Keep Talking

James Hollis is an author, a psychoanalyst, and one of the world's most prolific Jungian thinkers. During our conversation, Jim talks about his life, the ideas of Carl Jung, listening to and honoring one's autonomous psyche, the importance of insight, courage, and endurance, modern life and society, men in therapy, and how one might live more wisely.------------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 episodesEmail subscribeEmail the show------------(00:00) Intro(00:18) Jim's transition from academia to psychoanalysis(05:48) The decision to pursue psychoanalysis as a full-time profession(10:23) Gathering the courage to pursue psychoanalysis(17:43) What about Jung’s work resonated with Jim?(29:40) Jim's process of helping people navigate the transitionary phases of their lives(40:55) The most pressing issues Jim sees facing Americans(47:48) The primary blockers to growth and self-healing(51:18) Discerning the difference fears you should avoid and fears you should face(56:25) Exhausted relationships vs. relationships that need endurance(01:08:27) The ratio of men vs. women seeking counsel and therapy and how it’s changed over the years(01:12:45) Why most men tend to suppress their innermost emotions(01:19:13) Jim's’ explanation of Joseph Campbell’s ‘hero’s journey’(01:24:55) How to live an examined, authentic life

Donald G. McNeil, Jr. is an author, a journalist, and was one of the earliest and leading New York times science reporters to alert the world about the outbreak of COVID-19. During our conversation, Donald talks about his early career, learning about a "Pneumonia-like" new virus in Wuhan, what the U.S. could have done differently to decrease deaths from COVID, the safety and efficacy of COVID vaccines, and what the U.S. might do to better prepare for future pandemics.------------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 episodesEmail subscribeEmail the show------------(00:00) Intro(00:45) Get to know Donald G. McNeil Jr.(01:28) Donald’s path to science journalism(09:01) Donald’s background in human biology and science and how they came in handy when covering medical cases(22:24) The factors that added to Donald’s concern about the coronavirus during its first outbreak, including high fatality and transmissibility rates(24:48) Sensing the severity of the coronavirus and the events that followed(30:38) What is meant by a pandemic?(54:10) Vaccine specifics and Donald’s initial judgment in the aftermath of the pandemic(01:04:32) Addressing people choosing not to get vaccinated(01:11:10) The efficacy of COVID vaccines and why they’re safe(01:26:24) Vaccine mandates in the U.S. for employees and children(01:32:40) The Supreme Court’s precedence mandating vaccination(01:34:15) The origin of COVID-19(01:45:30) Preparing for future pandemics

Audrey Brumback is a physician, a scientist, and an Assistant Professor of Neurology at the University of Texas. During our conversation, Audrey talks about her interest in autism, what we know about autism today, and how her lab studies brain physiology to better understand the autistic brain.The brain is endlessly complex, and autism has long been a mystery. People like Audrey are working to simultaneously increase our knowledge and decrease the stigma of the roughly 2% of the human population - tens of millions of people - who are autistic.------------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(00:45) Get to know Audrey Brumback(01:26) Audrey’s upbringing and the life events that led her to study autism (04:56) What is autism?(08:37) Diagnosing autism in children(14:20) The population of Americans identified as having autism(15:50) The influence of genes versus environment in causing autism(17:06) Evaluating the possible factors leading to producing kids with autism(19:56) Introducing a kinder and more rational approach to dealing with individuals with autism or autistic tendencies(24:08) How most people explain their indifferent behavior with autistic individuals (27:09) Audrey’s areas of promise for people with autism(31:11) Determining the kind of help that autistic individuals need(33:00) Understanding neurodiversity and life with autism(36:21) Is there any kind of intrinsic motivation that people with autism experience to change the nature of their minds for the better?(41:41) Why autism is not all negative but is instead a difference in the neurological programming of certain individuals(42:54) Is autism a spectrum disorder?(45:15) The evolutionary history of autism and thoughts on what caused it to continue existing in the human gene pool(47:09) Making our society a better place for individuals with autism: the potential areas of improvement in their conditions in the future

Omer Kanat is the Director of the Uyghur Human Rights Project and is the Executive Committee Chairman of the World Uyghur Congress. During our conversation, Omer talks about his journey to the U.S., Uyghur history and culture, China's historic oppression of the Uyghur people, and the current Chinese genocide of the Uyghur people, which includes concentration camps, brainwashing, murder, rape, sterilization, and mass surveillance.------------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(00:45) Get to know Omer Kanat(01:46) Omer’s upbringing and the life events that led him to participate in human rights activities on behalf of the Uyghurs(08:27) Who are the Uyghur people and what is their history?(17:14) About the Uyghur population: the numbers, their culture, and other specifics(19:19) The attempts of the Chinese government to assimilate the Uyghur population into the Chinese population(24:45) Omer explains the Chinese approach to the Uyghur community(33:02) How does Omer describe the Uyghur people?(37:09) How did the unsuccessful integration of the Uyghur people into Chinese culture trigger changes in the Chinese government’s approach towards Uyghurs(40:17) Omer explains the changes to the Chinese leadership post 2017(49:02) How does China detain and oppress Uyghurs?(56:35) What goes on inside Uyghur concentration camps?(01:05:22) A list of Uyghurs who have escaped Chinese concentration camps(01:09:45) What percentage of Uyghurs are living in concentration camps?(01:17:55) What hope does Omer have for the Uyghurs?

Scott Shepherd is a speaker, consultant, and a former Grand Dragon of the Ku Klux Klan. During our conversation, Scott talks about his upbringing, the path that led him to the KKK, his rise in its hierarchy, experiences that led him out of the organization, his relationship with Daryl Davis, and his message for the U.S. related to racism and race relations.------------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(01:02) Get to know Scott Shepherd(02:21) Scott’s backstory and how he got to where he is today(05:00) How the innate desire to find a tribe got Scott involved with the white supremacist movement and the Ku Klux Klan(07:37) Scott talks about choosing to join the KKK(09:20) How the promise of a family and home led Scott to ultimately join the KKK(12:46) Scott’s knowledge and impression of KKK before becoming a member(14:03) Scott explains that he wasn’t aware of the violent nature of the KKK prior to joining the organization(14:58) What Scott was told about the KKK when he joined them(16:41) Coming across racist views and judgments during Scott’s time with the KKK(18:05) The components that led Scott to connect with the KKK initially(19:41) Scott talks about being raised in by a black woman(24:13) Being intimately associated with an African-American and the risks of banishment from the KKK(26:04) The 15-20 years Scott spent with the KKK and his growth within the group(29:46) Did Scott ever truly believe the KKK’s ideology of racism?(33:49) The objectives of the KKK(37:59) Battling conflicting beliefs on culture and racism and how Scott faced them(45:41) How Scott’s mind changed over the years, and why he decided to leave the KKK(53:49) Scott’s process of exiting the KKK(56:18) Did Scott ghost the KKK?(56:59) Scott’s relationship with Daryl Davis and Daryl's influence on his life(01:08:28) What about Daryl and Daryl's message changed Scott's mind?(01:16:39) The best way to educate people on topics like racism(01:22:59) What should you do to help the nation progress and encourage inclusion(01:27:00) Scott’s plans for the future

Steve Harrigan is a screenwriter, a journalist, and a writer for Texas Monthly. His books include "The Gates of the Alamo" and "Big Wonderful Thing: A History of Texas." During our conversation, Steve talks about his work, the path that led him to become a full-time writer, and honoring artistic talents and impulses.------------Support this podcast via VenmoSupport this podcast via PayPalSupport this podcast on Patreon------------Show notesLeave a rating on SpotifyLeave a rating on Apple Podcasts------------(00:00) Intro(01:02) Get to know Steve Harrigan(02:02) Steve talks about his father(03:13) Steve explains how little he knew about his father growing up, and how he feels about him now that he’s learned more(05:42) Overcoming the shock post World War II(06:32) Steve shares the similarities he’s discovered between his father and him(08:21) Steve’s journey into becoming a writer(12:56) How did Steve come to realize that he was a gifted writer?(14:24) Steve shares how his mother played an instrumental role in helping him discover his writing abilities(15:44) Steve talks about his popular article in the Rolling Stone(17:48) How Steve was able to make writing his full-time profession(19:22) Some writers who proved influential in Steve’s career(22:49) What were the things Steve did to hone his craft at the beginning of his career?(25:07) Why is your art an integral part of your identity?(26:13) Why Steve calls his interest in writing a “discovery” rather than a calling(28:40) How Steve was able to honor his writing skills and dedicate himself to it(30:08) The period of Steve’s life between his first article and working as a staff for different magazines(32:50) The big hacks or processes to writing that Steve discovered over the years(37:07) What kept Steve moving in his journey as a writer despite not making huge financial gains out of it initially?(39:14) How writing gives Steve a sense of self-identity(41:00) What does a great working day look like to Steve?(43:42) A day in Steve’s life(46:37) How does Steve balance work and family?(50:10) Steve talks about his family’s role in shaping his career(51:56) Steve’s reasons behind his book The Gates of the Alamo(57:40) Steve talks about his six-year journey writing the book The Gates of the Alamo(01:00:14) What, according to Steve, is Texas's role in the development of America?(01:03:33) The fight about the Alamo and how Steve views its application to the rest of the country(01:11:18) Steve’s advice to people with an artistic bent and worried about the financial side of life

Cesare Fracassi is an Associate Professor of Finance and the Director of the Blockchain Initiative at the University of Texas - McCombs School of Business. During our conversation Cesare explains the fundamentals and benefits of cryptocurrencies and blockchain technology. Crypto has gained significant momentum, value, and attention in the past few years, and is poised to change our society. Cesare provides a basic overview of where we are and where we might be heading with these technologies.------------Support this podcast via VenmoSupport this podcast via PayPalSupport this podcast on Patreon------------Show notesLeave a rating on SpotifyLeave a rating on Apple Podcasts------------(00:00) Intro(01:10) Get to know Cesare Fracassi(02:13) How did Cesare get interested in blockchain technology?(03:54) Cesare explains his background in technology, developing interest in fintech and blockchain, and becoming the Director at a blockchain institute(07:42) What is meant by fintech?(09:14) Cesare explains the growing trends in blockchain technology(12:19) Centralized vs. distributed ledgers(12:54) Understanding centralized ledgers(14:02) Understanding decentralized ledgers and their evolution(16:23) In the case of decentralized ledgers, how does the whole network decide if a transaction is valid or not?(17:50) How Satoshi Nakamoto discovered a way for every node in a decentralized network to evaluate transactions as legit or not(18:51) The two challenges in allowing every node in a decentralized network to vote -- 1) No centralized vote-counting system, and 2) Sybil attack(20:34) The solution to enabling transactions through decentralized networks, according to Satoshi Nakamoto(23:22) How Bitcoin turned out to become the “digital gold”(30:54) What according to Cesare, is the best cryptocurrency to buy today?(34:09) Is it possible to reverse engineer Bitcoin to provide the benefits that Ethereum does?(36:16) What makes Ethereum smart contracts superior?(39:11) Where are we, at present, with respect to the development of cryptocurrency? What does the future hold?(46:58) What's the easiest way for people to enter the crypto world?(47:32) What is meant by Internet 2.0?(49:34) What would the future look like if cryptocurrency evolved the way we experts think it might?(54:26) Does Cesare believe cryptocurrency holds an opportunity for further growth?(59:04) What is a Private Permission Blockchain?(01:01:02) What would be the end result of a massive blockchain transformation?(01:06:33) Does cryptocurrency have the potential to improve our civilization and people's lives?(01:09:15) Blockchain resource recommendations from Cesare

Helen Joyce is a journalist at "The Economist" and is the author of the book "Trans: When Ideology Meets Reality." During our conversation, Helen discusses the pernicious effects of the gender identity movement: the sterilization of children, the cultural incentives that encourage kids to question their sex, the regret that many with gender dysphoria have after sex reassignment surgery, that the vast majority of people who experience gender dysphoria are gay, rather than trans, why female-only spaces matter to women, and the public shaming of and attempts to silence those who disagree with the activist ideology.‌‌------------Support this podcast via VenmoSupport this podcast via PayPalSupport this podcast on Patreon------------Show notesLeave a rating on SpotifyLeave a rating on Apple Podcasts------------(00:00) Intro(03:06) What led Helen into writing her book, "Trans: When Ideology Meets Reality"(04:06) Helen on how she dealt with resistance to asking questions as a journalist(07:14) How Helen feels about pushbacks to open journalism and how she believes we should fight it(09:51) What are the consequences of changing a society where gender is a matter of choice, rather than a matter of biology?(17:12) Helen talks about her research for her book(18:10) Understanding gender dysphoria(19:54) The possible reasons why kids feel they don’t belong to their gender(22:01) Helen cites the example of a female who underwent a full medical procedure and hysterectomy to become male - only to later realize that she was lesbian(28:52) Why most gender non-conforming children are likely to be gay(34:04) What happens when children are given puberty blockers?(40:16) The consequences of California allowing its prison inmates to decide their gender(45:37) Helen talks about gender literature in different countries(46:52) What is transphobia?(48:51) Why it’s essential to be clear about biological reality for child safeguarding(52:59) What is the right way to think about matters of gender?(01:05:40) Helen explains thought control, thought termination, self-censorship(01:08:42) The narrative of progress is bringing marginalized groups in from the cold - and how this is unlike other social justice movements(01:13:04) Helen’s three bits of advice for journalists who are committed to open discussion and open debate(01:14:13) Why your employer is your point of weakness when you’re a journalist or an academic(01:19:13) Helen talks about her friend and researcher Maya Forstater, who lost her job due to social media backlash(01:23:01) Where Helen thinks we are in terms of the policing of conversations and dialogue(01:32:03) What is free speech, according to Helen?(01:34:37) Writers, thinkers, public intellectuals, and groups who believe in an open exchange of ideas and information

Carole Hooven is a scientist, a professor, an educator, and she co-directs the undergraduate program in the Department of Human Evolutionary Biology at Harvard University. She is the author of "T: The Story of Testosterone, the Hormone that Dominates and Divides Us." During our conversation, Carole talks about the crucial role of testosterone in shaping male and female nature, contemporary attacks against science, cultural pressure against freedom of speech in our society, and attempts to censor her knowledge within academia.------------Support this podcast via VenmoSupport this podcast via PayPalSupport this podcast on Patreon------------Show notesLeave a rating on SpotifyLeave a rating on Apple PodcastsListen on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and YouTube------------(00:00) Intro(02:24) Get to know Carole Hooven(02:45) How did Carole get interested in the subject of testosterone?(12:34) What is the general difference in expression of testosterone between men and women?(17:36) What is testosterone?(20:34) What changes in body and behavior could be observed if a female took male testosterone levels or if a male took female levels of estrogen?(21:18) Carole shares her experience interviewing three trans men who lived as women until their early 20s or 30s(24:55) Carole recounts her experience being a guest on the "Transparency" podcast(29:59) Is testosterone the most important hormone that distinguishes the genders?(30:51) Carole explains testosterone transitions in transgender people and what that means for non-transgender people understanding sex differences(32:46) The physical and reproductive differences between females and males(35:05) How can we explain why some men are more nurturing than others?(36:17) How to view high testosterone rates in men(37:30) The ranges of healthy, high, and low levels of testosterone in men and women(40:18) Why elevated testosterone levels in men need not necessarily imply an increased sex drive or aggression(44:21) Carole’s experience as a woman in academia(45:20) About Carole’s students at Harvard(48:26) Carole’s experience over the past year teaching her subject matter(53:20) Where does the reluctance to speak openly about academic subjects come from(01:02:17) Why is there an opposition to speak against subjects of academic interest?(01:13:32) Carole talks about her life at Harvard(01:14:22) Carole explains her fondness for her students at Harvard(01:17:20) How has social media increased instances of bullying against academic researchers(01:18:48) Carole talks about the DEI groups in colleges(01:20:43) How can we overcome the hindrance to free speech?

Jesse Singal is a journalist and author, and has written for The New York Times and New York Magazine. During our conversation, Jesse talks about freedom of speech in America, the effect of woke culture on journalism, cancel culture in our society, and the reaction to his Atlantic article, When Children Say They're Trans, published in 2018. Jesse writes on Substack and co-hosts the podcast Blocked and Reported with Katie Herzog.------------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 Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook------------(00:00) Intro(01:01) Get to know Jesse Singal(02:45) How did Jesse get interested in podcasting, writing, and journalism?(05:12) Jesse talks about Jonathan Haidt’s work and how it helped to shape his outlook on America, and on life(06:45) What about Haidt’s work changed Jesse’s sensibilities about people who disagreed with him?(09:15) Where are we right now with regards to freedom of speech and woke culture(11:16) What is meant by woke culture?(12:42) What trajectory led us to this point?(15:08) Jesse’s take on the percentages of the American population that's fomenting woke culture(17:39) How does Jesse explain the insistence on not using a phrase (like “pregnant women”) for fear of offending?(19:12) Jesse’s article for The Atlantic, When Children Say They're Trans(21:38) Jesse’s reasons for writing the article When Children Say They're Trans and the response it received(24:52) Why is it that a percentage of children regret their transition?(27:52) Jesse cites an example of a child who considered it a mistake to undergo transition therapy(29:53) Why is there a pushback to a more conservative approach to transition therapies for children?(32:08) Do we have the statistics to know what percentage of children under the age of 14 who transition later believe it was a mistake?(35:26) Does Jesse believe that journalism in America is in a state of peril?(40:21) Jesse’s advice to aspiring journalists who want to have the freedom to explore ideas and write openly(42:11) Jesse talks about his plans for the future(46:15) Getting the independence to openly share his thoughts(50:17) Journalists and news outlets that Jesse recommends