Curious Minds at Work

CM 296: Dacher Keltner on How Awe Helps Us Thrive – Rebroadcast

Jul 13, 2025
Dacher Keltner, a Professor of Psychology at UC Berkeley, shares insights on the transformative power of awe. He discusses how moments of wonder, from nature to acts of kindness, can enhance our well-being and foster connection. Keltner emphasizes the importance of cultivating awe in daily life, especially in combating anxiety and promoting community. The impact of shared experiences on emotional health, particularly during times of grief and social isolation, reveals how awe can be a remedy for loneliness and societal challenges.
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ADVICE

Cultivating Everyday Awe

  • Cultivate awe by observing nature, listening to music, and noticing moral beauty in everyday life.
  • Seek awe in small daily moments like trees, sky, kindness, and group movement.
ANECDOTE

Awe from Simple Moments

  • Dacher Keltner experienced awe watching preschoolers holding a rope walking together.
  • This everyday scene restored his faith in human kindness and connection.
INSIGHT

Surprising Sources of Awe

  • Moral beauty, collective movement, big ideas, and life cycles are key sources of awe worldwide.
  • Unexpectedly, technology, food, and sex rarely inspire awe.
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