Summary: Today’s guest is James Thomas, the host of Four Seas One Family, a podcast aiming to show how common the human experience is and break down the barriers that divide us. As an American immigrant who now lives and works in Taiwan, James’ experiences in Asia have taught him so much of the connectedness and shared nature of the human race, something he felt compelled to bring to light with his own podcast. For James, the medium is so direct and accessible to listeners that it makes perfect sense as the vessel for his message. During our chat we look at James’ background and the years leading up to his life in Taiwan and then move onto some of his underlying philosophy and the experiences that informed this. James emphasizes the concepts of trust and family and has a few interesting anecdotes that illustrate his ideas on human unity. Our guest also offers some insight into his relationship with the podcasting medium and the greater practice of storytelling and information sharing. Familiar themes arise of cultural exchange and the affirmation that blossoms out of this and James is very quick to optimistically drive home how we can all do our part to build a better, more connected planet. For all this and more, be sure to tune in! Support Depaul to combat homelessness. Key Topics: • How James found himself working in Taiwan. (01:54) • Some of the most common traits that unite all humans. (05:37) • The importance of trust throughout cultures.(06:52) • What audio and podcasts have to offer in terms of achieving James’ goal.(10:21) • The power of sharing stories on Four Seas One Family. (12:20) • Comparing altruistic podcasts with those with other motivations.(13:41) • James’ experience as an immigrant and a ‘stranger’ away from home. (15:59) • Learning about yourself through the study of others’ cultures.(17:50) • The hopes James has for making positive change.(19:15) • And much more! See the show notes and a transcript at http://www.causepods.org/podcast/james-thomas Thanks for Listening! Be sure to subscribe on Apple, Google, Android, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts. And feel free to drop us a line at mathew@causepods.org. Stay up-to-date on Causepods by followng Mathew Passy on social media at Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter! For help, resources, and community support, please join the Causecasters’ Facebook Group if you are already producing podcasts for a cause or are thinking about launching one. And if you would like to be a guest on Causecasts, please fill out this form.
