Commonwealth Club of California Podcast

Latest Episodes:

The Autonomous Revolution: William Davidow, Michael Malone Jun 11, 2020

Show notes

Civilizations around the globe have been transformed over the past three centuries through the agricultural and industrial revolutions, eras that impacted all aspects of human society. According to two of savviest Silicon Valley experts in business and society, we are now at the dawn of a third revolution that will similarly change human history: the autonomous revolution in artificial intelligence (AI) that is ushering in an epic cultural transformation across the globe. In their latest book, The Autonomous Revolution, Silicon Valley leaders William Davidow and Michael Malone explore the impact on society of having machines that are capable of learning and adapting faster than humans and doing so entirely on their own. And for the first time in human history we no longer require physical locations to work, play, shop, socialize or be entertained. The same institutions that help society operate will remain—schools, banks, churches and corporations—but they will radically change form, obey new rules and use new tools. Davidow and Malone, authors of the seminal book The Virtual Corporation, explore the enormous implications of these developments, how we might adapt our values to these massive changes and how people can prepare to not only survive but thrive in this new era. Please join Davidow and Malone as they visit The Commonwealth Club to discuss the coming revolution and how we can deal with these emerging challenges before the autonomous revolution overcomes us.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Bakari Sellers: A Vanishing Country Jun 11, 2020

Show notes

Bakari Sellers became the youngest elected official in the country at the age of 22 when he won a seat in South Carolina’s House of Representatives. He argues, however, that his journey began long before he was born. His family faced many struggles as a part of the South's dwindling rural, black working class—losing access to health care as rural hospitals disappeared; attempting to make ends meet as the factories people relied on shut down and moved overseas; attempting to hold on to precious traditions as towns eroded; and forging a path forward without succumbing to despair—these are all facets of not only his life, but of an entire community’s. In My Vanishing Country, Bakari Sellers tells the story of his father’s rise to become a civil rights hero, a member of the Student Non-Violent Coordinating Committee (SNCC), and a role model for his own developing identity as a father to newborn twins. Join Sellers at INFORUM, where he will tell his deeply personal story of hope in the face of adversity and a history that is reflective of countless families in the American south. This conversation will be moderated by PolicyLink President and CEO Dr. Michael McAfee. NOTES: Part of our Good Lit series, underwritten by the Bernard Osher Foundation

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

George Packer: The End of the American Century Jun 09, 2020

Show notes

Richard Holbrooke is one of the most important diplomats of the last 50 years. Equally admired and detested, he was the force behind the Dayton Accords that ended the Balkan wars, considered by some to be America's greatest diplomatic achievement in the post-Cold War era. From his days as a young adviser in Vietnam to his last efforts to end the war in Afghanistan, Holbrooke embodied the postwar American impulse to take the lead on the global stage. But his sharp elbows and tireless self-promotion ensured that he never rose to the highest levels in government that he so desperately coveted. Holbrooke’s story is thus the story of America during its era of supremacy: its strength, drive and sense of possibility, as well as its penchant for overreach and heedless self-confidence. In Our Man, drawn from Holbrooke's diaries and papers, journalist George Packer gives us a nonfiction narrative that is both intimate and epic in its revelatory portrait of this extraordinary and deeply flawed man and the elite spheres of society and government he inhabited. NOTES This program is part of our Good Lit series, underwritten by the Bernard Osher Foundation.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

A Healthy Society Series: Healthier Rural America—Toward a Better Future Jun 09, 2020

Show notes

Moving America forward will take more than a vaccine. As we are finding today, many parts of our nation have been left behind and are not able to share in the great American dream. Rural America is at the focus of attention now because it is our food production center, our water supply center, and our energy enter—and now becoming a COVID-19 center. How can we move from the present to a new well-being in rural America? What do rural communities really look like today? What are the myths? What are the opportunities? Rural communities share much in common with urban and suburban communities, but there are differences too. What does a transformational model look like that has the power to revitalize rural communities by creating opportunities in alignment with 21st century needs. How can the decline of rural America be turned around to create a better future for all Americans. MLF ORGANIZER Robert Lee Kilpatrick NOTES MLF: Health & Medicine

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Jennifer Steinhauer: The Women Reshaping Congress Jun 09, 2020

Show notes

In her career as a reporter at The New York Times, Jennifer Steinhauer has worked a wide range of beats, including the metro, bureau and national desks, the Los Angeles bureau chief, and the United States Congress. She has covered pressing issues spanning across the country, including health care, veterans’ rights, and disaster relief during Hurricane Katrina. Now, Steinhauer divulges a fresh perspective on a shifting political landscape in her book The Firsts: The Inside Story of the Women Reshaping Congress. Steinhauer documents the incredible story of the women who were newly elected to the House of Representatives in 2018 and follows their pursuit of groundbreaking change. Tune in as Steinhauer shares her unique perspective of a congressional reporter to give insight into the campaigns of these strong freshman congresswomen and how their victory in November 2018 has translated to change on the Hill.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

A Discussion on Racial Inequality and Pride Month Jun 08, 2020

Show notes

As the country is convulsed by widespread protests over the killing of a black man, George Floyd, by Minneapolis police officers, we will discuss the impact it has had on our community, especially the LGBTQI community this month. Join us for an in-depth conversation about racial inequality and Pride Month

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

CLIMATE ONE: A Decade of Oil: From Deepwater Horizon to Deflation Jun 08, 2020

Show notes

Ten years ago, a very different crisis was gripping the country as 500 million gallons of oil gushed into the Gulf of Mexico, taking lives and threatening fishing, tourism and more. The nation’s worst oil disaster cost BP an estimated $145 billion in cleanup costs and penalties. Now the industry is experiencing another crisis within a pandemic, as oil prices collapsed to historic lows in April and are expected to remain volatile. What’s next in the industry’s uncertain future? How will the collapse of oil prices impact gradual efforts to shift away from fossil fuels? Join us for a conversation on the past, present and future of oil with Bill Reilly, former EPA administrator and co-chair of the National Commission on the BP Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill, Heather Richards, energy reporter at E&E News, and John Hofmeister, former president of Shell Oil Company.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Arlan Hamilton: About Damn Time Jun 05, 2020

Show notes

Arlan Hamilton’s story is one made for the movies. In 2015, she was homeless, sleeping on the floors of the San Francisco airport, and dreaming of making it big in the venture capital world. As a gay black woman, she knew she didn’t fit the typical mold of a VC superstar, but she also knew that there were countless other founders and funders whose potential remained underestimated and untapped because they were different. With zero connections in Silicon Valley and a single laptop, she founded Backstage Capital—a seed-stage investment fund that has since garnered national recognition and invested $5 million in more than 100 start-ups founded by minorities. Join Hamilton at INFORUM, where she will share her incredible story of triumph in the face of systematic adversity, and how she defied expectations in hopes of inspiring an entire industry to change for the better. This conversation will be moderated by Megan Rose Dickey, senior reporter at TechCrunch. NOTES Part of our Good Lit series, underwritten by the Bernard Osher Foundation

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Destination Health: Addressing Societal Trauma Jun 05, 2020

Show notes

How do we navigate the impact of a pandemic on our mental health and wellness? The health fears, social isolation and economic insecurity associated with the COVID-19 pandemic will likely lead to rising incidents of trauma in the United States and across the world. Just as we know that childhood trauma leads to poor health outcomes later in life, experts are concerned about the long-term effects on those who experience this event as a trauma. How significant is this risk, and what steps can we take to mitigate the impact? A panel of experts will outline how uncertainty and extended periods of stress affect the brain and how becoming more aware of your stress while learning how to manage your mental health can mitigate the impact of that trauma. They will also share resources and tools that help people get through a pandemic and discuss what is needed to support communities when it’s over, addressing the impacts of social isolation, including depression, suicidal ideation and substance abuse. NOTES This event is the third in The Commonwealth Club’s Thought Leadership series, Destination Health, which is focusing on the future of health, featuring in-depth conversations on the challenges driving physical, mental and social health

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

David Frum: Restoring American Democracy Jun 04, 2020

Show notes

The “Trump effect” on our democracy reaches far beyond 4-year presidential terms. President Trump has highlighted a chasm among the American people, revealing a fierce “us vs. them” mentality that might not be amended depending on who is elected in 2020. Many Americans feel the rest of the country is building a future that doesn’t have a place for them. Why would they want to participate in the systems that have led to their disenfranchisement? Popular political commentator David Frum believes there is a way for those excluded from Trump’s America to reclaim their democracy and reshape the political landscape. In his new book, Trumpocalypse: Restoring American Democracy, Frum outlines a map for the reinvention of American democracy and world leadership in the wake of Trump’s historic presidency. Frum argues that the United States is experiencing great trauma, and we need to do better—for ourselves, for our neighbors, for our nation. Join us for a virtual conversation as David Frum makes the case for believing in the possibilities of a united America once again.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices