Merry Xmas!  Today we exchange stories and personal experiences with bullying in school.  We talk about stereotypical nerdy Asian kids when we were growing up and the troubling traumatic time many of them had going to school in America.  We discuss the importance of parental awareness and emotional support to help our kids cope psychologically if ever they are bullied.  We also debate the merits of Taylor Swift being named Time Magazine's Person of the Year.  The discussion devolves into an...

Ashley Recanati is an author, Futurist academic and lecturer of digital ecosystems.  His new book "AI Battle Royale: How to Protect your Job from Disruption in the 4th Industrial Revolution" guides workers through the perils of AI.  Today we talk about practical ways to think about AI and how to protect your working future from its impact.  We navigate the spectrum of doomsayers and optimists and talk about the poor understanding of our own intelligence as a species, and how that affects the...

Today we talk about brain fog and cognitive decline.  We share our personal experience with feeling dumber and discuss what might be the reasons behind it, and what we can do about it.  We talk about why it's so hard to speak up about intellectual weaknesses or to even admit experiencing temporary ones.  We talk about daily routines and addiction to screens and phones.  We discuss if global society has gotten dumber as a whole in the last few years, if ignorance is bliss, and what we should...

Anna Yang is an award-winning advertising creative.  She is the youngest ever delegate to have represented China and won gold at the Cannes Lions Festival of Creativity.  She has been named one of the Top 30 creatives in China by Campaign Brief.  She is also the recipient of the United Nations Common Ground Initiative Grant.  Today we talk about authenticity, purpose, love and acceptance.  We discuss our subconscious and Anna shares her experience with Quantum Healing Hypnosis Technique.  We...

Today we talk to friends of the show Jackie Wang and Andrew Trapp.  We discuss Andrew's decision to leave China after over a decade and Jackie's renewed perspective after leaving to live abroad and now returning to Shanghai on a visit.  We talk about the factors behind Andrew deciding to move back to America and reflect on his time living in China; what he learned  enjoyed, will miss, and won't miss.  We also talk about the small day-to-day experiences and also bigger things like personal...

Today Justin and Aric reflect on inner demons or "old friends" that cause torment, such as self-doubt, unmet expectations, fear of repeating hurtful patterns, and the feeling of time slipping away.  We discuss acceptance vs being content, guilt vs shame, and mindfulness.  We talk about our awkward friendship and explore what makes a "one-on-one" friend.  We also talk about the limits of human perspective, when false assumptions collide and zooming out across time and space to see the larger...

Today we talk about Baby Metal, a popular Japanese Kawaii-Metal band.  We talk about Asian countries re-appropriating Western culture such as Heavy Metal music and why its controversial to some.  We talk about the concept of "being cool" and the need to fit into a tribe during our youth.  We share our opinions on what "cool" actually means and talk about "artsy fartsy" people versus those truly rebelling against the status quo.  We also compare American players to European players in the NBA....

Gabor Holch is an intercultural leadership coach, speaker and author.  He has coached public leaders, CEO’s and high-level decision makers in some of the largest multinational companies in over 25 countries.  A former diplomat, he holds degrees in international relations, diplomacy and certifications in several assessment and coaching methodologies.  His latest book "Dragon Suit" is available now.  Today we discuss our human responses towards isolation, change, identity crises and technology....

Debora Malito is an author and Assistant Professor.  Her work surrounds questions of sovereignty and inequality in international politics.  Her current research focuses on how information is produced, international interventions and the reordering of states and political orders.  She is the author of "Destabilising Interventions in Somalia".  Today we unpack the intricacies of international interventions and how they often fail with disastrous consequences. Debora argues interveners often...

Today we learn about a series of misunderstandings that led to Aric's angry disappearance from the show last week.  This gets us talking about how petty misinterpretations can often lead to larger problems. We learn about concepts like fundamental attribution bias, actor/observer bias and how we act and react emotionally without always having all the information.  We talk about how we fill in the gaps with either positive or negative information, why we behave irrationally, and if the human...

Today we have no idea where Aric is.  His disappearance gets us talking about what else we don't know.  As we explore the mysteries of the unknown, we talk UFO's, share personal ghost stories and things we've experienced that can't be explained.  We talk about sleep paralysis, deja vu and other dimensions beyond our own.  We dig into human intelligence and the human experience.  Whats the actual reality of how much we know versus don't know? ____________________ If you enjoy this show don't...

Franklin Yao is the founder of Zrou, the plant-based meat alternative. He leads a team of scientists, chefs and branding leaders to create tasty food solutions such as plant-based protein alternatives to pork, beef and chicken. Through healthy, sustainable processes his company’s mission is to represent China on the global food stage, with affordable, accessible and attractive food options while doing “More Good”. Today we eat his Zrou chicken nuggets while we talk about how he compares Zrou...

Steve Shi is a psychotherapist, podcaster, personal growth and mental health educator and writer. He is a Top 50 most influential psychology professional in China and is host of “史蒂夫说” podcast, winner of 2019 Apple Best Podcast in Chinese. He was also the official Chinese translator of Jordan Peterson’s “12 Rules For Life”.  Today we dive into the psychology of relationships, our relationships with family, romantic partners and our relationship with culture, society, places and technology. We...

Jonathan Rechtman is one of the worlds top Chinese-English simultaneous interpreters and communication coach. He has served as interpreter for multiple Presidents, Prime Ministers, Fortune 500 CEOs, celebrities and Nobel Prize winners. He has also coached some of the most influential business leaders helping them with high-stakes communication skills. He is a co-founder of Next Level Communication and Cadence Translate and is passionate about helping people cross more than just linguistic...

Cyrus Janssen (王德中)​ is a Youtuber, geopolitical analyst, speaker and investor. He is well known for his Youtube channel where he shares insights on China and his videos have over 50 million views.  As an American, he hopes to help the world better understand China while dispelling western misunderstandings about the country.  Today we talk about his long awaited visit back, the state of US-China relations and how Americans think about China.  We talk about why the US is losing global...

Jason Smith is host of The Bridge Podcast, a show focused on building bridges between East and West by going beyond the headlines to find common ground amongst perceived opposites in the world.  He seeks to bridge his American home with his Chinese home through dialogue and understanding and is also a social media influencer with nearly 1 million fans.  Today we drink some baijiu from Inner-Mongolia and talk about Jason's recent travels, we talk about the term "老外" and if it's derogatory to...

Pete Rogers is a coach and speaker on mental health, parenting, EQ and leadership.  He is the Director of Counseling at Community Center Shanghai (CCS) and the founder of Rogers Consulting Group, "where EQ meets IQ".  He works with International school students and their parents with mental health related issues such as stress, anxiety and sadness.  His work seeks to help children and parents create emotionally healthy and vibrant families.  In addition he helps professional teams with...

Josef Gregory Mahoney is Professor of Politics and International Relations at East China Normal University.  The winner of multiple research awards he was formerly a university professor in the United States and public health officer with the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).  He also serves as Senior Research Fellow with the Institute for the Development of Socialism with Chinese Characteristics. Today we talk about his disillusionment working in US health services, his...

Frank Tsai is the largest single organizer of public lectures and talks in Shanghai.  He is the founder and CEO of China Crossroads, hosting the largest number of public talks on "China and the world" where he invites senior figures in academia, politics, business and foreign affairs.  He is an American formerly working at Control Risks, the top global risk consultancy and at The Economist Intelligence Unit.  He also has a background teaching geopolitical risk analysis and international...

Zak Dychtwald is the author of "Young China" and the founder and CEO of the Young China Group, a think tank focusing on the evolving East and West millennial mindset and the effects of China's young generation on the global marketplace, workplace and international relations.  He is a fluent mandarin speaker from northern California, TED talker, writer for the Harvard Business Review and speaks at forums and summits across the world on the topic of a people-first approach to China.  Today we...

Larry Wang is a career, talent and leadership development facilitator.  He has been supporting career and talent needs in China for over 30 years.  He is the author of "The New Gold Mountain", "Know The Game , Play The Game" and "How To Develop Yourself As a Future Executive, Today".  He works with both private individuals and top executives in the worlds most recognizable companies and shares his insights with programs such as Harvard, Wharton and Beida.  Today he reflects on his personal...

Today we talk about video game addiction, how AI will impact society, medicine and compare Chinese and American healthcare systems.  We also discuss the fading distinction between reality and digital reality and pose the question of, if there's a better reality between the two? We go on to talk about mass brain-washing, how often false narratives are pushed by the media, the imbalance in availability of dissenting perspective and the nature of public discourse in the West about China.  We...

Tilman Rieger is a conflict mediator, executive coach, interpersonal communication expert and cross-cultural consultant.  He is the founder of 8C Consulting and an expert in the fields of compassionate/nonviolent communication, transactional analysis and positive intelligence.  Simply put, today we talk about how to more effectively communicate, collaborate and negotiate with others.  We talk about ego states and personality types, conflicts between Asian and Western cultural etiquette or...

Today we talk about toxic masculinity and what it's supposed to mean being a man.  We talk about getting more emotional as we age and how we seem to cry much easier now.  We talk about paying the bill on dinner dates and the traditional expectations between the genders of who pays, we discuss how these social norms may be changing and in the context of Western and Chinese society.  We also talk about Arics wedding and how he didn't allow a "Hangover" situation. ____________________ If you...

Charles Zeng owns the Charlie's Burger restaurant chain.  As a Shanghai-based restauranteur, he recounts stories about operating during the 2022 lockdown.  We talk pizza in China, debate over American-Chinese food and rising violence in the US.  We also talk about dealing with anxiety, the "Art of being Stupid" and the "Art of War".  We discuss the AI program ChatGPT, the fear of Artificial Intelligence taking over soon and we are reminded that we are the last generation to have known a world...