On this week’s Life Examined, how health organizations and employers are recognizing that workplace burnout is a real and growing problem. In 2019 the World Health Organization officially identified workplace burnout as an “occupational phenomenon.” Today burnout is reaching epidemic proportions and many employees say the pandemic has made the problem worse. Host Jonathan Bastian talks with burnout expert and author of “The Burnout Epidemic”  Jennifer Moss about why overwork has reached epidemic proportions and what employers can do about it. We also hear from Sebastian Cruz, a former hedge fund employee, who says overwork forced him to not only to quit his job but shift careers.

On this week’s Life Examined, host Jonathan Bastian talks with avid outdoor enthusiast Jaqueline L. Scott about how she fell in love with nature and birdwatching, and her efforts to make the outdoors a more welcoming and inviting space for Black people. We also hear from Yale environmental professor and historian Dorceta Taylor about the evolution of the environmental movement and how grassroots organizations, Indigenous communities, and other minorities are shaping the conversation around climate and environmental issues.

Host Jonathan Bastian talks with J.M. Thompson about how running has been a personal voyage of discovery and healing from severe depression. Thompson, a clinical psychologist, is author of “Running Is a Kind of Dreaming: A Memoir,” in which he explores childhood trauma, suicide, and the powerful medicine of ultra running.

This holiday season, as we finally enjoy the ability to gather in person, the question on many people’s minds is how to respond when a family member says they’re not vaccinated. Do we exclude our friends when they refuse to trust vaccines? How hard is it to change someone’s point of view? And what role does courage play when it comes to stepping up and doing the right thing?  Host Jonathan Bastian talks with psychologist and author Tania Israel about opening a dialogue with unvaccinated friends and family members. We also hear from Ryan Holiday, stoic philosopher and author of “Courage is Calling: Fortune Favors the Brave,” who explains that courage isn’t just bravery, but the ability to care about others more than we do ourselves.

On this week’s Life Examined, we explore why rationality matters amidst a time of mass misinformation.  Host Jonathan Bastian talks with Steven Pinker, Harvard psychologist and author of “Rationality: What It Is, Why It Seems Scarce, Why It Matters” about our ability to sort fact from fiction. We also hear from evolutionary biologist David Sloan Wilson about how the human species is evolving to become better caretakers of each other and the planet.

At a time of disconnection and distraction in the world, have we forgotten the importance of listening? Most of us are not shy about sharing our stories or voicing our opinions. But we spend much less time truly taking in what someone else says. How can asking Having better listening skills would help us build better relationships with our friends, families, and coworkers. And asking  thoughtful questions would lead to less confusion and chaos. KCRW learns how to better hear what the world around us is saying. 

Host Jonathan Bastian talks with Harvard psychologist Deirdre Barrett about our collective fascination with dreams and how COVID dreams have changed over the last year. Later, we hear from Dr. Rafael Pelayo, author of  “How to Sleep: The New Science-Based Solutions for Sleeping Through the Night,” about the science of sleep and why getting a good night’s sleep has become so difficult.

Host Jonathan Bastian talks with Meghan O'Gieblyn, author of “God, Human, Animal, Machine: Technology, Metaphor, and the Search for Meaning” about how advanced AI technologies are changing how we think about ourselves and our faith. Later, writer Linda Kinstler talks about the influential role of the tech sector on faith. And Dr. Beth Singler from the University of Cambridge in the U.K. discuses how religion is being renewed and reshaped by modern technology.  

KCRW’s Jonathan Bastian talks with cognitive scientist and philosopher Alison Gopnik about the minds of babies and children. What makes babies such avid learners, and can parents help shape who they will become? Gopnik explains that the evolutionary long human childhood results in years full of exploration and learning. On the other end of the spectrum, neuroscientist, musician, and author of “Successful Aging: A Neuroscientist Explores the Power and Potential of Our Lives” Daniel Levitin explains what the latest research shows about the mind as we age. While infants are constantly exploring and making sense of the world, by the time we reach our 70s and 80s, we've built up a whole lot of experience — enabling us to be better problem solvers. 

This is the second in a two-part series about utopian societies, exploring community living and America’s history with utopian ideas, sects, and cults. What was the appeal back then, and how do they operate today? This week, KCRW’s Jonathan Bastian talks with religion professor Ben Zeller about the characteristics of utopian societies, including sects and cults. We also hear from Chris Jennings, author of “Paradise Now: The Story of American Utopianism,” about the utopian communities of 18th and 19th century America. And Anna Newcomb, founder and resident of a co-housing community, describes her life and the appeal of living in Blueberry Hill.