David Foster Wallace's graduation speech which is glorious and is sometimes available on the web sometimes not in various forms. I recently interviewed come out before this conversation interview Vinay Prasad the oncologist who's made a bunch of observations about what a beautiful essay an angry essay a screed about public health officials he feels failed their duty to prevent pandemics. We should be incredibly non-judgmental with our siblings and our spouse and our friends and our loved ones but at the public policy level if we do not judge and condemn and if we always forgive because there's no free will I think that comes at a cost.
According to neuroscientist and philosopher Sam Harris, rationality is the key to safeguarding everything we cherish, and its only true enemy is dogmatic inflexibility. Harris speaks with EconTalk host Russ Roberts about the views that have made Harris famous, teasing out the often mind-blowing subtleties of his religious and cultural critiques. They discuss what Harris has learned as a podcaster and author, and how ecstasy launched his spiritual journey. Finally, they move on to the power of meditation, exploring the way it can lead to self-transcendence and real connection with others.