The Upside of Stress
We’re all familiar with the ways that stress can make us feel bad. But professor and stress expert Modupe Akinola argues that a simple change in our mindset can turn…
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Happiness Lessons of The Ancients: Socrates and Self-Knowledge
Question everything… that’s a key insight from the great Greek philosopher Socrates. We may think we know ourselves and what makes us happy… but that’s not always true. Yale professor…
Episode 4: A Very Sophisticated Gal
When Esther flees New York, she inadvertently ignites a media firestorm. Reporters and TV producers rush to tell the story of the Ivy League imposter: the so-called “brazen brunette beauty”…
The Year of Actor Pedro Pascal
For the long weekend, we return to one of our favorite talks with actor Pedro Pascal! At the top, we discuss his role in The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent (5:02),…
The Hero Who Rode His Segway Off a Cliff
Steve Jobs called It “the most amazing piece of technology since the PC.” According to Jeff Bezos It was not only “revolutionary,” but infinitely commercial. It was a fiendishly clever…
Running in Recycled Shoes
Caspar Coppetti is the co-founder of On, a company that makes athletic shoes. Caspar’s problem is this: How can you sell tens of millions of shoes a year — and…
Not Lost Chat: Paradise City (Pico Iyer & Reggie Watts)
No piña coladas were consumed during travel writer Pico Iyer’s quest for paradise. Instead he found himself communing with guides and locals in thorny parts of the globe: Iran, Kashmir,…
A Treat for the Die-Hards
Every writer, podcaster and storyteller obsesses about how they begin a story. But they rarely pay enough attention to endings. Nothing matters more. Malcolm and Mike Birbiglia solve endings for…
Is a New Rainbow Coalition of Voters Possible?
Legendary Chicago Mayor Harold Washington is the subject of a new documentary called “Punch 9 for Harold Washington.” In this week’s episode, Ben and Khalil discuss the legacy of the…
On Background: Bad Actors on the Blockchain
For his next book, Michael Lewis wants to find out how investigators manage to trace the murky trail of illicit crypto. Cryptocurrency started with the dream of cash changing hands…
Episode 3: The Imposter
A woman named Esther Reed has been living in New York, but attending college under a different identity: Brooke Henson. When the NYPD tries to learn more, she flees. In…
The Makings of Writer Hilton Als
Today, we’re joined by Pulitzer Prize-winning writer and critic Hilton Als! To begin, we unpack his approach to writing profiles (5:50), inspired by the words of photographer Diane Arbus (6:10),…
