Aspen Ideas to Go

Those who study human behavior have learned that simply by encouraging—or “nudging”—individuals toward the right decisions for themselves, dramatic improvements can be made. Cultural commentator David Brooks and Cass Sunstein, legal scholar and the founder and director of the Program on Behavioral Economics and Public Policy at Harvard Law School, discuss the power of “nudge” and how, broadly implemented, it can be a force for substantial change. aspenideas.org

In these final days of Barack Obama’s presidency, we consider how the future will view his leadership. Will economic recovery and health care victories at home be overshadowed by what many see as his failure to intervene meaningfully in conflicts abroad? Critics on the left wish the president had gone further on several key issues, while critics on the right have little good to say about Obama’s governance. With an approval rating of 55 percent, the highest it’s been in years, President Obama seems poised to leave office on a high note. But what will the history books say? aspenideas.org

What actually happens to the brain when we meditate? Published studies have documented the many physical and mental health benefits of meditation, including decreased pain, better immune function, less anxiety and depression, a heightened sense of well-being, and greater happiness and emotional self-control. Imaging studies show, with meditation there’s increased activity in brain regions associated with attention, a higher volume of grey matter, and lessened amygdala response to emotional stimuli. In this episode meditation teacher and director of the David Lynch Foundation Bob Roth talks with documentary filmmaker Perri Peltz about the scientific case for taking up meditation. aspenideas.org

“I spent the first half of my life being afraid,” says Jennifer Finney Boylan, author of the bestselling memoir of transgender experience, She’s Not There, “and the second half telling people to be brave.” In this episode, Boylan opens up about her battle with suicide, how society treats her differently as a female, and the power of love and family. She talks about living life as a father for six years, a mother for twelve, and neither for a few years in between. She’s interviewed by Kirsten Powers, a Fox News contributor. aspenideas.org

Author and New York Times columnist Thomas L. Friedman says the world has entered an age of dizzying acceleration, and in this episode, he explains how to live in it. His latest book Thank you for Being Late: An Optimist’s Guide to Thriving in the Age of Accelerations delves into mega changes in terms of computing power, the global economy, and the environment. How do these changes interact? How do we keep up with a quickly changing world? Friedman discusses his book with Aspen Institute President and CEO Walter Isaacson. Their conversation is part of the Alma and Joseph Gildenhorn Book Series at the Institute. aspenideas.org

Supreme Court Justice Louis Brandeis was the greatest critic of big business and big government since Thomas Jefferson. He served in the early 20th century and was the Court’s first Jewish justice. In this lively conversation, Jeffrey Rosen of the National Constitution Center talks with Jeffrey Goldberg, editor-in-chief of The Atlantic, about Brandeis’s relevance in today’s political climate, and for the future of privacy, technology, and free speech. aspenideas.org

Why do happily married couples cheat? Why does the modern egalitarian approach to marriage quash desire? Are the heightened expectations we bring to modern love combined with our pursuit of happiness directly related to infidelity? In this episode, author and couples therapist Esther Perel tackles the topic of infidelity. Perel is recognized as one of the most insightful and provocative voices on personal and romantic relationships and the complex science behind human interaction. She wrote the bestseller Mating in Captivity and is a consultant for the Showtime television series The Affair. Perel is interviewed by Hanna Rosin, co-host of NPR’s Invisibilia. aspenideas.org

New York Times columnist David Brooks explores a life well lived. In this episode he examines happiness and commitments. In his book The Road to Character, he studies people who radiate an inner light. What work did they do to reach higher levels of happiness? A successful life usually depends on making four major commitments: to spouse or family, a faith or philosophy, a community, and a vocation. How do we choose what we will commit to, and how do we execute those commitments? aspenideas.org

Mike Mullen, retired admiral and former Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, says the national security challenges the new Trump administration will face are plentiful. Mullen gives insight into President-elect Donald Trump’s pick for national security advisor, General Mike Flynn. What kind of leader will he be? And how will he guide Trump – who has no national security experience – on issues centered around Russia, China, and Syria? Foreign policy experts, journalists, students and Aspen Institute President and CEO Walter Isaacson pose questions to Mullen, a featured speaker at the Aspen Institute’s Washington Ideas Roundtable series. aspenideas.org

To find the path to long life and health, Dan Buettner and his team study the world’s “Blue Zones,” communities whose elders live with vim and vigor to record-setting age. In this episode, Buettner debunks the most common nutrition myths and offers a science-backed blueprint that outlines how the average American can live another 12 quality years. What are the diet and lifestyle habits that keep people spry past age 100? What should you be eating to live a longer life? Buettner is in conversation with Ezekiel Emanuel, chair of the Department of Medical Ethics and Health Policy at the University of Pennsylvania. aspenideas.org