Choose to be Curious

Textile artist Andi Cullins, known as the 'Grandma Moses of quilts', and the host explore the interplay between African and Western textiles, emphasizing the value of curiosity. They discuss how curiosity fosters creativity, childhood experiences that nurtured curiosity, battling cancer, retirement, and the fascination of non-traditional fabrics and techniques in quilting.

Reed Weiler explores the intersection of spirituality, religion, and social justice with American University chaplain Rev. Bryant Oskvig. They discuss the importance of curiosity in faith and spirituality and its role in addressing moral issues like climate change. The speaker compares curiosity to comfortable sneakers that motivate action, expressing gratitude to their guest host and producer. They reflect on their experience as a guest producer and share their interest in exploring the Methodist tradition.

Entrepreneur and former ad exec Michael Tennant founded Curiosity Lab to "spread curiosity, inclusivity, and empathy through storytelling experiences." One way to do that is with his "Actually Curious" playing cards, his attempt to gamify empathy and community. I think he's on to something... Theme music by Sean Balick; "Up, Up, Up and Over" by the Balloonists via Blue Dot Sessions. Photo used with permission from Actually Curious / Curiosity Lab.

Personal trainer and founder of The Line Method, Eva Meier, joins the host to discuss how curiosity can be put to work for our bodies. They explore the mind-body connection, the relationship between movement and emotions, and make fascinating analogies between curiosity and kayak navigation and weaving.

Helen Reinecke-Wilt, Arlington County's Sustainability Planner, discusses how curiosity drives efforts to achieve carbon neutrality. Topics include making communities more walkable and bike-friendly, energy consumption practices, and transportation decarbonization initiatives like EV charging stations.

Political scientist and University of Chicago professor Eric Oliver joins the host to explore the allure and impact of conspiracy theories. They discuss the prevalence of belief in conspiracy theories, the connection between curiosity and uncertainty, and how conspiracy theories relate to understanding oneself. They also draw analogies between curiosity and swimming, and discuss how curiosity can be cultivated and protected.

Dr. Nicole Rochester, healthcare advocate and equity champion, discusses the impact of the last two years on curiosity in medicine and society. They explore the challenges of medical encounters during COVID-19, the broken trust in healthcare, the importance of asking why, addressing vaccine hesitancy and health disparities, and the power of curiosity in fixing broken systems like healthcare and education.

Data visualization consultant Alli Torban discusses the role of curiosity in data visualization and the importance of skepticism when interpreting charts. They explore the concept of data humanism and how visualization can make data more approachable. The chapter also touches on metaphors for curiosity and concludes with acknowledgements and sponsor messages.

Psychologist Todd Kashdan wrote his new book The Art of Insubordination to "elevate the value of curiosity, intellectual humility, and courage in public discourse, and to teach people how to amplify their voices and help others do the same." Todd is intent on cultivating principled insubordination and pushing back against incuriosity. I figured we should talk... Check out Todd's work here: https://toddkashdan.com Theme music by Sean Balick. "Hash Out" by Sunday at Slims via Blue Dot Sessions. This episode first aired on WERA-LP, February 2022. It has been refreshed, May 2023.

Marie von Hafften, a journalist specializing in Solutions Journalism, discusses the role of curiosity in finding and telling stories. They explore the importance of trust and assessment in journalism. They also highlight the impact of Solutions Journalism on perspective and problem-solving, emphasizing the transformative effects of these stories on communities.