Podcast · 76 episodes
Hidden Forces, page 2
by Demetri Kofinas · English
Get the edge with Hidden Forces where media entrepreneur and financial analyst Demetri Kofinas gives you access to the people and ideas that matter, so you can build financial security and always stay ahead of the curve.
All episodes, page 2
Why America Cannot Afford to Lose Another War | Marvin BarthMarvin Barth and Demetri Kofinas analyze the US-Israeli campaign against Iran (Operation Epic Fury, starting Feb 28) and argue about US strategic incentives, risks to maritime security and global…16 Apr 2026 · 50 min · 21 chapters
Who Wins and Who Loses in the AI Economy | John Burn-MurdochWho wins and loses in the AI economy, focusing on job exposure, hiring slowdowns (especially entry-level software), and broader social/demographic effects.13 Apr 2026 · 57 min · 31 chapters
The Last Ship Out of Hormuz: Why the REAL Supply Shock Is About to Hit | Rory JohnstonMechanics and consequences of a Strait of Hormuz closure (about a quarter of global oil transits daily), arguing the “real” supply shock is arriving now as diesel/jet fuel shortages propagate from…2 Apr 2026 · 52 min · 22 chapters
Here's Why Trump is in No Rush to Reopen the Strait of Hormuz | John KonradCaptain John Conrad’s “Hormuz hypothesis” argues the Trump administration is using the Strait of Hormuz disruption as leverage to reorganize maritime trade and insurance, not to quickly restore…1 Apr 2026 · 58 min · 17 chapters
The God Machine: Demis Hassabis and the Quest for Superintelligence | Sebastian MallabyBiography of Demis Hassabis and DeepMind’s path to superintelligence, framed by AI race dynamics, safety hopes, and the shift from symbolic AI to deep learning.30 Mar 2026 · 56 min · 20 chapters
Why There Are No Good Options Left in the US War Against Iran | Gregg CarlstromA March 24 update on the US-Israel war against Iran that began Feb 28, focusing on Gulf public mood, Iranian restraint vs broad targeting, decentralized Iranian command, and why “no good options”…24 Mar 2026 · 49 min · 19 chapters
The Information State: Politics in the Age of Total Control | Jacob SiegelJacob Siegel’s Hidden Forces episode argues that the internet has produced a “third political regime,” the information state, which governs by monopolizing attention and controlling the digital…23 Mar 2026 · 1 h 6 min · 21 chapters
America's Gamble: Regime Change, Retreat, or State Collapse in Iran | Hamidreza AziziA real-time analysis of the first three weeks of a US-Israel-Iran conflict, focusing on whether it is evolving toward regime change, retreat, or state collapse; the meaning of continued…18 Mar 2026 · 56 min · 21 chapters
What History's Greatest Currencies Tell Us About the Future of the Dollar | Barry EichengreenEconomic historian Barry Eichengreen explains how international currencies emerge and endure, using a long history of cross-border money to assess the US dollar’s future.16 Mar 2026 · 56 min · 25 chapters
When Empires Stop Building: The Iran War and the End of American Soft Power | Bruno MaçãesA rapid, abbreviated discussion of the US-Israeli bombing campaign against Iran after nuclear negotiations broke down, and what it signals about American “world building” and soft power decline.9 Mar 2026 · 43 min · 15 chapters
The Iran War and the Limits of American Power | Joshua LandisAbbreviated discussion of the US-Israeli air campaign against Iran, focusing on unclear objectives, competing strategic narratives, and the limits/risks of American power—especially escalation,…5 Mar 2026 · 45 min · 19 chapters
The Coming Storm: Why 2026 Looks a Lot Like 1914 | Odd Arne WestadHidden Forces episode with historian Odd Arne Westad arguing that 2026 resembles the pre-1914 era more than the Cold War.2 Mar 2026 · 55 min · 15 chapters
The Case for a Historic Reallocation to Emerging Markets | Sony KapoorSony Kapoor argues global investors should “rebalance away from America” by reducing overconcentration in US assets and reallocating toward emerging markets, driven by structural portfolio mechanics,…23 Feb 2026 · 54 min · 15 chapters
How Big Tech Weaponized the Internet and How to Fix It | Tim WuTim Wu argues that “platform power” has become the dominant economic force, shifting the internet from an open, innovation-friendly ecosystem to an extraction model that weaponizes user attention and…16 Feb 2026 · 47 min · 19 chapters
How to Build the Perfect Portfolio | Cullen RocheCullen Roche (Disciplined Funds; author of Your Perfect Portfolio) explains how to build a “perfect” portfolio for an individual by matching portfolio construction to time horizon, life…9 Feb 2026 · 54 min · 21 chapters
The Last Bubble? Finding Value in a World on Fire | Jeremy Grantham & Edward ChancellorJeremy Grantham and Edward Chancellor discuss their collaboration on Grantham’s autobiography The Making of a Permabear, then argue that US equities are extremely overvalued, bubbles are fueled by…2 Feb 2026 · 49 min · 18 chapters
Why Europe Must Prepare to Go It Alone | Carlo MasalaCarlo Masala argues Europe must prepare to “go it alone” because Russia may test NATO’s Article 5 with limited incursions, especially if Americans doubt their commitment.26 Jan 2026 · 53 min · 20 chapters
Iran's Counterrevolution & the Future of the Greater Middle East | Kamran BokhariIran’s historical roots, the IRGC vs. regular armed forces, and what nationwide protests signal about regime stability and the future of Iran and the Greater Middle East, with implications for U.S.19 Jan 2026 · 1 h 41 min · 28 chapters
The Epstein Files Are Worse Than You Think | Patrick BoylePatrick Boyle discusses why the Jeffrey Epstein case “is worse than you think,” focusing on (1) the heavily redacted FBI files released after congressional pressure and (2) his own YouTube…15 Jan 2026 · 1 h 12 min · 25 chapters
The Mattering Instinct: Our Desperate Need to Find Meaning | Rebecca GoldsteinRebecca Goldstein’s The Mattering Instinct argues that humans long to feel “objectively” deserving of attention, not just biologically self-preserving.12 Jan 2026 · 53 min · 20 chapters
Trump's New Strategy for Latin America: Venezuela, Cuba, & the 'Donroe Doctrine' | Brian WinterThe episode analyzes Trump’s alleged “Donroe Doctrine” approach to Latin America, focusing on the extraction of Venezuela’s Nicolás Maduro and what it signals for US grand strategy, right-wing…8 Jan 2026 · 1 h 29 min · 31 chapters
Late-Cycle Investment Theory: Foundations for the Coming Decade | Nicolas ColinHidden Forces episode with Nicolas Collin argues that markets are in the maturity phase of the “computing and networks” technological revolution, not the start of a brand-new wave.5 Jan 2026 · 48 min · 17 chapters
Trump's National Security Strategy: A Plan to Contain China or Carve Up the World? | Jamie MetzlJamie Metzl and Demetri Kofinas discuss the Trump administration’s 2025 National Security Strategy, arguing over whether it’s a containment plan for China versus a 19th-century-style…22 Dec 2025 · 1 h 8 min · 23 chapters
AI Bubble, Inflation, and the Limits of Monetary Policy | Jason FurmanWhether there’s an “AI bubble,” how AI should be regulated, and what limits monetary policy has for inflation and affordability.15 Dec 2025 · 47 min · 17 chapters