The Tip of a Peninsula with a Bunch of Crazy People

The Tip of a Peninsula with a Bunch of Crazy People

Author: Jacob Shapiro & Marko Papic April 15, 2025 Duration: 1:13:17

Marko unloads on the myth that austerity worked in Greece, calling out lazy linear thinking, Eurozone nerds with Excel models, and Paul Krugman’s fantasy economics. He explains how Greece’s turnaround was real - but not for the reasons anyone thinks - and why Syriza’s U-turn was political heroism, not betrayal. The conversation pivots to India, where Modi is playing the U.S., China, and Europe against each other with tariff diplomacy. Plus: Ottoman nostalgia, Donbas deadlock, and why even ISIS prefers Toyotas.

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Timestamps:

(00:00) - Introduction

(01:17) - Greece's Economic Turnaround

(03:00) - Debating Austerity and Economic Policies

(07:33) - Greece's Political Landscape and Reforms

(12:17) - Comparing Greece and Brexit

(30:19) - India's Market and Global Trade Dynamics

(37:43) - The Importance of Foreign Competition in Domestic Markets

(40:33) - The Impact of Tariffs on the Auto Industry

(43:53) - India's Strategy Towards Foreign Auto Companies

(45:12) - Russia-Ukraine Conflict Update

(53:15) - Trump's Tariff Policies and Their Implications

(56:23) - The Future of US Trade Deals

(01:03:42) - Concluding Thoughts on Trade and Geopolitics


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

Geopolitical Cousins
Podcast Episodes
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