Robert Wright's Nonzero 2025: A Year-End (And Quarter-Century-End) Reckoning (Robert Wright & Paul Bloom)
Dec 30, 2025
Paul Bloom, a renowned psychologist and author, joins Robert Wright for a thoughtful discussion. They reflect on notable 2025 figures lost, including Jane Goodall. The duo explores how the algorithmically guided age has shifted daily cognition and work dynamics. They dive into the political ramifications of global poverty reduction, the risks of AI, and the potential chaos of future governance. Bloom critiques the rise of eccentric influencers in media, while both share predictions for a transformative yet uncertain future.
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White-Collar No-AI Norm Collapsed
- The 'no-AI' norm in white-collar work is collapsing as employers adopt AI for efficiency.
- Both hosts foresee transparency standards and reader tolerance shifting toward acceptance.
Foreign Aid Cuts Had Deadly Consequences
- Trump's 2025 presidency included dramatic foreign-aid cuts that likely caused large mortality increases.
- Robert Wright cites Atul Gawande's estimate that USAID cuts may have killed hundreds of thousands.
Gatekeepers Fell; Crazy Voices Rose
- Prominent public figures now display 'manifestly crazy' behavior openly, and gatekeepers no longer filter them.
- Robert Wright and Paul Bloom note the normalization of extreme figures with broad platforms.
