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PODCAST

The Western Bubble

Balder Hageraats & Dario Hasenstab

Every Monday, Balder Hageraats and Dario Hasenstab examine how Western countries are increasingly lost in their own delusions on the world stage, and what can be done to bring them back to reality. We discuss issues ranging from geopolitics and human rights to development aid and current affairs, all through the lens of the Western Bubble.

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All Episodes

45:08

The End of the World as We Knew It: A Liquidation...

The Western Bubble ·

2025/12/22

Today, we look back at a year defined by one name: Trump. Since taking power in January, the US President claims to have ended eight wars, ranging from the conflict between Israel and Hamas to tensions in the DRC. We analyse whether this is true peace or simply a series of liquidation sales.We also look at where Europe stands in this new order. With a new US National Security Strategy creating another breaking point for the transatlantic alliance, the continent seems to be going nowhere. Neoliberal

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6:59

The US National Security Strategy Made us Sick,...

The Western Bubble ·

2025/12/14

We intended to sit down this week and dismantle the new US National Security Strategy piece by piece. Unfortunately, the sheer weight of American imperial delusion appears to have been too much for Balder’s immune system.In this brief update, Dario explains why we are hitting pause for a few days. The document itself is a fascinating roadmap of where Washington thinks the world is going versus where it is actually heading, and it deserves a proper deep dive rather than a feverish skim.We will be

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69:04

The Art of the Surrender: Trump’s 28-Point Plan for...

The Western Bubble ·

2025/12/07

The rumour mill has stopped spinning, and the text is finally out. Donald Trump’s administration has drafted a 28-point "peace plan" for Ukraine, and it reads less like a diplomatic treaty and more like a liquidation sale.In this episode, we sat down and analysed the entire document point by point, so you don’t have to. We unpack the specific clauses that signal a complete collapse of Western strategy, including:The Territorial Concession: Why recognising Donetsk and Luhansk as "de facto Russian" is

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43:46

Trump + Venezuela = Iraq in 2003? #133

The Western Bubble ·

2025/11/30

Donald Trump has escalated military pressure on Venezuela at a speed that should alarm everyone. As of mid-November 2025, the United States has carried out at least twenty-one strikes, killing eighty-three people and leaving only two survivors. Furthermore, there are now an estimated fifteen thousand US troops in the region, including marines stationed offshore and thousands of personnel at bases in Puerto Rico. Europe has remained quiet on this particular topic... we wonder why. We also react to a

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32:44

The AI-Bubble vs. the Western Bubble #132

The Western Bubble ·

2025/11/23

This week, we look at the growing concerns around the so-called AI bubble and why the panic is beginning to resemble the early 2000s, only multiplied by trillions. Nvidia is now valued higher than Germany’s entire economic output in 2025, which means one single company is worth two and a half times the combined value of all publicly traded firms in Germany.A recent MIT report shows that 95 percent of organisations investing in generative AI see zero return, despite pouring thirty to forty billion

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49:42

The West Cancelled Climate Change #131

The Western Bubble ·

2025/11/16

As COP 30 begins in Belém, we look at how the world is heading into another climate summit with rising emissions, crumbling political will, and a system still built on ideas from the 1990s. Global fossil CO2 emissions are expected to increase again in 2025 to a record 38.1 billion metric tons. Western will to climate protection is suffering from populism, which is weakening climate policy across democracies, a trend Dario sees firsthand in his work.This podcast is published with the help of RAIA NOW

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36:57

The Mamdani Mystery #130

The Western Bubble ·

2025/11/09

This week, we talk about the surprising rise of Zohran Mamdani and why his victory matters far beyond New York. His proposals are, in reality, standard European centre-left policies. The reaction to him, though, reveals something deeper in American political culture: racism, Islamophobia, and a growing panic about who gets to define the political centre at all.Mamdani is winning over parts of the Trump base by talking about material conditions instead of cultural panic. Meanwhile, the Democratic

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46:27

The Post-Neoliberal Void #129

The Western Bubble ·

2025/11/02

In this episode, we look at what the world actually looks like after the decline of neoliberalism. The systems that once kept global politics, trade, and humanitarian responses predictable are dissolving, and what is emerging is not a stable alternative but something closer to global anarchy.The United States has pushed tariffs to levels not seen in over a century, and is now carrying out airstrikes on civilian vessels in the Caribbean and Pacific with almost no international consequences

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40:47

Chips, China, and Control #128

The Western Bubble ·

2025/10/26

China has quietly positioned itself as the global gatekeeper of rare-earth metals, now expanding export restrictions as a response to the United States imposing new trade barriers and levies. Meanwhile, the Netherlands caused a geopolitical tug-of-war between the European Union and China over the chip industry that powers modern life. Once again, Western countries seem unprepared for the long game as Western actions against China are hurting domestic industries.This podcast is published with the

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47:54

Trump’s Peace in Pieces #127

The Western Bubble ·

2025/10/19

Donald Trump has done it again: a dramatic announcement, a deadline, and a deal. His new 20-point peace plan for Gaza was signed between Israel and Hamas, hailed as the beginning of a new era, and even earned him a Nobel Peace Prize nomination from Javier Milei and Bosnia.But is this truly the end of one of the world’s most intractable conflicts, or just another temporary ceasefire dressed up as history?In this episode, we unpack the so-called Trump Peace Plan, how it differs from his earlier

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55:37

Cancel Disney, to Save the West? #126

The Western Bubble ·

2025/10/12

After Balder called out Generation Z two weeks ago for not engaging enough in activism, we return to the question that lingers beneath everything: what can we actually do in a world where the West keeps declining, institutions are under attack, and everything feels like it is too much?Is the answer to cancel Disney, rage on social media, or take to the streets? Or are we simply too caught up in symbolic gestures while real change slips further away?There are also policy proposals emerging in

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46:12

Flotilla Makes Israel Sink to New Depths #125

The Western Bubble ·

2025/10/05

In this episode of the Western Bubble, we turn our attention to Israel, where events of the past weeks have revealed a country spiralling out of control. The largest civilian-led convoy in history, with over 40 vessels and 500 participants from more than 44 countries, attempted to break the blockade of Gaza, only to be intercepted by Israeli forces. At the same time, Israel ordered airstrikes against seven different countries in the past two months: Palestine, Lebanon, Syria, Tunisia, Qatar, Iran,

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57:03

Charlie Kirk, Gen Z, and the Future of the West #124

The Western Bubble ·

2025/09/28

After a two-month break, we return to find the decline of liberal democracy in the United States accelerating at a frightening pace. We look back at the assassination of Charlie Kirk to the cancellation of Jimmy Kimmel and the indictment of James Comey.We then take a step aside to talk about Generation Z colliding with reality in today’s job market, reflecting on two recent Harvard studies about boredom, entry-level jobs, and the risks of outsourcing development to artificial intelligence.Finally,

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49:41

FRONTEX: Like ICE, but with children's books #123

The Western Bubble ·

2025/07/29

This week, we draw an uncomfortable comparison between ICE in the United States and Frontex in Europe. Whether it’s children in cages or children being handed picture books about their own deportation, the language of “in the child’s best interest” rings hollow. We also challenge the idea that only the US is responsible for enabling Israel. While Washington’s military and political support is undeniable, Europe is also complicit, through inaction and ongoing arms deliveries. The truth is, both the

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42:48

Epstein Files, Trump, and the Decline of Complexity #122

The Western Bubble ·

2025/07/21

This week, we dig into the renewed uproar around Jeffrey Epstein’s infamous network and how its resurfacing in 2025 is fueling not just conspiracy theories, but a deeper institutional and psychological crisis.But this story isn’t really about Epstein or Trump. It’s about how simplified moral binaries are hijacking political discourse. We look at how these narratives flatten complex realities, fuel extreme tribalism, and damage the very institutions meant to uphold accountability.If the system can't

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42:59

Western Institutional Erosion Accelerates #121

The Western Bubble ·

2025/07/15

In this episode, we return to a theme we first explored three years ago: the steady hollowing out of institutions. Recently, the decline has accelerated further, eroding both credibility and effectiveness.We look at the wave of NATO and EU countries, including Finland and Lithuania, pulling out of the Vancouver landmine ban treaty, citing Russian threats. At the same time, the United States shows open hostility toward international institutions it created: from imposing sanctions on ICC judges

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47:11

Trump's Brutal Budget Bomb #120

The Western Bubble ·

2025/07/09

In this episode, we unpack the newly passed Big Beautiful Bill and what it says about the state of Western democracy. Despite two Republican defections, the bill sailed through Congress, bringing with it massive increases in military and immigration enforcement spending, the extension of unsustainable tax cuts, and the likely loss of health coverage for millions of Americans.But the real story goes deeper. How is it possible that legislation this harmful still passes? From weak parliamentarians to

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41:15

Efficiency or Delusion? AI and the Western Bubble #119

The Western Bubble ·

2025/07/01

This week, we take a step back from geopolitics to explore how artificial intelligence is already reshaping our societies and our minds. From efficiency gains to cognitive decline, we reflect on how we personally use AI and why it’s so easy to fall into the traps of convenience and illusion.Drawing lessons from the social media age, we look at how AI accelerates the collapse of shared reality, fuels parasocial relationships, and chips away at our ability to think critically. With tools like Grok and

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60:29

Flooding the Zone and Bombing Iran #118

The Western Bubble ·

2025/06/24

In this episode, we navigate the chaos of the past week: as Trump launches airstrikes using bunker-buster bombs, supposedly to “bring peace,” we ask: what does the U.S. gain from this? And why is Europe so eager to look the other way?We also offer two public service announcements, one on the myths surrounding Iran’s nuclear program, and one on the absurdity of the West’s new 5% defence spending target. Because sometimes, cutting through the noise is more important than adding to it.This podcast is

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52:42

Israel, Iran, and the Bomb: Strategic Brilliance or...

The Western Bubble ·

2025/06/17

After the latest escalation between Israel and Iran, we take a step back to assess what just happened and what it means moving forward. With hundreds of Israeli missiles striking targets deep inside Iran, many are asking whether this constitutes an official act of war. But in an age where no one seems to declare war anymore, what does that even mean?We unpack the short-, medium-, and long-term logic behind Israel’s actions, and ask whether strategic brilliance is really at play—or whether the

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