Preconceived
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© Zale Mednick
Description
Preconceived, hosted by Zale Mednick, dives deep into the intricacies of human experience, challenging the assumptions that shape our understanding of the world. In each episode, Zale engages with leading experts, thought leaders, and individuals with unique perspectives to uncover the layers beneath societal norms and expectations. From exploring cultural phenomena to dissecting scientific breakthroughs, Preconceived invites its listeners to question their preconceptions about love, life, technology, health, history, and beyond.
With a blend of curiosity and critical thinking, Zale navigates through complex topics, offering his audience a chance to gain new insights and broaden their horizons. Whether it's debunking myths, confronting biases, or simply indulging in the joy of learning something new, Preconceived is more than just a podcast; it's an invitation to view the world through a different lens.
Join Zale Mednick every week on Preconceived for enlightening conversations that promise to inspire, inform, and intrigue. Perfect for the inquisitive mind, this podcast is a must-listen for anyone eager to challenge their understanding of the world and embrace the complexity and beauty of human existence.
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270 Episodes
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‘Work-life-balance’ is a common phrase, a buzzword even, that refers to the way we find balance in our professional lives and personal lives. The goal for many is to achieve an equilibrium, where we devote sufficient time to our work, family, and personal lives, without letting one domain dominate the other. But is work-life balance truly attainable in the ways most of us think of it? Should we be focused on balancing all aspects of our lives at once, or is it natural that the balance be more heavily weighted toward certain domains at different time points of our lives? Author David Mcneff joins the podcast. David Mcneff's book - The Work-Life Balance Myth: Rethinking Your Optimal Balance for Success Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
As excitement grows regarding the upcoming solar eclipse, so do feelings of anxiety and fear amongst many people. What exactly is a solar eclipse, and how dangerous is it for your eyes? Ophthalmologist Dr. Tina Felfeli joins the podcast to prepare you for this once-in-a-lifetime event . Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
In this episode, Zale opens up about his own experience with Obsessive Compulsive Disorder. What is an obsession, and what is a compulsion? How does OCD extend far beyond the preconception of a pure focus on cleanliness? Zale gives a window into what it is like living with anxiety and sheds some light on psychiatric illness in general. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
The Roman Empire is thought of as one of the most powerful empires in human history. But as we all know, the Roman Empire did indeed fall after several centuries of domineering economic and political power. Many historians have tried to understand why exactly the Roman Empire fell, and many theories have emerged. In the present day, the United States, and ‘The West’ at large, has been seen for several centuries as the world’s superpower, similar in many ways to the power held by the Roman Empire. But with the current geopolitical landscape, it seems as if America may succumb to the same fate as Rome. So what is the phenomenon that is occurring here? Why do empires fall? And what will become of the West in the decades to come? Peter Heather joins the podcast. Peter Heather's book 'Why Empires Fall' - https://www.amazon.ca/Why-Empires-Fall-America-Future/dp/030027372X Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
The idea of one human eating another human is almost unfathomable to most of us. Even when stories have surface of life and death situations when people were arguably forced to resort to cannibalism in order to survive, the act still raised many eyebrows in society at large. But how abnormal really is the practice of cannibalism? From an evolutionary and survival perspective, how can the practice of cannibalism be better understood? How common has human cannibalism been over the course of civilization, and what have been the most common circumstances in which it developed? Bill Schutt, author of 'Cannibalism: A perfectly natural history', joins the podcastBill Schutt's book: https://www.amazon.ca/Cannibalism-Perfectly-Natural-Bill-Schutt/dp/1616204621 Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Artificial Intelligence (AI) is on the rise, influencing many facets of our lives. With the emergence of ChatGPT and other AI-related tools, the landscape of education is already changing. From the student's perspective, will certain skills such as writing and critical thinking fall by the wayside if AI can do the work for them? Have rates of cheating increased? And on a more optimistic note, how are teachers and professors using AI to create better educational environments for their students? Priten Shah joins the podcast. Priten Shah's Websitehttps://pritenshah.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
The Oscars is considered the most prestigious awards ceremony in the entertainment industry. There is a certain magic about the Academy Awards, where some of the greatest films and performances of all time have been recognized. Ben Zauzmer is the author of Oscarmetrics, a book that shares an in depth look at the predictive analytics of The Oscars over its 93 year history. What makes a movie most likely to win Best Picture? Which actors and actresses are most likely to walk away winners? And do the Oscars deserve to be as celebrated as they are? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
The SATs have been a hallmark of the college admissions process for decades in the United States. But this popular standardized test has come under scrutiny the past several years, with many colleges eliminating the SATs as part of their admissions criteria. So why is the tide changing for the SATs? Is GPA a better predictor of college performance, or are both metrics fraught with bias and error? Eddie Comeaux joins the podcast. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Personality disorders are listed in the DSM – the bible of psychiatric diagnoses – as a distinct set of psychiatric disorders. Such disorders include narcissistic personality disorder, histrionic personality disorder, dependent personality disorder, paranoid personality disorder, as well as several others. It can be confusing, however; at what point does someone’s narcissism, for example, extend so far that it qualifies as a psychiatric diagnosis? At what point does an unfavorable personality trait actually become a disorder, and in the real world, does the distinction actually matter? Psychiatrist Dr. Joel Paris joins the podcast. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
There is perhaps no country in the world more perplexing and bewildering than North Korea. Considered by many as a silo shut off from the rest of the world, much of North Korea is shrouded in mystery. Unfortunately, much of that mystery involves a dictatorial regime and severe oppression of its peoples. But what exactly does it look like inside of North Korea? What are our preconceptions about North Korea, and equally important, what are the preconceptions that North Koreans might hold about the rest of the world? Brandon Gauthier joins the podcast. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Pedophilia, understandably, is a word that conjures up negative thoughts, feelings, and emotions. Acting on pedophilic thoughts is a horrible crime, and the ramifications are fittingly severe. But what exactly is pedophilia? Is it a distinct entity, a medical condition perhaps? Or can it be seen as an abnormal part of the spectrum of human desire? What is it like to live as a pedophile, and what kind of emotional angst do pedophiles experience? Are pedophilic feelings more common that we might think they are, and how can one live with thoughts of pedophilia without acting on them. Dr. Skye Stephens joins the podcast. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
The idea of 'life extension' has become trendy over the past several decades. If we take the right supplements and certain medications, is it possible to live well beyond a hundred years old and to slow the aging process itself? Dr. Jay Olshansky is one of the world leaders in the field. He joins the podcast to shed some misconceptions. http://sjayolshansky.com/sjo/Background.html Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
The idea of 'life extension' has become trendy over the past several decades. If we take the right supplements and certain medications, is it possible to live well beyond a hundred years old and to slow the aging process itself? Dr. Jay Olshansky is one of the world leaders in the field. He joins the podcast to shed some misconceptions. http://sjayolshansky.com/sjo/Background.html Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
In the typical preconceived framework in which we tend to view our lives, there are many steps … growing up, getting an education, finding a job, getting married, having kids, being grandparents, and ultimately - retiring. But in recent years, many have come to question what retirement really means and what it entails. So what exactly is retirement, and does society’s concept of retirement ultimately limit us in our endeavors when we get older? And if we do conform to the more traditional view of retirement, should we be seriously rethinking the age of retirmenet given the increased life expectancy of humans? George Jerijian joins the podcast. https://georgejerjian.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Sex and romance are core aspects of most people's lives; yet for some, the role they play is different. Aline Laurent-Mayard has never been attracted to anyone—not sexually, not romantically. On her award-winning podcast Free From Desire, they tell us how difficult it was to realize and accept their asexuality and their aromantism in a society that only talks about exactly that: love and sex. Aline joins the podcast to explain what it means to be asexual and aromantic. Check out Aline's podcast at https://podcastingtoday.co.uk/new-memoir-style-podcast-follows-journey-of-aline-laurent-mayard/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
When people hear the word 'Jihad', they likely think of extremism, terrorism, and utter disdain for the West. But what is exactly is Jihad? What are its true origins? Is Jihadist philosophy truly violent in its original sense? Or is it a concept that has been politicized and weaponized by some, taken to the extreme as a justification for terrorism and hate? What is the role of Jihad, if any, in typical Islamic doctrine, and how can peaceful Islam be reconciled with these more extreme ideologies? Glenn E. Robinson, author of 'Global Jihad: A Brief History', joins the podcast. https://glennerobinson.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
There are so many adages in regards to love and relationships. Many hinge on the notion that we must be absolutely certain in our choice of a romantic partner and that there should be no doubts when we ultimately decide on 'the one'. But is that a realistic framework for love? And how can the search for the Hollywood vision of love, in some cases lead to severe cases of relationship anxiety, otherwise known as relationship OCD (ROCD)? Kiyomi LaFleur, founder of Awaken into Love, joins the podcast.www.awakenintolove.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
For most of us, it’s a known that global warming and climate change are real and problematic Yet at the same time, despite society’s apparent concern at large, the issue has persisted for decades and in many regards, only gotten worse. So how bad is climate change, and how concerned do we need to be? And for as much as we try to be optimistic, are we perhaps past the point of no return? If that’s the case, why even care about climate change at all? Why not just accept that the damage is done, and that the best we can do is mitigate it as opposed to saving our planet? Quinn Emmett joins the podcast. Quinn EmmettFounder of Important, Not important: Science for people who give a shit Sign up for his newsletter at Importantnotimportant.com/subscribe Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Taylor Swift is arguably the most famous person in the world – a pop star the likes of whom many of us haven’t seen in our lifetimes. Especially over the past year with the release of her latest album Midnights and her record-breaking The Eras Tour, it’s not crazy to wonder if what we are witnessing right now is somewhat analogous to the Beatlemania of the 1960s. So what exactly is the phenomenon of Taylor Swift? Why has she risen to the heights that she has and captivated so many people like few other artists have before her? Is this truly a special pop culture moment, or is it perhaps being overstated? Music industry veteran Ralph Jaccodine joins the podcast. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Sometimes our convictions can be so indoctrinated that it’s tough to separate them from reality and the facts in front of us. One such example is the Salem Witch Trials from 1692-1693, where an episode of mass hysteria in Salem, Massachusetts led to over 200 people being put on trial for witchcraft, culminating in nineteen executions. So how did this happen? How was it possible that people in one of the most educated societies of the time, not far from Harvard, became so convinced that witchcraft was real, to the point that they killed 14 women and 5 men for being witches? World-renowned Salem expert, Marilynne Roach, joins the podcast. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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With respects to birth control topic. The book ‘Brave New World’
Terrible sound quality
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loved listening to this episode!
difficult but important topic!