In this bonus episode closing out Season One, we turn the mics on ourselves. We look back on how Liminal Space began: a podcast Susan was inspired to start after a friend's pandemic-era show, pitched (somewhat tipsily) at Matt's wedding after-party, and made real after Matt ran into Kaiser Kuo on a Beijing street.
Then we answer questions from past guests. What ties our guests together? How do you find interesting people in a generation that struggles to socialize? What "levers" does a small podcast pull? Which stories stayed with us? Along the way, we talk about roots versus wings, the privilege behind choosing an unconventional path, and what it's been like for Susan to move back to the US — before sharing what's ahead for Season Two.
Key Themes
- How Liminal Space started
- Long-form conversation as a way to really know people
- 折腾 (zhēteng) and the courage to take an unconventional path
- Finding interesting people and building community in new places
- Roots and wings: the pull between moving and settling down
- Privilege and the freedom to choose
- Moving back to the US after years in China
Key Takeaways
- Long, unhurried conversations reveal how people became who they are, even friends you've known for years.
- Everyone is interesting, but you have to be interested first.
- Community in a new place doesn't happen on its own. Make the plan and send out the signal.
- Openness to exploration works best when paired with a sense of direction.
- The freedom to take risks often rests on knowing the worst case isn't that bad.
Chapters
(00:00) Introduction
(01:36) Why we started the podcast
(04:05) Running into Kaiser Kuo in Beijing
(05:27) From idea to first episode
(09:00) Reflections on long-form conversations
(12:31) Staying connected to China from Boston
(14:04) Owen asks: what do our guests have in common?
(18:39) Openness to exploration
(20:57) Julia asks: how do we find interesting guests?
(30:01) Josh asks: what levers do you pull?
(36:19) Anonymous questions: dream guests
(41:45) What we'd change for Season Two
(44:35) What stuck with us: Ming and Tina
(51:32) Stories that left us pondering: Henry and Travis
(57:31) Something new we learned: privilege and choice
(64:06) Moving back to the US
(69:23) Season Two plans and thank-yous
(72:43) Recommendations: recentering and favorite curries
(77:39) Outro
(01:36) Why we started the podcast
(04:05) Running into Kaiser Kuo in Beijing
(05:27) From idea to first episode
(09:00) Reflections on long-form conversations
(12:31) Staying connected to China from Boston
(14:04) Owen asks: what do our guests have in common?
(18:39) Openness to exploration
(20:57) Julia asks: how do we find interesting guests?
(30:01) Josh asks: what levers do you pull?
(36:19) Anonymous questions: dream guests
(41:45) What we'd change for Season Two
(44:35) What stuck with us: Ming and Tina
(51:32) Stories that left us pondering: Henry and Travis
(57:31) Something new we learned: privilege and choice
(64:06) Moving back to the US
(69:23) Season Two plans and thank-yous
(72:43) Recommendations: recentering and favorite curries
(77:39) Outro
Episodes Mentioned
E1 – Joshua Charles Woodard
E2 – Julia Meyn
E3 – Henry Kong
E4 – Tina Zhao
E5 – Owen Sutter
E6 – Ming Khor
E7 – Gab Liu
E8 – Ruby Pak
E9 – Gideon Goldfeder
E10 – Travis Tookey
E2 – Julia Meyn
E3 – Henry Kong
E4 – Tina Zhao
E5 – Owen Sutter
E6 – Ming Khor
E7 – Gab Liu
E8 – Ruby Pak
E9 – Gideon Goldfeder
E10 – Travis Tookey
Susan's website: https://suasn.live
Susan's Substack: https://substack.com/@suasn
Matt's Substack: https://substack.com/@educationary
Susan's Substack: https://substack.com/@suasn
Matt's Substack: https://substack.com/@educationary
This podcast is brought to you by C^2 Collective, a multicultural nonprofit community empowering young people across China and beyond to think curiously, connect across cultures, and create positive change | see https://csquared-collective.com/ | We host events, run a social innovation network, and publish the Curation^2 newsletter @ https://imablur.substack.com/
Music by Megan Tan
Art by Cindy Zhang
Art by Cindy Zhang
第一季回顾: Susan与Matt聊折腾、遇见有趣的人,以及在两地之间生活
在这期第一季收官的特别节目里,我们把麦克风转向了自己。我们回顾了《临界之间》的起点:Matt婚礼after party上一次带着醉意的提议、在北京街头与Kaiser Kuo的偶遇,以及正式上线前整整一年的练习。
随后,我们回答了往期嘉宾的提问:嘉宾们有什么共同点?在一个不太擅长社交的时代,如何遇见有趣的人?一个小小的播客要拉动哪些"杠杆"?哪些故事让我们久久难忘?一路聊下来,我们也谈到了"根与翅膀"的拉扯、选择非传统道路背后的特权,以及Susan搬回美国后的感受,最后分享了第二季的计划。
关键主题
- 《临界之间》的由来
- 长篇对话:真正认识一个人的方式
- 折腾,以及走非传统道路的勇气
- 遇见有趣的人,在新城市建立社群
- 根与翅膀:漂泊与安定之间的拉扯
- 特权与选择的自由
- 在中国生活多年后搬回美国
核心启发
- 长时间、不急不躁的对话,能让你看见一个人如何成为今天的自己,即使是认识多年的老朋友。
- 每个人都很有趣,但你得先真正感兴趣。
- 在新的城市,社群不会自己出现。主动发起计划,发出信号。
- 开放探索的同时,也要保有方向感。
- 敢于冒险的底气,往往来自"最坏也坏不到哪里去"的确定感。
章节时间轴
(00:00) 开场
(01:36) 我们为什么开始做播客
(04:05) 在北京偶遇Kaiser Kuo
(05:27) 从想法到第一期节目
(09:00) 关于长篇对话的感想
(12:31) 在波士顿与中国保持连接
(14:04) Owen提问:嘉宾们有什么共同点?
(18:39) 开放探索
(20:57) Julia提问:我们如何找到有趣的嘉宾?
(30:01) Josh提问:你们拉动了哪些杠杆?
(36:19) 匿名提问:梦想嘉宾
(41:45) 第二季我们想改变什么
(44:35) 印象最深的故事:Ming与Tina
(51:32) 引人深思的故事:Henry与Travis
(57:31) 我们学到的新东西:特权与选择
(64:06) 搬回美国
(69:23) 第二季计划与致谢
(72:43) 推荐时间:找回状态与最爱的咖喱
(77:39) 结尾
(01:36) 我们为什么开始做播客
(04:05) 在北京偶遇Kaiser Kuo
(05:27) 从想法到第一期节目
(09:00) 关于长篇对话的感想
(12:31) 在波士顿与中国保持连接
(14:04) Owen提问:嘉宾们有什么共同点?
(18:39) 开放探索
(20:57) Julia提问:我们如何找到有趣的嘉宾?
(30:01) Josh提问:你们拉动了哪些杠杆?
(36:19) 匿名提问:梦想嘉宾
(41:45) 第二季我们想改变什么
(44:35) 印象最深的故事:Ming与Tina
(51:32) 引人深思的故事:Henry与Travis
(57:31) 我们学到的新东西:特权与选择
(64:06) 搬回美国
(69:23) 第二季计划与致谢
(72:43) 推荐时间:找回状态与最爱的咖喱
(77:39) 结尾
本期提到的往期节目
E1 – Joshua Charles Woodard
E2 – Julia Meyn
E3 – Henry Kong
E4 – Tina Zhao
E5 – Owen Sutter
E6 – Ming Khor
E7 – Gab Liu
E8 – Ruby Pak
E9 – Gideon Goldfeder
E10 – Travis Tookey
E2 – Julia Meyn
E3 – Henry Kong
E4 – Tina Zhao
E5 – Owen Sutter
E6 – Ming Khor
E7 – Gab Liu
E8 – Ruby Pak
E9 – Gideon Goldfeder
E10 – Travis Tookey
Susan的个人网站:https://suasn.live
Susan的Substack:https://substack.com/@suasn
Matt的Substack:https://substack.com/@educationary
Susan的Substack:https://substack.com/@suasn
Matt的Substack:https://substack.com/@educationary
本播客由C²Collective出品,这是一家跨文化非营利组织,致力于赋能中国及全球的年轻人,培养好奇心、跨文化连接与积极创造力 | 详见 https://csquared-collective.com/ | 我们举办线下活动、运营社会创新网络,并发布Curation²通讯 @ https://imablur.substack.com/
音乐 by Megan Tan 插画 by Cindy Zhang
