DiscoverConcepts with Shawn Whatley#56 Calum Nicholson: Boomers are Frozen in Fortune & Society is Blinded by Science
#56 Calum Nicholson: Boomers are Frozen in Fortune & Society is Blinded by Science

#56 Calum Nicholson: Boomers are Frozen in Fortune & Society is Blinded by Science

Update: 2025-09-30
Share

Description

Boomers have a worldview "frozen by fortune, not forged in fire." Through no fault of their own, the boomer generation remains blind to aspects of current reality from their experiences growing up in the post-WWII era. That era has ended.


For more on this, check out Dr. Nicholson's guest post on Peter Boghossian: The Boomerang 


 


Our discussion tackles Trump, scientism, climate change, 'masculinity crisis' (Calum says it's an immaturity crisis), and much more. Links below and AI summary follows at the bottom:


 


Co-edited book: Climate Migration: Critical Perspectives for Law, Policy, and Research 


Check out Calum's Substack: Notes from the Isthmus 


You can find more of his work at the Danube Institute


Calum's Linktree 


AI Summary


Join Shawn Whatley as he interviews Dr. Calum Nicholson, a lecturer at the Cambridge PACE program and director of research at the Danube Institute, about the significant cultural shifts from the boomer generation to today. They delve into the differences in material security perspectives across generations, the role of science in society, the impact of neoliberalism, and discuss Dr. Nicholson's thoughts on climate change and the social sciences. Additionally, Dr. Nicholson provides insights into Hungary's unique cultural and political landscape, offering a comparative perspective on the Anglosphere and Central Europe. This engaging conversation is an eye-opener on various societal and philosophical questions. Don't forget to like, subscribe, and share your thoughts in the comments below!


00:00 Introduction: The Boomer Generation and Cultural Shifts


00:42 The Crisis of Masculinity and Immaturity


01:04 Science and Society: The Role of Scientism


01:47 Interview Introduction: Dr. Calum Nicholson


02:21 The Boomerang: Impact of the Boomer Generation


04:44 Diagnosing Cultural Changes: Symptoms vs. Pathology


08:42 The Influence of Popular Culture: From Comic Books to Presidents


19:09 Generational Differences: Deep Waters vs. Shallow Waters


26:24 Neoliberalism and Its Cultural Impact


38:33 Climate Change and Social Science


45:28 Challenging Social Science Presuppositions


46:41 Science and Society: A Philosophical Inquiry


48:27 The Concept of Climate Change


53:22 The Role of Science in Society


57:34 COVID-19: A Case Study in Science and Policy


01:11:48 The Uncanny Valley of Political Empathy


01:14:39 Understanding Hungary's Unique Perspective


01:20:58 Concluding Thoughts and Future Work

Comments 
In Channel
loading
00:00
00:00
x

0.5x

0.8x

1.0x

1.25x

1.5x

2.0x

3.0x

Sleep Timer

Off

End of Episode

5 Minutes

10 Minutes

15 Minutes

30 Minutes

45 Minutes

60 Minutes

120 Minutes

#56 Calum Nicholson: Boomers are Frozen in Fortune & Society is Blinded by Science

#56 Calum Nicholson: Boomers are Frozen in Fortune & Society is Blinded by Science

Shawn Whatley