Intergalactic Tarboush: Recent Episodes
Iyad El-Baghdadi and Ahmed Gatnash
Iyad and Ahmed talk about building organisations, spirituality, technology, mental health, history, social change and anything else that happens to be on their minds today...
Iyad and Ahmed delve into the relationship between language and thought, discuss ideas about a potential Arabic-language podcast, and even pivot to modern discoveries about the Earth's mantle; in true Intergalactic Tarboush form. Episode Timetags: 00:00 - Does language affect thought? 03:30 - Arabic & translating vs. rewriting 05:50 - The decline of the Arabic-language public sphere 07:45 - An Arabic-language Kawaakibi Foundation podcast? 08:20 - How Iyad's son navigates being quadrilingual 11:30 - Is Hisham Matar an "Arabic writer"? 16:00 - Strange blobs in the Earth's mantle 20:30 - The Quran on the moon "splitting"
Iyad and Ahmed continue talking about why the long-term prospects and strategic situation of Egypt are so depressing, why Steven Seagal is such an asshole and ideological polical opposition in Saudi Arabia. Episode Timetags: 00:00: Egypt's troubles 04:20: 'Syriana,' the movie 06:30: Alaska and global trade 07:30: Why is Steven Seagal such an asshole? 10:00: The privilege to insulate yourself from self-awareness 15:40: A new study on Universal Basic Income: https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/new-leaf-project-results-1.5752714 19:00: Saudi political parties and ideological opposition 22:00: Mustafa Akyol's book, 'Islam without Extremes'
In this episode, Iyad and Ahmed discuss changes in world order and the relationship between citizenry and government in traditional versus modern 'great power' political structures. Episode Timetags: 00:50 - great power politics & world change 04:40 - how do we defend human rights in the "new world" 06:00 - the influence of modern citizenry on political power 09:10 - The future of Egypt & its water security 14:30 - Egypt & "mega projects" 17:00 - The Toshka project & corruption
In this episode, Iyad and Ahmed discuss how a broad range of political and economic factors can impact democracy, and how the concept of a 'public sphere' can either strengthen or weaken democratic nations. Episode Timetags: 05:00 - Centralisation of political and economic activity & weakened democracy 06:00 - Economic inequality as a threat to democracy 07:00 - APPGs in the UK, captured by the private sector - article referenced: https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2022/feb/17/lobbying-fears-as-mps-interest-groups-receive-13m-from-private-firms 10:00 - French colonial censorship in Syria 11:00 - "Public sphere" theory & democracy (+ shout-out to Belabbes Benkredda!) 12:30 - Jurgen Habermas - German philosopher of the public sphere 14:30 - Disinformation in the public sphere & the destruction of Arabic Twitter 15:30 - What is the impact of a shared public sphere on nationalism? 17:30 - Two public languages in The Middle East: Indo-European & Semitic
In this episode, Iyad and Ahmed discuss advancements in the world of technology and communication, and how they have impacted politics and humanity as a whole. Episode Timetags: 00:55 - Consuming information via podcasts 03:55 - Tweets & threads as sources of information 05:55 - Expansion of humanity via social media & communication 09:25 - Global divides & scientific racism 11:10 - Putin & how age affects decision making 15:15 - Bitcoin mining as part of national policy
In this episode, recorded prior to Russia's invasion of Ukraine, Iyad and Ahmed discuss Putin's politics and its significance both regionally and globally. Episode Timetags: 01:00 - Predictions on Russia & Ukraine 04:50 - US foreign policy - Obama, Assad & chemical weapons 09:00 - Geopolitics & Russian motivations for the invasion 14:45 - Recent books - 'Red Notice' & 'The Man Without A Face' 18:00 - Putin not being ideological, only understanding hard power 21:00 - What is cancel culture?
In this episode, recorded last year, Iyad and Ahmed switch gears a little and hone in on issues of religion. Topics include separating "life" from religious acts, and glorifying the divine through honouring the human being. Episode Timetags: 01:00 - Muslim leadership & human rights 03:40 - Charity fundraising & religious identity versus morality 08:00 - Spirituality versus religiosity 12:05 - A chance encounter with Raed Jarrar 13:50 - Gratitude for working in human rights 14:50 - Breaking down the meaning of Surah Al-Ikhlas 20:00 - Looking at Surah Al-Fatiha 23:00 - Tribalism & lessons from the story of Prophet Ibrahim 25:55 - Fiqh as a product of its time
In this episode, Iyad and Ahmed discuss the revolutionary nature and potential of Bitcoin, sectarianisation in Yemen and around the region, and reframing perspectives on mental health. Episode Timetags: 01:00 - Human rights use cases of Bitcoin 05:50 - Financial situation in Libya 08:00 - Alex Gladstein's work on Bitcoin (article links below) 09:50 - 'Sectarianization' - Danny Postel and Nader Hashemi 12:20 - Summarising Yemen's process of sectarianisation 15:50 - Mental health paradigm 20:10 - Iyad thinks Koalas are stupid Alex Gladstein's articles: https://bitcoinmagazine.com/culture/bitcoin-replacing-us-super-imperialism (https://bitcoinmagazine.com/culture/bitcoin-replacing-us-super-imperialism) https://bitcoinmagazine.com/culture/the-hidden-costs-of-the-petrodollar (https://bitcoinmagazine.com/culture/the-hidden-costs-of-the-petrodollar) https://bitcoinmagazine.com/culture/check-your-financial-privilege (https://bitcoinmagazine.com/culture/check-your-financial-privilege)
Cartoon - 'Young Koala With a Mental Health Problem': https://www.madinamerica.com/2019/05/young-koala-mental-health-problem (https://www.madinamerica.com/2019/05/young-koala-mental-health-problem)
In this episode, Iyad and Ahmed discuss productivity and novel sleeping concepts, European imperialism and its impacts on various languages and races, and the future of cryptocurrency in and outside of the United States. Episode Timetags: 0:28 – Sleep routines and productivity 06:35 – Imperialism, language & Native American DNA across the Americas 12:47 – The origin of Urdu as ‘the camp language’ 14:20 – WWI, WWII & the end of colonialism 15:25 – Cryptocurrency & American versus global economies 20:00 – Shifting power and world order
In this episode, Iyad and Ahmed discuss the concept of futurism and its relation to our work, as well as optimism versus pessimism in the spheres of religion, politics and human rights activism. Episode timetags: 00:30 - Futurism - tradition and modernity 05:50 - Pessimism in the Muslim community 08:45 - China's growth - birth rates, power and risk 15:10 - Genetic supremacy - Germanic germ theory 17:00 - Britain & colonialist nostalgia 19:00 - France & the nationalism of decline
In this episode, Iyad and Ahmed discuss knowledge bases, mortality and the fascinating science behind the cosmos. Episode timetags: 01:00 - Too many tabs! Too much information 03:15 - Iyad’s near-death experience 6:00 - Reflections on the new podcast format 09:25 - Interesting facts about birds’ lungs, dinosaurs and evolution 12:00 - Interesting facts about astronomy 17:00 - The ‘Drake Equation’ 19:15 - Reasons behind European colonialism 20:30 - Balancing work and personal lives
Iyad and Ahmed officially launch a new podcast - Intergalactic Tarboush! Their first conversation includes all sorts of interesting titbits from the worlds of politics, science and human rights activism. Episode timetags: 00:48 - Intro to Intergalactic Tarboush 01:30 - Knowledge bases - using Roam as a writing tool 03:45 - Gorillas, evolution and religious sentiment 06:00 - Prophet Adam in the Shi'a tradition 08:45 - Historical growth of Christianity 10:00 - Eclectic activism 12:50 - Éric Zemmour 15:00 - French Political Spectrum and Muslims