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Deirdre McCloskey is an economist, the author of more than 20 books, and is one of America's most prominent trans academics. During our conversation, Deirdre talks about growing up in the 1940's and 1950's, knowing from an early age that she wanted to be a woman, her marriage of more than 30 years to the "love of her life" and fathering two children, and her epiphany in the 1990's, at more than 50 years of age, that she wanted to transition from a man to a woman.Deirdre also details the reaction of her family to her desire to transition, how she was twice institutionalized, progress in trans rights in America, and her disagreements with positions taken by individuals like Kathleen Stock and Helen Joyce, who have publicly voiced concerns about allowing children to go through hormone therapy and insist that the majority of kids who transition later regret their decision.As I note during the conversation, I think most people are trying to form their views on this sensitive issue, to best determine what is true and what is decent. A free society should allow adults to do what they want, provided they aren't harming others. I try to understand the concerns of people on both sides of this debate around children, and no matter how one might come down on it, I admire Deirdre's courage in authentically living her life, in being true to herself, and in her commitment to free speech, to allow open and important moral conversations to happen.------------Support via Venmo------------Show notesSocial media and all episodes------------(00:00) Introduction(02:50) “Crossing: A Memoir” quote: boyhood(09:49) Early life and sexuality(14:29) Gender conversations with her ex-wife(16:53) Concealments from her ex-wife(17:44) Being sexually different in the 50s and 60s(20:23) Cross-dressing(21:31) Gender transition after decades of marriage(23:09) 50 years as a male(25:45) Her resistance towards gender change(28:10) Praying to be a woman(29:19) Lived experience as a man identifying as a woman(31:19) The moment of epiphany to transition(35:26) Clarity on the epiphany(36:33) Loved ones’ reactions to the gender transition(38:54) Being institutionalized against her will(41:25) Classical liberalism and freedom(43:13) The experience of being institutionalized(45:59) Changing cultural views on gender transitions(50:09) Life post gender transition(53:50) Self-actualization and gender transition(58:25) The best part about being a female(01:01:16) Living doubt-free post gender transition(01:05:00) Freedom of speech being paramount(01:06:26) Is gender change irreversible?(01:11:41) Do children often regret gender transition?(01:16:29) Are claims of children regretting their gender change fabricated?(01:19:19) The state’s involvement in personal decisions(01:23:00) Removing the state from personal decisions(01:27:47) Courage, and being a public example

Barbara Demick is a journalist, an essayist, and is the author of both "Nothing to Envy: Ordinary Lives in North Korea" and "Eat the Buddha: Life and Death in a Tibetan Town." During our conversation, Barbara talks about how she became interested in North Korea, the founding of North Korea in 1945, how its society is structured, its ability to isolate its citizens from the outside world, its famine in the 1990's, the defectors she met who became the key characters in her book, and whether its leadership are true-believing Communists or primarily hungry for power.She also talks about her more recent book, "Eat the Buddha," which details the Chinese history and relationship with Tibet, the day-to-day lives of ordinary Tibetan citizens, what happened in 1958, Tibetan acts of self-immolation, and the influence of the Dalai Lama. As Barbara mentions during the interview, it's the role of the journalist to provide the truth, not to provide hope. And in both of these oppressed places, any enduring hope that may change the plight of North Koreans and Tibetans must start by having an accurate understanding of the tragedy, the history, and lived reality of its people.------------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(02:35) Early life and interest in studying North Korea(05:53) The creation of North Korea(08:50) North Korea from the 50s to 80s(11:32) Getting access to North Koreans(19:22) The traumas of the North Koreans(23:08) “Nothing To Envy” quotes and the book’s impact on North Koreans(28:10) The North Korean famine of the 90s(31:31) Is the North Korean leadership evil, or committed Communists?(35:45) North Korea in 2022(39:27) “Nothing To Envy” quotes – abuse of power in North Korea(44:48) Threats to freedom in the US(48:34) Hope for North Korean people(49:01) Interest in studying the relationship between China and Tibet(55:09) The importance of the year 1958 for Tibet(59:58) “Eat The Buddha” quotes(01:05:37) Life of a Tibetan(01:12:06) Lesser-known truths about North Korea and Tibet

Merit Cudkowicz is a scientist, a doctor, a researcher, and is both the director of the Sean M. Healey and AMG Center for ALS and Chief of Neurology at Mass General Hospital in Boston. During our conversation, Merit talks about her journey to becoming a doctor and provides a definition of ALS, commonly known as "Lou Gehrig's Disease." She also discusses her interest in ALS, describes its symptoms and how it affects those who have it, the influence of genes and environment on its development, how one can live to mitigate one's risk of getting ALS, what we don't yet know about its onset, current research to fight the disease, and reasons for hope.To me, ALS is one of the most terrifying diseases a human being can get: normal psychological and intellectual function as one's body deteriorates, eventually resulting in a total inability to move, swallow, and eventually, breathe. Merit is optimistic about the future of our ability to understand and combat this horrible illness, and if she's correct, it will be because of the hard work, brilliance, and determination of people like her.------------Support this podcast via VenmoSupport this podcast via PayPalSupport this podcast on Patreon------------Show notesLeave a rating on Spotify------------(00:00) Introduction(02:23) Early life and interest in Science and Medicine(03:45) Building interest in immunology(04:38) Getting introduced to ALS(06:35) The experience of witnessing someone go through ALS(09:28) What is meant by ALS?(10:43) The most common symptoms of ALS(11:55) The tests used to diagnose ALS(12:45) How long ALS has been around in the world(13:17) Lou Gehrig’s battle with ALS(14:19) What causes the muscular deterioration leading to ALS?(17:12) Preventing ALS(20:22) Probable lifestyle factors causing ALS(22:59) The appropriate level of stress in humans(26:11) The influence of an unhealthy lifestyle in causing life-threatening diseases(28:26) Recommendations for a healthy lifestyle(31:18) The role of inflammation in causing disease in humans(33:30) The factors triggering high inflammation levels in humans(35:57) The future of ALS research and treatment(39:58) Hope for people with genetic reasons for ALS(41:55) Identifying the first changes in people with ALS(43:51) The scope for more robust research around ALS(46:10) The progress made in our fight against ALS(47:44) Other ALS researchers to follow(49:27) Potentially helpful treatment options for ALS(53:29) Available resources for people with ALS(56:17) The evolutionary reasons for the existence of ALS(01:00:57) Using psychedelics to treat ALS(01:06:40): Are people ever cured of ALS?(01:08:23) Merit's inspiration behind getting into ALS research

Jack Barsky is a former KGB spy who worked undercover in the United States for ten years, from 1978 to 1988. During our conversation, Jack talks about his early life in East Germany, being selected for espionage by the Soviet government, his prior commitment to and belief in Communism, his impression of the United States and its people upon entering the U.S., his objectives as a spy, his experience living in America, the flaws and dangers of utopianism, and the KGB experience of one of his contemporaries, Vladimir Putin.Jack is now a U.S. citizen, and his life story, detailed both in his memoir, "Deep Undercover," and in the podcast "The Agent," is one of the most fascinating that I have come across. He has lived for decades in two parallel worlds - in Soviet and American civilization - and has important wisdom and reflections to share about his experiences and each system's compatibility with human nature.------------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(02:34) Early life in East Germany(06:44) Belief in Communism(18:32) Jack's parents(21:56) A good candidate for espionage(25:03) What was The Stasi?(29:53) Objectives as a spy for the Soviet Union in the U.S.(39:41) The qualities the KGB looked for in their recruits(40:34) What Jack knew about his tasks in the U.S. before being deployed(47:24) Perception of Americans(56:12) Resonating with the ideas of the U.S. Constitution(01:02:13) Soviet vs. American system(01:06:25) Assessment of Putin as a man and leader(01:15:00) Important lessons from Jack’s life

Robert Greene is the author of many best-selling books, including "The Laws of Human Nature," "Mastery," "The Art of Seduction," "The 33 Strategies of War," and "The 48 Laws of Power," which is the primary subject of our conversation.During our conversation, Robert talks about his definition of power, why humans crave power, how a lack of power affects human beings, how individuals might increase their power in their own life, and how his own increase in power has affected his life. He also talks about American's reluctance to speak openly about power, Carl Jung's concept of "the shadow" and how it may apply to that collective reluctance, whether power is fundamentally neutral - neither good or bad - and the relationship between love and power."The 48 Laws of Power" is more than twenty years old, yet it is consistently in the top 10 of Amazon's best-seller list. Robert's work can help people understand power's role in human affairs, and with more knowledge and honesty, perhaps individuals can use power both to improve one's life, live with self-awareness, and hold oneself to high standards. As I noted during our conversation, one of my favorite quotes from history comes from Lincoln:“Nearly all men can stand adversity, but if you want to test a man's character, give him power.”------------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(02:38) ‘Power’ as explained in "The 48 Laws Of Power"(06:11) Robert's depression before writing "The 48 Laws of Power"(10:41) Why are people reluctant to talk about power?(15:22) The link between the desire for fulfillment and power(19:36) From powerless to powerful: Robert’s story(24:08) Human's desire to gain power through autonomy and authenticity(28:57) How to live a life that increases one's power(34:38) The importance of self-mastery(39:41) Lincoln's quote about power(46:00) Is power inherently neutral, neither good or bad?(53:58) Carl Jung's quote on "the shadow"(49:27) What are examples of America's shadow?(57:45) The importance of integrating one's shadow(01:06:34) How can the American center hold, given our polarization?(01:13:45) Four laws of power for modern times(01:16:22) The relationship between power and love

Konstantin Kisin is a stand-up comedian, the co-host of the YouTube show and podcast "TRIGGERnometry," and is the author of the forthcoming book, "An Immigrant's Love Letter to the West."During our conversation, Konstantin talks about the experience, terror, and totalitarianism of Soviet communism, his upbringing in and the lived experience of the collapse of the Soviet Union, differences in values between the West and other civilizational powers, the role of comedy in a free society, the importance and clarity of Martin Luther King's dream that individuals be "judged not by the color of their skin but by the content of their character," freedom of speech, and the corrosive threat of polarization, political correctness, identity politics, and equality of outcome movements to Western civilization.Konstantin is one of the most eloquent and informed public voices about the state of modern Russia, the war in Ukraine, and the importance of upholding Western values. His appreciation for Western values is evident, and his story might help us all be a bit more grateful, mindful, informed about, and protective of the sacred freedoms and opportunities that have been bestowed upon us by past generations.------------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(02:50) Journey from the Soviet Union to the West(09:57) What about the Soviet experiment matters to a modern audience?(15:45) What was the Soviet experiment about?(21:08) The 1990's Russian experience of democracy(31:45) Vladimir Putin’s rise to power in Russia(36:54) The importance of Western beliefs, ideas, and values(48:45) MLK's ethical, cultural north star - and a quote on truth(53:53) The threat of polarization - and Western beliefs on liberty vs. other civilizations(01:06:41) The primary threats to America and the West are internal(01:13:40) Mark Normand's "new N-word" and the role of comedy in a free society(01:20:52) Hope for the future

Jeffrey Guss is a psychiatrist, a psychotherapist, a researcher, and was the Co-principal Investigator and Director of Psychedelic Therapy Training for psilocybin trials at the NYU School of Medicine. During our conversation, Jeff talks about his interest in psychedelics, its use for treating cancer-stricken patients with existential despair and those with addictions such as alcoholism, anecdotes from those studies, its potential for helping those with mental illness, Michael Pollan's book "How to Change Your Mind," and psychedelics' proper place in our society.Jeffrey's work and those like him are beginning to lend scientific credibility to the promise of psychedelic medicine. I think this is one of the world's most fascinating subjects, and gives real hope to those who are suffering or simply want to live in a more wholesome, honest, and kind world.------------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(02:50) Developing an interest in psychiatry(09:08) Learning about the healing properties of psychedelics(23:44) Quotes and ideas from the book "How to Change Your Mind"(30:14) A story of a psychedelic, spiritual transformation(47:55) Rumination and psychedelic's possibility to treat addiction(50:22) An analogy of x-ray technology and psychedelics(01:03:28) Psychedelic's effect on the brain and the mind(01:12:30) The proper role of psychedelics in a sane and healthy society

Jon Birger is a journalist and is the author of "Date-onomics: How Dating Became a Lopsided Numbers Game." During our conversation, Jon talks about the demographic data regarding college-educated men and women in America, how sex ratio differences in colleges and cities influence dating and mating behavior, the effect of #MeToo on modern romance, dating apps, assortative mating, evolution's effect on human mate preferences, and how the significant sex ratio difference in China seems to have led to an increase in criminality.There are millions more young, college-educated women than men in the United States. The educational and career success of women in America is a triumph of our society. Yet, inevitably, many such women will have difficulty finding a partner at their achievement level. This is a largely unforeseen modern phenomena, and one that I think should be taken seriously.Jon and I have some clear disagreements on subjects we discuss - including a disagreement about the precariousness of the situation and its likely outcome. Regardless, his book is crucial in understanding the reality of the situation. And in his new book, "Make Your Move," he makes suggestions that single people, especially women, may want to know about, and to keep in mind.------------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) Developing an interest in modern dating(04:57) College-educated sex ratios in America and its effect on dating(08:21) The effect of China's massive sex ratio imbalance(14:23) Sex ratio-driven increase in criminality in China(17:39) What is meant by assortative mating?(21:48) The evolution of dating culture in recent American history(25:49) The effect of the #MeToo movement on dating(31:55) Hypergamy and modern dating(42:33) Testosterone levels and cultural dating tendencies(44:17) The fluctuation of testosterone levels in men and women(47:12) The dating difficulties of accomplished, educated women(49:59) Ideas for women and men to navigate modern dating(56:01) Female assertiveness in modern dating(59:13) Additional dating strategies for college graduates(01:03:18) Modern-day workplace dating(01:08:09) The state of men today(01:18:34) Opening avenues for "mixed collar" dating(01:21:53) The future of dating

Jonathan Rauch is a journalist, an essayist for "The Atlantic" magazine, and the author of "The Constitution of Knowledge: A Defense of Truth." During our conversation, Jon talks about what "The Constitution of Knowledge" is and how its norms and practices are the backbone of how our civilization attempts to ascertain the truth and how this innovation in civil discourse has led to an unprecedented rise in peace, freedom, and knowledge.He talks about the two modern threats to that foundation - from both the left and the right - from "cancel culture" and "troll culture." Cancel culture, found throughout history, is a coercive and intimidation method to shut down speech, often deteriorating into a spiral of silence, providing a false sense of uniform belief. He also talks about "troll culture," and how disinformation is, at its root, aimed to confuse the populace, with a demagogue or a strongman leader waiting to step into the vacuum to provide the "truth" people so desperately desire.These dual threats are overt attacks to the center, to the mainstream - what Jon calls the "reality-based community." They're direct assaults on the collective immune system of the nation, and they brilliantly play on our deep-seated, evolutionary tribal biases. Jonathan offers insight into how to accurately assess our unsettling times, and how we might upgrade our own individual software, to help to inoculate ourselves and our society.On a personal note: I think Jonathan's book is one of the best, and most important that I have come across in years. He is a master diagnostician, and his clarity of observation is brilliant, deeply-needed, and timely.------------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(03:10) Why Jon wrote "The Constitution of Knowledge"(05:47) How do we know what we know?(07:33) What is epistemology?(08:10) What is The Constitution of Knowledge?(15:53) What The Constitution of Knowledge has brought to the world(22:55) The modern threats to free speech in America(27:23) What is cancel culture and the "spiral of silence"?(33:30) The importance of social courtesy and free speech(39:18) What is troll culture?(48:40) How can citizens protect against future disinformation?(58:04) Braver Angels’ work to depolarize America(01:02:28) Evidence to combat "The Big Lie," Trump's claim that he won in 2020(01:10:35) Reasons for hope

Richard Rhodes is a historian, a journalist, and is the author of the Pulitzer Prize-winning "The Making of the Atomic Bomb." During our conversation, Richard talks about the technology and the people that led to the creation of the atomic bomb, the threat of nuclear war in modern times, nuclear winter, how nuclear weapons are influencing the war in Ukraine, and how we might mitigate the risk of a nuclear exchange.Richard also talks about his book "Scientist: E. O. Wilson: A Life in Nature." He details Ed Wilson's role in the history and science of evolution, sociobiology and the application of the evolutionary lens on human nature, the role of genes in human behavior, and his role in environmentalism and conservation.------------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(02:19) Developing an interest in writing non-fiction books(06:02) Shifting focus from fiction to non-fiction work(10:30) What about The Making of the Atomic Bomb was new and revelatory?(15:27) What from The Making of the Atomic Bomb is still not widely understood(21:21) The Manhattan Project and atomic technology(29:29) Nuclear winter - can we continue to prevent nuclear war?(36:50) Getting interested in E.O. Wilson(43:28) Ed Wilson: his upbringing, discoveries, and achievements(52:28) Sociobiology and Ed's dangerous ideas(01:06:12) The attempt to cancel Ed Wilson(01:12:12) Quotes from Ed Wilson and his place in the history of science(01:17:23) How a difficult childhood shaped Ed Wilson(01:23:02) Ed's enduring importance to the world, to science, to humanity(01:28:48) Finding meaning and spirituality in life