Life Examined

Traveler and author Rolf Potts shares his philosophy on meaningful travel and how embracing the unexpected can change us for the better. Get full access to Life Examined at lifeexamined.substack.com/subscribe

Historian and author Rutger Bregman examines the science and the history behind human nature and argues that the human mind is wired to be good. Get full access to Life Examined at lifeexamined.substack.com/subscribe

Host Jonathan Bastian talks with David Whyte about the power of the written and spoken word. Whyte, a poet, philosopher, and speaker, discusses his latest collection of poems, “Still Possible,” in which he continues to explore vulnerability, relationships, and “the conversational nature of reality.” Get full access to Life Examined at lifeexamined.substack.com/subscribe

Journalist and author Will Storr explains how status influences everything we do. Whether consciously or subconsciously, we all seek to be of value and feel accepted. Author Chuck Thompson says today’s status ideals have shifted; status is not reflected in the clothes you wear, but more about what you do for society. Get full access to Life Examined at lifeexamined.substack.com/subscribe

Science journalist and author Lydia Denworth explains the value of friendship and what we can learn from primates about the value of social bonds. Author, public speaker, and podcast host Oscar Trimboli explains the science behind listening and provides tips on how we learn to listen well and pay attention. Get full access to Life Examined at lifeexamined.substack.com/subscribe

Philosopher and writer Chloé Jones explains how recognizing and appreciating moments of beauty in the world around her helped her come to terms with her own body and self-perception. Professor Shailen M. Singh says society needs to embrace a more equitable, inclusive, and humanizing approach, especially towards children with disabilities. Get full access to Life Examined at lifeexamined.substack.com/subscribe

Jonathan Bastian talks with Sharon Salzberg educator, co-founder of the Insight Meditation Society, and author of several best selling books including “Real Life: The Journey from Isolation to Openness and Freedom,” about her early life traveling to India and discovering meditation, and the “unparalleled” sense of learning she discovered while studying under S.N. Goenka and others. “I think back to some of those conversations, because the retreats were not completely silent in those days,” Salzberg recalls. “And the other thing was tremendous friendships, which are enduring environments to this day. Physically, it was very hard, people were getting sick, and the conditions were very tough, but it didn't matter. And that was really fascinating for a Western person to see, too.” Get full access to Life Examined at lifeexamined.substack.com/subscribe

Psychologist and Professor of Cognitive Neuroscience at King's College in London Francesca Happe talks about the progress in autism diagnosis especially in women and dispels some of the myths. Podcaster and writer Lauren Ober shares the story of her own later-in-life autism diagnosis. Get full access to Life Examined at lifeexamined.substack.com/subscribe

We all have characteristics unique to ourselves, from our intelligence and sexual orientation to our height, weight and food preferences. Where do these traits come from? Are we genetically pre-programmed? What can we learn from studying twins? Why do they display so many similar characteristics even when raised apart? Beyond hereditary and experience, is there also something else in the mix that makes us who we are? Get full access to Life Examined at lifeexamined.substack.com/subscribe

Jonathan Bastian talks with Ross Gay, poet, essayist, and professor of English at Indiana University. Author of “The Book of Delights,” Gay’s latest collection of essays and poems is “Inciting Joy,” in which he ponders sources of joy, from caring for his father, to skateboarding, gardening, and playing pickup basketball. “Joy is what emerges from our tending to one another through the difficulty, making it possible to survive the difficulty,’ says Gay. “Joy emerges from that.” Delve deeper into life, philosophy, and what makes us human by joining the Life Examined discussion group on Facebook. Get full access to Life Examined at lifeexamined.substack.com/subscribe

Jonathan Bastian talks with Carl Safina, naturalist, marine ecologist, and founding president of The Safina Center at Stony Brook University in New York, about the beauty and wonder of the natural world. Author of several books including “Beyond Words: What Animals Think And Feel” and, most recently, “Becoming Wild: How Animal Cultures Raise Families, Create Beauty, and Achieve Peace,” Safina explores the inner lives of animals and the role that culture and family play in the behavior of animals. “Wolves are animals that, by nature, live in … family groups,” Safina notes. “They hunt together cooperatively, but what they hunt and how they hunt can differ a lot from region to region. And it can even differ a lot from family to family in the same place. For instance, in Yellowstone National Park, there's really only one wolf family there, which is very skilled at hunting bison. “For most wolves, bison are just too big and too tough. So how are they skilled? They weren't born that way. They learned it from adults who learned how to do it and taught their young ones.”Delve deeper into life, philosophy, and what makes us human by joining the Life Examined discussion group on Facebook. Get full access to Life Examined at lifeexamined.substack.com/subscribe

Jonathan Bastian talks with Dr. Anna Lembke, director and chief of the Stanford Addiction Medicine Dual Diagnosis Clinic, about the role of dopamine in the brain. She also offers advice on keeping the pursuit of pleasure in check and maintaining balance and contentment, and discusses her New York Times bestseller “Dopamine Nation: Finding Balance in the Age of Indulgence.”“We're living in an adicto-genic world,” says Lembke. “In which almost all substances and human behaviors, even behaviors that we typically think of as healthy and adaptive, like reading, have become addicted, have become drug refined, in some way made more potent, more accessible, [and] the internet has absolutely exploded this phenomenon.” Delve deeper into life, philosophy, and what makes us human by joining the Life Examined discussion group on Facebook. Get full access to Life Examined at lifeexamined.substack.com/subscribe

Clinical Psychologist Julia Rucklidge discusses the role of nutrition in treating and preventing mental health disorders. Author Michael Moss talks about how food is being designed to keep us wanting more. Get full access to Life Examined at lifeexamined.substack.com/subscribe

Jonathan Bastian talks with Kieran Setiya, professor of philosophy at Massachusetts Institute of Technology about some best practices when it comes to coping with pain, loneliness, loss, and failure. Setiya’s latest book is Life Is Hard: How Philosophy Can Help Us Find Our Way. “Let's never stop acknowledging that life is hard, not in a bleak way, but I hope, in the end, a constructive way,” Setiya says. “ Try to approach the good life philosophically with attention to that, not some abstract theory”Delve deeper into life, philosophy, and what makes us human by joining the Life Examined discussion group on Facebook. Get full access to Life Examined at lifeexamined.substack.com/subscribe

Philosopher Alain de Botton shares his thoughts on love and relationships. Psychologist Tracy Dennis-Tiwary explains why anxiety is on the rise. Get full access to Life Examined at lifeexamined.substack.com/subscribe

Philosopher Will MacAskill argues that protecting the future of humanity is the moral priority of our time. Historian Tyrone McKinley Freeman explains philanthropy’s rich tradition within the African American community. Get full access to Life Examined at lifeexamined.substack.com/subscribe

Psychiatrist Wesley Boyd talks about the challenges of accessing mental health care. Writer Charlotte Cowles describes her own experience seeking therapy for the first time. Get full access to Life Examined at lifeexamined.substack.com/subscribe

Economist Russ Roberts discusses the challenges of using rationality when facing big life decisions. Entrepreneur Susannah Furr discusses navigating and thriving with uncertainty. Get full access to Life Examined at lifeexamined.substack.com/subscribe

Jonathan Bastian talks with cultural psychologist Batja Gomes de Mesquita, author of “Between Us: How Culture Creates Emotions” who makes the case that emotions are not innate but are rather shaped but our surroundings and cultures, made as we live our lives together. Later, Rosalind Picard, founder and director of the Affective Computing research group at the MIT Media Lab, explains how advances in AI can help computers analyze our emotions with the ultimate goal of making human lives better. Delve deeper into life, philosophy, and what makes us human by joining the Life Examined discussion group on Facebook. Get full access to Life Examined at lifeexamined.substack.com/subscribe

Jonathan Bastian talks with Daniel Bergner, contributing writer for the New York Times, about his brother’s struggle with bipolar disorder and how the search for a better understanding inspired his latest book, “The Mind and the Moon: My Brother’s Story, the Science of Our Brains, and the Search for Our Psyches.”“The propulsion of the book is just acknowledging and dealing with that family fear, which I know so intimately,” Bergner says. “Not preaching against medication but raising questions about the way we view our psyches, about the way we think about mental health, and about the limitations of medications.”Bergner brings readers on a journey, following three people who experience varying mental disorders, including depression, anxiety, and symptoms of psychosis. Bergner speaks with researchers and top neuroscientists asking why we are still so far behind in understanding the way the mind works, how this affects modern treatment options, and also makes the case for alternatives to biological psychiatry.Delve deeper into life, philosophy, and what makes us human by joining the Life Examined discussion group on Facebook. Get full access to Life Examined at lifeexamined.substack.com/subscribe

Ed Yong explores the hidden realms and senses of the animal kingdom. David Peña-Guzmán discusses the dream world of animals and what goes on when they sleep. Get full access to Life Examined at lifeexamined.substack.com/subscribe

In the wake of the pandemic, there is much to be done to restore human connectivity, but loneliness is hardly a new phenomena. Long periods of isolated living in an increasingly virtual world is taking a toll on our health. Get full access to Life Examined at lifeexamined.substack.com/subscribe

Jonathan Bastian talks with philosopher Kieran Setiya, author of “Midlife: A Philosophical Guide” about the meaning and feeling of hitting midlife and how philosophy helped provide answers to Setiya’s own anxieties and perceived failures. Later, Geoff Dyer, author of “The Last Days of Roger Federer And Other Endings” examines what it means to give up something you love and why last works and best works don’t need to follow a chronological order. Delve deeper into life, philosophy, and what makes us human by joining the Life Examined discussion group on Facebook. Get full access to Life Examined at lifeexamined.substack.com/subscribe

Jonathan Bastian talks with Sam Knight, staff writer for the new Yorker, about his latest book, “The Premonitions Bureau: A True Account of Death Foretold.” Knight tells the true story of British psychiatrist John Barker, who after learning that several people had predicted the 1966 Aberfan disaster in Wales, became convinced that premonitions and the ability to see into the future were real. “[Barker] had this idea to call a friend of his who was a science reporter at the Evening Standard in London,” Knight says, “to put out a national call for premonitions.” Delve deeper into life, philosophy, and what makes us human by joining the Life Examined discussion group on Facebook. Get full access to Life Examined at lifeexamined.substack.com/subscribe

On this week’s Life Examined, we’re teaming up with KCRW’s Bodies podcast. In “Do Less Harm,” the second episode of the new season, producer Hannah Harris Green travels to West Virginia, where despite government push back, activists are handing out clean needles and the opioid overdose medication Narcan. Host Jonathan Bastian talks with Green and Bodies creator and host Allison Behringer about their new season and Green’s experience meeting people who use drugs in rural West Virginia. We also hear from Dr. Carl Hart, Columbia University psychologist and author of “Drug Use for Grown Ups,” on why he thinks the legalization of recreational drug use is important. Get full access to Life Examined at lifeexamined.substack.com/subscribe

Jonathan Bastian talks with Robert Macfarlane, fellow at Emmanuel College at Cambridge University, about his love of the mountains and his latest fascination with the subterranean world, which is the subject of his latest book, “Underland: A Deep Time Journey.” “I'm fascinated by where matter meets metaphor,” Macfarlane says. “The underworld is … this unbiddable, scarcely known, deep ground that we walk on every day, we walk on the crust, our feet are the things that keep us in contact with the earth, they are palms, as it were, to the ground.”Macfarlane also shares his passion for language and metaphor in nature and his latest musical project, “Lost in The Cedar Wood.” with singer/songwriter Johnny Flynn. Delve deeper into life, philosophy, and what makes us human by joining the Life Examined discussion group on Facebook. Get full access to Life Examined at lifeexamined.substack.com/subscribe

Cathy O’Neil talks about the increase and profiteering in public shaming. Siva Vaidhyanathan asks whether shame is an effective tool against racism and to promote social justice. Get full access to Life Examined at lifeexamined.substack.com/subscribe

Primatologist Frans de Waal examines the significance of biology and culture on gendered behavior, and neuroscientist Lise Eliot debunks the theory that the male and female brains are different. Get full access to Life Examined at lifeexamined.substack.com/subscribe

Jonathan Bastian talks with Clive Wynne, psychologist and founder of the Canine Science Collaboratory at Arizona State University, about the science behind studying dogs and what makes them so unique. Wynne, also the author of “Dog is Love: Why and How Your Dog Loves You,” says that, “dogs, like ourselves, have a capacity, drive, and desire to have strong emotional bonds with members of other species.” Delve deeper into life, philosophy, and what makes us human by joining the Life Examined discussion group on Facebook. Get full access to Life Examined at lifeexamined.substack.com/subscribe

Jonathan Bastian talks with Tracy Dennis-Tiwary, professor of psychology and neuroscience and director of the Emotion Regulation Lab at Hunter College, about the anxiety epidemic and her book “Future Tense; Why Anxiety Is Good for You (Even Though It Feels Bad).” “Anxiety is a feature of being human,” Dennis-Tiwary says. “It’s not a bug, it's not a malfunction. We can learn and work through it.” Delve deeper into life, philosophy, and what makes us human by joining the Life Examined discussion group on Facebook. Get full access to Life Examined at lifeexamined.substack.com/subscribe

Jonathan Bastian talks with Steve Leder, the senior Rabbi of Wilshire Boulevard Temple in Los Angeles about tragedy, grief, and the loss of a child in the aftermath of the massacre in Uvalde, Texas. Rabbi Leder also discusses his new book “For You When I Am Gone: Twelve Essential Questions to Tell a Life Story,” the legacy we leave behind when we die, and the writing of an “ethical will.” Delve deeper into life, philosophy, and what makes us human by joining the Life Examined discussion group on Facebook. Get full access to Life Examined at lifeexamined.substack.com/subscribe

For hundreds of years, doctors and scientists have grappled with understanding schizophrenia. It’s a mysterious mental illness characterized by delusions, hallucinations, paranoia, and disorganized speech. Understanding what caused the condition remained rudimentary, and there was a period when therapists blamed parents, and especially mothers, for contributing to the condition. KCRW hears the heartbreaking yet ultimately inspiring story of the Galvin family, where six out of their 12 children developed schizophrenia. Also, mapping the human genome has ushered in a massive sea change in the diagnosis and treatment of psychiatric disorders, helping put mental illness and schizophrenia in the mainstream of biomedical research. *This episode originally aired on March 12th, 2021 Get full access to Life Examined at lifeexamined.substack.com/subscribe

Jonathan Bastian talks with writer, lecturer, and author Susan Cain about the sweet joy of sadness. Cain, author of “Bittersweet: How Sorrow and Longing Make Us Whole,” reflects on the touch of sweetness that comes from sadness and despair and shares how a greater acceptance of these emotions can be beneficial and even therapeutic. Delve deeper into life, philosophy, and what makes us human by joining the Life Examined discussion group on Facebook. Get full access to Life Examined at lifeexamined.substack.com/subscribe

Jonathan Bastian talks with Florence Williams, science writer and author of “Heartbreak: A Personal and Scientific Journey,” about the pain that comes with a breakup and why it’s so hard to move on. Later, Sandra Langeslag, associate professor of psychological sciences at the University of Missouri-St. Louis and Aimee Lutkin, writer, performer, and the author of “The Lonely Hunter: How Our Search for Love Is Broken: A Memoir,” discuss the cure for heartbreak and misconceptions about coupledom. Get full access to Life Examined at lifeexamined.substack.com/subscribe

Jonathan Bastian talks with writer Johann Hari about our diminishing ability to focus. Hari, author of “Stolen Focus: Why You Can’t Pay Attention — and How to Think Deeply Again,” shares how our modern lifestyle, from phones and food to sleep and technology, is impacting our levels of concentration, with research showing that juggling from one task to another comes at a cost. Get full access to Life Examined at lifeexamined.substack.com/subscribe

Psychedelic drugs can induce profound spiritual and mystical connections. We explore how these experiences positively impact mental health and the therapeutic value of ketamine. Get full access to Life Examined at lifeexamined.substack.com/subscribe

History is full of examples of mortals unintentionally mistaken for gods. So why do we see godliness in others, and what if we had a divine counterpart within ourselves? Get full access to Life Examined at lifeexamined.substack.com/subscribe

Jonathan Bastian talks with Meghan O’Rourke, writer, poet, and author of “The Invisible Kingdom: Reimagining Chronic Illness,” about her 11-year search to find out what was wrong with her. Later, David Agus, professor of medicine and CEO of the Lawrence J. Ellison Institute for Transformative Medicine at the University of Southern California, explains autoimmune disease, long COVID, and what the future holds for diagnosis and treatment. Get full access to Life Examined at lifeexamined.substack.com/subscribe

KCRW’s Jonathan Bastian talks with behavioral scientist Leidy Klotz about his new book ‘Subtract: The Untapped Science of Less.’ Klotz explains why we need to re-examine our human desire for more, more, more, and why it often prevents us from seeing the easier and more effective solutions. We also hear from Vanessa Patrick, professor of marketing at the University of Houston, on the art and language of saying “No.” Writer Simon Usborne reflects on how gymnast Simon Biles’ and tennis player Naomi Osaka’s decisions to say “No” impact the world of sports and elite athletes, and ultimately, on ourselves. Get full access to Life Examined at lifeexamined.substack.com/subscribe

Delve deeper into life, philosophy, and what makes us human by joining the Life Examined discussion group on Facebook.Jonathan Bastian talks with Laurie Santos, cognitive scientist and professor of psychology at Yale University and host of “The Happiness Lab” podcast about her research into the science of happiness. Later, Will Davies, professor of political economy at Goldsmiths University of London and author “The Happiness Industry” discusses why we are so interested in measuring happiness in the first place. Get full access to Life Examined at lifeexamined.substack.com/subscribe

Jonathan Bastian talks with George Makari, historian and author of “Of Fear and Strangers: A History of Xenophobia,” about the origins of xenophobia and why people get gratification from hate. Later, Alexis Okeowo, staff writer at The New Yorker and author of “A Moonless, Starless Sky,” and Danish documentary filmmaker Simon Lereng Wilmont discuss the reality of refugee camps and children stuck in war zones. Get full access to Life Examined at lifeexamined.substack.com/subscribe

Jonathan Bastian talks with Margaret MacMillan, historian and author of “War: How Conflict Shaped Us,” about how war has defined our lives and our culture. Later, Edward Tick, psychotherapist, poet and author of “Warrior's Return: Restoring the Soul After War,” and Rabbi Steve Leder speak about the invisible wounds of war, the feeling of helplessness in the presence of evil, and building resilience. Get full access to Life Examined at lifeexamined.substack.com/subscribe

Jonathan Bastian talks with Mark Epstein, psychiatrist, psychologist, and author of “The Zen Of Therapy: Uncovering a Hidden Kindness in Life,” about the role of Buddhism in his practice of psychotherapy. Modern psychotherapy, he says, has stepped into the void left by the abandonment of religious rituals. Epstein shares stories and anecdotes about his patients, illustrating the links between Buddhism, the theories of influential British pediatrician and psychoanalyst Donald Winnicott, and Freudian psychoanalysis. Get full access to Life Examined at lifeexamined.substack.com/subscribe

Minimalism is enjoying a resurgence, but can a minimalistic lifestyle and aesthetic bring peace and calm? Does having less stuff bring happiness? Get full access to Life Examined at lifeexamined.substack.com/subscribe

Jonathan Bastian talks with philosopher Alain de Botton about gaining a better understanding of love and relationships. Author of “Why You Will Marry the Wrong Person,” “How Proust Can Change Your Life,”and founder of The School of Life, de Botton shares his recipe for love, fulfillment, and what dating apps get wrong when it comes to finding the ideal partner. Get full access to Life Examined at lifeexamined.substack.com/subscribe

Remembering the life and legacy of Thich Nhat Hanh, the Vietnamese Buddhist monk, Zen master, poet, and influential peace activist. Get full access to Life Examined at lifeexamined.substack.com/subscribe

Dr. Carl Erik Fisher and journalist Shayla Martin reflect on the history and meaning of addiction and the challenges for people of color seeking recovery in AA. Get full access to Life Examined at lifeexamined.substack.com/subscribe

Jonathan Bastian talks with Dr. Jonathan Reisman about his passion for adventure and fascination with the human body chronicled in his book “The Unseen Body: A Doctor's Journey Through the Hidden Wonders of the Human Anatomy.” Going beneath the skin, from blood and urine to the liver and kidneys, Reisman shares his unique perspective with the human body and the natural world. Get full access to Life Examined at lifeexamined.substack.com/subscribe

As we enter the new year, is this an opportunity to embrace some new ideas and gain a better understanding of who we are and the world around us? Jonathan Bastian talks to Buddhist scholar Pico Iyer about the prospects for optimism and what author Graham Greene has taught him about human frailty and vulnerability. And Vedanta nun Pravrajika Vrajaprana shares wisdom and hope from the writings of Swami Vivekananda. Get full access to Life Examined at lifeexamined.substack.com/subscribe

Amidst the devastation of the COVID-19 pandemic, two years of fighting the coronavirus has produced transformative advances in medicine, science, and the practice of healthcare. Jonathan Bastian talks with Dr. David Agus about the future of medicine and with Dr. Daniela Lamas about advanced care planning and insight into end of life care. Get full access to Life Examined at lifeexamined.substack.com/subscribe