Welcome to In Conversation with Nathalie Nahai (formerly known as The Hive Podcast), the series that enquires into our relationship with one another, technology and the natural world. Join me as we dive into the complex and challenging questions of our time, and explore how some of the greatest minds are forging new and exciting paths forward. For more resources and information about the show, please visit nathalienahai.com/in-conversation/
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July 4, 20261 hr 2 min
168. Facing Darkness: The Mythic Power of Chaos & Creation / Michael Meade
In this final episode of the season, I speak with Michael Meade - a renowned storyteller, author, and scholar of mythology, anthropology, and psychology. He combines hypnotic storytelling, street-savvy perceptiveness, and spellbinding interpretations of ancient myths with a deep knowledge of cross-cultural rituals. He has an unusual ability to distill and synthesize these disciplines, tapping into ancestral sources of wisdom and connecting them to the stories we are living today.The celebrated author of Awakening the Soul, The Genius Myth, Fate and Destiny, Why the World Doesn't End and The Water of Life; and the creator of the Living Myth Podcast, Michael is also the founder of Mosaic Multicultural Foundation, a nonprofit network of artists, activists, and community builders that encourages greater understanding between diverse peoples.WEBSITEShttps://www.mosaicvoices.org/ Podcast: https://www.mosaicvoices.org/podcast Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/michaelmeade_mosaicvoices/ BOOKShttps://store.mosaicvoices.org/collections/books-1 CHAPTERS00:00 The Power of Storytelling02:58 Creativity as an Ongoing Process05:59 Facing Darkness and the Unknown08:44 The Role of Mythology in Understanding Darkness11:56 Navigating Personal and Collective Darkness14:44 The Concept of Apocalypse and Renewal17:37 Awakening the Inner Genius20:49 The Healing Power of Music and Art23:49 Rites of Passage and Individual Uniqueness26:43 Finding Your Thread of Creativity29:49 Breaking Down Barriers to Creativity33:55 The Journey of the Soul40:58 Creation and Chaos: The Dance of Transformation51:47 The Acorn and the Oak: Nurturing Inner Potential
June 20, 20261 hr 1 min
167. World Glimpsing: On Death, Creativity, Ritual & Resistance To Categorisation / James Taylor-Foster
Today, I’m speaking with James Taylor-Foster - a curator, writer, and cultural leader investigating how the creativity of artists, designers, and thinkers reimagines our world – shaping popular culture and public life. Recently appointed Executive Director of Para Site, Hong Kong’s leading non-profit contemporary art centre, James's practice bridges contemporary art, design, architecture, and digital culture.As a convenor and curator he blurs disciplinary boundaries, exploring unconventional ways of nurturing institutions and their audiences. This expansive approach is both greenhouse and staging ground: cultivating emergent ideas for wider cultural spheres while building ambitious platforms for assembling many forms of making into new ways of seeing, feeling, and imagining.James’ work shines light on how creativity continually re-envisions reality, and it was in a talk he gave at the Gottlieb Duttweiler Institute earlier this year, that I heard him speak about “world-glimsping” – a phrase he coined to describe the curious, evocative and transporting ways in which artists of all stripes can invite us into alternative experiences that both broaden and deepen our felt sense of the futures we might yet create together.As our dominant social and generative AI platforms continue to commoditise, capture and corode not only our attention, but also our imaginations, I couldn’t resist asking James to come onto the show and share his vision of the power of creativity to shape what comes next.WEBSITEShttps://james.tf/https://www.para-site.art/2026/03/16/welcoming-james-taylor-foster-as-para-sites-next-executive-director/ CHAPTERS3:19 Homogenisation and Creativity5:10 Design and Frictionless Society7:06 Infantilisation and Technology10:17 Crisis of Creativity13:52 Death and Vulnerability29:11 Transhumanism and Embodiment30:00 Cultural Spaces and Information Overload31:55 Monogamous Mind, Polyamorous Terror39:21 Ritual, Non-Dualism and Initiation46:34 World Glimpsing and Role-play54:25 Reflection and Journaling
June 6, 202659 min
166. I Save People & I Know Better Than You: How Not To Save The World / Anthea Lawson
In today’s conversation, I have the please of welcoming Anthea Lawson back onto the show. Having trained and worked as a reporter at The Times, and studied history at Cambridge, her work as an activist has seen Anthea campaign to shut down tax havens, control the arms trade and prevent banks from facilitating corruption and environmental devastation. While working at Global Witness, a human rights and environmental organisation, Anthea also launched a campaign that succeeded in changing the rules on secret company ownership, resulting in new laws being passed in dozens of countries around the world. A lot has changed since then – the geopolitical landscape has shifted, some of these laws have been repealed, and so her new book, How Not to Save the World: Doing Good Without Annoying Everyone is perfectly timed, and it’s coming out on June 4th. And given the theme and where we find ourselves right now, I felt like this would be the perfect moment to invite her back on the show.I first encountered Anthea in 2022, when I interviewed her on episode 86 about her book, The Entangled Activist. If you’re unfamiliar with her work, that is a fantastic place to start.BOOKSHow Not to Save the World: Doing Good Without Annoying Everyone – Anthea Lawson (https://www.anthealawson.uk/how-not-to-save-the-world)The Entangled Activist – Anthea Lawson (https://www.anthealawson.uk/the-entangled-activist)WEBSITESanthealawson.ukCHAPTERS00:00 The Global Human Psyche and Climate Awareness02:44 Activism and Personal Motivators06:52 The Save the World Script10:56 Navigating Activism and Community Engagement14:44 Bridging Divides in Activism18:56 Stories of Change and Resistance31:36 Navigating Civility in Hostile Conversations34:02 The Impact of Personal Histories on Activism37:51 Understanding the Savior Complex in Activism45:22 Rethinking Service vs. Saving in Philanthropy50:23 Building Solidarity Through Community Engagement55:37 The Role of Technology in Activism and Community Building
May 23, 20261 hr 4 min
165. Playing For The Future: Freedom, Agency & Technological Determinism / Dr Elaine Kasket
In this conversation, I have the pleasure of speaking with Dr Elaine Kasket - a UK-based Cyberpsychologist and Chartered Counselling Psychologist whose work explores how technology reshapes our wellbeing, relationships, work and identity.Bringing a rich and deeply humanistic lens to the psychological, philosophical and social dilemmas we face in an age of AI, Elaine’s work explores not only the idea of digital permanence (what happens to our data beyond our death), but also how we can retain agency and humanity at a time in which so much of our lives are becoming quantified and digitised.Through her books, talks, keynotes and clinical practice, Elaine challenges prevailing narratives of helplessness in the face of technology and helps individuals and organisations build more meaningful lives with and through tech.She has authored two books. The first, All the Ghosts in the Machine: The Digital Afterlife of Your Personal Data (Robinson, 2019), is an exploration of how the online dead affect the privacy, finances and experiences of the living in surprising and evolving ways. The second book, Reset: Rethinking Your Digital World for a Happier Life (Elliott & Thompson, 2024), examines how we use — and sometimes misuse — technology across our personal and professional lives, and offers practical and values-driven ways to make smarter, more self-aware digital choices.A regular contributor across international media and podcasts, Elaine is a renowned keynote speaker and storyteller, and she has collaborated with audiences and organisations worldwide, from Netflix, TEDx and the House of Beautiful Business, to the NHS, the Edinburgh Fringe and Latitude.Having served five years as an Honorary Professor of Psychology at the University of Wolverhampton in recognition of her work on life in the digital age, Elaine is currently Visiting Professor at the Centre for Death and Society (CDAS) at the University of Bath. She was formerly a full-time academic and Head of Department for the Doctorate in Counselling Psychology at Regent’s University, and she is an Associate Fellow of the British Psychological Society, a Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts, and a Senior Fellow of the Higher Education Academy.I was introduced to Elaine through a mutual friend and was absolutely captivated by her capacity to the complexity of many of the challenges and opportunities we face in this current moment. This was a compelling, thoughtful, heart-breaking, mind-expanding conversation, and I hope that you find it as enriching as I did.BOOKSReset: Rethinking Your Digital World for a Happier Life – Elaine Kasket (https://www.elainekasket.com/reboot)All the Ghosts in the Machine: The Digital Afterlife of Your Personal Data – Elaine Kasket (https://www.elainekasket.com/all-the-ghosts)The Atlas of AI – Kate Crawford (https://katecrawford.net/home)WEBSITEShttps://www.linkedin.com/in/elaine-kasket/https://www.drelainekasket.com/https://www.elainekasket.com/CHAPTERS03:11 Free Will vs. Determinism in the Digital Age05:58 The Impact of Technology on Relationships08:59 AI Companions and the Loss of Reciprocity11:54 The Nature of Therapy in the Age of AI14:59 Experiential Avoidance and Psychological Flexibility18:01 The Role of Technology in Human Connection21:10 Seeking Meaning in a Technological World24:00 The Dangers of a Flattened Existence27:10 The Machine Stops: A Cautionary Tale30:02 Rewilding and the Human Condition35:02 The Philosophical Roots of Dominion Over Nature39:07 AI's Impact on Climate Change Awareness43:07 The Struggle for Emotional Control and Human Connection47:03 The Role of AI in Shaping Work Culture51:11 Navigating the Challenges of Capitalism and AI55:08 The Developmental Arc of Technology and Human Connection
May 9, 20261 hr 2 min
164. Art, Perversity & Co-Creating Possible Futures / Low Kee Hong
In today’s conversation, I speak with Low Kee Hong – Creative Director at Factory International, a pioneering Creative Company and Charity that commissions, produces, and presents a year-round programme of cultural opportunities and extraordinary artistic experiences, driven by innovation and a focus on sustainable futures.Responsible for overseeing the work of the Creative Engagement programme which brings opportunities for people from all backgrounds, ages and from all corners of the city of Manchester, where they’re based, Low also leads the international department in collaborating with venues, festivals and other cultural organisations around the world.Having previously worked as Artistic Director and General Manager of the Singapore Arts Festival, and the Founding Director and General Manager of the Singapore Biennale and Associate Artistic Director of TheatreWorks (Singapore), Low also headeded up the Theatre for Performing Arts at the West Kowloon Cultural District Authority in Hong Kong, where he was responsible for formulating the district’s artistic direction and strategies for Contemporary Performance, Dramatic and Theatre Arts.Now, you may be asking yourself why, on a show that principally explores our relationship with one another, with technology and with the living world, I’m interviewing an Artistic Director… Well, as the challenges we face increase in complexity and unpredictability, I believe that it is precisely our capacity to think pluralistically, laterally and creatively, that will help us to shift the initial conditions from which we operate, so that more fruitful futures might emerge.I believe that this is particularly true when it comes to redefining how we imagine, develop and deploy public-facing technology. As the dynamics that underpin our current media systems serve to fracture the social fabric and capture our algorythmically-influenced imaginations, it is often the artist – in all their forms – that can dance amidst the chaos, swim against the tide of homogeneity, and whisper into being alternative futures that unfold far beyond our conceptions of the beaten track.I first met Low at an IBTM travel conference that we were both speaking at in Barcelona last year, and I was so captivated by his thinking and approach that I just had to invite him onto the show. I hope you revel in ths conversation as much as I did.WEBSITEShttps://factoryinternational.org/https://www.onassis.org/people/low-kee-hong-ukhttps://gdi.ch/enCHAPTERS7:26 The Power of Art as a Change Maker11:24 Cultural Memory and Indigenous Knowledge12:25 Sensory Expansion18:19 Artistic Collaboration and Community Engagement32:20 Community Engagement33:54 Art and Governance43:33 Financial Sustainability in the Arts49:18 Corporate Partnerships51:27 Artistic Perversity54:32 AI and Creativity61:31 Conclusion and Future Vision
April 25, 20261 hr 4 min
163. Intuition, Heuristics & Prediction: The Limits of LLMs in an Unstable World / Professor Gerd Gigerenzer
Today I have the pleasure of speaking with Professor Gerd Gigerenzer – a world-leading psychologist, author and internationally acclaimed expert in decision-making, risk literacy, and bounded rationality. Formerly a Professor of Psychology at the University of Chicago and John M. Olin Distinguished Visiting Professor at the School of Law at the University of Virginia, Professor Gigerenzer has reshaped how we understand human intuition, heuristics, and the ways in which we make decisions under uncertainty. A long-time director at the Max Planck Institute for Human Development with decades of groundbreaking research to his name, he is currently director of the Harding Center for Risk Literacy at the University of Potsdam and vice-president of the European Research Council (ERC). Having trained managers, doctors, and U.S. federal judges in dealing with risks and uncertainties, Professor Gigerenzer has received a litany of awards, from the German Psychology Prize and Communicator Prize, to the award for the best journal article in the behavioral sciences by the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS).Switzerland’s prestigious Duttweiler Institute has named Gigerenzer one of the 100 most influential thinkers in the world, and it is there – at their International Trends Day – that I met him, sharing a stage exploring our perpectives around the impacts of digital noise, the current use of LLMs, and how we might more wisely navigate an increasingly complex and uncertain world.His talk was one of my highlights of the event, and so it is with great pleasure that I share this conversation with you today.BOOKShttps://www.gerd-gigerenzer.com/books WEBSITEShttps://www.gerd-gigerenzer.com/ https://www.mpg.de/enhttps://www.hardingcenter.de/en https://erc.europa.eu/homepage CHAPTERS02:32 Technological Paternalism and Human Agency05:36 The Role of Intuition in Decision Making08:45 The Impact of Algorithms on Human Interaction11:35 Human Intelligence vs. Algorithms14:48 Understanding Stable and Unstable Worlds17:43 The Risks of Predictive Policing20:33 Deep Fakes and Disinformation23:42 The Accountability Shift in AI26:36 The Influence of Tech Oligarchs29:27 Changing the System for Better Leadership32:37 Reclaiming Agency in a Digital World35:34 Hope for the Future of Digital Literacy36:32 The Cost of Freedom in Social Media38:38 Conditioning and the Need for Critical Thinking41:28 Mental Health and Cognitive Challenges in the Digital Age45:24 The Shift from Extrinsic to Intrinsic Motivation51:36 Rediscovering Joy Beyond Screens56:39 The Future of Technology and Human Connection
April 11, 202648 min
162. The Future of AI is Responsible & Inclusive / Professor Sue Black OBE
Today I have the distinct pleasure of speaking with Professor Sue Black, OBE - a multi-award-winning computer scientist, social entrepreneur, and technology evangelist with over 25 years of experience driving change at the intersection of technology, equity, and public policy.Recognised as one of the Forbes World Top 50 Women in Tech and in the Top 20 Most Influential Person in UK Tech, Sue’s work spans bias in AI, digital inclusion, culture change, and community transformation.She has advised the UK government on digital skills, founded TechUPWomen to support underserved women into tech careers, and was the pioneering mind who led the successful campaign to save Bletchley Park.Currently serving as a trustee at Comic Relief and the Institute for the Future of Work, Sue’s mission is to ensure technology works for everyone, not just the few. And it is precisely her focus and work around responsible AI, inclusive leadership, and tech for good that inspired me to speak with her today.WEBSITEShttps://sueblack.co.uk/https://www.skool.com/women-in-tech-power-network/abouthttps://www.techup.ac.uk/contact-us/CHAPTERS05:01 The Role of Technology in Society10:00 Education and Technology Literacy17:00 The AI Opportunity Gap23:11 Navigating AI and Technology Myths27:07 Harnessing Positive Technologies for Everyday Life27:31 Understanding Gender Disparities in AI Adoption28:25 Skepticism vs. Adoption: A Deeper Look at AI30:25 The Importance of Diversity in Tech Development32:23 Breaking Down Silos: The Value of Intergenerational Perspectives34:33 Using Technology for Pro-Social Outcomes35:53 Empowering Women in Tech: Challenges and Solutions41:50 The Need for Diverse Leadership in Tech42:13 Creating a Diverse Board for Ethical Tech Decisions43:37 Current Focus: Empowering Women in Technology
March 28, 202650 min
161. LLMs: The Next Frontier of Information Warfare / Carl Miller
In this episode, I speak with Carl Miller: an author, journalist and researcher at Demos, a London think tank where he co-founded the Centre for the Analysis of Social Media in 2012. A renowned speaker, Carl has given address in Parliament, to NATO, at TED, the Web Summit, the Hay Literary Festival, Oxford University, the British Academy, the Mayor of London, Latitude and many more. As a journalist, he has written on everything from living in a political technology commune and visiting an information warfare base, to meeting fake news merchants in Kosovo. He’s conducted longterm, immersive investigations into the digital democrats in Taiwan, hackers in Las Vegas and assassination markets on the dark net, and he's the host of the multi-award-winning, 7-country #1 podcast, Kill List.The author of several books, including The Death of the Gods: The New Global Power Grab (which won the 2019 Transmission prize), Carl has led over 40 major projects to research the digital world. He highlighted the influence of conspiracy theories in 2010, called for digital literacy education in 2012. He warned about the rise of crypto-currencies in 2013, and how the digital world was transforming policing. With the former Director of GCHQ, he coined 'SOCMINT', social media intelligence. In 2015 he led a team monitoring the rise of digital politics over the General Election. In 2016 he worked on using machine learning to measure how social media was targeting minority groups for abuse. From 2019 onwards, he has focussed on confronting the rise of shadowy forms of influence, disinformation and information warfare.And this, dear listeners, is what we’ll be exploring today…WEBSITESwww.carlmiller.cohttps://www.linkedin.com/in/carlmiller/http://www.demos.co.uk/people/carl-millerhttps://demos.academia.edu/CarlMiller www.demos.co.ukBOOKS & RESOURCESBook: The Death of The Gods – Carl Miller (https://www.penguin.co.uk/books/436073/the-death-of-the-gods-by-carl-miller/9781786090126)Writing: https://carl-miller-website.webflow.io/writingPodcast: Kill List (Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/kill-list/id1769072368 / Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/0MKZSB39sSnSYHzey11SPF) CITEDDemos Waves Project - https://demos.co.uk/project/waves/ Estonia's X-Road Digital Identity System - https://e-estonia.com/solutions/interoperability-services/x-road/ CHAPTERS06:06 The Role of Technology in Society11:18 Information Warfare and AI17:00 Civic Engagement and Digital Literacy25:41 The Challenge of Digital Identity and Security28:17 The Evolution of Internet Trust and Fraud30:28 The Implications of AI on Identity and Trust33:53 Innovations in Digital Democracy: The Waves Project
March 14, 20261 hr 13 min
160. The Power of Curiosity: How To Cope With Uncertainty / Richard Gerver
Today I’m speaking with Richard Gerver - one of the foremost experts on change and human leadership, described by the late Sir Ken Robinson as, “One of the clearest and most passionate voices for radical change both in education and in business.” A best-selling author, educator and keynote speaker, Richard’s work draws upon a deep understanding and compassionate interpretation of change and human potential, and – as Sir Robinson describes – “In his compelling presentations and books, he takes his powerful message of hope and possibility to educators, business leaders and policy makers around the world.” The mind behind two hugely successful courses on LinkedIn Learning, Richard is also the author of four renowned books – Change, Simple Thinking, Education: A Manifesto for Change and Creating Tomorrow's Schools Today – guides that draw upon his experience as an educator and consultant to businesses and organisations, to help readers think in new ways about the people we know and the places we work in.I first met Richard at the World Business Forum last year in Madrid, where we talked about his forthcoming book, Curiosity, which is due out in Spring 2027. We hit if off immediately and I just had to invite him onto the show to explore the many themes about which we are both deeply passionate. This was a moving conversation for me, and I hope you enjoy it.SUMMARYRichard Gerver and Nathalie Nahai explore the depths of human psyche, change, curiosity, and collective resilience. They discuss how uncertainty, fear, and the need for certainty shape our world, and how storytelling, vulnerability, and micro-activism can foster hope and transformation.WEBSITEhttps://richardgerver.com/ BOOKS & RESOURCESBooks:https://richardgerver.com/books/ CHAPTERS00:00 The Global Human Psyche: Uncertainty and Fear06:23 The Fragility of Certainty: Learning from Failure11:59 Risk and Growth: The Importance of Taking Chances19:27 Personal Journeys: Adversity and Resilience23:38 Curiosity: The Key to Navigating Change34:58 Questioning vs. Condemnation: The Power of Curiosity36:07 The Dignity of Disagreement37:35 The Power of Storytelling in Change41:43 Micro Activism and Personal Responsibility44:28 The Renaissance of Humanity48:14 Navigating Darkness Together52:40 The Role of Shame in Human Connection58:56 Empowering Change Through Responsibility
February 28, 20261 hr 6 min
159. The Evolved Brain: How To Thrive In A Complex World / Dr Paul Goldsmith
To kick off this new season, I’m speaking with Dr Paul Goldsmith, a neuroscientist and practising neurologist with a background in founding and building life sciences companies across both the drug and digital therapeutics space, in addition to NHS systems and strategic experience, clinical networks, vanguard and clinical senate roles.Having studied natural sciences at the University of Cambridge and gained a clinical scholarship from the University of Oxford, Paul undertook postgraduate medical training in Oxford, at the National Hospital for Neurology in London, and in Cambridge, and went on to take a Ph.D. in developmental neuroscience at Cambridge, which lead to an interest in evolutionary medicine. A visiting professor at Imperial College London in the Institute of Global Health Innovation, he is also the author of a new book, “The Evolving Brain: How to thrive in a world we weren’t meant for”, a guide that draws from his clinical to offer compassionate, practical insights on the evolutionary origins of our brain and how we can best use it to thrive in our daily lives.Given the increasing complexity and turbulence we face today, this felt like a poignant place from which to open this series of conversations, and I hope you find this episode as uplifting, companionate and insightful as I did.SUMMARYIn this conversation, Paul Goldsmith and Nathalie Nahai explore the intricate connections between the human psyche, the evolving brain, and the challenges of modern life. They discuss the importance of understanding our place within a larger system, the role of social goals in happiness, and the impact of meaningful relationships on well-being. They examine the complexities of modern existence, including the decline in fertility rates, the influence of social media on loneliness, and the significance of community and shared experiences. Finally, Paul and Nathalie emphasise the need for self-compassion, the power of physical activity, and the potential for finding beauty in adversity.WEBSITEhttps://www.linkedin.com/in/paul-goldsmith-624241/ BOOKS The Evolving Brain: How to thrive in a world we weren’t meant for (https://www.hachette.co.uk/contributor/dr-paul-goldsmith/)CHAPTERS00:00 The Global Human Psyche02:39 Understanding the Evolving Brain05:40 The Complexity of Modern Goals08:29 Navigating Social Dynamics and Relationships11:40 The Role of Melancholy in Goal Pursuit14:38 The Impact of Modern Society on Fertility and Loneliness17:35 Finding Meaning and Belonging in Life33:16 The Quest for Validation in Modern Life36:21 Understanding Neurodivergence and Focus40:50 Auditing Personal Goals and Life Purpose44:40 The Power of Connection and Community56:25 The Role of Ego in Our Perception of Reality
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