How to Be a Better Human

We experience rejection all the time–in job interviews, while dating, when pitching a story or even trying to join a new club or activity. But if rejection happens so often, why is it so scary? And worse, what if our …

Most of us want to be good people–but what even makes a person “good?” And is our fixation on whether or not we ARE good holding us back from becoming even better? Dolly Chugh is an author and social psychologist …

Future forecaster and game designer Jane McGonigal ran a social simulation game in 2008 that had players dealing with the effects of a respiratory pandemic set to happen in the next decade. She wasn’t literally predicting the 2020 pandemic—but she …

Thinking and talking about gender is complex for anyone, and for some people it’s a frequent conversation–especially for parents. In today’s episode, LB Hannahs, a genderqueer parent, shares their experience of parenting and discusses why they try to center authenticity …

You often hear that “there are no bad ideas” when brainstorming–but why is that? In those instances, doesn’t it feel inevitable that someone’s going to pitch a bad idea? Frans Johansson is a writer who argues that in fact, innovation …

Every day, we humans do math. Whether we are obsessed with a logic puzzle on our smartphones or even just calculating a morning alarm that gives you 8 more minutes in bed, our daily lives are full of numbers, quantities, …

What would happen if the thing that defined you disappeared overnight? Whether it’s our job, our abilities, or output—many of us meld our identities with the things we do, and often forget who we are in the process. Greta Morgan …

Humans can have a complex relationship with technology: tools like smartphones make our lives easier, but they can also be a source of anxiety or dependence. The internet can be an amazing place, or it can be a doom scrolling …

On a list of the least funny topics imaginable, the global refugee crisis, border disputes, and questions of citizenships are probably close to the top. And yet comedian Maeve Higgins has spent her career finding ways to make jokes about …

Art can move us in deep, meaningful ways. A beautiful song, a good book, or a great film can change our perspectives and attitudes toward ideas, and sometimes people. Where does that magic come from–and how can we channel it …