Happy New Year! 2019 is full of change - perhaps for you and certainly for our exponentially globalizing world. I talk often about the balance of freedom and order, of development and opportunity - and I travel looking for places that offer the best of both worlds. In this episode, recorded in Istanbul at the end of last year, I want to share my theory of "1.5 World" countries and why they rock - why they can offer you great benefits in lifestyle, investment, productivity, social life, identity, and more. What are these countries and why does this matter for you? What was once the "First World" is now changing - with new standards of living possible outside of simply the "West" vs. "The Rest" - and a new paradigm of understanding countries is called for. For lack of a better term, this theory hopefully can help you understand why the opportunity you may be craving could be found somewhere in the exciting transition of globalization and modernity. 

Global Culture Talk

My Theory of 1.5 World Countries & Why They Rock

What are the countries people are most wanting to move to - not only only for a better education or job, but to feel like they can really become "one of" the place? What places are more welcoming to outsiders and why? Where are people moving within a country like the US, or why might a country like Canada or Portugal or South Africa attract more migrants than something like Japan? What is the deal with 'immigrant' vs. 'expat' vs. 'migrant'? All of these questions strike at the heart of what we are about at Global Culture Talk - understanding the effects of globalization on identity. Why does this matter for you? Well - seeing what places best suit, for example, someone who is young and looking to start a new life and career somewhere - can teach us about the state of international attitudes, cosmopolitan, and the social fabric of humanity. In other words - giving us insight into how to create better lives for ourselves where we feel genuinely "one of" where we live, rather than as a perpetual outsider. Take a listen tonight - longer episode (35 min) - where we just scratch the surface on this topic of 'finding home'!

Where People are Moving to Find 'Home' - S01 E09

There is this story in today's culture that empowerment happens when you "stop caring what other people think" ... and in doing so, setting yourself free from society's norms and expectations. What does this actually mean, and how is it achieved? Should we totally write off everyone's opinion and go our own way ... or, whose opinion matters to you and ... why? What does travel have to do with this? And how can travel help you if you want to break free in life? In this episode, I get a little personal with my own journey in seeing how to move past the binding elements of social conditioning and keep the enriching parts that match our values. Travel, culture, and globalization are fascinating tools you can learn about to help you increase your freedom and potential in this short lifetime. Take a listen on Global Culture Talk tonight, and let's dive deep into it!

How Travel Helps You Stop Caring What People Think of You - S01 E08

Ooh tonight's podcast is a juicy one. 35 minutes of pure truthbombs - talking about authoritarianism in governments, religions, cults, companies, even self-help movements like strict diets and personal development seminars whose underlying structure all has one thing in common: authoritarian ideology which seeks to whitewash dissent and control the outcomes of people's lives. Knowing how to identify authoritarian structures is one of the most freeing and important lessons in a world which does not always have your well-being and freedom in mind - as they say, you may not care about its politics, but its politics will care about you. Less of a call to fear and more of a call to understand and speak out against, this episode includes my personal vantage point from recent and long-past events in my life where I have come up against authoritarian structures, large and small, that in leaving, and deprogramming myself out of them, have helped me find my own sense of freedom and power. The fun is just beginning here at Global Culture Talk, where we dive deep into topics of globalization, culture, and identity and how to set yourself free in a noisy and complex world. 

The Many Faces of Authoritarianism - In Governments, Cults, and Self-Help Movements

Is there an ideal city? What makes a city appealing on a physical level? How do you find the urban environment that best suits you? These are questions I have continued to ponder in my travels with an eye towards the things that make cities optimally suited for the maximum number of people to experience comfort and success. The urban space is one that is built - it does not simply "happen" and it is a phenomenon that can radically change the way you experience reality around you. Thus, the question of how we can build better cities and live better lives comes up. In this episode, I scratch the surface on this topic by raising aspects particularly of European cities that I find important for success in creating at least the physical element of livability. Take a listen and join us on Global Culture Talk as we dive deeper into the truth about globalization, culture, and identity.

The Search for the Ideal City - S01 E06

Many of us have early memories before the days of social media, on-demand entertainment, and/or living abroad in new places where there was a common media culture that was shared - everyone watched generally the same shows, heard new music, and related to a certain kind of cultural discourse. Now, since approximately 2010 with the advent of ever-more-customized media streams based on individual tastes, pop culture has changed and become fragmented in new ways, even more exacerbated by the growing trend of living in vastly different cultural contexts than one is raised in. Whether you are a frequent traveler, digital nomad, or simply an observer of pop culture trends, it is difficult to deny this reality yet also difficult to put one's finger on what it means for the emotional side of culture. Tonight's episode touches on these issues and more. Let's dive deep together with Global Culture Talk to get closer to the truth about globalization, culture, and identity.

Social Media, Expat Life & The Death of Pop Culture - S01 E05

China is the most consequential and populous nation of the 21st century yet it is so often vastly misunderstood in the Western eye. In tonight’s episode, I want to share my top 5 misconceptions around China that I have seen based on comparing my experience living in China and studying Mandarin Chinese with the discussions I have had with Western folks and in the global media. Whatever your experience or opinion on China, I hope you can learn something about the current trends on technology, politics, culture, and tourism that I think China can teach. There is so much missed opportunity between these two worlds and I want to see that change in my lifetime. Take a listen and let me know what you think! Dive deep with me here into the truth about globalization and stepping beyond tourism at Global Culture Talk.

Top 5 Misconceptions About China - S01 E04

Have you ever held the belief that 'people don't understand you'? If you are moving through the world with any eye open to yourself and the reality around you, it can sometimes be a very painful and stressful thing to wonder if or how to be understood in life. This is something that sits at the root of so many of our desires to travel, escape, explore - to find something in the world that gives us understanding and belonging. In this episode I wanted to take on this topic further by conveying 3 ways to approach seeking understanding in the world. This came out of a conversation tonight in Vienna with a guy who said he feels the world does not understand him. I have had this same thought, and how do we keep it from crushing our potential? Consider these as you look towards you travels and use the learnings you get from encountering the unfamiliar to better understand others and in doing so, maybe find more understanding FROM others. Join me as we dive deeper into globalization and identity in Global Culture Talk. I look forward to talking with you soon!

Seeking Understanding in the World - Why? How? - S01 E03

How do we balance freedom and order in society? Do the two work against each other or can they coexist, and where in the world is each more important? Why does this matter and what does it mean for people traveling or moving to another country? Every country answers these questions differently - for example, a country coming out of the depths of poverty might suspend freedoms to 'get the job done' in developing itself, while another totally lacks modern surveillance and capitalism but then also lacks the infrastructure needed to ensure public well-being. One place, like Singapore, might put more emphasis on economic freedom and less on personal freedom. Another, like Canada or the UK, might have a lot of personal freedom but tons of bureaucracy and red tape to pore through. This episode only scratches the surface regarding my thoughts on freedom and order, recorded outside from lovely orderly Vienna, Austria and reflecting on key places around the globe that take on this issue. Join me as we dive deeper into globalization and step beyond tourism to get closer to the truth of what is happening in our world!

Freedom and Order in Society - S01 E02

Welcome to the very first episode of Global Culture Talk! In this podcast we will be diving deep into the way globalization has changed the way we see ourselves, others, and the world around us - with a little humor and funny travel stories thrown in the mix. This episode is my welcome from Vienna, Austria to kick off this new platform and share my intentions for hopefully providing you with some new insight on the way the world has radically shifted in the past even 20 years towards a totally global, and hopefully better (but often bleaker) paradigm. Join me as we step beyond tourism and get closer to the truth of how our world is shaped.

Welcome to Global Culture Talk with Brian Greco - S01 E01

Welcome to Global Culture Talk, brought to you by Brian Greco. Each episode we'll be digging deeper into how globalization has changed the way we see ourselves, use language, and interact with other people. The mission is to discover the state of culture today and figure out how to put all the pieces together to find better ways of being. What places feel like home, express different parts of you, and challenge you to grow? What makes the world the way it is, and how can you be a part of changing the world? Join me as we step beyond tourism and get closer to the truth with Global Culture Talk!

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Global Culture Talk

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