Peter Ziehan Blog Post
Just start with the first link here - or take a minute to read my introduction below.
https://youtu.be/N4w0g-apV2o?si=Qun-TyajzMsJWQv0 Interview
https://zeihan.com/newsletter/ - Newsletter
I Have a Gem To Share
I feel like I just found a priceless gem that I need to share. It’s not a shiny stone in a field - it is a commentator, a political economic social theorist, who just dragged me through an amazing set of ideas, evaluations and predictions, that pretty much upset most of what I have been thinking about things for a decade or so.
I am publishing this as a blog entry, and I am also sharing it with a short list of friends, who happen to NOT be subscribers to my blog. To be frank, there are probably only 10 people on the planet who have ever read anything I publish. But writing helps me to think about things. I appreciate your forbearance with my attempts. If I were you, I would spend more time finding folk like Mr. Ziehan rather than reading this thing.
Background - Society as a Problem
I have been puzzling about the state of the world for some time now. The last two presidential elections taught me that I had no idea what the heck is actually going on. I have been reading focused on the science - economics, psychology, sociology, neuroscience, public media - stuff like that. I think I understand it all a little bit better, thanks to a pile of books and to the insights of good friends. I have also read some commentators - people who gather up research and ideas of others - journalists, authors, columnists. I have found some of them helpful, but most of them are just well intentioned searchers like me.
Peter Ziehan https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peter_Zeihan
Then a friend sent me a reference to this gentleman. He gave me a little background, and I jumped right into the above hour long interview with him that knocked my socks off. If you want to share that experience, go back up and have at it. I learned more about where we are, how we got here, and where we are likely going as a world than I have learned in the past decade of reading.
He has a remarkably wide and deep perspective on history, economics, life, politics and everything. He does not fit in any of my normal categories - conservative, liberal, progressive, etc. He says he is fiscally conservative - which is fine by me.
He makes short and long term predictions about our world that I found to be compelling, given the little I know where I could evaluate that. As I was listening to it, it moved me to thinking about the people involved in these decisions for our country and military. This is truly scary business. Idealistic hopes like mine have no real place there. I hope many of them have some of this same insight and perspective. I do not see how they can get through the day with this kind of problem facing them every minute.
Issues Addressed
This introduction is already overly long, but if you have an interest in any of these issues, he has a unique perspective on them. Some of them were comforting to me, but many of them are scary - like the likelihood of a nuclear event.
Israel - why Biden decided as he did. The positions of the other countries in that area.
Ukraine - economic, social, implications and outcome.
Putin - the real threat of a nuclear option.
China - the current state of the government, and the future - which is NOT positive.
US Congress - political party fall out in the next two election cycles.
Presidential race - assuming that both likely candidates survive long enough to stand for election.
AI Weapons - how the US military is preparing for these.
Drone Flocks - lessons learned in Ukraine.
Population Trends - Immigration. It feels like the US and Canada, Australia, New Zealand are uniquely positioned to benefit from this, while countries like Germany face serious problems. Building a wall? Really?
Conclusion
I am going to listen to it a second time.
Let me know what you think. There are comments on the blog, if that would work.
SHare this if you think it is helpful.
AND . . . just tell me to take you off the list if this is annoying.
Thanks.
Other Resources:
https://zeihan.com/interviews-and-podcasts/
https://rss.com/podcasts/zeihan/
Welcome to The Peter Zeihan Podcast Series! Geopolitical Strategist Peter Zeihan is a global energy, demographic and security expert. If you want to stay informed on the realities of geography and populations, you've come to the right place. Zeihan's worldview offers insights into how global politics impact markets and economic trends, helping industry leaders navigate today’s complex mix of geopolitical risks and opportunities. Expect a forward-looking approach to what will drive tomorrow’s headlines, delivered in digestible, accessible and relevant takeaways for audiences of all types. For more info or to subscribe to the newsletter, visit: zeihan.com Subscribe to the YouTube Channel @zeihanongeopolitics Thanks for listening, and don't forget to subscribe!
Peter Zeihan is a geopolitical strategist, author, and speaker who specializes in global energy, demographics and security. He analyzes the realities of geography and populations to deepen the understanding of how global politics impact markets and economic trends.
In this conversation, we discuss how demographics drive economies, why consumption led growth will become impossible, what is happening in the oil markets, why Peter believes China won't be a unified or industrialized country in a decade, how a virus can lead to famine, and what is happening in various places around the world.
REVISION 2023 11 03
