The Stage We're On

Ben Cooper
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The Stage We're On is a podcast about the world we're living in and the roles we're all playing inside it. From politics to media to artificial intelligence, each episode steps back to look at the patterns underneath. Not just at what's happening, but how it's being presented, who it benefits, and why it feels the way it does. This isn't about telling you what to think. It's about helping you see the stage more clearly. Hosted by Ben Cooper, a Canadian creator and former radio broadcaster, the show is shaped by a lifelong background in storytelling, sound, and observation. Drawing on decades behind microphones as a musician, producer, and narrator, Ben brings a calm, cinematic perspective to complex topics, connecting ideas in a way that feels grounded, human, and just a little unsettling in the right places.

Episodes

  1. When Allies Don't Show Up

    Apr 2

    When Allies Don't Show Up

    The U.S. is asking its allies for support… and they're hesitating. Airspace is being denied. Access is restricted. At the same time, pressure is building around the Strait of Hormuz one of the world's most critical energy routes. Featuring voices and reporting from Donald Trump, Keir Starmer, Micheál Martin, Bart De Wever, Rob Jetten, Katy Tur, Alan Fisher, Anne Applebaum, and Jeffrey Goldberg. So what happens when the system that's supposed to move together… doesn't?

    13 min
  2. The Oldest Trick in the Book

    Mar 29

    The Oldest Trick in the Book

    Propaganda didn't disappear. It evolved and now, it's personal. In this episode of The Stage We're On, we explore how influence has shifted from obvious messaging to something far more subtle: systems that shape what we see, what we engage with, and what begins to feel true. From early public persuasion to modern algorithms, this is a look at how perception is quietly built and why the most powerful forms of influence today are often the ones we don't notice. Featuring insights from Peter Schweizer, Luther Lowe, Robert Epstein, Marlene Jaeckel, Tristan Harris, and Jordan Peterson. The question isn't just what we believe. It's how we got there. CREDITS / SOURCE NOTE This episode was inspired in part by The Creepy Line (2018): Additional context informed by PopcornedPlanet. The Stage We're On is a podcast about the world we're living in—and the roles we're all playing inside it.

    23 min
  3. What AI Knows About You That You Don't

    Mar 25

    What AI Knows About You That You Don't

    We're asking artificial intelligence questions every day. But what if we're not asking the right ones? In this episode, I reflect on a conversation from the StarTalk podcast, where Neil deGrasse Tyson, Chuck Nice, and Gary O'Reilly sit down with Geoffrey Hinton, one of the architects of modern AI, to unpack how we got here and where this is all going. What starts as a discussion about the history of computing and the shift from rule-based programming to systems that learn like a brain… slowly turns into something more unsettling. They explore how neural networks actually work, what "deep learning" really means, and how breakthroughs like backpropagation changed everything. But underneath that is a deeper set of questions. Can AI actually think? Could it develop something like awareness? And what happens if these systems begin to act in ways we don't fully understand? There are moments in this conversation that feel less like explanation… and more like warning. The real issue isn't just how powerful these systems are becoming. It's how little we may understand about what they're doing… or what they might eventually do on their own. And once you start hearing it that way… it's hard to unhear it.  Catch the full episode: Is AI Hiding Its Full Power? With Geoffrey Hinton Support: I produce these shows independently in my spare time. If you'd like to support what I do and help keep it going, you can do that here Buy Me a Coffee. Subscribe, rate, and share to help others find the show. Production by Ben Cooper. © 2026 CooperVille Studio. All rights reserved.

    13 min
  4. The System Already Knows Who You Are

    Mar 22

    The System Already Knows Who You Are

    What if the system doesn't just respond to you, but understands you better than you understand yourself? In this episode, I step back from the surface of artificial intelligence to look at something deeper: how these systems learn, track, and begin to anticipate who we are. Part of this exploration comes from watching a conversation between Senator Bernie Sanders and Anthropic's AI agent Claude, where they discuss how AI collects massive amounts of personal data and what that means for privacy. Hearing an AI system describe its own capabilities and its risks is unsettling in a way that's hard to ignore. Because the tools shaping our world are no longer passive. They learn, they adapt, and they predict. And increasingly, they influence. So the question isn't just what these systems can do. It's how much they already know.   I produce these shows independently in my spare time. If you'd like to support what I do and help keep it going, you can do that here or Buy Me a Coffee.     Subscribe, rate, and share to help others find the show. Production by Ben Cooper. © 2026 CooperVille Studio. All rights reserved.

    13 min
  5. The World Is Reorganizing Right Now. Are We Noticing?

    Mar 19

    The World Is Reorganizing Right Now. Are We Noticing?

    Something is shifting. Not all at once, but piece by piece. Alignment by alignment. Old alliances feel uncertain. New ones are forming, and the systems that once felt stable don't feel quite as solid anymore. In this episode, we explore the idea that the global order isn't just changing. It may be quietly reorganizing itself in real time. The question is: are we watching it happen, or are we already living inside it? I produce these shows independently in my spare time. If you'd like to support what I do and help keep it going, you can do that here or Buy Me a Coffee. Subscribe, rate, and share to help others find the show. Production by Ben Cooper. © 2026 CooperVille Studio. All rights reserved.

    16 min
  6. The Divide That Actually Runs Everything

    Mar 16

    The Divide That Actually Runs Everything

    There's a divide growing around us… but it's not the one we argue about. Not left vs right. Not rich vs poor. Something quieter. More subtle. And in many ways… more dangerous. In this episode, we step back to look at the real fracture forming underneath our conversations. The one shaping how we see the world… how we trust… and how we disconnect from each other without even realizing it. Because the biggest divide right now… might be the one no one's naming. Jordan Peterson 0:05 Charlie Kirk 0:31 Piers Morgan 1:38 Mehdi Hasan 1:49 Mehdi Hasan 1:59 Mehdi Hasan 2:30 Luke Beasley 2:45 Senator Bernie Saunders 3:41 James Talerico on Joe Rogan 4:36 James Talerico 5:14 Cynthia Nixon 7:00 Andrew Tate 8:13 Scott Galloway 9:03 Tucker Calrson & Ted Cruz 10:24 I produce these shows independently in my spare time. If you'd like to support what I do and help keep it going, you can do that and Buy Me a Coffee.  Subscribe, rate, and share to help others find the show. Production by Ben Cooper. © 2026 CooperVille Studio. All rights reserved.

    12 min
  • 6 Episodes

About

The Stage We're On is a podcast about the world we're living in and the roles we're all playing inside it. From politics to media to artificial intelligence, each episode steps back to look at the patterns underneath. Not just at what's happening, but how it's being presented, who it benefits, and why it feels the way it does. This isn't about telling you what to think. It's about helping you see the stage more clearly. Hosted by Ben Cooper, a Canadian creator and former radio broadcaster, the show is shaped by a lifelong background in storytelling, sound, and observation. Drawing on decades behind microphones as a musician, producer, and narrator, Ben brings a calm, cinematic perspective to complex topics, connecting ideas in a way that feels grounded, human, and just a little unsettling in the right places.

Information

  • Creator
    Ben Cooper
  • Years Active
    2K
  • Episodes
    6
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © 2026
  • Show Website
    The Stage We're On