Mon, Oct 21, 2019
Stanford psychology professor Jennifer Eberhardt has spent years studying how racial bias affects all of us in ways we don't realize. In her new book, "Biased: Uncovering the Hidden Prejudice That Shapes What We See, Think and Do," Eberhardt explains how bias shapes our perception, our decisions, and our culture.
Mon, Oct 28, 2019
Our world is awash in code, and those zeroes and ones aren't as impersonal as you might think. In his new book, "Coders: The Making of a New Tribe and the Remaking of the World," journalist Clive Thompson provides an up-close look at the "invisible architects" of our digital age, revealing the ways they're shaping our society for better and worse.
Mon, Nov 11, 2019
Too often these days, arguments with people we disagree with feel impossible. We never solve anything but seem to succeed in hurting someone's feelings. But what if it didn't have to be that way? In his forthcoming book, "Why Are We Yelling?: The Art of Productive Disagreement", Buster Benson, who has worked for some of the world's most successful companies, to help you have hard conversations in your relationships, engage people with different political viewpoints, and disagree with dignity.
Mon, Nov 18, 2019
As a college student, Zachary Wood ignited a national debate when he invited controversial speakers ( anti-feminists, climate-change deniers, and self-proclaimed racists) to lecture on campus. Critics accused him of promoting dangerous ideas. But in his new memoir, "Uncensored," Wood argues that we can develop empathy and understanding by engaging with opposing viewpoints.
Mon, Nov 25, 2019
In his mind-bending new book, "The Case Against Reality: Why Evolution Hid the Truth from Our Eyes," Don Hoffman argues that what we see, smell, touch, and taste are illusions. Reality, he says, is just an interface, like a computer desktop, built by our brains to conceal complexity.
Mon, Dec 16, 2019
In his new book, "The Meritocracy Trap," Yale professor Daniel Markovits says meritocracy isn't leveling the playing field. Instead, it's a pretense for concentrating privilege and intensifying inequality. He tells us the time has come to redesign the workplace, reinvent higher education, and reimagine meritocracy so it actually works for everyone.
Mon, Jan 20, 2020
Andrew Yang has a pretty bleak vision for the future. The way he sees it, we're staring down the barrel of a techno-apocalypse. Robots will replace millions of workers. Income inequality will skyrocket. And social isolation will become the new normal. But Yang has a big idea he thinks can stave off disaster.
Mon, Jan 27, 2020
What do the Buddha, John F. Kennedy, Mr. Rogers, and Leonardo da Vinci all have in common? The ability to be still and tune out the busy, buzzing drone of modern life. Ryan Holiday, the author of "Stillness Is the Key," shares his tips for slowing down, calming your mind and body, and accessing the tranquility deep inside.
Mon, May 18, 2020
Even with the COVID-19 pandemic, we're living longer, on average, than at any time in history. So why do so many of us act like our last decades are a time to lower our expectations? Neuroscientist and musician Daniel Levitin says old age can be whatever we want it to be. He went deep into the science for his new book, "Successful Aging," and he's emerged with some tips.
Mon, May 25, 2020
In the cacophony of modern life, it can seem that talking, scoring points, and being heard are more important than paying attention to what others have to say. But journalist Kate Murphy says listening can strengthen our ties to the people closest to us and create new connections in our lives.
Tue, Jun 2, 2020
We all face fork-in-the-road moments in our lives. In his 2005 bestseller "Blink," Next Big Idea Club curator Malcolm Gladwell famously argued that snap judgments can be just as effective as meticulous planning. In this lively conversation, author Steven Johnson ("Farsighted") disagrees, arguing that big, complex decisions require careful thought and scenario-building.
Mon, Jun 15, 2020
Hook-ups, sexting, friends with benefits, ubiquitous porn - sometimes it seems like boys today are growing up in a world of easy sex and mindless gratification. But sit down and talk to them and you get a different story. Rufus speaks with Peggy Orenstein, who interviewed hundreds of boys for her new book, "Boys and Sex," about how they navigate a minefield of sexual rules and expectations.
Mon, Jun 29, 2020
When Dr. Vivek Murthy became U.S. Surgeon General in 2014, he went on a listening tour. What he heard surprised him. Americans were lonely, and it was killing them. In this deeply personal conversation with Next Big Idea Club curator Susan Cain (author of "Quiet"), Murthy makes the medical case for love and friendship.
Mon, Jul 6, 2020
Cutting-edge science, music and art, powerful technology, plentiful food. It's no wonder we sing the praises of civilization. But do we really have it so good? Christopher Ryan says it's time for a rethink. He tells Rufus that people in non-civilized societies tend to be healthier, happier, and more fulfilled.
Mon, Jul 27, 2020
Businesses want people to buy their products. Parents want their kids to eat their vegetables. We all want to convince someone to do something. So we push and we prod - but often to no avail. Wharton marketing professor Jonah Berger says there's a better way. In this high-speed conversation with Rufus, he lays out his formula for removing barriers to change.
Mon, Aug 10, 2020
Birds do it, bees do it, even fishes in the seas do it. So why do we have such a hard time when people migrate from one place to another? Science writer Sonia Shah presents the evidence that migration is central to the human story -- and it just might save us from what's coming next.
Mon, Aug 17, 2020
Our society is built on the assumption that we're all a broken stoplight away from reverting to our animal selves. It's what we've come to call "realism." Historian Rutger Bregman thinks that kind of realism is, well, unrealistic. And not because we can learn to be better, but because deep down, we already are.
Mon, Aug 31, 2020
You have to play with the hand you're dealt. At least that's what we're always told. But is it really true? How much of what we achieve in life is the product of our pluck and guile, and how much is just dumb luck? To find out, New Yorker writer Maria Konnikova dropped everything and joined the pro poker tour. The lessons were not what she expected.
Wed, Feb 24, 2021
While we've been stuck at home, the world has been spinning faster than ever. Name any existing trend in technology, healthcare, commerce, or education, and it's safe to say it has advanced a decade in the last 12 months. That's because COVID-19, according to NYU professor Scott Galloway, is an accelerant. And in this high-octane conversation, he tells Rufus that if we play it right, we can harness that acceleration to create positive change.
Tue, Mar 2, 2021
Every day, Dr. Carl Hart goes into his laboratory at Columbia University and gets people high. That research has led him to a surprising conclusion: the predominant effects of the drugs he administers - substances like cannabis, cocaine, heroin, and meth - are positive. In this unflinching conversation about Dr. Hart's bold new book, "Drug Use for Grown-Ups," Carl and Rufus discuss their own experiences with drugs, connect drug criminalization to structural racism, and ask whether drug use by responsible adults can be a good thing.
Tue, Mar 9, 2021
In all likelihood, some of the biggest moments in your life, like meeting your spouse or finding your job, were the result of a chance encounter or fortunate coincidence. You got lucky. But Christian Busch, who directs the global economy program at NYU, says that with the right mindset, you can regard luck not as something that happens to you but as a skill you can cultivate.
Tue, Mar 16, 2021
If you managed to stay awake during Bio 101, then you probably think you have a basic understanding of how your brain works. Not so, says neuroscientist Lisa Feldman Barrett. In this cerebral yet highly entertaining conversation with Next Big Idea Club curator Daniel Pink, Lisa says our brains are made for budgeting, not thinking.
Tue, Mar 23, 2021
In his brilliant new book, "This Is the Voice," John Colapinto says the voice is our species' greatest attribute. We rely on it to communicate and collaborate, woo our mates and protect our children, make art and win wars. John would know. A rock 'n' roll vocal injury changed his relationship with his instrument and set him on a path to better understand what his voice means to him - and what the voice means to humanity.
Tue, Mar 30, 2021
In his new book, "Think Again: The Power of Knowing What You Don't Know," Adam Grant says that in our turbulent world, there's a more important skill: the ability to rethink and unlearn. By updating your opinions, checking your ego, and admitting when you're wrong, you can set yourself up for greater wisdom, deeper relationships, and a more joyous existence.
Tue, Apr 6, 2021
A few years ago, as he watched his young daughter try out one hobby after another, a thought crossed Tom Vanderbilt's mind: Why do we work so hard to get our kids to learn new skills when most of us adults stopped trying new things ages ago? For Tom, that contradiction became a call to arms.
Tue, Apr 13, 2021
Humor is no laughing matter. It inspires innovation, strengthens relationships, disarms tension, and makes you look smart. Seriously. So why are we all afraid to be funny at work? In their new book, "Humor, Seriously," Stanford professors Jennifer Aaker and Naomi Bagdonas say the recipe for professional success and personal fulfillment is to lighten up, pack a little levity in your briefcase, and start living your life on the precipice of a smile.
Tue, Apr 20, 2021
Whether or not we care to admit it, we all talk to ourselves. A lot. The voice in our heads yaks it up about half the time we're awake, and it can speak at a rate of 4,000 words per minute. When it gets going like that, not everything it says is particularly helpful. We've all gotten stuck dwelling on the past, worrying about the future, or standing idly by as our introspection devolves into negativity. Experimental psychologist Ethan Kross calls these moments chatter. "When the inner voice runs amok and chatter takes the mental microphone," he says, "our mind not only torments but paralyzes us." Luckily, there are tools we can use to take back the mic, and in this episode, Ethan talks Rufus through them.
Tue, May 4, 2021
In 2012, biochemist Jennifer Doudna and her team at Berkeley figured out how to rewrite our genetic code using a system called CRISPR. Thanks to this miraculous discovery, we now have the power to hunt down cancer cells, deflect oncoming viruses, and cure genetic diseases. But CRISPR has a dark side, morally speaking. We'll soon have the power to give our kids superior strength and intelligence. Should we do it?
Tue, May 11, 2021
Our work consumes us. But does it have to? Anthropologist James Suzman has spent decades living in the Kalahari Desert with one of the world's last hunter-gatherer societies, and he's concluded that our modern attitudes about work don't mesh with the views held by our ancestors. For 95 percent of human history, we spent the bulk of our time doing - nothing. What changed? In this millennia-spanning conversation with Next Big Idea Club curator Adam Grant, James makes the case for spending less time toiling away at labor we loathe and more time working at things we love.
Tue, May 18, 2021
What's the first thing you do when you wake up in the morning and the last thing you do before bed? If you're a modern knowledge worker, your answer is probably "check my email." Makes sense. Your inbox is a busy place, which is why you peek at it, on average, every six minutes: constant vigilance is the only way to keep up. But all that checking comes at a cost. Communication overload undermines your productivity, erodes your focus, zaps your energy, and makes you miserable. Luckily, Cal Newport, the Georgetown professor and productivity whiz who came up with "deep work" and "digital minimalism," has a plan for a post-email future, one where you can concentrate on work that really matters.
Tue, May 25, 2021
The CDC says it's okay to leave your bunker. Some of your friends have expressed interest in taking off their masks, breaking the six-foot barrier, and hanging out with you. Do you remember how? Whether you're anxious about leaving your house or impatient to trade your house slippers for blue suede shoes, we could all use a refresher on how to connect with our fellow humans in person and in a way that is not just pleasant but meaningful. That's why we're dusting off one of our favorite episodes, a conversation with Priya Parker, whose book, "The Art of Gathering: How We Meet and Why It Matters," is essential post-pandemic reading.
Tue, Jun 1, 2021
Ownership is simple, right? Something is either yours or it isn't. Case closed. But who owns the space behind your airplane seat, the results of the DNA you took online, the Netflix password you got from your cousin's roommate? The jury's still out, according to law professors Michael Heller and James Salzman. That's because ownership isn't binary or static: it's a storytelling exercise, and we rely on just six stories to claim everything we own. In this revelatory conversation, Michael and James explain how those stories work, how you can use them to your advantage, and why they might be key to dismantling income inequality and arresting climate change.
Tue, Jun 8, 2021
The AI they built is what enables Facebook to recognize faces in the photos you upload. It's the reason Siri and Alexa can (sometimes) understand what you're saying, and Google can translate anything you write into 109 languages. Cade Metz has spent years chronicling the rise and rise of AI, first as a reporter at the New York Times and now in his new book, "Genius Makers." In this forward-looking conversation, he tells Rufus what AI can do, where it's headed, and whether we should be worried that supercomputers will wage war against humanity.
Tue, Jun 22, 2021
Average IQ scores rose steadily throughout the last century. Now they appear to be leveling off. The problem, according to neuroscientists, may be that we have reached our neurobiological limits. Our brains simply can't work any harder. Luckily, science writer Annie Murphy Paul has a solution. In her bold new book, "The Extended Mind: The Power of Thinking Outside the Brain," she draws on a wealth of scientific research to show that we're smarter when we get out of our heads. By offloading our memories onto our phones, making decisions based on our bodily sensations, using tactile tools to solve abstract problems, drawing inspiration from our surroundings, and arguing with our friends, we can access intelligence that exists beyond the confines of our craniums.
Tue, Jun 29, 2021
Have you ever lain awake at night obsessing over a conflict with a colleague or a relative or a politician you've never met? If you have, you were probably experiencing what journalist Amanda Ripley calls high conflict. If good conflict is the kind of friction that is serious and intense but ultimately leads somewhere useful, then high conflict is the kind of friction that only gives you rope burn. It's bitter, all-consuming, unproductive and worst of all, once you find yourself embroiled in high conflict, it's almost impossible to get out. Luckily, Amanda has been studying the techniques you can use to break free.
Tue, Jul 6, 2021
Teddy Roosevelt once said that nothing is worth doing "unless it means effort, pain, and difficulty." And to that bestselling author Greg McKeown says, "Baloney!" There's no denying that hard work often leads to positive results, but it can just as easily lead to exhaustion, apathy, and burnout. In his script-flipping new book, "Effortless: Make It Easier to Do What Matters Most," Greg asks: "What if instead of pushing ourselves to our limit, we sought out an easier path?"
Tue, Jul 20, 2021
Malcolm Gladwell's extraordinary new book, "The Bomber Mafia," tells the story of a group of pilots who met on a muggy airbase in central Alabama and hatched a plan to revolutionize warfare. This was in the 1930s, the era of the bomber, a new breed of aircraft that could supposedly drop a bomb from six miles up and land it in a pickle barrel. If you could do that, you wouldn't have to level cities, rack up casualties, or send a single soldier onto the battlefield. Planes could win wars all by themselves. Or so the young pilots thought.
Tue, Jul 20, 2021
A lot of us run away from tough conversations. Anna Sale runs toward them. For nearly a decade, as the host of the podcast "Death, Sex and Money," she has been having searching conversations about "the things we think about a lot and need to talk about more." Now, in her new book, "Let's Talk About Hard Things," she blends reportage and memoir to reveal how speaking openly (and listening attentively) can fortify our relationships. That may sound simple, but as one of the book's reviewers observed, "As vaccinated people begin to have joyous reunions with friends and family, after a year of isolation and Zooms, many of us are realizing that we've forgotten how to talk about the easy things, let alone the hard ones."