Seize the Moment Podcast

On episode 233, we welcome Constantine Sandis to discuss the philosophy of Ludwig Wittgenstein, his lifelong preoccupation with the question of understanding others, the social and clinical consequences of misunderstanding others, Wittgenstein’s personal struggles with misunderstanding, criticisms of empathy and how it may lead to further conflict as opposed to resolving it, the problem of mind-reading, understanding culture as opposed to another’s inner drives, and the significance of self-reflection. Constantine Sandis is Director of Lex Academic, Visiting Professor of Philosophy at the University of Hertfordshire, and a Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts. His books include The Things We Do and Why We Do Them, Philosophy of Action: An Anthology, and Human Nature, and From Action to Ethics: A Pluralistic Approach to Reasons and Responsibility. His newest book, available March 11, 2025, is called Wittgenstein on Other Minds: Strangers in a Strange Land. | Constantine Sandis | ► Website | https://www.constantinesandis.com ► Twitter | https://twitter.com/csandis ► Instagram | https://www.instagram.com/csandis ► Bluesky |  https://bsky.app/profile/csandis.bsky.social ► Facebook | https://www.facebook.com/csandis ► Linkedin | https://www.linkedin.com/in/constantine-sandis-723454a4 ► Wittgenstein on Other Minds Book | https://bit.ly/3Ff6458 Wittgenstein on Other Minds Discount Code for 35% Off: SEWPC35 Where you can find us: | Seize The Moment Podcast | ► Facebook | https://www.facebook.com/SeizeTheMoment ► Twitter | https://twitter.com/seize_podcast  ► Instagram | https://www.instagram.com/seizethemoment ► TikTok | https://www.tiktok.com/@seizethemomentpodcast  

On episode 232, we welcome Adam Chandler to discuss the American myth of the self-made man, how it’s evolved over time, a potentially better argument for social benefits than the one normally provided by the left, the flaws of the “bootstrap” mentality, the self-made myth of Elon Musk, how billionaires benefit from us believing in the American Dream, the inconsistencies of the libertarian philosophy, how expanding the child tax credit alleviated poverty in the US, and the potential effects of AI on employees. Adam Chandler is a journalist and author based in New York. A former staff writer at The Atlantic, his work has also appeared in The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, The Washington Post, WIRED, Vox, Slate, New York Magazine, Texas Monthly, Esquire, TIME, and elsewhere. Chandler is the author of Drive-Thru Dreams: A Journey Through the Heart of America's Fast-Food Kingdom and a recurring guest on The History Channel's The Food That Built America. He regularly appears across television, radio, and digital platforms including CBS Sunday Morning, NPR's Planet Money, Morning Edition, and Here & Now. His newest book, available now, is called 99% Perspiration: A New Working History of the American Way of Life.  | Adam Chandler | ► Website | https://www.adamchandler.com ► Facebook | https://www.facebook.com/adamisaac ► Instagram | https://www.instagram.com/allmychandler ► Twitter | https://x.com/AllMyChandler ► 99% Perspiration Book | https://www.adamchandler.com/99-perspiration Where you can find us: | Seize The Moment Podcast | ► Facebook | https://www.facebook.com/SeizeTheMoment ► Twitter | https://twitter.com/seize_podcast  ► Instagram | https://www.instagram.com/seizethemoment ► TikTok | https://www.tiktok.com/@seizethemomentpodcast  

On episode 232, we welcome Elaine Weiss to discuss the grassroots foundation of the civil rights movement, the origins and aspirations of the Highlander Folk School, how and why Black people educated themselves when schooling was illegal for them, Septima Clark and the activism of ordinary people, Esau Jenkins teaching Black citizens on his bus rides, literacy tests and other ways voting for Black people was thwarted by whites, myths around education in the Black community, Rosa Parks as both a passive and active activist, and lessons from Highlander activists for how to maintain and foster democracy. Elaine Weiss is an award-winning journalist, author, and public speaker. She is the author of Fruits of Victory: The Woman’s Land Army of the Great War; and The Woman’s Hour: The Great Fight to Win the Vote. Her newest book, available on March 4, 2025, is called Spell Freedom: The Underground Schools That Built the Civil Rights Movement. | Elaine Weiss | ► Website | https://elaineweiss.com ► Facebook | https://www.facebook.com/ElaineWeissAuthor ► Instagram | https://www.instagram.com/efwauthor ► Twitter | https://x.com/efweiss5 ► Spell Freedom Book | https://bit.ly/3Qt33R7 Where you can find us: | Seize The Moment Podcast | ► Facebook | https://www.facebook.com/SeizeTheMoment ► Twitter | https://twitter.com/seize_podcast  ► Instagram | https://www.instagram.com/seizethemoment ► TikTok | https://www.tiktok.com/@seizethemomentpodcast

On episode 230, we welcome Michelle Sherman to discuss mental illness within families, the missteps people make in attempting to address it, our tendency to personalize others’ struggles, what happens when others aren’t aware of why they’re struggling and can’t explain it, the 4Cs model of navigating mental illness in others, the effects and trauma and neglect, asking for support and overcoming the shame of doing so, and why having a mental illness doesn’t necessarily mean one is incapable of being a good parent. Michelle D. Sherman, PhD, ABPP, is a board-certified, licensed clinical psychologist who is a nationally recognized leader in the family experience of mental illness and trauma. She is the editor-in-chief of Couple and Family Psychology: Research and Practice and worked for many years in the Veterans Affairs system. She is a fellow of the American Psychological Association and was named their Family Psychologist of the Year in 2022. Her newest book, co-authored with DeAnne Sherman, available now, is called Loving Someone with a Mental Illness or History of Trauma: Skills, Hope, and Strength for Your Journey. | Michelle D. Sherman, PhD | ► Website | https://www.seedsofhopebooks.com ► Facebook | https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61557940777748 ► Instagram | https://www.instagram.com/seeds_of_hope_books ► Linkedin | https://www.linkedin.com/in/michelle-sherman-phd-lp-abpp-312897100 ► Loving Someone with a Mental Illness or History of Trauma Book | https://amzn.to/3CSwQiR Where you can find us: | Seize The Moment Podcast | ► Facebook | https://www.facebook.com/SeizeTheMoment ► Twitter | https://twitter.com/seize_podcast  ► Instagram | https://www.instagram.com/seizethemoment ► TikTok | https://www.tiktok.com/@seizethemomentpodcast  

On episode 229, we welcome Steven Heine to discuss his research in existential psychology, humans as meaning-making creatures, existential crises as crises of meaning, the importance of story-telling in cultivating a deeper sense of purpose, cultural differences in meaning and our innate desire to contribute to our cultures, terror-management theory, Nietzsche’s nobleman and action vs reaction, tribalism in meaning-making, the importance of gratitude, and healthy ways to cope with death anxiety. Steven J. Heine is distinguished university scholar and professor of social and cultural psychology at the University of British Columbia. He is the author of Cultural Psychology, the top-selling textbook in the field, and his research has been covered in outlets like the New York Times, Washington Post, Guardian, Newsweek, and New Scientist.  His newest book, available now, is called Start Making Sense: How Existential Psychology Can Help Us Build Meaningful Lives in Absurd Times. | Steven J. Heine | ► Website | https://psych.ubc.ca/profile/steven-heine ► Psychology Today | https://bit.ly/3CLtuhA ► Start Making Sense Book | https://amzn.to/3ErQIKf Where you can find us: | Seize The Moment Podcast | ► Facebook | https://www.facebook.com/SeizeTheMoment ► Twitter | https://twitter.com/seize_podcast  ► Instagram | https://www.instagram.com/seizethemoment ► TikTok | https://www.tiktok.com/@seizethemomentpodcast    

On episode 228, we welcome Lorraine Besser to discuss the philosophy of the interesting, why the obsessive pursuit of success tends to backfire, Aristotelianism and Epicureanism, psychological richness as an alternative to happiness, the arrival fallacy, the importance of experiences, cultivating a mindset of open-mindedness, Lorraine’s own story of being unfulfilled by professional success, why we resort to cultivating envy, the problems arising from long-term happiness, and how ‘interesting’ differs from ‘flow’ and ‘awe.’ Lorraine Besser, PhD, is a professor of philosophy at Middlebury College, who specializes in the philosophy and psychology of the good life and teaches popular courses for undergraduates on happiness, well-being, and ethics. An internationally recognized scholar, she was a founding investigator on the research team studying psychological richness.  She is the author of two academic books (The Philosophy of Happiness: An Interdisciplinary Introduction and Eudaimonic Ethics: The Philosophy and Psychology of Living Well) and dozens of professional journal articles on moral psychology. Her newest book is called The Art of the Interesting: What We Miss in Our Pursuit of the Good Life and How to Cultivate It. | Lorraine Besser, PhD | ► Website | https://lorrainebesser.com/ ► Twitter | https://x.com/LorraineBesser ► Instagram | https://www.instagram.com/lorbesser ► Facebook | https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61558839725587 ► Linkedin | https://www.linkedin.com/in/lorraine-besser-0a980212b ► The Art of the Interesting Book | https://bit.ly/3Eob8U4 Where you can find us: | Seize The Moment Podcast | ► Facebook | https://www.facebook.com/SeizeTheMoment ► Twitter | https://twitter.com/seize_podcast  ► Instagram | https://www.instagram.com/seizethemoment ► TikTok | https://www.tiktok.com/@seizethemomentpodcast  

On episode 227, we welcome Dr. Robert Smith to discuss the state of mental health care in the US, the historical split between mind and body and its modern ramifications, Robert’s struggles as a young doctor addressing mental illness in his patients, the hyper-focus on brain chemistry in psychiatry, the consequences of primary care doctors providing the most amount of care for mental illness, integrating the bio-psycho-social model, the significance of lifestyle choices on major illnesses, the medical industrial complex, and the NURS model of mental health care. Robert C. Smith, MD is internationally recognized for his evidence-based teaching innovations in mental health care and the doctor-patient relationship as developer of the first evidence-based patient-centered method to guide teachers and their medical and nursing students and residents to master a physician’s single most important skill: the ability to communicate and form a strong partnership with the patient. Among many awards, Dr. Smith has received the Master recognition from the American College of Physicians, the George Engel Award for Outstanding Research from the Academy on Communication in Healthcare, and the Career Teaching Achievement Award from the Society of General Internal Medicine. His newest book, available now, is called Has Medicine Lost Its Mind?: Why Our Mental Health System Is Failing Us and What Should Be Done to Cure It.  | Robert C. Smith, MD | ► Website | https://www.robertcsmithmd.com ► Twitter | https://x.com/RobertCSmithMD ► Facebook | https://www.facebook.com/RobertCSmithMD ► Linkedin | https://www.linkedin.com/in/robertcsmithmd ► Has Medicine Lost Its Mind? Book | https://amzn.to/3PH6cMM Where you can find us: | Seize The Moment Podcast | ► Facebook | https://www.facebook.com/SeizeTheMoment ► Twitter | https://twitter.com/seize_podcast  ► Instagram | https://www.instagram.com/seizethemoment ► TikTok | https://www.tiktok.com/@seizethemomentpodcast

On episode 226, we welcome William Haldeman to discuss five great US presidents, George Washington’s prudence and humility in stepping down, FDR’s ability to communicate with the American public, his sense of confidence in navigating the Great Depression and World War 2, Ronald Reagan’s optimism in the face of Soviet communism, the necessity of it for electoral victories, podcasting as a medium for presidential hopefuls, ways in which current politicians live up to and fail to live up to these predecessors, and how future leaders can benefit from them. William Haldeman is Vice Chancellor and Chief Strategy Officer at the University of Pittsburgh. He has also served the White House Domestic Policy Council, two US secretaries of state, and as a senior staff member to a state governor. His new book, available now, is called Meeting the Moment: Inspiring Presidential Leadership That Transformed America.  | William Haldeman | ► Website | https://www.williamhaldeman.com/home ► Twitter | https://x.com/potushistorian ► Meeting the Moment Book | https://bit.ly/49uJYGD Where you can find us: | Seize The Moment Podcast | ► Facebook | https://www.facebook.com/SeizeTheMoment ► Twitter | https://twitter.com/seize_podcast  ► Instagram | https://www.instagram.com/seizethemoment  

On episode 225, we welcome Casey Michel to discuss the roles foreign lobbyists play in shaping US foreign policy, the good and bad aspects of the lobbying industry, Paul Manafort’s and Ivy Lee’s efforts to aid propaganda for dictators, the differences between government lobbying and diplomacy, US congressional ties to authoritarian regimes and how congressmen are bought, the reasons the democrats lost the 2024 elections and how much hope there is, dark money, and American universities taking in billions from regimes with human rights abuses. Casey Michel is an author, journalist, and director of the Combating Kleptocracy Program with the Human Rights Foundation. He is the author of American Kleptocracy, named by The Economist as one of the "best books to read to understand financial crime." His writing on offshoring, foreign lobbying, authoritarianism, and illicit wealth has appeared in The New York Times, Financial Times, The Wall Street Journal, The Atlantic, Foreign Affairs, and The Washington Post, among other outlets, and he has appeared on NPR, BBC, CNN, and MSNBC, among other stations. He has also testified in front of the Senate Judiciary Committee on the links between illicit financial networks and national security. His newest book, available now, is called Foreign Agents: How American Lobbyists and Lawmakers Threaten Democracy Around the World. | Casey Michel | ► Website 1 | https://www.caseymichel.com ► Website 2 | https://hrf.org/program/combating-kleptocracy ► Twitter | https://x.com/cjcmichel ► Linkin | https://www.linkedin.com/in/caseymichel ► Foreign Agents Book | https://amzn.to/4hSI8U2 Where you can find us: | Seize The Moment Podcast | ► Facebook | https://www.facebook.com/SeizeTheMoment ► Twitter | https://twitter.com/seize_podcast  ► Instagram | https://www.instagram.com/seizethemoment ► TikTok | https://www.tiktok.com/@seizethemomentpodcast    

On episode 224, we welcome Rob Jackson to discuss the effects of climate change, the human contributions to it, weighing the costs of revenue loss against environmental harm, the historical contributions of the Republican party to environmental protections and their road to climate denial, worries about another Trump presidency, the effects of climate change on poor communities, the promise of electric and solar power, and the everyday harms of methane gas. Rob Jackson is the Chair of the Global Carbon Project, a Senior Fellow at Stanford’s Woods Institute for the Environment and Precourt Institute for Energy, and a professor of earth science at Stanford University. Through global scientific leadership and groundbreaking research, communications, and policy activities, Rob’s work has reduced millions of tons of greenhouse gas emissions and improved human health, safety, and air and water quality. One of the top five most-cited climate and environmental scientists in the world, he has authored more than 400 peer-reviewed publications, and his writings have appeared in many outlets, including The New York Times, Scientific American, and The Washington Post. His newest book, available now, is called Into the Clear Blue Sky: The Path to Restoring Our Atmosphere. | Rob Jackson |   ► Website 1 | https://jacksonlab.stanford.edu ► Website 2 | https://robjacksonbooks.com ► Into the Clear Blue Sky Book | https://amzn.to/4f74T4E Where you can find us: | Seize The Moment Podcast | ► Facebook | https://www.facebook.com/SeizeTheMoment ► Twitter | https://twitter.com/seize_podcast  ► Instagram | https://www.instagram.com/seizethemoment ► TikTok | https://www.tiktok.com/@seizethemomentpodcast