How Do We Fix It?

How Do We Fix It?

DaviesContent

From politics to the personal, we're about bridging rigid partisan divides and listening with respect to different points of view. Our podcast is hosted by longtime journalist Richard Davies. We challenge authors, experts and provocateurs in a search for positive, practical ideas. Guests include David Blankenhorn, Mónica Guzmán, Dr. Francis Collins, and other leaders and members of Braver Angels. “How Do We Fix It?" - a repair manual for the real world. Produced by DaviesContent. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Braver Angels. Learning & Listening Across Political Divides: Wilk Wilkinson

Braver Angels. Learning & Listening Across Political Divides: Wilk Wilkinson

(Use first three paragraphs for page one)#426 Braver Angels. Learning & Listening Across Political Divides: Wilk WilkinsonWhat do you think of people who you totally disagree with about politics? Can you listen to their point of view and have a constructive conversation? Do you dismiss the other side as evil or deplorable?In this episode we hear from Wilk Wilkinson, a Christian conservative who voted for Donald Trump. He has working class roots and grew up poor. A decade ago Wilk was enraged at

Feb 21, • 23:46

Why Should I Trust You? Vaccines and Public Health. Brinda Adhikari and Tom Johnson

Why Should I Trust You? Vaccines and Public Health. Brinda Adhikari and Tom Johnson

In the five years since the COVID pandemic began, trust in public health institutions and vaccines has plummeted. According to a new opinion poll, just over half of the public now says they trust the Food and Drug Administration to make the right recommendations on health issues at least “a fair amount,” down from nearly two-thirds (65%) in June 2023. About 1 in 4 Republicans parents now say they’ve akipped or delayed some children’s vaccines."Why Should I Trust You?" is a new podcast about why

Feb 7, • 23:42

Braver Faith: Building Bridges With Respect Not Agreement. Mark Beckwith

Braver Faith: Building Bridges With Respect Not Agreement. Mark Beckwith

How Do We Fix It? raises questions about solutions to divisive topics of politics and public policy: Decidedly secular matters. In this episode we look at how religious groups and institutions can help bring people together across divides. Braver Faith is our focus. The Right Rev. Mark Beckwith is our guest.Braver Faith is one the newest and most vibrant groups within Braver Angels— America's largest cross-partisan, volunteer-led movement that works to push back against rigid polarization. Led b

Jan 24, • 23:10

Braver Angels "Road Trip Across a Divided America": Joseph Sim

Braver Angels "Road Trip Across a Divided America": Joseph Sim

In the fall 2024, a young British filmmaker jumped in a small car and drove across America, asking more than 200 strangers the same two questions: "How did we lose connection with our neighbors, and how do we get it back?" Many of the answers and explanations are fascinating."I am a firm believer that developing a curiosity or a curiosity in strangers is the cure for a polarized and isolated world," says Joseph Sim, the director and producer of the new documentary, "A Road Trip Across a Divided

Dec 13, 2024 • 22:38

Holiday Helper: Embracing Disagreement With Love. Tania Israel and Arthur Brooks

Holiday Helper: Embracing Disagreement With Love. Tania Israel and Arthur Brooks

The holiday season is here, but many people across the country may dread sitting down with their nearest and dearest— all because of politics.In this episode we share down-to-earth advice from two wise experts who have thought deeply and creatively about how to minimize conflict and maximize cooperation with parents, family, and friends.Tania Israel is a Professor of Counseling Psychology at the University of California, Santa Barbara and award-winning author of "Beyond Your Bubble: How to Navig

Nov 27, 2024 • 30:03

Braver Angels Reds and Blues: Election Day 2024 and Beyond

Braver Angels Reds and Blues: Election Day 2024 and Beyond

Some wore red hats, others wore blue. Outside scores of polling places in many states across the country, pairs of Democrats and Republicans sat together in a radically simple experiment called the Braver Angels Election Day Initiative.The contrast between dire media forecasts of violence, and calamity during the election and what actually happened was stark. The day passed by calmly with minimal reports of disruption. There was a sense of quiet majesty that day.In this episode we hear about the

Nov 15, 2024 • 23:20

Tangle: Independent, Non-partisan News. Isaac Saul

Tangle: Independent, Non-partisan News. Isaac Saul

Do you believe what you see in newspapers, websites and on TV? Most Americans don't trust the people who are supposed to truthfully report the news. A new Gallup poll says Americans have record-low trust in mass media. Only one-in-three adults has a "great deal" or a "fair amount" of confidence in the media to report the news "fully, accurately and fairly."More than 150,000 readers each day turn to Tangle, a website read by liberals, conservatives and independents. Every day Tangle tackles one c

Nov 1, 2024 • 25:12

Braver Angels Election Day Initiative. Elizabeth Doll and Don Goldberg

Braver Angels Election Day Initiative. Elizabeth Doll and Don Goldberg

Are you fed up with politics and especially the presidential campaign? On How Do We Fix It? we're reporting on the people, projects and ideas of Braver Angels. This nationwide citizen-led movement is a growing coalition of liberals and conservatives working to restore hope and co-operation to our politics. In this episode we speak with a second pair of Red-Blue volunteers who will be working together and meeting voters outside a polling site on November 5th. It's all part of the nationwide Elect

Oct 25, 2024 • 22:16

Braver Angels: Red and Blue Voters Together on Election Day

Braver Angels: Red and Blue Voters Together on Election Day

These final days before the election are tense times. Today’s toxic politics are hurtful and heart breaking for many of us.Maybe we all need a hope vaccine. An injection of kindness, curiosity and understanding for those who see the world differently than we do. In our latest report on the work, ideas, and people of Braver Angels, the nationwide citizen-led campaign against political polarization, we learn more about its Election Day Initiative: A volunteer-led effort to push back against politi

Oct 11, 2024 • 23:26

Braver Angels Trustworthy Elections Report: Larry Mayes and Walt McKee

Braver Angels Trustworthy Elections Report: Larry Mayes and Walt McKee

Elections are vital to all democracies: The authority of the government comes solely from the consent of the governed. But millions of Americans don’t trust the electoral process and have highly negative views of politics.. Many have little or no confidence that all votes will be fairly and accurately counted. What should be done to improve our elections? We discuss reforms that both conservative reds and liberals blues can endorse. Some may surprise you, including ending gerrymandering and the

Sep 27, 2024 • 25:40

How Braver Angels is Bridging Divides. David Blankenhorn (part 2)

How Braver Angels is Bridging Divides. David Blankenhorn (part 2)

Braver Angels is addressing a huge threat that could disrupt the future of our democratic republic: The rigid, often bitter, divisions between reds and blues. While nearly four in ten voters identify as "independent", more than nine in ten Americans fall into one of two broad categories. They identify as either conservative or liberal leaning and tend to vote for either Republicans or Democrats."If this country breaks apart, if violence increases to the point where we are killing each other, it

Sep 13, 2024 • 26:53

Braver Angels: Past Present & Future. David Blankenhorn (part 1)

Braver Angels: Past Present & Future. David Blankenhorn (part 1)

“I don’t do this work in optimism. I do it in hope”, Braver Angels President David Blankenhorn tells us. “If we’re going to have any chance to fix this and save our country, this is what needs to be done.”Soon after the tumultuous 2016 election Braver Angels sprung to life— co-founded by David, Bill Doherty and David Lapp. Two years after its founding this nationwide volunteer-led citizen movement had its first convention attended by 72 conservative and 72 liberal delegates. This year, more than

Aug 30, 2024 • 25:59

Braver Angels Truth & Trust. Francis Collins and Wilk Wilkinson

Braver Angels Truth & Trust. Francis Collins and Wilk Wilkinson

When renowned physician-scientist Francis Collins was about to have his first conversation with Christian conservative Wilk Wilkinson in early 2022, he admits that he had concerns. "I thought oh boy, this is going to be a tough one". Dr. Collins had recently stepped down as Director of NIH— The National Institutes of Health. He served under Presidents Obama, Trump, and Biden, and played a leading role in the federal response to the COVID pandemic. Podcaster Wilk Wilkinson, who lives in rural Min

Aug 16, 2024 • 31:21

Braver Angels: Guide Across The Divide. Móni Guzmán

Braver Angels: Guide Across The Divide. Móni Guzmán

Toxic polarization is "the problem that eats all other problems... It's the sludge at the base of everything else," says our guest Mónica Guzmán. Think how much progress could be made on the great problems of today if politics were much more about discovering nuance than shouting slogans.This show is our second episode on the work, people, and ideas of the volunteer-led cross-partisan campaign, Braver Angels. In the coming months, we'll report on their initiatives and projects. Americans who are

Aug 2, 2024 • 24:43

Braver Angels at The Republican Convention: Jessie Mannisto and Luke Nathan Phillips

Braver Angels at The Republican Convention: Jessie Mannisto and Luke Nathan Phillips

This is our first in a series of new reports on the work, people and projects of Braver Angels— the largest volunteer-led group in the bridging community. The show was recorded a few days after the assassination attempt against Donald Trump. Our guests are Jessie Mannisto and Luke Nathan Phillips, who spent this week in Milwaukee, right outside the Fiserv Forum Arena, site of the Republican National Convention. Since its founding after the 2016 election, Braver Angels has brought together many h

Jul 19, 2024 • 27:04

Special Announcement About Our Future

Special Announcement About Our Future

In the last episode Jim Meigs and Richard Davies celebrated more than nine years as co-hosts. They also announced that their podcasting partnership was ending. But "How Do We Fix It?" is not going away. Instead we plan to focus on something we've covered a great deal recently, and is of urgent importance right now: The broken nature of American politics. In the weeks to come, Richard will be the solo host of the show. We'll feature a series of creative, constructive conversations with bridge bui

Jul 18, 2024 • 0:59

Jim & Richard: A Friendship Across Divides

Jim & Richard: A Friendship Across Divides

When we first started our podcast in the spring of 2015, Jim and Richard came from different political tribes. They still do. But during more than 400 shows they've deepened their friendship and learned a tremendous amount from each other, and our remarkable guests.While "How Do We Fix It?" podcast will continue its journey, Jim and Richard's nine years as co-hosts ends with this show. We discuss why the partnership is ending (spoiler alert: it's amicable!) and what they discovered about podcast

Jun 28, 2024 • 24:44

The Case For Ranked Choice Voting. Rob Richie

The Case For Ranked Choice Voting. Rob Richie

Supporters of Ranked Choice Voting argue that we need to a big change how we vote. Our “choose-one” elections, they say, deprive voters of meaningful choices, create increasingly toxic campaign cycles, advance candidates who lack broad support and leave voters feeling like our voices are not heard. We examine the case for this form of proportional representation. Ranked Choice Voting could boost electoral turnout, reduce polarization, and cut the public cost of running elections. This relatively

May 30, 2024 • 27:18

Refuge: A Unique Strength of Liberalism: Professor Bryan Garsten

Refuge: A Unique Strength of Liberalism: Professor Bryan Garsten

Liberalism is out of fashion. You might say that it's under siege. From the populist right to the progressive left, liberal touchtones of limited government, personal freedom, the rule of law, and a mixed economy have come in for harsh criticism.Liberalism is assailed by many critics, but it has not failed, argues Yale Political Science Professor Bryan Garsten. "A liberal society is unique in that it offers refuge from the very people it empowers" through "institutions and different&nb

May 17, 2024 • 33:14

The Collapse of Local News and How to Rebuild Regional Journalism: Anna Brugmann

The Collapse of Local News and How to Rebuild Regional Journalism: Anna Brugmann

In much of the country local news has collapsed, threatening civic pride and a sense of community for countless towns and cities. This dramatic change has also deepened America's divides.As our guest, journalist and public policy researcher Anna Brugmann explains in this episode, "the internet disrupted the local journalism model". Newspaper advertising revenue fell 80% since 2000. Thousands of local and regional publications closed. Most surviving newsrooms faced d

Apr 19, 2024 • 23:45

Diversity Is Great. DEI Isn't. Amna Khalid and Jeff Snyder

Diversity Is Great. DEI Isn't. Amna Khalid and Jeff Snyder

Diversity equity and inclusion: Sounds like a good thing in an incredibly diverse country such as ours, especially when teaching young people at American colleges and universities.But the DEI industry - or DEI Inc. — has arguably gone off the rails. There’s a big difference between the intentions behind a lot of diversity training and the results. We learn about the crucial difference between training and education, and hear the case against the Stop WOKE Act in Florida.Histo

Mar 22, 2024 • 35:30

Politics: Majority In The Middle. Shannon Watson

Politics: Majority In The Middle. Shannon Watson

News coverage of Super Tuesday and other party primaries focused mainly on base voters— Democrats and Republicans. But most Americans are actually on the political sidelines or somewhere in the middle. Many have a mix of conservative and liberal views.This episode is about them. Our guest is Shannon Watson, the Founder and Executive Director of Majority in the Middle. Her Minnesota-based non-profit group works to give voters and elected officials a place t

Mar 8, 2024 • 29:35

Changing Journalism: Boosting Trust in the News Media. Joy Mayer

Changing Journalism: Boosting Trust in the News Media. Joy Mayer

Only four-in-ten Americans say they have a lot of trust in the news media. That's a big problem for our democracy, especially in this volatile presidential election year. While journalists are supposed to tell the truth and get the story right, just 35% of right-of-center voters have some trust in what they see on the news.Democrats and independents are much more likely to trust journalists, but Americans of almost all shades of opinion are skeptical of the journali

Feb 9, 2024 • 26:05

Ideas For Everyone: The Virtues of a Liberal Education. Roosevelt Montás

Ideas For Everyone: The Virtues of a Liberal Education. Roosevelt Montás

What is the point of a good education? Do we need it to learn a narrow set of skills ro help us get ahead in the workplace, or should knowledge and learning to be used over a lifetime to acquire wisdom that enables us to think more deeply about our place in the world?This question has profound resonance at a time of angry divides over American politics and moral confusion at elite American universities. The President of Harvar

Jan 26, 2024 • 30:06

What Could Go Right? 2024 Predictions Show

What Could Go Right? 2024 Predictions Show

From the economy and prospects for a Biden vs Trump rematch to the future for global energy and artificial intelligence, Richard and Jim make their forecasts for 2024. And we re-visit our predictions from exactly a year ago and report on precisely how we did. "It's sort of like weather forecasters and opinion pollsters going back and owning up to their mistakes," says Richard. "I mean, who often do we see that!"Once again, Meigs and Davies make their best guesses about what's to come this y

Jan 12, 2024 • 26:09

How to Escape The Identity Trap - Yascha Mounk (part two)

How to Escape The Identity Trap - Yascha Mounk (part two)

We continue our discussion with Yascha Mounk, one of the leading public intellectuals of our time. The subject is a hugely influential ideology that attempts to put racial, sexual and gender identity at the center of our social, cultural and political life. The "identity synthesis", Mounk argues, denies that members of different groups can truly understand one another and this stifles public discourse.In this podcast episode, we learn why an obsession with identity undermines social justice

Dec 29, 2023 • 31:48

The Origins of Today's Identity Politics - Yascha Mounk (part one)

The Origins of Today's Identity Politics - Yascha Mounk (part one)

Having skewered right-wing populism and its demagogues in his two previous best-selling books, politics professor, writer, and podcaster Yasha Mounk turns now to the threat posed to liberalism from those progressives who champion "woke" identity politics. We discuss his latest, "The Identity Trap: A Story of Ideas and Power In Our Time."This episode— the first of two with Yasha Mounk — looks at the complex roots of a highly influential ideology based on personal identity— spe

Dec 15, 2023 • 31:30

Imaging a Better Future. How Doomers Prevent Progress. James Pethokoukis

Imaging a Better Future. How Doomers Prevent Progress. James Pethokoukis

Yes, it's our 400th episode. But instead of looking back over the past eight-and-a-half years of our podcasts, we consider the future: How collective optimism or pessimism can have a huge impact on the economy, risk taking, and the acceptance of new technologies that spark growth and innovation.Our guest is scholar and journalist James Pethokoukis of the American Enterprise Institute, author of "The Conservative Futurist: How To Create the Sci-Fi World We Were Promi

Dec 1, 2023 • 36:13

Polarization Series: Bridging Divides at Braver Angels. Erica Manuel and Manu Meel

Polarization Series: Bridging Divides at Braver Angels. Erica Manuel and Manu Meel

Affective polarization in America – the gap between voters' positive feelings about their own political party or "side" and negative feelings toward the opposing party – has sharply increased during the past two decades.We speak with two leaders in local government and a nationwide students group about effective ways to bridge divides. Erica Manuel is CEO and Executive Director at the Institute for Local Government in Roseville, California. She has over 20 years of exper

Nov 17, 2023 • 30:15

Polarization Series: The Soul of Civility. Alexandra Hudson

Polarization Series: The Soul of Civility. Alexandra Hudson

It's easy to look at the impacts of rigid polarization and blame our leaders and political parties, the media, or the education system. In this episode, we hear an argument that the first thing all of us should do is focus on what we can control: ourselves. We discuss how to learn to live with others despite deep divisions. All democracies need protests and debates to flourish. But we also need to respect ourselves and acknowledge the dignity of others.Alexandra Hudson is the

Nov 3, 2023 • 28:38

Polarization Series: The Keys to Good Conflict. Hélène Biandudi Hofer

Polarization Series: The Keys to Good Conflict. Hélène Biandudi Hofer

Destructive conflict aims to destroy the other side. But constructive conflict can be a force for good.In this episode we learn how good conflict helps move people beyond polarization, slogans, and angry tweets to a place where they can connect and grow— even as they strongly disagree. Hélène Biandudi Hofer says that when we have the vocabulary and basic skills to investigate conflict with curiosity, it can change everything.Journalists Hélène Biandudi Hofer and Amanda Ripley

Oct 20, 2023 • 28:22

Polarization Series: Is Social Media to Blame? Professor Chris Bail

Polarization Series: Is Social Media to Blame? Professor Chris Bail

Almost everyone has an opinion about the impact of social media on political polarization. Most of us believe that Twitter, Facebook, Reddit, YouTube and other sites have made our civic life more angry and divided. But how much of this is true? Are consumers as much to blame as the platforms themselves?15 years ago, in the very early days of social media, many Americans had a much more positive view of this new technology. It was bringing friends and

Oct 6, 2023 • 34:17

Polarization: My Side Is Wrong. Jim & Richard

Polarization: My Side Is Wrong. Jim & Richard

Have you ever been asked by a political opponent to describe what's wrong or weak about your own side's arguments? That's what Richard and Jim do here. This episode could have been ripped from a Braver Angels training seminar, but to our knowledge, no other podcast has tried this before.Liberal-leaning Richard takes on three hot topics, picked by Jim, where the left is wrong. Jim does the same thing for his side, discussing three examples picked by Richard.The groun

Sep 22, 2023 • 26:08

Polarization: Is America Too Fragmented? Rick Pildes and Lee Drutman

Polarization: Is America Too Fragmented? Rick Pildes and Lee Drutman

Why is American politics so dysfunctional? Is it because we are too polarized or too fragmented? Throughout this fall we will be exploring different aspects of polarization— arguably the most important threat to both effective governance and a stable democracy. This episode includes an edited recording of a lively conversation from the podcast, "Politics In Question", between Rick Pildes, Professor of Constitutional Law at NYU School of Law, and political scientist Lee D

Sep 8, 2023 • 30:35

American Polarization: Political and Personal. Mónica Guzmán

American Polarization: Political and Personal. Mónica Guzmán

Toxic polarization is "the problem that eats all other problems... It's the sludge at the base of everything else," our guest Mónica Guzmán tells us. In this really useful repeat episode from 2022, we learn how to fight back against the confusion and heartbreak of living with rigid divides.This show is a curtain raiser for a series we are doing this fall with funding from Solutions Journalism Network. We will be examining threats to our society from polarization and rece

Aug 25, 2023 • 29:02

A Bigger Tent for Democrats: Lanae Erickson

A Bigger Tent for Democrats: Lanae Erickson

Why aren’t Democrats doing much better in elections for Congress and also in state races? We explore several reasons. One is that Democrats have been losing the support of many black, white and hispanic working class voters. We heard a forceful argument about that in "How Do We Fix It?" episode #389 with Ruy Teixeira.In this show we expand the argument and look at another group of voters often ignored by Democratic party leaders— Christians and especially Catholics who are among t

Aug 11, 2023 • 27:30

The Fight to Save the Town: Michelle Wilde Anderson

The Fight to Save the Town: Michelle Wilde Anderson

Globalization, technology, devastating impacts from the foreclosure crisis and the opioid addiction have wreaked havoc on communities left behind by the modern economy. Some of these discarded places are rural. Others are cities or suburbs. Some vote blue, others red. Some are the most diverse communities in America, while others are nearly all white, all Latino, or all Black. In this episode we visit four cities and towns with deep poverty and gutted public services— where entire comm

Jul 28, 2023 • 37:58

For the Love of Cities. Peter Kageyama

For the Love of Cities. Peter Kageyama

Why do we connect emotionally with some places and not others? Why does that matter? What does loving the place you live in have to do with healing the partisan divide? We explore these questions and hear about solutions from author, researcher and speaker Peter Kageyama.This shared episode is an edited version of a podcast released earlier this year by "Village Squarecast". Our show includes extracts from a speech delivered at a special meeting of The Village Square in Tallahassee, Florida

Jul 14, 2023 • 26:40

Where Have All The Democrats Gone? Ruy Teixeira

Where Have All The Democrats Gone? Ruy Teixeira

American politics are evenly divided between Democrats and Republicans. But our guest argues that it doesn't have to be this way. He tells fellow Democrats: "Given the problems the Republicans have, why aren't you beating the hell out of these people?"Political scientist and author Ruy Teixeira says that recent election results have been a lost opportunity as the left pursued identity politics instead of focusing on class. While more white college-educated voters have abandon

Jun 30, 2023 • 32:42

Should Money Be Free? Rethinking Interest Rates. Edward Chancellor

Should Money Be Free? Rethinking Interest Rates. Edward Chancellor

Ever since the 2008 financial crisis and recession, central bankers and most economists have agreed that it's good to keep interest rates as low as possible. Making it easy to borrow money very cheaply helps the economy recover from recessions and the COVID pandemic.But what if very cheap money has unintended consequences such as asset bubbles and bank failures, and benefits the haves much more than the have-nots of society?Our guest is financial analyst, journalist, and historian&nbsp

Jun 16, 2023 • 31:35

The Middle 70%. In This Together: Bill Shireman

The Middle 70%. In This Together: Bill Shireman

"America is rigidly divided between red and blue." That's what we're constantly being told by pundits, politicians and media outlets, both left and right.But what if that wasn't quite true?On a surprisingly large number of issues, Americans agree on the broad outlines of public policy. Author, conflict mediator, and social entrepreneur, Bill Shireman makes the case that the middle 70% of the public should have a much greater say in who gets elected to make laws and decid

Jun 2, 2023 • 28:36

AI Revolution: Disaster or Great Leap Forward? Nathanael Fast

AI Revolution: Disaster or Great Leap Forward? Nathanael Fast

Generative Artificial Intelligence has the power to transform lives and change our jobs. In this episode, we discuss the potential for good and bad from large, creative AI models such as ChatGPT.Our guest is Nathanael Fast, who serves as Director of the Neely Center for Ethical Leadership and Decision Making and Co-Director of the Psychology of Technology Institute. Professor Fast teaches in the MBA, Ph.D., and Executive Education programs at USC Marshall in Los Angeles.ChatGPT reached over

May 18, 2023 • 29:22

US-UK Relations. Fit for a King? Richard and Jim

US-UK Relations. Fit for a King? Richard and Jim

The Coronation of King Charles III promises to be very big on pomp and circumstance, but it may also play a leading role in healing divisions between post-Brexit Britain and the European Union. Leading EU officials will be in attendance at Westminster Abbey.This podcast shares a personal perspective on some of the momentous changes in the UK over recent years, and includes comparisons between the hot topics on both sides of The Atlantic. Our co-host Richard last lived in

May 4, 2023 • 28:47

What's The Future of Journalism? Nikki Usher

What's The Future of Journalism? Nikki Usher

The news media and journalists themselves are faced with a crisis of confidence and trust. The internet broke the old business model of locally-based newspaper reporting and replaced it with national opinion journalism written by and for well-educated metropolitan elites. Our guest is Nikki Usher, Associate Professor at the University of San Diego, who studies journalism, politics, tech, and power. Nikki's recent book is "News For The Rich, White and Blue: How Place and Powe

Apr 20, 2023 • 27:23

Let's Rebuild Local News: Anna Brugmann

Let's Rebuild Local News: Anna Brugmann

In much of the country local news has collapsed, threatening civic pride and a sense of community for countless towns and cities. This dramatic change has also deepened America's divides.As our guest, journalist and public policy researcher Anna Brugmann explains in this episode, "the internet disrupted the local journalism model". Newspaper advertising revenue fell 80% since 2000. Thousands of local and regional publications closed. Most surviving newsrooms faced d

Apr 6, 2023 • 27:59

Risky Business: More Bank Collapses Ahead? Allison Schrager

Risky Business: More Bank Collapses Ahead? Allison Schrager

Rising interest rates and the end of easy money were two factors in the sudden collapse of Silicon Valley Bank (SVB) and a subsequent stock market run on shares of regional banks. Questions were raised about the safety of the entire U.S. banking industry. We examine risk in banking, investing and the broader economy.Federal regulators faced harsh criticism for the latest bank failures. Progressives blamed politicians who eased regulations on medium-sized and small b

Mar 23, 2023 • 30:19

Ukraine: Why The War With Russia Has Changed The World: Marci Shore

Ukraine: Why The War With Russia Has Changed The World: Marci Shore

The people of Ukraine are facing down a military giant. Their unity and bravery in the bloody, cruel year since the Russia invasion are an inspiration to the rest of the world.Instead of talking about politics or the state of the war, we consider the battlefield of ideas. Above all this show is an attempt to put the war into context: What’s at stake for Western democracy, and what space does Ukraine fit in our history? We speak again with Marci Shore, professor of Europe

Mar 9, 2023 • 31:43

Ukraine and the Wider Conflict. Values at Stake: Jacob Mchangama

Ukraine and the Wider Conflict. Values at Stake: Jacob Mchangama

By any measure this has been a momentous week for global politics. President Biden’s surprise trip to Kyiv, his “freedom” speech in Warsaw, the visit of China’s top diplomat to Moscow, and Vladimir Putin’s decision to suspend Russian participation in the last remaining nuclear arms treaty with the U.S. are all signs of deepening big-power tensions. This coincides with the first anniversary of the bloodiest conflict in Europe since World War Two. In the early ho

Feb 23, 2023 • 27:08

Avoiding Debt-Ceiling Disaster: Chris Low

Avoiding Debt-Ceiling Disaster: Chris Low

The last time the U.S. faced a major showdown over the debt ceiling was a decade ago. Much like today, House Republicans insisted on spending cuts before they would vote to raise the amount of money the government could borrow. Then-President Obama and now-President Biden said they would not negotiate.Who will blink first? Nearly all economists and financial experts say that a debt default would have extremely serious consequences for the everyday economy and America's place in th

Feb 8, 2023 • 33:53

Anti-Racism: The Pro-Human Approach. Bion Bartning

Anti-Racism: The Pro-Human Approach. Bion Bartning

Sixty years ago in his most famous speech, the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. spoke of his vision of an America transformed. "I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character," he said. Was this an argument for a color-blind society, or should racism be thought of as structural and systematic? Ibram X. Khendi, author of the best-selling book, "How To Be An

Jan 26, 2023 • 33:09

Pushing Back Against Polarization: The Village Square. Liz Joyner

Pushing Back Against Polarization: The Village Square. Liz Joyner

One way to help solve America's polarization crisis is to hang out with someone not like you. Someone who sees the world differently or comes from a cultural background, social class, racial or ethnic group other than your own.While social media, political elites and national news outlets profit from polarization, the rest of us do not. This episode looks at one highly successful local initiative to push back against the conflict entrepreneurs who want to make us angry, fearful and divided.Our g

Jan 12, 2023 • 33:38

What Will We Fix in 2023? Jim & Richard's Predictions

What Will We Fix in 2023? Jim & Richard's Predictions

2022 was another year of COVID-induced anxiety with widespread worries about democracy, polarization, climate change and threats to democracy. But in this new year special Richard and Jim say we have reached peak fear. America may well be calming down and headed towards a new sense of normal. Our co-hosts throw caution to the wind with a series of fresh outside-the-box forecasts for the twelve months to come.We make predictions about the retreat of COVID, the outlook for

Dec 29, 2022 • 30:19

The Costs of Culture Wars: Curiosity at Risk. Deborah Appleman

The Costs of Culture Wars: Curiosity at Risk. Deborah Appleman

In some ways, our culture is less tolerant and more fragile than it once was. The teaching of literature in schools and colleges is often caught in the crossfire of the culture wars. Support for canceling books and authors by the illiberal left and demands to ban books from the reactionary right have led to the removal of important literature from classrooms and libraries. In this episode author and literature professor, Deborah Appleman mounts a rousing case for teaching tro

Dec 15, 2022 • 33:52

Our Electricity Grid is Surprisingly Fragile: Meredith Angwin

Our Electricity Grid is Surprisingly Fragile: Meredith Angwin

Every day Americans take the reliable supply of electricity for granted. Except during severe storms, we rarely, if ever, think that the lights might not turn on in the morning.But in some parts of the country, consumers face the threat of rolling blackouts, and sudden surges in the price of electricity. Nearly two years ago, nearly 300 people died when the Texas power grid partially failed during a winter cold snap. California came close to a grid collapse las

Dec 1, 2022 • 31:07

Democracy: The Voters Verdict. Layla Zaidane and David Meyers

Democracy: The Voters Verdict. Layla Zaidane and David Meyers

We have a 2022 post-election show with a twist. Instead of focusing on which party is up or down, we open the hood and examine the engine of our democracy. Voters delivered a clear verdict: Most election deniers were defeated as many voters, especially independents, split their ballots, and shunned the extremes.Our guests are Layla Zaidane, President and CEO of Millennial Action Project— the nation's largest nonpartisan organization of young lawmakers— and David Meyers, founding E

Nov 17, 2022 • 33:44

Fixing the Housing Affordability Crisis. Ed Glaeser

Fixing the Housing Affordability Crisis. Ed Glaeser

No other issue has greater potential for common ground than America's housing affordability crisis. Progressives and conservatives alike agree that for far too many Americans there is a critical shortage of available homes.Since COVID erupted in 2020 the costs of apartment rentals and homes to buy have soared. According to the real estate firm Zillow, average U.S. home prices doubled in the past decade. In recent months mortgage rates went up to levels not seen in nearly two decades. W

Nov 3, 2022 • 28:12

Homecoming: The Case for a Post-Global World with Rana Foroohar

Homecoming: The Case for a Post-Global World with Rana Foroohar

For much of the past fifty years, American political leaders of both parties have assumed that globalization and free trade would lead to more opportunity, higher living standards and increased business efficiency.But our guest, author and Financial Times columnist, Rana Foroohar, argues that with supply chain disruptions and growing economic insecurity in much of the world, the long reign of globalization is coming to end. A shift to more resilient and local businesses is now at

Oct 20, 2022 • 30:52

They Changed Our Minds. Alina Chan and Jonathan Rauch

They Changed Our Minds. Alina Chan and Jonathan Rauch

How do you tell the difference between truth and lies? The answer involves a careful process of seeking knowledge that may contradict our long held beliefs. In this episode, our hosts share two conversations with expert guests who changed Jim and Richard's minds about how they approach topics central to our understanding of politics, science, and society.Journalist and scholar Jonathan Rauch is the author of the best-selling book, "The Constitution of Knowledge".&n

Oct 14, 2022 • 28:44

Junk Science in the American Criminal Justice System. M. Chris Fabricant

Junk Science in the American Criminal Justice System. M. Chris Fabricant

No one will ever know how many innocent people have been sent to prison because of junk science and flawed forensics. In this episode, we hear from Innocence Project attorney M. Chris Fabricant about how America’s broken and racist criminal justice system often relies on bogus scientific evidence for convictions. Chris is the author of the new book, “Junk Science and the American Criminal Justice System.” Best-selling writer John Grisham calls it an “intriguing and beautifully crafted

Sep 29, 2022 • 30:30

Clean, Green, Affordable Energy: Jim Meigs

Clean, Green, Affordable Energy: Jim Meigs

Energy prices have skyrocketed this year. Rolling blackouts are still a threat in California, and as winter approaches Europe is facing a full-blown crisis that may cause widespread suffering, factory closures and a deep recession.Angered by the West's support of Ukraine, Russia has shut down supplies of natural gas that European nations had relied on for decades to heat homes and run industry. The EU, United Kingdom and others are now scrambling to find new supplies and reas

Sep 16, 2022 • 31:07

Richard and Jim's Quick Announcement

Richard and Jim's Quick Announcement

Starting this week we will publish new shows every other Thursday. After seven plus years of being a weekly podcast, Jim and Richard decided that we need a little more time and love to make and share each new show.We will also be sharing more details on our newsletter sent to friends and free subscribers of our podcast. You can sign up for regular updates right here on the website. Unlike substack and other independent publications, our solutions journalism podcast is en

Sep 9, 2022 • 2:17

Trump, Power Politics, Populism & Democracy. Darrell West

Trump, Power Politics, Populism & Democracy. Darrell West

The recent controversy about the seizure of classified government documents at Mar-a-Lago is only the latest example of outrage over former President Trump's behavior, and the responses to it. But the forces shaking American democracy didn't begin with Trump's arrival on the political scene. We learn why populism, polarization and other threats to public institutions will likely last for the foreseeable future. Our guest, Darrell West, vice president of Governance S

Sep 2, 2022 • 35:16

Democracy Reform: Ranked-Choice Voting. Rob Richie

Democracy Reform: Ranked-Choice Voting. Rob Richie

Ranked-choice voting (RCV) is a promising way to boost electoral turnout, reduce polarization, and cut the public cost of running elections. This relatively new reform is now being used in 55 states, cities and counties. In August, Alaska implemented ranked-choice voting for the first time since a 2020 referendum revamped its elections. Our guest, Rob Richie, President and CEO of FairVote, makes the case for how it works and why RCV is a viable way to imp

Aug 26, 2022 • 28:33

Democracy Reform: Propositions & Ballot Initiatives. Jenna Spinelle

Democracy Reform: Propositions & Ballot Initiatives. Jenna Spinelle

The promise and perils of direct democracy are at the heart of the debate over voter propositions and ballot initiatives. They have emerged as one way that citizens in more than two dozen U.S. states can vote directly on policy and bring issues they care about to their fellow voters.This episode is inspired by the recent podcast series, "When The People Decide", from The McCourtney Institute for Democracy. The show's producer, writer and host, Jenna Spinelle, t

Aug 19, 2022 • 25:55

What Personal Passion and Purpose Bring To Our Lives

What Personal Passion and Purpose Bring To Our Lives

World-renowned author and scientist Neil deGrasse Tyson became fascinated with astrophysics when he was a teenager. Best-selling science writer Mary Roach is known for her quirky humor and wide-eyed curiosity as she explores the often bizarre science of human behavior.This episode includes six unique perspectives about passion, purpose, and meaning in our own lives. Investment advisor and wealth manager Karen Firestone shares a story about a chance encounter with advice columnist Ann Lander

Aug 12, 2022 • 27:20

Framing Is Vital For Survival. Kenneth Cukier and Francis de Véricourt

Framing Is Vital For Survival. Kenneth Cukier and Francis de Véricourt

From pandemics, populism and climate change, AI and ISIS, inflation and growing tensions with China and Russia, we are faced with enormous challenges— some of which threaten our existence. In this episode we discuss how we are all influenced by our personal perspectives and prejudices— our frames— and how we can use mental models to see patterns, solve problems and go beyond a narrow lens of red vs. blue or "us" vs. "them."Our guests are Kenneth Cukier, deputy executive editor of "The

Aug 5, 2022 • 27:03

Common Ground. The People vs. Congress: JP Thomas, Gail Hoffman

Common Ground. The People vs. Congress: JP Thomas, Gail Hoffman

American voters are deeply dissatisfied with the government in Washington. They feel shut out of Congressional deliberations. We discuss a promising new initiative that helps engage citizens much more directly in the work of Congress and state legislatures.While Congressional gridlock has reached a new high, groundbreaking new research that we report on in this episode shows that the American people are far less polarized than elected officials. There is extensive bipart

Jul 29, 2022 • 29:24

The Fight to Save Discarded Places: Michelle Wilde Anderson

The Fight to Save Discarded Places: Michelle Wilde Anderson

Neighborhood, local and regional inequality has been overlooked too long. In this episode we visit four cities and towns with deep poverty and gutted public services— where entire communities are struggling to hold on.Our guest is Michelle Wilde Anderson, a professor of property, local government and environmental justice at Stanford Law School. Her new book is "The Fight to Save the Town: Reimagining Discarded America"."We have given up on many of these places", Michelle tells us. Dis

Jul 22, 2022 • 37:53

The Science of Polarization. Peter Coleman

The Science of Polarization. Peter Coleman

The January 6th hearings are a reminder of the impact of hatred for the other side and toxic polarization. We are rigidly divided by our politics, Facebook and other social media sites, and by news media. Nearly half of us have stopped talking with someone about political topics as a result of what they said in person or online. Our culture of contempt is dividing us all and making America ungovernable.How do we use science and proven methods to reduce toxic polarization and push back against co

Jul 15, 2022 • 28:07

Inflation! Recession? Untangling the Economy. Megan McArdle

Inflation! Recession? Untangling the Economy. Megan McArdle

Inflation is through the roof. Stocks are through the floor. Most economists say that a recession is likely to hit soon or is already here. Add to this the economic impact of the Ukraine invasion, an entitlements crisis with the possible bankruptcy of Medicare and Social Security trust funds in the coming years, and today's weird housing market. In this episode, we discuss all these, plus the tough choices now facing the Federal Reserve, pol

Jul 8, 2022 • 31:00

Why America Needs Good Conflict: Amanda Ripley

Why America Needs Good Conflict: Amanda Ripley

In recent weeks the great American divide grew again. Explosive revelations from the House January 6th Hearings and Supreme Court decisions on abortion, guns and the EPA's ability to limit carbon emissions from power plants are further examples of where the middle has been weakened. On many media platforms nuance is replaced by taunts and jeers. Our nation is trapped in high conflict. Both sides are paralyzed by fear and anger as they demonize and misunderstand the actions and motivati

Jul 1, 2022 • 24:45

Dementia: Memory and Forgetting: Nicci Gerrard

Dementia: Memory and Forgetting: Nicci Gerrard

Dementia provokes profound moral questions about our society and the meaning of life itself. How much are we connected to one another? In what ways are we distant and separated? What does it mean to have a self? How can we offer dignity to those who suffer from Alzheimer's and other forms of this terrible disease?Worldwide around 55 million people have dementia. The US Centers for Disease Control estimates that the U.S. total is nearly six million cases. The numbers are

Jun 24, 2022 • 32:02

January 6th: A New Reckoning. Bennie Thompson, Liz Cheney & Conversation

January 6th: A New Reckoning. Bennie Thompson, Liz Cheney & Conversation

History was made on January 6th, 2021, yet nearly 18 months later we are still coming to terms with what happened before and during the attack on the U.S. Capitol. In this episode, Richard and Jim discuss what's been revealed by the House Select Committee that continues to investigate the disturbing events of that day.We include excerpts from statements by Committee Chair Bennie Thompson (D) and Vice-Chair Liz Cheney. Our discussion looks at the controversy over how the

Jun 17, 2022 • 27:51

Death by Firearms— A Public Health Crisis. Dr. Patrick Carter

Death by Firearms— A Public Health Crisis. Dr. Patrick Carter

The appalling carnage in Uvalde, Texas, Buffalo, New York, Tulsa, Oklahoma, and other communities across the country is a deeply painful source of grief, outrage, and national shame. Since 2009 more than 2500 people have been killed or wounded in 277 mass shootings in The United States— more than the number of U.S. military personnel killed in hostile action in Afghanistan over the same period.But as horrible as they are, mass shootings represent a small percentage

Jun 10, 2022 • 28:37

When Business Should Take a Stand. Elizabeth Doty

When Business Should Take a Stand. Elizabeth Doty

"There is one and only one social responsibility of business," Nobel Prize-winning economist Milton Friedman famously declared more than 50 years ago. It is “to use its resources and engage in activities designed to increase profits so long as it.. engages in open and free competition without deception or fraud.” Times have certainly changed, especially in the past two decades. Today, corporate leaders and brands know that they can't always follow Friedman's ad

Jun 3, 2022 • 31:56

The Power of Myth: Stephen Greenblatt

The Power of Myth: Stephen Greenblatt

Myths are widely seen as little more than lies. We're constantly told by experts in media and society that myths are for debunking and even ridicule.Yet despite clear evidence frequently presented by doctors, journalists and scientists, many of us believe in legends and myths. In this episode of "How Do We Fix It?", we explore the power of myths and legends: Why they are essential in making sense of life. Bestselling author of "The Swerve", "The Rise and Fall of Adam and Eve" and othe

May 27, 2022 • 24:08

A New Definition of Winning: Cath Bishop

A New Definition of Winning: Cath Bishop

What does it mean to be a winner? Is it simply about “crushing it” or hitting your targets at work? Do you always have to come first?In this episode, we get a new definition of winning and success from former British Olympic rower, Cath Bishop, who competed in three Olympics and won a silver medal. Today Cath works in leadership development and has spent years thinking deeply about what it means to be successful in life. Her new book is “The Long Win: The Search for a Better Way to Succeed”.&nbs

May 20, 2022 • 28:29

Billionaire Elon Musk: SpaceX and Twitter. Eric Berger.

Billionaire Elon Musk: SpaceX and Twitter. Eric Berger.

Elon Musk is the richest person in the world and the most interesting business leader of his time. Disruptive and innovative, Musk has already revolutionized two giant industries— autos and aerospace. His planned purchase of Twitter will turn him into a power player in a third: social media.In this episode we look at what Elon Musk and his team achieved with SpaceX and share part of our 2121 interview with journalist Eric Berger, senior space editor at the science a

May 13, 2022 • 29:52

Libertarians. A New Understanding. Nick Gillespie

Libertarians. A New Understanding. Nick Gillespie

All too often political movements are defined by their opponents. That is especially true for libertarians who are often labeled as uncaring— far more concerned with the individual than society. In this episode, we get a mostly positive view of what libertarians stand for and also why they oppose both the populist domination of the Republican Party and the leftward tilt by Democrats.Our guest Nick Gillespie is editor at large of Reason Magazine, which has the motto "free mind

May 6, 2022 • 33:08

The Right: A New Understanding. Matthew Continetti

The Right: A New Understanding. Matthew Continetti

How did the Republican Party go from being dominated by Ronald Reagan in the 80s to the movement of Trump? What are the deep tensions between grassroots Republicans and Conservative elites who used to be in charge? Six months before the 2022 midterm election, why would liberals and progressives stand to benefit from understanding exactly why conservatives win so many races? We grapple with these questions and many more in this episode of "How Do We Fix It?"Our guest is conservativ

Apr 29, 2022 • 33:17

Successful Conversations Across Difficult Divides. Mónica Guzmán

Successful Conversations Across Difficult Divides. Mónica Guzmán

Partisanship is up, trust is down and social media encourages us to believe we're right and everyone else is either ignorant, stupid or evil. But avoiding difficult conversations with those we disagree with is a big reason why our nation is so bitterly divided.Journalist Mónica Guzmán set out to discover what was blinding us and learned that the best tool we have we're not using: Our own curiosity. In this episode we learn about her personal story as the loving liberal daughter of

Apr 15, 2022 • 31:00

Fixing Government Now: Code For America. Amanda Renteria

Fixing Government Now: Code For America. Amanda Renteria

Reform advocates are full of good intentions and worthy goals— from ending hunger to improving access to healthcare and limiting the impacts of climate change. But good intentions are not the same as good results. The efficient delivery of services is important for all citizens. In this episode, we look at how to design technology that makes the government smarter, much more efficient, and even friendlier.Amanda Renteria is CEO of Code for America, a non-profit group tha

Apr 8, 2022 • 30:58

How Your Mindset Transforms Your Life: David Robson

How Your Mindset Transforms Your Life: David Robson

Our brains are prediction machines: How we frame everyday tasks and challenges of our lives can have a profound impact on their outcomes. In this episode, we learn about new discoveries in science that reveal the many ways our expectations shape our experience.Author and science writer David Robson is our guest. His latest book, "The Expectation Effect" cites findings from well-over 400 "robust experiments" and takes readers on a tour of cutting-edge research that uncovers ne

Apr 1, 2022 • 32:28

What The War in Ukraine Means for Climate Change: Gernot Wagner

What The War in Ukraine Means for Climate Change: Gernot Wagner

Russia's invasion of Ukraine made Europe's energy dependence painfully clear. "We are supporting and actually financing the war by purchasing oil and gas and other fossil fuels from Russia," Finland's Prime Minister Sanna Marin bluntly put it.Fossil fuel energy is vital for Russia's economy, accounting for almost half of its exports. One-third of Europe's oil and as much as 40% of natural gas imports come from Russia. In this episode, we discuss how the war in Ukraine is chan

Mar 25, 2022 • 32:41

Defending Truth. Advancing Knowledge: Jonathan Rauch

Defending Truth. Advancing Knowledge: Jonathan Rauch

Democracies around the world are under threat from populist movements, demagogues, and dogmatic extremists who use disinformation, conspiracy theories, cancel culture, and shaming to weaponize social media and challenge our ability to distinguish truth from falsehood.Most recently, the Russian government has used lies and fake news to justify its attempted land grab in Ukraine. In "The Constitution of Knowledge: A Defense of Truth", best-selling author, journalist, and public intellectual, Jonat

Mar 18, 2022 • 26:55

Ukraine. The World Responds to War. Robert Kagan, Jane Lytvynenko

Ukraine. The World Responds to War. Robert Kagan, Jane Lytvynenko

Shock, surprises, and suffering are the most immediate results of all wars. Russia's brutal, yet deeply flawed invasion of Ukraine has profound implications for the West, global democracy, and the future of Europe and Russia. We hear the perspectives of two prominent thinkers, Jane Lytvynenko and Robert Kagen. Richard and Jim also share their analysis of the unexpected early outcomes of the war. This episode has extracts from an interview with Robert Kagan, a senior fellow at

Mar 11, 2022 • 29:13

Understanding Ukraine. Unity, Defiance, Resistance: Marci Shore

Understanding Ukraine. Unity, Defiance, Resistance: Marci Shore

The war in Ukraine and the global response to Russia's invasion are dominating the news. But missing in much of the coverage is a sense of the country and its people. In this historic moment, we hear a riveting account of the country's recent political awakening and why Ukrainians are prepared to resist and fight.In the past century, Ukraine suffered massively during two world wars, Nazi occupation, famine, and the Chernobyl disaster. Eight years ago, during the "Revolut

Mar 4, 2022 • 43:25

Why We Need Representative Democracy. Lisa Disch

Why We Need Representative Democracy. Lisa Disch

The invasion of Ukraine is a shocking reminder of what's at stake for democracies around the world. This moment is a stunning reminder of the vital importance of what we so often take for granted— personal freedoms and the rule of law. Despite well-advertised flaws, our constitutional system of governance is infinitely preferable to dictatorships or thuggish autocracies. In this episode, we share a conversation that touches on the relationship between

Feb 25, 2022 • 27:17

Gerrymandering: Why It's So Bad For Democracy. Sam Wang

Gerrymandering: Why It's So Bad For Democracy. Sam Wang

Partisan gerrymandering— where one party gains an unfair advantage by redrawing political maps to favor its candidates— is unpopular with voters, but widespread in many states. We examine why this process devalues democracy, and how data science is being used across the country to expose many of the most egregious examples, and help voters advocate for fair and transparent redistricting. Every decade, legislators across the country come up with maps for state and congressiona

Feb 18, 2022 • 27:33

Regrets Are Good For Us! Daniel Pink

Regrets Are Good For Us! Daniel Pink

Best-selling author Daniel Pink admits he's pedaling against the wind. His new book, "The Power of Regret" takes on the longstanding and deeply ingrained doctrine that paying attention to our regrets is foolish. In this episode, we ask him why this notion is wrong."No regrets" is the name or theme of countless books and popular songs. Bob Dylan, Angelina Jolie, and Ruth Bader Ginsberg all advised us to live without regrets. "We think that it's courageous to say I have no regr

Feb 11, 2022 • 32:15

The Other Pandemic: Loneliness. Noreena Hertz

The Other Pandemic: Loneliness. Noreena Hertz

Two years of coronavirus have made the growing loneliness crisis even worse— with greater social isolation causing personal pain and mental and physical illnesses."Even before the global pandemic introduced us to terms like social distancing, loneliness was becoming the defining condition of the twenty-first century. But it's also one we have the power to reverse," says our podcast guest, economist Noreena Hertz. Numerous surveys have found that reported cases of loneliness have j

Feb 4, 2022 • 27:01

Reducing Polarization All By Yourself: Kamy Akhavan

Reducing Polarization All By Yourself: Kamy Akhavan

Across the board— from voter access to questions of race and gender, and views of the economy— the gap between Republicans and Democrats has grown wider in recent years. According to recent polling, a rising share of Americans say that having political conversations with those they disagree with is “stressful and frustrating”.Political polarization and the recent actions of party leaders have prevented compromise and resolution of critical problems.We discuss five personal wa

Jan 28, 2022 • 29:31

Liberal Education is Under Assault. Roosevelt Montás

Liberal Education is Under Assault. Roosevelt Montás

What is the point of an education? Is it to learn skills that will help you get ahead in the workplace, or is it to acquire knowledge and to think more deeply about your place in the world?In this episode we hear from an educator who thinks that the great books— Plato, Aquinas, Shakespeare for example— aren’t just for a few well-off students at elite colleges, but for everybody. And he says encountering these thinkers when he was a poor immigrant teenager from the Dominican Republic literal

Jan 21, 2022 • 32:00

I Changed My Mind About Nuclear Power: Zion Lights

I Changed My Mind About Nuclear Power: Zion Lights

Earth's global average temperature in 2021 was the sixth warmest on record, according to two new reports issued this week by U.S. Government agencies. Scientists at NASA's Goddard Institute for Space Studies report that collectively the past eight years were the warmest since modern record keeping began in 1880. The research adds to overwhelming evidence of climate change.This episode looks at the role played by carbon-free nuclear power in providing one solution to the

Jan 14, 2022 • 26:04

National Day of Dialogue. Christy Vines

National Day of Dialogue. Christy Vines

Our first episode of 2022 is all about a constructive response to the calamitous events of one year ago: The January 6th riot at the U.S. Capitol.On January 5th, a coalition of organizations, led by Ideos Institute, will host the first annual National Day of Dialogue. We discuss this invitation to all Americans to push back against deep divides. We also explore the need for hard talk and getting into our discomfort zones. “As a nation, we have largely lost our ability to

Jan 3, 2022 • 30:44

Big News. The Stories You Missed in 2021: Jim & Richard

Big News. The Stories You Missed in 2021: Jim & Richard

The Forever Pandemic, Omicron, Build Back Better, Biden, Putin, China, What's Trump got up his sleeve? The media gave these stories ad nauseum coverage in 2021, often marching in lockstep and suffering from a painful lack of imagination about what should be the big news of the day.But what about underreported stories: The important news that most of us missed?Richard and Jim share their gripes, observations, hopes and insights about the media, science, the environment and glo

Dec 23, 2021 • 28:00

Changing the Way We Vote: Rob Richie

Changing the Way We Vote: Rob Richie

Gerrymandering, low turnout elections, negative campaign ads, and increased polarization are all part of the flawed, fractured U.S. political system. Here we examine the case for constructive changes to how candidates for public office are elected.Our guest, Rob Richie, has been the leader of the non-profit advocacy group, FairVote, since co-founding the organization in 1992. He has been involved in helping to develop and implement: Ranked Choice Voting in several states and more

Dec 17, 2021 • 26:53

Better Policing — Not Posturing: Nekima Levy Armstrong

Better Policing — Not Posturing: Nekima Levy Armstrong

The huge difference between slogans and solutions is a key theme of this episode. While demands to “de-fund the police” or replace entire police departments with something new might sound good in theory, these ambitious experiments in public safety may backfire.Our guest is Minneapolis civil rights lawyer and activist Nekima Levy Armstrong. Her recent New York Times op-ed— “Black Voters Want Better Policing, Not Posturing by Progressives”— was written after the defeat of a November bal

Dec 10, 2021 • 29:20

Stopping the Next Pandemic. Alina Chan (Part Two)

Stopping the Next Pandemic. Alina Chan (Part Two)

A crucial step in preventing the next global pandemic will be knowing where this one came from. Did SARS-CoV-2— the virus that causes Covid-19— jump from animals to humans, or was the outbreak the result of a lab leak? The world still doesn’t know the answer. This episode is part two of our wide-ranging interview with Alina Chan, a postdoctoral scientist who co-wrote an explosive online paper in May 2020. She argued that scientists and governments should investigate whe

Dec 3, 2021 • 24:28

Did COVID-19 Come From a Lab? Alina Chan (Part One)

Did COVID-19 Come From a Lab? Alina Chan (Part One)

Two years after the known human case of COVID-19, the mystery of the origin of SARS-CoV-2 remains unresolved. Did the virus emerge from an animal in nature, or could it have accidentally leaked from a research lab in Wuhan, China? Shockingly, the world appears to be no closer to knowing the crucial answer.In this first of two episodes, we get a brief explanation of the growing controversy from our co-host, Jim Meigs, who has written about allegations of a

Nov 24, 2021 • 29:11

Understanding Autism: "We're Not Broken." Eric Garcia

Understanding Autism: "We're Not Broken." Eric Garcia

"This book is a message from autistic people to their parents, friends, teachers, coworkers and doctors showing what life is like on the spectrum," writes our guest, author Eric Garcia in We're Not Broken. "It’s also my love letter to autistic people. For too long, we have been forced to navigate a world where all the road signs are written in another language.”Garcia, who is autistic, is a senior Washington correspondent for The Independent. He has worked as a writ

Nov 19, 2021 • 25:46

Social Media: Menace or Blessing? Robby Soave

Social Media: Menace or Blessing? Robby Soave

Not long ago, most of us embraced social media as a life-changing opportunity to connect with friends and family all across the world. Today, public opinion, including members of Congress from both parties, has turned far more negative. Facebook, Twitter, Google, YouTube, and other tech giants are accused of corrupting our democracy, spreading disinformation, and fanning the flames of hatred.Our guest is Robby Soave, a libertarian author and journalist who is a seni

Nov 12, 2021 • 34:48

Climate: Changing the Conversation. Katharine Hayhoe

Climate: Changing the Conversation. Katharine Hayhoe

As world leaders discuss the planet's future at COP26 in Glasgow, climate change remains a massive challenge and a source of fierce debate. While two-thirds of Americans think that the government should be doing more, it's tempting to throw our hands up in despair and think: "There's nothing I can do."Climate scientist Katharine Hayhoe begs to differ. She says the most important thing is to talk about it—and she wants to teach us how. In this episode,

Nov 5, 2021 • 29:33

Together Again. Cultivating Collaboration: Deb Mashek

Together Again. Cultivating Collaboration: Deb Mashek

Many millions of Americans are heading back to work — in person — for the first time since the pandemic hit. During this time of remote meetings and working from home, many of us learned new skills, and perhaps, forgot our old ways to work and successfully collaborate with colleagues.This episode is a timely and very personal reminder of how to make meetings better and develop stronger, more productive relationships with those we work and live with. We learn about the crucial

Oct 29, 2021 • 26:53

The Furore Over Critical Race Theory: "Banished" Podcast

The Furore Over Critical Race Theory: "Banished" Podcast

From local school board elections to state legislatures, an impassioned nationwide debate has erupted over allegations that Critical Race Theory (CRT) is being taught in public schools.Anti-CRT bills have been passed in more than two dozen Republican-led states. What do we mean by Critical Race Theory? What are these laws aiming to accomplish? How will they affect schools in the US? We share a lively discussion from "Banished", a new podcast series, hosted by Amna Khalid, a history professor at

Oct 15, 2021 • 27:27

The Way Out. Overcoming Polarization. Peter Coleman

The Way Out. Overcoming Polarization. Peter Coleman

Never before in living memory has America been as politically polarized as it is today. We are divided by our politics, Facebook and other social media sites, and by news media. Nearly half of us have stopped talking with someone about political topics as a result of what they said in person or online. Our culture of contempt is dividing us all and making America ungovernable.How do we use science and proven methods to reduce toxic polarization and push back ag

Oct 8, 2021 • 27:58

Scary Smart. The Future of Artificial Intelligence. Mo Gawdat

Scary Smart. The Future of Artificial Intelligence. Mo Gawdat

Imagine a future where smart machines are more intelligent than humans. That future may be coming much faster than we think. The stark implications are considered in this podcast. The former Chief Business Officer at Google X, Egyptian entrepreneur Mo Gawdat has long been at the heart of the artificial intelligence revolution, deeply involved in engineering, robotics, and AI. Mo is also a podcaster with a focus on how we can promote happiness. In his lates

Oct 1, 2021 • 28:50

Taming Big Tech. How We Can Reboot. Jeremy Weinstein and Mehran Sahami

Taming Big Tech. How We Can Reboot. Jeremy Weinstein and Mehran Sahami

This episode addresses a great problem of our age: How do we curb the enormous power of giant technology companies and limit the disruption caused by them and their products?20 years ago, we lived in an era of digital utopianism when most people thought that the internet would give us new freedom to find information. But we didn't anticipate many of the most disturbing technological changes. Today, a handful of firms control most internet communication. Social media platforms amplify divisi

Sep 24, 2021 • 35:18

Wildlife! When Nature Hits Back: Mary Roach

Wildlife! When Nature Hits Back: Mary Roach

The line between our “civilized” lives and wild, unpredictable nature seems to have gotten a little thinner lately. Nature is great, but it can also be dangerous if we don’t show proper respect. This show is about awkward encounters with bears, mountain lines, gulls and other wild creatures. We also discuss "killer trees" with best-selling science writer, Mary Roach, author of the new book, "Fuzz: When Nature Breaks the Law".Mary is widely known for her funny, smart and sometimes gross

Sep 17, 2021 • 28:08

9/11 Attacks: Myths, Memories, Conspiracy Theories

9/11 Attacks: Myths, Memories, Conspiracy Theories

"I now believe the 9/11 Truthers I encountered were canaries in the coal mines of American society," writes our co-host, Jim Meigs, in the current issue of City Journal. In this episode we hear about conspiracy theories, those who believe in them, and the corrosive impact of paranoia on American political life.Richard interviews Jim about his work at Popular Mechanics in the years after the 9/11 attacks. A team of reporters, editors, and fact-checkers at the magazine interviewed m

Sep 10, 2021 • 26:06

Hey, Journalists. Does the Public Trust You? Joy Mayer

Hey, Journalists. Does the Public Trust You? Joy Mayer

Only four in 10 Americans say they have a lot of trust in the news media. That's a big problem for our democracy. While journalists are supposed to tell the truth and get the story right, just 35 percent of right-of-center voters have some trust in what they see in the news.Democrats and independents are much more likely to trust journalists, but Americans of almost all shades of opinion are skeptical toward the news media, questioning not only the quality of j

Sep 3, 2021 • 25:16

American Isolationism and the Fall of Afghanistan. Charles Kupchan

American Isolationism and the Fall of Afghanistan. Charles Kupchan

For much of its history, the United States kept the rest of the world at arm's length. What happened in the decades after the 1941 military strike on Pearl Harbor, and several years after the 9/11 attacks, could be seen as an aberration.The sudden, chaotic withdrawal from Afghanistan, the Taliban takeover, and resulting humanitarian disaster may lead to another American foreign policy shift, plus a far greater reluctance to deploy U.S. forces overseas. While isolati

Aug 27, 2021 • 27:51

Identity Politics: Dignity and Resentment. Francis Fukuyama

Identity Politics: Dignity and Resentment. Francis Fukuyama

Successful politicians on the right and left often use anger and resentment to build support for their campaigns. "A lot of our politics is dignity politics," argues Stanford political scientist, Francis Fukuyama, our guest in this episode. "It's one group saying, 'look, you are not taking us seriously. You disregard our rights and we demand a different kind of world.'"We discuss whether identity politics are damaging our democracy at a time of deep polarization when many national and global ins

Aug 13, 2021 • 27:37

#315 Living Better With COVID: 6 Fixes. Hosts Jim and Richard

#315 Living Better With COVID: 6 Fixes. Hosts Jim and Richard

In this special episode, Richard and Jim have an extended conversation around six solutions to help us manage the pandemic more successfully, and improve responses to future public health emergencies.1. Have a more realistic view of the virus. This includes understanding that the virus won't go away anytime soon. Clear, honest communication from the media and government health officials will help. 2. Restoring Trust. Greater transparency by public hea

Aug 6, 2021 • 28:50

 Reading is Vital for Democracy: Joseph Luzzi

Reading is Vital for Democracy: Joseph Luzzi

America is facing a reading crisis, and this has profound impacts on how we engage with the world. The number of adults who read books for pleasure fell by more than 30% in less than 15 years. Researchers found that Americans watch TV three hours a day, but spend less than 30 minutes reading. "Reading is seeing the world through someone else's eyes," says our guest, Joseph Luzzi, Professor of Comparative Literature at Bard College. "I think of social media as a

Jul 29, 2021 • 22:17

Fix More, Waste Less. Right to Repair. Sandra Goldmark

Fix More, Waste Less. Right to Repair. Sandra Goldmark

Our relationship with our stuff is broken. What was once fixed is often tossed into landfills. Repairs today are more expensive than the prices of many new clothes, gadgets, and household appliances.The U.S. has 5% of the world's population, but consumes about 30% of the world's resources and creates almost a third of the world's waste. Large manufacturers restrict the repair of their goods by limiting the availability of parts and repair information. Their policies sparked a

Jul 23, 2021 • 27:04

Defending The Constitution of Knowledge: Jonathan Rauch

Defending The Constitution of Knowledge: Jonathan Rauch

Democracies around the world are under threat from populist movements, demagogues, and dogmatic extremists who use disinformation, conspiracy theories, shaming, cancel culture, and other tactics to weaponize social media and challenge our ability to distinguish fact from fiction and truth from falsehood.In his new book, our guest, best-selling author, journalist, scholar, and public intellectual, Jonathan Rauch, offers a stirring defense of the constitution of knowledge—

Jul 16, 2021 • 33:41

Delta Variant & Vaccine Hesitancy: Dr. Wrenetha Julion

Delta Variant & Vaccine Hesitancy: Dr. Wrenetha Julion

The spread of the Delta Variant is a rapidly growing threat to public health, especially in states with low vaccination rates. But cases of COVID-19 are still holding steady in regions where more than 60% of the adult population had at least one shot.The disparity comes at a time of triumph with increasing evidence that the vaccines offer extremely high rates of protection. Dr. Anthony Fauci, Director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Dis

Jul 9, 2021 • 27:22

Heat, Drought, Fires : Alastair Gee and Dani Anguiano

Heat, Drought, Fires : Alastair Gee and Dani Anguiano

Much of the West has just lived through one of the worst June heatwaves in decades. Many states could be in a drought all this summer. From California and Arizona to the mountain West, dangerous heatwaves are almost becoming the norm.The threat of more devastating wildfires prompted calls for reforms of the nation's fire management policies, and are a clear sign that the impacts of climate change are now being felt.We discuss the causes of raging wildfires, including forestry management, cl

Jun 25, 2021 • 27:59

Free The Children. Lenore Skenazy

Free The Children. Lenore Skenazy

"Why I Let My 9-Year-Old Ride the Subway Alone" was a 2008 newspaper column that turned into a national campaign to help parents raise their children with less anxiety while pushing back against our culture that has become obsessed with kids' fragility.Our guest, Lenore Skenazy, founded free-range kids in the years after she first described making the decision to let her son, Izzy, take the New York City subway home alone. Her column resulted in a flood of media cov

Jun 18, 2021 • 28:20

America Talks #ListenFirst. Kristin Hansen and Zoë Jenkins

America Talks #ListenFirst. Kristin Hansen and Zoë Jenkins

America's remarkable experiment in a pluralist democracy is under threat from toxic polarization. In this episode, we discuss two current nationwide campaigns to tackle this crisis head-on,America Talks, on Saturday-Sunday, June 12-13, is a powerful conversation event that invites thousands of Americans to connect one-on-one on video across our political divides. By doing so, we remind ourselves that the “other” is – just like us – a person with family, friends, hopes, f

Jun 9, 2021 • 26:32

Frontlines of Peace. Séverine Autesserre

Frontlines of Peace. Séverine Autesserre

The word “peacebuilding” evokes a story we’ve all heard over and over: Violence breaks out, foreign nations react, peacekeepers and million-dollar donors come rushing in, warring parties sign a peace agreement, and, sadly, within months the situation is back to where it started—sometimes worse. But peace can grow in the most unlikely circumstances. What are some strategies that work?Our guest is an award-winning researcher and peacebuilder, Séverine Autess

Jun 4, 2021 • 27:12

Tough Lessons From Economics. Veronique de Rugy

Tough Lessons From Economics. Veronique de Rugy

"We should be humble all the time," says Veronique de Rugy of her study of economics. "There's always something I realize that I didn't understand." In this episode, we discuss the rigorous questions economists need to ask themselves when analyzing the likely impacts of public policies: Questions rarely asked by politicians and others in the public square. We look at the perils of cronyism, the shortcomings of the Ex-Im Bank, growing federal budget defici

May 28, 2021 • 38:47

Ancient Wisdom for Modern Times. Eric Weiner

Ancient Wisdom for Modern Times. Eric Weiner

It's tempting to believe that our current moment is the most urgent of all. Yet despite the catastrophic pandemic, and threats from other urgent problems, humankind has faced worse calamities in the past— from global wars and plagues to economic collapse.In this episode, we look at age-old lessons from philosophy and discover how ancient wisdom can be our guide in modern times.Best-selling author, traveler, and former NPR foreign correspondent, Eric Weiner is our guide.

May 21, 2021 • 24:40

Bridging the Rural-Urban Divide. Ashley Ahearn

Bridging the Rural-Urban Divide. Ashley Ahearn

She lived in Seattle and covered science, climate change, and the environment for NPR for more than a decade. Most of her friends and colleagues were liberals or progressives. Then in 2018, journalist Ashley Ahearn made a big jump, moving with her husband to one of the most conservative counties in rural Washington State. What did this public radio reporter learn from her dramatic change in lifestyle? In this episode, we learn about the profound rural-urban divide in Am

May 14, 2021 • 30:29

Framing is Fundamental. Francis de Véricourt and Kenneth Cukier

Framing is Fundamental. Francis de Véricourt and Kenneth Cukier

Too often in our fierce and narrow political debates, we suffer from a poverty of imagination. Seeing a crisis through a narrow lens of "us versus them" is a barrier to creative solutions and vital changes needed to save lives, protect the planet, and grow prosperity.In this episode we discuss the enormous power and potential of framing: mental models that enable us to see patterns, predict how things will unfold, and understand new situations.Our guests are Kenneth Cukier, a senior ed

May 7, 2021 • 27:10

Promoting Diversity, Defending Free Speech. Amna Khalid

Promoting Diversity, Defending Free Speech. Amna Khalid

In the months after George Floyd’s murder, colleges, universities, non-profits, and large corporations across the country embraced anti-racism and diversity training as a way to promote inclusion and racial justice.But do these programs actually work to change minds and achieve their goals? Our guest, associate professor of History at Carleton College, Amna Khalid, argues that while training can improve customer service and knowledge of CPR and Excel sprea

Apr 30, 2021 • 33:39

Good Conflict vs. High Conflict. Amanda Ripley

Good Conflict vs. High Conflict. Amanda Ripley

What’s the greatest crisis facing America today? — Racism and hate crimes, exploding government debt, climate change, or the mess at the border?It may be none of these. America and many other countries are trapped in high conflict. Both sides are paralyzed by fear and anger as they demonize the other. The national narrative of "us versus them" is a threat to democracy and stops us from working together to build a better world.Best-selling author and investigative journalist,

Apr 23, 2021 • 31:57

Six years. Six guests. 300 episodes

Six years. Six guests. 300 episodes

We’ve made it to our 300th weekly episode! While it’s easy to congratulate ourselves for being among the few podcasts to produce this many shows, Jim and Richard are most proud of our extraordinary range of guests.During our first six years together, we've often highlighted out-of-the-box thinkers, who share ideas that are too rarely discussed: People who speak about solutions through an independent lens— neither firmly left nor right. For this episod

Apr 16, 2021 • 29:12

Fighting Hate and Self-Loathing With Love: Chloé Valdary

Fighting Hate and Self-Loathing With Love: Chloé Valdary

Recent mass shootings and the explosion of rage outside the U.S. Capitol on January 6 are reminders of threats posed to us all by anger, fear and loathing. On social media and in the hyper-partisan ways political issues are debated, many of us objectify others. Those who belong to the wrong tribe are often targets of personal scorn.In a Twitter post, our guest, writer and entrepreneur, Chloé Valdary, says: "if you do not possess the power to love, and especially love your enemies, then you

Apr 9, 2021 • 24:14

Infrastructure. How To Pay For It: Maya MacGuineas

Infrastructure. How To Pay For It: Maya MacGuineas

Stifle that yawn. Infrastructure just got exciting again.President Biden announced a $2 trillion plan to rebuild roads and rails, repair bridges, modernize airports and seaports, create hundreds of thousands of union jobs in the solar and wind power industries, boost housing, expand broadband access to regions that are poorly served, and speed-up the transition to a climate-friendly economy. Total spending on his proposals could be as much as $4 trillion over the next decade.&nbsp

Apr 2, 2021 • 28:02

Fixing The Grid: Our Relationship With Electricity. Gretchen Bakke

Fixing The Grid: Our Relationship With Electricity. Gretchen Bakke

Our lives depend on it and most of us don't give it a moment's thought. But when the electricity goes off we feel frustrated— powerless.America's grid was an engineering triumph of the twentieth century, but as the recent sudden freeze and severe power outages in Texas have shown, our electricity infrastructure is fragile and in need of basic repair, especially as the world faces the growing reality of extreme weather events and climate change. On their own solar and win

Mar 26, 2021 • 31:44

Nobody's Normal. Rethinking Mental Illness: Richard Grinker

Nobody's Normal. Rethinking Mental Illness: Richard Grinker

Our obsession with what is normal and acceptable is at the heart of how we view mental health. It is also the source of stigma around many forms of mental illness. In this podcast with anthropology professor, Richard Grinker, we ask how do we fix it? What are successful ways to challenge stigmas, as we help millions of people reach their full potential? Richard discusses the findings in his uplifting new book, "Nobody's Normal: How Culture Created the Stigma of Mental Il

Mar 19, 2021 • 32:56

Social Media. Revolution and Reform. Sinan Aral

Social Media. Revolution and Reform. Sinan Aral

When social media burst on the scene, many of us were in awe of its great potential. For the first ten years of Facebook, public reaction to this new form of communication was overwhelmingly positive, but now that we have a better understanding of how social media is shaping our world, there are growing calls for fundamental reform. Should tech monopolies be cut down to size and broken apart? Or is a much more careful, nuanced approach needed from Congress? MIT Managemen

Mar 12, 2021 • 27:02

Liftoff: How SpaceX Could Save NASA. Eric Berger

Liftoff: How SpaceX Could Save NASA. Eric Berger

Elon Musk is an entrepreneur and out-of-this-world thinker, who has shaken up two vital industries that were dominated by giant multinational corporations with companies that began life as startups. Tesla's breakthrough with electric cars is well-known, but many of Musk's most stunning innovations have come with SpaceX, which pioneered reusable rockets— slashing the cost of space launches— flew astronauts into space, and landed rockets on boats. Next is the development of Sta

Mar 5, 2021 • 34:54

Understanding Us: We The People. Frank Luntz and Ethan Porter

Understanding Us: We The People. Frank Luntz and Ethan Porter

The January assault on the U.S. Capitol and the depth of toxic partisanship lead us to question our past assumptions about the American electorate and its relationship with the government.This episode features two experts who have spent many years trying to understand us. Frank Luntz is one of the best-known pollsters and political communications experts in America today. We hear edited extracts from a recent interview he recorded with Harvard Law School Professor and attorney, Lawrence Lessig,

Feb 26, 2021 • 26:12

Why We Need Nuance: Meghan Daum

Why We Need Nuance: Meghan Daum

Even before the alarming and violent January 6 assault on the Capitol, American politics was in danger of spinning out of control— bumping up against the guardrails of our democratic institutions.On social media and in the civic square, many have separated into two camps that seem to hate the other side. We have become estranged from family and friends over politics.More than ever, we need nuance. In this episode, our guest is a liberal writer and feminist, Meghan Daum,

Feb 19, 2021 • 27:23

COVID Vaccine Hesitancy: Dr. Wrenetha Julion

COVID Vaccine Hesitancy: Dr. Wrenetha Julion

More than 10% of the U.S. population has received at least one dose of the COVID-19 vaccine, but injection rates are lower in black and brown communities, and many people express doubts about the shots made by Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna. Vaccine hesitancy presents a barrier in the fight against coronavirus. A recent poll by Pew Research Center found that "Black Americans continue to stand out as less inclined to get vaccinated than other racial and ethnic groups: 42% wo

Feb 12, 2021 • 28:46

Will Gen Z Save the GOP? Danielle Butcher and John Olds

Will Gen Z Save the GOP? Danielle Butcher and John Olds

After the recent storming of the US Capitol and the loss of both the White House and U.S. Senate, it's tempting to believe that civil war will break out among Republicans— a party deeply split between traditional conservatives and Trump-supporting populists.We decided to find out what two young Republicans say about the future of their party, and the need to confront those who believe in conspiracy theories and are nostalgic for a return to a mythical past. Our guests are Daniell

Feb 5, 2021 • 27:16

The Loneliness Pandemic. Noreena Hertz

The Loneliness Pandemic. Noreena Hertz

Even before coronavirus led to social distancing, widespread working from home, and lockdown restrictions, loneliness was becoming a defining condition of the twenty-first century. Today, this pandemic of pain and isolation is far worse. One of many recent polls found that more than three in five Americans say they are lonely, with more and more people reporting feeling like they are left out, poorly understood, and lacking companionship. Other surveys overseas have similar findings.Our gue

Jan 29, 2021 • 26:51

Free Speech in an Era of Conflict: Nadine Strossen

Free Speech in an Era of Conflict: Nadine Strossen

We are in a stunning moment for our country. A hoard of rioters invaded our nation’s seat of government to try to overturn an election. Many of them appear to have been motivated by false and inflammatory statements by President Trump, and under the sway of wild online conspiracy theories. In response, our leading tech platforms have tried to silence Trump and shut down many of the channels where his most extreme supporters communicate. Is this the correct approach? Should Congress and the

Jan 22, 2021 • 32:37

Why Many Latinos Vote Republican: Geraldo Cadava

Why Many Latinos Vote Republican: Geraldo Cadava

Just before the 2020 election, pundits predicted that Latino Americans would overwhelmingly vote for Joe Biden. And it’s true—Latino voters do tilt Democratic. But Donald Trump won a greater share of Latino votes in some states and large cities than he did in 2016. Because of decades of investment and political courtship, as well as a nuanced and varied cultural identity, the Republican party has had a much longer and stronger bond with Hispanics than many political commentators realize. In

Jan 15, 2021 • 27:04

Chaos at the Capitol: What Next? Lee Drutman

Chaos at the Capitol: What Next? Lee Drutman

The storming of the U.S. Capitol building by an angry mob of Trump supporters was a dark day in American history and a shock to people around the world. Images of looting and anarchy in the proud place where Congress has met for over 200 years, provoked profound despair and led many to question the stability of American democracy. The insurrection brought shame to President Trump, who incited a crowd to march on the legislative branch of government.In this special episode recorded the day a

Jan 8, 2021 • 25:30

2020 Year-End Show: What We Learned About COVID

2020 Year-End Show: What We Learned About COVID

At the start of 2020, the world first became aware of COVID-19. This show looks at what we have learned about the global pandemic since then. In early February, Richard spoke face-to-face with epidemiologist Kylie Carlville of the Doherty Institute for Infection and Immunity, during a visit to Melbourne, Australia. This recording was made just as scientists were beginning to understand the nature of the outbreak and before COVID-19 was declared a pandemic.In the spring, we interviewed Samso

Dec 24, 2020 • 27:38

Net-Zero America by 2050: Jesse Jenkins and Eric Larson

Net-Zero America by 2050: Jesse Jenkins and Eric Larson

In his ambitious climate plan, President-elect Biden promises that by 2050 the United States will reach net-zero carbon emissions.A groundbreaking new study from energy experts at Princeton University outlines five different pathways for how to reach net-zero emissions of greenhouse gases, using existing technology, and at costs aligned with historical average spending on energy. The research is the first to quantify and map in specific detail the infrastructure that would be needed to achieve t

Dec 18, 2020 • 31:06

Mothers, Families and COVID - Erica Komisar

Mothers, Families and COVID - Erica Komisar

Despite the tragedy, suffering and economic losses of COVID, there are silver linings for many families in the current crisis. Recent lockdowns have a bright side for teens. A new survey says they're spending more time with their parents, getting extra sleep, and suffering from lower levels of clinical depression.Our guest, New York psychoanalyst, parent coach, and author Erica Komisar, wrote in The Wall Street Journal "it has taken a pandemic to prove that it's possible to integrate work into o

Dec 11, 2020 • 27:47

Breakthroughs in Science & Space: Neil deGrasse Tyson

Breakthroughs in Science & Space: Neil deGrasse Tyson

We live in a remarkable time for science. Vaccines to fight COVID-19 have been developed with surprising speed and are reported to be more than 90% effective against the virus. Dramatic progress has also been made in the quest to overhaul and improve America's space program. Recent innovations and reusable rockets have dramatically cut the cost of space launches. Vaccine research and space innovation are examples of public-private partnerships between governme

Dec 4, 2020 • 23:34

The Case for AllSides: John Gable, Samantha Shireman

The Case for AllSides: John Gable, Samantha Shireman

More than ever, we need to fight fake news and misinformation by getting out of our filter bubbles. A bitterly contested election at a time of political paralysis and partisan bickering makes the case for change even more urgent.In this episode, we look at the groundbreaking work of AllSides.com, which shines a light on media bias by offering readers a selection of daily news stories from publications that tilt left, right or center.Our guests are AllSides founder and CEO&nbs

Nov 20, 2020 • 29:21

Problem Solvers in Congress: Abigail Spanberger (D) Brian Fitzpatrick (R)

Problem Solvers in Congress: Abigail Spanberger (D) Brian Fitzpatrick (R)

In the days since the 2020 election, political distrust and anxiety have only deepened. But divided government and very narrow majorities for both parties in Congress might present an opportunity for bipartisan solutions on several major issues. President-elect Biden has talked about his vision of an America that is "unified, strengthened, and healed." In this episode we discuss the case for compromise with two Members of Congress, one Republican and one Democrat. B

Nov 13, 2020 • 30:37

Our Election 2020 Lessons. Jim and Richard

Our Election 2020 Lessons. Jim and Richard

Days after the historic 2020 election, final results are still coming in. But some lessons of the vote are becoming clear. On this episode, our hosts, Richard and Jim, discuss the five lessons they learned. 1. The system is working - so far. Despite the slow pace of counting, election day was met with massive enthusiasm by voters from all sides.2. Reform opinion polls - They were wrong again. Polls in Florida, Texas and Wisconsin are among the worst examples. M

Nov 6, 2020 • 24:03

Record High Voter Turnout? Seth Flaxman

Record High Voter Turnout? Seth Flaxman

One of the biggest surprises of the 2020 election may turn out to be turnout. Traditionally, a smaller percentage of American voters participate in elections than in many other democracies around the world. But this year, early voting hit a record high, with tens of millions of mail-in ballots, and very long lines at many polling places.In this episode, we look at a highly innovative, successful initiative to use the internet to boost the number of voters in elections. "Our mission" says the non

Oct 30, 2020 • 27:58

Covid Pandemic: America's Wake Up Call. Adrian Wooldridge

Covid Pandemic: America's Wake Up Call. Adrian Wooldridge

If the Covid pandemic has taught us anything, it is that the government's response to a global health emergency can mean the difference between living and dying.America's woeful performance in recent months has exposed how far we have fallen behind public health systems in much of Asia. While China, Japan, South Korea, Taiwan and Singapore combined have recorded fewer than 1,000 cases per day since September, the U.S. is reporting over 60,000 daily cases.Our guest is Adrian Wooldridge

Oct 23, 2020 • 30:17

Four Threats: American Democracy in Crisis: Suzanne Mettler

Four Threats: American Democracy in Crisis: Suzanne Mettler

More than half of American voters expect to see a rise in violence after election day, according to a recent poll. Only 49% said Americans will largely accept the results.These findings and others suggest that American democracy is facing intense stress. President Trump has repeatedly refused to say whether he would accept the official results. "Trump and Biden supporters have deep disagreements over several aspects of the election and voting process – including whether

Oct 16, 2020 • 30:43

Why Voting Isn't Enough. CivicLex: Richard Young, Megan Gulla

Why Voting Isn't Enough. CivicLex: Richard Young, Megan Gulla

How do you get supporters of Donald Trump and Joe Biden in the same room at the same time working together on something political? It sounds almost impossible, but even at a time of hyper-partisan division, progress and trust can be achieved on a local level. In this episode, we look at the groundbreaking work of CivicLex, a non-profit civic education and solutions journalism group based in Lexington, a Kentucky city of nearly 400,000 people. Civic Lex has three main goals: Improve acc

Oct 9, 2020 • 30:10

Advice to my Younger Self: Bruce Van Dusen

Advice to my Younger Self: Bruce Van Dusen

How does your career stay on track at a time of very high unemployment, great technological change and enormous uncertainty? We explore these questions and much more with one of the advertising industry's most successful commercial directors. When he was 23, Bruce Van Dusen was desperate for a job. For the next 40 years, he thought that every commercial that he made would be his last. With a mix of audacity, determination, and hard work, plus a dash of deep personal insecurity, Br

Oct 2, 2020 • 27:57

Loving Yourself and Humanity: Chloé Valdary

Loving Yourself and Humanity: Chloé Valdary

Anger, fear and loathing cut across our deeply divided, hyper-partisan political divide. From The White House and the streets of cities, to furious posts on social media, many of us objectify others. Those belong to the wrong tribe are often the objects of personal scorn.In a recent Twitter post, our guest, Chloé Valdary, says: "if you do not possess the power to love, and especially love your enemies, then you don't really have the power."In this episode, Chloé talks about her antirac

Sep 25, 2020 • 25:00

Fires In The West: Alastair Gee and Dani Anguiano

Fires In The West: Alastair Gee and Dani Anguiano

Massive wildfires in the west have burned through more than five million acres, forced tens of thousands of people from their homes, and spread smoke and air pollution across many states. This year's historic wildfire season prompted calls for reforms of the nation's fire management policies, and are a clear sign that the impacts of climate change are now being felt. Changes in the weather leading to temperature extremes and drought are no longer a theory.We discuss the cause

Sep 18, 2020 • 30:00

Radical Health for Pregnant Women: Ivelyse Andino

Radical Health for Pregnant Women: Ivelyse Andino

“Tech For The Public Good” is supported by a grant from Solutions Journalism Network. Technology is a double-edged sword, especially during the coronavirus pandemic. Despite well-publicized threats from bots, hackers, government spooks and huge online firms, tech is often a force for public good. In this special episode on civic tech, we report on a local effort to promote better healthcare for those who need it most: the residents of America's poorest Congressional District: New

Sep 11, 2020 • 25:10

COVID Pandemic. How Philosophy Can Help: Eric Weiner

COVID Pandemic. How Philosophy Can Help: Eric Weiner

Fears about COVID-19 can take an emotional toll, leading to a growing sense of worry and panic. We ask: How can philosophy help us cope with adversity in a pandemic?We go in pursuit of wisdom and discovery with journalist and author Eric Weiner, author of the new book, "The Socrates Express: In Search of Life Lessons From Dead Philosophers". This episode is a rollicking ride, as we follow in the footsteps of history’s greatest thinkers—from Epicurus to Nietzsche, Thoreau

Sep 4, 2020 • 26:26

Renewing Work in America: Oren Cass

Renewing Work in America: Oren Cass

The American worker is in crisis and faces a very uncertain future. The COVID-19 pandemic led to a deep recession and millions of layoffs. Even before coronavirus— despite a decade of continuous economic growth— the percentage of Americans with jobs was well below normal levels. Many people had dropped out of the labor force, and gave up looking for work. For the first time in modern memory, life expectancy started to fall as substance abuse and obesity rates rose. Our guest, cons

Aug 28, 2020 • 25:40

It's So Hard To Change Our Minds: Eleanor Gordon-Smith

It's So Hard To Change Our Minds: Eleanor Gordon-Smith

Most people reject facts that cause them discomfort or don't line up with their view of the world. All too often emotion, not reason, informs our beliefs. Despite social media claims that #factsmatter, it's surprisingly difficult to use rational arguments to change minds."It's surprising how much we still put faith in rational argument," says our guest, Australian writer and philosopher, Eleanor Gordon-Smith. In this summer re-run episode from November, 2019, we take a fun, fascinating journey t

Aug 21, 2020 • 28:18

America’s Voting Crisis. Charles Stewart, David Litt

America’s Voting Crisis. Charles Stewart, David Litt

Joe Biden's selection of Kamala Harris to be his vice-presidential running mate is a reminder that the fall election season is about to start in earnest.In this episode, we discuss solutions for America's voting crisis. People of all political persuasions have expressed concerns about holding an election in the COVID pandemic. President Trump made unsubstantiated claims about voter fraud. Many have protested the barriers faced by voters who find it difficult or nearly impossible to hav

Aug 14, 2020 • 24:21

Lessons From a Thousand Towns: Singer-Songwriter Dar Williams

Lessons From a Thousand Towns: Singer-Songwriter Dar Williams

At a time of social distancing, limited travel and other restrictions to protect public health, we get a nostalgic reminder of the joy of journeys, and infinite variety of America's small cities and towns.This episode was first published in 2018. Our guest, Dar Williams, has been called "one of America's very best singer-songwriters" by The New Yorker. A remarkably well-traveled musician, she tells us how towns and cities can turn themselves around. "What I Found in a Thousand Tow

Aug 7, 2020 • 25:30

Climate Alarm: Bad for the Environment? Michael Shellenberger

Climate Alarm: Bad for the Environment? Michael Shellenberger

Climate change is real, but it's not the end of the world, says our guest, science writer, Michael Shellenberger.He argues in the controversial new book, "Apocalypse Never", that activists use alarmism to describe threats posed by rising levels of carbon in the atmosphere, and are harming the cause of environmentalism. His proposed solutions include support for carbon-free nuclear power, agricultural industrialization, urbanization, and technological innovation. This episode

Jul 31, 2020 • 26:49

Refugees and Migrants: Tolu Olubunmi, Leonard Doyle, Ahmed Badr

Refugees and Migrants: Tolu Olubunmi, Leonard Doyle, Ahmed Badr

One of the many impacts of COVID-19 is a sharp decline in travel. In many parts of the world, the virus led to a temporary hold on one of the greatest trends of the modern age: the mass movement of people— from tourists to migrants, expats, asylum seekers, refugees, and IDP’s, internally displaced people. An estimated 244 million people, or about 3.3% of the world’s population, were born in one country and now live in another.Even before COVID hit, The Trump Administration reversed dec

Jul 24, 2020 • 25:40

The Problem With Cancel Culture: Megan McArdle

The Problem With Cancel Culture: Megan McArdle

We’ve all canceled something. Whether it’s a subscription, a vacation, or a date, cancelling or erasing a person? It seems so brutal. So unforgiving and final.It’s no surprise that cancel culture began on social media. Supporters say they are targeting people, companies and institutions for endorsing systems of racism, inequality, and bigotry. Opponents of cancel culture argue that this form of shaming causes personal injury, stifles debate and is a chilling threat to free speech.In this episode

Jul 17, 2020 • 36:20

Democracy Reform: Voters Not Politicians. Katie Fahey

Democracy Reform: Voters Not Politicians. Katie Fahey

Gerrymandering, the partisan process of redrawing political maps to favor one political party over the opposition, is often used unfairly to take power away from many voters. Voters Not Politicians is a highly successful grassroots campaign against gerrymandering in Michigan that began with a simple Facebook post by its young founder, Katie Fahey. The group took on party bosses, won a ballot initiative, and changed state law. This episode discusses how this cam

Jul 10, 2020 • 26:16

Generation Z. The Future of U.S. Democracy: Civics Unplugged

Generation Z. The Future of U.S. Democracy: Civics Unplugged

America's four most powerful political leaders--President Trump, former Vice President Joe Biden, Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell-- are all in their mid-to-late seventies. In this episode, we hear from four 16 to 18 year-olds about the future of American democracy, and why they're committed to working for positive change. Zoë Jenkins, Emmy Cho, Thanasi Dilos, and Noor Mryan are among the 200 inaugural fellows of the new non-partisan, youth-led movem

Jul 3, 2020 • 29:19

The World's Best Healthcare Systems: Ezekiel Emanuel

The World's Best Healthcare Systems: Ezekiel Emanuel

The U.S. spends far more money on healthcare than any other nation, but has the most confirmed COVID-19 cases. The lax response to the coronavirus crisis exposed many weaknesses in the system, which was less prepared for a pandemic than other nations. In this episode, we look at what can be learned from other systems around the world. Our guest is the well-known oncologist, bioethicist, and healthcare expert, Dr. Ezekiel Emanuel, author of the new book, "

Jun 26, 2020 • 24:47

How Innovation Works and Why It Matters. Matt Ridley

How Innovation Works and Why It Matters. Matt Ridley

"The Covid-19 pandemic reveals that far from living in an age of incessant technological change, we have been neglecting innovation in exactly the areas where we most need it." So writes our podcast guest, best-selling author Matt Ridley.We discuss the urgent concept raised in his latest book, "How Innovation Works, And Why It Flourishes in Freedom."As Viscount Ridley, Matt was elected to the UK House of Lords in 2013. His TED Talk, "When Ideas Have Sex" has been viewed more than two millio

Jun 19, 2020 • 28:08

Racism, Protests, Police Reform: Coleman Hughes

Racism, Protests, Police Reform: Coleman Hughes

The massive wave of protests in hundreds of towns and cities across America and in many other countries were sparked by outrage, pain and grief over the killing of George Floyd, and countless incidents of racism against African-Americans.We've all been surprised by the events of the past few weeks. They've forced many of us to question our core beliefs about the political system, public morality, and the distribution of power. For this episode, we looked for someone who could talk abou

Jun 12, 2020 • 39:21

Special episode: Racial Injustice: KKKrossing The Divide. Daryl Davis

Special episode: Racial Injustice: KKKrossing The Divide. Daryl Davis

The nation is again facing the deep pain of racial injustice. The recent killings of George Floyd, Ahmaud Arbery, and Breonna Taylor reverberated across the country, sparking widespread protests in many cities. These cases were only the latest on a very long list of attacks and murders of African-American men and women. They resulted in public outrage, some violent incidents, and many calls for police reforms.In this spec

Jun 5, 2020 • 34:32

The Long Fix. Solutions for Healthcare: Dr. Vivian Lee

The Long Fix. Solutions for Healthcare: Dr. Vivian Lee

The coronavirus crisis has reminded everyone that major reforms are needed to fix the flaws of the U.S. healthcare system. Beyond the huge expense and vast amount of waste, the quality of care varies wildly, and millions of Americans can't get care when they need it. Physician and health care CEO Dr. Vivian Lee draws on her deep experience of the public and private sector to call for a pragmatic and sweeping set of reforms. They include ending the current fee-for-servic

May 29, 2020 • 30:51

How Science Shapes Us. Ainissa Ramirez

How Science Shapes Us. Ainissa Ramirez

We look at scientists who learned to manipulate common materials such as steel, glass and silicon, and how their inventions shaped the human experience. Our guest is scientist, storyteller and science writer, Ainissa Ramirez, author of the new book, "The Alchemy of Us, How Humans and Matter Transformed One Another."We discuss the wonder of science, especially material science: What it is and why it’s a crucial part of all that is in us and around us.Ainissa shares her love of

May 21, 2020 • 25:11

COVID Surprise: 7 Unexpected Changes. Jim and Richard

COVID Surprise: 7 Unexpected Changes. Jim and Richard

The Coronavirus pandemic is the 21st century's biggest crisis to date: Worse than either 9/11 or the great recession. Jim and Richard discuss seven surprising things that we didn't know when the lockdowns began in March:1. Early assessments about coronavirus turned out to be wrong. We now have a much better idea of how COVID-19 is spread and who's at greatest risk.2. Re-opening the economy is going to be much more difficult than expected.3. Cars and suburbs are here to stay: how the pa

May 15, 2020 • 23:45

Democracy Group Special Episode. Democracy Reform

Democracy Group Special Episode. Democracy Reform

How will the COVID-19 pandemic change our democracy? Will we become more less divided? We discuss the challenges and opportunities of the current crisis with four podcasters who are all our colleagues in The Democracy Group podcast network.Juleyka Lantigua-Williams, Cara Ong Whaley, Mila Atmos and Lee Drutman join Richard to talk about barriers to voting, civic engagement and equal access to the democratic system. They look at what the current crisis means

May 8, 2020 • 30:04

Covid Crisis: Your Money Matters. Beverly Harzog

Covid Crisis: Your Money Matters. Beverly Harzog

Tens of millions of Americans have filed for unemployment benefits since the coronavirus outbreak began. Well over one-in-four people have suffered a moderate or severe financial setback in recent weeks. Consumer confidence is plunging. In this episode we look at the best ways to cope with a sudden drop in income. Beverly Harzog, the personal finance and credit card expert at US News and World Report, is our guest. She's the author of five bestselling pers

Apr 30, 2020 • 22:29

How To Be a Moral Rebel: Catherine Sanderson

How To Be a Moral Rebel: Catherine Sanderson

Much of what we took for granted, including daily routines, have been upended during the coronavirus pandemic. At a time when many have new questions about our personal values, traditions and lifestyles, this could be a teachable moment.Social media may have been helpful in convincing people about the need for social distancing, wearing masks and other recent changes. "It really did allow norms to be transmitted very very quickly," says our guest, Amherst College psychology professor Cather

Apr 24, 2020 • 24:55

Coronavirus: Learning From Taiwan. Samson Ellis

Coronavirus: Learning From Taiwan. Samson Ellis

Everybody is asking, how did the U.S. and most other nations get the coronavirus pandemic so wrong? Taiwan was a rare exception. Health officials and the democratic government of this island state sprang into action in the final days of 2019, and tried to warn the world of COVID danger.Despite being just 80 miles from the coast of China and with a huge amount of travel back and forth to the mainland, Taiwan was remarkably well prepared. The outbreak was kept to a minimum

Apr 16, 2020 • 25:56

Lessons From a Natural Disaster: Jon Mooallem

Lessons From a Natural Disaster: Jon Mooallem

The great Alaskan earthquake on Good Friday, March 27th, 1964, was surprising, and the lessons from the response are helpful in understanding how we respond to the COVID pandemic today."The earthquake overwhelmed people the way the strongest emotions do," wrote our guest, Jon Mooallem recently in The New York Times. "It was pure sensation, coming on faster than the intellect's ability to register it." A big theme of Jon's new book, "This Is Chance!" is how the citiz

Apr 10, 2020 • 30:25

Moving Beyond Fear. Turning Outward. Rich Harwood

Moving Beyond Fear. Turning Outward. Rich Harwood

The coronavirus pandemic has lead many to fear, panic, anger, profound loneliness and isolation. Realizing that we are all in this crisis together, how can we cope in a more hopeful and creative way?"We need to make a fundamental choice that the only way we get through this is if we act and engage as a community together," says Rich Harwood, President and Founder of The Harwood Institute. His group teaches and coaches people in local communities to move forward by bridging divides and

Apr 2, 2020 • 27:27

The Future Always Surprises Us: Mark Earls

The Future Always Surprises Us: Mark Earls

Why did the U.S. and most other nations around the world do such a poor job of preparing for and reacting to the global COVID-19 pandemic? After all, we had earlier outbreaks, from HIV-AIDS to SARS, MERS, H1N1 and the Ebola virus.In his widely viewed 2015 Ted Talk, Bill Gates warned that "if anything kills more than ten million people in the next few decades, it's most likely to be a highly infectious virus." We knew about the danger, but failed to act. This episode looks at

Mar 27, 2020 • 24:54

Coronavirus: Loving Relationships - Susan Page

Coronavirus: Loving Relationships - Susan Page

Coronavirus has changed all of our lives. We are in the middle of a massive social experiment. This show is first in a series of episodes that will attempt to make sense of the massive psychological, social, economic and political upheaval the pandemic will have on us all.We start this week with loving relationships. Social distancing will physically separate us from friends and family members who don't live in our homes, but it will bring us closer to our spouse, partner and children. How

Mar 20, 2020 • 28:19

Plastic Bag Bans: Bad for the Environment? John Tierney

Plastic Bag Bans: Bad for the Environment? John Tierney

Bans on plastic bags and straws and expensive campaigns to recycle plastic waste are popular with voters. They give us a sense that the government is acting to protect the environment.Our guest, John Tierney, been a columnist for the New York Times and is a contributor to City Journal. He has been studying wastes and recycling for decades.His conclusion? “Recycling has turned out to be ruinously expensive, while achieving little or no environmental benefit."John also tells us

Mar 12, 2020 • 28:19

We Need Trust More Than Ever: Jerry Michalski

We Need Trust More Than Ever: Jerry Michalski

The rapid spread of the coronavirus COVID-19 is a reminder of the vital need for truthful information, co-operation and kindness. Rumors, hype and fear can make a growing crisis much worse than it already is. We decided to re-release an episode from 2019 on the case for trust: Why designing systems that are based on trust can improve public safety, and lead to better economic, social, psychological and educational outcomes. "We’ve internalized the assumption that humans can’t

Mar 5, 2020 • 24:54

Sanders and Socialism: Emily Chamlee-Wright

Sanders and Socialism: Emily Chamlee-Wright

Bernie Sanders is the early frontrunner for the Democratic Presidential nomination. In this episode with economist Emily Chamlee-Wright, we look at why support for socialism is on the rise, and where this ideology comes from. According to recent polls of young Americans, ages 18 to 29, they are more likely to have a positive view of socialism than capitalism.Despite socialist economic failures in Venezuela, Africa and Eastern Europe, today's promises of free health care, college loan debt f

Feb 27, 2020 • 24:37

How to Open Your Mind: Jerry Taylor

How to Open Your Mind: Jerry Taylor

It's rare to meet someone who has re-thought some of his deepest convictions. In this episode, we go on a journey with one of America's leading public intellectuals, Jerry Taylor, President and Founder of the Niskanen Center, who describes himself today as a "radical moderate" who has moved away from the libertarianism of his earlier years.We focus on climate change. Jerry says he used to be a "lukewarmist", but now sees it as an urgent crisis. "The evidence for climate change as

Feb 20, 2020 • 27:24

Boosting Voter Turnout: Seth Flaxman

Boosting Voter Turnout: Seth Flaxman

Voter turnout is much lower in the U.S. than in many other democracies around the world. In this episode, we look at an innovative initiative to use the internet to boost the number of voters in every election. "Our mission" says the non-profit group Democracy Works "is to make voting a simple, seamless experience for all Americans, so that no one misses an election." A lot of people want to vote but they forget to do it, or they don't get registered to vote. Democracy Works is a team

Feb 14, 2020 • 26:14

Coronavirus: What We Need to Know. Kylie Carville

Coronavirus: What We Need to Know. Kylie Carville

With tens of thousands of cases, hundreds of deaths, and no known cure, the new coronavirus that emerged in China has been declared a public health emergency by the World Health Organization.In this episode of “How Do We Fix It?” we look at the world’s response to the rapid spread of the 2019-nCoV virus, consider the best ways to deal with the outbreak, and hear the latest about scientific research into a new vaccine.Infectious diseases epidemiologist Kylie Carville&nbsp

Feb 6, 2020 • 20:48

The Two-Party Doom Loop - Lee Drutman

The Two-Party Doom Loop - Lee Drutman

The Iowa caucuses and forthcoming Presidential primary season are another reminder that the two big parties have a stranglehold on American politics.But it doesn’t have to be this way. More voters identify as independents than as Republicans or Democrats. Our guest, Lee Drutman, senior fellow at New America and author of “Breaking the Two-Party Doom Loop”, makes the case for a multiparty system, which, he says, would boost compromise, problem-solving, voter turnout

Jan 30, 2020 • 23:04

Detroit. Bankruptcy and Broken Promises: Jodie Adams Kirshner

Detroit. Bankruptcy and Broken Promises: Jodie Adams Kirshner

When Detroit went bust in 2013 it was the largest municipal bankruptcy filing in American history. During the Motor City's fifty years of decline, population fell from nearly 2 million people to just under 700,000. Today, Motown is on the rebound. Media reports called the restructuring of massive debt by a partnership between city and state government, business leaders and the philanthropic community a "stunning success." In this episode we look at what still needs to be done

Jan 23, 2020 • 28:04

Want Consensus? Try Convergence: Rob Fersh

Want Consensus? Try Convergence: Rob Fersh

All too often news headlines and social media are dominated by disasters, wrongdoing and fear mongering: All the stuff that’s going wrong. How can we nurture the positive side of human nature? Renewing democracy will be impossible unless we start to rebuild trust in each other.The Convergence Center for Policy Resolution uses deep knowledge and proven methodology to connect people, policymakers and political organizations from different backgrounds and beliefs, helping them work t

Jan 16, 2020 • 23:54

Iran After Suleimani: 7 Ways to View The Crisis

Iran After Suleimani: 7 Ways to View The Crisis

The U.S. drone strike that killed Iranian general Qassem Suleimani sparked immediate fears of war. The risks of a disastrous miscalculation are obvious, from goading Iran into speeding up its nuclear weapons program, to a forced withdrawal of American forces from Iraq and the re-emergence of ISIS.But the audacious attack against Iran's most experienced military strategist may weaken the regime and force Iranian leaders to curb their aggression. Both may viewed as significant achievements. "Iran

Jan 9, 2020 • 18:37

2020: Celebrating Collaborations and Sharing

2020: Celebrating Collaborations and Sharing

If independent podcasts are to prosper and survive in this era of growing commercialization, big media, and multi-million dollar podcast investments, we need to grow our community: Share, collaborate and promote groups, individuals and podcasters who share many of our goals.In this first "How Do We Fix It?" episode of 2020, we include recent interviews with leaders and supporters of Bridge Alliance, Civic Hall, Heterodox Academy, Solutions Journalism Network and&nbs

Dec 26, 2019 • 24:42

Two Threats to Democracy: Conspiracies & China

Two Threats to Democracy: Conspiracies & China

Liberal democracy, free speech and freedom of the press are under attack in many parts of the world. Two of the most insidious threats are from conspiracy theories and the growing global reach of China's dictatorship.In this episode we discuss two interviews from "Democracy Works", a podcast series from The McCourtney Institute at Penn State University about what it means to live in a democracy. Larry Diamond, author of the 2019 book, "Ill Winds: Saving Democracy from Russian

Dec 19, 2019 • 24:07

How to Fight Anti-Semitism" Bari Weiss

How to Fight Anti-Semitism" Bari Weiss

Anti-semitism is on the rise in the U.S. and other parts of the world. Jews are the targets. Democracy and free speech are also among the casualties. 6 people died this week in Jersey City, New Jersey, in a shootout at a kosher supermarket. The two gunmen appear to have been motivated by anti-semitism and anger against the police. Britain's Labour Party has been rocked by widespread reports of anti-semitism. Labor's second most powerful leader has apologized&nb

Dec 11, 2019 • 30:01

How Technology Could Save the Environment: Ted Nordhaus

How Technology Could Save the Environment: Ted Nordhaus

Many environmentalists believe that the world needs to use less energy, end the focus on economic growth, and return to a simpler lifestyle. The Breakthrough Institute argues the opposite.In this episode, we look at the ecomodernist movement that promotes technological solutions to environmental and human development challenges.Ted Nordhaus is a leading global thinker on energy, environment, climate, human development, and politics. He is the founder and executive director of the&

Dec 6, 2019 • 23:12

The Power of Play: Lucy Crehan, Tamara Mose

The Power of Play: Lucy Crehan, Tamara Mose

Many of us are spending much of the Thanksgiving holiday with the children we love. In this episode we consider vital role of play, and what it does to expand a child's creativity and resilience.Urban sociologist Tamara Mose is an Associate Professor at Brooklyn College, and author of "The Playdate: Parents, Children and the New Expectations of Play." She tells us about the strengths and perils of playdates, and the need for children to have unstructured play.Educational consultant and

Nov 28, 2019 • 26:52

Radical Health. Ivelyse Andino

Radical Health. Ivelyse Andino

Published: November 21st, 2019“Tech For The Public Good” is supported by a grant from Solutions Journalism Network.Technology is a double-edged sword. Despite well-publicized threats from bots, hackers, government spooks and huge online firms with their invasive algorithms, tech is often a force for public good.In this special episode, we report on an innovative local effort to promote better healthcare for those who need it most: the residents of America's poorest Congressional District: N

Nov 22, 2019 • 27:29

Civility Won't Save America: Reed Galen

Civility Won't Save America: Reed Galen

30 years ago this month the Berlin Wall came down, and Richard was there, reporting the story for ABC News. In those heady days of November, 1989, there was tremendous hope for the future of liberal democracy. In the next few years, most of Eastern Europe would emerge from the shackles of totalitarian communism.But today, populism and nativism are on the rise in much of the world. Democratic institutions, civic norms, and a free press are all facing new challenges.We speak with public affairs an

Nov 15, 2019 • 25:21

How We Really Change Our Minds - Eleanor Gordon-Smith

How We Really Change Our Minds - Eleanor Gordon-Smith

With today's furious political and cultural divisions, it's easy to shake our heads in exasperation at those who disagree with us. In this episode with Australian writer and philosopher, Eleanor Gordon-Smith, we take a journey to the limits of human reason. Her compelling new book, "Stop Being Reasonable. How We Really Change Our Minds," features six high-stakes personal stories of successful persuasion that illustrate what most of us get wrong about rationality. "H

Nov 7, 2019 • 30:36

Understanding Brexit: Jill Rutter

Understanding Brexit: Jill Rutter

Confused by Brexit? This episode looks back over the last 40 months since the shocking result of the Brexit referendum, when UK voters decided to leave the EU. We sort through the mess and misconceptions.The political drama contains several acts: A December election has been called, and a new Brexit deal was reached in late October by Prime Minister Boris Johnson and European Union member states. But well over three years after the referendum, the UK Parliament has

Oct 31, 2019 • 26:24

Fixing Government and Democracy: David Meyers

Fixing Government and Democracy: David Meyers

American democracy is in a moment of crisis. A new Gallup poll, released in late October, says a near-record-high 34% of Americans cite the government, poor leadership or politicians as the most important problem currently facing the U.S.In this episode, we look at the work of a new online news site, The Fulcrum, which is focused exclusively on efforts to reverse the dysfunctions plaguing American democracy. "Our goal is to raise the level of awareness so people can unde

Oct 25, 2019 • 25:32

Celebrating Nuance: Meghan Daum

Celebrating Nuance: Meghan Daum

Modern thought has been damaged by dogma and tribalistic click-bait. Social media and the fractured state of politics reward slick slogans and partisan anger while penalizing those who speak with intellectual honesty. Our guest, feminist writer and author, Meghan Daum, says instead of following the crowd we need to think for ourselves. While very supportive of the goals of the women's movement, she is also critical of the excesses of modern feminism. In this episode she makes the

Oct 18, 2019 • 27:37

"Listen First & Democracy" Pearce Godwin

"Listen First & Democracy" Pearce Godwin

American democracy is in crisis, with a coarsening of our national conversation and an erosion of public trust that threatens the guardrails of self-government. Many citizens feel dislocated, disempowered and believe that remote institutions and government don't listen to their needs and interests.One way to bridge divides is to listen to a broader range of opinions, from people not like you.Our guest is Pearce Godwin, founder and CEO of Listen First Project, which has 250 partner

Oct 10, 2019 • 21:38

We Need Better Leaders! Davia Temin & Stephen Miles

We Need Better Leaders! Davia Temin & Stephen Miles

The furore over the decision by House Democrats to launch a formal impeachment investigation into President Trump will be the subject of heated debate for many months. In this episode we take a deeper look at leadership, and why good leaders are so vital to the future of our democracy, and for all organizations-- large and small. "In times of turmoil this is even more important," says our guest, Davia Temin, a highly experienced crisis manager, and leadership and communicatio

Oct 3, 2019 • 25:29

Dementia: Memory and Forgetting: Nicci Gerrard

Dementia: Memory and Forgetting: Nicci Gerrard

Dementia provokes profound moral questions about our society and the meaning of life itself. How much are we connected to one another? In what ways are we distant and separated? What does it mean to have a self? How can we offer dignity to those who suffer from Alzheimer's and other forms of this terrible disease?Worldwide around 50 million people have dementia. The US Centers for Disease Control estimates that the U.S. total is more than five million. The numbers a

Sep 27, 2019 • 32:07

Immigration Facts -- Not Emotion. Andrew Selee

Immigration Facts -- Not Emotion. Andrew Selee

With harsh rhetoric from President Trump, who wants strict new limits on refugees, asylum seekers and some other forms of immigration, to calls by several Democratic Presidential candidates to decriminalize all border crossings, the immigration debate is increasingly dominated by slogans rather than substance.Hopes for a comprehensive and humane overhaul of U.S. immigration law have all but disappeared for now."The reality is illegal immigration has come to be THE conversation, says our gue

Sep 20, 2019 • 27:10

Kids Aren't Fragile! Lenore Skenazy

Kids Aren't Fragile! Lenore Skenazy

Kids are smart, strong, and at least as capable as their parents were at their age. So, when the crime rate is at a 50-year-low, why does society insist on bubble-wrapping them? Why are we encouraged to protect children from minor cases of physical or mental discomfort? Why don’t we trust them to do things safely or successfully on their own?These questions about raising kids are tackled in this episode of "How Do We Fix It?" We consider practical solutions for parents and sc

Sep 12, 2019 • 25:15

Risk: An Economist Walks Into a Brothel. Allison Schrager

Risk: An Economist Walks Into a Brothel. Allison Schrager

From dating to switching jobs and managing retirement. We all manage risk. Want to get better at it?The best way to learn is to ask some of the real experts: Magicians, gamblers, big-wave surfers, horse breeders, and prostitutes. That's what economist, journalist and risk advisor Allison Schrager did. She's our guest in this episode.For people faced with risky decisions every day, making the right choices can be the difference between success or failure, and in some cases, li

Sep 5, 2019 • 27:59

The Threat From China: Elizabeth Economy

The Threat From China: Elizabeth Economy

A trade war with China is a growing threat to U.S. influence and the global economy. What began more than a year ago with President Trump’s decision to impose tariffs has become an unpleasant economic reality for many American businesses. Recently, the U.S. labeled China a “currency manipulator.” But Perhaps, an even larger long-term threat comes China’s aggressive espionage offensive that is playing out in behind-the-scenes as of the U.S. and China struggle for global d

Aug 29, 2019 • 27:04

Rising Risks of Recession: Diana Henriques

Rising Risks of Recession: Diana Henriques

Is the U.S. economy about to fall off a cliff? Declining growth, financial market jitters, and a growing rift between the U.S. and China are all fueling fears of a recession.For the first time in 12 years, since shortly before the last recession, interest rate yields on 10-year government notes are lower than for short-term loans. This inverted yield curve is highly unusual and the latest sign that a sharp slowdown could happen soon."The inverted yield curve has accurately pr

Aug 22, 2019 • 25:08

The Case for Trust - Jerry Michalski

The Case for Trust - Jerry Michalski

We live in a time of suspicion and mistrust. What is this costing all of us in lost productivity, creativity and shared humanity? Isn't there a better way to design our organizations and systems? A recent Pew Research poll found that a majority of Americans believe that most people just look out for themselves, and that they would take advantage of you if they got the chance."We’ve internalized the assumption that humans can’t be trusted, and therefore, that we all need to be cons

Aug 15, 2019 • 26:48

Mass Shootings: After El Paso & Dayton

Mass Shootings: After El Paso & Dayton

Most of America's deadliest mass killings have happened within the last ten years. The deaths of more than 30 people in El Paso, Texas, and Dayton, Ohio, have led to renewed demands for federal background checks and gun violence restraining orders, or "red flag" laws.America is also facing a growing crisis of violent extremism and white nationalist terrorism. The FBI and other law enforcement agencies are under pressure to expand their investigations.In testimony before Congress, FBI Director Ch

Aug 9, 2019 • 28:50

Rebuilding The Social Contract: Debilyn Molineaux

Rebuilding The Social Contract: Debilyn Molineaux

Our democracy has become a punching bag. From Russian hacking and hate-filled tweets, to demands for impeachment and increasingly nasty political infighting, our public conversation is increasingly narrow, dispiriting and disempowering.According to Pew Research, trust in government is near historic lows. Most Americans believe that declining trust in our public institutions and in each other make it harder to solve key problems. A new poll says 75% of Americans say trust

Aug 1, 2019 • 25:14

Disaster for Democrats? Daniel Akst

Disaster for Democrats? Daniel Akst

President Trump's tweets that four minority Democratic congresswomen should “go back” to the countries they came from, and chants of "send her back" at his rally in North Carolina provoked outrage and disgust from his critics. American politics appear trapped in a spiral of toxic fury, and this angry mix may precisely match the pugilistic President's preference as he wades into the 2020 campaign.Our guest, opinion writer and author, Daniel Akst argues that Trump's c

Jul 26, 2019 • 24:21

Technology for Public Good: Micah Sifry

Technology for Public Good: Micah Sifry

Social media is under fire for how it threatens our society, our politics, even our mental health.Facebook, Google, Twitter and other tech giants are criticized for spying on us and using secret algorithms to push us toward extreme views.Civic Hall is a key player in a growing movement to use technology to better the world-- what people are calling "civic tech".Our guest, Micah Sifry, co-founder and President of Civic Hall, is a longtime advocate for transparency, better government, an

Jul 12, 2019 • 28:17

Character, Soul & the University: David Brooks

Character, Soul & the University: David Brooks

Colleges and universities can play a virtual role in the moral, intellectual and spiritual development of a student’s life. But there is a growing mismatch between the culture of many campuses, and the challenges young people will face in their careers, politics and personal lives.Author and columnist David Brooks suggested solutions in his stirring speech, “How a University Shaped My Soul”, given at the recent annual conference of Heterodox Academy. He spoke about the life lessons he learn

Jul 1, 2019 • 28:55

Catholic Church Sex Abuse Crisis: Maggi Van Dorn

Catholic Church Sex Abuse Crisis: Maggi Van Dorn

Will the Catholic Church's sexual abuse crisis ever end? Nearly 18 years since the Boston Globe's Spotlight investigation's shocking revelations, U.S. bishops and The Vatican still struggle to hold the church fully accountable for decades of criminal wrongdoing.Last year's Pennsylvania Grand Jury Report revealed that over 1,000 children had been abused by Catholic priests across six dioceses over seven decades. A new Pew Research Survey finds that a large major

Jun 20, 2019 • 32:46

Dignity & Respect in Back Row America: Chris Arnade

Dignity & Respect in Back Row America: Chris Arnade

A lot of politicians like to say that there are “two Americas,” but do any of them know what life is really like for the marginalized poor?We speak with journalist and photographer, Chris Arnade, about the forgotten towns and people of back row America. In 2011, Chris left a high-powered job as a bond trader on Wall Street, hit the road, and spent years documenting the lives of poor people, driving 150 thousand miles around the U.S.His new book is "Dignity: Seeking Respect in Back

Jun 13, 2019 • 23:57

What's Wrong With Social Media: Glenn Reynolds

What's Wrong With Social Media: Glenn Reynolds

"Twitter is like the crystal meth of social media," says our guest, University of Tennessee Law Professor, Glenn Reynolds, founder of the popular political blog, Instapundit. Twitter "is addictive and ultimately unsatisfying."In this episode we look at why social media is poisoning our politics, journalism and relationships by stoking anger, fear, hyper-partisanship and distrust of others. We ask: "how do we fix it?" "Social media is addictive by design. The companies i

Jun 6, 2019 • 26:42

Climate Change Politics: Bob Inglis

Climate Change Politics: Bob Inglis

Climate change has never been a leading issue in a Presidential election campaign-- until now. A recent poll found that 82% of Democrats and Democratic-leaning voters said it’s “very important” that their party’s nominee supports taking “aggressive action” to reduce the effects of climate change.2020 could be the climate election. All of the leading Democratic candidates are calling for legislative action, and even many leading Republicans are changing their messaging an

May 31, 2019 • 26:20

Taking Socialism Seriously: Emily Chamlee-Wright

Taking Socialism Seriously: Emily Chamlee-Wright

Support for socialism is surprisingly strong, especially among young Americans, ages 18-29. According to recent polls, they are more likely to have a positive view of socialism than capitalism.Despite socialist economic failures in Venezuela, Africa and Eastern Europe, today's promises of free health care, college loan debt forgiveness, mandatory stock ownership for employees, and guaranteed income look increasingly attractive to a large group of voters in the U.S."Seriously debating social

May 24, 2019 • 25:58

Human Rights Emergency: Zeid Ra'ad Al Hussein

Human Rights Emergency: Zeid Ra'ad Al Hussein

Human rights have rarely been at greater risk. President Trump and other world leaders are conspicuously silent about torture, the suppression of press freedom and threats to democracy. For the first time in many decades, the U.S. is led by a President who routinely praises foreign dictators, and rarely speaks up for democratic institutions. From the imprisonment of journalists in Turkey and Egypt, widespread torture and killings in Syria, to probable genocide in Myanmar and the murder of S

May 17, 2019 • 23:53

Artificial Intelligence Threatens Democracy: Steve Feldstein

Artificial Intelligence Threatens Democracy: Steve Feldstein

Is modern technology a force for good or evil? In many countries, digital repression, often powered by artificial intelligence, is a direct threat to freedom and the relationship between citizen and state.China has begun using AI to weaponize social media and mass surveillance in ways that give the Communist government incredible control over what Chinese citizens say and do—and even how they thinkThe Road to Digital Unfreedom: How Artificial Intelligence Is Reshaping Repression" is the title of

May 9, 2019 • 28:37

Country Over Party: Nick Troiano

Country Over Party: Nick Troiano

Angry rhetoric, narrow partisanship, and leaders who appeal only to their base are all reasons why American politics is in urgent need of reform.By huge majorities, the public has a negative view of Congress and believes the system is broken.Our guest, 29-year-old Nick Troiano, Executive Director of Unite America, is a leading voice of the reform movement, who supports changes aimed at reducing gridlock, boosting voter participation, and finding common gro

May 2, 2019 • 30:01

Risk: An Economist Walks Into a Brothel. Allison Schrager

Risk: An Economist Walks Into a Brothel. Allison Schrager

From dating to switching jobs and managing retirement. We all manage risk. Want to get better at it?The best way to learn is to ask some of the real experts: Magicians, gamblers, big-wave surfers, horse breeders, and prostitutes. That's what economist, journalist and risk advisor Allison Schrager did. She's our guest in this episode.For people faced with risky decisions every day, making the right choices can be the difference between success or failure, and in some cases, life an

Apr 25, 2019 • 27:29

You Are What You Read - Jodie Jackson

You Are What You Read - Jodie Jackson

Are you depressed when you read the news? The media's rampant negativity, with a daily emphasis on outrage and crisis, is a form of mental pollution that misinforms the public, harms democracy, and leads a distorted view of the world."You Are What You Read", by Jodie Jackson, is a call for reform. Written by a non-journalist, the book looks at the psychological impact of reading endlessly negative news, and shows viewers, listeners and readers how to protect themselves and change their

Apr 18, 2019 • 23:29

Having Better Conversations

Having Better Conversations

At a time of information overload, social media silos and political paralysis, how can all of us be better communicators? In this 200th episode, Richard and Jim share lessons they've learned about listening, asking questions and interviewing guests during nearly four years of "How Do We Fix It?"It's been a fun run, and many more episodes are being planned in the weeks and months come. This week, we discuss the show's origin story and how we've leveraged the intimacy of podcasting to change some

Apr 11, 2019 • 24:21

"The Wall" Climate Change & Migration: John Lanchester

"The Wall" Climate Change & Migration: John Lanchester

Novelist and journalist John Lanchester's new book "The Wall", imagines a world dealing with catastrophic climate change. Fear of rising sea levels and desperate migrants fleeing from uninhabitable lands have led to the building of a giant concrete wall around an entire island nation that is very much like the U.K.In the novel, Joseph Kavanagh, a new Defender, has one task: to protect his section of the Wall from the Others, the desperate souls who are trapped amid the rising seas outs

Apr 4, 2019 • 23:21

Changing a Culture of Contempt: Arthur Brooks-2

Changing a Culture of Contempt: Arthur Brooks-2

Isolation and loneliness have reached epidemic levels, resulting in a profound loss of social capital. Despite mass communications, the spread of technology and social media, a recent survey found 47% of Americans often felt alone, meaningful connections to others.In this second episode with the author of the new book, "Love Your Enemies", social scientist and president of the American Enterprise Institute, Arthur Brooks, we discuss the need for a stronger sense of community,

Mar 29, 2019 • 19:09

Love Your Enemies - Arthur Brooks - 1

Love Your Enemies - Arthur Brooks - 1

This podcast is an urgent, radical, yet practical response to the crisis of political polarization that is tearing America apart. Instead of mere tolerance and civility, we discuss how and why we should love our enemies.A response is needed to our culture of contempt, where many think of those who they disagree with as bad people. Millions are organizing their social lives and curating their news and information to avoid hearing viewpoints different than their own.The Outrage Industrial Com

Mar 21, 2019 • 23:48

Roundup: Pesticides and Health. Carey Gillam

Roundup: Pesticides and Health. Carey Gillam

Monsanto's controversial Roundup herbicide is the world's top-selling weed killer. But tens of billions of dollars in sales and profits are at stake because of questions about the safety of glyphosate, the product's key ingredient. Does Roundup cause cancer? Is it linked to cases of non-Hodgkin Lymphoma? Are GMO crops allies or enemies in the fight for a more sustainable environment?More than 11,200 lawsuits have been filed, claiming that Roundup causes cancer. A major t

Mar 15, 2019 • 24:28

The Green New Deal Unpacked: Megan McArdle

The Green New Deal Unpacked: Megan McArdle

Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez didn't waste any time getting started in Congress. The first-term Democrat boldly proposed The Green New Deal, one of the most ambitious policy proposals in decades.Precise details are fuzzy, but the broad strokes suggest that the Green New Deal calls on the federal government to ban virtually all fossil fuels, replace most cars and airplanes with trains and other forms of public transportation, build a smart electricity grid, strengthen tra

Mar 7, 2019 • 23:26

New Thinking on Migration: Tolu Olubumni

New Thinking on Migration: Tolu Olubumni

Migration is an emotional, super-charged issue, sparking fierce debates, angry protests and influencing election results around the world. From President Trump's demand for a border wall to the long controversy over Brexit, migration is seen by many as a threat. But movement of people across borders is inevitable, and has always played a major role in economic growth and technological innovation. Today, global migration is at a record high-- up 50% in less than twenty years. An estimat

Feb 28, 2019 • 21:08

Green New Nuclear Deal: Jim Meigs

Green New Nuclear Deal: Jim Meigs

The climate change debate is heating up. Record numbers of people no longer see extreme climate as a distant threat, but as a crisis that is unfolding right now. According to a Yale survey, "the proportion of Americans who are very worried about global warming has more than tripled since its lowest point in 2011." Despite opposition by activist groups, support for carbon-free nuclear power is growing among climate scientists and environmentalists as they

Feb 21, 2019 • 26:47

Work Versus College: Oren Cass

Work Versus College: Oren Cass

The American worker is in crisis. Wages have stagnated for several decades. Despite nearly a decade of continuous economic growth and falling unemployment (as defined by official statistics), the percentage of Americans in the workforce is still well below normal levels. For the first time in modern memory, life expectancy has started to fall, as substance abuse and obesity rates rise. Our guest in this episode, Oren Cass, argues that we've abandoned the American worker, and pushe

Feb 15, 2019 • 28:45

Getting off Facebook: Wade Roush

Getting off Facebook: Wade Roush

Life as a teenager is proving traumatic for Facebook. The social media juggernaut turned 15 this month. The company has gone from being universally celebrated for changing the way we communicate, to a troubled adolescent with serious questions about its entire business model. Critics say Facebook ignored hate speech on its site and played down destructive actions by internet trolls and other bad actors. More than two-thirds of American adults are Facebook users, but surveys s

Feb 7, 2019 • 24:55

Our Journalism Crisis: A Conversation

Our Journalism Crisis: A Conversation

The public's faith in journalism is at the lowest point in living memory. A recent Gallup poll for the Knight Foundation found that most U.S. adults said they personally have lost trust in the news media in recent years. More than 9 in 10 Republicans feel this way. The recent uproar over the rush to judgement and media coverage of the Covington Catholic story is the latest damaging controversy. “Boys in Make America Great Again Hats Mob Native Elder at Indigenous Peoples

Jan 31, 2019 • 24:39

Our Government Crisis: Philip K. HowardUntitled Episode

Our Government Crisis: Philip K. HowardUntitled Episode

The longest-ever federal government shutdown and the flawed Presidency of Donald Trump are symptoms of something far deeper: Dysfunction in Washington.In this episode, Philip K. Howard attacks the failed ideologies of Republicans and Democrats, and calls for a radical simplification of government to re-empower Americans in their daily choices. Americans are a practical people, he says. They want government to be practical."Unfortunately, we got this idea in the 1960's that we could sol

Jan 25, 2019 • 25:38

A Cure for Massive Violence: Rachel Kleinfeld

A Cure for Massive Violence: Rachel Kleinfeld

The terrible bloodshed in Syria, Yemen, and other countries at war capture global headlines. But the vast majority of killings in countries around the world are neither the result of warfare nor terrorism. Homicides by gangs, organized crime groups, paramilitary death squads, and ordinary people are the most common cause of violent deaths. More people have died in Mexico in recent years than in Iraq and Afghanistan combined. Murder rates in four U.S. cities are higher than in Latin American

Jan 17, 2019 • 32:02

The Fight to End Gerrymandering: Katie Fahey

The Fight to End Gerrymandering: Katie Fahey

With a simple Facebook post saying that she wanted to end partisan gerrymandering, Katie Fahey sparked the beginnings of an extraordinary grassroots campaign. Katie is in her late 20's. With neither connections nor deep pockets, she started Voters Not Politicians to change Michigan's State Constitution. Hundreds of thousands of signatures were collected,. The movement pulled off a remarkable feat, winning a ballot measure that will create an independent citizen comm

Jan 10, 2019 • 26:05

8 For ‘18. The Year’s Big Lessons

8 For ‘18. The Year’s Big Lessons

In a year of crazy politics, disdain for the views of experts, and deep partisan divisions, we look beyond anger and fear stoked by cable TV, talk radio and social media to learn eight deeper lessons of where we are today and in what direction we are headed.Here are the eight “Fix It” takeaways as we head into 2019. Warning: Some are hopeful!1. “Women just aren’t going to take it anymore.” We discuss the growing power of women in politics, entertainment and hear why workplace programs to stop th

Dec 28, 2018 • 24:43

The Power of Reading: Professor Joesph Luzzi

The Power of Reading: Professor Joesph Luzzi

America is facing a reading crisis. According to a government survey the number of adults who read for pleasure has fallen by more than 30% in less than 15 years. Another recent study found that Americans watch an average of three hours of TV a day, compared to less than half-an-hour spent reading."Reading is seeing the world through someone else's eyes", says Professor Joseph Luzzi of Bard College , our guest in this episode. "Social media is a mirror," says J

Dec 21, 2018 • 23:55

China: The Challenge & Threat: Elizabeth Economy

China: The Challenge & Threat: Elizabeth Economy

The high stakes show-down between the U.S. and China on tariffs, trade and cyber security threatens to disrupt the global economy. Growing tensions were temporarily put on pause during a recent meeting at the Group of 20 summit between President Trump and China's leader Xi Jinping. But many long-term challenges remain. Relations with China are the most important foreign policy issue.The Trump Administration imposed tariffs on $250 billion of Chinese goods and has pushed back against Ch

Dec 13, 2018 • 26:21

Our Many Perception Gaps: Sam Laine Perfas

Our Many Perception Gaps: Sam Laine Perfas

What you think is true doesn't necessarily line up with reality. From the heated debate over gun violence deaths to our views about violent crime and global poverty, many of us have serious perception gaps. Democracy can be damaged when public opinion is out-of-step with the facts.The opioid epidemic is often in the headlines and was recently declared a public health emergency. But did you know there's another substance that kills far more people every year? Another example: massacres at sc

Dec 7, 2018 • 28:47

Has The Opioid Crisis Peaked? Sam Quinones

Has The Opioid Crisis Peaked? Sam Quinones

The opioid and heroin epidemic has caused massive destruction suffering and pain. After rising for many decades, America’s life expectancy rate has dropped for the past two years in a row. Nearly 50 thousand Americans last year were the victims of opioid overdose deaths--twice the rate of other wealthy nations.But now, because of impressive initiatives to tackle the crisis, there are small glimmers of hope. The death-rate might be starting to fall. This month, a New York

Nov 28, 2018 • 22:58

AI Will Change All of US: Kai-Fu Lee

AI Will Change All of US: Kai-Fu Lee

Artificial intelligence will lead to sweeping changes in our society, economy and relationship with work. China has suddenly caught up with The United States and will exercise much greater technological power in the future."We will not have to do routine jobs anymore," says our guest, Kai-Fu-Lee. "AI will take over in the next 15 to 20 years all the routine jobs that we have and work efficiently and essentially for free and 24/7 with no complaints."This creates both daunting and e

Nov 23, 2018 • 20:27

Thanks a Thousand. Gratitude: A.J. Jacobs

Thanks a Thousand. Gratitude: A.J. Jacobs

Just in time for Thanksgiving, we speak with best-selling author and "immersive journalist" A.J. Jacobs about his extraordinary gratitude project and brand new book, "Thanks a Thousand".He decided to say "thank you" to every single person involved in producing his morning cup of coffee. "It turned out to be thousands of people," A.J. tells us. "I thanked the barista, the lid designer and the coffee bean farmer, but also the truck driver who delivered the beans. The idea is to show

Nov 15, 2018 • 25:52

Election Special: Our Take

Election Special: Our Take

What are the most inspiring, exasperating, unique, important, and first-in-our-lifetime results from the Midterm Elections? In this special edition, Jim and Richard give their Quick Fixes take on how American voted.We discuss: Donald Trump's turnout gift, why the economy played a far larger role than election analysts admit; the serious problems that now face both Republicans and Democrats, the insidious impact of gerrymandering, how celebrities failed to motivate voters, and why the handwringin

Nov 8, 2018 • 20:31

Title: Bridging Divide. ReCity. Durham, North Carolina

Title: Bridging Divide. ReCity. Durham, North Carolina

How can America recover from hatred, distrust and resentment that have lead to deep divisions, the fraying of our civic institutions and even violence, such as the recent Pittsburgh synagogue shooting?This episode, recorded at ReCity in Durham, North Carolina, is the third in our renewing democracy podcasts, where we report on collaborative efforts to promote respect and bridge divides.The idea behind this series is that if we’re going to pull back from the political pre

Nov 1, 2018 • 30:49

Bridging Divide Renewing Democracy: Minnesota

Bridging Divide Renewing Democracy: Minnesota

Polarization is tearing us apart. Bullying and bluster are two of the most common ingredients in American democracy.How can we renew democracy and restore the sort of trust that is essential for governance? This episode looks at the constructive and energetic responses of two local and national groups in Minnesota.We visit a Living Room Conversation discussion on race at Minneapolis Community and Technical College, and speak with the co-founder of Better Angels, Bil

Oct 26, 2018 • 30:20

Bridging Divide: Iowa Civility Workshop

Bridging Divide: Iowa Civility Workshop

American democracy is in crisis and politics have become weaponized with name calling and personal attacks. Trust in national institutions and the media is at an all-time low. Congress and The Supreme Court are much more likely than in the past to cast predictable party-line votes. As a nation we are failing to make creative solutions, based on compromise.This episode is the first of three to report on local efforts that push back against the toxic impact of tribalizatio

Oct 18, 2018 • 24:50

Bridging Divide. Renewing Democracy: Carolyn Lukensmeyer

Bridging Divide. Renewing Democracy: Carolyn Lukensmeyer

Never before in living memory has America been so deeply divided, and this paralysis threatens to weaken and corrode democracy. Ideological silos have become much more common among both conservatives and liberals.One opinion poll says 7 in 10 Americans believe that our politics have reached a dangerous low point. And most say the climate is a new normal— not temporary.This is the first of four “How Do We Fix It?” episodes leading up to the Midterm Elections that discuss local and national attemp

Oct 11, 2018 • 22:53

Lessons from Reagan: Bob Spitz

Lessons from Reagan: Bob Spitz

At a time of fractured politics and failed leadership, what lessons can be learned from Ronald Reagan-- one of the most significant presidents in our history?Considered a dangerous outsider by critics when he was elected in 1980, he appeared to be enthralled with happy endings and disinterested in many of the finer details of economic and social policy. And yet America's fortieth president presided over an economic boom and successful peace talks with the Soviet Union that helped lead to the end

Oct 4, 2018 • 29:11

Fighting Back Against Fake News: Steven Brill

Fighting Back Against Fake News: Steven Brill

A recent poll finds that two-thirds of Americans often or occasionally get news from social media. But many consumers are highly skeptical of the information they see on Facebook and other sites, expecting it to be "largely inaccurate."Now a new company, Newsguard, uses journalism to fight the epidemic of false stories, misinformation and outright propaganda, helping readers to navigate through online news sites. Newsguard's web browser extension rates websites that appear in

Sep 27, 2018 • 24:26

Identity Politics: Dignity and Resentment. Francis Fukuyama

Identity Politics: Dignity and Resentment. Francis Fukuyama

Are identity politics ruining democracy? National and global institutions are in a state of decay, and identity fuels much of today's debates in America and across the world. On the right, Donald Trump seized on the grievances and resentment of white working class voters and others who felt let down by the impact of globalism and technology. On the left, social and political movements based on gender, sexual identity, race and ethnicity play an increasingly large role. "The proble

Sep 20, 2018 • 29:07

Collaboration Beats Competition: Paul Skinner

Collaboration Beats Competition: Paul Skinner

In recent decades, business strategy has been built on the idea that we must compete to win.But what if the competitive model of business is now broken? In today’s interconnected, digital world, strategies to create competitive advantage may be holding us back— with a negative impact on the workplace and the economy.In his new book “Collaborative Advantage: How Collaboration Beats Competition as a Strategy for Success". British marketing and business consultant Paul

Sep 14, 2018 • 24:33

The Codding of the American Mind: Jonathan Haidt

The Codding of the American Mind: Jonathan Haidt

At the recent funeral for Republican Senator John McCain, former Presidents and leaders of both parties paid tribute to his belief that America "is a nation of ideals, not blood and soil." In the farewell statement to the country he loved, Senator McCain described our democracy as “325 million opinionated, vociferous individuals.” The funeral was a rare, and perhaps passing moment of bipartisan unity and friendship at a time of bitter partisan division. In this episode, we lo

Sep 4, 2018 • 35:08

Astrophysics For People In a Hurry: Neil deGrasse

Astrophysics For People In a Hurry: Neil deGrasse

Tyson talks about the possibility of intelligent life on other planets, tackles science deniers on the right and left, and explains why we should invest more in pure science. Tyson also discusses his book, "Astrophysics for People in a Hurry.”"What's curious to me is you have the liberal community claiming the (moral) high road ...against the science deniers of the right with regard to global warming and evolution in the classrooms... as though they are somehow untainted by non-scientific thinki

Sep 2, 2018 • 23:22

The Case for Space Travel: Neil deGrasse Tyson

The Case for Space Travel: Neil deGrasse Tyson

Neil deGrasse Tyson, America’s most prominent spokesman for science and Director of New York City’s Hayden Planetarium, talks about the benefits of a cosmic perspective, the case for manned space flight and much more in this first part of our wide-ranging conversation. We also discussed Tyson's book, "Astrophysics for People in a Hurry."Richard and Jim met Tyson at his offices at The American Museum of Natural History. While insisting he is not an advocate for manned space flight, Tyso

Aug 30, 2018 • 23:10

Soaring Suicide Rates: Dr. Richard Friedman

Soaring Suicide Rates: Dr. Richard Friedman

The national suicide rate rose 28% from 1999 to 2016, according to The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. In 2016, alone, 45,000 people took their own lives.This year's suicides of celebrity chef Anthony Bourdain and fashion designer, Kate Spade, focused new attention on the crisis.Why is the U.S. suicide rate as high as it was one hundred years ago? What are proven ways to save lives and reduce depression and chronic anxiety?Our guest is Dr. Richard Friedman, a

Aug 23, 2018 • 25:08

Populism: Bigger Than Trump? Salena Zito

Populism: Bigger Than Trump? Salena Zito

Was Donald Trump's election a one-off event, or did it represent a fundamental realignment of American politics?Washington-based political experts wrongly called the 2016 election, and our guest, Salena Zito, author of "The Great Revolt", argues that they keep blowing it today. Democrats who ignore the concerns of those who went for Obama in 2012, but then backed Trump four years later, do so at their peril.We examine the spread of populism that is reshaping America

Aug 13, 2018 • 28:17

Can Podcasting Save The Planet?

Can Podcasting Save The Planet?

From ancient times to the present day, women and men have brought meaning to their lives through storytelling.Before the invention of the printing press, ancient societies passed on the knowledge and wisdom of one generation to the next through oral history. Today, no other medium is as intimate and personal as podcasting. We are the town criers of our time.In this "Quick Fix" episode, Richard and Jim discuss the future of podcasting-- an industry that faces both opportunities and challenge

Aug 2, 2018 • 14:37

The Fight For Free Expression: Deb Mashek

The Fight For Free Expression: Deb Mashek

Free speech on campus is under assault at many colleges and universities. From disinviting commencement speakers to shouting down professors and others they disagree with, some students demand "safe spaces" from controversial remarks and what they call micro-aggressions.So far, 1800 professors from the right, left, center and other political leanings have joined the effort to bridge the ideological divide. Heterodox Academy is part of a growing number of attempts to encourage

Jul 26, 2018 • 28:10

The High Cost of America First: James Bacchus

The High Cost of America First: James Bacchus

President Trump has withdrawn from international agreements, criticized NATO, The European Union, and attacked the policies of Canada, Mexico, Britain, France and Germany-- all traditional allies. He praised President Putin, and continues to sow chaos in the international trading system, reportedly threatening to pull the U.S. out of the World Trade Organization-- W.T.O.This last step, above all, could have the most serious impact on the American economy, damaging businesses, destroying jobs, an

Jul 19, 2018 • 29:24

The Fall and Rise of Small Towns: Dar Williams

The Fall and Rise of Small Towns: Dar Williams

America's landscape of towns and cities is ever-changing. Countless Main Streets and small downtowns were eviscerated by big box stores, globalization, online commerce and poor planning.But today, many resilient communities are fighting back. Called "one of America's very best singer-songwriters" by The New Yorker, our guest, Dar Williams, tells us how towns and cities can turn themselves around. "What I Found in a Thousand Towns: A Traveling Musician's Guide to Rebuilding America

Jul 13, 2018 • 30:43

A Fresh Look at Freedom: Russell Shorto

A Fresh Look at Freedom: Russell Shorto

We discuss the American Revolution and the meaning of freedom with acclaimed historian and journalist, Russell Shorto, author of the 2018 book, "Revolution Song: A Story of American Freedom."Russell Shorto is also the writer of a fine new podcast series, "American History Tellers."As the nation struggles with a political crisis and national discord, this episode-- released during the week of the July 4th vacation-- has special resonance. We look at fundamental ideas of democracy and fo

Jul 5, 2018 • 25:14

The Good News About Drones: Mehdi Salehi

The Good News About Drones: Mehdi Salehi

Do a Google search of drones, and scary headlines pop up instantly. "Dangerous Drones Invade Protected Airspace Daily," says one. While others talk about "spooky, scary" drones that invade privacy; get in the way of firefighters, or lead to new types of warfare.These concerns are real, but there are also many constructive use for drones that save lives, make cities safer and boost the economy."Wherever there's a problem, I'm pretty sure you can find a use

Jun 28, 2018 • 21:03

Blockchain: The Next Big Thing? Dan Patterson

Blockchain: The Next Big Thing? Dan Patterson

A trade war with China has dangerous implications for the global economy. What began more than a year ago with President Trump’s decision to impose tariffs has become an unpleasant economic reality for many businesses. Recently, the U.S. labeled China a “currency manipulator.” But an even larger long-term threat comes from China’s aggressive espionage offensive that is playing out in behind-the-scenes as of the U.S. and China struggle for global dominance.Our guest is&nb

Jun 21, 2018 • 23:58

Our Towns. Solutions & Reinvention. James Fallows - Part 2

Our Towns. Solutions & Reinvention. James Fallows - Part 2

Despite bitter partisanship and political paralysis in Washington, local democracy is alive in well in many towns and cities across the country.That's the surprising finding in "Our Towns: A 100,000-Mile Journey Into the Heart of America," by journalist James Fallows of The Atlantic magazine and his wife, writer and linguist Deborah Fallows. In this episode, part two of our conversation with James, we look at the ways many local business owners, city planners, educators

Jun 14, 2018 • 21:28

Our Towns. Solutions & Reinvention: James Fallows

Our Towns. Solutions & Reinvention: James Fallows

Congress sank to a dismal 10% approval rating in a new poll. Most Americans believe the nation is heading in the wrong direction. But ask people about their own lives and local communities, and you are likely to get a very different answer.According to a Gallup poll, well over 80% of Americans are satisfied in general with the way their personal lives are going.Despite negative media coverage of "fly-over country" and the "rust belt", exciting things are happening in towns an

Jun 7, 2018 • 24:46

The Next Debt Crisis: Maya MacGuineas

The Next Debt Crisis: Maya MacGuineas

"The debt will be as large as our entire economy by the end of the decade", says Maya MacGuineas, President of the bipartisan Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget. "Every indicator that you could look for in terms of the numbers is on flashing red alert."The U.S. federal government debt is nearly $20 trillion and rising each year. Interest payments are the single fastest growing part of the federal budget, and higher interest rates in the near future will add to the enormous burd

May 31, 2018 • 25:32

The Great Environmental Debate: Charles C. Mann

The Great Environmental Debate: Charles C. Mann

Far too often, politics and policy are portrayed as a battle between liberals and conservatives, or socialists vs. capitalists. But one of the most profound divides of modern times is between optimists and pessimists-- especially over how they view the environment.This episode looks at the debate between environmental optimists (wizards), who believe we can invent our way to a better, healthier future, and pessimists (prophets), who say we must impose limits on pollution, over-crowding othe

May 24, 2018 • 32:35

Fighting Gang Violence: Jonathan Green

Fighting Gang Violence: Jonathan Green

From the streets of Chicago and Los Angeles, to indictments this month targeting criminal networks in Savannah, Georgia and white supremacists in Grand Prairie, Texas, tens of thousands of gangs are responsible for drug crimes, brutal killings and other forms of violence. According to one recent estimate, nearly one-and-a-half million people are members of gangs in the United States.In this episode, we look at the lessons learned from the successful police and feder

May 17, 2018 • 27:06

A Solution for Israelis & Palestinians? Dahlia Scheindlin

A Solution for Israelis & Palestinians? Dahlia Scheindlin

President Trump's rejection of the Iran nuclear agreement and Israeli military attacks on Iranian sites in Syria are among the latest signs of rising tensions in the Middle East. The threat of war is ever-present.Twenty five years after the signing of the Oslo Accords, relations between the Israeli government and Palestinian Authority are at a low point. There has been no significant peace process in many years.We speak with Israeli public opinion analyst, strategic consultan

May 10, 2018 • 34:00

Stopping Sexual Harassment

Stopping Sexual Harassment

The growing #MeToo movement has exposed many cases of sexual harassment and retaliation in the workplace.Among the latest examples is an upheaval at Nike. Female employees, fed up with years of gender discrimination, insensitive behavior and crude comments by male colleagues, took action. Covertly, they surveyed female peers, asking about their experiences. The findings led to changes, with at least six top male executives resigning or announcing plans to leave the company.Despite widesprea

May 3, 2018 • 20:50

Microtrends = Big Changes: Mark Penn

Microtrends = Big Changes: Mark Penn

When we focus on the future, we usually look at the big things: Will the current crisis with North Korea be resolved peacefully? Is President Trump likely to face a big setback in the midterm elections? When will the next recession hit?Our guest, political consultant Mark Penn, argues that the future is not shaped by broad forces, but by quiet changes-- Microtrends-- within narrow slices of the population.We hear about "Techno-Luddites", the rise of internet marriages, the huge increase in

Apr 26, 2018 • 22:45

The New Movement to Restore Civility

The New Movement to Restore Civility

The National Week of Conversation is a bold attempt to reduce the yawning gap between Republicans and Democrats. More than 100 groups across the country are involved in online and in-person events from April 20th to April 28th. We look at how the project works and why it can make a difference. With American politics increasingly dominated by personal insults, name calling and dogma, a growing movement for greater civility is emerging. "The ever-widening gulf..is one

Apr 19, 2018 • 21:44

Fixing Capitalism: Luigi Zingales

Fixing Capitalism: Luigi Zingales

From internet giants Facebook, Amazon and Google to telecom titans AT&T, Verizon and Comcast, American capitalism is increasingly dominated by huge and politically well-connected business behemoths.We look at the case for reform, including stronger anti-trust regulations, innovative use of the Interstate Commerce Clause, better pay for government regulators, and reform of the tax code.Our guest, finance professor, Luigi Zingales of the University of Chicago Booth School of Business, makes a

Apr 12, 2018 • 26:37

The World Is Getting Better: Gregg Easterbrook

The World Is Getting Better: Gregg Easterbrook

The facts are hard to deny. We live longer, infant mortality continues to fall, we are richer, less subject to violence-- and despite uneven progress, the world is more democratic than it was 50 years ago.And yet so many people are gripped by pessimism and fear.Donald Trump was elected President after repeatedly claiming "our country is going to hell." A recent poll found that just three-in-ten Americans think the country is headed in the right direction. The number of Americans who think the co

Apr 5, 2018 • 27:51

America's Leadership Crisis: Davia Temin

America's Leadership Crisis: Davia Temin

With turmoil and never-ending drama in the White House, and record numbers of departures from top levels of the Trump Administration, it is safe to say that America is facing a leadership crisis. According to recent polls, a solid majority of US voters disapproves of Trump's leadership.In corporate America, the once-celebrated Facebook CEO, Mark Zuckerberg, is facing growing criticism over his late and insufficient response to privacy concerns and the Cambridge

Mar 29, 2018 • 26:56

Google is Forever. No Second Chances: Brian Hamilton

Google is Forever. No Second Chances: Brian Hamilton

Whether it's Facebook, Twitter, Amazon, or Google; internet platforms are a huge force in our daily lives. The recent scandal over the Steven Bannon-affiliated Cambridge Analytica is the most recent example of the downside of data.This episode of "How Do We Fix It?" is about search, and how it can condemn former inmates to a life sentence without work. In their case, the internet is a "help not wanted" sign, preventing them from getting a job and putting their lives back on track. The cost to ex

Mar 22, 2018 • 27:11

Making Luck Happen: Janice Kaplan

Making Luck Happen: Janice Kaplan

What do Mark Zuckerberg, hockey great Wayne Gretzky, and best-selling novelist Lee Child all have in common? They all worked to make luck happen for them.In this episode with award-winning author, editor and journalist, Janice Kaplan, we learn about the exciting ways you can grab opportunities and improve your life. There is a clear difference between random chance and luck. The case is made in the new book that she wrote with risk-taking expert Barnaby Marsh, "How Luck Happens:

Mar 15, 2018 • 29:11

Reducing gun violence: What Works. James Burnett

Reducing gun violence: What Works. James Burnett

The debate over gun violence is deeply polarized, but almost everyone agrees it's an urgent problem and that far too many people are being killed and injured by firearms in the United States.The toll is more than 100 deaths per day-- a much higher rate than in other wealthy nations. Unlike the appalling killings in Parkland, Florida, Newtown, Connecticut, and at other schools, most gun murders involve a single victim and don't get national media coverage. Mass shootings account for less than 2%

Mar 9, 2018 • 34:30

Will #NeverAgain Bring Lasting Change? Elizabeth Matto

Will #NeverAgain Bring Lasting Change? Elizabeth Matto

Within four days of the mass shooting at Margaret Stoneman High School in Parkland, Florida that left 17 people dead, Never Again was born.In this episode, we ask whether young millennials, who grew up after 9/11 during a time of school lockdowns, will become effective advocates for lasting social and political change.Digitally savvy students-- survivors of the massacre-- turned to social media with the hashtag #NeverAgain. This activist campaign for sweeping changes in gun control laws became a

Mar 1, 2018 • 24:16

The Next Space Race: Joe Pappalardo

The Next Space Race: Joe Pappalardo

The impressive launch of the Falcon Heavy rocket by SpaceX from the Kennedy Space Center in Florida, and the touchdown of two boosters back at Cape Canaveral minutes later, are the latest milestones in a thrilling comeback story. Space is becoming sexy again and the pace of innovation is remarkably fast.Not since the days of John Glenn,the Apollo moon launch, and the Space Shuttle program has spaceflight been so exciting.In this episode, technology journalist Joe Pappalardo, author of the new bo

Feb 21, 2018 • 26:31

Healthcare Data Revolution: Dr. Joe Habboushe

Healthcare Data Revolution: Dr. Joe Habboushe

Wouldn't it be great if consumers could access all their personal medical records quickly and share them with doctors, family members and others they trust?This could lead to revolutionary changes in patient outcomes with less bureaucracy and fewer medical mistakes and unnecessary tests. In recent weeks, major announcements by Apple and Google, plus a new healthcare alliance by Amazon, Berkshire Hathaway and JP Morgan Chase are signs of accelerated change.No one is better equipped to interp

Feb 14, 2018 • 25:53

The Truth About Self-Driving Cars

The Truth About Self-Driving Cars

It's time to put the brakes on the hype about self-driving cars. Despite industry and media forecasts, it may be more than a decade before many fully autonomous vehicles are on the road. Lawsuits and patent disputes are among the many hurdles that face auto manufacturers and tech firms.But this doesn't mean that technology is being thrown into reverse gear. Semi-autonomous cars with vehicle assist and other features are much safer than earlier generations of automobiles. Self-driving delive

Feb 7, 2018 • 19:53

When Will Wall Street Crash? Diana Henriques

When Will Wall Street Crash? Diana Henriques

The U.S. stock market has soared about 40% since the Trump election. But is it over-valued and ready for a meltdown?Shortly before the worst one-day crash in history in November 1987, the market had been charging ahead, with a 40% rise that year. The economy was on a roll, just like today. What would happen if giant investment funds bailed out of stocks at the same time? Would there be another financial crisis, even worse than the events in 2008?"We are more vulnerable to a radical readjust

Feb 1, 2018 • 29:05

50/50 Nation? No! Morris Fiorina

50/50 Nation? No! Morris Fiorina

From the recent government shutdown to strict partisan votes on taxes and healthcare, official Washington lurches from one fight to the next, with no end in sight.But the American public is not as polarized as the pundits say.While elected Republicans and Democrats appeal to their base, and are more divided than ever, the electorate has not changed dramatically in recent years. According to Pew Research and other pollsters, moderate independents outnumber either liberal Democrats or conservative

Jan 25, 2018 • 29:02

The Dangers Of Utopia: Michael Shermer

The Dangers Of Utopia: Michael Shermer

By overwhelming majorities, human beings have faith in the afterlife. While fewer Americans believe in God, as many as 80% still believe in life after death. Surprisingly, this includes one-in-three agnostics and atheists. According to the Roper Center for Public Opinion the numbers have stayed stable in recent decades.Does this human refusal to accept that all we have is the here-and-now lead to a dangerous belief in religious fantasies and utopia? Do we chase after myths while ignoring practic

Jan 18, 2018 • 22:21

Ending Sexual Harassment: Claire Cain Miller

Ending Sexual Harassment: Claire Cain Miller

The fight against sexual harassment was the hot topic in Hollywood at the Golden Globes Awards, with outspoken and inspiring remarks by Oprah Winfrey, Reese Witherspoon and others. But allegations of bullying or inappropriate behavior by powerful men are still being made almost every day.Despite widespread outrage, little focus has been given to effective measures that can be taken by employers to reduce the number of cases and improve the workplace environment. Our guest is journalis

Jan 10, 2018 • 26:53

What's Ahead in 2018: Richard and Jim's Forecast

What's Ahead in 2018: Richard and Jim's Forecast

2018 is certain to bring surprises. In this episode, Jim and Richard bravely venture out onto the high diving board of ideas and plunge into the pool of predictions. We also asked listeners and "How Do We Fix It?" guests for their forecasts of the year to come.Well-known author and skeptic Michael Shermer says "2018 will be the best year in the history of humanity as measured by health, longevity, medicine, technology, science and culture."Disruptive marketer and communications designer Geoff Co

Dec 27, 2017 • 22:05

Food & Health: Science vs. Myth:The Science Moms

Food & Health: Science vs. Myth:The Science Moms

It's time to shift the narrative about food and health from fear to facts. Popular culture promotes all sorts of anti-scientific myths, from astrology and conspiracy theories to vaccine denial and misinformation about GMOs.On this episode our guest is "Science Mom" Kavin Senapathy, one of five mothers of young children who decided to collaborate on communication and push back against a conspiratorial mindset around biotechnology. They argue that there's an epidemic of bad science and fear-based

Dec 20, 2017 • 22:54

Facebook and YouTube Threats: Zeynep Tufekci

Facebook and YouTube Threats: Zeynep Tufekci

Billions of people use Facebook and YouTube. But do social media platforms threaten our privacy and our freedom? The problem goes well beyond hate messages and other forms of inappropriate content, or fake news and "dark posts"— targeted ads not visible to the public. "The crucial problem here is we have no protections about the data that's collected," says our guest, Professor Zeynep Tufekci. "We have no protections about how that data is used and we have a business model where we are

Dec 13, 2017 • 30:15

The Truth About Robots: Peter Cappelli

The Truth About Robots: Peter Cappelli

Once again the alarm bells are ringing. A new study by the McKinsey Global Institutes estimates that within 12 years, up to 800 million of today's workers may be replaced by robots or some other form of automation. Other recent research reports on the impact of technology are even more disturbing. A survey by PriceWaterhouseCoopers, the professional services company, claims 38% of U.S. jobs are at high risk of being replaced by robots and artificial intelligence over the next 15 years.But w

Dec 6, 2017 • 25:55

Why Migration is Good: Leonard Doyle

Why Migration is Good: Leonard Doyle

What do you think of when you hear the word “refugee” or “migrant”? If over-crowded rafts or vast tent encampments come to mind, you are not alone.But there’s a very different— and much more positive side to migration. Across the world, record numbers of people are on the move in search of new opportunities and a better life.One solution to the vast increase in global migration is to gain a deeper understanding of the opportunities and challenges resulting from a more deeply connected world.Form

Nov 30, 2017 • 18:43

A Fresh Look at Freedom: Russell Shorto

A Fresh Look at Freedom: Russell Shorto

We discuss the American Revolution through six different pairs of eyes with acclaimed historian and journalist, Russell Shorto, author of the new book, "Revolution Song."This episode examines the meaning of freedom in a fresh new light and has special resonance during the week of Thanksgiving. As he did with "The Island at the Center of the World," which looked at the Dutch impact on Manhattan and the founding of the nation, this book examines American values, drawing deeply on diaries, let

Nov 21, 2017 • 29:43

Fixes for Manufacturing: Krisztina "Z" Holly

Fixes for Manufacturing: Krisztina "Z" Holly

This week we dismantle the myth that American manufacturing is in a death spiral. It’s not. Our guest is MIT-trained engineer and tech entrepreneur Krisztina “Z” Holly, host of the podcast, “The Art of Manufacturing."Even as factory jobs have declined, manufacturing growth has surged during the past three decades. Manufacturing production grew 2.9% in October compared to 2016, according to the Federal Reserve. From construction equipment to food products and semiconductors, manufacture

Nov 16, 2017 • 22:56

#128 Solutions for America's Opioid Epidemic: Sam Quinones

#128 Solutions for America's Opioid Epidemic: Sam Quinones

America’s opioid epidemic is an addiction crisis like no other the country has ever faced. Deaths outnumber car crash fatalities. Since 1999, 200,000 people have died from overdoses related to Oxycontin and other prescription painkillers. The scourge is the result of a terrible double whammy: The relentless marketing of pain pills and the ruthless efficiency of drug pushers from one small Mexican town, who deliver heroin like takeout pizza.Our guest, Sam Quinones, author of the highly

Nov 8, 2017 • 26:08

#127 The Threat to Democracy: Reed Galen

#127 The Threat to Democracy: Reed Galen

One year after the election of Donald Trump, American democracy is under threat. Our civic life is in a shambles.Our guest, Reed Galen, says America is a “dual-civilization society,” with each side viewing the other with suspicion, disgust and disdain.The guardrails of democracy are banged up. Some dents were made years ago — the result of dysfunction In Washington D.C. Others are the result of the President’s sustained attacks on Congress, the judiciary and a free press.In this episode we look

Nov 2, 2017 • 27:06

#126 Using Data To Predict the Future: Rebecca Costa

#126 Using Data To Predict the Future: Rebecca Costa

Can data be used to prevent mass shootings, dramatically reduce opioid addiction and tell elderly people that they about to fall? Our guest, Rebecca Costa, says it can.
In this episode we look at why predictive analytics may be the most profound technological change in the past 15 years-- even more important than smartphones.
In her new book, “On The Verge,” and on this podcast, Rebecca says we now have the power to predict the future, adapting in advance to changing conditions.  She also tells

Oct 26, 2017 • 27:57

#125 The Harvey Weinstein Sex Scandal: What Next? Anne Thompson

#125 The Harvey Weinstein Sex Scandal: What Next? Anne Thompson

The public downfall of film boss, Harvey Weinstein raises deep questions about the culture of Hollywood and its longstanding tolerance of sexual misbehavior by powerful men.Rumors about Weinstein's outrageous behavior had been an open secret in Hollywood for years. But Weinstein, a king of independent film, was able to cow the media, and had the power to break the careers of any women who dared go public with complaints.All that changed recently when a New York Times investigation uncovered

Oct 18, 2017 • 27:51

#124 Russia's Threat to U.S. Democracy: Amy Knight

#124 Russia's Threat to U.S. Democracy: Amy Knight

How should the U.S. and other Western nations deal with Vladimir Putin and well-documented threats to democracy from the Russian government? What are the most effective ways to push back against hacking and other attacks?Ever since Vladimir Putin came to power, his critics have turned up dead on a regular basis. According to our guest, Amy Knight, this is no coincidence. In her book "Orders to Kill" and during this episode of "How Do We Fix It?", she exposes a campaign of political murder during

Oct 11, 2017 • 29:09

#123 Affirmative Action for Conservatives? Michael Roth

#123 Affirmative Action for Conservatives? Michael Roth

Are free speech rights threatened at universities? Is Attorney General Jeff Sessions correct when he says political correctness has run amok on college campuses?Conservatives point to the angry scenes at Middlebury College, where Charles Murray was shouted down, and demonstrations at University of California, Berkeley, which led to the cancelation of Free Speech Week, as alarming examples of intolerance. Liberals push back, saying that protests against neo-Nazis, racism, and those who

Oct 4, 2017 • 28:18

#122 Title IX and Sexual Assault: Jeannie Suk Gersen

#122 Title IX and Sexual Assault: Jeannie Suk Gersen

Days ago, Education Secretary Betsy DeVos scrapped Obama-era Title IX rules on campus sexual assault, plunging herself into a furious controversy. This episode goes beyond name-calling and looks at how colleges and universities could improve their policies."This harmful step in the wrong direction may cause survivors of sexual assault to go back into the shadows, Democratic Senator Patty Murray said of the DeVos guidance. The co-founder of the group, End Rape on Campus, Sofie Karasek, went furth

Sep 27, 2017 • 24:31

#121 Why We Need Stories and Myths: Stephen Greenblatt

#121 Why We Need Stories and Myths: Stephen Greenblatt

Love him or loathe him, Donald Trump told a more compelling story about himself than his opponents. The 2016 election was, for his critics, a jarring reminder of the limits of limiting political rhetoric to detailed policies and programs.In this episode of "How Do We Fix It?", we explore the power of myths and legends: Why they are essential in making sense of life.Harvard Humanities professor Stephen Greenblatt is our guest.Using the origin story in the Bible, we discuss the enormous power of f

Sep 20, 2017 • 20:03

#120 From Political Disgust to Action: Eric Liu

#120 From Political Disgust to Action: Eric Liu

So many of us are furious at President Trump, Congress, EPA Administrator Scott Pruitt, The Democrats or the news media-- name your poison.Two thirds of Americans say they are dissatisfied with how things are going in this country today, compared with fewer than three-in-ten who are satisfied. This is a dramatic change from the 1990's, when most people had a positive view of national conditions.This show is an empowering response to anger and disgust. Eric Liu, founder and CEO of Citizen Univers

Sep 13, 2017 • 24:00

#119 A Conservative Cure for Climate Change: Bob Inglis

#119 A Conservative Cure for Climate Change: Bob Inglis

Climate scientists warn that Hurricanes Irma and Harvey are examples of extreme weather that will become much more common in the years to come. But Trump Administration officials ridicule any link between this month's devastating storms and global warming.Without a change of heart, most conservatives will continue to resist an overwhelming body of scientific evidence on climate change. Congress will fail to pass needed reforms.Enter former GOP Congressman Bob Inglis. He argues that while Republi

Sep 7, 2017 • 26:57

#118 After Harvey: Climate Change Insurance. Gernot Wagner

#118 After Harvey: Climate Change Insurance. Gernot Wagner

Is climate change to blame for Hurricane Harvey and the devastating floods around Houston? Even though we can't be certain about the cause of a single storm, Harvey's epic rainfall and surprisingly long duration remind us of the need for urgent action.In this edition of our solutions podcast, economist Gernot Wagner, executive director of Harvard University's Solar Geoengineeering Research Program, makes the case for market-based climate insurance: A fix that even skeptical conservatives could l

Aug 30, 2017 • 21:01

#117 Is Hiking a Cure for PTSD? Sean Gobin

#117 Is Hiking a Cure for PTSD? Sean Gobin

Can vets walk off the devastating impacts of PTSD? Do long-distance hiking, biking and river paddling journeys offer far better treatment for the emotional and psychological damage of war than pills or therapy offered by the VA? Sean Gobin is a United States Marine Corps veteran who served 12 years as an Infantry Rifleman and Armor Officer. He tells us his own personal story. After returning home from several deployments to Iraq and Afghanistan, Sean hiked the 2,181-mile Appalachian Tr

Aug 23, 2017 • 37:27

#116 The Case for Passion in Our Lives

#116 The Case for Passion in Our Lives

Neil deGrasse Tyson became passionate about astrophysics when he was a teenager. Best-selling science journalist Mary Roach is well-known for her humor and curiosity as she explores the science of keeping human beings intact, sane and awake during the extreme circumstances of war.This "Fix It" episode is about passion and is inspired by our many guests. They bring their wisdom, emotion and enthusiasm with them as they describe what turns them on about their work and expertise. Obstetrician-

Aug 17, 2017 • 22:47

#115 Refugees Are Just Like You: Ahmed Badr

#115 Refugees Are Just Like You: Ahmed Badr

Far too often refugees are thought of as "the other"-- a mass of people who are victims of war, persecution or natural disasters. President Trump has added to the problem, making negative, harsh comments about immigrants.This episode with 19 year-old Iraqi-American refugee Ahmed Badr, looks at how to fix the way we view refugees and migrants. We look at their personal stories and what they bring to enrich the lives of the communities where they now live.Through writing about his own life, Ahmed,

Aug 9, 2017 • 28:27

#114 Grunt: The Science of Humans at War - Mary Roach

#114 Grunt: The Science of Humans at War - Mary Roach

When do fashion designers make the difference between comfort and misery for active soldiers? Why does the military need a radically different kind of crash test dummy? What role could maggots play in healing open wounds? These questions and more are answered by best-selling science journalist, Mary Roach, author of "Grunt: The Curious Science of Humans at War." In this audio tour of duty we go beyond war's battlefields, bombs and bands of brothers to hear why scientists, doctors, rese

Aug 3, 2017 • 30:41

#113 America's Male Unemployment Crisis: Ed Glaeser

#113 America's Male Unemployment Crisis: Ed Glaeser

Here's a paradox. While the U.S. unemployment rate is near a 16-year low, the percentage of all American adults in the workforce remains stuck at well below pre-recession levels.Men are much more likely than women to drop out of work. In the 1960's 95% of adult men between 25 and 54 were employed. Today, after 7 years of an improving job market, only 80% are in the workforce.People who don't look for a job are not counted in the official unemployment statistics compiled by the Labor Department.

Jul 26, 2017 • 28:54

#13 Fix It Shorts: Why Fixing Health Care Is So Hard

#13 Fix It Shorts: Why Fixing Health Care Is So Hard

"It's back to square one" says the Wall Street Journal after the collapse of Republican proposals to repeal and replace The Affordable Care Act. President Trump says his plan is to "let Obamacare fail." This episode looks at how any reform of America's healthcare system - whether by Republicans or Democrats - is so difficult. Whether it's controlling costs, rationing care or extending coverage to all, there are no easy answers. Today, the future of healthcare is uncertain and coverage for many m

Jul 19, 2017 • 14:38

#12 Fix It Shorts: The Case for Going Outdoors

#12 Fix It Shorts: The Case for Going Outdoors

Going outdoors and taking on new challenges makes you healthier, happier and smarter. Spending time in nature away from cities and suburbs can also bring spiritual and emotional benefits. Co-host Jim Meigs tells us why he's a big outdoor guy, who loves to hike, bike and head for the hills. In this episode we look at ways to add adventure to your life and embrace the excitement of leaving your comfort zone. Kio Stark, author of "When Strangers Meet: How People You Don't Know Can Transform You," e

Jul 12, 2017 • 11:58

#11 Fix It Shorts: Is Summer Fun Under Assault? Lenore Skenazy

#11 Fix It Shorts: Is Summer Fun Under Assault? Lenore Skenazy

Lenore Skenazy of Free Range Kids makes the case for carefree summer activities and unstructured play time-- arguing against those who put safety fears ahead of a child's need to explore, be curious and grow."If You're a Kid, the Experts Want You to Have a Fun-Free Summer" is the title of a recent article by Lenore.Summer is a time to "dig in the sand, gulp from the hose, play at the park, and leap with joy," writes Lenore. "Unless you're a kid-- in which case, find yourself a comfy sofa in a da

Jul 5, 2017 • 12:37

#109 Secrets of Your Stuff: Mover, Finn Murphy

#109 Secrets of Your Stuff: Mover, Finn Murphy

Are you too attached to your stuff? Do you have a big move coming up?Long-haul trucker, Finn Murphy has covered more than a million miles of packing, loading and hauling people's material possessions all across the country. In this episode he shares his insights into the moving business, truckers, his many customers and how American households have changed in recent years.Finn is the author of "The Long Haul: A Trucker's Tales of Life on the Road," a wise, vivid and charming account of his years

Jun 28, 2017 • 23:12

#108 Big Data & STEM, Overrated? Scott Hartley

#108 Big Data & STEM, Overrated? Scott Hartley

In our age of big data Liberal Arts smarts are undervalued. Our guest, Scott Hartley, argues that the most valuable jobs skills in the future will belong to people who can think creatively, using emotional intelligence and adaptability. Scott is a venture capitalist and author of "The Fuzzy and the Techie: Why the Liberal Arts Will Rule the Digital World." At Stanford University, where he studied political science, fuzzies majored in the humanities or social sciences. Techies took computer scien

Jun 21, 2017 • 29:47

#107 How Trust Can Save Journalism: Aron Pilhofer

#107 How Trust Can Save Journalism: Aron Pilhofer

Journalism is in crisis. Our trust in the news media has fallen to an all-time low. One recent poll found that two thirds of Americans believe mainstream news organizations often publish fake news. The business model at many newspapers, magazines, radio stations and websites is failing. Declining revenues have forced layoffs and other cutbacks at news organizations across the country. Professor Aron Pilhofer of Temple University, one of the world's most respected experts in digital innovation fo

Jun 14, 2017 • 27:40

#106 Defusing The Prison Population Bomb: John Pfaff

#106 Defusing The Prison Population Bomb: John Pfaff

Today, about 2.2 million Americans are behind bars. "The incarceration rate is about five times the rate of 1970 and our crime rate is the same as in 1970,"John Pfaff, our guest, tells us.Our guest, John Pfaff of Fordham University is both a law professor and an economist. Author of "Locked In: The True Causes of Mass Incarceration—and How to Achieve Real Reform," he says state and local policies matter far more than changes in the federal system.Do you want to know more? Check out our website:

Jun 7, 2017 • 28:02

#105 Road To Disaster: VW Emissions Scandal Jack Ewing

#105 Road To Disaster: VW Emissions Scandal Jack Ewing

It isn't just the crime. It's also the cover-up. Volkswagen's multi-year conspiracy to evade pollution rules may be the biggest scandal in auto industry history.The world's second largest car manufacturer misled regulators, consumers, and motorists.
Our guest is New York Times Germany correspondent, Jack Ewing, author of "Faster, Higher, Farther: The Volkswagen Scandal." The book tells the remarkable story of a very dysfunctional company and how the scandal unfolded.Do you want to know more? Che

Jun 1, 2017 • 27:55

#104 Are Credit Cards Evil? Beverly Harzog

#104 Are Credit Cards Evil? Beverly Harzog

Are credit cards evil?  Do you need to restructure debt or were refused a loan?  If so, this episode is for you.If you're a parent looking for smart money advice to pass onto young adults as they enter the workforce, our podcast has a checklist of do's and don'ts.Respected credit card expert and consumer advocate Beverly Harzog is our guest. Beverly hasn't just talked the talk about maxing out on debt, she's walked the walk. In her best-selling book, “Confessions of a Credit Junkie", she tells h

May 24, 2017 • 21:54

#103 Neil deGrasse Tyson: Science Deniers & Wonders of the Universe Pt. 2

#103 Neil deGrasse Tyson: Science Deniers & Wonders of the Universe Pt. 2

Tyson talks about the possibility of intelligent life on other planets, tackles science deniers on the right and left, and explains why we should invest more in pure science. Tyson also discusses his new book, "Astrophysics for People in a Hurry.”"What's curious to me is you have the liberal community claiming the (moral) high road ...against the science deniers of the right with regard to global warming and evolution in the classrooms... as though they are somehow untainted by non-scientific th

May 17, 2017 • 23:22

#102 Neil deGrasse Tyson: Space, The Universe and The Case for Science, Pt.1

#102 Neil deGrasse Tyson: Space, The Universe and The Case for Science, Pt.1

Neil deGrasse Tyson, America’s most prominent spokesman for science and Director of New York City’s Hayden Planetarium, talks about the benefits of a cosmic perspective, the case for manned space flight and much more in this first part of our wide-ranging conversation. We also discussed Tyson's new book, "Astrophysics for People in a Hurry." Richard and Jim met Tyson at his offices at The American Museum of Natural History. While insisting he is not an advocate for manned space fl

May 10, 2017 • 23:10

#10 Fix It Shorts: What We Learned in Our First 100 episodes

#10 Fix It Shorts: What We Learned in Our First 100 episodes

For Jim and Richard "How Do We Fix It? has been a great big learning experience. From how to switch careers to the search for meaning and the importance of speaking to strangers, our guests have proposed many smart, practical solutions. And they've also challenged conventional wisdom.Our podcast invites listeners to get into their discomfort zone as a way of being more receptive to change.  Jim starts this show revealing what he learned from David McRaney, host of "You Are Not So Smart," - a pod

May 4, 2017 • 13:47

#100 The Myth of Main Street, Louis Hyman

#100 The Myth of Main Street, Louis Hyman

Our guest is Louis Hyman, author of the provocative New York Times editorial, "The Myth of Main Street." Louis is a Cornell University History Professor and the Director of the Institute for Workplace Studies. Nostalgia for the economy's "good old days" has great appeal for many Americans.For the right, past decades bring back memories of Ronald Reagan, traditional cultural values and U.S. dominance in global affairs. For the left, post-war America was a time of stronger unions and less income i

Apr 26, 2017 • 25:35

#99 How Our Minds Heal Our Bodies: Jo Marchant

#99 How Our Minds Heal Our Bodies: Jo Marchant

Have you ever felt a surge of adrenaline after a bike ride, working in the back yard or going to the gym? Salivated at the sight of a sour lemon? Felt turned on by your partner’s voice? If so, says scientific journalist Jo Marchant, you’ve experienced how the workings of the mind can affect your body.In this episode we look at the mind's potential to ease pain, reduce anxiety and even cut the risk of infection, heart disease and other serious medical ailments. Jo discusses how the latest fin

Apr 19, 2017 • 23:16

#98 You're More Powerful Than You Think: Eric Liu

#98 You're More Powerful Than You Think: Eric Liu

If you're disillusioned, depressed or downright furious at the state of politics today, this episode is for you.Eric Liu, founder and CEO of Citizen University, says that you're more powerful than you think. We discuss the stories, strategies and ideas raised in his timely new book.The key to fighting back successfully is to have a strategy and know how to read and write power,” but most people have no understanding of power and how to use it.  Political illiteracy is one reason we feel so power

Apr 12, 2017 • 26:39

#9 Fix It Shorts Productivity: Charles Duhigg's Top 4 Tips

#9 Fix It Shorts Productivity: Charles Duhigg's Top 4 Tips

This episode highlights four key productivity fixes from New York Times Pulitzer Prize winner Charles Duhigg. His most recent book is "Smarter, Faster, Better: The Secrets of Being Productive in Life and In Business." Charles is also the author of "The Power of Habit."Using cutting-edge science, reporting and real-life stories, Charles explains why being productive isn't just about daily habits, routines and lists.  "Keeping your eye on that thing that matters most to you is the secret to succes

Apr 5, 2017 • 12:50

#96 Robots Are Not Coming For Your Job, Pt 2: Peter Cappelli

#96 Robots Are Not Coming For Your Job, Pt 2: Peter Cappelli

How can we save good jobs?In part one (Episode #95); we talked to Peter Cappelli, of the Wharton School, about the threat of robots and automation to our workforce. In part 2 Peter explained why this threat is misplaced and he had suggested solutions for the US workforce.Look for solutions and links to useful sites at our website, howdowefixit.me. Please rate and review our shows at iTunes. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Mar 29, 2017 • 24:15

#95 Robots Are Not Coming For Your Job: Peter Cappelli

#95 Robots Are Not Coming For Your Job: Peter Cappelli

Here's one less thing to worry about: robots are not going to take your job.Despite the dire predictions of analysts, workplace experts and the government, the impact of robotics and automation on employment may be hugely overstated.Professor Peter Cappelli, the Director of the Center for Human Resources at the Wharton School is our guest. He has written for The Atlantic, The New Yorker Magazine, The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal and Forbes Magazine. Peter was recently named one of the

Mar 22, 2017 • 19:18

#94 A Vital Fix for the Media: David Bornstein

#94 A Vital Fix for the Media: David Bornstein

The news media is under fierce attack from President Trump; White House Strategist, Steve Bannon; and many other critics.While many claims against the press are overblown, now is a good time to look at arguments for constructive change. We decided to re-air our interview with New York Times journalist David Bornstein, co-founder of SolutionsJournalismNetwork.orgDavid says that solutions journalism focuses on what works now as potential solutions. Using the best available evidence, solutions jour

Mar 15, 2017 • 23:15

#93 Emily Esfahani Smith: The Power of Meaning

#93 Emily Esfahani Smith: The Power of Meaning

Are you happy?  If not, perhaps you’re asking yourself the wrong question.Our culture is obsessed with happiness - a right that’s enshrined in the U.S. Constitution.  But living a life of meaning, instead of the pursuit of happiness, may bring much deeper, longer-lasting satisfaction, says our guest, Emily Esfahani Smith, author of "The Power of Meaning Crafting a Life That Matters. In 2013, comedian Louis C.K. struck a nerve when he spoke of the human condition on the Conan O’Brian show. “Under

Mar 8, 2017 • 22:55

Fix It Shorts #8. Immigrants: Great for the Economy!

Fix It Shorts #8. Immigrants: Great for the Economy!

When did the arguments for free trade and the benefits of immigration go out of fashion?Why is the case for scaling back the power of the financial industry under attack by the Trump administration? Richard and Jim spoke to three experts for this episode of “Fix It Shorts.” Rana Foroohar, explains why the power of Wall Street distorts the economy. “The key lessons of the crisis of 2008 still remain unlearned,” she says. “Our financial system is just as vulnerable as ever.” Rana is the author of

Mar 1, 2017 • 15:01

#91 Geoffrey Colon: Pay-to-Play: A Menace to Society?

#91 Geoffrey Colon: Pay-to-Play: A Menace to Society?

Do you know where your information is coming from? Shadowy forces are at work to influence what we think, how we behave, and where we spend our money.They're part of the explosion in pay-to-play. From bots and branded content to political-influence peddlers’, advertisers and even sports programs in public schools, pay-to-play is a growing influence in our lives. Critics of pay-to-play say that instead of "We the people,” the online world is controlled by "We the wealthiest people.” Geoffrey Col

Feb 23, 2017 • 22:04

#90 David Greenberg: President Trump and The History of Spin

#90 David Greenberg: President Trump and The History of Spin

Does Donald Trump lie more than previous presidents? In the history of political spin, how does the Trump administration stack up? Presidents have always used spin and propaganda to skirt the truth, but the Trump administration has made it especially hard for citizens to remain informed. The easiest example of this was when Kellyanne Conway, the Counselor to the President, used the term “alternative facts” to defend a false statement by the White House Press Secretary. In this episode we look at

Feb 16, 2017 • 25:38

#89 Shearly Markowicz: Online Dating: Why It Works

#89 Shearly Markowicz: Online Dating: Why It Works

Valentine’s Day is almost here, so we invited Dating Ring CEO Shearly Markowicz to talk about the company and give advice how to find love online. Dating Ring first came to fame when it was profiled by the Gimlet podcast, "StartUp.”Online dating has lost its stigma and gone mainstream. But do these sites really work? According to the Pew Research Center, six in ten people say online dating is a good way to meet people. But Consumer Reports’ gave online dating sites the lowest satisfaction scores

Feb 8, 2017 • 24:29

#88 The New Brooklyn: Bringing Cities Back: Kay Hymowitz

#88 The New Brooklyn: Bringing Cities Back: Kay Hymowitz

In his inaugural address, Donald Trump gave a grim description of American cities, speaking of "carnage" and "rusted out factories.” But the reality is far different in many urban centers.Our guest is Kay Hymowitz of The Manhattan Institute, author of "The New Brooklyn: What It Takes To Bring a City Back." Kay has lived in Park Slope, Brooklyn since 1981. She gives a first-hand account of Brooklyn's transformation from high crime and deindustrialization in the 60's, 70's and 80's to the borough'

Feb 2, 2017 • 26:52

#87 Taxes: How to Avoid an Audit, Get a Refund, and Don't Panic

#87 Taxes: How to Avoid an Audit, Get a Refund, and Don't Panic

Do you dread filing your taxes? We simplify the process and break it down into simple steps so you can avoid costly mistakes and even an audit. You might even get back hundreds of dollars in refunds. Our guest on this podcast is certified tax accountant, Janice Hayman, who calls herself a "tax therapist" for many of her clients. We learn which tax credits and deductions millions of taxpayers miss when they file their returns. Why dealing with the Internal Revenue Service is often a lot easier an

Jan 25, 2017 • 24:00

#86 Farai Chideya: Re-think Your Career. Find a New Job

#86 Farai Chideya: Re-think Your Career. Find a New Job

Have you spent your life switching careers? So has former NPR host, professor, and journalist Farai Chideya. It’s the new normal —- the episodic career.Can you build a career with a non-traditional work history?How do you find  a rewarding career in the new world of work?How can you thrive and prosper in a jobs market disrupted by technology and globalism? These questions are answered in this podcast. Our guest is well-known journalist, professor, author and former NPR host, Farai Chideya, autho

Jan 18, 2017 • 23:46

#85 Why We're Fooled by Con Artists: Maria Konnikova

#85 Why We're Fooled by Con Artists: Maria Konnikova

Have you ever been the victim of a con artist? Very often we fall for cons ourselves without being aware of it. We speak with journalist and psychologist Maria Konnikova, best-selling author of “The Confidence Game:" Through storytelling and science, she explains the mind of the con artist and what makes the rest of us so susceptible. 
Con artists are everywhere. Since 2008 the number of reported cases of consumer fraud have shot up 60%. Online cases have doubled. Billions of dollars are lost ea

Jan 11, 2017 • 26:05

#84 Smart Solutions for The New Year

#84 Smart Solutions for The New Year

Fresh thinking for the New Year: In 2016 we were exposed to a dazzling range of smart, practical ideas from our podcast guests - from climate change and money matters, healthcare reform, to making room for strangers in our lives.  In this show we start with Rebecca Jarvis, Chief Business, Economics and Technology Correspondent for ABC News. One of her smart money resolutions for the New Year is to be skeptical. Watch out for the know-it-alls and outright charlatans of investing, who pretend to

Jan 5, 2017 • 21:12

#83 Best Moments of 2016

#83 Best Moments of 2016

Alan Dershowitz on Trump; what an Islamic fundamentalist learned in an Egyptian jail; plus a tenured professor explained why she quit her job—trigger warning ahead. No doubt about it - the nomination and election of Donald Trump was the biggest, most surprising news story of 2016. At the start of this show we get two fascinating takes on the Trump story from a marketing man and a Harvard Professor. For decades Alan Dershowitz has been on the front lines in the fight for civil liberties. He also

Dec 29, 2016 • 24:46

#82 Lessons from the World's Best Schools: Lucy Crehan

#82 Lessons from the World's Best Schools: Lucy Crehan

What we can learn from the best education systems in the world? A lot.We learn about PISA - The Program for International Student Assessment - and why this international test on math, science and reading has disturbing results for U.S. schools. 
 We interviewed British teacher Lucy Crehan, author of the breakthrough book, "Cleverlands", went on a remarkable journey to Finland, Asia and Canada, to study the world’s best schools. We find out why a simple question from a student in her science clas

Dec 22, 2016 • 26:20

#81 Rana Foroohar: Wall Street's Giant Threat to the Economy

#81 Rana Foroohar: Wall Street's Giant Threat to the Economy

More than eight years after the financial meltdown, we still have a lot to learn, says our guest, CNN global economic analyst Rana Foroohar. "The rise of finance has actually kind of eaten the rest of the economy," Rana tells this in this "Fix It" episode. "Finance controls the rest of industry. Finance has become the tail that wags the dog." At the same time, the financial industry remains at risk for another hugely destructive collapse. In her book, "Makers and Takers: The Rise of Finance a

Dec 14, 2016 • 27:32

#80 The Urgent Case for Science & Reason: Michael Shermer

#80 The Urgent Case for Science & Reason: Michael Shermer

Dr. Michael Shermer is our guest; he's the Founding Publisher of Skeptic magazine, a monthly columnist for Scientific American and a regular contributor to Time.com.In his latest book, “The Moral Arc: How Science and Reason Lead Humanity toward Truth, Justice, and Freedom,” Dr. Shermer discusses how science, reason, and rational inquiry contribute to human progress and history. He claims that we are living in the most moral period of our species’ historyUsing data, and lessons from history, Mich

Dec 7, 2016 • 25:32

#79 Smarter, Simpler Ways to Fix Healthcare: Dr. Joe Habboushe

#79 Smarter, Simpler Ways to Fix Healthcare: Dr. Joe Habboushe

The U.S. spends more than $3 trillion a year on healthcare, or nearly $10,000 a year for every man, woman and child. But are we getting a bang for our buck? In many cases, the answer has to be no. And this goes well beyond the raging debate over Obamacare and whether all Americans should have access to coverage.About a third of money spent on healthcare is now simply wasted or spent on poor decisions, says our guest, emergency room physician and entrepreneur, Doctor Joe Habboushe. The crisis inc

Nov 30, 2016 • 32:53

#78 How Games Can Make the World Work Better: Dan Grech

#78 How Games Can Make the World Work Better: Dan Grech

This show is about the benefits adults, especially business owners, can get from playing games. This year's huge success of Pokemon Go helped bring gamification and augmented reality into the mainstream - with many small businesses using the mobile app to raise engagement with consumers. Dan Grech, OfferCraft, tells us how governments, businesses, and even parents use games to boost participation and change behavior.Dan Grech is a former journalist who works for OfferCraft, a Florida company tha

Nov 23, 2016 • 23:23

#77 Fixes for Feminists in a Time of Trump: Sallie Krawcheck

#77 Fixes for Feminists in a Time of Trump: Sallie Krawcheck

Anyone who cares about diversity, feminism and closing the gender gap should be fired up about this show.Author, entrepreneur and - yes provocateur - Sallie Krawcheck is our guest.  Her forthcoming 2017 book is "Own It: The Power of Women at Work."  Sallie is CEO and Co-Founder of Ellevest, a digital investment platform and wealth management site for women.  For years, she has been well known as one of the most senior women on Wall Street and was called "the last honest analyst" by Fortune Magaz

Nov 16, 2016 • 30:30

Fix It Shorts #7: Why Trump Won. What Should Happen Next?

Fix It Shorts #7: Why Trump Won. What Should Happen Next?

We recorded this the day after the stunning U.S. Presidential election.  This show is our attempt to explain the reasons for Donald Trump's win.Despite his deeply divisive rhetoric and attacks on Muslims and undocumented Mexican immigrants that deeply offended many voters, Trump emerged victorious. We examine why Trump won the election but also solutions and takeaways from his surprise victory.Solutions:Let’s come up with a list of things we can agree on. Congress should meet before the new Admi

Nov 10, 2016 • 12:35

#75 Be Ready for the Future—Any Future: Mark Earls

#75 Be Ready for the Future—Any Future: Mark Earls

Almost all of us do a poor job of predicting the future.  This show looks at how we can adapt to the disruption and change the future inevitably brings.  Using examples from business and our personal lives, we consider how to be smarter and more successful."You can't really imagine what it's going to be like should a bad thing happen," says our guest, Mark Earls. "We over-estimate how bad we might feel if we lose something, and under-estimate how we might feel if something good happens to us."Ma

Nov 2, 2016 • 24:05

#74 Talking to Strangers Made Me a Better Person: Kio Stark

#74 Talking to Strangers Made Me a Better Person: Kio Stark

"There are genuine emotional benefits when we connect with strangers," says our guest, Kio Stark. These fleeting interactions are important interruptions in the steady routine of our lives. "They bring connectedness and belonging."Kio is the author of "When Strangers Meet: How People You Don't Know Can Transform You." Her popular TED Talk has received more than 1,450,000 views. "My own interactions with strangers resonate with meaning for me," she writes in her book. "You find questions whose a

Oct 28, 2016 • 22:38

#73 Why Nonprofits Need to Stop Begging: Jennifer McCrea

#73 Why Nonprofits Need to Stop Begging: Jennifer McCrea

Do you believe you can make a difference?  What improvements to the world have been made by nonprofit organizations?  What lessons have been learnt by philanthropists about delivering services and furthering their cause? These and many more questions are answered here by our guest, Jennifer McCrea.  She's a leading global expert on giving and fundraising.  Jennifer works to transform the practice of philanthropy She discusses her important work with the Born Free Africa collaborative, which work

Oct 19, 2016 • 22:54

Fix It Shorts #6: Election 2016: The Problem is Us. We The Voters

Fix It Shorts #6: Election 2016: The Problem is Us. We The Voters

The news media have bombarded us with stories about the candidates, the contest and - to a lesser extent - the crucial issues America faces as people vote for the next President. This podcast is about the voters. We went back to four past episodes of "How Do We Fix It?" pulling extracts about how we make decisions and why the information that you and I receive from internet search engines and other sources may be radically different than the news and views our friends and neighbors are hearing.

Oct 12, 2016 • 14:42

#71 Saving Walkers & Bikers from Killer Cars: Nicole Gelinas

#71 Saving Walkers & Bikers from Killer Cars: Nicole Gelinas

“Vision Zero” is the highly ambitious plan put in place two years ago by New York's Mayor Bill de Blasio. The goal: no traffic deaths by 2024.  America's largest city is nowhere near reducing fatal crashes to zero, but great progress has been made since 1990.  "The good news is that we've gone from 701 deaths back then to an average of 245 deaths a year under the de Blasio Administration," says urban economics and transportation researcher Nicole Gelinas in this "Fix It" episode. Nicole is a se

Oct 5, 2016 • 27:09

#70 Fighting the Extremists—on Both Sides: Alan Dershowitz

#70 Fighting the Extremists—on Both Sides: Alan Dershowitz

Electile Dysfunction (is), “a terrible pun plus insightful commentary" is how TV host and wit Seth Myers describes" the new book by Professor Alan Dershowitz. Dershowitz became a professor at Harvard Law when he was 25 years old. In his long and distinguished career, Newsweek described Dershowitz as "the nation's most peripatetic civil liberties lawyer and one of its most distinguished defenders of individual rights." We recorded this episode of "How Do We Fix It?" at his Manhattan home. "Electi

Sep 28, 2016 • 29:52

#69 A Better Way to Think About Migrants: Leonard Doyle

#69 A Better Way to Think About Migrants: Leonard Doyle

Too often, migrants and refugees are viewed as "other" - not like us. In recent days Donald Trump Jr. compared the Syrian refugee problem to a bowl of Skittles In this episode, Leonard Doyle of the International Organization for Migration walks us through the worldwide crisis of tens of millions of displaced people, from families fleeing from war and terrorism to young men and women who overstay their visas in search of a better life.  We look at the definitions of these terms - so often gloss

Sep 21, 2016 • 29:31

#68 Why Everyone Is Wrong About the Economy: Ruchir Sharma

#68 Why Everyone Is Wrong About the Economy: Ruchir Sharma

Get ready for slower economic growth and de-globalization, says investor and writer Ruchir Sharma. Ruchir invited us to his New York office, where he is the head of emerging markets and chief global strategist at Morgan Stanley Investment Management. He is also the author of "The Rise and Fall of Nations: Forces of Change in the Post-Crisis World." Our interview looks at Ruchir's rules for spotting political, economic and social change. They include: The depopulation bomb: If the working popul

Sep 14, 2016 • 24:27

#67 How Being Grateful Will Make You Happier: Janice Kaplan

#67 How Being Grateful Will Make You Happier: Janice Kaplan

On New Year's Eve, journalist and former Parade Editor-in-Chief Janice Kaplan made a promise to herself to be grateful during the coming year and look on the bright side of whatever happens. As we find out in this episode, it made a big difference to her life. Janice discovered that how she feels has less to do with events than with her own attitude and perspective on life. Her recent book "The Gratitude Diaries" began after a survey she had done found that 94% of Americans thought people who ar

Sep 7, 2016 • 19:40

#66 Fixing Everyday Money Mistakes: Rebecca Jarvis

#66 Fixing Everyday Money Mistakes: Rebecca Jarvis

How much do you know about money?  Many of us make simple mistakes that cost us hundreds, if not thousands of dollars a year. According to a recent study by The FINRA Investor Education Foundation, only 37% of Americans have high financial literacy. 29% of 18-34 year-olds with a mortgage have been late with a monthly payment and more than one in four people use high-cost forms of borrowing like pawn shops and payday loans.       And even worse, many of us think we know much more about personal

Sep 1, 2016 • 25:22

#65 Moms Clean Air Force: Gretchen Dahlkemper

#65 Moms Clean Air Force: Gretchen Dahlkemper

From "nap-time activists" and mommy bloggers to a "stroller march" on Washington, Moms Clean Air Force is using creative and highly effective ways to advance their cause to get dangerous pollutants out of the air.  In this "How Do We Fix It?" episode we speak about solutions with the group's National Field Director, Gretchen Dahlkemper, a Pennsylvania mom who became an activist - fired up about the threat to her children's health.  Her daughter has asthma. So for her this campaign is personal.

Aug 24, 2016 • 24:10

Fix It Shorts #5: Technology: How Children Learn and Play

Fix It Shorts #5: Technology: How Children Learn and Play

Following on from our recent episodes about high schools and  playdates, this week we explore children's learning, technology and play with three "How DO We Fix It?" guests.  Science evangelist Ainissa Ramirez explains why all young kids are fascinated by science.  But school often gets in the way of exploration and curiosity. Ainissa explains how parents and other caregivers can spark interest in science. Psychology professor Abigail Baird shares insights and tips for parents about a healthy ba

Aug 17, 2016 • 14:08

#63 How Brownsville TX Took on Obesity: Dr. Rose Gowen

#63 How Brownsville TX Took on Obesity: Dr. Rose Gowen

The obesity rate is 52% in Brownsville, Texas - far higher than the national average.  Nearly one in three residents has diabetes - three times the rate elsewhere.  Brownsville also has a very high rate of poverty where more half the residents are not covered by health insurance. This city and other largely hispanic communities along the U.S. - Mexico border are facing a health emergency. Brownsville decided to tackle the crisis head on, with an innovative mix of public initiatives - including

Aug 10, 2016 • 20:42

#62 Untangling the Tricky Politics of Playdates: Tamara Mose

#62 Untangling the Tricky Politics of Playdates: Tamara Mose

Remember when kids were allowed to play, usually without supervision, when did that change? When did play turn into a playdate? Today many parents organize playdates. Play is arranged, supervised and has the parental seal of approval.  "I think we could add more diversity into how our children play with other children,"says our guest, Tamara Mose, Associate Professor of Sociology at Brooklyn College.  Tamara is the author of the new book "The Playdate: Parents, Children and the New Expectations

Aug 3, 2016 • 22:31

Fix It Shorts #4: Why Hacking Threaten All of Us: Adam Levin

Fix It Shorts #4: Why Hacking Threaten All of Us: Adam Levin

The release of nearly 19,000 e-mails from the Democratic National Committee rocked party leaders and forced the resignation of DNC Chair Debbie Wasserman Schultz. We look at how this happened, why Russia was probably involved and how many other organizations, businesses and government agencies are at risk of cyber break-ins. Adam Levin, co-founder of Credit.com and the online security firm IDT911 says the power grid and financial system are at risk.  He warns of a possible "Cyber-geddon." In thi

Jul 27, 2016 • 12:29

#60 Ideas to Save our Failing High Schools: Liz Willen

#60 Ideas to Save our Failing High Schools: Liz Willen

Improving America's high schools is an exceptionally complex and difficult task. But all across the country the most enlightened educators are working to narrow the gap between student achievement and the needs of an evolving workplace.   Our guest, Liz Willen, is editor-in-chief of the groundbreaking  Hechinger Report. Using solutions journalism, data, stories and research from classrooms and campuses, Hechinger looks at how education can be improved and why it matters.   "The best high schools

Jul 20, 2016 • 26:26

#59 Why the Human Touch Still Matters: Steve Hilton

#59 Why the Human Touch Still Matters: Steve Hilton

When is the last time that you called a big company or government agency and a human being answered the phone?   From big data, complex algorithms and giant corporations to massive government bureaucracy, the everyday life can seem increasingly impersonal.     Our guest, Steve Hilton, argues for radical change.  The former senior policy advisor to ex-British Prime Minister David Cameron has written "More Human: Designing a World Where People Come First."  The book is a clarion call for reform of

Jul 13, 2016 • 25:46

#58 A Better Way to Understand Polls: Gary Langer

#58 A Better Way to Understand Polls: Gary Langer

Are opinion polls accurate?  Did they miss the rise of Donald Trump and Bernie Sanders?  Do they properly measure America's increasingly sharp political and cultural divisions?  What's the difference between a well-designed poll conducted with careful methodology and a sloppy opt-in online survey? Our guest is Gary Langer, an internationally recognized opinion researcher and longtime director of polling at ABC News. He has overseen and analyzed more than 750 surveys on a broad range of topics.

Jul 6, 2016 • 23:32

#57 How To Be Smarter About Risk: Karen Firestone

#57 How To Be Smarter About Risk: Karen Firestone

This show may very well save you money, boost your career and help you make smarter decisions.   It's about risk.   Our guest is Karen Firestone - author of the new book “Even The Odds - Sensible Risk Taking in Business Investing and Life."  She is President and CEO, of Aureus Asset Management, an asset management firm she cofounded after 22 years as a fund manager and research analyst at Fidelity Investments. Karen is a contributor to the Harvard Business Review blog.   "I think that sensib

Jun 29, 2016 • 23:39

Fix It Shorts #3: Should Britain Vote to Leave the European Union?: Steve Hilton

Fix It Shorts #3: Should Britain Vote to Leave the European Union?: Steve Hilton

Would Britain face lasting economic and political harm if it votes to quit the European Union in June 23rd's referendum?  Our show looks at the case for Brexit. Steve Hilton, one of David Cameron's closest friends and a former senior political advisor to the Prime Minister, is a leading member of the Vote Leave campaign.  He tells us in this episode that a bureaucratic, over-centralized EU has become far too entangled in British life and is incapable of reform.   Richard and Jim disagree on th

Jun 17, 2016 • 11:43

Fix It Shorts #2: 2016 Presidential Campaign: Lessons From History. Sean Wilentz

Fix It Shorts #2: 2016 Presidential Campaign: Lessons From History. Sean Wilentz

How many times have heard somebody say that the political campaign has reached a new low?  How much worse is the 2016 race compared to previous elections?We asked Princeton University Professor, Sean Wilentz, to give us a history lesson. In his latest book, "The Politicians and the Egalitarians" Sean makes the case for pragmatism, arguing that politicians serve the country best through the art of compromise.On this episode, he tells us that "nasty, slimy stuff" is nothing new in Presidential cam

Jun 15, 2016 • 14:18

#54 Harnessing the Hidden Power of Habit: Charles Duhigg

#54 Harnessing the Hidden Power of Habit: Charles Duhigg

This podcast is all about how to have better habits and use them to be more productive in our projects, careers and everyday lives.   We talk about to-do lists, email, mental models and making the most of our time with best-selling author,Charles Duhigg.  His latest book is "Smarter, Faster, Better:  The Secrets of Being Productive in Life and In Business."  Charles is also the author of "The Power of Habit." "Keeping your eye on that thing that matters most to you is the secret to success," C

Jun 8, 2016 • 26:53

#53 Medical Mistakes: The 3rd Largest Cause of Death

#53 Medical Mistakes: The 3rd Largest Cause of Death

Medical errors are America's third largest cause of death. Only heart disease and cancer have a higher body count.    A new report estimates that about 250,000 Americans die each year because of screw-ups in hospitals, doctors' offices and other medical settings.  In 2013, research by NASA's chief toxicologist put the number at as many as 440,000.   In this episode of "How Do We Fix It?", Pittsburgh-based lawyer James Lieber brings a passion for practical solutions to a widespread problem. J

Jun 1, 2016 • 25:40

Fix It Shorts #1: Crazy Red Tape and Rigid Rules: How Do We Fix It?

Fix It Shorts #1: Crazy Red Tape and Rigid Rules: How Do We Fix It?

It's the biggest issue of the Presidential campaign that the candidates are not talking about: bloated government and the poor delivery of services.   From very long TSA airport security lines to the dysfunction at your local DMV, our interactions with government can be extremely frustrating.  Exceedingly complex rules and laws make things even worse.    For decades, Philip K. Howard has been a leading voice on how to streamline government and make it work for all of us. His latest book is "The

May 25, 2016 • 11:52

#51 Why Self-Driving Cars Are a Sneaky Plot: Eddie Alterman

#51 Why Self-Driving Cars Are a Sneaky Plot: Eddie Alterman

With technology in overdrive, self-driving cars are no longer a fantasy. The first autonomous cars and trucks made by major auto manufacturers could be on the road within several years. But "Fix It" guest Eddie Alterman, Editor-in-Chief of Car and Driver magazine says not so fast. "It's a scary concept anyway you look at it," he tells us. "The autonomous car is a very inelegant, very complex and a very fraught solution to the problem of texting while driving... and of i

May 18, 2016 • 25:23

#50 Building a Much Better Workplace: How Do We Fix It?

#50 Building a Much Better Workplace: How Do We Fix It?

The numbers are alarming.  A 2015 Gallup poll found nearly 70% of U.S. employers say they're either bored or disengaged at work.   The cost to employers has been put at more than $500 billion in lost productivity. The cost to workers is incalculable - in human misery, unnecessary stress and lost opportunity.   Workplace psychologist Ron Friedman is the author of "The Best Place to Work: The Art and Science of Creating an Extraordinary Workplace." Ron says there's an astonishing gap between the l

May 11, 2016 • 25:30

#49 Don't Freak Out About Terrorism: Fixes from The Security Mom

#49 Don't Freak Out About Terrorism: Fixes from The Security Mom

"Stuff happens," says homeland security expert and mom of three, Juliette Kayyem.   The government has got to find a better way to talk about the threat of terrorism and natural disasters. Most of us need to have a better plan to prepare.  "We talked in a way when people would either tune out or freak out," says Juliette of her time as a top official at The Department of Homeland of Homeland Security. "We are all in this together," she tells on this episode of "How Do We Fix It?" Her new book is

May 4, 2016 • 19:30

#48 John Gable Do You Know How Biased You Are? John Gable of AllSides.com

#48 John Gable Do You Know How Biased You Are? John Gable of AllSides.com

"At the end of the day everybody is biased," says our guest,John Gable, founder CEO of AllSides. "You're biased by what youknow. You're biased by what you know and you're biased by yourentire human existence before then."AllSides is unique in how it covers the news - displayingstories on its front page - from different points of view. It urgesreaders to "engage in civil dialog and discover a deeperunderstanding of the issues."The left-hand column at AllSides has stories fromliberal-leaning sites

Apr 26, 2016 • 26:52

#47 A Better Way to Report The News: David Bornstein

#47 A Better Way to Report The News: David Bornstein

Too often, news coverage is all about clashes, controversies andcontests.  The way the media cover major events can have aprofound impact on our view of the world. In this episode, Jim and Richard - both journaliststhemselves - are joined by DavidBornstein, who writes for theFixes blog of The New York Times and is co-founder of SolutionsJournalismNetwork.org. "The news tends to focus far more on what's wrong than onthe credible efforts around the world of people who are trying tofix things, whet

Apr 20, 2016 • 25:12

#46 An Environmentalist's Passionate Case for Nuclear Power: Michael Shellenberger

#46 An Environmentalist's Passionate Case for Nuclear Power: Michael Shellenberger

With the approach of Earth Day, this show looks at the cleanair, carbon-free case for nuclear power. And it challenges the viewheld by many environmentalists that the only way to save the planetis for all of us to get by with less.Guest Michael Shellenberger is is coauthor of AnEcomodernist Manifesto, a which argues that human prosperityand an ecologically vibrant planet go hand-in-hand. In 2007,Michael received the Green Book Award and Time magazine's"Heroof the Environment."His recent TEDx tal

Apr 13, 2016 • 24:48

#45 The Case for Children's Free Play: Lenore Skenazy

#45 The Case for Children's Free Play: Lenore Skenazy

You can't have too much of a really good thing. That's why we decided to invite Lenore Skenazy,founder of Free Range Kids, to make a welcome return to "How Do We Fix It?" She was a guest on an earlier show.Lenore is the passionate and playful campaigner, who says most American kids don't have nearly enough unstructured free time, when they can be curious and engage the world on their own terms."Free time is unsupervised time," Lenore tells us. "It's not a parent sitting there saying 'oh, that wa

Apr 6, 2016 • 27:34

#44 Our Problem with Science. Ainissa Ramirez: How Do We Fix It?

#44 Our Problem with Science. Ainissa Ramirez: How Do We Fix It?

We have a problem in our society. Too many people don't understand science or the importance of the scientific method. Many children aren't learning the basics of math and science, which closes off a broad range of career opportunities. It's also a problem in our civil society. A broader understanding of how science works would help parents know why they need to vaccinate their kids or what's going on with climate change. Science evangelist Ainissa Ramirez has some great fixes. She's the author

Mar 30, 2016 • 28:19

#43 Joan Blades Part 2 - How to Speak With People You Disagree With

#43 Joan Blades Part 2 - How to Speak With People You Disagree With

This episode looks at the simple, highly personal way that living room conversations allow people of different viewpoints to really hear each other. A progressive activist, Joan Blades was deeply involved in starting MoveOn.org in the late 90's. More recently she has also worked on ways to encourage respect and dialog among liberals, independents and conservatives. She is the cofounder of LivingRoomConversations.org. In part one last week (episode 43), we looked at why Americans need to find new

Mar 22, 2016 • 17:52

#42 Neighbors Divided Over Politics: Joan Blades: How Do We Fix It?

#42 Neighbors Divided Over Politics: Joan Blades: How Do We Fix It?

How can you talk to people you disagree with? We Talk to Joan Blades, the founder of MoveOn.org about how to bridge the partisan divide.This show is another response to the deep partisan divide in America - part one of a fascinating conversation with Joan Blades. Much of our political campaign has been dominated by personal insults, name-calling and dogma. Voters have rewarded politicians who use anger and blame others for the country's problems. Individual citizens are part of the problem and t

Mar 16, 2016 • 21:11

#41 Explaining Donald Trump; The Role Emotions Play In Big Decisions

#41 Explaining Donald Trump; The Role Emotions Play In Big Decisions

Let's face it. Donald Trump and Bernie Sanders have won far more votes than almost any "expert" forecast. The reason may well be that emotions and learned behavior from others play a far bigger role in our decision making than most of us realize. Our "Fix It" guest Mark Earls - the HERDMeister - is an award-winning British writer and consultant on marketing, communications and human behavior. In his latest book, "Copy, Copy, Copy," Mark shows how we vote and buy stuff by copying others - our fri

Mar 9, 2016 • 27:05

#40 America's Angry Political Divide. Mark Gerzon

#40 America's Angry Political Divide. Mark Gerzon

More than any time in recent decades, American politics aredeeply divided. Compromise is a dirty word."The way that we're running the country is that we're notrunning the country," says our guest Mark Gerzon, author of the newbook, "TheReunited States of America."As President of Mediators Foundation, the group he founded 25years ago, Mark has brought people together in conflict zonesaround the world Concerned about increasing polarization in theU.S., Mark is working on the ideological frontier b

Mar 2, 2016 • 27:49

#39 The Gender Gap in Our Public Square: Joan Wages: How Do We Fix It?

#39 The Gender Gap in Our Public Square: Joan Wages: How Do We Fix It?

From the AmericanRevolution and the Founding Fathers - through wars, economic changeand the struggle for civil rights, American history isoverwhelmingly dominated by the achievements and errors ofmen. Women - because they were largely excluded from public andprofessional life for most of our history - play a relatively smallrole in the established narrative of our past. "Role models have a hugeimpact on the way young girls and women in general think aboutthemselves," says Joan Wages, President a

Feb 24, 2016 • 20:40

#38 Why Obamacare Might Collapse: Megan McArdle: How Do We Fix It?

#38 Why Obamacare Might Collapse: Megan McArdle: How Do We Fix It?

For its opponents, Obamacare is a disaster - a classic exampleof over-reach by an Administration that wants to expand the sizeand scope of the Federal government.Supporters say The Affordable Care Act is a triumph, benefitingcountless millions of Americans, while reducing the threat ofpersonal bankruptcies in medical emergencies crippling healthcarecosts."We have decreased the rate ofthe uninsured by about a third," says our guest Megan McArdle, acolumnist at Bloomberg View. But Obamacare poses

Feb 17, 2016 • 34:13

#37 Breast Cancer: Lessons from a life-threatening journey. Debbie Galant

#37 Breast Cancer: Lessons from a life-threatening journey. Debbie Galant

Debbie Galant talks about what it's like to livewith breast cancer.  What she learned along the way amount tosolutions for what can be a desperate, lonelyexperience.From the shock of herfirst diagnosis to sometimes wrenching, sometimes funnyconversations with her doctors and family, Debbie gives us valuablelessons about how to survive and recover, physically andemotionally."You are pitched intothis world of fear... this incredible world of fear," she tells us."You're making a lot of decisions in

Feb 10, 2016 • 26:13

#36 The Risks of Safety: Greg Ip: How Do We Fix It?

#36 The Risks of Safety: Greg Ip: How Do We Fix It?

Anti-lock brakes make many motorists drive faster. Introducing helmets and face masks in football raised the risk of concussions. Financial regulators and central bankers played a role in creatingconditions that led to the 2008 mortgage meltdown.The illusion of safety can lead to reckless behavior.These fascinating insights are part of "Foolproof - Why SafetyCan Be Dangerous and How Danger Makes Us Safe", the recentlypublished book by Greg Ip, chief economics commentator at The WallStreet Journa

Feb 3, 2016 • 22:15

#35 Our Flawed Fight Against ISIS: Maajid Nawaz: How Do We Fix It?

#35 Our Flawed Fight Against ISIS: Maajid Nawaz: How Do We Fix It?

Before The U.S. and other nations can be successful againstIslamic State (ISIS) and other global jihadists, we must understandthe difference between Islam and Islamism. That's the argument fromour guest on this week's episode, Maajid Nawaz."It happens to be that today we are dealing with an insurgencythat's rising and growing within my own Muslim community," he says.It doesn't help to deny it."A Sunni Muslim and a former Islamist fundamentalist, who isfounding chairman of the London-based counte

Jan 26, 2016 • 24:04

#34 The backlash against science. Alice Dreger: How Do We Fix It?

#34 The backlash against science. Alice Dreger: How Do We Fix It?

We'd like to think that science should exist outside of politics and researchers follow the truth wherever it goes. But the ideal of rational non-ideological science is under attack at many colleges and universities, says our guest, Alice Dreger. An historian who studies human sexuality and the ethics of medical research, Alice is the author of the provocative new book, "Galileo's Middle Finger." "I'm really looking at how activists go after scientists who have ideas that the activists don't lik

Jan 20, 2016 • 26:07

#33 Fighting Over Land in The West: Nancy Langston - How Do We Fix It

#33 Fighting Over Land in The West: Nancy Langston - How Do We Fix It

The armed occupation of the Malheur National Wildlife Refuge in the dry prairies of Southeast Oregon by members a small militia group is the most recent chapter in the very long-running dispute over land in The West. Our guest is environmental historian Nancy Langston, author of “Where Land and Water Meet. A Western Landscape Transformed.” In some western states the Federal Government owns more than half the land. This set the stage for impassioned arguments between ranchers, conservationists, c

Jan 13, 2016 • 28:37

#32 New Year's Resolutions for 2015

#32 New Year's Resolutions for 2015

It's easy to make resolutions to improve our lives, but how do we boost our chances of following through? The first two guests on this New Year's Resolutions special are Dave McRaney of the podcast, "You Are Not So Smart" and Dr. Peter Whybrow,Director of the Semel Institute at U.C.L.A., author of The Well-Tuned Brain: Neuroscience And The Life Well Lived."Dave dives in to confirmation bias, when we seek out information that confirms our world view, rather than challenging ourselves with the tru

Dec 31, 2015 • 24:18

#31: 2015 In Review: Some of Our Best Moments

#31: 2015 In Review: Some of Our Best Moments

If you want to get of sense of what we're about, this highlights show may be a good place to start. We've put together a "best of" podcast that reflects our values and makes the argument for why we're worth listening to. From Episode 4, released in June, reformer Philip K. Howard made the case for better government and simpler, shorter laws, instead of all the red tape and tangled mess that we have today. In his Ted Talk lecture and his latest book, “The Rule of Nobody,” Philip argues passionate

Dec 29, 2015 • 30:29

#30 How The Internet Is Messing With Our Brains. Abigail Baird: How Do We Fix It?

#30 How The Internet Is Messing With Our Brains. Abigail Baird: How Do We Fix It?

We love our smartphones, tablets, and laptops. But what is the explosion in mobile technology doing to our brains?Our guest, Professor Abigail Baird,is a developmental psychologist,expert on the teenage brain and mother of two young children. She says technology has great benefits, but also could have a negative impact on our conversations, memory and social life. The brain's craving for novelty - for constant stimulation and instant gratification - makes our tech toys seem irresistible. So how

Dec 23, 2015 • 25:16

#29 Are College Students Too Emotionally Fragile? Hara Marano: How Do We Fix It?

#29 Are College Students Too Emotionally Fragile? Hara Marano: How Do We Fix It?

From angry scenes over Halloween costumes at Yale to protests against racism at the University of Missouri, student activism is back.  More than at any time since the late 1960's, America is in the middle of a wave of college unrest.  To what extent do students today have genuine grievances? Are at least some of them rebels without a cause - angry because their feelings have been hurt?  “Step by step colleges are being transformed into something more akin to mental health wards rather than

Dec 15, 2015 • 23:55

#28 Walls, Barriers and Bans: The Cost of Panic Over Immigration & Terror: How Do We Fix It?

#28 Walls, Barriers and Bans: The Cost of Panic Over Immigration & Terror: How Do We Fix It?

From Paris to San Bernardino, terrorist attacks have sparked an outcry from many politicians in Europe and the U.S. - including calls for new controls on immigration, refugees and the free movement of labor across national borders.The leading Republican Presidential candidate, Donald Trump, called for a total and complete ban on Muslims entering the United States.Our guest in episode 29, Peter Coy, Economics Editor for Bloomberg Businessweek, makes a strong case for more - not less - immigration

Dec 7, 2015 • 26:51

#27 America's Sleep Crisis: Jeff Koyen. How Do We Fix It?

#27 America's Sleep Crisis: Jeff Koyen. How Do We Fix It?

How can we get more sleep? If you have at least seven hours of interrupted sleep each night, consider yourself very lucky indeed. Problems with sleep are remarkably widespread. Many millions of adults and children either don't spend enough time in bed or suffer from sleep disorders, resulting in illness, obesity, depression, mood swings and loss of creativity.Our guest is Jeff Koyen, Editor-in-Chief of Van Winkle's, a new website "obsessed with sleeping, waking and everything in between. He sh

Dec 1, 2015 • 24:21

#26 The Trouble With Today's Toys: Richard Gottlieb: How Do We Fix It?

#26 The Trouble With Today's Toys: Richard Gottlieb: How Do We Fix It?

The holiday shopping season is underway and finding the right toy or game for his or her kids is the goal of every parent. A vast range of new toys has been introduced in recent months. Joining us in this episode to look at the recent changes is consultant and branding expert, Richard Gottlieb, of Global Toy Experts. "The toy industry is a nineteenth century industry that's trying hard to break into the twenty first," says Richard. "It's had a lot of difficulty dealing with the digital aspect of

Nov 24, 2015 • 25:15

#25 Climate Change: Turning CO2 Into Rock: Peter Kelemen: How Do We Fix It

#25 Climate Change: Turning CO2 Into Rock: Peter Kelemen: How Do We Fix It

The demand for energy around the world continues to grow each year. And so does the amount of carbon dioxide that's pumped into the earth's atmosphere. What happens if the world fails to bring down CO2 emissions in the coming decades? What if all the treaties and negotiations over climate change don't succeed in reducing the threat of global warming?Our guest is Peter Kelemen, Chair of Columbia University's Earth and Environmental Sciences Department and Arthur B. Storke Professor of Geochemis

Nov 16, 2015 • 22:43

#24 Why The Federal Reserve Is So Unpopular Roger Lowenstein: How Do We Fix It?

#24 Why The Federal Reserve Is So Unpopular Roger Lowenstein: How Do We Fix It?

The Federal Reserve plays a fundamental role in our economy. But many Americans loathe The Federal Reserve - furious that The Fed bailed out banks and other huge financial firms during the 2008 financial crisis.Our guest, Roger Lowenstein, is the author of "America's Bank - The Epic Struggle to Create The Federal Reserve." His book is a dramatic account of the chaotic years before The United States became the last major industrialized nation to form a central bank.Our podcast features a lively

Nov 9, 2015 • 23:14

#23 The Dangers of Confirmation Bias with David McRaney: How Do We Fix It?

#23 The Dangers of Confirmation Bias with David McRaney: How Do We Fix It?

More than ever America is divided into political tribes. One person's truth is somebody else's lie. This show is about confirmation bias and filter bubbles: How our brains play tricks on us as we try to make sense of the world.David McRaney, host of the entertaining and popular podcast, "You Are Not So Smart", is our guest. His show is "a celebration of self-delusion." David, who calls himself a psychology nerd, is passionate about the need for all of us to have some understanding of how our

Nov 4, 2015 • 26:11

#22 Gender Inequality at Work with Laura Vanderkam. How Do We Fix It?

#22 Gender Inequality at Work with Laura Vanderkam. How Do We Fix It?

Women in the workplace face huge challenges, including discrimination and low pay. The Pew Research Center says women's hourly wages are 84% those of men. The White House says the true number is lower. Many firms insist on rigid working hours, making it hard for many employees to balance work and family life. How Do We Fix It? Enter time management and productivity expert Laura Vanderkam, author of "I Know How She Does It: How Successful Women Make the Most of Their Time" and "What The Most Su

Oct 28, 2015 • 25:35

#21 Climate Shock: The Global Warming Threat, How Do We Fix It?

#21 Climate Shock: The Global Warming Threat, How Do We Fix It?

If you had a 10% of facing a flood or getting into a fatal car accident, you'd make sure you bought first-rate insurance coverage. That's what our guest Gernot Wagner says we should do about climate change. Science tells us that if we do nothing, there is the risk of a global catastrophe. We hear the argument for climate insurance. Gernot is the co-author of "Climate Shock - The Economic Consequences of a Hotter Planet," and lead senior scientist at the Environmental Defense Fund.Even if cli

Oct 21, 2015 • 27:52

#20 Insurance Errors: Are You Covered For A Disaster? How Do We Fix It

#20 Insurance Errors: Are You Covered For A Disaster? How Do We Fix It

Many of us make potentially disastrous mistakes with insurance. Either we don't have nearly enough coverage or pay through the nose for duplicate options that we don't need. Insurance expert Laura Adams has easy-to-follow solutions and smart buying tips to save you money. The author of several personal finance books, Laura hosts the popular "Money Girl" podcast. She is Senior Insurance Analyst for InsuranceQuotes.com. To find out more: http://lauradadams.com/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/priva

Oct 14, 2015 • 29:44

#19 Lenore Skenazy(Rerun): Free Range Kids

#19 Lenore Skenazy(Rerun): Free Range Kids

Do helicopter parents need to come in for a landing? Lenore Skenazy, host of the cable TV show, "World's Worst Mom", says yes. The founder of the parenting movement Free Range Kids is Jim and Richard's expert guest. Skenazy argues society fills parents with fear about what might happen to their children. www.freerangekids.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Oct 6, 2015 • 28:17

#18 Stock Market Panic and Investor Mistakes: How Do We Fix It?

#18 Stock Market Panic and Investor Mistakes: How Do We Fix It?

With recent worries about the global economy and stock market panic, investment expert Susan Schmidt, Senior Portfolio Manager at Westwood Holdings Group, has a simple message: keep calm. 55% of Americans have money in the market. Most are long term savers. She says the basic rules of investing are surprisingly simple. Building wealth means savers should resist emotion and act as investors, not traders, ignoring the day-to-day changes in the market. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for

Sep 30, 2015 • 29:46

#17 We're Sending The Wrong Message To Kids About Jobs: How Do We Fix It?

#17 We're Sending The Wrong Message To Kids About Jobs: How Do We Fix It?

TV host, writer, author and producer Mike Rowe says America needs to change its understanding about work and face up to the widening skills gap. Many manufacturers can't fill find workers to do well-paid skilled technical and labor one jobs. Mike argues that stereotypes about blue-collar work must change. He's launched the mikeroweWORKS foundation to raise awareness and help young workers. The third season of his popular CNN show, "Somebody's Gotta Do It," starts September 27th. H

Sep 23, 2015 • 25:32

#16 Campus Free Speech Is Under Threat: How Do We Fix It?

#16 Campus Free Speech Is Under Threat: How Do We Fix It?

We look at threats to free speech on college campuses with Greg Lukianoff, a constitutional lawyer and CEO of the Foundation for Individual Rights in Education (FIRE). Greg says there's been an alarming rise in trigger warnings and hypersensitivity, with a growing number of students demanding protection from words, ideas and emotions that they don't like. Is this a disaster in the making for education and for students themselves? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Sep 16, 2015 • 26:23

#15 The Hysteria Over Sex Offenders: How Do We Fix It?

#15 The Hysteria Over Sex Offenders: How Do We Fix It?

"Protecting Our Kids?: How Sex Offender Laws Are Failing Us" is the provocative title of the new book by sociology professor Emily Horowitz. She argues that America is in the grip of panic, saying that sex offender laws enacted over the past twenty years have failed to protect children and promote vigilante justice against alleged offenders. Professor Horowitz is chair of sociology and criminal justice at St. Francis College in Brooklyn, New York. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more

Sep 9, 2015 • 25:40

#14 The Housing Market Is Still Broken: How Do We Fix It?

#14 The Housing Market Is Still Broken: How Do We Fix It?

Fear and panic gripped the stock market this week with worries that China's problems could cause a global recession. But is Wall Street out of step with Main Street? Time for a reality check with economist and housing market expert Nela Richardson, Chief Economist at Redfin, the real estate brokerage firm. Nela gives us the low down on the future of the housing market and the U.S. economy, plus suggestions on how we can build a better future. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more inf

Aug 26, 2015 • 28:28

#13 My Child Has a Terrible Teacher: How Do We Fix It?

#13 My Child Has a Terrible Teacher: How Do We Fix It?

How often have heard parents complain about their kids' teachers? Everyone, it seems, has opinions about education, test scores and schools. Who is to blame for poor teaching, and how do we fix it? What makes a teacher great? Elizabeth Green, editor-in-chief of Chalkbeat, is the author of "Building a Better Teacher." She studied teaching methods in America and Japan, and has some innovative solutions. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Aug 18, 2015 • 34:59

#12 The Sour Fight Over Sugary Sodas: How Do We Fix It?

#12 The Sour Fight Over Sugary Sodas: How Do We Fix It?

Coca-Cola, the world’s largest maker of sugary sodas, is under fire for giving millions of dollars to a group of scientists who say that lack of exercise is much more important cause of obesity than poor diets. Are they right? Is Coke using scientists to reverse the recent decline in soda sales? And what are the best ways to solve America's obesity crisis? Kelly Brownell, Dean of the Sanford School of Public Health at Duke University, is our guest. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for mo

Aug 12, 2015 • 28:54

#11 Google: Too Powerful For Our Democracy? How Do We Fix It?

#11 Google: Too Powerful For Our Democracy? How Do We Fix It?

How does Google play to our prejudices, and could its mighty search engine be used to change election results? 75% of all internet searches are done through Google. Our guest is well-known psychologist and author Dr. Robert Epstein, Founder of the Cambridge Center for Behavioral Studies and former Editor-in-Chief Of Psychology Today. His recent research suggests search rankings can have a dramatic impact on voting intentions. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Aug 4, 2015 • 25:51

#10 Washington's Revolving Door Corruption: How Do We Fix It?

#10 Washington's Revolving Door Corruption: How Do We Fix It?

The "revolving door" is a corrupting influence on both government and industry. So says University of Tennessee law professor Glenn Reynolds. He's an outspoken critic of Washington insiders and the blogger behind Instapundit.com, one of America's most widely read political weblogs. On our podcast, Reynolds talks about his intriguing solution to slow down the revolving door: a Surtax that would be imposed on the earnings of high-paid former government officials. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com

Jul 27, 2015 • 18:21

#9 Our Bad Habits Hold Us Back: How Do We Fix It?

#9 Our Bad Habits Hold Us Back: How Do We Fix It?

Are you overwhelmed by the flood of information, technology and choices that we all face as consumers? This episode with Jim and Richard features neuroscientist and behavior expert Dr. Peter Whybrow, Director of The Semel Institute at UCLA. His research on the human brain tells us why we make short-term decisions that are often in conflict with our best interests. Dr. Whybrow suggests fixes to help us build better lives and a more caring society. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more

Jul 21, 2015 • 23:39

#8 Hacking: The Online Threat To All Of Us. How Do We Fix It?

#8 Hacking: The Online Threat To All Of Us. How Do We Fix It?

Data and identity theft are a threat to all of us. The recent breach of government computers at The Office of Personnel Management was only the latest example of a growing crisis. Adam Levin, founder of credit.com and IDT 911 is a leading expert on data crime. He gives common sense tips and advice on how all consumers can cut their risk of being an identity theft victim. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Jul 13, 2015 • 27:19

#7 Your Personal Finance Is A Disaster: How Do We Fix It?

#7 Your Personal Finance Is A Disaster: How Do We Fix It?

"Anything is possible in your financial life as long as you work hard at it, and want it bad enough," says personal financial expert Farnoosh Torabi. The host of the daily podcast, "So Money," Farnoosh is an nationally known author and journalist, who has dedicated her career to explaining the mysteries of money in savvy, sensible and clear ways. Her work has been featured in The Wall Street Journal, New York Times, Entrepreneur and many other publications. Learn more about Farnoosh at www.Fa

Jul 7, 2015 • 23:40

#6 The Sharing Economy: A Threat To The Middle Class? How Do We Fix It?

#6 The Sharing Economy: A Threat To The Middle Class? How Do We Fix It?

The on-demand economy is a hit with consumers. Uber, Lyft, Homejoy, and other companies provide a growing number of convenient services. But there's a heated debate about how they treat their workers. Should they be classified as independent contractors or full-time employees who qualify health care, disability and other benefits? Richard and Jim's guest is Marcela Sapone, CEO of Hello Alfred, a startup company that dispatches workers to co-ordinate laundry, cleaning, grocery shopping and other

Jun 29, 2015 • 27:09

#5 We Need More Free Range Kids: How Do We Fix It?

#5 We Need More Free Range Kids: How Do We Fix It?

Do helicopter parents need to come in for a landing? Lenore Skenazy, host of the cable TV show, "World's Worst Mom", says yes. The founder of the parenting movement Free Range Kids is Jim and Richard's expert guest. Skenazy argues society fills parents with fear about what might happen to their children. http://www.freerangekids.com/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Jun 18, 2015 • 26:47

#1 The Tech Threat To Your Kids: How Do We Fix It?

#1 The Tech Threat To Your Kids: How Do We Fix It?

Computers, video games and mobile devices are a huge temptation for kids. But are they really a threat, or instead a great opportunity for children to learn about the world? In this show Jim and Richard are joined by developmental psychologist Abigail Baird of Vassar College. The mother of two 6-year old twins and an expert on the teenage brain, Abigail has some fascinating fixes for parents who want to strike the right balance on tech for their kids. http://psychology.vassar.edu/bios/abbaird.ht

Apr 21, 2015 • 29:24

#2 Why We're Bored and Frustrated At Work: How Do We Fix It?

#2 Why We're Bored and Frustrated At Work: How Do We Fix It?

The numbers are alarming. A recent Gallup says that less than one-third of American workers are engaged in their jobs. Millions of employees are either bored or completely fed up. In addition to the human misery this causes dysfunctional workplaces damage businesses and harm the economy. Ron Friedman is the author of "The Best Place to Work: The Art and Science of Creating an Extraordinary Workplace." He has some great tips for both employers and employees.http://thebestplacetoworkbook.com/ Host

Mar 30, 2015 • 32:30

#4 Government Red Tape Is A Nightmare: How Do We Fix It?

#4 Government Red Tape Is A Nightmare: How Do We Fix It?

All of us pay taxes, but how well is that money being spent? Many government services are poorly delivered. From the local DMV or zoning department to the Pentagon and Department of Veterans Affairs, government can be a big tangled mess. For decades, Philip K. Howard has been a leading expert on how streamline government and make it work for all of us. His latest book is "The Rule of Nobody." In this episode, Richard, Jim and Philip a lively conversation about the problem and how to would fix it

Mar 17, 2015 • 31:53

#3 Drowning In Credit Card Debt: How Do We Fix It?

#3 Drowning In Credit Card Debt: How Do We Fix It?

Credit card debt is once again on the rise. The average U.S. household that borrows money with high interest credit cards owes $15,000. Many people are overwhelmed by monthly bills. Expert Beverly Harzog has seen the problems from both sides. Author of two helpful books, "Confessions of a Credit Card Junkie," and "The Debt Escape Plan", Beverly knows all about the crisis of bad credit and how to dig yourself out from debt. www.beverlyharzog.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more i

Mar 14, 2015 • 32:57

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