Smart People Podcast

Shamus Khan - What is it really like to be the 1%? The income gap is a hot topic these days, but rarely do we learn what it is truly like to grow up in a world where money is no object. This week we get a behind the scenes look at how the American elite are raised and what it's like to be part of 'high society'. Shamus Khan teaches in the sociology department at Columbia University.  He writes on elites and inequality in America.  He is the author of Privilege: The Making of an Adolescent Elite at St. Paul's School. He recently served as an opinion columnist for Time Magazine and continues to write about sociology in popular press.  With Dorian Warren, he is the director of a Russell Sage Foundation working group on “The Political Influence of Economic Elites” (which is very cool!). " The reality of the American condition is that we are one of the most unequal of the developed nations." - Shamus Khan Quotes from Shamus: What we learn in this episode: What exactly is inequality? What is the tie between money, value, and self worth? How do wealthy people think through the experience of wealth? Do the rich truly earn their money, or is it often just a set of lucky circumstances? Resources: Privilege: The Making of an Adolescent Elite at St. Paul's School http://shamuskhan.wordpress.com/ The Political Influence of Economic Elites (Russell Sage Foundation) Twitter: @shamuskhan -- This episode is brought to you by: 99Designs: Go to 99designs.com/SMART to get a $99 Power Pack of services for FREE today!   Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Dan Buettner - Do you want to live to 100+? Of course you do, as long as you don't have to wear a diaper! Our guest this week has figured out the key to living to the ripe old age of 100 and beyond and he's here to share it with you.  National Geographic writer and explorer Dan Buettner studies the world's longest-lived peoples, distilling their secrets into a single plan for health and long life. He is the author of the New York Times best selling book, The Blue Zones: 9 Lessons for Living Longer From the People Who've Lived the Longest.  His TED Talk “How to live to be 100+” has been viewed over 2 million times and his New York Times Sunday Magazine article, “The Island Where People Forget to Die” was the second most popular article of 2012. Dan has Keynoted speeches for Bill Clinton’s Health Matters Initiative, Google Zeitgeist, TEDMED and many more nationally renowned conferences.  He has been featured twice on Oprah and has received an Emmy award for television production. "Money does buy happiness to a certain extent. You need to be able to buy the necessities. However, after you obtain a certain amount, the effect of an added dollar does not buy you an added dollar of happiness. - Dan Buettner Quotes from Dan: What we learn in this episode: One of the keys to fitness and health is moderate exercise throughout the day, not spurts of intense activity. What are the secrets to living a long and healthy life? What factors play the biggest role of someone being truly happy? Resources: The Blue Zones: 9 Lessons for Living Longer From the People Who've Lived the Longest http://www.bluezones.com/speaking/dan-buettner/ Dan Buettner - Ted Talk: How to live to be 100+ Twitter: @BlueZones Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Daniel Burrus - What if you could see into the future? Our guest this week is considered one of the World’s Leading Futurists on Global Trends and Innovation.The New York Times has referred to him as one of the top three business gurus in the highest demand as a speaker. He is a strategic advisor to executives from Fortune 500 companies helping them to develop game-changing strategies based on his proven methodologies for capitalizing on technology innovations and their future impact. He is the author of six books, including The New York Times and The Wall Street Journal best seller Flash Foresight: How to See the Invisible and Do the Impossible. Daniels' accurate predictions date back to the early 1980s where he became the first and only technology futurist to accurately identify the  twenty technologies that would become the driving forces of business and economic change for decades to come. Since then he has established a worldwide reputation for his exceptional record of predicting the future of technology driven change and its direct impact on the business world. "Life is a journey.  Part of that journey is not just using your talents, but trying to decide what is your gift and then directing your talents to support your gift so you can soar to new heights." - Daniel Burrus Quotes from Daniel: What we learn in this episode: How to spot potential future trends Where is technology going? Why? Can you scientifically forecast the future? Hard trends versus soft trends Resources: www.burrus.com/magazine - GET free stuff :) Flash Foresight: See the Invisible to Do the Impossible http://www.burrus.com/ http://www.huffingtonpost.com/daniel-burrus/ Twitter: @DanielBurrus This episode is brought to you by: Stamps.com: Anything you can do at the Post Office, you can now do right from your desk with Stamps.com. Buy and print official U.S. postage for ANY letter or package using your own computer & printer. Use our promo code smart for this SPECIAL OFFER: A no-risk trial & a $110 Bonus Offer – includes a digital scale and up to $55 FREE postage! Remember, go to Stamps.com and use promo code smart. Squarespace: Squarespace, the all-­in-­one platform that makes it fast and easy to create your own professional website, portfolio, and online store. For a free trial and 10% off your first purchase, go to squarespace.com/smartpeople and use promo code expert. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Branko Milanovic - Income inequality in the United States has been increasing since the early 1980's, and it's only getting worse. Perhaps even more worrisome is the continuing growth in the income gap on a global basis. The wealth gap between the richest and the poorest countries is becoming so large that our entire economic system is in danger. This week we are joined by Branko Milanovic, the former head economist in the World Bank's research department as we discuss income inequality around the world and his most recent book, The Haves and the Have-Nots: A Brief and Idiosyncratic History of Global Inequality. The Globalist selected The Haves and the Have-Nots as number one on its "top books of 2011". Branko is also a professor at the University of Maryland and often writes for publications such as the Harvard Business review and The Economist. "The system that is currently in place clearly benefits the people who are rich. But those individuals are not willing, nor are they motivated to change this system." - Branko Milanovic Quotes from Branko: What we learn in this episode: An astounding 60 percent of a person's income is determined merely by where that person was born. Although income inequality is often thought of in terms of the relationship between rich and poor individuals in a country, the gap becomes increasingly more worrisome as you look at it from a global perspective. As technological advances continue, the income gap will very likely continue to grow because cheap labor is replaced by technology and wealth goes straight to the company owners. Resources: The Haves and the Have-Nots: A Brief and Idiosyncratic History of Global Inequality http://blogs.hbr.org/branko-milanovic/ Twitter: @BrankoMilan Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Brad Stone - Amazon.com has revolutionized the way humans around the world shop AND read.  From teapots to toilet bowls and everything in between, anything you want is now just a click away.  But how did they do it? Many say that amazon.com is a bully, utilizing unfair practices and harsh working conditions to create an advantage, while others tout their genius.  This week on the show, Brad Stone provides us with a behind the scenes view of this mammoth on-line retailer. Brad is the author of the highly controversial best-selling book, The Everything Store: Jeff Bezos and the Age of Amazon.  With this book, Brad utilizes his unprecedented access to current and former Amazon employees and Bezos family members, in order to give readers the first in-depth account of life at Amazon. Brad is a senior writer for Bloomberg Businessweek and best-selling author. "Select carefully the topic you devote your life to.  Make sure it's a topic where the interest scales proportionally to the time you invest in it." - Brad Stone Quotes from Brad: What we learn in this episode: How did Amazon change the world in even MORE ways than just shopping and reading? Who is Jeff Bezos and what makes him a fantastic leader and innovator? Why did Brad hunt down Jeff Bezos's biological father? Spolier alert - the father didn't even KNOW his son was the CEO of Amazon! Resources: The Everything Store: Jeff Bezos and the Age of Amazon http://www.businessweek.com/authors/411-brad-stone Twitter: @bradstone This episode is brought to you by: Stamps.com: Anything you can do at the Post Office, you can now do right from your desk with Stamps.com. Buy and print official U.S. postage for ANY letter or package using your own computer & printer. Use our promo code smart for this SPECIAL OFFER: A no-risk trial & a $110 Bonus Offer – includes a digital scale and up to $55 FREE postage! Remember, go to Stamps.com and use promo code smart. Harry's: Harry's was built out of respect for quality craftsmanship, simple design, modern convenience and most importantly for guys who know they shouldn't have to overpay for a great shave. For $5 off your first purchase, go to harrys.com and use promo code smartpeople. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Adam Bryant - Don't you wish you could get inside the minds of the top CEO's in the world to learn the secrets of their success? That's exactly what our guest this week has done. Adam is the author of Quick and Nimble; Lessons from Leading CEOs on How to Create a Culture of Innovation. His book is a summation of many of the lessons and anecdotes he has learned through hundreds of interviews with top CEO's as part of his Corner Office' series in The New York Times. Prior to working at The New York Times, Adam was a senior writer and business editor at Newsweek magazine. "The best CEO's don't have all the right answers, they have all the right questions." -Adam Bryant Quotes from Adam: What we learn in this episode: Are CEO's born leaders or do they pick it up along the way? How do CEO's lead inside their company as opposed to within their industry? What qualities do CEO's have that explains why they get promoted all the way to the corner office? Resources: Quick and Nimble; Lessons from Leading CEOs on How to Create a Culture of Innovation http://adambryantbooks.com/ Corner Office' series in The New York Times Twitter: @nytcorneroffice Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Joe De Sena - CEO and co-founder of the Spartan Race and author of Spartan Up!: A Take-No-Prisoners Guide to Overcoming Obstacles and Achieving Peak Performance in Life. Joe is a legend in endurance and adventure racing.  He completed the 135-mile Badwater Ultra-marathon, raced the 140.6 miles of Lake Placid Ironman, and finished a 100-mile trail run in Vermont....all within one week! This week we learn about grit, determination, and the absolute need to live life to the fullest. "The thing that frustrates me the most is the fact that 99% of people are just sleepwalking through life. They are living in a bubble wrapped existence." - Joe De Sena Quotes from Joe: What we learn in this episode: What's it like to grow up in the organized crime capital of the world? Is it possible to learn to be more resilient? How do you get out of your comfort zone? What are some things you could do today to truly experience life? How to build obstacle immunity. Resources: Spartan Up!: A Take-No-Prisoners Guide to Overcoming Obstacles and Achieving Peak Performance in Life http://spartanupthebook.com/ http://www.spartanrace.com/ Twitter: @spartanrace This episode is brought to you by: Opportuniteas: Opportuniteas evolved with the mission to be better. They only use ingredients with proven benefits. They show you the research and list the exact dose of everything because you deserve to know! For 10% off your first purchase, go to opportuniteas.com and use promo code smartpeople. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Suzanna Walters - Gay rights. Recent years have ushered in a whole new meaning to the idea.  Many believe that with gay marriage becoming legal and more gay role models we are becoming much more tolerant. But what about the idea that they need to be tolerated in the first place? Do any of us have the right to simply tolerate someone? This week we speak with Suzanna Walters, Director of Women's, Gender, and Sexuality Studies and Professor of Sociology at Northeastern University, as well as the author of the new book, The Tolerance Trap: How God, Genes, and Good Intentions Are Sabotaging Gay Equality. "The notion of tolerance already has built into it a kind of tepid acceptance of that which you do not really embrace." -Suzanna Walters Quotes from Suzanna: What we learn in this episode: The slippery slope we encounter when we talk about tolerance around gay rights, as if it is something that we can only tolerate and not embrace. By focusing on singular issues surrounding gay rights, we miss out on the entire idea of individual rights in general. How social inclusion and celebrating others differences is a key part of a truly thriving society. Resources: The Tolerance Trap: How God, Genes, and Good Intentions Are Sabotaging Gay Equality http://thetolerancetrap.com/ Twitter: @suzannadwalters Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Gerald Chertavian - How and why does a Wall Street millionaire start a company to help troubled young adults move from poverty to professional careers in a single year? This week we interview Gerald Chertavian, CEO of Year Up, one of the most incredible non-profit organizations we have ever come across. "You can't give until you have. " - Gerald Chertavian Year Up provides intensive professional education to urban young adults. His organization was recently recognized by Fast Company and The Monitor Group as one of the top 25 organizations in the nation using business excellence to engineer social change. Prior to starting Year Up, Chertavian co-founded Conduit Communications and served as the head of marketing at Transnational Financial Services in London. Gerald recently wrote the book, A Year Up: How a Pioneering Program Teaches Young Adults Real Skills For Real Jobs With Real Success. He was also awarded the 2003 Social Entrepreneurship Award by the Manhattan Institute and the 2005 Freedom House Archie R. Williams, Jr. Technology Award. A graduate of Bowdoin College and Harvard Business School, Chertavian was born and raised in Lowell, MA. Quotes from Gerald: What we learn in this episode: How to balance taking versus giving. How to understand what you can take from the universe as well as what you owe to the universe. For the first time in the history of this country upward mobility is lower in America than many other developed countries. That is an opportunity divide. What is the winning formula for social good? Resources: A Year Up: How a Pioneering Program Teaches Young Adults Real Skills For Real Jobs With Real Success http://www.yearup.org/ http://bigthink.com/users/geraldchertavian Twitter: @yearup Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Sam Rashkin - Author of Retooling the U.S. Housing Industry: How It Got Here, Why It's Broken, and How to Fix It. He is currently the Chief Architect of the Building Technologies Office in the Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy. Sam also managed the Energy Star for Homes since its start in 1996.  Sam knows everything there is to know about renewable energy and "zero energy homes". "One of the most significant infrastructure issues that we have in this country is the 115+ million existing homes.  We talk about roads and bridges and utility issues, but people don't realize the impact these old homes are having on our economy, energy usage, and health issues." -Sam Rashkin Under his leadership, ENERGY STAR for Homes has grown exponentially to more than 6,500 builder partners and over 940,000 labeled homes. He is also introducing a new EPA Indoor Air Quality label for the housing industry linked to ENERGY STAR Qualified Homes and an advanced technology new home program called Climate Choice for elite builders. Quotes from Sam: What we learn in this episode: How was ENERGY STAR formed? How did Sam make it so effective and grow it to what it is today? What are the health implications of living in many old homes? Did you know you can actually MAKE money by asking for an energy efficient mortgage? Sam tells you about it! What is a "zero energy ready performance" home? Resources: http://energy.gov/contributors/sam-rashkin http://energy.gov/eere/buildings/doe-challenge-home http://www.energystar.gov/?c=new_homes.hm_index This episode is brought to you by: Squarespace: Squarespace, the all-­in-­one platform that makes it fast and easy to create your own professional website, portfolio, and online store. For a free trial and 10% off your first purchase, go to squarespace.com/smartpeople and use promo code expert. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices