The Ecology of Ideas Podcast

In a world that celebrates innovation, productivity, and constant growth, good-enough can sound like a failure. But what if it’s actually a strength?In this episode, we talk with Paula Bialski, Professor of Sociology at the University of St. Gallen, about the overlooked value of good-enoughness — especially in the context of software and digital work. She invites us to rethink our obsession with optimization and excellence, and to consider what it means to be satisfied with enough.This shift in mindset is an ecological shift. Our drive to always do more and be better is part of what fuels environmental and social exhaustion. Learning to value sufficiency, and to recognize when something is already good enough, is a crucial step toward more sustainable ways of living and working.----------------------Reading recommendation: Bialski P. (2024) Middle Tech: Software Work and the Culture of Good Enough. Princeton University Press.References:Hacker Cultures PodcastVinsel L. and Russel A.L. (2020) The Innovation Delusion. Penguin Books.Winnicott D.W. (1971/2005) Playing and Reality. Routledge Publishing.Amrute S. (2016) Encoding Race, Encoding Class. Duke University Press.Alpert A. (2022) The Good-Enough Life. Princeton University Press.recorded 8th November 2024Editing and Post-Production by Emil MunkHosted by Attila MártonOriginal Music by Ariel BialksiRecording by Jakob RanumProduced by Attila Márton and Emil MunkThis episode was financially supported by the Copenhagen Business School

What is the difference between thinking ecologically and thinking about ecology? In this episode, we speak with Nora Bateson, systems thinker, ecological philosopher, writer, and filmmaker, whose work has been highly influential for this podcast.Nora carries forward a remarkable intellectual legacy. Her father, Gregory Bateson, was a pioneering anthropologist and ecological thinker, and her grandfather, William Bateson, coined the term genetics. The phrase ecology of ideas, which gives this podcast its name, comes directly from her father's work.Nora invites us to see the world not as isolated issues, but as interconnected patterns within living systems. Through this lens, we begin to understand that ecological awareness is not just about the environment but about how we relate with those interconnected patterns.----------------------Reading recommendation: Bateson N. (2023) Combining. Triarchy Press.References:Bateson N. (2016) Small Arcs of Larger Circles: Framing Through Other Patterns. Triarchy Press.Bateson G. (1972/2000) Steps to and Ecology of Mind: Collected Essays in Anthropology, Psychiatry, Evolution, and Epistemology. The University of Chicago Press.recorded 11th December 2023Editing and Post-Production by Emil MunkHosted by Attila MártonOriginal Music by Ariel BialksiRecording by Jakob RanumProduced by Attila Márton and Emil MunkThis episode was financially supported by the Copenhagen Business School

None of us would say we want war, poverty, or environmental collapse. And yet, these crises continue to unfold around us. Why is it so hard to collaborate and prevent the very things we all oppose?In this episode, we’re joined by Maja Göpel, German political economist and transformation researcher, to explore this question. According to Maja, the problem lies in the deep structures of our institutions, which are still shaped by a logic of extraction and a culture of incrementalism. These frameworks limit our ability to respond meaningfully to systemic challenges like climate change.Maja invites us to imagine new ways of organizing society that break free from small, cautious steps and instead embrace bold, collective transformation rooted in an ecological mindset.----------------------Reading recommendation: Göpel M. (2023) Rethinking Our World: An Invitation to Rescue Our Future. Scribe Publications.References:Polanyi K. (1944/2024) The Great Transformation: The Political and Economic Origins of Our Time. Penguin Books.Meadows D., Randers J., and Meadows D. (2004) Limits to Growth: The 30-Year Update. Chelsea Green House Publishing.Botkin J.W., Elmandjra M., and Malitz M. (1979) No Limits to Learning. Club of Rome.Meadows D. (2008) Thinking in Systems: A Primer. Chelsea Green House Publishing. (open access)Hickel J. (2020) Less is More: How Degrowth Will Save the World. Penguin Books.Schelling T.C. (1978) Micromotives and Macrobehavior. W.W. Norton & Co.Kasser T. (2002) The High Price of Materialism. MIT Press. (open access)recorded 8th December 2023Editing and Post-Production by Emil MunkHosted by Attila MártonOriginal Music by Ariel BialksiRecording by Jakob RanumProduced by Attila Márton and Emil MunkThis episode was financially supported by the Copenhagen Business School