Purpose in the Eyes of a Psychiatrist

David Zweig’s new book An Abundance of Caution (MIT Press) is an account of the decision-making process behind the extended closures of public schools during the pandemic. In fascinating and meticulously reported detail, Zweig shows how some of the most trusted members of society—from Pulitzer Prize-winning journalists to eminent health officials—repeatedly made fundamental errors in their assessment and presentation of evidence. By fall 2020, many students in Europe were already back in classrooms—and so were their peers in private schools in America and in public schools across mostly “red” states and districts. Yet millions of other children across the U.S. remained under extended school closures. Whatever inequities that existed among American children before the pandemic, the selective school closures exacerbated them, disproportionately affecting the underprivileged. Deep mental, physical, and academic harms—among them, depression, anxiety, abuse, obesity, plummeting test scores, and rising drop-out rates—were endured for no discernible benefit. The story of American schools during the pandemic serves as a prism through which to approach fundamental questions about why and how individuals, bureaucracies, governments, and societies act as they do in times of crisis and uncertainty. Ultimately, this book is not about COVID; it’s about being ill-equipped to make decisions under duress. David Zweig is a writer, lecturer, and journalist. His writing has appeared in The Atlantic, The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, The Free Press, and his newsletter, Silent Lunch. He is the author of Invisibles, about the power of embracing anonymous work in a culture obsessed with praise and recognition. His new book is An Abundance of Caution: American Schools, the Virus, and a Story of Bad Decisions.

26 Apr 55min

It’s tempting to see ourselves as damaged or powerless—defined by past traumas, overwhelming emotions, and daily struggles. But is that really the most helpful way to understand ourselves? Does seeing ourselves as victims lead to growth? Psychologist and author Scott Barry Kaufman joins us to examine how popular narratives around sensitivity, self-esteem, and emotional regulation may be holding us back. He unpacks the psychological costs of coddling (vs. empowerment), the rise of risk aversion, and how modern parenting, education, and therapy shape our sense of self. With insight, empathy, and humor, Kaufman offers a timely look at what it really takes to build resilience, choose meaning over comfort, and unlock the full potential of the human spirit. Scott Barry Kaufman is a cognitive psychologist who is among the top 1% most cited scientists in the world for his groundbreaking research on intelligence, creativity, and human potential. He is the host of The Psychology Podcast, which has received more than 30 million downloads and is frequently ranked the #1 psychology podcast in the world. His new book is Rise Above: Overcome a Victim Mindset, Empower Yourself, and Realize Your Full Potential.

22 Apr 1h 42min

Why do ordinary people carry out extraordinary harm when simply told to do so? From the Holocaust to the genocides in Rwanda, Bosnia, and Cambodia, history shows how obedience to authority can lead to unimaginable acts. But what’s happening in the brain when we follow orders—even ones that conflict with our morals? In this episode, we speak with neuroscientist Emilie Caspar, whose groundbreaking research explores how authority influences cognition and behavior. Drawing from real-life accounts of genocide perpetrators and cutting-edge neuroscience, Caspar reveals how obedience can short-circuit independent decision-making—often without us realizing it. Emilie Caspar is a professor at Ghent University, Belgium, where she leads the Moral and Social Brain Lab. She specializes in social neuroscience. Her main research areas focus on obedience and how restricting one’s autonomy and choice options impacts the brain. Her new book is Just Following Orders: Atrocities and the Brain Science of Obedience.

19 Apr 1h 31min

Amanda Knox spent nearly four years in prison and eight years on trial for a murder she didn’t commit—and became a notorious tabloid story in the process. Though she was exonerated, it’s taken more than a decade for her to reclaim her identity and truly feel free. Amanda’s new book, Free recounts how she survived prison, the mistakes she made and misadventures she had reintegrating into society, culminating in the untold story of her return to Italy and the extraordinary relationship she’s built with the man who sent her to prison. Amanda tells the story of her personal growth and hard fought wisdom, recasting her public reckoning as a private reflection on the search for meaning and purpose that will speak to everyone persevering through hardship.

15 Apr 1h 14min

Albert Einstein remains renowned around the world for revolutionizing our understanding of the cosmos, but very few realize that the celebrated scientist had a deep spiritual side. Einstein believed that one wondrous force was woven through all things everywhere—and this sense of the pervasive sacred influenced every aspect of his existence, from his marvelous science to his passionate pacifism. Kieran Fox studied medicine at Stanford University and holds a doctorate in cognitive neuroscience from the University of British Columbia. He is a physician-scientist at the The University of California, San Francisco, where his research centers on the neural mechanisms and therapeutic potential of meditation practices and psychedelic medicines. His new book is I Am a Part of Infinity. More information: https://www.iamapartofinfinity.com/

8 Apr 1h 46min

Outside of the academics and activists whose ideology came to dominate the West in the second decade of the twenty-first century, arguably no group influenced public discourse as much as the Intellectual Dark Web. Challenging the intellectual and cultural orthodoxies that engulfed universities, the media, and big tech, this group—a loose collective of politically diverse intellectuals, commentators, and scholars critical of political correctness, identity politics, and cancel culture—relied on alternative platforms like podcasts, digital magazines, and YouTube to promote free speech, universal rights, and individual liberty. While the term is most commonly identified with Sam Harris, Ben Shapiro, Jordan Peterson, Bret and Eric Weinstein, and Joe Rogan, the group’s concerns and philosophy extended more broadly to include a wide range of individuals who helped mainstream critiques of “woke” culture and a robust defense of free speech, including Steven Pinker, Michael Shermer, Jonathan Haidt, Dave Rubin, Ayaan Hirsi Ali, and Stephen Fry. The Intellectual Dark Web’s coherence began to unravel in the early 2020s due to internal differences (such as over the response to COVID-19 and climate change), and its full legacy and historical impact are yet to be determined. Jamie Roberts is a lecturer in the Department of Government and International Relations at the University of Sydney. His new book is The Intellectual Dark Web: A History (and Possible Future).

1 Apr 1h 19min

In all animals, mating is a deal. But few creatures behave as if sex is a simple, even mutually beneficial, transaction. Many more treat it with reverence, suspicion, angst, and violence. Matt Ridley revisits Darwin’s revelatory theory of mate choice through the close study of the peculiar rituals of birds, and considers how this mating process complicates our own view of human evolution. Ridley also explores the scientific research into the evolution of bright colors, exotic ornaments, and elaborate displays in birds around the world. Charles Darwin thought the purpose of such displays was to “charm” females. Though Darwin’s theory was initially dismissed and buried for decades, recent scientific research has proven him newly right—there is a powerful evolutionary force quite distinct from natural selection: mate choice. In Birds, Sex and Beauty, Ridley reopens the history of Darwin’s vexed theory, laying bare a century of disagreement about an idea so powerful, so weird, and so wonderful, we may have yet to fully understand its implications. Matt Ridley is the bestselling author of The Rational Optimist and Viral: The Search for the Origin of COVID-19 (with Alina Chan). His books have sold over a million copies. Ridley served in the House of Lords from 2013 to 2021 and is a fellow of the Royal Society of Literature, the Academy of Medical Sciences, and an honorary member of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences. His latest book is Birds, Sex and Beauty: The Extraordinary Implications of Charles Darwin’s Strangest Idea.

25 Mar 1h 15min

Phil Tinline, author of the new book Ghosts of Iron Mountain, explores the origins of the infamous Report from Iron Mountain, its role in conspiracy culture, and its lasting influence on perceptions of the military-industrial complex. The conversation also examines Holocaust denial, nativism, and the evolution of deep state conspiracies, highlighting the power of narratives in shaping democracy and public trust. Tinline is a British freelance writer and documentarian. His book The Death of Consensus: 100 Years of British Political Nightmares was named The Times (London) Politics Book of the Year. Over two decades at the BBC, he has produced and presented acclaimed documentaries on the impact of political history on contemporary life.

18 Mar 1h 42min