ZigZag

Latest Episodes:

Update: It’s Hard Going Back to School, Work, and Saving Journalism Sep 06, 2018

Show notes

Never heard ZigZag? Start with Season One, Chapter One.
This is an update episode between Seasons 1 and 2 of ZigZag.
On Sept 20, we'll have a special report on the Civil token sale.
Season Two officially starts on Oct 11, 2018.

This week, Manoush and Jen discuss Civil’s biggest partnership to date, why boredom is more relevant than ever, and address listeners who wish they would stop cursing on their show.

GO DEEPER:
What the Associated Press hopes Civil’s tech will help them achieve. Not only is Manoush’s book Bored and Brilliant out in paperback: a 3-year study about boredom is underway. The Basic Attention Token is a blockchain experiment worth watching. Tech testifies about how you get your information. Women curse too and that’s a good thing. The badass song in the episode comes from listener Tine Schenck, a Norwegian feminist and musician. The button to donate to Manoush and Jen is still working.

Who you’ll hear: Manoush (@manoushZ) Jen (@jpoyant)

Support our work at https://zigzagpod.com/donate/

**CREDITS:
**David Herman, Audio Engineer and Composer

ZigZag comes from Stable Genius Productions, in partnership with Civil. We are proud members of Radiotopia, from PRX.

ZigZag is the business show about being human.

Join a community of listeners riding the twists and turns of late-capitalism, searching for a kinder, more sustainable way. Manoush Zomorodi and Jen Poyant investigate how work and business impact our wellbeing and the planet we live on. On Seasons 4 and 5, hear from rebels and visionaries with radical ideas on how we can build stable lives, careers, and companies.

**If you’re also interested in Jen and Manoush’s personal story and their adventures in starting their own business with a little help from blockchain technology, listen to the first three seasons, starting with Season 1, Chapter 1.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Chapter 12: Enter the Mesh Aug 23, 2018

Show notes

Manoush and Jen wrap up Season One* by interviewing Joe Lubin, co-founder of the Ethereum blockchain, about his involvement with Civil and whether the tech is up to the task of supporting a new platform for journalism. They also have honest answers for listeners about where ZigZag and their business, Stable Genius Productions, go next. Plus, a surprise treat at the end makes this season finale sing.
*ZigZag will be back with updates on the Civil token sale on Sept 6 and Sept 20. Season Two officially starts on Oct 11.

GO DEEPER:
Joe Lubin believes the most valuable companies of the future will be decentralized with “flat” leadership. What Ethereum is doing to handle more transactions. 40 Ethereum apps you can, allegedly, use right now. But also, Ponzi schemes are breaking out there too. Track how many people have signed up for the Civil token sale here. The state of podcasts in 2018. “The challenge is not a small one”: analysis of Civil from the Columbia Journalism Review and Brooklyn Based, Breaker, and Marketplace. The button to donate to Manoush and Jen is finally working.

Who you’ll hear: Manoush (@manoushZ) Jen (@jpoyant) Joe Lubin, co-founder of Ethereum and Founder of Consensys (@ethereumJoseph)

Support our work at https://zigzagpod.com/donate/

**Credits:
**David Herman, Audio Engineer and Composer
Alice Rutherford, Illustrations

ZigZag is the business show about being human.

If you’re also interested in Jen and Manoush’s personal story and their adventures in starting their own business with a little help from blockchain technology, listen to the first three seasons, starting with Season 1, Chapter 1.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Chapter 11: Ten Things You Should Know About Crypto Aug 16, 2018

Show notes

From Crypto Kitties to Bitcoin Carnivores, the world of crypto is like a weird parallel reality, hidden just out of plain sight from most of us. This top ten countdown will grant you powers to see previously-invisible blockchain subcultures and experiments surrounding you...but beware: once spotted, they cannot be unseen. Our field guide is the very knowledgable and deadpan Joon Ian Wong of Coindesk.

**GO DEEPER:
**ZigZag: Chapter 2 is Blockchain 101. So much lingo: magical crypto friends, Hodl and Buidl, Bitcoin Maximalists. South Korea is crypto crazy. Ethereum’s creator and his concept of a “World Computer.” Paul Krugman’s op-ed: Why I’m a Crypto Skeptic. Why Venezuelans want out of the Bolivar. Joon uses Bitrefill in Asia. Russian hackers paid by Bitcoin. Mining warehouses in Mongolia. Blockchain + Brooklyn = a solar panel experiment. Fighting back against Bitcoin energy guzzlers. Will proof-of-stake lower Ethereum’s environmental impact? Jimmy Song thinks smart contracts are dumb. Ethereum's existential crisis.

Who you’ll hear: Manoush (@manoushZ) Jen (@jpoyant) Joon Ian Wong (joonian) Managing Director at Coindesk

Support our work at https://zigzagpod.com/donate/

ZigZag is the business show about being human.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Chapter 10: Listening to Anthony Bourdain Aug 09, 2018

Show notes

Anthony Bourdain did a very unusual interview a few months before his death: he spent an afternoon with Maria Bustillos, founder of Popula.com and the first journalist to join the Civil platform. Bourdain Confidential, her piece about their wonderfully philosophical and fiery conversation, went viral when she published it in July. Now, for the first time, Maria shares her audio recording of their time together; hear Bourdain’s take on Obama, his choice words for other celebrities, and why he felt he could never share his happiest travel moments with his TV audience.

GO DEEPER:
Fiction Confidential is an in-depth analysis of Bourdain’s books that Maria wrote and he loved. They met in February at The Coliseum, a Manhattan restaurant/bar that just closed forever. After writing Inside the Fight Over Bitcoin’s Future and other articles for the New Yorker, Maria became obsessed with blockchain technology. Manoush and Jen reference this Twitter conversation in their update. The new and excellent podcast we mention at the end is NYCFAQ. The book Maria recommends is The History Thieves. The information war is on. Several listeners have asked about the Goethe quote from Chapter 9 (and the debate surrounding its provenance).

An important note:
If you or someone you know is having suicidal thoughts, don’t hesitate. Call the U.S. National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-TALK (8255) or click here for numbers outside the U.S.

Who you’ll hear: Manoush (@manoushZ) Jen (@jpoyant) Maria Bustillos (@mariabustillos) Anthony Bourdain (Rest In Peace)

Support our work at https://zigzagpod.com/donate/

ZigZag is the business show about being human.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Chapter 9: Letter from Startup-Blockchain-Women-Entrepreneurland Aug 02, 2018

Show notes

Civil postpones its token sale until September and lowers expectations of how much the sale can generate. Meanwhile, Manoush and Jen are floored by emails from listeners about the changes they’ve made in their lives since #MeToo. Plus, Manoush responds to criticism that she and Jen “act like silly dumb girls” whenever they discuss high-level concepts.

**GO DEEPER:
**Here's where to 1) read the Civil FAQ and Constitution 2)take the registration quiz, 3) ask questions in Telegram and 4) educate yourself about crypto risk. Token Foundry will run the CVL token sale and has published consumer-protection standards. Mapping-with-blockchain company FOAM is doing the token-sale-thing now (btw, 1 out of 4 people failed its quiz). The New Yorker article about pay parity at the BBC and the different words we use to describe male and female leaders.

Who you’ll hear: Manoush (@manoushZ) Jen (@jpoyant) and ZigZag listeners!

Support our work at https://zigzagpod.com/donate/

ZigZag is the business show about being human.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Chapter 8: Putting Crypto Pioneers to the Test Jul 26, 2018

Show notes

It’s true. ZigZag listeners agree that registering to buy CVL tokens is a pain in the ass. And yet, many still plan to join Civil’s experimental social network for journalism. On this episode, listeners ask tough question and explain why they’re undeterred by the platform’s growing pains. Also, Manoush and Jen gather the “First-Fleet” of Civil journalists to discuss problems with employers and business-models past (DNAInfo, The Denver Post, the New York Daily News)...and how they plan to make sure local and investigative journalism have a future, tokens or no tokens.

GO DEEPER:

The story of Munchee explains much of Civil’s caution around its token sale. Nieman Lab thinks it’s funny that Manoush failed the crypto quiz. Kara Swisher’s conversation with Mark Zuckerberg about platforms, information, and power. Ex-Politico reporter Azi Paybarah, Professor Christina Greer, and the Daily Beast’s Harry Siegel explain how their upcoming podcast, FAQ NYC, will fill a gap in local news. The debate over journalism and paywalls. For now, everything on the first-fleet sites Popula, Sludge, Block Club Chicago, Cannabis Wire, and Documented is free. Sign up for ZigZag’s newsletter for our weekly pick of thought-provoking articles and podcasts.

Who you’ll hear: Manoush (@manoushZ) Jen (@jpoyant) Matthew Iles (@matthewiles) Maria Bustillos Founder of Popula (@mariabustillos) Stephanie Lulay Block Club Chicago (@slulay2) Eric Lubbers The Colorado Sun (@brofax) Harry Siegle FAQNYC (@harrysiegel)

Support our work at https://zigzagpod.com/donate/

—

Produced by Stable Genius Productions

Follow ZigZag on Instagram and Twitter: @ZigZagpod

ZigZag is the business show about being human.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Chapter 7: A New Frontier for Journalism? Jul 19, 2018

Show notes

The time has come. Civil, the blockchain startup for journalism, made its big announcement: members of the public can now register to buy its digital currency, the CVL token. But Manoush and Jen are surprised by the strict parameters Civil has set for the sale. What do these restrictions mean for their finances? Will people go through Civil’s rigorous process to buy tokens? Maybe...but only if they’re absolutely convinced that the ethics of the platform are worth supporting. Enter Vivian Schiller, ex-CEO of NPR, now head of Civil’s Council, enforcer of its Constitution, and the most public face of the platform.

GO DEEPER:

Civil wants people to read this FAQ section and answer a questionnaire before registering to buy CVL tokens. The Wall Street Journal got the scoop. Token Foundry weeds out sellers and buyers who just want to make a fast buck. How to launch a newsroom on Civil. Vivian Schiller just introduced the first Civil Council members. CVL’s token design is based on a framework developed by the Brooklyn Project, an initiative to promote responsible token exchanges. Time to know the difference between cold and hot wallets.

Who you’ll hear: Manoush (@manoushZ) Jen (@jpoyant) Matthew Iles (@matthewiles) Vivian Schiller (@vivan)

Support our work at https://zigzagpod.com/donate/

—

Produced by Stable Genius Productions

Follow ZigZag on Instagram and Twitter: @ZigZagpod

ZigZag is the business show about being human.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Chapter 6: What's a CVL Token? Jul 12, 2018

Show notes

A heady cocktail of cryptoeconomics and game theory is fueling Civil’s big plan to save journalism. Add a “token curated registry” to the mix and it’s enough to give everyone a virtual hangover. Luckily, economist Stephanie Hurder, obsessive crypto-journalist Laura Shin, and hot sauce come to the rescue.

ZigZag is the business show about being human.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Chapter 5: Men, Women and Vulnerability Jul 05, 2018

Show notes

With Civil’s token launch looming, Manoush and Jen go for one last gut check with the guys who helped inspire their meta journey: Alex Blumberg and Matt Lieber, co-founders of Gimlet Media. Season One of their hugely successful podcast StartUp documented Alex and Matt’s own entrepreneurial highs and lows. But the two women want to know: how did living out loud affect their psyches and families? And does gender change the story?

Who you’ll hear: Manoush (@manoushZ) Jen (@jpoyant) The Cofounders of Gimlet Media (@gimletmedia) Matt Lieber (@mlieber) Alex Blumberg (@abexlumberg)

Support our work at https://zigzagpod.com/donate/

—

Produced by Stable Genius Productions

Follow ZigZag on Instagram and Twitter: @ZigZagpod

ZigZag is the business show about being human.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Chapter 4: Hedging Your Bets Jun 28, 2018

Show notes

Manoush and Jen give themselves 36 hours in San Francisco to come up with a financial backup plan, just in case this whole blockchain-token-thing doesn’t work out. Silicon Valley runs on VC money so maybe Stable Genius Productions should too? First, they talk to a well-known venture capitalist on whether aligning their mission with investor expectations is a laughable goal. Then, they visit Roman Mars, host of 99% Invisible and Radiotopia co-founder, at his headquarters in Oakland. He explains how he built his podcasting empire and helps Manoush and Jen decide how to proceed.

Who you’ll hear: Manoush (@manoushZ) Jen (@jpoyant) The Cofounders of Gimlet Media (@gimletmedia) Matt Lieber (@mlieber) Alex Blumberg (@abexlumberg) Roman Mars, Cofounder of Radiotopia and host of 99% Invisible (@romanmars) (@99piorg) Angel Investor Jess Verrilli (@jess)

Support our work at https://zigzagpod.com/donate/

—

Produced by Stable Genius Productions

Follow ZigZag on Instagram and Twitter: @ZigZagpod

ZigZag is the business show about being human.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.