Jamie Metzl | Genetic Engineering, Biohacking, and the Future of the Human Species
Hidden Forces
Demetri Kofinas
4.8 • 1.6K Ratings
🗓️ 3 June 2019
⏱️ 76 minutes
🧾️ Download transcript
Summary
In Episode 89 of Hidden Forces, Demetri Kofinas speaks with Jamie Metzl about the cutting edge of genomic science, synthetic biology, and big data. The two also discuss US-China relations, North Korea's nuclear program, post-Soviet Russian history, Iraq, Iran, and so much more.
Jamie Metzl is described by Wikipedia as "an American technology futurist, geopolitical expert, and writer." He's also a novelist, entrepreneur, and media commentator. He's authored six books, including one with his former boss Richard Clarke, who he worked for at the US State Department and while serving in the National Security Council. Richard Clarke, who was National Coordinator for Counter-Terrorism during the late Clinton and early Bush administrations, became a political target after publishing a 2004 memoir about his service in government that was highly critical of the Bush administration's counter-terrorism efforts before 9/11. He also testified before the 9/11 Commission, which was discussed during the overtime of Episode 72 with Senator Bob Kerrey, who served on the 9/11 Commission. Listeners who are subscribed to our Patreon overtime feed can hear Jamie and Demetri discuss geopolitical history and current affairs, including a discussion about US-China relations, North Korea's nuclear program, post-Soviet Russian history, Iraq, Iran, and much more.
The focus of this full episode, however, is on the consequences stemming from innovations happening in the fields of genomic science, synthetic biology, and big data (designer babies, biohacking, de-extinction, etc.). This is an honest and open conversation about the ethics and prudence of human innovation, and how it's creating a world that feels alien to many of us. Jamie Metzl also speaks about the social, political, and economic implications of a world where wealthy, well-connected elites or nations with authoritarian governments are able to get their hands on these technologies before the general public.
Producer & Host: Demetri Kofinas
Editor & Engineer: Stylianos Nicolaou
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Transcript
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| 0:00.0 | Today's episode of Hidden Forces is made possible by listeners like you. |
| 0:04.8 | For more information about this week's episode or for easy access to related programming, |
| 0:10.3 | visit our website at hidden Forces. I.O and subscribe to our free email list. |
| 0:17.0 | If you want access to overtime segments, episode transcripts and show rundowns full of links and detailed information related to each and every |
| 0:26.2 | episode check out our premium subscription available through the Hidden Forces website or through our Patreon page. |
| 0:34.0 | And remember, if you listen to the show on your Apple Podcast app, |
| 0:38.0 | you can give us a review. |
| 0:40.0 | Each review helps more people find the show and join our amazing community. |
| 0:45.7 | And with that, please enjoy this week's episode. Oh, What's up, up, |
| 1:05.0 | up everybody? This week's episode of Hidden Forces is phenomenal, |
| 1:11.0 | and the overtime is even better because Jamie Metzel and I spent |
| 1:16.5 | it talking about all the crazy geopolitical news that dropped last week. I know what you're all |
| 1:22.3 | thinking wait I thought this episode was about |
| 1:25.0 | futuristic stuff like biohacking and gene editing. It is, and it's a testament to Jamie's |
| 1:30.8 | intellect that he can write a book on genetic engineering while also |
| 1:34.9 | being an expert in national security and foreign affairs with a PhD in Asian |
| 1:40.4 | history from Oxford. Wikipedia describes Jamie Metzel as quote an American technology |
| 1:47.1 | futurist, geopolitical expert, and writer. But he's also a novelist, an entrepreneur, and a media commentator. |
| 1:55.0 | He's authored six books, including one with his former boss, Richard Clark, who he worked |
| 2:00.1 | for at the State Department and during his time serving in the National Security Council. |
| 2:05.0 | If that name sounds familiar, it's because it's the same Richard Clark, who was National Coordinator for Counterterrorism during the late Clinton and early Bush |
| 2:14.8 | administrations. Clark became the stand-in whipping boy for anyone opposed to the |
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