It’s a familiar question to many podcasters, but this ask often strikes a particularly vulnerable chord in our comparative and competitive culture. Implied within it is a number worth caring about, a baseline of significance. Unfortunately, thi

Episode 273: TV as Rich Media

Oct 7th, 2021 23m 17s

In the many decades since the advent of television, TV shows have prompted all sorts of commentary and critique. Some audiences rave over shows that others never quite get into. Parents perpetually worry about their children’s TV consumption an

Episode 272: Between These Eyes of Ink VII

Sep 30th, 2021 11m 9s

This week, we return to "Between These Eyes of Ink," a series which dissects and considers quotations and the insights they contain. For our seventh episode, we welcome Sam Whipple to help explore the idea that “Maturity: the confidence to have

Episode 271: Our Seventh Anniversary

Sep 22nd, 2021 13m 56s

In spite of the unexpected shifts in recent years, this week nonetheless marks the seventh anniversary of the podcast. It’s a strange time but also quite hopeful. While this is formally Kathleen’s final episode as a co-host, I remain optimisti

Episode 270: "Thoughts and Prayers"

Jan 7th, 2021 25m 40s

When tragedy befalls us or our communities, we’re rarely equipped to handle the sorrow, confusion or emotional gravity of the circumstances. In the modern era, this difficulty meeting the most agonizing moments has been illuminated by the utter

Episode 269: "The Extinction of the Middle Child"

Dec 23rd, 2020 23m 14s

What impact does birth order have on your personality, your life and your abilities? According to some, a great deal. In particular, middle children of history are regarded for their innovation, their shrewd diplomacy and their creativity. But

Episode 268: "Citizens Need to Know Numbers"

Nov 25th, 2020 25m 41s

Making sense of our world is a profoundly human experience. Some default to artistic pursuits while others take up fulfilling hobbies and yet others still defer to the sciences. When it comes to data, however, those of us without solid understa

Episode 267: Our Sixth Anniversary

Sep 25th, 2020 7m 9s

Six years ago today, in a radically different world needing very much the same things, Hector and I embarked on a discursive journey to explore the human experience and our relationship(s) to it. Though I write this in a challenging moment, I’m

Episode 266: Never Nothing

Aug 13th, 2020 4m 35s

In a period where so much has slowed down or ground to a halt, previous definitions and metrics feel strange and irrelevant. Beyond the application of our past perspectives, it seems only natural to conclude that where there was once something,

Episode 265: A Lonely Grandma's Plea

Aug 6th, 2020 17m 36s

How would we each respond to a call for help? Some might say they’d leap to the aid of their fellow person, while others would request more information about the hypothetical. In the era of the internet, given vast distances and anonymity, thes

Episode 264: The Untitled Tomes of Silence

Jul 23rd, 2020 3m

Straightforward as it is, human silence (especially between or among others) carries a great deal of meaning. Or, perhaps more precisely, a great many possible meanings. Could those of us that are choosing not to voice or express our sentiments

Episode 263: Start Writing

Jun 25th, 2020 4m 3s

It’s often said that history is written by the victors. I would at that it is remembered and offered to future readers by those present and observing. And where victorious parties have a necessarily skewed vision, the most powerful and accurate

Episode 262: For Non-Gamers — Battle Themes

Jun 18th, 2020 9m 8s

While music has been consumed since time immemorial, video games are a much less popular medium by comparison. In this entry of an ongoing series meant for non-gamers, we wanted to explore how music is used in video games to great effect. And -

Episode 261: How We Speak So We Won't Have to Talk

Jun 12th, 2020 15m 20s

Reflections on how we speak when conversation is necessary, but not all that we need.

Episode 260: "Where Did You Get That Idea?"

Mar 11th, 2020 16m 20s

Even in the information-rich twenty-first century, the many mechanisms of the mind remain shrouded in mystery. Our abilities of recollection, creativity and intuition continue to astound and intrigue researchers and civilians alike. Perhaps mos

Episode 259: Bosses vs. Leaders

Mar 4th, 2020 23m 33s

Some earn the admiration of their peers and followers while others become the subjects of scorn, envy and resentment. This week, we're joined by Jason Cerf to explore this distinction in the comparison of bosses and leaders. What associations -

Episode 258: "My So-Karen Life"

Feb 26th, 2020 19m 14s

Anyone with even a cursory experience of language can attest to its power. Words wield the capacity to lift us out of lingering darkness and to drive us into great acts of courage, love and beauty. Most immediately in our lives, we have experie

Episode 257: "Their Loss"

Feb 19th, 2020 14m 51s

Relationships of all sorts bring up complex emotions tied to esteem, perspective, individual needs and loss. And just like these interpersonal circumstances, our responses to the relationships of others are just as varied and nuanced. In partic

Episode 256: "Anthony Bourdain and the Power of Telling the Truth"

Feb 13th, 2020 17m 20s

For many of us, life is a journey of discovering, tracing or defending the truths we perceive. Truth is a precious commodity and one that seems all at once secure, transient and elusive. Shared truths are especially powerful and often revealed

Episode 255: "If Work Dominated Every Moment of Life..."

Feb 5th, 2020 25m 25s

Though people in the professional world lament the stress, energy-drain and overall toll of their jobs on their lives, most adults acknowledge work as a component of their lives. How would the world differ if work dominated every waking moment?

Episode 254: Pity vs. Compassion

Jan 29th, 2020 14m 18s

When those around us are grappling with difficult circumstances, our responses can be very revelatory. Do we give them hope in attempts to lift them up, do we hunker down with them in the trenches? Ultimately, what is the distinction between pi

Episode 253: "Don't Ask Me How I'm Doing"

Jan 22nd, 2020 26m 22s

“How are you?” is a common refrain in our social lives. It’s the way many of us open conversation and whether we’re seeking earnest answers or simply offering verbal acknowledgement, its familiarity is safe. But how do we adjust when that safet

Episode 252: Ode to an OS

Jan 15th, 2020 4m 11s

In the 21st century, digital technology is a core element in the lives of billions. For most, the devices with which we work, play and consume media illustrate this fact. Though we make do with the tools we’re given, the software we employ is d

Episode 251: Artificial Intelligence and Moral Technology

Jan 8th, 2020 30m 55s

For all our prognosticating, artificial intelligence is already present and widespread in the modern world. From the online algorithms suggesting news stories or the next songs in our playlists to autofill text, the seeds of this powerful techn

Episode 250: A Pale Blue Launch III

Jan 2nd, 2020 34m 38s

What would you send into outer space to commemorate Earth and humanity, to a potential audience of alien life? This week, we continue an interview series to tackle that question. In each entry, we’ll interview someone about the five objects - w