Aspen Ideas to Go

Paul Ryan may no longer be a member of Congress but he's still paying attention to the issues. The former Speaker of the US House retired in January. In this interview with Judy Woodruff, anchor and managing editor of "PBS NewsHour," Ryan talks about immigration, the upcoming presidential election, and why he agrees with President Trump about trade and China. Their conversation was held June 23, 2019 at the Aspen Ideas Festival. The views and opinions of the podcast guests are their own and do not necessarily reflect those of the Aspen Institute. aspenideas.org

What does it mean to be American? How is that story best told and understood? New York Times columnist David Brooks talks with Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist and undocumented immigrant Jose Antonio Vargas about citizenship without certainty. Vargas was smuggled from the Philippines to his grandparents’ home in California when he was 12 years old. He discovered a few years later that he was undocumented. In Vargas's memoir, Dear America: Notes of an Undocumented Citizen, he describes the psychological toll he experienced from hiding from the government. The book, his first, was released September 18, 2018. aspenideas.org

Millennials check their phones 150 times a day, more than 2 billion people use Facebook, and another 2 billion use YouTube. What’s the root of our digital addiction? Tristan Harris, former Google ethicist and founder of the Center for Humane Technology, says these companies have perfected the use of persuasive technology and we’ve fallen for it. It’s a problem, says Harris, because technology has the power to modify people’s behavior, attitudes and beliefs. He tells author and journalist Charles Duhigg that persuasive technology is partly to blame for political polarization, election manipulation, and loneliness. Duhigg is the author of “The Power of Habit.” aspenideas.org

Leading up to the US presidential election in 2016, Kansas pastor Adam Hamilton noticed the people in his congregation wrestling with fear. Campaign speeches and negative ads stoked anxiety, but personal fears, such as disappointment and failure, weighed on the people in his church. Hamilton, who founded the United Methodist Church of the Resurrection in Leawood, Kansas, explains tools for dealing with fear, whether it arises from politics or everyday life. He tells John Dickerson, journalist for CBS News, that fear shouldn’t hold us back from pursuits that promise fulfillment and joy. The views and opinions of the speakers in the podcast do not necessarily reflect those of the Aspen Institute. aspenideas.org

The clothing and outdoor gear company Patagonia bills itself as “the activist company” and lately, it’s been particularly active. Following the 2016 US presidential election, Patagonia donated its Black Friday sales to environmental groups. The company sued the Trump Administration for its resolution to reduce two national monuments in Utah, and in 2018 the company announced it was donating the money it saved from Trump’s tax cuts to conservation. CEO Rose Marcario says she’s acting according to the company’s values and customers are supportive. Under Marcario’s leadership, Patagonia has quadrupled revenues. In her conversation with Erik Schatzker, editor at large with Bloomberg Television, she talks about the company’s long history with activism and how championing causes impacts the bottom line. The views and opinions of the speaker are their own and do not necessarily reflect those of the Aspen Institute. aspenideas.org

It used to be that having a “bird brain” was an insult. Now, it’s practically a compliment! Turns out the brain of a bird, which is small enough to fit into a nut, is full of neurons. These animals are capable of complex cognition — they can solve problems, count, understand cause and effect, and even communicate in ways that resemble language. Jennifer Ackerman chronicles birds’ intelligence in her book, “The Genius of Birds.” She sits down with Alexander Taylor, an animal psychologist who’s been studying the Caledonian crow — a bird that creates tools and passes on those lessons to younger generations. Flora Lichtman, host of the Gimlet Media podcast “Every Little Thing,” moderates the conversation. Watch the BBC video "Are crows the ultimate problem solvers?" featuring Alexander Taylor. The views and opinions of the speakers in the podcast do not necessarily reflect those of the Aspen Institute. aspenideas.org

Read Jeffrey Rosen's article, America Is Living James Madison's Nightmare in The Atlantic. The views and opinions of the speakers in the podcast do not necessarily reflect those of the Aspen Institute. aspenideas.org

How are the tools we use to solve personal crises related to national problems? Pulitzer Prize-winning author Jared Diamond says the ways we deal with problems like divorce, the death of a loved one, a serious health problem, or financial troubles, can be used to effectively deal with crises in countries. In his newly-released book, "Upheaval: Turning Points for Nations in Crisis," Diamond examines problems in seven countries, including the United States. How can America succeed at solving problems like political polarization and socio-economic inequality using tools from a crisis therapist? Diamond is also the author of "Guns, Germs, and Steel," along with other books. He’s a professor of geography at UCLA. Show Notes: Email your comments to aspenideastogo@gmail.com. The views and opinions of the speakers in the podcast do not necessarily reflect those of the Aspen Institute. aspenideas.org

The way friends talk to one another can either bring them closer or create distance. When it comes to women’s friendships, author Deborah Tannen says women talk more often (than men), at greater length, and about more personal topics. Men’s friendships tend to be more focused around activity. Either way, friendships between women, men, and women and men can be gratifying…and complicated. Tannen talks about the patterns of communication and miscommunication that affect friendships at different stages of our lives. She’s the author of "You’re the Only One I Can Tell: Inside the Language of Women’s Friendships", "You Just Don’t Understand: Women and Men in Conversation", and many other books. Tannen is also a linguistics professor at Georgetown University. Show Notes: Email your comments to aspenideastogo@gmail.com. The views and opinions of the speakers in the podcast do not necessarily reflect those of the Aspen Institute. aspenideas.org

Millennials shoulder a lot of stereotypes. They’re called entitled and in need of instant gratification. They’re not committed to their work and expect a work-life balance at their very first job. Do these labels actually define them? Are they really any different than the generations before them? In this lighthearted and informative conversation, organizational psychologist Adam Grant and inspirational teacher Simon Sinek sit down with Katie Couric. Couric is an award-winning journalist. They explore what motivates millennials at work and how the digital world is impacting their productivity. This episode originally dropped on August 1, 2017. Show Notes: Email your comments to aspenideastogo@gmail.com. The views and opinions of the speakers in the podcast do not necessarily reflect those of the Aspen Institute. aspenideas.org