The Role of Consultation in Community Development


The Sunspot Project: A Case Study in Localised Economic Stimulation


Reflections on the Success of the Sunspot Project


The Balance Between Planning and Unplanning in Community Development. The role of beauty.


Nationwide Economic and Climate Perspective


Local Agency and Development Opposition, Challenges in the Planning System


Inequality and Climate Resilience 


Design Codes and Pattern Books: A Debate


The Aesthetics of Development and Cultural Relevance


The Lifespan of Buildings: 


The Future of Building Design and Sustainability


The Role of Transport in Sustainable Planning


The Impact of Construction Industry Structure


Rethinking Greenbelt Policy for Sustainable Development


Current and Future Projects: A Glimpse


Life Advice: Making a Mark in the World