Big Think

Why do the worst people rise to power? University College London professor Brian Klaas responds. George Washington famously didn’t want to become the president of the United States, but he accepted the job and performed it well. That’s how people should feel about important leadership positions, according to how political scientist Brian Klaas thinks about the role of power in society. Klaas says that power should be a burden on people because leaders have to make decisions that will ultimately have negative consequences for many people. One problem: some humans don’t care about those consequences. And, according to Klaas, our institutions don’t do a very good job of screening these people out of important leadership spots. Klaas suggests implementing psychological screening for top jobs, asking questions to determine why someone seeks power, and identifying whether they are in it for themselves or for the greater good. These measures can help to ensure that the right people are in positions of power, whether that means leading a company, governing a nation, or handling nuclear weapons. 0:00 Power should be a burden / Power should keep you up at night 1:18: The dark triad personality traits 1:43 Machiavellianism 2:06 Narcissism 2:40 Psychopathy 4:04 Psychological screening for powerful jobs ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------- About Brian Klaas: Associate Professor of Global Politics at University College London, Contributing Writer for The Atlantic, author of Corruptible: Who Gets Power and How It Changes Us, and Creator/Host of the award-winning Power Corrupts podcast. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ------------------------- Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

“What did you win? You won awkward silence. You won their contempt. You won the first to apologize. When you win an argument, you will lose their confidence, you will lose their respect, you will lose the connection.” What if every argument you’ve ever “won” actually cost you something way more valuable? Whether that be respect, connection, or trust, lawyer and author Jefferson Fisher argues that when you try to control the conversation, you end up losing something far more important. Instead of fighting to be right, Fisher invites us to unravel the tension of disagreement and examine the real triggers that lie beneath. ------------------------- Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

**🧘 What Enlightenment *Really* Means in Zen — And Why It’s Not What You Think ✨** Enlightenment. We chase it like a prize—something to attain, something to *keep*. But in Zen, it's not about bliss or a permanent state of awakening. Instead, it’s about *seeing clearly*: 🌐 Realizing the deep, ever-shifting interconnectedness of everything—where *you* and *I*, this chair, and the whole universe, are not truly separate. Yes, people have intense spiritual experiences—moments of pure oneness. But Zen warns: don’t cling to them. Even after awakening, you still have to do the laundry 🧺 and brush your teeth 🪥. There’s no escape from daily life. True enlightenment isn’t about staying “high.” It’s about how you *act* in each moment: 🌱 Are you kind? 🌍 Are you living with awareness of how deeply connected you are to others and the planet? Zen reminds us: **There are no enlightened people—only enlightened actions.** So skip the perfection fantasy. Enlightenment is not an endpoint—it’s a way of *being*. One compassionate moment Folllow this Podcast for daily Episodes ------------------------- Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In the last few decades, the concept of “burnout” has become ubiquitous in modern discourse around work and academia. However, there is a common misunderstanding about what burnout actually is. To many people, burnout is synonymous with being overworked and stressed. But cognitive scientist and Yale professor Laurie Santos wants you to know that that’s not the case. Rather, burnout is a clinical syndrome with specific symptoms of emotional exhaustion, depersonalization or cynicism, and a sense of personal ineffectiveness. It can be caused by a heavy workload, but it is often due to a mismatch in values, unfairness, or a lack of intrinsic reward. Properly understanding burnout — and knowing how to identify it — is crucial for employing practical steps to proactively avoid the syndrome. To do so, Santos suggests four simple, actionable steps that can help you not only spot burnout, but stop it in its tracks. 0:00 3 symptoms of clinical burnout 1:51 3 causes of burnout 3:39 Questions for assessing your burnout 4:59 How to treat burnout ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------- About Laurie Santos: Dr. Laurie Santos is an Associate Professor of Psychology at Yale University. Her research provides an interface between evolutionary biology, developmental psychology, and cognitive neuroscience, exploring the evolutionary origins of the human mind by comparing the cognitive abilities of human and non-human primates. Her experiments focus on non-human primates (in captivity and in the field), incorporating methodologies from cognitive development, animal learning psychology, and cognitive neuroscience. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ------------------------- Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

“Invention matters, but implementation matters more.” Why did we overlook the lessons from some of our most transformative breakthroughs? The U.S. Once excelled at scaling new technologies like clean energy and advanced medicine, such as the penicillin injection. But we've increasingly left promising innovations stuck on the shelf. So why did America fall so far behind in building? Using the forgotten success of Operation Warp Speed as a blueprint, Abundance co-author Derek Thompson challenges us to imagine a world where we apply that same urgency to cancer drugs, carbon‑neutral cement, and beyond. Chapters: 0:00 The implementation of penicillin 2:02 OSRD and scaling penicillin 3:41 Have we forgotten how to implement? 5:01 Operation Warp Speed ---------------------------------------------------- About Derek Thompson: Derek Thompson is a staff writer at The Atlantic and host of the podcast Plain English. He is the author of Hit Makers and the co-author of Abundance alongside Ezra Klein, which explores the case for renewing the politics of plenty in the modern world. Folllow this Podcast for daily Episodes ------------------------- Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Folllow this Podcast for daily Episodes ------------------------- Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Natalie Nixon, a creativity strategist, emphasizes the importance of asking the right questions in order to foster innovation and creativity. She believes that inquiry and curiosity are crucial for driving innovation, as they can bridge information gaps and encourage expansive thinking.  Nixon introduces the "Taxonomy of Questions," which includes divergent questions ("Why?", "What if...?", "I wonder...?") that promote big picture thinking, and convergent questions ("What?", "Where?", "When?") that provide tactical guidance. To thrive in an ambiguous world, we need to balance both types of questions, embracing creativity as a uniquely human trait that sets us apart from technology and automation.  Nixon suggests becoming "clumsy students" of something new in order to build confidence in asking questions and seeking help. By practicing this discipline of inquiry, we can develop our ability to think differently and drive innovation. 0:00 Asking better questions 1:11 Inquire and be curious 1:47 Two types of questions: Divergent & convergent 2:30 Creative questions = surviving automation 3:39 How to practice better questions ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------- About Natalie Nixon: Dr. Natalie Nixon is the Creativity Whisperer to the C-Suite, helping leaders achieve transformative business results by applying wonder, rigor, and foresight. A magnetic keynote speaker, Nixon shares why creativity is not a “nice to have” but a “must have” and leaves audiences with practical techniques to upgrade their organizational and individual creative capacity in the midst of ubiquitous technology and hybrid work environments — always with an eye on innovation and the future of work. Marketing guru Seth Godin has said that Nixon “can help you get unstuck and unlock the work you were born to do.” As CEO & Creativity Strategist at Figure 8 Thinking, Nixon is a highly sought after global keynote speaker & advisor, author of the award-winning book The Creativity Leap and editor of Strategic Design Thinking. Real Leaders named her one of the "Top 50 Keynote Speakers in the World," and her clients have included Google, Salesforce, META, New Balance, and Deloitte. Profiles on Nixon as well as her writing have been featured in Forbes, INC, and Fast Company. She earned her B.A. From Vassar College and her Ph.D. From the University of Westminster in London. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ------------------------- Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Plato famously described the human psyche as two horses and a charioteer: One horse represented instincts, the other represented emotions, and the charioteer was the rational mind that controlled them. Astronomer Carl Sagan continued this idea of a three-layer, “triune brain” in his 1977 book The Dragons of Eden. But leading neuroscientist Lisa Feldman Barrett challenges this idea of the brain evolving in three layers, instead revealing a common brain plan shared by all mammals and vertebrates. The development of sensory systems led to the emergence of the brain, and hunting and predation may have initiated an arms race to become more efficient and powerful predators. Despite advances in neuroscience and genetics, the question of why the brain evolved remains elusive. But Feldman Barrett’s fascinating exploration of the brain’s evolution offers insights into the most important functions of this complex organ, and invites us to think more deeply about the origins of our own intelligence. 0:00 What a brain costs 0:21 The triune brain (aka lizard brain) theory 1:24 Plato, Carl Sagan, and the making of the myth 2:35 Debunking the ‘lizard brain’ theory 3:39 How the first brain evolved 5:49 The brain’s ultimate job ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------- About Lisa Feldman Barrett: Dr. Lisa Feldman Barrett is among the top 1% most-cited scientists in the world, having published over 250 peer-reviewed scientific papers. Dr. Barrett is a University Distinguished Professor of psychology at Northeastern University with appointments at Harvard Medical School and Massachusetts General Hospital, where she is Chief Science Officer for the Center for Law, Brain & Behavior. She is the recipient of a NIH Director’s Pioneer Award for transformative research, a Guggenheim Fellowship in neuroscience, the Mentor Award for Lifetime Achievement from the Association for Psychological Science (APS) and from the Society for Affect Science (SAS), and the Distinguished Scientific Contribution Award from the American Psychological Association (APA). She is an elected fellow of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, the Royal Society of Canada, and a number of other honorific societies. She is the author of How Emotions are Made: The Secret Life of the Brain, and more recently, Seven and a Half Lessons About the Brain. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ------------------------- Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

- **Psychedelics and Perception**: Using psychedelics is compared to being catapulted to the top of a mountain, rapidly expanding your awareness. It enhances your understanding of life’s complexity and challenges the limits of perception, much like learning new skills or traveling to new places. 🌄🌌 - **James Fadiman's Insight**: With over 60 years in psychedelic research, Fadiman discusses transpersonal psychology, a tool for exploring consciousness. It goes beyond conventional psychology, helping expand human awareness and understanding. 🧠🔍 - **Psychedelics as Tools for Growth**: Psychedelics open up consciousness by breaking patterns and allowing different parts of the brain to communicate. This can result in enhanced creativity, clarity, and a deeper understanding of relationships, especially in therapeutic settings. 🌈🎨 - **The Risks and Rewards**: Like any powerful tool, psychedelics can be dangerous if misused. Without support or understanding, the overwhelming expansion of consciousness can be terrifying. Caution and careful use are essential. ⚠️ - **Integration and Support**: After a psychedelic experience, the integration process helps individuals make sense of the overwhelming information. This is similar to helping someone adapt to a new culture, turning confusion into clarity. 🌱💡 - **Community Impact**: Psychedelics can enhance how individuals connect with others, breaking down personal barriers and fostering a greater sense of unity. Fadiman emphasizes that the experience of psychedelics is transformative, widening one’s universe. 🌍💬 Folllow this Podcast for daily Episodes ------------------------- Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

‪@jewel‬ says denying the truth cost her years of her life. This is how she shifted her perception to see truth more clearly and regain her strength. “My number one job was to be a happy, whole human — not a human full of holes.” Jewel Kilcher, singer-songwriter, and visual artist, opens up about her childhood, the start of her career, and what makes Jewel, Jewel. After being discovered during a coffee shop gig in the 1990’s, folk singer Jewel began the life-long endeavor of being a performer. Jewel went on to gain worldwide recognition for her talent and creativity. But who is she at her core? What are her greatest fears, her deepest aspirations? In this interview, Jewel shares the personal struggles and triumphs that have shaped her, the importance of truth on her life and well-being, and the lessons she's learned along the way. Through this conversation, Jewel offers an up-close look into her journey, revealing the experiences and hard-won insights that have shaped her as both an artist and a person. ------------------------------------- About Jewel: Jewel Kilcher, known mononymously as Jewel, embodies the quintessential story of resilience and artistic integrity. From her humble beginnings in the rugged landscapes of Alaska to her rise as a multi-platinum recording artist, Jewel's journey is a testament to the transformative power of art. Homeless at 18, she honed her craft performing in coffee shops, blending folk, pop, and country influences with her ethereal voice and introspective songwriting. Her debut album, "Pieces of You," captured hearts worldwide, achieving remarkable commercial success while delivering profound, soul-stirring messages. Beyond music, Jewel's talents extend to poetry and acting, with her literary works and performances reflecting her deep empathy and authenticity. Jewel's commitment to social causes, including mental health advocacy and her foundation, the Inspiring Children Foundation, underscores her dedication to making a positive impact. In a world often dominated by transient fame, Jewel stands out as a beacon of enduring creativity and compassionate leadership. Folllow this Podcast for daily Episodes ------------------------- Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Are the answers to humanity’s biggest questions written in the stars? Our host Kmele Foster is on a journey to find out. Why are we here? What is our purpose? Are any of our scientific efforts actually adding up to important revelations? Does understanding our cosmic origins really contribute to humanity as a whole? We know what it’s like to be “street-level,” to understand our cities, our social behaviors, our day-to-day lives — but what happens if we look up? How does our understanding of humanity change when we raise our attention to the space beyond our skylines? These are the questions that our host Kmele Foster is exploring in this episode of The Well podcast. Helping Kmele along the way is Sean Dougherty, the director of ALMA Observatory in Northern Chile, home of Earth’s darkest skies and 50% of the world’s megatelecopes. If the answers to humanity’s questions are written in the stars, this observatory might be the one to translate them. ------------------------- Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

“We don't have enough knowledge to precisely calculate what is going to happen, and so we assign probabilities to it, which reflects our ignorance of the situation.” What do snowflakes, glowing street lamps, and Einstein’s “crazy” idea have in common? Physicist Brian Cox unwinds the surprising origins of quantum mechanics—the theory that shattered classical physics and redefined our understanding of reality. From Kepler’s insight in a 17th-century snowstorm to Planck’s revolutionary leap in 1900, Cox traces how curiosity and confusion gave rise to the most baffling theory in science. 00:00:00 Part 1: The power of quantum mechanics 00:00:24 What are considered the earliest glimpses of quantum mechanics? 00:06:39 How did Einstein's work on the photoelectric effect impact science? 00:12:17 How does quantum physics conflict with classical theory? 00:17:11 What is the double-slit experiment? 00:26:25 Why is it important that we seek to solve the mysteries of quantum physics? 00:33:30 Part 2: The fundamental measurements of nature 00:45:15 What kinds of insights does the Planck scale reveal? 00:52:15 Where does our comprehension of scale break down? 01:01:30 Part 3: The frontiers of the future 01:10:21 How can humanity influence the universe? --------------------------- About Brian Cox: Brian Cox obtained a first class honors degree in physics from the University of Manchester in 1995 and in 1998 a Ph.D. In High Energy Particle Physics at the DESY laboratory in Hamburg. He is now Professor of Particle Physics at the University of Manchester, The Royal Society Professor for Public Engagement in Science and a Fellow of the Royal Society. Brian is widely recognized as the foremost communicator for all things scientific, having presented a number of highly acclaimed science programs for the BBC watched by billions internationally including ‘Adventures in Space and Time’ (2021), ‘Universe’ (2021), ‘The Planets’ (2018), ‘Forces of Nature’ (2016), ‘Human Universe’ (2014), ‘Wonders of Life’ (2012), ‘Wonders of the Universe’ (2011) and ‘Wonders of the Solar System’ (2010). As an author, Brian has also sold over a million books worldwide including ‘Black Holes’, ‘Universal: A Guide to the Cosmos’, ‘Quantum Universe’ and ‘Why Does E=mc2?’ with co-author Professor Jeffrey Forshaw. He has set several world records for his sell-out live tours, including his most recent tour Horizons which has taken in venues across the globe. Folllow this Podcast for daily Episodes ------------------------- Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

"We've sent out one or two little messages, but we certainly aren't investing billions of dollars shouting out into the cosmos saying, "Hey, we are here. Come say hi."" In the vast silence of the cosmos, one unsettling theory lingers: What if we're not alone, everyone else is hiding? The Dark Forest Hypothesis offers a chilling answer to the Fermi Paradox: intelligent civilizations may be out there, but they stay silent out of fear. Astronomer David Kipping explores the risks of shouting into the void, the psychology of cosmic survival, and whether alien civilizations might already know we're here. Chapters:- 00:00 The search for ET intelligence 02:12 The Dark Forest Hypothesis 02:30 The issue at the heart of METI resistance 04:03 A risk quadrant 06:28 Two-part communication 07:36 The Pioneer Plaque 09:32 Passive tech for communication 11:53 A monument on the moon ------------------------------------- About David Kipping: David Kipping is an Associate Professor of Astronomy at Columbia University and the founding director of the Cool Worlds Laboratory, where he leads groundbreaking research on exoplanets, exomoons, and the search for extraterrestrial life. As a pioneer in the detection of moons around planets outside our solar system, his work has been published in prestigious scientific journals and has significantly advanced our understanding of distant planetary systems. Kipping employs sophisticated statistical methods to analyze data from NASA's Kepler and TESS missions, extracting subtle signals that reveal the properties of these distant worlds. Beyond academia, he created and hosts the popular Cool Worlds YouTube channel, which has attracted over 750,000 subscribers through its accessible explorations of cosmic frontiers and speculative astronomy. After receiving his PhD from University College London and holding positions at Harvard University, Kipping has established himself as a respected researcher who effectively bridges rigorous scientific investigation with compelling public science communication. ------------------------- Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

**The Impact of Social Media & Attention** 📱🧠 - **Seductive Speed**: Technology allows opinions to spread quickly, captivating our attention. Social media places us in a world where we can compete for engagement even with people on the other side of the world, amplifying distractions. ⏳🔄 - **Attention & Memory**: Constant distractions hinder attention, preventing us from forming new memories. Every online interaction is like a “funhouse of mirrors,” distorting our sense of reality. 🎢 - **Identity Theft**: Data breaches expose our information, leading to risks like fraud, stolen identities, or being locked out of accounts. 🔐💳 - **Mimetic Desire**: Social media exposes us to millions of "models" to emulate, many of whom we can directly compete with. Mimetic desire occurs when we adopt others’ desires as our own, which can lead to unhealthy comparisons and endless cycles of envy. 🔄💭 - **External vs. Internal Models**: External models (e.g., celebrities) don't lead to direct competition, but internal models (e.g., friends, colleagues) are more relatable and can trigger rivalry. The key is understanding when desire for these models is healthy vs. Harmful. ⚖️👀 - **The Dopamine Trap**: Constant exposure to idealized lifestyles on social media can give us fleeting dopamine hits, creating unrealistic fantasies that don't bring lasting happiness. 🌟🌀 - **Social Media’s 'Democratic' Illusion**: Though social media seems like a space for free speech, it's dominated by a small, vocal minority, creating misleading perceptions about the majority. 🚨👥 - **Collective Illusions**: The manipulation of online engagement, like using bots to inflate support, can create false consensus, distorting real public opinion. 🕵️‍♂️🔍 - **The Offline Solution**: To escape the distortion of social media, it's essential to engage in real-life conversations with those around us—family, neighbors, and community members. 🌍💬 - **Mindfulness Training**: To counter distractions and reclaim our attention, practicing mindfulness for just 12 minutes a day can help strengthen focus, enhance awareness, and improve overall mental well-being. 🧘‍♂️🧠 **Key takeaway**: **Mindfulness + Real Connections = Better Attention** 🧘‍♀️🌟 Folllow this Podcast for daily Episodes ------------------------- Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The traditional measure of evolutionary success is a population's ability to continue, adapt and grow. By that measure, humanity has been a huge success: our population is only getting bigger, and for a lot of countries, so is our average life-span. Biological anthropologist Agustín Fuentes takes issue with this measurement. In his view, the sheer number of humans living on the planet doesn't necessarily equate to success. In fact, the argument that humans are doing better than ever before is problematic, because it only considers a narrow perspective of Euro-American societies, ignoring other vast cultures and populations. Instead, Fuentes argues, evolutionary success for humans should be measured by our capacity for flourishing, which includes health, security, interaction, and well-being — and importantly, how this flourishing is distributed across our species. 0:00 The overpopulation myth 1:20 Niche construction, explained 4:06 Human nature: Amazing and awful 5:46 The “it’s just nature” myth ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------- About Agustín Fuentes: Agustín Fuentes, a Professor of Anthropology at Princeton University, focuses on the biosocial, delving into the entanglement of biological systems with the social and cultural lives of humans, our ancestors, and a few of the other animals with whom humanity shares close relations. Earning his BA/BS in Anthropology and Zoology and his MA and PhD in Anthropology from UC Berkeley, he has conducted research across four continents, multiple species, and two-million years of human history. His current projects include exploring cooperation, creativity, and belief in human evolution, multispecies anthropologies, evolutionary theory and processes, and engaging race and racism. Fuentes’ books include Race, Monogamy, and other lies they told you: busting myths about human nature (U of California), The Creative Spark: how imagination made humans exceptional (Dutton), and Why We Believe: evolution and the human way of being (Yale). ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ------------------------- Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Sometimes, it’s really hard to be happy. And there’s a reason for that: The human brain isn’t hard-wired for happiness. Why? Because happiness isn’t essential for survival. To make matters worse, our minds can deceive us when it comes to happiness, leading us to chase things that won’t make us happy in the long run. To solve for this, Yale psychology professor Laurie Santos recommends a set of practices, dubbed “re-wirements.” These practices include prioritizing social connection, being other-oriented, focusing on gratitude and blessings, and incorporating exercise into our daily routine. By understanding the common pitfalls of our thinking and adopting new behaviors, we can achieve true happiness, and make it last. For Santos, happiness isn’t just a state; it’s an ongoing practice. 0:00 Happiness? Natural selection doesn’t care. 0:59 4 annoying mind features ruining your happiness 3:33 5 ways to rewire your behavior for more happiness 6:56 Listen to your negative emotions ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------- About Laurie Santos: Dr. Laurie Santos is an Associate Professor of Psychology at Yale University. Her research provides an interface between evolutionary biology, developmental psychology, and cognitive neuroscience, exploring the evolutionary origins of the human mind by comparing the cognitive abilities of human and non-human primates. Her experiments focus on non-human primates (in captivity and in the field), incorporating methodologies from cognitive development, animal learning psychology, and cognitive neuroscience. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ------------------------- Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Stress shrinks your brain. Neuroscientist Lisa Genova explains how to strengthen it. It may not feel like it when you can't find your phone or "lose" your sunglasses sitting atop your head, but your memory is an amazing ability -- and one we want to protect. So it's little wonder that any blips or blank spaces can send us spiraling into concern. Some recall issues here and there are normal, says neuroscientist and author Lisa Genova, and not every lapse means looming problems. (And don't worry, forgetting names is a surprisingly tough thing for our brains to do!) But, Genova says, there's ways we can improve our memory, increase resilience and recall and be more comfortable with ourselves and our minds. From making lists and getting Google's help to giving yourself a pop quiz, getting some meditation in, and just plain paying attention, these tips will have your steel trap gleaming. 0:00 Introducing the problem 1:19 #1: Practice paying attention 1:45: #2: Bulk up your hippocampus 3:18 A 9-second meditation you can try 3:59 #3 Secure your sleep 5:14 #4 Drink caffeine 5:36 #5 Create associations (the Baker-Baker Paradox) 6:36 #6 Repetition 7:14 #7 Write it down 8:03 #8 Self-testing 8:31 #9 Just Google it 9:14 Forgetting is human ----------------------------------------------------------------- About Lisa Genova: Lisa Genova is the New York Times bestselling author of the novels Still Alice, Left Neglected, Love Anthony, Inside the O’Briens, and Every Note Played. Still Alice was adapted into an Oscar-winning film starring Julianne Moore, Alec Baldwin, and Kristen Stewart. Lisa graduated valedictorian from Bates College with a degree in biopsychology and holds a PhD in neuroscience from Harvard University. She travels worldwide speaking about the neurological diseases she writes about and has appeared on The Dr. Oz Show, Today, PBS NewsHour, CNN, and NPR. Her TED talk, “What You Can Do to Prevent Alzheimer’s,” has been viewed more than five million times. The New York Times bestseller REMEMBER is her first work of nonfiction. ------------------------- Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

"You can't possibly exaggerate how much better it is to live in a peaceful, orderly society, and to be wealthy, and healthy, and surrounded by people who you love and who love you, and to be surrounded by increasingly happy strangers who just want to cooperate with you." What if the chaos in your life (and in the world as a whole) isn’t caused by evil, but caused by ordinary people trapped in bad mindsets? The real enemy, Sam Harris argues, isn’t each other. It’s the stories that we so often mistake for the truth. If you’re burned out, stuck in anger, feeling devoid of compassion, Harris offers clarity, and a path to escaping your mind. Chapters: 00:00 Why compassion is critical 02:27 Sufficient knowledge, sufficient cooperation 04:15 Inherited advantages 07:40 The choice we have to make 08:00 Human conversation as tool 10:11 The most surprising thing about dreams 12:01 Consciousness and its object 14:27 What is the optimal state to be in? 15:24 How to get off the ride of anger 17:02 Its so easy to tell yourself a story 19:20 Unclenching the fist in your mind SUMMARY: 1. Compassion as a Foundation for a Better World The speaker emphasizes that true compassion involves recognizing our shared humanity and working to reduce disparities in luck, opportunity, and suffering. A just society should aim to lift everyone, ensuring that even the poorest benefit from collective progress. 2. Most Suffering is Self-Created A striking insight is that much of human misery stems from the stories we tell ourselves—beliefs, ideologies, and narratives that divide us. If we could change these mental frameworks, much suffering would dissolve. 3. The Illusion of Bad People The speaker argues that truly evil people are rare; most conflict arises from good people trapped in bad ideas. This suggests that progress is possible if we shift our thinking rather than demonizing others. 4. The Power of Knowledge and Cooperation Human ingenuity can solve almost any problem—unless physics forbids it. The key is combining knowledge with cooperation to build a better world. This optimism contrasts with dystopian fears of scarcity and conflict. 5. Luck and Privilege No one chooses their birth circumstances—whether born into wealth or war. Recognizing this should inspire humility and a drive to reduce unfair disparities. 6. Meditation and Emotional Freedom A major theme is how our thoughts trap us in negative emotions. Meditation creates space between awareness and thought, allowing us to regulate emotions rather than being ruled by them. 7. The Short Half-Life of Anger Anger and fear are useful as alarms but rarely productive long-term. Learning to disengage from reactive thoughts can prevent unnecessary suffering and conflict. 8. The Road Rage Analogy Like road rage, much human conflict stems from overreacting to minor provocations. Reframing situations with compassion can dissolve anger before it escalates. 9. Happiness is Possible Amid Struggle We don’t need a perfect world to be happy. Even in adversity, we can cultivate inner peace—illustrated by meditators who find joy in solitude, while others find it torturous. 10. The Choice Before Us We can either build a world of cooperation and shared prosperity or descend into fear and tribalism. The tools for change—conversation, reason, and compassion—are already available. Folllow this Podcast for daily Episodes ------------------------- Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Educator Irshad Manji emphasizes that diversity is a fact of life, and it should be harnessed to unite society rather than divide it. Recognizing that humans tend to react defensively to opposing views, she offers five key skills to promote constructive conversations. These include 1) taking deep breaths to facilitate rational thinking, 2) intentionally establishing common ground, 3) genuinely inquiring about the other person's perspective, 4) actively listening to learn rather than to win, and 5) encouraging further dialogue by asking "Tell me more." Adopting these skills can lead to healthier outcomes in contentious conversations and foster collaboration. Ultimately, an individual's ability to engage in productive discussions depends on their motivation. It is essential to reflect on one's intentions, choosing between a genuine desire to solve problems or a need to assert moral superiority. Only by making the right choice can we hope to harness the power of diversity for the greater good. 0:00 Our defensive brains 1:52 How ‘slam dunking’ backfires 3:05 The 5-part toolkit 3:27 Skill #1: Breathe deeply (give your brain oxygen) 4:06 Skill #2: Create common ground 4:40 Skill #3: Ask a sincere question 5:16 Skill #4: Listen to learn 6:15 Skill #5: “Tell me more” 7:31 The most uncomfortable question ------------------------- Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

“People warned me against writing a book about boys and men.” Richard Reeves explains the big problems facing men today – and why no one is talking about them. "Are men and boys in crisis? In his book “Of Boys and Men: Why the Modern Male Is Struggling, Why It Matters, and What to Do About It”, Richard Reeves, a senior fellow at the Brookings Institution, explores several of the key challenges facing boys and men, including the friendship recession, the evolving nature of marriage, and the gender pay gap. To Reeves, these problems are generally structural, not individual, and the interventions tried so far haven't been very effective. The friendship recession is particularly affecting men, with the percentage of men who report having no close friends showing a fivefold increase compared to the 1990s. This social isolation can lead to numerous mental health issues and negatively impact their overall well-being. Meanwhile, marriage patterns have also shifted, creating a growing class divide, with educated couples more likely to marry and stay together than their less-educated counterparts. This divide exacerbates economic and social inequalities. Reeves argues that we ought to confront the crises facing boys and men in a deliberate and thoughtful manner. By addressing these challenges head-on, society can work toward a more equitable and inclusive future where both men and women can thrive." 0:00 Meet Richard Reeves 0:20 Part 1: The challenges facing boys and men 3:44 What is the education landscape like today for men and women? 8:37 How does brain development impact education? 12:46 Are boys more likely to be diagnosed with developmental disabilities? 16:59 What changes could we make to help boys in education? 18:52 Why do most men today earn less than men did 40 years ago? 22:58 Which occupations are the most gender segregated? 27:16 Which skills impact male employability? 28:50 How has fatherhood changed? 33:45 How is all of this affecting the well-being of men? 37:06 Part 2: The friendship recession 39:17 What was the traditional view of friendship? 40:47 What factors are getting in the way of people having more friends? 45:29 Why is it so hard to make friends as one gets older? 48:15 What are the negative impacts of not having friends? 50:15 Why is it beneficial to have diversity amongst your friends? 53:08 Part 3: The death of marriage 57:00 How has the concept of marriage in America changed? 1:03:12 Is marriage now more about love than necessity? 1:05:18 What is the future of marriage? 1:08:40 Part 4: The gender pay gap 1:13:24 Why is there still a pay gap for women? 1:18:36 Who else is affected by a pay gap? 1:21:14 Would you change anything about "Of Boys and Men"? 1:23:41 What do you hope to achieve with your book? ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ------------------------- Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices