Grey Matter with Michael Krasny

We met with former White House Climate Advisor to President Obama, Molly Kawahata, to hear her innovative perspectives on how to make a real difference in society and for the planet. She is principally focused on how we mobilize productive human psychology to motivate broad systemic change. Her insights are fascinating, born of her own personal struggles, that society writ large has been brainwashed into paralysis with propaganda from the fossil fuel industry that is designed to rob us of hope. It seems an impossible premise, but she effectively argues her case of how this happened, and what those concerned about the future of the planet can do differently to make concrete progress toward the "zero carbon promised land." While applauding those who make personal choices and sacrifices to help the environment in their own lives, Kawahata eschews climate shaming of all kinds, and sees no averting climate catastrophe without public policy that decarbonizes our industrial, transportation and energy sectors. It is not our fault that we use these sectors. They are the only ones that those without privilege have available to access. Most importantly, she implores us to change the debate away from "saving the polar bears" that those with "boots on their neck" can't afford to care about, to a practical discussion about pollution and equitable access to clean air and water. We can all see the impact from reducing pollution, and we can have hope in our personal ability to make a meaningful impact. What can you do? Deploy hope and get out the vote. Join us for an exhilarating discussion.

We met with one of the foremost novelists of our time and Pulitzer Prize winner, Jennifer Egan, to discuss the medium of fiction, the novel, her process, her works and the role of the novelist in democracy writ large. In an age where AI has begun to encroach on seemingly sacrosanct domains of human endeavor like creative writing, Egan gives us hope that writing from human imagination will forever give us unrivaled access to the mind of another person. In what became a masterclass in Egan's personal writing style, she illuminated how her own improvisation allows her to channel all the forces that exist around her and operate through her. The novel demands that we resist the forces of distraction that dilute us. Fiction delivers compressed knowledge, and preserves our mental agility and our ability to question authority. It is not only entertaining, it is a pillar of a healthy democracy. In her leadership of PEN America, she saw first hand how threatening fiction and the novel can be to autocratic regimes. While indifferent to literary reviews, Egan adores her readers and all they teach her. Most captivating are Egan's methods of tapping into her unconscious and her imagination - the wellspring of her career. Find renewed determination to read deeply by listening deeply to our charming guest, Jennifer Egan. Join us.

Jack Kornfield, a leading figure in meditation and mindfulness since 1974, shares wisdom on reclaiming our humanity amid isolation. He discusses the importance of cultivating compassion and connection, even during grief. Kornfield distinguishes empathy from compassion, addresses compassion fatigue, and emphasizes being present in the moment. He also explores how to navigate injustice without perpetuating negativity and the profound insight that while pain is inevitable, suffering is optional. Each topic reveals essential tools for living fully and mindfully.

Humor is not just fun and games. For Brian Copeland, award-winning actor, comedian, author, playwright and talk show host, it started as his best defense from bullying on the playground growing up as an African American kid in one of the most racially redlined suburbs in America. Brian went on to wield humor in artful ways throughout his career to tackle some of the thorniest topics of our times in his work, and specifically in his popular one-man-show "Not a Genuine Black Man." Join us as we explore the mechanics of humor - the creative process, what makes a joke funny - Copeland's encyclopedic memory of his remarkable journey through the entertainment world, as well as his reflections on the distance we've come and have yet to go to collectively acquire genuine understanding and empathy for each other. Join us.

At the time of this writing, the White House just announced its intent to end the COVID-19 pandemic "state-of-emergency" designation in the months ahead. Is this a political move or one informed by science? We met with Pandefense Advisory CEO, Larry Brilliant, to learn the latest of what we do and do not know about the real threats of COVID-19 and related outbreaks. What is the history of vaccines in general? What are the criticisms of the standard narrative about CV19? Did CV19 come from the Wuhan open air market or a bio-weapons laboratory? Is there a third credible possible origin of the pathogen itself? How much do we need to worry about the next pandemic? Do lockdowns make sense? In closing, we learned how an accidental hippy stumbled into eradicating smallpox, befriended Steve Jobs and pioneered social media itself to become, "the luckiest guy on earth." Join us.

We spoke with metabolic neuroendocrinologist Robert Lustig to discuss his views about the obesity crisis in our country. A powerful mind with a keen eye for digging deep into issues to explore their root causes, Lustig lays bare his critique of powerful forces at work that he believes negatively impact human health and longevity. His position is that added sugar is not a food and meets the criteria of an addictive substance like alcohol or narcotics. Addressing the physiology of metabolism, Lustig recommends lifestyle changes that, if practiced, could dramatically enhance our vitality. How did we get to this point in our obesity crisis? He emphasizes that fortunately there are corrective measures within reach, if we can muster the political will to enact them. What other "addictions" in a broad sense afflict our society? We touch on those as well. Join us.

We met with space medicine expert Vienna Tran to learn about the health challenges of manned exploration of space. This may seem like an esoteric subject for those who feel like we have more challenges facing us on earth than we can deal with, but Vienna makes a compelling case that conquering the extremes of off-earth existence equips us to better deal with our terrestrial challenges. "A dollar invested in space is worth more than a dollar invested on earth." Not only is off-world colonization a hedging strategy against an extinction event here on earth, space exploration (including medicine) brings us myriad advancements for terrestrial life. What are the risks? What are the rewards? Join us to gain a glimpse of this brave new frontier.

Buffalo Bills starting safety Damar Hamlin's cardiac arrest from a routine tackle of Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver Tee Higgins (and strike to the chest) on January 2, 2023 highlights that there is much left to know about cardiac health. To help us climb the learning curve of how we keep our tick-tocker ticking, we met with renown cardiologist Kent Gershengorn to help us decode the latest science. We discussed sudden cardiac death after blunt chest trauma - what we believe struck Damar Hamlin. We also explored the good news on the most advanced current and future treatments and technologies for after a person develops a heart condition. Perhaps most importantly, we covered much of what we can do to prevent or postpone developing any of the various heart conditions in the first place.Join us.

We rang in the New Year with renowned restaurateur Narsai David to discuss food, wine, and recall some of his favorite food memories and explore his latest culinary discoveries and innovations. As one who helped birth the California fresh food revolution, his suggestions and recommendations bring deliciousness within reach. His guidance for a Narsai-kind of fantasy meal is approachable for the novice, inspiring for the expert and easy on the pocketbook. I've interviewed a number of the world's great chefs, but personally, if I want or need advice when it comes to food or wine, I go to Narsai David - a chef, a restaurateur, a winemaker, a food columnist, as well as a longtime food and wine editor for KCBS Radio and a PBS television host of the nationally syndicated "Over Easy." He's a leading gourmet and culinary expert whose knowledge of food is vast, and his knowledge of wines would probably eclipse most wine sommeliers. He's also past president of the Pacific Coast Farmers Market Association, and the author of a book called "Monday Night at Narsai's."

We met with Stanford Graduate School of Business Professor and expert on Power, Jeffrey Pfeffer, to discuss his latest influential work, 7 Rules of Power. While many might malign an ambition to acquire and wield power, Pfeffer lays bare the pragmatic truth that change happens only with the adept identification of the levers of power, and the artful accumulation and use of power to affect the change we seek. He disabused any notion that power in and of itself is negative. Only how it is used can be criticized. As he quickly points out, "If you want power to be used for good, then more good people need to have power." Our discussion is a brief primer of his life's research into his treatise on the mechanics of power, and an invaluable guide for anyone hoping to affect change. Pfeffer's pragmatic straight talk might be thought by some as astringent, but his sober understanding of how the world turns is a wakeup call for anyone who thinks it is sufficient to simply engage in "moral talk." Because so many who are willing to use the strategies and tactics of power are not using it for good, join us to learn how to counteract the negative by becoming equally effective in your own ability to get things done and realize the desirable change we hope to see in the world.