This is the first in a two-part series about utopian societies exploring the benefits of community cooperation and its dark sides — how the rejection of the status quo can morph into extremism and fanaticism. This week, KCRW’s Jonathan Bastian talks with Akash Kapur about his childhood memories growing up in Auroville, a utopian community in southern India. Kapur is the author of “Becoming India: A Portrait of Life in Modern India.” His latest book, “Better To Have Gone: Love, Death and the Quest for Utopia in Auroville,” explores

Kenneth Rosen, journalist and author of “Troubled: The Failed Promise of America’s Behavioral Treatment Programs,” takes a closer look at the “tough love” industry and the damaging legacy of wilderness therapy boot camps through the eyes of four former residents — and his own personal experience being forcibly taken from his home as a teenager. Host Jonathan Bastian also talks with Will White, the author of “Stories from the Field: A History of Wilderness Therapy” and teaching lecturer at Plymouth State University, about the history and positive effects of wilderness therapy programs.

Brian Earp, researcher and co-author of “Love Drugs: The Chemical Future of Relationships,” talks about the range of positive effects that MDMA, also known as ecstasy or molly, have on relationships. What could de-stigmatizing MDMA mean for couples therapy? KCRW also talks with the clinical director of the Gottman Institute and founder of the Center for Relationship Wellness about the essence of a successful relationship. 

On this week’s Life Examined, scientist and author of “Ageless: The New Science of Getting Older Without Getting Old” Andrew Steele talks about the race to turn back the clock on the aging process. We also talk with University of Florida Sociology Professor Monika Ardelt about the wisdom that comes with old age.  Can being wise help you age successfully? 

The average person takes about 25,000 breaths a day but the majority of us give little thought as to how the air actually goes in or goes out of our lungs. What have we misunderstood about the breath and how can healthy breathing habits help both our physical and mental well being? 

Ancient stoic wisdom is having an unexpected modern day resurgence. Whether it’s daily Instagram quotes, blogs, or good old fashioned books — the writings of Marcus Aurelius, Seneca, and Epictetus are today enjoying something of a comeback. And their appeal is wide, including entrepreneurs, hipsters, sports figures, and even parents.

KCRW’s Jonathan Bastian talks with renowned Buddhist teacher and psychologist Tara Brach about meditation, mindfulness, and trusting our “inner gold.” Her books include “Radical Acceptance, Embracing Your Life With the Heart of a Buddha,” “True Refuge: Finding Peace and Freedom in Your Own Awakened Heart,” and most recently, “Trusting the Gold: Uncovering Your Natural Goodness.”

For African Americans, June 19 (Juneteenth) is both a celebration of freedom and an occasion of somber remembrance. It marks the day in 1865 when enslaved African Americans in Texas learned that they were free — two years after the Emancipation Proclamation was signed. Until recently, only a handful of states, including Texas, have acknowledged June 19 as a historical date that’s just as significant as Memorial Day, Labor Day, and Independence Day. How should we embrace and celebrate America’s not so glorious past, and could Juneteenth change the way we think about our nation? Artist and poet Sybil Roberts Williams shares her way of celebrating Juneteenth and why the arts are so important in shaping the future self-identification of African Americans. We also talk about how Black people still need to be fully acknowledged in U.S. history books — with University of Texas history professor Austin Peniel Joseph.

Music has always played an important role in cultures across the globe and across the millenia. The discovery of a  40,000-year-old bone flute in a German cave showed that hominids, our prehistoric ancestors, could use a tool to produce sound. Technology continues to impact the history and evolution of music, from the lyres depicted in the art of ancient Greece to the orchestras, synthesizers, and electronics used today. Music professor and author Michael Spitzer traces our history of and relationship to music, and tracks the impact music has had on our lives, from Mozart and jazz to Beyonce and hip-hop. Harvard psychiatrist David Silberswieg also discusses how listening to music enhances brain function.  Could listening to music help with depression and Parkinson’s disease?

Friendship is one of the most important components and predictors for emotional and physical well being. A good friendship can last a lifetime, but it’s never too late to make new friends, as long as we devote time and energy to that effort. As we re-engage with one another after a year of isolation, who will we choose to interact with, and why does hanging out with our friends feel so good? On this week’s “Life Examined,” science journalist and author Lydia Denworth explains the science and evolution behind friendship and what primates can teach us about the value of social bonds. She says that “a good friendship is as important to our health as diet and exercise.” We’ll also hear from journalist Kate Murphy about why the pandemic has provided us with a useful opportunity to drop the friends that drain and drag you down.