Nate Hagens
@natehagens.bsky.social
Educator, systems thinker, and host of The Great Simplification podcast (@tgspodcast.bsky.social), exploring the science underpinning the ecological, energy, & economic crises.
thegreatsimplification.com
thegreatsimplification.com
What ethical, moral, and biophysical concerns should we consider as we weigh the costs and benefits of further altering Earth’s planetary balance?
In this episode, Nate interviews Professor Ted Parson about solar geoengineering (specifically stratospheric aerosol injection) as a potential response to severe climate risks.
www.thegreatsimplification.com/episode/200-...
www.thegreatsimplification.com/episode/200-...
November 12, 2025 at 3:38 PM
What ethical, moral, and biophysical concerns should we consider as we weigh the costs and benefits of further altering Earth’s planetary balance?
Mainstream conversations about artificial intelligence tend to center around the technology’s economic and large-scale impacts. Yet it’s at the individual level where we’re seeing AI’s most potent effects, and they may not be what you think.
In this episode, Nate is joined by @norabateson.bsky.social and Zak Stein to explore the multifaceted ways that AI is designed to exploit our deepest social vulnerabilities, and the risks this poses to human relationships, cognition, and society.
www.thegreatsimplification.com/episode/real...
www.thegreatsimplification.com/episode/real...
November 5, 2025 at 7:41 PM
Mainstream conversations about artificial intelligence tend to center around the technology’s economic and large-scale impacts. Yet it’s at the individual level where we’re seeing AI’s most potent effects, and they may not be what you think.
Whether related to the widening of an already existing economic gap or the expansion of dependence on cognitive crutches like AI, the demographics that comprise society are starting to splinter – to bifurcate.
In this week’s Frankly, Nate outlines four bifurcations that are likely to underpin the human experience in the near future. These divergences, and the ways we cope with them, contribute to increasing incoherence as a species.
www.thegreatsimplification.com/frankly-orig...
www.thegreatsimplification.com/frankly-orig...
October 31, 2025 at 3:02 PM
Whether related to the widening of an already existing economic gap or the expansion of dependence on cognitive crutches like AI, the demographics that comprise society are starting to splinter – to bifurcate.
Our efforts to cope with mortality are at the core of culture, religion, the desire for wealth, and even many of today’s societal crises. How might a deeper understanding of our implicit reactions to mortality help us turn towards responses that are more supportive of our species and planet?
In this episode, Nate is joined by Sheldon Solomon, a psychologist and co-developer of Terror Management Theory, which posits that while all living beings strive to survive, humans are unique in knowing that death is unavoidable.
www.thegreatsimplification.com/episode/199-...
www.thegreatsimplification.com/episode/199-...
October 29, 2025 at 4:34 PM
Our efforts to cope with mortality are at the core of culture, religion, the desire for wealth, and even many of today’s societal crises. How might a deeper understanding of our implicit reactions to mortality help us turn towards responses that are more supportive of our species and planet?
Overconfidence and the desire for quick answers have been the root cause of many of humanity’s disasters, from the space shuttle Challenger explosion to the Deep Water Horizon oil spill to the subprime housing bubble.
In this week’s Frankly, Nate considers the ways in which our social species overvalues false-confidence rather than the more honest and inquisitive response of “I don’t know.”
Watch/listen:
www.thegreatsimplification.com/frankly-orig...
Watch/listen:
www.thegreatsimplification.com/frankly-orig...
October 24, 2025 at 2:34 PM
Overconfidence and the desire for quick answers have been the root cause of many of humanity’s disasters, from the space shuttle Challenger explosion to the Deep Water Horizon oil spill to the subprime housing bubble.
Why have we seen an increase in economic consolidation and inequality in the last several decades, and how can we reverse it?
In this episode, Nate is joined by economic writer and strategist @stacyfmitchell.bsky.social to explore how concentrated economic power shapes the health of towns and cities – from economic resilience to social connectedness.
www.thegreatsimplification.com/episode/198-...
www.thegreatsimplification.com/episode/198-...
October 22, 2025 at 3:13 PM
Why have we seen an increase in economic consolidation and inequality in the last several decades, and how can we reverse it?
Earlier this year, I joined former guest Scott Tinker on his PBS program Energy Switch. In this conversation, we explore the under-discussed nuances of the future of oil. Should we “just stop oil,” or is the story more complex than it initially appears?
Watch now:
www.pbs.org/video/uncove...
Watch now:
www.pbs.org/video/uncove...
Energy Switch | Uncoventional Wisdom | Season 7 | Episode 1
Oil companies must lead decarbonization, because solar and wind can’t replace them.
www.pbs.org
October 9, 2025 at 7:11 PM
Earlier this year, I joined former guest Scott Tinker on his PBS program Energy Switch. In this conversation, we explore the under-discussed nuances of the future of oil. Should we “just stop oil,” or is the story more complex than it initially appears?
Watch now:
www.pbs.org/video/uncove...
Watch now:
www.pbs.org/video/uncove...
What variables do we need to consider as we attempt to provide dependable electricity for everyone without jeopardizing the stability of the Earth?
In this episode, Nate is joined by Meredith Angwin for an in-depth overview of the U.S. electrical grid system, its history, and the need for accountability in energy governance.
www.thegreatsimplification.com/episode/196-...
www.thegreatsimplification.com/episode/196-...
October 8, 2025 at 2:47 PM
What variables do we need to consider as we attempt to provide dependable electricity for everyone without jeopardizing the stability of the Earth?
Given the increasing number of reports on declining oil forecasts, how much longer can our society remain energy-blind?
In this week’s Frankly, Nate returns from New York City Climate Week with fresh reflections on the disconnect between our economic narratives and biophysical realities.
www.thegreatsimplification.com/frankly-orig...
www.thegreatsimplification.com/frankly-orig...
October 3, 2025 at 4:05 PM
Given the increasing number of reports on declining oil forecasts, how much longer can our society remain energy-blind?
What possibilities might arise if we combined the idealism of an activist with the ambition of an entrepreneur?
In today’s episode, Nate sits down with historian and author Rutger Bregman to discuss the concept of moral ambition, which he defines as the desire to be one of the best, not by big payouts or fancy honorifics, but by the ability to tackle the world’s biggest problems.
October 1, 2025 at 4:43 PM
What possibilities might arise if we combined the idealism of an activist with the ambition of an entrepreneur?
How can reorienting towards collective communication and cooperation help create guardrails against these ‘darker angels’ of humanity?
In this episode, Nate is joined by Dr. Reid Meloy and Dr. Nancy McWilliams to explore the inner workings of the Dark Triad personality traits and their manifestation in modern culture.
www.thegreatsimplification.com/episode/real...
www.thegreatsimplification.com/episode/real...
September 17, 2025 at 4:30 PM
How can reorienting towards collective communication and cooperation help create guardrails against these ‘darker angels’ of humanity?
How do current economic and political incentives affect the nature of energy science, and what we consider to be ‘truth’ itself?
September 12, 2025 at 3:16 PM
How do current economic and political incentives affect the nature of energy science, and what we consider to be ‘truth’ itself?
How might policies protecting against deforestation evolve if societies recognized the irreplaceable role forests play in how water moves on land?
And beyond policy, how might reconnecting with our deep interdependence on forests help us rediscover a richer connection to ourselves as individuals?
And beyond policy, how might reconnecting with our deep interdependence on forests help us rediscover a richer connection to ourselves as individuals?
In this episode, Nate is joined by physicist Anastassia Makarieva about the critical yet often overlooked role forests play in maintaining ecological balance and climate stability.
www.thegreatsimplification.com/episode/193-...
www.thegreatsimplification.com/episode/193-...
September 10, 2025 at 5:38 PM
How might policies protecting against deforestation evolve if societies recognized the irreplaceable role forests play in how water moves on land?
And beyond policy, how might reconnecting with our deep interdependence on forests help us rediscover a richer connection to ourselves as individuals?
And beyond policy, how might reconnecting with our deep interdependence on forests help us rediscover a richer connection to ourselves as individuals?
How might our definitions of wealth change if we were – as individuals and as a culture – to fully appreciate the miracle that is human life and connection with one another and the natural world?
In this week’s Frankly, Nate weighs the value of a pound of gold with other things that we derive worth from in our lives – from dollars and bitcoin to…less pecuniary markers.
www.thegreatsimplification.com/frankly-orig...
www.thegreatsimplification.com/frankly-orig...
September 5, 2025 at 2:31 PM
How might our definitions of wealth change if we were – as individuals and as a culture – to fully appreciate the miracle that is human life and connection with one another and the natural world?
Many of us are unaware of how intertwined our lives are with the water cycle or the ways we deplete and degrade the water resources that we and other living creatures rely upon for our very existence. What might change if we had a deeper understanding of global and regional hydrological cycles?
On this Reality Roundtable, Nate is joined by Heather Cooley, Zach Weiss, and Mike Joy to discuss the importance of water and hydrology and the complex ways they impact our planet.
www.thegreatsimplification.com/episode/real...
www.thegreatsimplification.com/episode/real...
September 3, 2025 at 5:11 PM
Many of us are unaware of how intertwined our lives are with the water cycle or the ways we deplete and degrade the water resources that we and other living creatures rely upon for our very existence. What might change if we had a deeper understanding of global and regional hydrological cycles?
From island nations underwater to inland areas too hot and extreme to sustain life, the individuals and communities in these areas will need somewhere new to live. Where will these people go, and how will this mass migration add further pressure to the stability of nations and the world?
In this episode, Nate is joined by environmental and migration historian, Sunil Amrith, to explore the complex history of human movement – and what it reveals about the looming wave of climate-driven migration.
www.thegreatsimplification.com/episode/192-...
www.thegreatsimplification.com/episode/192-...
August 27, 2025 at 3:52 PM
From island nations underwater to inland areas too hot and extreme to sustain life, the individuals and communities in these areas will need somewhere new to live. Where will these people go, and how will this mass migration add further pressure to the stability of nations and the world?
How do we ground ourselves in biophysical truths while envisioning a system that better serves the planet and its people?
In this week’s Frankly, Nate unpacks some key blindspots of “the walrus movement”—a placeholder label that’s a gentle nod to those championing bold social and ecological ideals.
www.thegreatsimplification.com/frankly-orig...
www.thegreatsimplification.com/frankly-orig...
Key Blindspots of the “Walrus” Movement - The Great Simplification
In this week’s Frankly, Nate unpacks some key blindspots of “the walrus movement”—a placeholder label that's a gentle nod to those championing bold social and ecological ideals. While mostly well-inte...
www.thegreatsimplification.com
August 22, 2025 at 3:06 PM
How do we ground ourselves in biophysical truths while envisioning a system that better serves the planet and its people?
How are identities formed, and how might we take a more deliberate role in cultivating a healthy sense of self – and therefore a healthier way of relating to the world?
In this episode, Nate is joined by social neuroscientist Taylor Guthrie to delve into the neuroscience of identity, exploring how the brain constructs a sense of self and the implications for our modern societal challenges.
www.thegreatsimplification.com/episode/191-...
www.thegreatsimplification.com/episode/191-...
August 20, 2025 at 1:54 PM
How are identities formed, and how might we take a more deliberate role in cultivating a healthy sense of self – and therefore a healthier way of relating to the world?
Cultural activist and author on the topic of grief, loss, and dying, Stephen Jenkinson, describes how our attempts to outrun death only prolong the experience of grief.
August 15, 2025 at 8:20 PM
Cultural activist and author on the topic of grief, loss, and dying, Stephen Jenkinson, describes how our attempts to outrun death only prolong the experience of grief.
What things in our lives do we treat as disposable when they are cheap, but treat as treasure when they are pricey?
In this week’s Frankly, a grocery shopping trip turns into a reflection on value vs cost, and how consumption in our society is driven by the perception of value that’s presented to us.
www.thegreatsimplification.com/frankly-orig...
www.thegreatsimplification.com/frankly-orig...
Ducks and Blueberries: A Reflection on Price, Cost and Value - The Great Simplification
In this week’s Frankly, Nate shares an excerpt from his daily life that mirrors a larger observation on the human predicament. A grocery shopping trip turns into a reflection on value vs cost, and how...
www.thegreatsimplification.com
August 15, 2025 at 2:28 PM
What things in our lives do we treat as disposable when they are cheap, but treat as treasure when they are pricey?
In Western culture, topics surrounding death and dying are often considered taboo and are generally avoided in everyday conversations. What if a more skillful engagement with death and grief could actually offer us a more mindful approach to living?
In this conversation, Nate is joined by Stephen Jenkinson, a cultural activist and author on the topic of grief, loss, and dying, to discuss his extensive work on grief literacy and the shortcomings of the dominant cultural attitudes towards death.
www.thegreatsimplification.com/episode/190-...
www.thegreatsimplification.com/episode/190-...
August 13, 2025 at 2:58 PM
In Western culture, topics surrounding death and dying are often considered taboo and are generally avoided in everyday conversations. What if a more skillful engagement with death and grief could actually offer us a more mindful approach to living?
What concepts could be important for the future, if only we had the right word for them?
Here are a few I came up with:
natehagens.substack.com/p/missing-wo...
Here are a few I came up with:
natehagens.substack.com/p/missing-wo...
Missing Words
How can we discuss and respond to our culture’s biggest challenges if we don’t even have the words to describe them?
natehagens.substack.com
August 8, 2025 at 10:38 PM
What concepts could be important for the future, if only we had the right word for them?
Here are a few I came up with:
natehagens.substack.com/p/missing-wo...
Here are a few I came up with:
natehagens.substack.com/p/missing-wo...
We’re beginning to see that, despite our cultural misconceptions, insects are actually at the foundation of our biosphere, food supply, and nearly every life process on Earth.
On this episode, Nate is joined by environmental journalist, @olliemilman.bsky.social, to discuss the alarming decline in insect populations in the past few decades and the far-reaching consequences this has for ecosystem stability, human well-being, and the overall health of the biosphere.
August 6, 2025 at 2:31 PM
We’re beginning to see that, despite our cultural misconceptions, insects are actually at the foundation of our biosphere, food supply, and nearly every life process on Earth.
What is the “ghost of dopamine past,” and how does it shape not only our individual lives, but our collective economic and ecological behavior?
In this week’s Frankly, Nate explores the neuroscience of dopamine, and offers a reflection on the ways it plays into distraction, technology, and how we interact with the hyperstimulating world around us.
www.thegreatsimplification.com/frankly-orig...
www.thegreatsimplification.com/frankly-orig...
The Ghost of Dopamine Past - The Great Simplification
In this week’s Frankly, Nate reflects on a moment of unexpected insight during a morning bike ride, which catalyzed a larger meditation on the modern human predicament. This episode explores the neuro...
www.thegreatsimplification.com
August 1, 2025 at 2:35 PM
What is the “ghost of dopamine past,” and how does it shape not only our individual lives, but our collective economic and ecological behavior?
For the average person, headlines about mounting government debt and surging interest rates often feel like a confusing and concerning trend. What can we learn from historical cycles, global energy dynamics, and the differing fiscal strategies of nations about the trajectory of the world economy?
In today’s episode, Nate is joined once more by @reallynalden.bsky.social for a deeper exploration of the intricate relationships between fiscal dominance, rising levels of debt, and the role of energy in shaping our current financial realities.
www.thegreatsimplification.com/episode/188-...
www.thegreatsimplification.com/episode/188-...
July 30, 2025 at 2:53 PM
For the average person, headlines about mounting government debt and surging interest rates often feel like a confusing and concerning trend. What can we learn from historical cycles, global energy dynamics, and the differing fiscal strategies of nations about the trajectory of the world economy?