Rainn Wilson

Actor Rainn Wilson had his dream job on the hit TV show “The Office,” but was still being kept up at night by anxiety, depression, and life’s big unanswerable questions. He went on a quest to discover the world’s spiritual teachings, reading all the holy books of the world’s major religions. For several years, he researched and pondered concepts like truth, love, free will, and suffering, and he eventually landed back at the Baha’i Faith of his family and childhood. His latest book, “Soul Boom: Why We Need a Spiritual Revolution,” explores what he learned on his journey and how he’s navigated the spiritual gaps that can be found in our modern society. NBC TV host Jenna Bush Hager interviews Wilson about getting in touch with his spiritual self, reconciling with the difficulties of his past and writing Soul Boom.

Actor Rainn Wilson had his dream job on the hit TV show “The Office,” but was still being kept up at night by anxiety, depression, and life’s big unanswerable questions. He went on a quest to discover the world’s spiritual teachings, reading all the holy books of the world’s major religions. For several years, he researched and pondered concepts like truth, love, free will, and suffering, and he eventually landed back at the Baha’i Faith of his family and childhood. His latest book, “Soul Boom: Why We Need a Spiritual Revolution,” explores what he learned on his journey and how he’s navigated the spiritual gaps that can be found in our modern society. NBC TV host Jenna Bush Hager interviews Wilson about getting in touch with his spiritual self, reconciling with the difficulties of his past and writing Soul Boom.

Rainn Wilson and Spiritual Revolution

The automotive industry is going through a time of profound transformation, facing internal and external pressure to electrify America’s fleet of personal vehicles. General Motors has made a bold pledge to phase out internal combustion and produce only electric vehicles by the year 2035. CEO Mary Barra is leading the ambitious effort to revamp the company, after about a decade in the top role. Journalist Rebecca Blumenstein of NBC News interviews Barra about starting at GM in college and ending up as CEO, and plotting the company’s groundbreaking future.

The automotive industry is going through a time of profound transformation, facing internal and external pressure to electrify America’s fleet of personal vehicles. General Motors has made a bold pledge to phase out internal combustion and produce only electric vehicles by the year 2035. CEO Mary Barra is leading the ambitious effort to revamp the company, after about a decade in the top role. Journalist Rebecca Blumenstein of NBC News interviews Barra about starting at GM in college and ending up as CEO, and plotting the company’s groundbreaking future.

Mary Barra: The Future of General Motors and EVs

Populations around the world have been electing more and more autocratic leaders in the past couple decades, via supposedly free, fair, and democratic elections. The freedom of the press is being impinged upon in many places, and fear, outrage and misinformation are often taking the place of reasoned debate. Minority populations in some countries are increasingly oppressed and vulnerable. Is democracy working? Filipino journalist and Nobel Peace Prize winner Maria Ressa, Brookings Institution Fellow Shadi Hamid and president of the advocacy group Freedom House, Michael Abramowitz, meet on stage at the 2023 Aspen Ideas Festival to share their diverse expertise about what got us to this point, and where democracy might go in the future. Journalist Ravi Agrawal from Foreign Policy moderates the conversation.

Populations around the world have been electing more and more autocratic leaders in the past couple decades, via supposedly free, fair, and democratic elections. The freedom of the press is being impinged upon in many places, and fear, outrage and misinformation are often taking the place of reasoned debate. Minority populations in some countries are increasingly oppressed and vulnerable. Is democracy working? Filipino journalist and Nobel Peace Prize winner Maria Ressa, Brookings Institution Fellow Shadi Hamid and president of the advocacy group Freedom House, Michael Abramowitz, meet on stage at the 2023 Aspen Ideas Festival to share their diverse expertise about what got us to this point, and where democracy might go in the future. Journalist Ravi Agrawal from Foreign Policy moderates the conversation.

Democracy Dilemma

Merely defining gun violence is difficult, and coming to agreement on what to do about it often seems near-impossible in the United States. But people on all sides of the debate agree that they want to feel safe, even if they have different ideas of how to achieve security. What will it take to truly listen to each other and make progress on this issue? U.S. Representative Lucy McBath, advocate John Feinblatt, Cato Institute legal scholar Clark Neily and sociologist Jennifer Carlson come together at the 2023 Aspen Ideas Festival to share their unique perspectives and expertise on fighting gun violence. Journalist and public radio host Jenn White moderates the discussion.

Merely defining gun violence is difficult, and coming to agreement on what to do about it often seems near-impossible in the United States. But people on all sides of the debate agree that they want to feel safe, even if they have different ideas of how to achieve security. What will it take to truly listen to each other and make progress on this issue? U.S. Representative Lucy McBath, advocate John Feinblatt, Cato Institute legal scholar Clark Neily and sociologist Jennifer Carlson come together at the 2023 Aspen Ideas Festival to share their unique perspectives and expertise on fighting gun violence. Journalist and public radio host Jenn White moderates the discussion.

Solving the Problem of Guns in America

The U.S. Supreme Court continues to issue major decisions that have profound impacts on the lives of Americans and the political future of the country. During the term that just ended, the court ruled on affirmative action, voting rights, gay rights and student loan forgiveness, among other issues with broad reach. But the justices are not a monolith, of course, and there is much to be learned from closely reading the full opinions and dissents, and placing the decisions in legal context. Georgetown Law professor Neal Katyal, Stanford Law professor Pamela Karlan and Clark Neily from the Cato Institute join law professor and journalist Jeffrey Rosen for an in-depth discussion at the 2023 Aspen Ideas Festival about the justices’ arguments and what we expect to see from the court in the future.

The U.S. Supreme Court continues to issue major decisions that have profound impacts on the lives of Americans and the political future of the country. During the term that just ended, the court ruled on affirmative action, voting rights, gay rights and student loan forgiveness, among other issues with broad reach. But the justices are not a monolith, of course, and there is much to be learned from closely reading the full opinions and dissents, and placing the decisions in legal context. Georgetown Law professor Neal Katyal, Stanford Law professor Pamela Karlan and Clark Neily from the Cato Institute join law professor and journalist Jeffrey Rosen for an in-depth discussion at the 2023 Aspen Ideas Festival about the justices’ arguments and what we expect to see from the court in the future.

Reviewing the Supreme Court’s Latest

Like all technology, artificial intelligence can be used for good, and it can be used for evil. What little federal regulation the United States has governing technology and the internet was written before artificial intelligence existed in its current form, and as a society, we’re flying blind and in way over our heads as we enter this next phase of digital life. What could we possibly do to help point these constantly-evolving tools in the right direction, anticipate the biggest risks, and not replicate the overblown optimism of social media’s early days? Philanthropist and former Google CEO Eric Schmidt and the head of MIT’s College of Computing, Daniel Huttenlocher, explain how generative A.I. is built and taught to create content, and where it could go wrong. The two co-authors of the book “The Age of A.I.: And Our Human Future” point out the human biases built in to AI systems, and the dystopian (and some utopian) use cases of these tools in politics, warfare and other societal realms. Biographer and former Aspen Institute President Walter Isaacson moderates the conversation.

Like all technology, artificial intelligence can be used for good, and it can be used for evil. What little federal regulation the United States has governing technology and the internet was written before artificial intelligence existed in its current form, and as a society, we’re flying blind and in way over our heads as we enter this next phase of digital life. What could we possibly do to help point these constantly-evolving tools in the right direction, anticipate the biggest risks, and not replicate the overblown optimism of social media’s early days? Philanthropist and former Google CEO Eric Schmidt and the head of MIT’s College of Computing, Daniel Huttenlocher, explain how generative A.I. is built and taught to create content, and where it could go wrong. The two co-authors of the book “The Age of A.I.: And Our Human Future” point out the human biases built in to AI systems, and the dystopian (and some utopian) use cases of these tools in politics, warfare and other societal realms. Biographer and former Aspen Institute President Walter Isaacson moderates the conversation.

Artificial Intelligence and the Future of Everything

Why is it that simple pleasures such as bubbles, rainbows, and hot air balloons bring joy to most people? Designer Ingrid Fetell Lee says, “there’s something really powerful in the idea that we all find joy in the same things,” especially items with little significance otherwise. Fetell Lee studied how our physical environment impacts our well-being, both physically and psychologically. She believes that our surroundings can be a powerful tool for cultivating happier, healthier lives … and joyful moments. In this episode, she talks about the difference between happiness and joy and how we can stimulate our senses to produce joy. Fetell Lee is the author of Joyful: The Surprising Power of Ordinary Things to Create Extraordinary Happiness.

Why is it that simple pleasures such as bubbles, rainbows, and hot air balloons bring joy to most people? Designer Ingrid Fetell Lee says, “there’s something really powerful in the idea that we all find joy in the same things,” especially items with little significance otherwise. Fetell Lee studied how our physical environment impacts our well-being, both physically and psychologically. She believes that our surroundings can be a powerful tool for cultivating happier, healthier lives … and joyful moments. In this episode, she talks about the difference between happiness and joy and how we can stimulate our senses to produce joy. Fetell Lee is the author of Joyful: The Surprising Power of Ordinary Things to Create Extraordinary Happiness.

The Surprising Source of Joy (Encore)

The desire to try and stop people from reading certain printed material has been around since material was first printed. In the modern era, book banning has waxed and waned in popularity, experiencing peaks during McCarthyism and again in the 1980s. We’re now in the midst of another wave, mostly targeting books by people of color and LGBTQ identities. In 2022, the number of U.S. attempts to ban books hit the highest point since tracking began more than 20 years ago, according to the American Library Association. Not all of the 1,269 attempts last year were successful in actually removing books from shelves, but many were, and several were the result of efforts by coordinated groups with political ties. John Szabo, the head of the Los Angeles Public Library, has dealt with the challenges of library systems of all sizes all over the country, and now leads the nation’s largest. He joins Nadine Strossen, the former president of the American Civil Liberties Union and an expert in constitutional law, at the 2022 Ideas Festival for a conversation about why book banning is so alluring for some, and antithetical to the purpose and mission of a library. The Aspen Institute’s Elliot Gerson moderates the discussion.

The desire to try and stop people from reading certain printed material has been around since material was first printed. In the modern era, book banning has waxed and waned in popularity, experiencing peaks during McCarthyism and again in the 1980s. We’re now in the midst of another wave, mostly targeting books by people of color and LGBTQ identities. In 2022, the number of U.S. attempts to ban books hit the highest point since tracking began more than 20 years ago, according to the American Library Association. Not all of the 1,269 attempts last year were successful in actually removing books from shelves, but many were, and several were the result of efforts by coordinated groups with political ties. John Szabo, the head of the Los Angeles Public Library, has dealt with the challenges of library systems of all sizes all over the country, and now leads the nation’s largest. He joins Nadine Strossen, the former president of the American Civil Liberties Union and an expert in constitutional law, at the 2022 Ideas Festival for a conversation about why book banning is so alluring for some, and antithetical to the purpose and mission of a library. The Aspen Institute’s Elliot Gerson moderates the discussion.

Why People Want to Ban Books

The age of technology and the internet provides constant easy access to sexual content and information about sex, for all tastes and curiosities. But survey data show that young people are having less sex than people of previous generations did at their age, and the experts are trying to figure out why. In this 2019 talk from the Aspen Ideas: Health archives, three professionals with inside knowledge talk to Atlantic culture writer Amanda Mull about the positives and negatives of keeping to yourself and delaying sexual experiences a little longer. Human sexuality professor Debby Herbenick conducts a national survey on Americans’ sexual behavior, and gets firsthand accounts of college students’ sex lives in her classes. Columnist and activist Dan Savage has been answering no-holds-barred questions from the public about sex for decades. And Atlantic editor Kate Julian wrote one of the magazine’s most-read pieces of 2018, “The Sex Recession.”

The age of technology and the internet provides constant easy access to sexual content and information about sex, for all tastes and curiosities. But survey data show that young people are having less sex than people of previous generations did at their age, and the experts are trying to figure out why. In this 2019 talk from the Aspen Ideas: Health archives, three professionals with inside knowledge talk to Atlantic culture writer Amanda Mull about the positives and negatives of keeping to yourself and delaying sexual experiences a little longer. Human sexuality professor Debby Herbenick conducts a national survey on Americans’ sexual behavior, and gets firsthand accounts of college students’ sex lives in her classes. Columnist and activist Dan Savage has been answering no-holds-barred questions from the public about sex for decades. And Atlantic editor Kate Julian wrote one of the magazine’s most-read pieces of 2018, “The Sex Recession.”

Sex Recession: Why Isn’t Everyone Doing It?

Geraldine Brooks

As a budding journalist in Sydney, Australia, Geraldine Brooks was assigned to the horse racing beat in the sports department, with no experience or knowledge of the subject. She went to every single horse race in the city and reported on the results in great detail. It wasn’t until her 50s that she actually became personally interested in horses, and returned to the subject in her latest historical fiction novel, “Horse.” The book’s main subject is Lexington, the greatest race horse in American history, and the horse’s Black and enslaved groom, Jarret. The two navigate the injustices of the years just before the Civil War, as they travel the country winning races. Brooks weaves Lexington and Jarret’s stories in with characters living through other eras of American history, including the present day, illustrating the evolution and persistence of racism. In the last conversation of the 2023 Winter Words season from Aspen Words, Washington Post book critic Ron Charles interviews Brooks about what inspired “Horse” and led her from journalism to historical fiction.

As a budding journalist in Sydney, Australia, Geraldine Brooks was assigned to the horse racing beat in the sports department, with no experience or knowledge of the subject. She went to every single horse race in the city and reported on the results in great detail. It wasn’t until her 50s that she actually became personally interested in horses, and returned to the subject in her latest historical fiction novel, “Horse.” The book’s main subject is Lexington, the greatest race horse in American history, and the horse’s Black and enslaved groom, Jarret. The two navigate the injustices of the years just before the Civil War, as they travel the country winning races. Brooks weaves Lexington and Jarret’s stories in with characters living through other eras of American history, including the present day, illustrating the evolution and persistence of racism. In the last conversation of the 2023 Winter Words season from Aspen Words, Washington Post book critic Ron Charles interviews Brooks about what inspired “Horse” and led her from journalism to historical fiction.

Geraldine Brooks on Spirit, Obsession and Injustice

Aspen Ideas to Go is a show about big ideas that will open your mind. Featuring compelling conversations with the world’s top thinkers and doers from a diverse range of disciplines, Aspen Ideas to Go gives you front-row access to the Aspen Ideas Festival and other events presented by the Aspen Institute.

Cool!! I do wish that they would make a podcast about the multiverse and more about black holes!

Universe

Great thought provoking discussion on timely issues!

Great podcast a must subscription!

Aspen Ideas to Go

Simon Sinek

Adam Grant

Millennials shoulder a lot of stereotypes. They’re called entitled and in need of instant gratification. They’re not committed to their work and expect a work-life balance at their very first job. Do these labels actually define them? Are they really any different than the generations before them? In this lighthearted and informative conversation, organizational psychologist Adam Grant and inspirational teacher Simon Sinek sit down with Katie Couric. Couric is an award-winning journalist. They explore what motivates Millennials at work and how the digital world is impacting their productivity.

Millennials shoulder a lot of stereotypes. They’re called entitled and in need of instant gratification. They’re not committed to their work and expect a work-life balance at their very first job. Do these labels actually define them? Are they really any different than the generations before them? In this lighthearted and informative conversation, organizational psychologist Adam Grant and inspirational teacher Simon Sinek sit down with Katie Couric. Couric is an award-winning journalist. They explore what motivates Millennials at work and how the digital world is impacting their productivity.

Millennials and Motivation, Featuring Simon Sinek and Adam Grant

Societal problems like income inequality have emerged from a financial system that has taken a wrong turn, says Harvard finance professor Mihir Desai. “When finance goes awry, which I think it has, we all suffer. When finance is done well, it’s absolutely remarkable,” he says. Humanity needs to be re-infused into finance so that it’s led by personal stories rather than only value extraction. Desai, who wrote the book, The Wisdom of Finance: Discovering Humanity in the World of Risk and Return, sits down with John Dickerson, correspondent for CBS’ “60 Minutes.” The views and opinions of the podcast guests are their own and do not necessarily reflect those of the Aspen Institute.

Societal problems like income inequality have emerged from a financial system that has taken a wrong turn, says Harvard finance professor Mihir Desai. “When finance goes awry, which I think it has, we all suffer. When finance is done well, it’s absolutely remarkable,” he says. Humanity needs to be re-infused into finance so that it’s led by personal stories rather than only value extraction. Desai, who wrote the book, The Wisdom of Finance: Discovering Humanity in the World of Risk and Return, sits down with John Dickerson, correspondent for CBS’ “60 Minutes.” The views and opinions of the podcast guests are their own and do not necessarily reflect those of the Aspen Institute.

Putting Humanity Back Into Finance

New York Times columnist David Brooks explores a life well lived. In this episode he examines happiness and commitments. In his book The Road to Character, he studies people who radiate an inner light. What work did they do to reach higher levels of happiness? A successful life usually depends on making four major commitments: to spouse or family, a faith or philosophy, a community, and a vocation. How do we choose what we will commit to, and how do we execute those commitments?

New York Times columnist David Brooks explores a life well lived. In this episode he examines happiness and commitments. In his book The Road to Character, he studies people who radiate an inner light. What work did they do to reach higher levels of happiness? A successful life usually depends on making four major commitments: to spouse or family, a faith or philosophy, a community, and a vocation. How do we choose what we will commit to, and how do we execute those commitments?

The Choices That Create Your Life

Best-selling author of "The First 20 Hours: How to Learn Anything Fast!" Josh Kaufman shares universal, field-tested approaches to effective learning and rapid skill acquisition in adults. From deconstructing complex skills to maximizing productive practice and removing common learning barriers, Kaufman describes how 20 hours of focused, deliberate practice can help you develop surprising levels of skill in any field. And, he may even play his Ukulele. (music bed: Podington Bear/Golden Hour)

Best-selling author of "The First 20 Hours: How to Learn Anything Fast!" Josh Kaufman shares universal, field-tested approaches to effective learning and rapid skill acquisition in adults. From deconstructing complex skills to maximizing productive practice and removing common learning barriers, Kaufman describes how 20 hours of focused, deliberate practice can help you develop surprising levels of skill in any field. And, he may even play his Ukulele. (music bed: Podington Bear/Golden Hour)

How to Learn Anything Fast

The number of college students dealing with stress, depression, and anxiety is growing. Psychology professor Laurie Santos noticed it in her Yale classroom and set out to change the campus culture. Her course “Psychology and the Good Life” is the most popular class in Yale’s 300-year history. In this episode, she talks about her efforts to infuse wellness into her students’ lives. She gives a crash course on how to feel less stressed and depressed, and find more meaning in your life. It’s applicable to everyone—whether you’re an undergraduate or a retiree. Show Notes Register for the 2019 Aspen Ideas Festival. Follow Aspen Ideas to Go on Twitter and Facebook. Email your comments to aspenideastogo@gmail.com. The views and opinions of the speakers in the podcast do not necessarily reflect those of the Aspen Institute.

The number of college students dealing with stress, depression, and anxiety is growing. Psychology professor Laurie Santos noticed it in her Yale classroom and set out to change the campus culture. Her course “Psychology and the Good Life” is the most popular class in Yale’s 300-year history. In this episode, she talks about her efforts to infuse wellness into her students’ lives. She gives a crash course on how to feel less stressed and depressed, and find more meaning in your life. It’s applicable to everyone—whether you’re an undergraduate or a retiree. Show Notes <a href="https://www.aspenideas.org/festival/register" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Register</a> for the 2019 Aspen Ideas Festival. Follow Aspen Ideas to Go on <a href="https://twitter.com/aspenideas" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Twitter</a> and <a href="https://www.facebook.com/aspenideas/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Facebook</a>. Email your comments to aspenideastogo@gmail.com. The views and opinions of the speakers in the podcast do not necessarily reflect those of the Aspen Institute.

Crash Course on Happiness

Description Some people seem to lead inner lives that are richer and more substantive than the rest of us. How do they do it? In this talk, author and commentator David Brooks explores some of history's leaders in terms of personal character. He asks how love, suffering, struggle, surrender and obedience lead them to their depth. His latest book, "The Road to Character" was released on April 14, 2015. This talk, recorded last summer at the Aspen Ideas Festival, serves as a preview to many of the themes Brooks explores in the book.

Description Some people seem to lead inner lives that are richer and more substantive than the rest of us. How do they do it? In this talk, author and commentator David Brooks explores some of history's leaders in terms of personal character. He asks how love, suffering, struggle, surrender and obedience lead them to their depth. His latest book, "The Road to Character" was released on April 14, 2015. This talk, recorded last summer at the Aspen Ideas Festival, serves as a preview to many of the themes Brooks explores in the book.

The Road to Depth, Thinking about what Character Is

China was the first country in the world to experience effects from COVID-19. Now the epidemic there is slowing. How did the country of more than 1 billion people make it through? Technology played a big role. In this episode, Lydia Lee, Gary Liu, and Andrew McLaughlin join Vivian Schiller, executive director of the Aspen Digital program at the Aspen Institute, to talk over the kinds of technology that were launched or re-purposed to address aspects of the crisis. How did technology help keep the virus from spreading? How was misinformation handled online? Are there lessons that the United States can draw from? The views and opinions of the speakers in the podcast do not necessarily reflect those of the Aspen Institute.

China was the first country in the world to experience effects from COVID-19. Now the epidemic there is slowing. How did the country of more than 1 billion people make it through? Technology played a big role. In this episode, Lydia Lee, Gary Liu, and Andrew McLaughlin join Vivian Schiller, executive director of the Aspen Digital program at the Aspen Institute, to talk over the kinds of technology that were launched or re-purposed to address aspects of the crisis. How did technology help keep the virus from spreading? How was misinformation handled online? Are there lessons that the United States can draw from? The views and opinions of the speakers in the podcast do not necessarily reflect those of the Aspen Institute.

China, Technology, and the Coronavirus

The Surprising Source of Joy

As the second female justice confirmed to the US Supreme Court, Ruth Bader Ginsburg says her experiences as a female give her a unique perspective her male colleagues don’t share. In this episode, Justice Ginsburg talks about her relationships with Justices Sandra Day O’Connor and the late Antonin Scalia. She also explains what it’s like to work with newly-elected Justice Neil Gorsuch. Her discussion with the Aspen Wye Fellows, also touches on her book My Own Words. Ginsburg is interviewed by Elliot Gerson, executive vice president of policy and public programs at the Aspen Institute.

As the second female justice confirmed to the US Supreme Court, Ruth Bader Ginsburg says her experiences as a female give her a unique perspective her male colleagues don’t share. In this episode, Justice Ginsburg talks about her relationships with Justices Sandra Day O’Connor and the late Antonin Scalia. She also explains what it’s like to work with newly-elected Justice Neil Gorsuch. Her discussion with the Aspen Wye Fellows, also touches on her book My Own Words. Ginsburg is interviewed by Elliot Gerson, executive vice president of policy and public programs at the Aspen Institute.

A Conversation with Ruth Bader Ginsburg

Artificial intelligence isn’t something we’ll see in the future. Thinking machines are already here, and nine powerful companies in the US and China control their development. The spam filter in your email inbox is AI. So are programs like Google Translate. The next level for thinking machines is when they begin learning the way humans learn. As artificial intelligence gets refined, who’s keeping track of whether these machines share our motivations, desires, and hopes for the future of humanity? Amy Webb, author of The Big Nine: How the Tech Titans and Their Thinking Machines Could Warp Humanity, speaks with Alexis Madrigal, a staff writer for The Atlantic who covers Silicon Valley. The views and opinions of the podcast guests are their own and do not necessarily reflect those of the Aspen Institute.

Artificial intelligence isn’t something we’ll see in the future. Thinking machines are already here, and nine powerful companies in the US and China control their development. The spam filter in your email inbox is AI. So are programs like Google Translate. The next level for thinking machines is when they begin learning the way humans learn. As artificial intelligence gets refined, who’s keeping track of whether these machines share our motivations, desires, and hopes for the future of humanity? Amy Webb, author of The Big Nine: How the Tech Titans and Their Thinking Machines Could Warp Humanity, speaks with Alexis Madrigal, a staff writer for The Atlantic who covers Silicon Valley. The views and opinions of the podcast guests are their own and do not necessarily reflect those of the Aspen Institute.

How Your Data Powers Artificial Intelligence

Economists who have researched happiness over a lifetime find it starts to decline after adolescence and noticeably dips when people enter middle age. How can we avoid the middle age blues and feel purposeful later in life? Arthur Brooks, behavioral economist and American Enterprise Institute president, uses eastern and western philosophies, classical music, and the latest research to give usable advice on how to be joyful throughout life’s different stages. It’s inescapable that we’ll grow older, so how can we develop new strengths as our life journey progresses? Show Notes At the Aspen Ideas Festival in June, Arthur Brooks will talk about his new book, Love Your Enemies: How Decent People Can Save America from Our Culture of Contempt. Passes to the Festival are still available. Register today! Email your comments to aspenideastogo@gmail.com. The views and opinions of the speakers in the podcast do not necessarily reflect those of the Aspen Institute.

Economists who have researched happiness over a lifetime find it starts to decline after adolescence and noticeably dips when people enter middle age. How can we avoid the middle age blues and feel purposeful later in life? Arthur Brooks, behavioral economist and American Enterprise Institute president, uses eastern and western philosophies, classical music, and the latest research to give usable advice on how to be joyful throughout life’s different stages. It’s inescapable that we’ll grow older, so how can we develop new strengths as our life journey progresses? Show Notes At the Aspen Ideas Festival in June, Arthur Brooks will talk about his new book, Love Your Enemies: How Decent People Can Save America from Our Culture of Contempt. Passes to the Festival are still available. <a href="https://www.aspenideas.org/festival/register" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Register today</a>! Email your comments to aspenideastogo@gmail.com. The views and opinions of the speakers in the podcast do not necessarily reflect those of the Aspen Institute.

Finding Happiness at Every Stage of Life

David Brooks

Katie Couric

I wrote this book not sure I could follow the road to character, but I wanted at least to know what the road looks like and how other people have trodden it, David Brooks has said about his experience writing his latest New York Times bestseller about personal virtues and honesty in a materialistic age. Katie Couric explores this journey with the deeply thoughtful author.

I wrote this book not sure I could follow the road to character, but I wanted at least to know what the road looks like and how other people have trodden it, David Brooks has said about his experience writing his latest New York Times bestseller about personal virtues and honesty in a materialistic age. Katie Couric explores this journey with the deeply thoughtful author.

The Road to Character - David Brooks and Katie Couric

The average American spends a third of his or her life working. What is the secret to achieving happiness because of our work and not in spite of it? How can we make a job into a vocation? David Brooks and Arthur Brooks have both studied and written about these questions. They say, no matter what the job is, the answer is to find meaning in it. In this episode, the thought leaders discuss the elements of meaningful work, the ways to achieve it, and how we can use these insights to improve culture and policy.

The average American spends a third of his or her life working. What is the secret to achieving happiness because of our work and not in spite of it? How can we make a job into a vocation? David Brooks and Arthur Brooks have both studied and written about these questions. They say, no matter what the job is, the answer is to find meaning in it. In this episode, the thought leaders discuss the elements of meaningful work, the ways to achieve it, and how we can use these insights to improve culture and policy.

Finding Meaning in Our Work

Millennials check their phones 150 times a day, more than 2 billion people use Facebook, and another 2 billion use YouTube. What’s the root of our digital addiction? Tristan Harris, former Google ethicist and founder of the Center for Humane Technology, says these companies have perfected the use of persuasive technology and we’ve fallen for it. It’s a problem, says Harris, because technology has the power to modify people’s behavior, attitudes and beliefs. He tells author and journalist Charles Duhigg that persuasive technology is partly to blame for political polarization, election manipulation, and loneliness. Duhigg is the author of “The Power of Habit.”

Millennials check their phones 150 times a day, more than 2 billion people use Facebook, and another 2 billion use YouTube. What’s the root of our digital addiction? Tristan Harris, former Google ethicist and founder of the Center for Humane Technology, says these companies have perfected the use of persuasive technology and we’ve fallen for it. It’s a problem, says Harris, because technology has the power to modify people’s behavior, attitudes and beliefs. He tells author and journalist Charles Duhigg that persuasive technology is partly to blame for political polarization, election manipulation, and loneliness. Duhigg is the author of “The Power of Habit.”

Technology Isn’t Only Hijacking Our Time, It’s Controlling Our Choices

Our brains are getting older, but there's still much to be optimistic about. Neuroscientists Susan Greenfield and Gary Small discuss the aging brain with journalist Sam Kean.

Our brains are getting older, but there's still much to be optimistic about. Neuroscientists Susan Greenfield and Gary Small discuss the aging brain with journalist Sam Kean.

Gray Matter: The Brain after 50

Sifting through centuries of mythmaking, Reza Aslan sheds new light on one of history's most influential and enigmatic figures by examining Jesus within the context of the times in which he lived: the age of zealotry. Balancing the Jesus of the Gospels against historical sources, Aslan describes a man of peace who exhorted his followers to arm themselves; an exorcist and faith healer who urged his disciples to keep his identity secret; and the seditious "King of the Jews," whose promise of liberation from Rome went unfulfilled in his lifetime.

Sifting through centuries of mythmaking, Reza Aslan sheds new light on one of history's most influential and enigmatic figures by examining Jesus within the context of the times in which he lived: the age of zealotry. Balancing the Jesus of the Gospels against historical sources, Aslan describes a man of peace who exhorted his followers to arm themselves; an exorcist and faith healer who urged his disciples to keep his identity secret; and the seditious "King of the Jews," whose promise of liberation from Rome went unfulfilled in his lifetime.

Jesus of History versus Christ of Faith

A professor of public policy at Harvard, Robert D. Putnam has consulted for the last three American presidents and many other leaders around the globe. His newest book, "Our Kids: The American Dream in Crisis" is a groundbreaking examination of the growing inequality gap and explores why fewer Americans today have the opportunity for upward mobility. He has written fourteen books and been translated into more than twenty languages. His books "Bowling Alone" and "Making Democracy Work", are among the most cited publications in the social sciences in the last half century. This conversation between Putnam and Walter Isaacson, president and CEO of the Aspen Institute, was recorded live at the Institute's Alma and Joseph Gildenhorn Book Series.

A professor of public policy at Harvard, Robert D. Putnam has consulted for the last three American presidents and many other leaders around the globe. His newest book, "Our Kids: The American Dream in Crisis" is a groundbreaking examination of the growing inequality gap and explores why fewer Americans today have the opportunity for upward mobility. He has written fourteen books and been translated into more than twenty languages. His books "Bowling Alone" and "Making Democracy Work", are among the most cited publications in the social sciences in the last half century. This conversation between Putnam and Walter Isaacson, president and CEO of the Aspen Institute, was recorded live at the Institute's Alma and Joseph Gildenhorn Book Series.

"Our Kids" author Robert D. Putnam

As our lives become increasingly tech driven, we’re more vulnerable to cyberattacks, and our workplaces and government are too. William Evanina, director of the National Counterintelligence and Security Center (NCSC), says it takes a whole-of-nation counterintelligence and security effort to keep our data safe. His organization is helping lead the charge. In this episode, he talks with NPR counter-terrorism correspondent Dina Temple-Raston about why Americans easily fall prey to spear phishing attacks and how our personal information, through gadgets like baby monitors, can easily be collected. They also discuss potential Russian interference in the midterm elections, Edward Snowden, government background checks, and technology and the US supply chain. Show Notes: Listen to the Aspen Ideas to Go episode, The Complexities of Today's Security Challenges featuring James Comey. Check out Aspen Insight's latest episode, Make Way for These Changemakers. Follow our show on Twitter @aspenideas and Facebook at facebook.com/aspenideas. Email your comments to aspenideastogo@gmail.com.

As our lives become increasingly tech driven, we’re more vulnerable to cyberattacks, and our workplaces and government are too. William Evanina, director of the National Counterintelligence and Security Center (NCSC), says it takes a whole-of-nation counterintelligence and security effort to keep our data safe. His organization is helping lead the charge. In this episode, he talks with NPR counter-terrorism correspondent Dina Temple-Raston about why Americans easily fall prey to spear phishing attacks and how our personal information, through gadgets like baby monitors, can easily be collected. They also discuss potential Russian interference in the midterm elections, Edward Snowden, government background checks, and technology and the US supply chain. Show Notes: Listen to the Aspen Ideas to Go episode, <a href="https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/the-complexities-of-todays-security-challenges/id702896920?i=1000367986948&amp;mt=2" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">The Complexities of Today's Security Challenges</a> featuring James Comey. Check out Aspen Insight's latest episode, <a href="https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/make-way-for-these-changemakers/id1281153675?i=1000409328234&amp;mt=2" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Make Way for These Changemakers</a>. Follow our show on Twitter <a href="https://twitter.com/aspenideas?lang=en" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">@aspenideas</a> and Facebook at <a href="https://www.facebook.com/aspenideas/?ref=bookmarks" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">facebook.com/aspenideas</a>. Email your comments to aspenideastogo@gmail.com.

Securing the Nation's Secrets

How are diet and lifestyle linked to bacterial communities in the gut? How can growing knowledge about gut health be used to develop new therapies? Researchers are learning how the gut microbiome responds to the food we eat, influencing obesity, autoimmune disorders, cardiovascular disease, and even mental health. Trillions of bacteria inhabit the human gut, working in close and complex symbiosis with our cells. Novel analytic methods offer new insights about those biochemical interactions, and help us understand how they impact well-being. When it comes to a healthy body and mind, an increasing number of people are focusing on improving bacteria in the gut.

How are diet and lifestyle linked to bacterial communities in the gut? How can growing knowledge about gut health be used to develop new therapies? Researchers are learning how the gut microbiome responds to the food we eat, influencing obesity, autoimmune disorders, cardiovascular disease, and even mental health. Trillions of bacteria inhabit the human gut, working in close and complex symbiosis with our cells. Novel analytic methods offer new insights about those biochemical interactions, and help us understand how they impact well-being. When it comes to a healthy body and mind, an increasing number of people are focusing on improving bacteria in the gut.

Healthy Gut, Healthy Body

Featuring William Deresiewicz, author of 'Excellent Sheep: The Miseducation of the American Elite and the Way to a Meaningful Life' and New York Times op-ed columnist David Brooks. At a time when traditional notions of college are under attack — in the shift to online instruction, in the emphasis on STEM fields and the denigration of the liberal arts, in the continued privatization of public higher education — it is urgent that we ask what college is supposed to be about in the first place. What happens when education is understood in purely vocational terms? What happens to schools, to teachers, to society — to students themselves? Why are students learning so little in college? Why are courses so much less important to them than extracurriculars? Why do so many young people today have trouble finding a sense of purpose? What are we doing to our children, and why are we doing it?

Featuring William Deresiewicz, author of 'Excellent Sheep: The Miseducation of the American Elite and the Way to a Meaningful Life' and New York Times op-ed columnist David Brooks. At a time when traditional notions of college are under attack — in the shift to online instruction, in the emphasis on STEM fields and the denigration of the liberal arts, in the continued privatization of public higher education — it is urgent that we ask what college is supposed to be about in the first place. What happens when education is understood in purely vocational terms? What happens to schools, to teachers, to society — to students themselves? Why are students learning so little in college? Why are courses so much less important to them than extracurriculars? Why do so many young people today have trouble finding a sense of purpose? What are we doing to our children, and why are we doing it?

What is College For?

The best self improvement podcast episodes. From improving productivity, to finding purpose in your life to what constitutes freedom, this topic is on anything and everything that can help people to improve their lives. Add episodes you're interested into your queue below!

Best Episodes on Self Improvement, Growth & Development

The best podcast episodes on global issues affecting everyone. Covering topics such as the #metoo movement, climate change, the impact of technology and some of the biggest global issues facing us right now. For anyone interested in learning more about the world, and some of the issues we're facing, pick an episode below and start listening! Add episodes you're interested into your queue below!