In this engaging conversation, Maria Popova, the creator of The Marginalian and author of Figuring, shares her insights on the pursuit of meaning through wonder. She discusses how our daily habits can stifle awe and suggests strategies to cultivate joy in our lives. The conversation delves into the importance of intellectual humility, embracing uncertainty, and the relationship between wonder, love, and community. Maria also shares reflections on her new book, highlighting the blend of science and poetry as a path towards deeper connections and understanding.
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Wonder as an Antidote to Depression
Maria Popova found wonder and awe to be effective in managing depression.
The play revolves around Prince Hamlet's journey to avenge his father's murder, which was committed by his uncle Claudius. Hamlet's father's ghost appears and reveals that he was poisoned by Claudius, who then married Hamlet's mother, Gertrude. Hamlet feigns madness while he investigates and plots his revenge. The play explores themes of betrayal, mortality, and the human condition, culminating in a tragic finale where nearly all main characters die, including Hamlet, Claudius, Gertrude, and several others[1][3][5].
Figuring
Maria Popova
Figuring by Maria Popova delves into the lives of several historical figures, primarily women and queer individuals, who have shaped our understanding of the universe through their contributions in science, art, and literature. The book weaves together their stories to explore broader themes such as the pursuit of truth, the power of love, and the interconnectedness of human experiences. Popova's narrative spans centuries, from Johannes Kepler to Rachel Carson, highlighting how these figures have influenced each other and the world around them.
The Universe
Dr. William Kaufmann III
Leaves of Grass
Walt Whitman
Natalie Montoto
First published in 1855, 'Leaves of Grass' is Walt Whitman's magnum opus and a cornerstone of American literature. The collection, which Whitman continued to revise and expand until his death, explores themes of identity, nature, democracy, and the human condition through free verse poetry. It is renowned for its innovative style and its celebration of the individual and the collective.
The Extended Mind
The Power of Thinking Outside the Brain
Annie Murphy Paul
In 'The Extended Mind: The Power of Thinking Outside the Brain,' Annie Murphy Paul argues that our minds are not confined to the brain but extend into our bodies, surroundings, and social relationships. The book explores embodied, situated, and distributed cognition, providing practical advice on how to think better by utilizing 'extra-neural' resources such as bodily sensations, physical spaces, and the minds of others. Paul draws on research from neuroscientists, cognitive scientists, and psychologists, as well as examples from artists, scientists, and leaders who have successfully used these mental extensions to solve problems and create new works[2][4][5].
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Smart and practical strategies for living, in Maria's words, wonder-smitten by reality.
Maria Popova thinks and writes about our search for meaning — sometimes through science and philosophy, sometimes through poetry and children's books, always through the lens of wonder. She is the creator of The Marginalian (born in 2006 under the name Brain Pickings), which is included in the Library of Congress permanent digital archive of culturally valuable materials, author of Figuring, and maker of the live show The Universe in Verse — a charitable celebration of the wonder of reality through stories of science winged with poetry, which is now also a book.
In this episode we talk about:
Wonder as a tool for improving all of your relationships
The tyranny of the word should
How the hardest thing in life is not getting what you want, it's knowing what you want
Why she doesn't believe in making meditation a tool, even though she's been practicing for 14 years
The illusion of certainty
The immense value of intellectual humility
Strategies for outgrowing your old habits
Her new book, The Universe in Verse, which is a combination of science and poetry
10% Happier with Dan Harris 
