A Jew and a Nihilist Talk About The Pope

A Jew and a Nihilist Talk About The Pope

Author: Jacob Shapiro & Marko Papic May 5, 2025 Duration: 1:11:30

After a whirlwind of parenting, flights, and failed schedules, the cousins are back with overreactions and the U.S. dollar’s free fall. They riff on Chinese tech breakthroughs... but Marko's still not buying BYD over a German car. Europe? Left for dead, so maybe it’s time to buy? Jacob freaks out over India-Pakistan tensions, while Marko tries to keep us from launching WWIII. They also touch on Trump’s Nobel dreams, Pope predictions, and why Japan just became the spiciest trade negotiator in the room. Plus: rice diplomacy and NBA despair.

Timestamps:

(00:00) - Introduction and Announcements

(00:51) - Catching Up After a Busy Week

(01:56) - Overreactions Segment Introduction

(03:51) - First Overreaction: US Dollar Decline

(13:19) - Second Overreaction: China's Tech Advancements

(22:55) - Third Overreaction: Europe's Geopolitical Decade

(26:01) - Fourth Overreaction: Trump Administration's Peace Dividend

(31:43) - Discussion on the Vatican and the Pope

(33:15) - Conspiracy Theories and Pope Francis

(34:34) - The Future of the Papacy

(35:52) - Trump as Pope?

(36:55) - The Role of the Vatican

(40:06) - Global Politics and Religion

(41:50) - Canada and Australia Elections

(46:51) - Japan's Trade Stance

(52:29) - India-Pakistan Tensions

(56:04) - Multipolar World Conflicts

(01:03:36) - NBA Playoffs and Predictions


There’s a certain kind of conversation that happens when two deeply knowledgeable friends, who also happen to be professional geopolitical analysts, get together without a script. That’s the space Geopolitical Cousins occupies. Hosts Jacob Shapiro and Marko Papic bring their distinct perspectives-often aligned, sometimes clashing-to dissect the forces shaping our world, from market-moving policies to underlying cultural shifts. You won’t find dry, academic lectures here. Instead, each episode feels like you’re overhearing a lively, sometimes comedic debate between two cousins at a family gathering, if that family was obsessed with the intersection of power, philosophy, and investment. The analysis is rigorous and in-depth, yet delivered with a relatable ease that can pivot from a serious interview with an expert to an off-the-wall observation about societal quirks. This podcast digs into the "why" behind the headlines, exploring how business, culture, and human nature collide on the global stage. By weaving together categories that are often kept separate-society, investing, comedy, philosophy-Shapiro and Papic create a uniquely holistic listen. Tune in for a perspective that is as intellectually substantial as it is unpredictably engaging.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 54

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