The Wisdom & Action Podcast
Society & Culture
About
How can we get ourselves out of the mess that we’re in and leave a world we want to gift our children and future generations? Join Small Giants Academy co-founder, Berry Liberman, as she speaks with brilliant people around the world who are exploring meaningful interventions for a hopeful future on the Wisdom & Action podcast. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Episodes
- Trust & "Responsible AI” with Lisa Talia Moretti
In this episode Berry sits down with Lisa Talia Moretti, a digital sociologist and responsible AI practitioner whose career has granted her access to big tech companies like Adobe, Mindshare, as well as the UK Ministry of Defense and Justi…
- Being human in the age of AI
In the latest of Berry’s webinar series on AI, Nipun Mehta joins Berry and the Small Giants Academy community live on Zoom to talk about what it means to be human in these times. This series is part of Small Giants Academy's Trust in the A…
- Human Fracking, AI, and the Capture of Attention with D. Graham Burnett
Dr. D. Graham Burnett is a historian of science, writer, and professor at Princeton University — and one of the most alive thinkers working on the question of what it means to be human right now. You may know him from his searing piece in…
- ‘Truth, Trust and Transparency’ with Facebook whistleblower Frances Haugen
In this episode Berry sits down with Frances Haugen, the renowned Facebook whistleblower and global advocate for transparency and accountability in social media. Frances has testified before the U.S. Congress, the U.K. and E.U. Parliaments…
- Animal intelligence with Jane Goodall
In June 2024, Berry sat down with the legendary Dr. Jane Goodall for a deeply moving conversation about her life, legacy, and hopes for the future. Reflecting on decades of groundbreaking work with chimpanzees and tireless advocacy for the…
- Mindfulness in the digital age with Thupten Jinpa
In this episode Berry sits down with Thupten Jinpa, longtime translator and companion to His Holiness the Dalai Lama, for a conversation about compassion, transformation, and what it means to live a spiritual life in the modern world. Jinp…
- Matt Kuperholz on the ethics of AI
In this episode, Berry sits down with Matt Kuperholz —a seasoned computer scientist, business advisor, and creative mind with over 30 years’ experience bringing AI solutions to life. Matt isn’t just tech-savvy—he’s an AI optimist who’s bee…
- Sam Lee on songkeeping and the sacred
In this episode of the Wisdom and Action podcast, Berry sits down with Sam Lee, the acclaimed British folk singer, song collector, and environmental activist. Sam shares his remarkable journey from apprentice song collector to national tre…
- The Red School on reclaiming cycles
In this episode, Berry welcomes Sjane and Alexandra—co-founders of Red School and pioneers in menstruality education—for a conversation that invites us to rethink our relationship with the rhythms of our bodies and lives. Sjane and Alexand…
- Kaj Löfgren on fostering community
Kaj Löfgren has spent his life building movements, nurturing communities, and turning bold ideas into reality. Kaj is a social innovator, systems thinker, founding force behind the School of Life Australia, Regen Melbourne, and is als…
- Indy Johar on entangled wisdom
What happens when you sit down with someone who’s spent their life not just designing buildings, but reimagining the very systems that shape our world? In this episode, Berry welcomes Indy Johar—architect, philosopher, and co-founder of Da…
- Sandrine Dixson-Declève on change for good
What happens when you sit down with someone who’s spent their life building bridges—across continents, industries, and even generations? In this episode, Berry welcomes Sandrine Dixon-Declève, co-president of the Club of Rome, for a candid…
- Ariel Burger is a Witness
How do we create the world we want to see? On this episode of Wisdom & Action , Ariel Burger shares his journey from a curious teenager to a mentee of Nobel laureate Elie Wiesel. Ariel reflects on Wiesel's transformative influence, the pow…
- Jenny Gray is a compassionate conservationist
Jenny Gray is the Chief Executive Officer to Zoos Victoria and a global champion for conservation efforts. In her time at Zoos Victoria, she has spearheaded efforts into saving Victoria’s endangered species, and educated people on how we c…
- Alexander Beiner is changing culture
In this episode of Wisdom in Action , I speak with Alexander Beiner, cultural thinker and author of The Bigger Picture , about the urgent need for new frameworks to navigate our complex world. We delve into Alexander's journey—from his ear…
- Katrine Kielos is redefining economics
Katrine Kielos (previously Katrine Marçal) is the bestselling author of Who Cooked Adam Smith’s Dinner? In this episode Katrine unpacks feminist economics, illuminating the unpaid, often invisible labor women perform in supporting the trad…
- Doug Abrams on true wisdom
My friend Doug Abrams is a multiple New York Times-bestselling author as well as an editor, literary agent, film producer, and life adventurer. Doug shares his inspiring story, from overcoming a tough childhood to collaborating with creati…
- Rachel Lowry on nature conservation
Rachel Lowry is the CEO of Bush Heritage Australia and a dear friend. In this episode we dive into Australia's ecological challenges, conservation strategies, and explore what a critical triage phase of saving threatened species and ecosys…
- Roman Krznaric: how history informs the future
Roman Krznaric is a phenomenal thinker, writer, social philosopher with a PhD in political science who has written books I cherish, such as The Good Ancestor, How to Think Long Term in a Short Term World, Empathy, The Wonder Box and his la…
- Christiana Figueres on power and agency
Christiana Figueres is one of my heroes. A globally recognised leader in climate change advocacy and diplomacy, Christiana is an author and speaker who played a pivotal role in facilitating the historic Paris Agreement in 2015. We speak ab…
- Seth Godin on the stories we tell ourselves
In this episode, I sit down with the legendary Seth Godin—author, entrepreneur, marketing guru, and teacher. We delve into the power of tribes and storytelling, the role of community in making the world a better place, and the impact of te…
- Conversation Series with Helena Norberg-Hodge (encore)
Today we’re sharing a wonderful archival conversation with Helena Norberg-Hodge. Helena is a linguist, author and filmmaker, and the founder and director of the international non-profit organisation Local Futures. Helena is leading the way…
- Unlocking Enough with Stephen Jenkinson (encore)
Today’s episode is with Canadian culture activist, Stephen Jenkinson. Stephen has worked extensively with people who are dying and their families, from major Canadian hospitals and medical schools to collaborations with musicians and story…
- Joan Scheckel Works With Feeling (encore)
We’re so excited to share this past conversation with master storyteller, Joan Scheckel. Joan has a preternatural gift for story structure, emotional rhythm and throughline. At the core of everything she does is the theory that we can tell…
- Esther Perel: couples therapist, rule breaker (encore)
Hi friends, we’re taking a break from normal recording to bring you a beautiful bridge season. It’s a mix of some of our webinars and live conversations that we've had at the Small Giants Academy . Esther Perel has transformed many of our…
- Krista Tippett on being people of action (encore)
Hi friends, we’re taking a break from normal recording to bring you a beautiful bridge season. It’s a mix of some of our webinars and live conversations that we've had at the Small Giants Academy . Our second guest is the incredible Krista…
- Pádraig Ó Tuama on the different shapes of language (encore)
Hi friends, we’re taking a break from normal recording to bring you a beautiful bridge season. It’s a mix of some of our webinars and live conversations that we've had at the Small Giants Academy . Our first guest, Pádraig Ó Tuama, is a po…
- Jacqueline Novogratz on how we use the tools of capitalism
In this episode we have Jacqueline Novogratz , entrepreneur, author and trailblazer who is the founder and CEO of Acumen, a nonprofit global venture capital fund whose goal is to use entrepreneurial approaches to address global poverty. Ja…
- Rasmus Nørgaard on building a sustainable future
In today's episode, Rasmus Nørgaard shares his unique perspective on the connection between property development and systems thinking. You might wonder how these two converge, but as Rasmus’ journey unfolds, it becomes evident that the bui…
- Riane Eisler on how we evolve the economy
Join me in this eye-opening conversation with Dr. Riane Eisler, a distinguished social systems scientist and cultural historian. Riane’s personal journey– fleeing the Nazi regime as a child– deeply informs her dedication to understanding a…
- Rune Rasmussen on the power of mythology
In this episode, I speak with historian of religion Rune Rasmussen and we delve into the fascinating realm of Nordic animism and shamanism. We discuss the power of lore, the profound lessons embedded in mythology and how these stories can…
- Janine Benyus on nature’s designs
Join me as we dive into the transformative world of biomimicry with renowned biologist and author, Janine Benyus. Drawing inspiration from nature's 3.8 billion years of evolution, biomimicry offers a profound new perspective on innovation,…
- Arielle Gamble on climate justice and finding joy
Join us for this thought-provoking episode with Arielle Gamble, CEO of Groundswell , where she reflects on her transformative journey from art and human rights advocacy to leading a climate action platform. Arielle talks about her recent T…
- Isabella Tree on transformation and rewilding
Join me as we delve into a transformative conversation with Isabella Tree, renowned author and rewilding innovator. Isabella shares her profound journey from inheriting a struggling farm in Sussex to pioneering a rewilding project that has…
- Anna Funder on erasure and the patriarchy
We’re back with another amazing episode! Our guest this week is Anna Funder, an incredible Australian writer whose books Stasiland and All That I Am are prize winning international best sellers. Her most recent work, Wifedom , is an explor…
- Nora Bateson on systems thinking and the meadow crisis
We are so thrilled to introduce you to the legendary Nora Bateson! Nora is a celebrated filmmaker, writer, and president of the International Bateson Institute in Sweden. Her interdisciplinary work combines biology, cognition, art, anthrop…
- Ben Goldsmith on grief and the miracle of nature
Welcome to the first episode of the Wisdom and Action podcast, brought to you by the Small Giants Academy. Join host Berry Liberman as she chats with Ben Goldsmith, a leading figure in green investment and the rewilding movement in the UK…
- Welcome to the Wisdom & Action Podcast
We’ve been brewing something special here at The Small Giants Academy and can’t wait to show you. The Wisdom and Action Podcast… coming soon. Produced by Audiocraft Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
- Joan Scheckel Works With Feeling
Legendary Hollywood screenwriting teacher Joan Scheckel shares her insights about the true value of meaningful storytelling. Joan has refined a creative process called The Technique – a deep storytelling discipline so deep and profound, yo…
- Unlocking Enough #3 with Stephen Jenkinson
This week’s conversation is between Berry and Canadian culture activist Stephen Jenkinson. His work is really hard to classify. You may have read his conversation with Pierz Newton-John in issue 54 of Dumbo Feather magazine. Stephen has wo…
- Where Are We Headed? with Nate Hagens #2: Energy
This is episode 2 of our mini-series with Nate Hagens, where he and Berry explore the role of energy in our lives and in our economies, and how our short-term thinking around energy in the past two centuries in particular is bringing and w…
- Unlocking Enough #2 with Gabor Mate
Gabor Mate is a Hungarian-Canadian physician who specialises in addiction and childhood development.His most recent book, a must read, is The Myth of Normal, all about trauma, illness and healing in a toxic culture. We apologise for the ro…
- Where Are We Headed? with Nate Hagens #1: Human Behaviour
Introducing our new mini-series with Dumbo Feather favourite, Nate Hagens! You may remember our conversation with Nate from a couple of episodes back, where he gave us a big picture overview of the various interlocking crises of this momen…
- Unlocking Enough #1 with Dr. Julia Kim
Dr Julia Kim is the Program Director of the Gross National Happiness Centre in Bhutan. Long time readers and listeners of Dumbo Feather will be familiar with the GNH framework, which many organisations, cities and communities around the wo…
- Celebrating aliveness with Esther Perel
It's the brilliant, joyful and wise Esther Perel!Esther is the foremost expert on human relationships and sexuality right now on the planet, and author of the New York Times bestseller Mating in Captivity, which shook the ground beneath us…
- The Good Society #5: Frances Haugen
In this episode, Kirsty chats with Frances Haugen, the woman who leaked internal documents that demonstrated a lack of empathy and care from Facebook executives about the impact that its products were having, particularly on young women an…
- The Good Society #4: Hetty McKinnon
For the past couple of months, we’ve been exploring what the good society is all about, how we can create systems and communities that support people and planet to thrive. On this episode, we have a slightly different take on the topic. Du…
- The Good Society #3: Oliver Burkeman
Hi friends! This is our third episode in our Good Society series, where we unpack the current systems we live, work and play within and ask how they can do better and be better for people and planet. This week, Berry talks with Oliver Burk…
- The Good Society #2: Dan Ariely
We’ve got episode two of our Good Society Series, where we’re unpacking the current systems we live, work and play within, and ask how they can be better for people and planet.What does it mean for us to thrive within our planetary bounds?…
- The Good Society #1: Nate Hagens
We are excited to share the first in our 6-part series on the The Good Society, where we’re unpacking the current systems we live, work and play within, and ask how they can do better and be better for people and planet.What does it mean f…