Mailbag!

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Feb 12, 2026

They answer listener mail on media diets, bias, and why reading original sources matters. They debate Trump-related bias, strategic thinking, and how to break into geopolitical analysis. They unpack shadow fleets and oil market risks. They explore internet balkanization, rising tech nationalism, and the geopolitical weight of the Midwest.

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Episode notes

volunteer_activism

ADVICE

Curate Analysts, Don't Copy Their Takes

Build a roster of trustworthy analysts and only use their work as signal, not gospel.
Avoid reading takes that will shape your view before you form your own analysis.

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ADVICE

Apprentice, Publish, Repeat

Learn from someone you admire and work for them for years to absorb craft and judgment.
Publish consistently and banish shame while you build an audience and track record.

volunteer_activism

ADVICE

Anchor On One Expertise First

Become an expert in any niche and apply a geopolitical lens from there.
Use domain expertise to learn how to learn, then expand into geopolitics gradually.

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Opening Mailbag and The Wire Reference

01:02 • 5min

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Media Diets and Trusted News Sources

05:38 • 2min

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Trump Derangement Syndrome and TDS-D Syndrome

07:13 • 9min

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Go to the Original Source

16:23 • 5min

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Who to Follow and Avoiding Take Contamination

21:12 • 7min

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Balancing Realism With Humanitarian Goals

28:23 • 7min

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Breaking Into Geopolitical Analysis

35:48 • 18min

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Shadow Fleets and Oil Market Risks

53:22 • 2min

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Is There Enough Oil Supply?

55:42 • 5min

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Multipolarity Raises Conflict Frequency

01:00:46 • 6min

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Internet Balkanization and Tech Nationalism

01:06:49 • 5min

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Snowden, U.S. Tech Trust, and Strategic Mistakes

01:12:15 • 6min

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Will Trump Care About Midterms?

01:18:33 • 11min

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Why the Midwest and Wisconsin Matter

• Mentioned in 13 episodes

The Tragedy of Great Power Politics

John Mearsheimer

In this book, Mearsheimer presents a realist perspective on international relations, arguing that great powers are driven to accumulate power and ensure their survival in an anarchic world. He contends that even security-seeking great powers are compelled to compete and conflict with one another, leading to a tragic cycle of power struggles. The book examines historical examples, such as the rise of Imperial Germany, Nazi Germany, Imperial Japan, and the Soviet Union, to illustrate the inevitability of great power competition. Mearsheimer also discusses the potential rise of China and its implications for global politics, emphasizing that a rising China will seek to dominate Asia while the United States will strive to prevent this dominance.

#1204

• Mentioned in 33 episodes

Geopolitical Alpha

Marko Papic

You've been writing us questions, thoughts, prayers, and lambasting criticism for months - so today we're finally taking a dive into the inbox. Holy crap there's a lot here. Y'all mentioned The Wire, TDSDS, starting careers in geopolitical analysis, tech nationalism, the balkanization of the internet, and sooooo much more. Tune in to hear it all :) Thanks y'all.

Timestamps:

(00:00) - Intro

(02:33) - The Wire

(05:25) - Media Consumption and Bias

(06:46) - Trump Derangement Syndrome and Strategic Thinking

(16:16) - Effective Media Consumption Strategies

(28:23) - Balancing Realism and Idealism in Humanitarian Work

(35:28) - Navigating Career Dissonance

(35:56) - Breaking into Geopolitical Analysis

(37:16) - The Value of Mentorship

(39:39) - Building Expertise in Geopolitics

(41:27) - Creating and Sharing Content

(43:18) - The Importance of Learning and Adaptability

(44:59) - Geopolitical Decisions in Various Careers

(53:53) - Shadow Fleets and Oil Markets

(01:00:28) - Multipolar vs. Unipolar World Conflicts

(01:06:42) - Balkanization of the Internet

(01:09:25) - The Rise of Nationalism in Software

(01:10:36) - The Tension Between Tech Companies and Governments

(01:12:46) - The Impact of Snowden's Leak on American Tech

(01:13:26) - Trump's Influence on Tech Nationalism

(01:18:30) - Trump's Strategy for the Midterms

(01:29:53) - The Geopolitical Importance of the Midwest

(01:37:12) - The Future of Geopolitically Mundane Places

Referenced in the Show:

Geopolitical Cousins is produced and edited by Audiographies LLC. More information at audiographies.com

Jacob Shapiro is a speaker, consultant, author, and researcher covering global politics and affairs, economics, markets, technology, history, and culture. He speaks to audiences of all sizes around the world, helps global multinationals make strategic decisions about political risks and opportunities, and works directly with investors to grow and protect their assets in today’s volatile global environment. His insights help audiences across industries like finance, agriculture, and energy make sense of the world.

Jacob Shapiro Site: jacobshapiro.com

Jacob Shapiro LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/jacob-l-s-a9337416

Jacob Twitter: x.com/JacobShap

Jacob Shapiro Substack: jashap.substack.com/subscribe

Marko Papic is a macro and geopolitical expert at BCA Research, a global investment research firm. He provides in-depth analysis that combines geopolitics and markets in a framework called GeoMacro. He is also the author of Geopolitical Alpha: An Investment Framework for Predicting the Future.

Marko’s Book & Newsletter: www.geopoliticalalpha.com/marko-papic

Marko’s Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/marko-papic-geopolitics/

Marko’s Twitter: https://x.com/Geo_papic

Marko’s Macro & Geopolitical Research at BCA: https://www.bcaresearch.com/marketing/geomacro

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