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  • 9 tactics to build a stronger mind | Lisa Genova
    Stress shrinks your brain. Neuroscientist Lisa Genova explains how to strengthen it. It may not feel like it when you can't find your phone or "lose" your sunglasses sitting atop your head, but your memory is an amazing ability -- and one we want to protect. So it's little wonder that any blips or blank spaces can send us spiraling into concern. Some recall issues here and there are normal, says neuroscientist and author Lisa Genova, and not every lapse means looming problems. (And don't worry, forgetting names is a surprisingly tough thing for our brains to do!) But, Genova says, there's ways we can improve our memory, increase resilience and recall and be more comfortable with ourselves and our minds. From making lists and getting Google's help to giving yourself a pop quiz, getting some meditation in, and just plain paying attention, these tips will have your steel trap gleaming. 0:00 Introducing the problem 1:19 #1: Practice paying attention 1:45: #2: Bulk up your hippocampus 3:18 A 9-second meditation you can try 3:59 #3 Secure your sleep 5:14 #4 Drink caffeine 5:36 #5 Create associations (the Baker-Baker Paradox) 6:36 #6 Repetition 7:14 #7 Write it down 8:03 #8 Self-testing 8:31 #9 Just Google it 9:14 Forgetting is human ----------------------------------------------------------------- About Lisa Genova: Lisa Genova is the New York Times bestselling author of the novels Still Alice, Left Neglected, Love Anthony, Inside the O’Briens, and Every Note Played. Still Alice was adapted into an Oscar-winning film starring Julianne Moore, Alec Baldwin, and Kristen Stewart. Lisa graduated valedictorian from Bates College with a degree in biopsychology and holds a PhD in neuroscience from Harvard University. She travels worldwide speaking about the neurological diseases she writes about and has appeared on The Dr. Oz Show, Today, PBS NewsHour, CNN, and NPR. Her TED talk, “What You Can Do to Prevent Alzheimer’s,” has been viewed more than five million times. The New York Times bestseller REMEMBER is her first work of nonfiction. ---------------------------------- Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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  • Sam Harris: Breaking the thought trap of anger
    "You can't possibly exaggerate how much better it is to live in a peaceful, orderly society, and to be wealthy, and healthy, and surrounded by people who you love and who love you, and to be surrounded by increasingly happy strangers who just want to cooperate with you." What if the chaos in your life (and in the world as a whole) isn’t caused by evil, but caused by ordinary people trapped in bad mindsets? The real enemy, Sam Harris argues, isn’t each other. It’s the stories that we so often mistake for the truth. If you’re burned out, stuck in anger, feeling devoid of compassion, Harris offers clarity, and a path to escaping your mind. Chapters: 00:00 Why compassion is critical 02:27 Sufficient knowledge, sufficient cooperation 04:15 Inherited advantages 07:40 The choice we have to make 08:00 Human conversation as tool 10:11 The most surprising thing about dreams 12:01 Consciousness and its object 14:27 What is the optimal state to be in? 15:24 How to get off the ride of anger 17:02 Its so easy to tell yourself a story 19:20 Unclenching the fist in your mind SUMMARY: 1. Compassion as a Foundation for a Better World The speaker emphasizes that true compassion involves recognizing our shared humanity and working to reduce disparities in luck, opportunity, and suffering. A just society should aim to lift everyone, ensuring that even the poorest benefit from collective progress. 2. Most Suffering is Self-Created A striking insight is that much of human misery stems from the stories we tell ourselves—beliefs, ideologies, and narratives that divide us. If we could change these mental frameworks, much suffering would dissolve. 3. The Illusion of Bad People The speaker argues that truly evil people are rare; most conflict arises from good people trapped in bad ideas. This suggests that progress is possible if we shift our thinking rather than demonizing others. 4. The Power of Knowledge and Cooperation Human ingenuity can solve almost any problem—unless physics forbids it. The key is combining knowledge with cooperation to build a better world. This optimism contrasts with dystopian fears of scarcity and conflict. 5. Luck and Privilege No one chooses their birth circumstances—whether born into wealth or war. Recognizing this should inspire humility and a drive to reduce unfair disparities. 6. Meditation and Emotional Freedom A major theme is how our thoughts trap us in negative emotions. Meditation creates space between awareness and thought, allowing us to regulate emotions rather than being ruled by them. 7. The Short Half-Life of Anger Anger and fear are useful as alarms but rarely productive long-term. Learning to disengage from reactive thoughts can prevent unnecessary suffering and conflict. 8. The Road Rage Analogy Like road rage, much human conflict stems from overreacting to minor provocations. Reframing situations with compassion can dissolve anger before it escalates. 9. Happiness is Possible Amid Struggle We don’t need a perfect world to be happy. Even in adversity, we can cultivate inner peace—illustrated by meditators who find joy in solitude, while others find it torturous. 10. The Choice Before Us We can either build a world of cooperation and shared prosperity or descend into fear and tribalism. The tools for change—conversation, reason, and compassion—are already available. Folllow this Podcast for daily Episodes ---------------------------------- Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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  • 5 conversation skills that enhance your rational brain | Irshad Manji
    Educator Irshad Manji emphasizes that diversity is a fact of life, and it should be harnessed to unite society rather than divide it. Recognizing that humans tend to react defensively to opposing views, she offers five key skills to promote constructive conversations. These include 1) taking deep breaths to facilitate rational thinking, 2) intentionally establishing common ground, 3) genuinely inquiring about the other person's perspective, 4) actively listening to learn rather than to win, and 5) encouraging further dialogue by asking "Tell me more." Adopting these skills can lead to healthier outcomes in contentious conversations and foster collaboration. Ultimately, an individual's ability to engage in productive discussions depends on their motivation. It is essential to reflect on one's intentions, choosing between a genuine desire to solve problems or a need to assert moral superiority. Only by making the right choice can we hope to harness the power of diversity for the greater good. 0:00 Our defensive brains 1:52 How ‘slam dunking’ backfires 3:05 The 5-part toolkit 3:27 Skill #1: Breathe deeply (give your brain oxygen) 4:06 Skill #2: Create common ground 4:40 Skill #3: Ask a sincere question 5:16 Skill #4: Listen to learn 6:15 Skill #5: “Tell me more” 7:31 The most uncomfortable question ---------------------------------- Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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  • Why men and boys are struggling | Richard Reeves
    “People warned me against writing a book about boys and men.” Richard Reeves explains the big problems facing men today – and why no one is talking about them. "Are men and boys in crisis? In his book “Of Boys and Men: Why the Modern Male Is Struggling, Why It Matters, and What to Do About It”, Richard Reeves, a senior fellow at the Brookings Institution, explores several of the key challenges facing boys and men, including the friendship recession, the evolving nature of marriage, and the gender pay gap. To Reeves, these problems are generally structural, not individual, and the interventions tried so far haven't been very effective. The friendship recession is particularly affecting men, with the percentage of men who report having no close friends showing a fivefold increase compared to the 1990s. This social isolation can lead to numerous mental health issues and negatively impact their overall well-being. Meanwhile, marriage patterns have also shifted, creating a growing class divide, with educated couples more likely to marry and stay together than their less-educated counterparts. This divide exacerbates economic and social inequalities. Reeves argues that we ought to confront the crises facing boys and men in a deliberate and thoughtful manner. By addressing these challenges head-on, society can work toward a more equitable and inclusive future where both men and women can thrive." 0:00 Meet Richard Reeves 0:20 Part 1: The challenges facing boys and men 3:44 What is the education landscape like today for men and women? 8:37 How does brain development impact education? 12:46 Are boys more likely to be diagnosed with developmental disabilities? 16:59 What changes could we make to help boys in education? 18:52 Why do most men today earn less than men did 40 years ago? 22:58 Which occupations are the most gender segregated? 27:16 Which skills impact male employability? 28:50 How has fatherhood changed? 33:45 How is all of this affecting the well-being of men? 37:06 Part 2: The friendship recession 39:17 What was the traditional view of friendship? 40:47 What factors are getting in the way of people having more friends? 45:29 Why is it so hard to make friends as one gets older? 48:15 What are the negative impacts of not having friends? 50:15 Why is it beneficial to have diversity amongst your friends? 53:08 Part 3: The death of marriage 57:00 How has the concept of marriage in America changed? 1:03:12 Is marriage now more about love than necessity? 1:05:18 What is the future of marriage? 1:08:40 Part 4: The gender pay gap 1:13:24 Why is there still a pay gap for women? 1:18:36 Who else is affected by a pay gap? 1:21:14 Would you change anything about "Of Boys and Men"? 1:23:41 What do you hope to achieve with your book? ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ---------------------------------- Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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  • Inside a real genius club: the Santa Fe Institute
    Complexity arises in any system in which multiple agents interact and adapt to one another and their environments. Examples of these complex systems include the nervous system, the Internet, ecosystems, economies, cities, and civilizations. Complexity science explores all of those systems, and more. And at the Santa Fe Institute in New Mexico, the globe’s smartest minds are researching across disciplines, cultures, and schools of thought to answer the biggest questions in science and philosophy. Our host Kmele Foster stepped into the Santa Fe Institute — renowned for its collaborative environment of vast disciplines and schools of thought — to speak with some of the most eccentric and genius minds in our world today. ---------------------------------- Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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