Curated Questions: Conversations Celebrating the Power of Questions!

Episode Notes00:00 Introduction to Change Management00:33 Engaging with the Audience00:57 Podcast Updates and Announcements03:16 Welcome to Curated Questions04:00 Introducing Dr. Matthew R. Lampe05:35 Matt's Early Curiosity and Career Beginnings06:36 The Power of Questions in Sales11:50 Transition to Organizational Psychology14:10 The Role of Questions in Education16:28 Maintaining Curiosity in Organizations17:57 Fun and Empathy Through Questions19:36 Questions in Change Management24:21 Voluntary vs. Voluntold Change29:23 Evolving Workplace Practices30:59 Balancing Shareholder and Employee Needs36:33 The Importance of Continuous Feedback44:47 The Power of Asking the Right Questions45:21 Potential Pitfalls of Questions48:38 Understanding Workplace Survey Hesitancy49:14 The Impact of Psychological Safety on Survey Responses49:57 Challenges in Employee Engagement Surveys52:28 Building Trust in Organizations53:17 The Importance of Context in Asking Questions54:55 Introducing the Science for Work Podcast55:45 The Mission of Science for Work56:52 The Role of Evidence-Based Research57:45 Global Perspectives in Research59:54 The Value of International Collaboration01:03:30 Exploring the Concept of Place01:05:51 Matt's Yosemite Tradition01:06:49 The Significance of Nature in Personal Growth01:08:45 Reflecting on Annual Traditions01:09:55 The Power of Disconnecting from Technology01:14:21 Memories and Family Legacy01:20:57 The Awe of Nature01:22:49 Final Reflections and Takeaways Resources MentionedBusiness OregonMarco Polo gameScience for WorkScience for Work Podcast with Matt LampeDavid WhyteYosemiteJohn Muir - The mountains are calling and I must go.Matt Lampe at LinkedInMatt on InstagramBeauty PillProducer Ben Ford Questions AskedWhen did you first understand the power of questions?Why not?Do you like blue? Do you wear a lot of blue? Do you only wear blue?When you were doing sales, did you stumble into the gut feeling? Was it more of an empathy thing in making a little bit of that switch to inquiring instead of just assuming?What about you?What about the customer, the client, the person who is buying?How can we develop and evolve the way that organizations operate so that there is more of that curiosity?What motivates that?What does living a good life look like?What does that even mean when somebody says living a good life?What are you gonna do when you graduate?What's next?Have you heard of organizational psychology?Was there any particular role that questions played in the schooling portion?Tell me more.Is this working?How is this landing?How is it being received?How am I communicating this?What is the perception of this?Are we still on track?How is this resonating with them?How do you keep curiosity fresh as you go into these organizations?Why am I here?What are we wanting to do?How has that served you?What does support look like for you?How are questions assisting you?What kind of heavy lift are questions doing to help you to help an organization accept the change they're undergoing?How is this landing with you?What are things that might change in your day-to-day behavior as we move through this, and how do we make sure that when we introduce this new piece or these new pieces, or these new processes, whatever it might be, are you prepared for it?Did we provide the right resources, understanding, knowledge, education, information, and training so that you understand how this works?Where are you in this process?How are we meeting you, where you are?How can we continue to build on that momentum so that he continues to champion and advocate for this new initiative?You have a bunch of tools; which tool makes the most sense?How are you doing through this?How is your team doing through this?What questions are still uncertain?What are some gaps where we can provide some clarity?What do resources look like to you?What do people need in that moment?How are the people actually doing?How do we run the business to make sure that we keep the shareholders happy?How do we make sure that this quarterly report bumps the share prices?What could it look like if we did things a little bit differently?What does the research say?What is the metrics fatal flaw?Do we fully understand what all the implications are?What kind of behavior is that driving?Where are we now blind as a result?When you stop asking questions, is this working?Is this still getting the result that we want?Is this still working as intended?What else is now a part of the equation that we didn't realize or that we didn't know, or that wasn't even around when we first started using this?Does this still work?Does this actually make sense for our organization?Have you stumbled across any questions that are ineffectiveAm I asking the question with genuine curiosity, or am I approaching it with an agenda where I want to get a specific answer from you to help my case?What is your process for figuring that out?What is your experience here?What was the end result that we were trying to understand, and is there a different way we can ask that?Was there a specific situation or a specific event that disrupted or broke any sense of trust?What does it look like without having that trust?If we had more trust, what would it look like to you?Do others feel the same way?Who else can I talk to?Who else would I want to talk to?Who do you go to when you need to talk to somebody?Why are you asking about my blood pressure?When you did this research, what did you find; what does that look like in practice?If somebody was listening and they said, this all sounds great, but how can I start doing this today, what would you suggest?When you found this, what was the most surprising insight? Where do you think that this will continue to go?What's working there?How are you doing that?How is that impacting?Does that make sense?What influences this?What are the behaviors that you're doing?What does the data say on this?What components are similar between the two that could actually translate over with an impact?Whose stories have we not yet heard that can reciprocate back some of that benefit?Can you tell me about your Yosemite story and, what that tradition has looked like?Where are we riding our bikes today? What hike are we doing? Can we go to the river here? Can we jump in there? Can we go see this? Can we go do that?When I come back, do I want all those things piled up and waiting, or do I wanna pull some of those things off the plate?Do I wanna be able to come back to a different experience?When I come back down the mountain, what do I want to carry back with me into the rest of my life, into everyday life?What do I want that to look like?Do I still want to have the hustle and the grind and the busyness that I have right now? Or do I want to reevaluate and sort of bring to a close some of those things that I've really enjoyed?How long have we been coming up here?What is your right now question?What does balance look like?Do you wanna do this? Do you want to go there? Do you wanna be a part of this? Can you help with that?What does that balance look like in order for me to make space for those opportunities?What does it look like to make work better?Is there anything else we need to address, or anything we may have missed?What is the motivation for you, or what has prompted you to host and have curated questions?In your next meaningful conversation, what would change if you replaced your prepared questions with curiosity and simply saying "tell me more"?What important message have you assumed was understood without ever verifying how it actually landed?What system in your life, personal or professional, are you following without questioning whether it still serves its intended purpose?What would become possible if you regularly created spaces completely disconnected from your daily demands to reflect on what truly deserves your energy?

Episode Notes00:00 Introduction and Personal Reflection01:57 Guest Introduction: Dr. Latorial Faison03:58 Early Life and First Questions06:36 Organizing Pain and Finding Purpose09:25 Challenges and Resilience15:30 Responsibility and Representation20:17 Reflections on Race and Upbringing26:51 Writing and Grief Work30:39  Mama Was a Negro Spiritual Poem37:16 Memories and Cultural Traditions40:06 Returning Home and Final Thoughts46:13 Reflections on Military Family Life47:03 Settling Down Post-Retirement47:43 Pursuing Personal Goals48:20 Balancing Family and Education49:39 Dedication to Family and Heritage52:13 Teaching and Student Struggles54:02 Honoring Grandparents' Sacrifices55:45 The Power of Memory and Storytelling56:29 Sundays a Haiku01:01:15  Abominations, a Poem By Latorial Faison01:08:38 Researching Black Education History01:25:44 Reflecting on Historical Figures and Social Change01:28:16 The Great Undoing and Rebuilding01:28:44 Hope Amidst Chaos01:29:15 Introduction to Wintergreen Women's Writers Collective01:32:43 Joining the Wintergreen Women's Writers Collective01:34:05 The Impact of Nikki Giovanni01:39:47 The Symbolism of Quilts01:43:47 Current Challenges and Reflections01:47:07 The Importance of Community and Legacy01:49:36 Like An Ancestor Poem02:00:40 Final Reflection and Takeaways Resources MentionedUniversity of VirginiaVirginia TechVirginia State UniversityThe Missed Education of the Negro: An Examination of the Black Segregated Experience in Southampton County, Virginia 1950-1970Riverview High SchoolNursery Rhymes in Black by Latorial FaisonBlood at the Root by Latorial FaisonJohnson C. Smith UniversityMama Was a Negro Spiritual by Latorial FaisonTom Howard Poetry PrizeNikki GiovanniEngrams Funeral HomeNat Turner Slave RevoltSundays a haiku by Latorial FaisonMr. Pete Ballard's farmAbominations by Latorial FaisonLucille CliftonPermafrost PrizeUniversity of AlaskaUniversity Press of ColoradoSonia SanchezBlack Pastoral by Ariana BensonCave Canem Poetry PrizePhillis Wheatley FestivalSpelman UniversityLauren K. AlleyneFurious FlowerJames Mason University (JMU)Virginia Humanities FellowshipIndiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal SkullJoshua DossMartin Luther King Jr.Wintergreen Women Writers CollectiveAmiri BarakaMaya AngelouToni MorrisonVal Gray WardDr. Trudy HarrisDr. Maryemma GrahamDr. Joanne GabbinAmanda GormanNational Museum of African American History and CultureRita DoveVirginia (Jenny) FowlerCollected Poems by Nikki GiovanniRenee and Jay by JJ MurrayOriginal Love by JJ MurrayJames BaldwinBarack ObamaGrey's AnatomyThe Bluest Eye by Toni MorrisonI Know Why The Caged Bird Sings by Maya AngelouBeauty PillProducer Ben Ford Questions AskedWhen did you first understand the power of questions?Why me?Why in that way?Why was my life on this trajectory?Why am I here?What is my purpose?Do you internalize "always someone watching" as a burden?How many of you feel that you have a responsibility to your race?If the lady offers us a cookie or a lemonade, why can't we take it?How did questions play a role in challenging things early on?Will you write about me one day?How can you all come out of the same house, and kids end up so different?What is a specific smell or color that reminds you of your grandmother?How did questions work in that research for you?What did black educators do?What did they do in those classrooms to motivate African American students through Jim Crow?Were they providing culturally relevant teaching; was that a key?What can we learn from the students? What can we learn from the teachers?What can we learn from this totally black segregated education experience to transfer into the now?What is ground zero going to look like?Who's going to even be here anymore?What has the Wintergreen Women's Writers collective meant to you?What is your Right Now Question?What have I gotten myself into as department chair?What do I do next?What matters most in the moment that I'm in now?How can I make the biggest difference?It's not, will they like me? Will they help me? It's, what do I do? How do I move in this moment?And that's how I try to live my life. Yeah. How do I live in this moment?What pain in your life, if shaped into a story, might become a gift of healing for you and perhaps others?What place from your past still holds untold stories, and how might sharing them illuminate both where you’ve been and where you’re going?What place from your past still holds untold stories, and how might sharing them illuminate both where you’ve been and where you’re going?Are your questions keeping you tethered to the past, or are they propelling you toward the life and impact you’re meant to create?

Episode Notes00:00 The Beauty of Questions02:07 Setting the Scene: Manchester, 195103:20 Alan Turing's Early Life04:43 Turing's Contributions During WWII05:35 Post-War Achievements06:55 The Imitation Game and Turing Test10:23 A Conversation with Alan Turing10:58 The Power of Questions12:10 The Evolution of Thought16:12 The Intersection of Questions and Beauty20:30 Effective vs. Ineffective Questions22:00 The Discipline of Questioning23:58 The Ethics of Machine Deception25:30 Replacing Human Players27:06 The Limits of Machine Dialogue28:11 The Role of Doubt in Human Dialogue28:35 The Responsibility of Inventors29:56 Persistent Questions and Personal Reflections31:53 The Nature of Human Thought32:44 Protecting Human Qualities34:06 The Value of Human Doubt37:11 The Future of Human Questions38:36 The Risk of Seamless Imitation39:57 Reflections on the Interview and Takeaways47:50 Final Thoughts and Gratitude Resources MentionedThe Britons ProtectionSherborne SchoolKing’s College, CambridgeOn Computable Numbers (Turing's proof)Government Code and Cypher SchoolBletchley ParkEnigma machineBombeNational Physical LaboratoryAutomatic Computing EngineUniversity of ManchesterManchester Mark IMorphogenesisArnold MurrayOscar WildeComputing Machinery and IntelligenceImitation Game/Turing TestPia LauritzenDear Turing, I Have a Test For You by Pia LauritzenH.G. WellsGross Indecency LawBeauty PillProducer Ben Ford Questions AskedCan machines think?When did you first understand the power of questions?How did this intoxication influence your willingness to unleash your mind to solve further problems that could change the way we encounter the universe?Was it all at once or more gradually?How do you handle questions that change under your hands?Is that from scientific training, strict pursuit of the answer, failed experiments, where did you learn that ability?Where, for you, do questions and beauty intersect?What is your practice for driving to profound questions?Questions that trouble multiple disciplines, can you say more?Do you encounter much in the way of ineffective questions, or those you would determine as simply wrong questions?How do you break the habit of pursuing the wrong target?What informs your discipline to not look in the seemingly easy question, but to dig deeper for the better question?Might I buy the next round in gratitude for your initial buy?Is this just going to be part of the design by default?Have you imagined how people might one day extend this idea to perhaps replace players B or even C?Where do you see the limits of a machine’s role in human dialogue?If a machine can convincingly simulate a human, do we have a responsibility to set boundaries for its use — or is that not for the inventor to decide?Are there questions you’ve carried with you since your youth, perhaps questions that have stayed no matter how your answers change?Are you journaling to interact with these questions or, perhaps, depending on circumstances, to engage with them?What do you think is most important for humans to protect in themselves?Can you go deeper on perhaps the benefits of human doubt?What is your Right Now Question?Since you knew we’d be talking about questions, is there anything you hoped we’d touch on that we haven’t?What aspects of your own questioning process are you inadvertently trying to optimize away?In your daily interactions, when are you settling for the efficiency of information exchange instead of risking the messiness and potential transformation of genuine dialogue?What fundamental questions about human nature, consciousness, or meaning are you already asking less frequently because AI has made certain assumptions feel inevitable?How might you transform your questioning practice from a tool for getting answers into a discipline for staying human in an increasingly artificial world?

Episode Notes[02:06] Introducing Dr. Jemayne LeVar King[04:00] The Power of Questions[06:58] The Genesis of Sole Food Sneaker Culture Literature Class[09:16] Reimagining Liberal Arts Education[12:20] Southern Hip Hop and Literature[14:43] The Rise of Southern Hip Hop[21:49] Hip Hop's Influence on Society[30:10] Sneaker Culture Origins[32:35] Defining Retro in Sneaker Culture[35:48] Authentic vs. Inauthentic Sneaker Culture[40:01] Sneaker Culture as a Form of Expression[46:11] Teaching Literature Through Sneaker Culture[49:44] Sneaker Culture in Literature[52:33] Authentic Subscriber Insights[52:56] Sneaker Culture and Literature[53:22] Connecting Literature to Modern Education[55:01] Personal Academic Journey[57:31] The Importance of Feeling Seen[01:00:52] Gaming and Literature[01:01:58] The Impact of Red Dead Redemption 2[01:02:56] Literature in Video Games[01:09:52] Rockstar Games and Detailed Narratives[01:10:57] The Timeless Appeal of Rockstar Games[01:12:32] The Complexity of Red Dead Redemption 2[01:14:42] Replaying and Mastering the Game[01:19:29] The Cost of Staying Small[01:22:33] The Bird in the Cage Analogy[01:25:06] Insights and Human Value[01:29:47] Educational Adaptation and Future Jobs[01:30:38] Supporting and Following Dr. Jemayne King[01:32:02] Final Thoughts and Takeaways Resources MentionedSole Food Brand LLCVirginia State University Institute of Hip-Hop and Cultural StudiesSole Food: Digestible Sneaker CultureThe Big House on Flavian (available October 2025) by Dr. Jemayne KingRed Dead Redemption 2Moby Dick by Herman MelvilleWhere'd You Get Those? New York City's Sneaker Culture: 1960-1987 by Bobbito GarciaMarshawn Lynch: I'm just here so I won't get finedRed GrangeErnest HemingwayWilliam FaulknerZora Neale HurstonOutKastUGKMr. BiggThe Geto BoysBig BoiAndre 3000Magnum, P.I.Da BratLL Cool JKRS-OneGoodie MobPublic EnemyXXL MagazinePost Cereals: Fruity Pebbles & Cocoa PebblesLegend of Zelda rap by NintendoBear BryantChuck Taylor All StarAdidas Promodel SuperstarAir Force One from 1982Air Jordan Vindicate Vin BakerAir Jordan Revolution/Air Jordan ThreeStar Wars versus Star TrekNike DunkSandy BodeckerHa by JuvenileMarxismLouis Vuitton DonEmily DickinsonAlice WalkerThe Hate U Give by Angie ThomasUncle Tom's Cabin by Harriet Beecher StoweBy the Light of My Father's Smile by Alice WalkerWe Don't Have a Plan B by Redhead KingpinRockstar GamesRed Dead RedemptionRed Dead RevolverGrand Theft Auto SeriesHave a Nice Day: A Tale of Blood and Sweatsocks by Mick FoleyBeauty PillProducer Ben Ford Questions AskedWhen did you first understand the power of questions?Why isn't that considered academic when it's already been valued for its commercialization?How do I explain Smith to someone who does not know about Smith?How is it like Howard?Does anyone  have any ideas for any new courses?Why did he ask that?How do we not be archaic?How do you show that a liberal arts education can get you from this point to where you want to be?Do you think that that was the right question to be asking?  And if it wasn't, would there have been a better question to be asking?How do we create new classes?What are they rapping about?What do you think it took for the rest of the hip hop community to really see that there was something of value? Was there a particular artist or a particular song?How is it different between the different major regions?Is it specifically just the individual themself, or these individuals that come up? Is it their particular talent, that they just happen to be the one that can bring the rhymes ? Is there an element of culture and a region that plays more of a role than just, 10% make up a small percentage or something like that?Is that how it works, or is there more of a cultural, a higher percentage of cultural influence than the 10% that I'm throwing out?What can we learn about questions from hip hop?How does hip hop set a precedent for the rest of society?What is masculinity?How does hip hop set a precedent or open avenues for society?How did sneakers capture your heart?Why does this particular sneaker exist in this colorway for this particular purpose?Why are you walking on the side?Why are you adamant about not walking in grass?What do you think is the foundation supporting the desire, the practice of collecting?Inauthentic is concerned with how do I make a dollar out of this?How are you using sneaker culture to teach literature?What did I do wrong?How do questions inform your latest work, The Big House on Flavin?There's no need to buy that because when am I gonna play?What is maturity?What is masculinity?How does the society fall?What is literature?What does literature represent?Are there books about this game?What happens to a dream deferred, right?Can you help me?Can you tie that together?Is this a game that you would go back and play as well?What is your right now question?What is the cost of staying small?What is the cost of not maturing?What happens to a dream deferred?Do we have  all the right parts?Is the budget set right for having those parts available?Is the training appropriate for this?Where is the best place for folks to track you down, learn about what you're excited about and support you?What voices or artistic expressions are you unconsciously dismissing based on their origin?How might your biases be preventing you from recognizing their actual quality?In what areas of your life are you participating authentically versus simply consuming or commodifying, and what would deeper knowledge-based engagement look like?What established systems in your field or organization need to evolve to remain relevant, and how can you maintain quality while embracing necessary change?What opportunities for growth are you not seeing because you've become comfortable flying around the confines of your current situation?What is the cost to you of never testing your full potential?

Episode Notes[00:00] The Power of Vulnerability[01:57] Meet Ashley Kirsner[03:55] The Impact of Active Listening[05:02] A Transformative Call[06:25] The Magic of Open-Ended Questions[13:28] The Role of Basic Needs in Emotional Well-being[17:10] The Birth of Skip the Small Talk[25:18] The First Skip the Small Talk Event[28:39] The Evolution of Skip the Small Talk[32:56] Online Events During COVID-19[34:58] Work At An Anxiety Lab[38:08] The Importance of Positive Questions[42:40] The Power of Repeated Questions[45:33] Attending a Skip the Small Talk Event[46:14] The Speed Dating Format[47:21] Encouraging Anxious Participants[48:45] The Power of Sharing Deeply[49:32] Consistent Findings on Vulnerability[50:13] Understanding Oversharing[51:11] Structure and Time Management[52:18] Facilitators and Norms[53:12] Contact Information Norms[55:06] Intentional Iteration and Safety[56:37] The Role of Participants[59:01] Financial Accessibility and Investment[01:00:43] Balancing Accessibility and Compensation[01:01:49] Compensating Facilitators[01:04:39] Physiological Benefits of Deep Conversations[01:07:00] Research on Loneliness and Connection[01:09:02] The Impact of Loneliness on Health[01:10:41] The Role of Sleep in Connection[01:13:42] The Importance of Group Interactions[01:15:10] The Power of Intentional Conversations[01:20:26] Learning from Gathering Experts[01:23:19] Right Now Question & Following Curiosity[01:30:18] Where You Can Find Skip The Small Talk[01:35:45] Takeaway Thoughts & Questions Resources MentionedSkip The Small TalkChris VossFinding Good with Brian FretwellDr. Nicholas EpleyDBT - Dialectical Behavioral TherapyBrene BrownHow We Gather by Priya ParkerPower of Ritual by Casper ter KuileHow We Gather by Dr. Angie Thurston - Harvard Divinity SchoolDeath of RasputinHarvard Graduate School of EducationHarvardWharton Business SchoolMITGE AviationAct BlueBeauty PillProducer Ben Ford Questions AskedWhen did you first understand the power of questions?How would this possibly work?What are we doing here?How could this possibly be effective?What is it that asking questions actually does for us?In this deep end of the pool, for what you experience as a suicide hotline counselor, what does that look like?How did that impact you?Were there questions that you found most impactful on that end?Are you feeling suicidal right now?Do you have a weapon?Do you have a plan?Do you have any objects to complete that plan with you right now?Are you comfortable being in a different room from it while we're having this conversation?When's the last time you slept?When's the last time you ate?Can we get some food in you?Can we take a walk?Do they know anything you're experiencing right now?If the roles were reversed and it were your partner or your cousin or your parent who were going through something like this, would you want them to tell you about it?Do you think they wanna know if you're going through a tough time?What if we had a space where we were all on the same page?Can you take a moment to go home and be a little more vulnerable with your roommate, partner, family, or neighbors?Can you take that skill with you into the rest of your life?How are you doing right now?How did you decide to do your first skip-the-small-talk event?When's the next one gonna be?Is this even possible?How do you have people switch partners in a way that makes sense online?How do we do this?What do you got for us?How do we do this for like hundreds of people?Can you talk about that story of where you pulled the questions from, and why you chose the different questions that you did?Where do you live?What do you like about where you live?What's the worst thing you've ever experienced?When's the last time you cried?When's the last time you experienced awe?What's something you're proud of that you don't normally get to share with people or that might not be on a resume?Specifically asking what are pieces of yourself that you don't normally get to share?What is a favorite ice cream?What was something that this organization has done right to help you?What do you think it is about the structure that allows for that to happen?What other elements are at play here?Finances would be a barrier, can you help me out?Do you wanna do it for free?Due to your position in society, does it make you more or less likely to go to prison?How can we do subtle things so that you don't have to necessarily out yourself as having an invisible disability, but still get your needs met?How can we make people with marginalized identities feel comfortable opening up?How do we make those spaces feel safer?What is your right now question?What makes an experience awesome?What makes storytelling awesome?Why was this moment so powerful?Why do we dim the lights a little at dinner partiesWhat little things can you do to trick your physiology to be more immersed in an experience?Does doing a new novel activity with someone, trick your brain into being more excited about hanging out with someone?How can you make these memories more tactile?What does the tablecloth feel like?What do the napkins feel like?Can you just do five more of these?Can we do this throughout the year?What assumptions are you making about how much others want to know about your inner world, and how might testing those assumptions change your relationships?How might your community benefit from structured opportunities to practice deeper connection, and what role could you play in creating those spaces?If you treated meaningful conversation as essential to your health, as sleep or exercise, how would that change your daily priorities and choices?Are your questions designed to extract information or to create conditions where others can share the best parts of themselves?

Episode Notes[00:00] Introduction to San Quentin Experience[01:10] Welcome to Curated Questions[01:34] Content Warning and Subscription Reminder[02:33] Introduction to Robert Sturman[04:06] Robert's Journey into Photography and Yoga[04:48] First Visit to San Quentin[06:53] Media Portrayal vs. Reality of Prisons[08:31] Robert's Passion for Yoga Photography[13:55] Criticism and Inclusivity in Yoga Photography[19:08] Building Trust Through Photography[30:42] Misconceptions About Prisons[34:02] Personal Reflections and Growth[35:56] The Importance of Self-Improvement[43:49] Transition from Military to Creative Pursuits[44:20] Tragic Circumstances and New Beginnings[46:00] Embracing New Technologies in Photography[48:04] Discovering a New World Through Photography[49:16] Integrating Documentary Photography with Journalism[51:10] The Unconscious Mind and Creative Processes[53:14] Capturing Authentic Moments in Photography[58:34] The Importance of Perspective in Photography[01:03:10] Honoring Humanity Through Photography[01:05:28] The Beauty of Aging and Life Lessons from Tao[01:07:48] Otis the Pup and Animal Advocacy[01:10:00] Raising Awareness About Animal Testing[01:13:04] Practical Steps to Support Cruelty-Free Products[01:16:35] Final Reflections and Takeaways Resources MentionedOtis the Handsome Hound on InstagramTao Porchon-LynchSan Quentin State PrisonPrison Yoga ProjectJames FoxNational GeographicLife MagazinePicasso's AcrobatsRobert Sturman websiteRobert Sturman InstagramRobert's Polaroid SeriesBraille InstituteYoga JournalThe Five-Minute JournalLeonardo da VinciLieutenant Commander Elizabeth CorwinVal KilmerECOS cleaning productsCruelty Free Leaping BunnySwitzerland Food LabelsBeauty PillProducer Ben Ford Questions AskedWhen did you first understand the power of questions?Did you see them light up?How are you?How is it that you ended up in San Quentin prison taking pictures of folks?I wonder where else folks are doing yoga?Why don't you photograph real people?What are they talking about?How can I understand this?What aspect of this should I take on and apply?How did that process work for you?What was the underlying desire to get those onto the covers?How else in this world would I be invited and welcomed into communities than with the camera and telling this story?What other way would I be able to go to prison except for committing a crime?How do you kind of prepare your heart for looking at these new communities as you  approach them for the first time?What kind of things do you think about?Are you studying them beforehand or just going cold?How has that worked out for you so far?In getting to know the people that you're doing this art with, do you use questions at all?Is that a part of any of your routine?What kind of car did you drive when you came from New York to California?How much was gas?Have you encountered stories of how your images have challenged and changed organizations or people?What are some things that we get wrong about prison?What does reconciliation to society look like?How can they best become a thriving member?Have you used questions at all in developing either your trust in your work or your processes for how you see the world through photography?How can I be better?What does that apply to, all ways as far as how you are developing or, working digitally, setting up the shot? Or is it all of that stuff or particular area?Does drinking alcohol fog you?How did you work through recognizing that the way you had been doing things was going away and be able to land on your feet with this new direction?What did that journey look like for you?Did you have that sense at that time that the meaning was missing?How have you known that you were in that space? Was it a physical manifestation?Was it just the confidence or what you were seeing through the lens? How is it that you knew that you're in this flow state?How do you know that?How can we honor their full humanity or their full being just by changing our perspective?What do you think Tao's wrinkles say?What rings true for you at the moment?How can I help?What can I do?What is your right now question?How can I make use of my time on this planet and be more awake?How can I continue to wake up and be here and face this world raw and do whatever it is I can do to contribute to the healing of in life?What resonated with you? Are you taking something from others in your interactions, or are you creating something meaningful together?How does the quality of your attention communicate what you believe about someone's worth?What are they talking about?How can I understand this?When faced with criticism, do you defend your current path or genuinely explore what truth might be hidden in the challenge?What one question, if asked consistently, would most powerfully guide your daily choices and long-term growth?

Episode Notes[00:00] Introduction to the Junto[00:43] Welcome to Curated Questions[01:04] Setting the Scene: 1727 Philadelphia[01:22] Meet the Junto Members[01:57] The Junto's Impact on Society[04:03] Franklin's Early Life and Influences[04:55] The Formation of the Junto[05:16] The Rules of the Junto[05:35] The Spirit of Inquiry[06:14] The Power of Language[06:54] The Playful Side of the Junto[07:19] The 24 Questions[08:12] Themes of the Questions[08:32] Personal and Intellectual Growth[09:17] Community and Social Awareness[10:22] Civic Engagement and Justice[11:26] Mutual Support and Collaboration[13:30] The Decline of the Junto[14:49] The Impact on Modern Times[18:16] Reclaiming the Lost Art of Conversation[22:25] Final Thoughts and Call to Action Resources MentionedHugh MeredithWilliam ColemanThomas GodfreyJoseph BreintnallBenjamin Franklin's 24 Junto QuestionsEssays to Do Good by Cotton MatherCotton MatherDeclaration of IndependenceLibrary Company of PhiladelphiaHugh RobertsBeauty PillProducer Ben FordPiscataway People Questions AskedWhat if I told you that one antidote to our fractured discourse was invented in a Philadelphia tavern 300 years ago?Have you lately observed any encroachment on the just liberties of the people?Do you know of any deserving young beginner lately set up, whom it lies in the power of the Junto any way to encourage?Have you met with anything in the author you last read, remarkable, or suitable to be communicated to the Junto?What unhappy effects of intemperance have you lately observed or heard? of imprudence? of passion? or of any other vice or folly?What happy effects of temperance? of prudence? of moderation? or of any other virtue?Have you lately heard of any citizen's thriving well, and by what means?Have you lately heard how any present rich man, here or elsewhere, got his estate?Do you know of any fellow citizen, who has lately done a worthy action, deserving praise and imitation, or who has committed an error proper for us to be warned against and avoid?Have you lately observed any defect in the laws of your country, of which it would be proper to move the legislature an amendment?Have you lately observed any encroachment on the just liberties of the people?Hath any body attacked your reputation lately? and what can the Junto do towards securing it?Have you any weighty affair in hand, in which you think the advice of the Junto may be of service?In what manner can the Junto, or any of them, assist you in any of your honourable designs?What benefits have you lately received from any man not present?Do you hear what happened?Is there any difficulty in matters of opinion, of justice, and injustice, which you would gladly have discussed at this time?I mean, when's the last time someone asked you a similar question?When's the last time you felt safe enough to really explore a moral complexity with people who might disagree with you?So, how do we reclaim this lost art?How do we rebuild the capacity for productive disagreement in our polarized world?Have you encountered any information recently that changed how you think about an important issue?What examples of good citizenship have you witnessed lately that others might want to emulate?What problems in your community do you think could be solved by people working together?How has someone outside this group helped you recently, and how might you pay that forward?What's a question about justice or community well-being that you've been wrestling with that this group might help you think through?Do you see anything amiss in the present customs or proceedings of our democracy, which might be amended?The only question is: are we brave enough to try it?What questions will you bring to your own Junto?

Episode Notes[00:00] Introduction to Curated Questions[01:49] Introducing Scott Johnson[04:18] The Power of Questions[06:04] Conversations with Strangers[07:43] The Tattoo Conversation Starter[09:23] The Origin of 'What Was That Like?'[12:25] Jennifer Caused a Fatal Accident[16:15] Finding Guests for the Podcast[18:30] Unusual Stories and Listener Engagement[23:47] Creating a Safe Space for Guests[31:05] The Impact of Storytelling[35:46] Outlandish Story: Shiny Ate His Own Foot[41:31] Heart-Wrenching Stories: Laura's Pain Became Her Purpose Episode[43:48] Advocacy and Awareness[46:21] A Fun Episode: Fabiana won The Price Is Right showcase[47:58] Editing Questions for Better Storytelling[49:38] Curiosity from Childhood[52:10] The Birth of the Computer Tutor[53:13] Learning Computer Repair[54:33] Avoiding Ineffective Questions[57:31] Curiosity With Scott's Kids[01:00:13] Empathy: A Divisiveness Hack[01:01:45] Building a Community on Facebook[01:03:10] Engaging with the Audience[01:06:36] Podcasting Rhythm and Collaborations[01:08:32] Meeting Meredith and Chemistry[01:10:36] Personal Growth and Podcast Evolution[01:15:32] Questioning Religious Beliefs[01:19:47] Identity and Religion[01:28:45] Scotts Goto Final Questions[01:31:46] Insights & Takeaways Resources MentionedThe Computer Tutor PodcastWhat Was That Like PodcastMeredith For Real, The Curious IntrovertYou Are Enough hoodieUltra Finishers PodcastSchool of Podcasting with Dave JacksonBuilding A Better Dave PodcastJennifer Caused a Fatal Accident (What Was That Like Episode)James BondThe Rest of the Story with Paul HarveyShiny Ate His Own Foot (What Was That Like Episode)Laura's Pain Became Her Purpose (What Was That Like Episode)Fabiana Won The Price Is Right Showcase (What Was That Like Episode)The Price Is RightBob BarkerDrew CareyBirth As We Know It PodcastWhat Was That Like? - Facebook GroupPriya ParkerGlassbox MediaIOTD365.comMensa SocietyGrammarlyBeauty PillProducer Ben Ford Questions AskedWhen did you first understand the power of questions?What's your podcast about?How does your curiosity show up that way?What's the history?Why would you get that?What started the show for you?Have you followed up with her at all in the years since to see how she's doing?What's the best kind of podcast to almost ensure growth?Remember so and so, wonder what's happening with him now?You ever talk to him anymore?Any particular primary way you find your guests?Are there any particular stories that are still on that list that you haven't checked off yet?What's the real story here?Do you think it's gonna take 45 minutes to tell the story?How do you go about creating this safe space?Do I really want to go on and talk to Scott about this and tell that story?How do you think about your follow-up questions?How are you working through the story with them in following your curiosity?Who was in your family?Who was in the car with you at the time?How old are your kids?Where were you going?How have you recovered?Have you had therapy?How did you get through it and what are you doing now?What was the question you just asked me again?What was going through your head at that time?What were you thinking?What was that self-talk like?What would I be thinking at that time?What happens inside the human mind when trauma is being introduced?How do you think that this has changed you?Is this person really going to lose someone, or what's really gonna happen?What are a couple of your most outlandish or favorite episodes or at the top of the list of stories that you retell when you're doing conversations like this?What's the weirdest story you've ever done?If you had the opportunity to taste human flesh, and it was legal, ethical, and maybe even healthy, would you do it?Remember that conversation we had?Why am I saying yes or no? Is it a health reason? Is it a moral reason?Is there anything objectively wrong with it?Is it just cultural?Where is our son?Something as precious as your child, how can you just forget them?What were you thinking when that happened?Were you feeling apprehensive?Were you asking a lot of questions as a kid?What's the difference?Can you fix that?Why can't I do it?What are ineffective questions?How do you even answer that question?Who's your wife?What kids do you already have?What did the questions and curiosity look like for them from your perspective as a parent?How do you pronounce everybody's name?Who else is in the story?Who else are we gonna be talking about?Is there any part of the story that you don't want to talk about or that I shouldn't ask you about?If go back to a certain point in your life and change something, what would you change?What was the happiest day of your life?Did you start the Facebook group straight away once you started the podcast?How did you two meet?Why don't we do a promo trade?What is your right now question?What really is the truth?If you were wrong, would you want to know about it?Would you want to know that you're wrong?Do you have any other thoughts on questions that we hadn't necessarily touched on at all that you wanted to touch on?What are you always hoping the host will ask, but they don't usually?Is there any part of the story that we haven't talked about that you wanted to mention?Where's the best place for folks to find out all the things that you're excited about and to be able to follow the work that you're doing?Are you asking questions simply to fill conversational space, or are you genuinely prepared to be changed by what you discover in the answers?How could your questions serve not just your own curiosity, but create spaces where others feel safe to be authentically human?What beliefs are you protecting from genuine examination because questioning them might require you to become someone different than who you've always been?What pain might you now be able to recycle into a newfound purpose?

Episode Notes[00:00] Introduction to Curated Questions[00:32] Meet Dr. Ernest Ponraj[01:29] The Twist: Dentist and Artist[02:01] Tour of the Art Gallery[03:00] First In-Person Conversation[03:10] Understanding the Power of Questions[04:43] Connecting Through Questions[11:12] The Journey to Practice Ownership[12:21] Challenges and Growth in Dentistry[13:48] COVID-19 and a New Beginning[15:40] Combining Dentistry and Art[18:41] Patient Reactions to the Art Space[22:25] The Role of Art in Reducing Anxiety[24:16] Ernest's Artistic Journey[33:01] Reflections on Life and Giving Back[37:47] Reflecting on Small Joys[38:00] The Art of Asking Questions[39:24] Understanding Patient Needs[40:17] Serving the Community[42:16] Balancing Dentistry and Art[42:50] Promoting the Space[43:30] Building the Right Team[44:05] Current Challenges and Goals[45:52] Creating Memorable Experiences[47:24] Connecting Through Art[48:41] Showcasing Local Artists[55:12] Interactive Art Wall[58:31] Personal Art Journey[01:01:32] Highlighting Emerging Artists[01:04:55] Final Thoughts and Takeaways Resources MentionedTECHNE Dental GalleryTechnedental on InstagramJeff WetzlerDr. Cheryl Lee-PowMartin Luther King Jr.El MacEl Obrero by El MacSean TaylorJaden DanielsSalvador DaliBeauty PillProducer Ben Ford Questions AskedWhen did you first understand the power of questions?Am I giving the right answer?Does this make sense?Do I know how to answer these?Did I do well enough on this test?Do you find that even today, you're more curious with your wife in asking questions?Do you find it easy to engage with your wife with questions?Have you always had that?What does that story look like for you?How hard could it be?How could I let this happen?Is this really happening?Am I doing the right thing?How can you really do it?Do I want my work and career to just be something that I do to make income, to support my family?Do you really wanna enjoy what you do and have it be something that when you look back on your life, you're like, you know what, I'm glad I did this?Where do I go from here now?What has been some of that experience been like?Why are you a dentist?Are you seeing that [renewed passion for dentistry] as an extension of art?Where do you go from there?How would you encourage others to think about perhaps merging areas of their life that others may not understand?How have we gone wrong?Did your parents encourage you on in the world of questions, what was that like for you?How can I contribute to give back to them?Do you get a chance to get back to India regularly to meet extended family?Are there any particular questions that you've carried with you, whether it's through seasons or, that you come back to?How many times do you floss a day?How can I serve the community?What is your current how?How do I even let my neighbors right here know that we have this space here?How do I promote this space?What is your right now question?How to balance the dental aspect of things is in terms of doing my day-to-day work?Any other things about questions that we hadn't covered down on that as you were thinking about the conversation?Anything that we didn't touch on?What would make you walk out of this place and want to tell somebody, that was the best experience I ever had?Where's the best place for folks to catch up with you?In doing your creating, in making your art, what does that do for you?For the three that you've got up here, what element is it that resonates with you?How might your own relationship with questions, whether asking or answering them, be limiting your ability to connect authentically with others?What crisis or major life transition might be calling you to stop compartmentalizing different parts of yourself and instead integrate them into something more authentic and fulfilling?What routine questions in your professional life could you redesign to move from information-gathering to story-inviting, creating space for deeper connection and understanding?What hidden aspects of yourself (talents, passions, or experiences) are you keeping separate from your professional identity, and how might sharing them create deeper connections with colleagues, clients, or patients?

Episode Notes[00:00] Introduction: Seeing Through the Myth[01:06] Welcome to Curated Questions[01:28] Ken's Backstory[02:05] Rethinking American History[03:05] Discovering Hidden Truths[03:58] Impact of Redlining and Racism[05:14] The Church's Complicity[06:19] Systemic Inequality[06:52] Influential Authors[08:26] The Reality of White-Body Supremacy & Lynching[12:52] Repentance and Reconciliation[13:24] The Unfulfilled Promises[16:38] The Walk Begins[17:38] Challenges and Conversations[18:34] Physical and Emotional Struggles[19:51] Community Reactions[21:40] Encounters and Reflections[22:26] Privilege and Protection[23:29] Friends and Fears[25:04] Blue-eyed Devil[26:13] Lessons from the Walk[27:10] Confronting Racism[28:23] The Importance of Listening[28:53] Mistakes and Apologies[29:39] The Impact of the Walk[32:56] Building New Communities[34:05] Final Thoughts and Gratitude Resources MentionedAn Indigenous Peoples' History of the United States (ReVisioning History) by Roxanne Dunbar-OrtizThe Color of Law by Richard RothsteinSister Citizen: Shame, Stereotypes, and Black Women in America by Melissa Harris-PerryThe Color of Compromise: The Truth About the American Church's Complicity in Racism by Jemar TisbyCaste: The Origins of Our Discontents by Isabel WilkersonJames BaldwinNikki GiovanniClint SmithChimamanda Ngozi AdichieChristina SharpeResmaa MenakemC. Vann WoodwardJames W. LoewenToni MorrisonAngela DavisFrederick DouglassOctavia ButlerTa-Nehisi CoatesWilliam Loyd GarrisonIbriam X. KendiMary Turner and the lynching rampage of 1918Emmett TillMalcolm XLorton Prison in VirginiaWagshal's DeliBlack Lives Matter PlazaWashington PostTheresa VargasBeauty PillProducer Ben Ford Questions AskedIf this was the case, and 50% of this book was wrong, what do I do with the 50% that is correct?How is a Black family supposed to build generational wealth when redlining is legal?How would this knowledge would inform my understanding of the lived experiences of the Black women around me?What tendrils might this endorsement of state-sanctioned terror might have in today's sanctuaries?Why didn't Black service members get access to the GI Bill after returning from the World Wars?How is the Republican adoption of the Southern Strategy to disenfranchise Black voters starting in the 1950s still functioning?I questioned, how can this country move forward if we don't embrace the truth?Where did all the people sitting on picnic blankets go?Did we expect the passage of the Civil Rights Act to change all the deep-seated hatred and bigotry?How might this residue coat the rest of our society in both visible and unseen ways?Are you packin'?You think you got something to say, don't you?Are you a racist?What this project would accomplish. How was it going to make a difference in her life?