Build For Tomorrow

David Shimer, author and researcher on covert electoral interference, shares a century-long view of how nations meddle in U.S. politics. He traces Russian and Soviet tactics, compares targeted leader picks with systemic subversion, and explains why technology is a tool not the root cause. The conversation focuses on historical patterns, defense strategies, and why treating 2016 as unique is misleading.

Dara Goldstein, food historian and cookbook author, traces how the fork moved from Byzantine novelty to a symbol of individualism. She recounts medieval finger etiquette, Renaissance status displays, and why forks once provoked ridicule. The conversation covers hygiene, economics that made forks common, and today’s return to hand-held, shared plates.

Peter Diamandis, founder of XPRIZE and Singularity University, is an entrepreneur and optimism-focused futurist. He talks about exponential technologies reshaping jobs and daily life. He discusses AI pervading professions, brain-computer interfaces and privacy tradeoffs. He frames tech disruption as powerful but manageable, urging preparation over panic.

Danny (Daniel Nieves / Danny Rocket), an Afro-Latino b-boy and emcee from Break Fresh NYC, shares how hip hop gave him community and purpose. The conversation unravels a nine-year-old subway photo mystery, the surprise of shared earbuds, the music they were listening to, and how dance and culture build unlikely bridges.

Jonah Berger, Wharton marketing professor and author studying social influence and persuasion. He unpacks psychological reactance and why mandates provoke backlash. He explores historical pushback from the Anti-Mask League and seatbelt opponents. He outlines alternatives: offering choices, social-norm tactics, and trust-building to nudge behavior without triggering resistance.

Covid-19 has interrupted our world, but it's also likely to improve it. After all, history shows that massive disruption is followed by massive opportunity. So what’s in store for us now? In this episode, we learn the surprising consequences of past crises, explore the innovations that may come from Covid-19, and try to understand why disasters are so productive.Get in touch!Web: jasonfeifer.comEmail. jasonfeifer@gmail.comTwitter / Instagram: @heyfeifer Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Sajid Sadi, SVP of research at Samsung Research America who leads product and innovation teams, and Alan Levinowitz, associate professor of religion who studies cultural ideas of naturalness. They trace the ice trade vs early refrigerators, how 'natural' became a trust shortcut, marketing battles, the rise of mechanical cooling, and how companies balance incremental fixes with radical innovation.

A lively look at how birthdays moved from rare ruler rituals to mass children’s parties. Discussions cover religious rejection, record-keeping and immigrant bakers shaping cakes and dates. Cultural differences and India's modern uptake show celebrations reflect social change. Historical backlash about entitlement echoes today.

A playful look at a century-long pattern: new techs blamed for changing our faces. Stories range from Victorian worries about bicycle face to newspapers stoking radio face scares. The episode traces how beauty ideals, cosmetics, physiognomy, and social anxiety shaped these panics. It also explores how people adapted, resisted, or profited from the fears.

The teddy bear: Is it cute and cuddly, or a “horrible monstrosity” that’ll destroy humanity? In 1907, many people feared the worst — that this new toy would ruin young girls’ developing maternal instincts, and lead us to a terrible fate. This is the story of how the teddy bear changed us all… and how we then changed the bear.Get in touch!Newsletter: jasonfeifer.bulletin.comWebsite: jasonfeifer.comInstagram: @heyfeiferTwitter: @heyfeifer Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices