Difficulties and obstacles come from all sides and throughout life. We might envision circumstances surrounding work, survival and relationships as some of the most common. But what about our internal battles with doubt? This week, Ron Levine joins us to discuss the "ego threats" we face as a result of evolutionary selection for negative thinking and anticipation. How might we learn to listen to these thoughts without obeying them? What wisdom or perspective can our doubts and negative thoughts reveal?
Episode 185: Between These Eyes of Ink II
“I am the only person in the world I should like to know thoroughly.”
This week, we return to "Between These Eyes of Ink," a series which dissects and considers quotations and the insights they contain. For our second episode, we're looking at the words of Oscar Wilde, who said "I am the only person in the world I should like to know thoroughly". What pressures, personal or external, might exist behind the phrasing of "should like"? Is it even possible to know another thoroughly? Does Wilde imply that this condition is an achievable one?
Episode 184: Headline Culture
Despite its essential role in our lives and agency as citizens, many of us consume journalistic works minimally or inefficiently. In particular, study after study in the past decade have shown that 40 to 80 percent of would-be readers only actually consider headlines before sharing posts or moving on. This week, we consider the effects of doing so and the danger posed by "headline culture". How do consumers influence the headlines that journalists will craft and consequently inform consumer perspectives? Where does the attribute of being "well-read" come into play? How can we more deeply and meaningfully consume carefully-crafted and well-researched journalism?
Further Reading:
The Washington Post, "6 in 10 of you will share this link without reading it, a new, depressing study says"
Forbes, "59 Percent Of You Will Share This Article Without Even Reading It"
Slate, "You Won’t Finish This Article"
The Huffington Post, "People Only Read Headlines Anyway"
Affinity, "Stop Only Reading Headlines And Actually Read The Article"
Gawker, "NPR Pulled a Brilliant April Fools' Prank On People Who Don't Read"
The Washington Post, "Americans read headlines. And not much else."
Patheos, "Most People Only Read Headline Before Sharing"
The Science Post, "Study: 70% of Facebook users only read the headline of science stories before commenting"
Episode 183: Calling Out, Preserved
As podcasts have demonstrated for years now, sound and the human voice have a deep and intimate capacity to affect and inspire listeners. Audio continues to inform, entertain and challenge people around the world. What about a precursor of sorts, the voicemail? Though many roll their eyes at the concept, it maintains a certain charm. This week, Tim Robinson joins us to explore the experience of leaving, receiving and considering voicemails as gifts. How do they allow us to share precious tone, information and connection with others? Why don't we more readily embrace them as a form of communication? What can we learn from the awkward and vulnerable feelings that voicemail stirs for some people?
