Nate Hagens (Medienpräsenz)

The overarching definition of success today often looks like the accumulation of stuff – money, cars, property, clothing – anything that signals wealth. This means that success is also synonymous with overshoot, extraction, and consumption – none of which lead to healthy outcomes for the planet or the global good. But what might be possible if we were to redefine success to prioritize collective well-being instead of personal gain?

In today’s episode, Nate sits down with Dutch historian and author Rutger Bregman to discuss the concept of moral ambition, which he defines as the desire to be one of the best, measured by different standards of success: not by big payouts or fancy honorifics, but by the ability to tackle the world’s biggest problems. Bregman highlights the importance of entrepreneurs in driving social change and the necessity of cultural shifts to foster a more altruistic society, as well as the challenges faced in pursuing these ideals.

What possibilities might arise if we combined the idealism of an activist with the ambition of an entrepreneur? How can we apply the principles of entrepreneurship to better address global challenges? And how could a radical redefinition of success motivate the world’s top talent to make major contributions to our most pressing issues, leaving a legacy that actually makes a difference?

About Rutger Bregman:

Rutger Bregman is a Dutch historian and author. Initially considering a career as an academic historian, Rutger instead ventured into journalism. He began his career at the Dutch newspaper De Volkskrant before moving to the independent journalism platform De Correspondent, for which he wrote for ten years. His books Humankind: A Hopeful History (2020) and Utopia for Realists: And How We Can Get There (2017) were both Sunday Times and New York Times bestsellers and have been translated into 46 languages.
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In 2024, Rutger co-founded The School for Moral Ambition, a non-profit organization inspired by his latest book, Moral Ambition: Stop Wasting Your Talent and Start Making a Difference. The initiative helps people to take the step toward an impactful career.

In dieser Folge diskutiert Nate mit Kate Raworth, der Begründerin der Donut-Ökonomie, über alternative Wirtschaftssysteme, die mehr als nur den materiellen Wohlstand einer Gesellschaft messen. Während wir immer weiter über die Grenzen unseres Planeten hinauswachsen, vergrößert sich die Kluft zwischen dem Lebensstandard der materiell Reichsten und den Ärmsten. Die Defizite des aktuellen Wirtschaftssystems in Bezug auf ökologisches und soziales Wohlergehen werden von der breiten Bevölkerung zunehmend erkannt. Können wir Systeme schaffen, die verhindern, dass Menschen durch das Raster fallen, und gleichzeitig die Grenzen unseres Planeten respektieren? Gibt es Regierungen und Unternehmen, die sich bereits an diesen Prinzipien ausrichten und zu einer anderen Art der Führung übergehen? Könnte der Übergang zu einem ganzheitlichen System wie „Doughnut Economics“ ausreichen, um das energiehungrige Wachstum eines globalen Superorganismus zu überwinden?

On this episode, Nate is joined by the creator of Doughnut Economics, Kate Raworth, to discuss alternative economies that measure more than just the material wealth created by a society. As we expand further past planetary boundaries, the gap between the standard of living of the materially wealthiest and poorest continues to grow. Increasingly, these shortfalls in both ecological and social well-being of the current economic system are becoming more recognized by the general populace.  Can we create systems that keep people from falling down the cracks, while also respecting the limits of our planetary home? Are there governments and businesses already aligning themselves to these principles and shifting to a different way of leading? Could moving towards a holistic system, such as Doughnut Economics, be enough to overcome the energy hungry growth of a global Superorganism?

Inhalt

00:00 - Guest Introduction 

02:03 - What was Kate’s ‘aha’ moment in economics 

05:06 - Why don’t we teach systems thinking to undergrads? 

08:57 - Doughnut Economics: 7 points 

18:04 - Kate’s thoughts on energy 

19:11 - Chart on how mankind runs itself 

19:40 - Responses to Doughnut Economics 

24:42 - How is Kate’s work being put to practice? 

29:57 - Three hats 

37:43 - How do companies adapt to a system that doesn’t depend on endless growth 

43:34 - Unpacking how Kate split up the economy 

50:13 - Kate’s lectures 

54:40 - Wealth and inequality 

59:35 - Where is Doughnut Economics best applied in the world? 

1:05:54 - Doughnut Economics scenario 

1:12:22 - Beyond Growth Conference 

1:15:46 - How does Kate and her team work? 

1:20:34 - How to create a vision of the future and apply it? 

1:27:06 - Kate’s advice to listeners 

1:29:38 - Kate’s advice to young people 

1:34:39 - What Kate cares most about in the world 

1:36:08 - What issues in the next decade is Kate most concerned about 

1:38:21 - Kate’s magic wand 

1:40:02 - Future topics of conversation