In this episode of The Puck, Jim Baer sits down with Jack Goldstone—the Hazel Chair Professor of Public Policy at George Mason University and one of the world’s foremost scholars on revolutions and social change. Goldstone has advised the National Intelligence Council, the World Bank, and the U.S. State and Defense Departments. His latest book, Revolutions: A Very Short Introduction, distills decades of research into why societies unravel—or endure.
Jim and Jack explore how rising debt, political polarization, elite fragmentation, and declining public trust mirror the early stages of historic revolutionary periods. They discuss China’s global ambitions, the impact of social media algorithms, the stagnation facing America’s working class, and what it would take to restore stability and rebuild a shared national purpose. Goldstone offers a candid assessment of where the U.S. stands in 2025—and why compassionate, unifying leadership will be essential to avoid deeper turmoil.
A wide-ranging and timely conversation about the forces reshaping democracy, the risks ahead, and the paths that might still lead America toward renewal.
All content for The Puck: Venture Capital and Beyond is the property of Jim Baer and is served directly from their servers
with no modification, redirects, or rehosting. The podcast is not affiliated with or endorsed by Podjoint in any way.
In this episode of The Puck, Jim Baer sits down with Jack Goldstone—the Hazel Chair Professor of Public Policy at George Mason University and one of the world’s foremost scholars on revolutions and social change. Goldstone has advised the National Intelligence Council, the World Bank, and the U.S. State and Defense Departments. His latest book, Revolutions: A Very Short Introduction, distills decades of research into why societies unravel—or endure.
Jim and Jack explore how rising debt, political polarization, elite fragmentation, and declining public trust mirror the early stages of historic revolutionary periods. They discuss China’s global ambitions, the impact of social media algorithms, the stagnation facing America’s working class, and what it would take to restore stability and rebuild a shared national purpose. Goldstone offers a candid assessment of where the U.S. stands in 2025—and why compassionate, unifying leadership will be essential to avoid deeper turmoil.
A wide-ranging and timely conversation about the forces reshaping democracy, the risks ahead, and the paths that might still lead America toward renewal.
On this episode of The Puck: Venture Capital & Beyond, Jim Baer sits down with Kristian Rönn—climate tech founder, AI ethicist, and author of The Darwinian Trap—to explore how humanity can escape destructive evolutionary forces and build a future rooted in shared values, long-term thinking, and spiritual renewal. A conversation about risk, responsibility, and hope at the edge of history.
The Puck: Venture Capital and Beyond
In this episode of The Puck, Jim Baer sits down with Jack Goldstone—the Hazel Chair Professor of Public Policy at George Mason University and one of the world’s foremost scholars on revolutions and social change. Goldstone has advised the National Intelligence Council, the World Bank, and the U.S. State and Defense Departments. His latest book, Revolutions: A Very Short Introduction, distills decades of research into why societies unravel—or endure.
Jim and Jack explore how rising debt, political polarization, elite fragmentation, and declining public trust mirror the early stages of historic revolutionary periods. They discuss China’s global ambitions, the impact of social media algorithms, the stagnation facing America’s working class, and what it would take to restore stability and rebuild a shared national purpose. Goldstone offers a candid assessment of where the U.S. stands in 2025—and why compassionate, unifying leadership will be essential to avoid deeper turmoil.
A wide-ranging and timely conversation about the forces reshaping democracy, the risks ahead, and the paths that might still lead America toward renewal.
