Big Questions with Cal Fussman

A series of connections leads Cal to a conversation with a master of wet plate photography – created around 1850. But the talk about photos that can last a thousand years leads to a very surprising place: that all of the photos on your iPhone or mobile device will disappear over the next 50 years unless you print them out and protect them. Listen up, and spread the word.

Cal speaks with the man who is the father of the virtual assistant and who predicted ten years ago that most work would be automated and out of human's hands. Now, he is even more convinced this will be the case, and makes the case that it's necessary for all of us. What this may mean for mankind doesn't seem to matter. It's all in the math. Everyone ought to listen to this.

James Arthur Ray, a personal development leader, shares his rollercoaster journey from fame to prison, debt, and finding love. Despite tragedy, he found redemption and happiness. The story reflects on resilience, unexpected connections, and the importance of moving forward after turmoil.

Cal has been told that privacy disappeared more than twenty years ago with the emergence of the internet. But the emergence of artificial intelligence is only going to exacerbate the problem. Kemp's book: Containing Big Tech: How to Protect Our Civil Rights, Economy and Democracy is filled with tools that anybody can use to safeguard their privacy. This conversation will make you feel safer.

Learn about the $8.8 trillion productivity loss due to employee disengagement and how better job interviewing can help. Explore the concept of finding the right job fit and the importance of transparent job descriptions. Discover the impact of rapid hiring on team chemistry and culture. Gratitude and hope for a better interview process are expressed.

Behavioral psychologist Peter McGraw discusses the societal shift towards solo living, the trend of marrying oneself in Japan, the evolution of marriage, benefits of solitude, embracing individual empowerment, and the importance of human connections in a technology-driven world.

Cal speaks with the German artist who won the Sony World Photography award with a fake photo – one he generated through artificial intelligence with prompts. Boris did not tell the judges the photo was fake, and then refused to accept the award to get out the truth. We soon will live in an age when we will not know whether we can believe our own eyes. Prepare for a deep conversation about what is going to happen to the concept of trust in the future.

After starting out on a Ford Assembly line, Joe made a fortune starting and selling a digital marketing agency and serving as CEO of an automotive tech company. When he decided to stop drinking alcohol for 75 days to improve his health, Joe came up with the idea to create a new business. A non-alcoholic brewery with a mission to create the best non-alcoholic beers on the planet. That covers many styles and flavors. It's called Go Brewing. And it arrives at your door at a time when many people are beginning to change their drinking habits to support a healthier lifestyle. Cal lifted the Jab Jab Grapefruit IPA and can tell that Joe's instincts and timing are right on. Listen up, and check it out!

Cal brings in the New Year with a conversation that takes his friend Natalie Baird-King from hell to heaven. After getting overwhelmed by patterns of abuse that stemmed from her childhood, Natalie became a lawyer to defend similar victims. But it was her medicinal use of ayahuasca that, she says, actually took her to heaven, taught her how to forgive and how to teach others to make peace with the past. It's a great way to start a new year! Cheers!

The host reflects on his favorite takeaways from previous conversations, including the ideas of incremental improvements, imperfection in art, and protopia. They discuss creating 1% more good, practicing gratitude, meditation, making amends, balancing mind and emotions, and improving the hiring process through elite interviewing skills.