Rephonic
Artwork for Urgent Futures

Urgent Futures with Jesse Damiani

Jesse Damiani
Climate Change
Artificial Intelligence
Mass Extinctions
Climate Crisis
Public Health
Social Justice
Biodiversity
Los Angeles Fires
Sustainability
Community Engagement
Capitalism
Self-Driving Cars
Fossil Fuels
Privacy
Human Rights
Policing
Documentary Filmmaking
Algorithmic Resistance
Feminism
Public Understanding Of AI

Welcome to the Urgent Futures Podcast, the show that finds signal in the noise. Each episode, I sit down with leading thinkers for dialogues that clarify the chaos, from culture to the cosmos. www.realitystudies.co

PublishesTwice weeklyEpisodes102Founded3 years ago
Number of ListenersCategories
Society & CultureTechnology

Listen to this Podcast

Artwork for Urgent Futures

Latest Episodes

A lot of writing about collapse ends up feeling abstract—like the authors are writing from a remove about an alien species. But today's guest, Sarah Wilson, has written a collapse book that does something incredibly rare. Listen on to find out, and o... more

I was lucky to meet today's guest, Cy Canterel, a few years ago during the downslope of hype around NFTs and web3—a moment we actually dive into during the episode—fully aware of the ways many people will hear those terms an instantly tune out. My ho... more

YouTube

How can art—especially new media art—be used to intervene in polycrisis? Across projects like Apocalypse Early Warning System, ICEspy, & more, artist Kyle McDonald charts a path.

Support the show by checking out: ProtonVPN (gold-standard VPN—fast an... more

YouTube

From comedies like Anchorman and Step Brothers to The Big Short, Vice, and 2C—a forthcoming film about climate apocalypse—Adam McKay's evolution as a storyteller and public figure epitomizes the journey we will need many other creative folks to under... more

YouTube

Key Facts

Accepts Guests
Contact Information
Podcast Host
Number of Listeners
Find out how many people listen to this podcast per episode and each month.

Similar Podcasts

People also subscribe to these shows.

Recent Guests

Cy Canterel
Artist, technologist, and thinker featured on Urgent Futures
Independent/Artist-Technologist
Episode: Decoding Systems of Power & Meaning: Military AI, Epstein, Necropolitics...& Backrooms - Cy Canterel | Rapid Response #26
Kyle McDonald
Artist and technologist focusing on climate, ecology, energy, and technology mediation
Independent artist/creative technologist
Episode: Apocalypse Early Warning System? Track the Oligarchs. Creative Tech as Crisis Intervention - Kyle McDonald | Rapid Response #25
Adam McKay
Academy Award-winning writer, director, and producer; founder of Yellow Dot Studios
Yellow Dot Studios
Episode: How Storytelling & Comedy Expose Corruption & Depict Climate Collapse - Adam McKay | #73
Juan Sebastián Pinto
Colorado activist and founder of the Colorado People's Caucus on AI
Colorado People's Caucus on AI
Episode: From Palantir Employee to Digital Rights Advocacy: Starting a People’s Movement Against AI Risks - Juan Sebastián Pinto | Rapid Response #24
Vivek Shandas
Professor at Portland State University, expert on urban heat islands
Portland State University
Episode: Extreme Heat: What City-Dwellers Need to Understand - Vivek Shandas | #71
Sam Bloch
Founder and lead trainer at Camp DoomsDaddy
Camp DoomsDaddy
Episode: Prepper Camp, But Make it Fun & Community-Focused - Sam Bloch (DoomsDaddy) | #70
Eric Czuleger
Presenter/Analyst at The Under Report
The Under Report
Episode: Orbán’s Loss is a Big Deal. Explaining the Future of Hungary, the EU, & Geopolitics - Eric Czuleger | Rapid Response #23
Lee Buck
Investor and philanthropist focused on climate change
Investing in climate tech; boards and entrepreneurial ecosystem advocate
Episode: How Solar Power Could Change Everything - Lee Buck | #69
Cory Doctorow
Blogger, journalist and activist focused on digital rights
Electronic Frontier Foundation; Boing Boing; pluralistic.net
Episode: Enshittification: The Rot at the Heart of Big Tech - Cory Doctorow | #68

Host

Jesse Damiani
Host of Urgent Futures, Reality Studies

Reviews

4.9 out of 5 stars from 62 ratings
  • the best!

    one of my favorite podcasts! jesse is a great host + has such an incredible variety of guests.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    fake.milo
    United Statesa year ago
  • A+ Podcast

    Deeply needed in these times and highly informative. Thank you!

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    DashaKitt
    United Statesa year ago
  • Relevant, researched and accessible

    This podcast is truly a gem. Not only Jesse’s curation of guests is refreshing, and very relevant, the content is enlightening and accessible without being superficial. I learnt so much listening to some of the episodes and truly wished more people knew about it.

    Jesse is also a great interviewer with kindness, nuance and humility always on the agenda. Cannot recommend this podcast enough!

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    lili069475
    United States2 years ago
  • High def glimpses into the chaos

    What is reality in a world dominated by rapid cycles of technological and cultural production? In the clear speak I’ve always valued in his writing, Damiani delves into the frayed edges of thought and creativity by assembling experts from a fresh cross-section of disciplines to synthesize visions of a post-real now. With each episode, am consistently enthralled by the subtlety and mastery with which Damiani teases out critical issues and weaves these into piercing dialogues, in real time. Also a... more

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    missrenao
    United States2 years ago
  • One of the Best Podcasts in America

    Anyone interested in cutting-edge ideas about culture, tech, and philosophy needs to be listening to this podcast. The variety of guests is incredible, and all of them have something urgent to say. I always feel smarter and more generatively perplexed after listening to Urgent Futures, and I keep coming back because I want to know what the most intelligent, idiosyncratic thinkers are thinking and talking about amongst themselves. You will not regret becoming a regular listener!

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Daniel S. Isaac
    United States2 years ago

Listeners Say

Key themes from listener reviews, highlighting what works and what could be improved about the show.

Listeners find the conversations cutting-edge and globally aware.
guests are refreshingly diverse and highly relevant, never superficial.
The show delivers deep, interdisciplinary insights into culture, tech, and global issues.
The host is a skilled interviewer with kindness, nuance and humility in agenda.

Top Society & Culture Podcasts

The Ezra Klein Show
The Ezra Klein ShowNew York Times Opinion
Stuff You Should Know
Stuff You Should KnowiHeartPodcasts
Freakonomics Radio
Freakonomics RadioFreakonomics Radio + Stitcher
This American Life
This American LifeThis American Life
Radio Rental
Radio RentalTenderfoot TV & Audacy
Behind the Bastards
Behind the BastardsCool Zone Media and iHeartPodcasts
Humans
HumansHank Green

Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

Apocalypse Early Warning System? Track the Oligarchs. Creative Tech as Crisis Intervention - Kyle McDonald | Rapid Response #25
Q: What updates or additional context can you share about the My Epstein project and related concerns about safety and data ethics?
McDonald describes building tools that surface connections to Epstein-era emails and contacts, the challenges with platform guidelines and permissions, and the ongoing tension between exposing networks of influence and protecting individuals. He emphasizes learning from the experience to avoid causing harm while maintaining critical commentary about power networks.
Apocalypse Early Warning System? Track the Oligarchs. Creative Tech as Crisis Intervention - Kyle McDonald | Rapid Response #25
Q: What has the subscription service felt like—how has the audience response been and what does it mean for creators monetizing art?
The subscription model is transformative for the artist, turning aesthetic responsibility into financial accountability. About 2,000 people have signed up; the creator must balance delivering meaningful, timely updates with not spamming subscribers, while also dealing with the rarity of actual messages, which paradoxically adds certainty to the experience.
Apocalypse Early Warning System? Track the Oligarchs. Creative Tech as Crisis Intervention - Kyle McDonald | Rapid Response #25
Q: Could you explain Apocalypse Early Warning System and what sparked the idea to track elite movements in response to perceived apocalyptic events?
The core idea is that if there is an apocalypse, the wealthiest will flee cities, so the project tracks and shares data on elite aviation and mobility as an indicator for the public. The spark came from observing geopolitical tension and insider-trading patterns around president-level threats and combining that with ADS-B data and public flight-tracking to infer who might be reacting to imminent danger.
From Palantir Employee to Digital Rights Advocacy: Starting a People’s Movement Against AI Risks - Juan Sebastián Pinto | Rapid Response #24
Q: How did your calculus shift regarding Palantir and AI, and how did your career unfold?
The guest discusses his immigrant background, work at Palantir, growing concerns about AI in warfare and surveillance, and his decision to speak out as he witnessed the deployment of AI in government contracts and mass surveillance.
From Palantir Employee to Digital Rights Advocacy: Starting a People’s Movement Against AI Risks - Juan Sebastián Pinto | Rapid Response #24
Q: What are the main causes that you're pursuing with the Colorado People's Caucus on AI?
The guest highlights building a broad coalition across labor, civil rights, environmental groups, and immigrant communities to combat AI-driven surveillance and to establish local digital rights protections against the influence of big tech in state policy.

Audience Metrics

Listeners, social reach, demographics and more for this podcast.

Listeners per Episode
Gender Skew
Location
Interests
Professions
Age Range
Household Income
Social Media Reach

Frequently Asked Questions About Urgent Futures

What is Urgent Futures about and what kind of topics does it cover?

A thought-provoking show that foregrounds conversations with leading thinkers spanning technology, environment, policy, and culture. Episodes frequently explore complex systems—from urban resilience and climate politics to digital governance and AI—through accessible, rigorously sourced dialogues. Guests range from academics and journalists to practitioners shaping policy and technology, offering practical insights and critical perspectives. The host curates a diverse slate of experts, aiming to illuminate urgent global issues with nuance, clarity, and intellectual curiosity. Listeners likely value interdisciplinary thinking, rigorous analysis, and ideas-at-scale discussions about the near and distant futures that affect society, technology... more

Where can I find podcast stats for Urgent Futures?

Rephonic provides a wide range of podcast stats for Urgent Futures. We scanned the web and collated all of the information that we could find in our comprehensive podcast database. See how many people listen to Urgent Futures and access YouTube viewership numbers, download stats, audience demographics, chart rankings, ratings, reviews and more.

How many listeners does Urgent Futures get?

Rephonic provides a full set of podcast information for three million podcasts, including the number of listeners. View further listenership figures for Urgent Futures, including podcast download numbers and subscriber numbers, so you can make better decisions about which podcasts to sponsor or be a guest on. You will need to upgrade your account to access this premium data.

What are the audience demographics for Urgent Futures?

Rephonic provides comprehensive predictive audience data for Urgent Futures, including gender skew, age, country, political leaning, income, professions, education level, and interests. You can access these listener demographics by upgrading your account.

How many subscribers and views does Urgent Futures have?

To see how many followers or subscribers Urgent Futures has on Spotify and other platforms such as Castbox and Podcast Addict, simply upgrade your account. You'll also find viewership figures for their YouTube channel if they have one.

Which podcasts are similar to Urgent Futures?

These podcasts share a similar audience with Urgent Futures:

1. The Great Simplification with Nate Hagens
2. Planet: Critical
3. Team Human with Douglas Rushkoff
4. The Ezra Klein Show
5. The Gray Area with Sean Illing

How many episodes of Urgent Futures are there?

Urgent Futures launched 3 years ago and published 102 episodes to date. You can find more information about this podcast including rankings, audience demographics and engagement in our podcast database.

How do I contact Urgent Futures?

Our systems regularly scour the web to find email addresses and social media links for this podcast. We scanned the web and collated all of the contact information that we could find in our podcast database. But in the unlikely event that you can't find what you're looking for, our concierge service lets you request our research team to source better contacts for you.

Where can I see ratings and reviews for Urgent Futures?

Rephonic pulls ratings and reviews for Urgent Futures from multiple sources, including Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Castbox, and Podcast Addict.

View all the reviews in one place instead of visiting each platform individually and use this information to decide if a show is worth pitching or not.

How do I access podcast episode transcripts for Urgent Futures?

Rephonic provides full transcripts for episodes of Urgent Futures. Search within each transcript for your keywords, whether they be topics, brands or people, and figure out if it's worth pitching as a guest or sponsor. You can even set-up alerts to get notified when your keywords are mentioned.

What guests have appeared on Urgent Futures?

Recent guests on Urgent Futures include:

1. Cy Canterel
2. Kyle McDonald
3. Adam McKay
4. Juan Sebastián Pinto
5. Vivek Shandas
6. Sam Bloch
7. Eric Czuleger
8. Lee Buck

To view more recent guests and their details, simply upgrade your Rephonic account. You'll also get access to a typical guest profile to help you decide if the show is worth pitching.

Find and pitch the right podcasts

We help savvy brands, marketers and PR professionals to find the right podcasts for any topic or niche. Get the data and contacts you need to pitch podcasts at scale and turn listeners into customers.
Try it free for 7 days