Keep Talking

Joseph Goldstein is an author, the co-founder of the Insight Meditation Society in Barre, MA, and is one of the most influential and important figures in bringing vipassana meditation practices into the American mainstream.During our conversation, Joseph talks about his journey from Columbia University to the Peace Corps in Thailand to his early meditation training in India, what mindfulness is and how it can help people come to know their own minds, why meditation is a practice that can decrease human suffering, the key observations and insights of the Buddha and the Noble Eightfold Path, and how and why one might begin to practice meditation.It is impossible to talk to Joseph and not be struck by his decency, his openness, his presentness, and his sense of humor. He has committed his life to mindfulness and loving-kindness meditation, and has attempted to share what he knows and has learned with his students and the general public.------------Support this podcast via VenmoSupport this podcast via PayPalSupport this podcast on Patreon------------Show notesLeave a rating on SpotifyLeave a rating on Apple PodcastsFollow "Keep Talking" on social media and access all episodes------------(00:00) Introduction(02:14) Developing interest in Buddhism and meditation(07:08) Reason for interest in Buddhism and meditation(11:28) Immersing in the study of the mind(15:10) The Buddha’s teachings(20:57) Joseph's psychological state when first exposed to Buddhism and meditation(23:30) The daily habits, discipline, and rituals to try to achieve Enlightenment(29:37) Deciding to devote his life to meditation(32:18) Communicating to his mother his desire to devote his life to Buddhism(35:24) Metaphysical views pre and post meditation(40:15) Buddhism is non-theistic(42:43) What is the Dharma?(47:12) Integrating Buddhist teachings with practice and The Noble Eightfold Path(56:06) The first step to use mindfulness to ease psychological suffering(01:03:49) Awareness versus the weather pattern of one's mind(01:06:59) Using mindfulness to respond, rather than to react(01:18:06) Dealing with grief(01:27:19) How can we improve our lives by being mindful?

Helen Fisher is an anthropologist, a professor, an author, and one of the world's experts on the science of love. During our conversation, Helen talks about her background interest in love, the role that love plays in human existence, the evolutionary purpose of love, the possibility of love to endure for many years, how the subconscious influences who we fall in love with, how to know if you aren't in love, and wisdom she would provide to improve one's probability for healthy romance and a compatible mate choice.As Helen notes during our interview, 97% of mammals don't pair bond. Human's drive to love and be loved is one of the sweeter aspects of our animal natures. She has spent her career trying to understand what love is and how we can better understand it. And just two years ago - in her mid-70's - Helen married for the first time since her 20's.------------Support this podcast via VenmoSupport this podcast via PayPalSupport this podcast on Patreon------------Show notesLeave a rating on SpotifyLeave a rating on Apple PodcastsFollow "Keep Talking" on social media and access all episodes------------(00:00) Intro(00:09) Interest in studying the subject of love(04:39) Trailblazing the academic study of love(05:43) What is love?(10:22) Love and love decisions are life's most important choices(12:07) Understanding "love maps" and the unconscious as it relates to love(21:36) Millennials and "slow love"(27:17) When are you not in love? When is it time to end a relationship?(37:19) Identifying great compatibility matches(41:14) Mitigating the risks of neuroticism from torpedoing a relationship(47:51) Attachment styles and compatibility(54:07) Identifying the root cause of depression(56:07) Ending a relationship when indifference is present(01:07:21) Designing a lifestyle that makes you a better and authentic partner(01:10:48) The role of marriage in human life(01:14:51) Helen getting married in her mid-70's

Daniel Schacter is a professor of psychology at Harvard University who specializes in memory and amnesia. During our conversation, Daniel talks about the evolutionary purpose of human memory, the biological basis of memory, the movie "Memento," the correlation between memory and intelligence, how fMRI technology can help detect false memories, what can be done to improve memory, and he explains the difference between "The Seven Sins of Memory": transience, absent-mindedness, blocking, misattribution, suggestibility, bias, and persistence.Our memories play a crucial role in the stories we tell ourselves about who we are. Daniel has spent a career applying reason to the subject of human memory, and his work helps us better understand who we are and what is true.------------Support this podcast via VenmoSupport this podcast via PayPalSupport this podcast on Patreon------------Show notesLeave a rating on SpotifyLeave a rating on Apple PodcastsFollow "Keep Talking" on social media and access all episodes------------(00:00) Introduction(02:06) The path to researching the cognitive neuroscience of memory(07:55) The general consensus about memory during the 1970s and 1980s(12:14) Why memory exists: to preserve experiences, think and reflect, and learn(14:45) Understanding explicit and implicit memory with the example of a patient with Hippocampus damage(18:12) What is episodic memory?(23:49) The movie Memento - anterograde amnesia(29:50) The correlation between memory and intelligence(38:44) The seven sins of memory: transience, absent-mindedness, blocking, misattribution, suggestibility, bias, persistence.(01:05:55) The link between rumination and persistence(01:13:02) Realizing your memory problems to make better decisions(01:19:41) Using technology to preserve your past meaningfully(01:20:24) What the future holds for memory research

Sarah Haider is an activist, an immigrant, an essayist, and the co-founder of Ex-Muslims Of North America. During our conversation, Sarah talks about her journey to the U.S. from Pakistan, Western values, the Salman Rushdie fatwa, Charlie Hebdo, freedom of speech in the Muslim world, the life and example of Ayaan Hirsi Ali, the safety of Muslims who leave their religion, feminism and Islam, and the lack of legal equality for women in many Muslim countries.Sarah is committed to providing space and a community to former Muslims who have decided to leave their religion - many of whom fear for their safety and have nowhere else to turn. I admire her commitment to her own conscience, in deciding to go her own way, in creating her organization, in honoring, recognizing, and appreciating her own freedom, and in openly telling the truth - including criticizing Islam - despite its risks.She is a living testament to why our civilization matters, to the rights it bestows to all citizens, to the progress we have made, and to the hope America represents to the oppressed around the world. She is a reminder of our sacred inheritance.------------Support this podcast via VenmoSupport this podcast via PayPalSupport this podcast on Patreon------------Show notesLeave a rating on SpotifyLeave a rating on Apple PodcastsFollow "Keep Talking" on social media and access all episodes------------(00:00) Introduction(02:32) Life in Karachi, Pakistan(05:25) Life in Pakistan vs. America(08:41) The path to atheism(14:53) Breaking out of the belief in God(18:50) Belief in God before becoming an atheist(25:00) The history and foundation of Islam(29:08) What is meant by apostasy?(38:28) Taboos and censorship as a means to protect weak arguments(39:01) The decision to become an activist(43:51) Stories of people inflicting violence against those critical of Islam(49:21) The resistance to changing Islamic beliefs(59:15) Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) and aggression toward women in Muslim societies(01:05:54) Empowering Muslim females to fight for their rights

Ian O'Connor is a journalist, a sports columnist for "The New York Post," and the author of the new book, "Coach K: The Rise and Reign of Mike Krzyzewski."During our conversation, Ian talks about Coach K's early life and career, the lesser-known, darker aspects of his personality, the juxtaposition of his love and loyalty towards his players with the fear he engenders and the rage he could exhibit, his relationship with Bobby Knight, his marriage to his wife Mickie, the love and respect Coach K has from his former players, the importance of relationships in his life, his daily habits, and whether Coach K is the greatest basketball coach of all-time.Coach K has had a profound influence on my life. I read books about him in middle school, and his message of excellence and hard work resonated with me at an early age. I was obsessed with going to Duke, and as a student in Durham, in close proximity to his program, I was exposed both to his many admirable qualities and the fundamental humanness and flaws of an amazingly successful head coach. Ian perhaps put it best: while Coach K is not a nice guy, he is a good man.------------Support this podcast via VenmoSupport this podcast via PayPalSupport this podcast on Patreon------------Show notesLeave a rating on SpotifyLeave a rating on Apple PodcastsFollow "Keep Talking" on social media and access all episodes------------(00:00) Introduction(02:22) What fascinates Ian about Coach K(04:54) Signs of Coach K's leadership from an early age(07:25) Mike's courtship of Mickie and her role(09:41) Coach K surviving as head coach despite a poor start at Duke(12:24) Early recruiting struggles and successes at Duke(14:41) The keys to the rise of Coach K: excellent communication, motivation, and relationship skills(17:59) The softer side of Coach K: his public open-heartedness and emotionality(21:27) The darker aspects of Coach K’s personality(27:32) Competitive rage and the how being a not-so-nice guy was instrumental to his success(32:38) The effect of a working class upbringing and environment(35:45) Fear as a component of success38:59) The integral role of Bobby Knight and what caused their relationship to rupture(44:02) Bobby Knight couldn’t accept Coach K outshining him(46:04) How Coach K has prioritized personal and professional relationships(49:43) Coach K’s impact on his players and the people he has helped(51:41) Coach K’s habits and work routine(55:26) Lessons to imbibe from Coach K’s life: exceptional work ethic, attention to detail, vulnerability, and public open-heartedness(59:45) Is Coach K the best coach in the history of college basketball?

Ilya Ponomarev is an entrepreneur, a former member of the Russian duma, a political adversary of Vladimir Putin, a friend of Ukrainian President Zelenskyy, and a resident of Ukraine, currently fighting for his life and the future of his adopted homeland.During our conversation, Ilya talks about his political career in Russia, Russian vs. American culture, his assessment of the character and personality of both Putin and Zelenskyy, Russia's intelligence failure and miscalculation prior the war, the lies perpetrated by Putin to justify the invasion, his view that Ukraine is winning and will win the war, the risk of a nuclear exchange, his message for America and the free world, and his belief that Putin will be dead within one year.I met Ilya in 2015 when he was visiting San Francisco to give an interview at the World Affairs Council. He had recently been banished from Russia, best known for being the Russian Duma's lone dissenting vote - 445-1 - against Russia's annexation of Crimea. He is one heroic example out of millions in Ukraine: a man fighting for democracy and freedom, and willing to risk his life for them.------------Support this podcast via VenmoSupport this podcast via PayPalSupport this podcast on Patreon------------Show notesLeave a rating on SpotifyLeave a rating on Apple PodcastsFollow "Keep Talking" on social media and access all episodes------------(00:00) Introduction(02:18) Ilya's personal and political background(07:54) Surprise at the invasion of Ukraine(11:44) Who is Vladimir Putin?(13:47) Experiencing the invasion: February 24, 2022(17:37) Who is Volodymyr Zelenskyy?(21:31) The lies within Putin's argument for invasion(27:41) Russian soldier's beliefs about the war(32:35) How might the Russian narrative about the war crumble?(35:07) How has Ukraine succeeded in Kyiv?(40:41) What daily life is like during the war(44:16) Ilya's message for the Russian people(46:32) What Ukraine needs to win the war(49:09) The risk of a nuclear exchange(53:26) The best-case outcome for Ukraine(56:38) Putin's potential successor(1:03:54) Ilya's potential future in a future Russia(1:05:01) A cause worth dying for: "Do what you feel you need to do, and let things happen."

Walter Robinson is an investigative journalist, an editor-at-large at "The Boston Globe," and is the Donald W. Reynolds Visiting Professor of Journalism at the Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communication at Arizona State University.During our conversation, Robby talks about his career in journalism, the Catholic Church's historic power in America and in Boston, how and why his "Spotlight" team began to investigate the Catholic Church, the details of the internal documents showing the Church's culture of secrecy and its consistency in moving abusive priests to new parishes, and how a small team of journalists, in just a few months, shed light on the systemic abuse of power by one of the most influential institutions in the world.To me, Robby and his team best represent why free speech and a free press are crucial to a free society: they ask difficult questions, question taboos, have the power of facing disturbing facts, are relentless in determining what's true, and act as a protector to a civilization's need for honest, accurate information. And while the Church's history of abuse is utterly tragic for the crimes and the trauma it has caused, the courageous work by people like Robbie have undoubtedly saved countless children from such a fate.------------Support this podcast via VenmoSupport this podcast via PayPalSupport this podcast on Patreon------------Show notesLeave a rating on SpotifyLeave a rating on Apple PodcastsFollow "Keep Talking" on social media and access all episodes------------(00:00) Introduction(02:24) A path to journalism(12:24) The power and state of the Catholic Church during the late 80's and 90's(24:06) The Boston Globe's "Spotlight" team(30:36) The Catholic Church's reputation before the Spotlight team’s investigation(38:25) What was revealed in the church’s internal documents(43:22) The Church’s consistent strategy of protecting abusive priests(49:24) Nearly every bishop in every diocese knew about abuse and participated in a cover up(55:53) The role of the Church's celibacy vow in incentivizing abuse(01:02:02) What explains the abusive behavior of Catholic Church priests?(01:05:32) Women's second-class status and the role of a free press(01:10:21) The need for a full confession from the Church(01:18:14) The role of investigative journalism today and why it matters(01:23:09) The importance of investigative journalists to think outside the box

Ilya Shapiro is a legal scholar, an essayist, and an author who holds degrees from Princeton, The London School of Economics, and The University of Chicago. During our conversation, Ilya talks about his family's life in the Soviet Union, his journey to North America as a child, and his desire to become an American citizen.Ilya also talks about the foundational liberties of American civilization, freedom of speech, classical liberalism, the role and importance of disagreement in a free society, and his being hired as the Executive Director of The Georgetown Center for the Constitution in early 2022. In January 2022, following a tweet about his views on a Supreme Court vacancy, Ilya was placed on leave and, in public, has been heckled and shouted down.We talk about that tweet in some detail. This conversation is an attempt to provide some nuance to the controversy surrounding Ilya, and to provide a sense of humanity to a man who - whether or not one agrees with his political views - has apologized.------------Support this podcast via VenmoSupport this podcast via PayPalSupport this podcast on Patreon------------Show notesLeave a rating on SpotifyLeave a rating on Apple PodcastsFollow "Keep Talking" on social media and access all episodes------------(00:00) Introduction(03:30) Life in Soviet Union and his family's move to the West(09:34) Jewish background and thoughts on Russian-Ukrainian war(14:53) Life under an authoritarian Soviet rule(17:32) A desire to become an American(20:55) Evolving beliefs and Ilya’s desire to become an American citizen(24:07) Classical liberalism(27:48) Ilya's historical heroes(29:10) What about classical liberalists resonates with Ilya?(33:36) American ideals and contributing to American intellectual life(38:57) A Russian-Jewish immigrant in Mississippi(42:44) The Cato Institute(46:44) Transitioning to Executive Director of The Georgetown Center for the Constitution(50:23) Questioning President Joe Biden's intentions for the U.S. Supreme Court vacancy(01:00:57) His controversial tweet and an intention to oppose discrimination(01:02:01) Cultivating grace and respecting disagreements(01:05:16) Being shouted down at U.C. Hastings(01:11:18) Allegations made against Ilya by the students of U.C. Hastings(01:13:27) American free speech in 2022(01:17:25) Thoughts about the students who shouted him down

Wade Davis is an author, an ethnobiologist, and a cultural anthropologist. He was an explorer-in-residence at The National Geographic Society from 2000-2013, has helped to produce more than a dozen documentary films, has authored best-selling books, with his work focusing on indigenous cultures across the world.During our conversation, Wade talks about how he became a world-traveler and an explorer and what we might learn from cultures across the world. He talks about the importance of being the architect of your own life, giving destiny its time to find you, not expecting one's work to change the world, but rather having it be a contribution to the world, and his relationship with Richard Evans Schultes, who was instrumental in discovering psychedelics and psychedelic practices in Oaxaca, Mexico.------------Support this podcast via VenmoSupport this podcast via PayPalSupport this podcast on Patreon------------Show notesLeave a rating on SpotifyLeave a rating on Apple PodcastsFollow "Keep Talking" on social media and access all episodes------------(00:00) Introduction(02:07) Early life in Canada: family, community, and upbringing(06:46) Why creativity isn’t an innate quality(14:40) Richard Evans Schultes(26:14) Overcoming fear in the name of exploration(34:23) Having the finances to travel and explore(39:08) Determining if a life of exploration suits you(47:24) The importance of having a home(48:47) Home as an anchor and a source of stability(51:50) Wade’s wife’s support and role in leading him to success(53:00) Staying connected to family despite being away from home(58:20) Why all cultures are myopic: we’re faithful to our own interpretations of reality(1:14:12) Richard Evans Schultes and his psychedelic research(01:25:19) How psychedelics have impact on Wade’s life(01:31:40) Living a purposeful, meaningful life(01:34:47) Why contentment results from patience

Glenn Loury is an economist, an essayist, and is the Merton P. Stoltz Professor of the Social Sciences and Professor of Economics at Brown University. During our conversation, Glenn talks about his upbringing in the South Side of Chicago, his "Good Will Hunting-like" trajectory from inner-city black urban life to receiving his PhD in economics from MIT, and his becoming the first tenured African American economics professor in the history of Harvard University, at age 33.Glenn discusses the ideas in his class "Free Inquiry in the Modern World" and his article "The Case for Black Patriotism." He also provides an emphatic defense of Western civilization and Western values, speaks to what's beautiful about America, why it matters in the world, and why maintaining doubt is crucial to an examined life.Glenn is a descendent of slaves. He's one of the U.S.'s top intellectuals, and he has lived "The American Dream." What I admire most about him is his independence of thought, his willingness to affirm his beliefs, especially when they're unfashionable, his decency and his humanity, and his clarity on the importance of appreciating and honoring our cultural inheritance.------------Support this podcast via VenmoSupport this podcast via PayPalSupport this podcast on Patreon------------Show notesLeave a rating on SpotifyLeave a rating on Apple PodcastsFollow "Keep Talking" on social media and access all episodes------------(00:00) Introduction(02:37) Get to know Glenn Loury(05:48) South Side of Chicago culture when Glenn was a boy(08:03) Fatherhood at 18, working at RR Donnelley & Sons, and Mr. Andres(16:58) Opportunity launches Glenn to Northwestern and MIT(21:26) The culture and opportunity of MIT(30:40) Becoming the first African-American tenured economics professor in Harvard, at 33(39:22) Glenn's interest in politics and his heterodox political philosophy(49:36) A memorable incident with Glenn's uncle Alfred(57:27) How Glenn's conservatism informs his views on the campus(1:03:49) Glenn's defense of Western culture(1:08:35) The pushback against Western Civilization(1:16:40) "The Case for Black Patriotism"(1:25:09) An American Living "The American Dream"