(time flies) Just released episode #100 of my little podcast for English learners

[leonardo]

Hi everyone. As some of you may know (because you helped with advice and ideas ) I started a podcast for English language learners just over a year ago.

It seems like yesterday, but I just released the 100th episode of it. I’ve been doing 2 a week since then, and it’s now been listened to over 200K times by people in 173 countries, which is a little mad to think.

If you are one of those listeners, thank you - you’re amazing

And if you’re interested in reading what it has taken to get here, here’s the ‘behind the scenes’ story.

[Torsten]

Hi Alastair, what’s interesting is that although you seem to be wildly successful with your blog and podcast and everything it apparently hasn’t occurred to you that we could potentially work together in earnest: Let’s work together!

Instead, you use our forum just to peddle your own product. Very selfish.

[leonardo]

Hi @Torsten - I’m confused. I just shared a link to something I thought could be interesting to others here. No peddling going on.

I’m open to working together in earnest. The link you shared is to a part of the forum that didn’t seem very active.

[Torsten]

“Not being very active” is a question of what exactly you are looking for. When it comes to brainstorming ideas on how we might potentially work together pageviews shouldn’t be the main criterion.

[leonardo]

@Torsten

This is the place for our team of professional content creators, language coaches, freelancers, developers, marketers, advertising experts, UI/UX specialists and all our supporters to exchange ideas on how to move forward with our project.

From what I’d seen in this topic, it was used for English Best people internally, and the above introductory message didn’t make it clear how it should be actually used (by someone who wasn’t already a ‘content creator’).

I can’t see a way to email you directly, but if you would like to explore a way to work together, you can reach me at hi at leonardoenglish dot com.

[Torsten]

I’ve just listened to your podcast episode on GDP and find your thoughts very interesting because they pretty much align with the following.

What is the origin of the GDP metric?

When exactly did the human race declare perpetual annual growth of the GDP their primary goal and the measurement of all achievements? Here is the answer: When British colonizers descended on Ireland, they tasked William Petty with tallying up the country’s land and wealth: an inventory that would be used for the purposes of appropriation and plunder. These accounts are the earliest predecessor to today’s GDP metric.

Why GDP prevents us from thinking

Here is a beautiful quote on ‘growthism’ and how detrimental it is to our ability to think: Growthism is anti-intellectual in the sense that it prevents us from thinking about what we actually want the economy - and our society - to achieve. GDP comes to stand in for thought itself. Most people don’t think any more. They confuse consuming information with thinking and spreading gossip with debate. Our society is driven by the sick notion that infinite growth of the GDP is the core of our very…

The GDP is the driving force behind COVID-19 and future pandemics

Everyone of us who is eager to get back to normal should stop and think again. If we continue peddling the fairytales of infinite economic growth we will create a world in which pandemics, food shortages, chaos, destruction and death is the norm. Our planet is striking back reminding us that human beings are just one of billions of species and we are by no means more sophisticated than others. As a matter of fact, it’s quite possible us human beings are most destructive and detrimental element w…

Why the GDP should no longer be our priority

As I listen to Nicola Sturgeon on TED Talks I’m thinking to myself: What a wise and sophisticated people those Scots are to have selected her as their leader. I’m so looking forward to having similar leadership here in old Germany. What about you?