Uploaded May 2026 | Updated September 2026, 3 weeks ago
Robert Wright and Bruce Feiler, author of Walking the Bible and the Council of Dads, gather to discuss the role of ritual in humanity's past, present and future—the subject of Bruce’s new book, A Time to Gather: How Ritual Created the World—and How It Can Save Us.
Exclusive Overtime discussion: nonzero.org/p/can-rituals-save-us-robert-wright
Join NonZero's Discord server: discord.gg/Zy4jAhTQMF
Subscribe to The NonZero Newsletter at: nonzero.org/subscribe
0:00 Teaser
0:52 Bruce’s new book on ritual, A Time to Gather
3:12 The "Lifequake" that led Bruce to study ritual
8:10 The current "shadow ritual" renaissance
12:42 What is a ritual?
15:26 The origins of the shadow ritual renaissance
18:25 Forest bathing and the essence of ritual
26:11 Ritual as the original human algorithm
31:39 Honor walks: a quintessentially modern ritual
36:23 Rituals across Christianity
42:07 What rituals do
46:47 Heading to Overtime
Discussed in Overtime:
Tribalism in the age of AI.
Lifequakes in the age of AI.
IRL rituals in the age of AI.
Pain, commitment, and dental rituals.
Ritual-forward families.
Robert Wright (Nonzero, The Evolution of God, Why Buddhism Is True) and Bruce Feiler (Council of Dads, Walking the Bible, A Time to Gather). Recorded April 21, 2026.
Twitter: twitter.com/NonzeroPods
Robert Wright and Bruce Feiler, author of Walking the Bible and the Council of Dads, gather to discuss the role of ritual in humanity's past, present and future—the subject of Bruce’s new book, A Time to Gather: How Ritual Created the World—and How It Can Save Us.
Exclusive Overtime discussion: nonzero.org/p/can-rituals-save-us-robert-wright
Join NonZero's Discord server: discord.gg/Zy4jAhTQMF
Subscribe to The NonZero Newsletter at: nonzero.org/subscribe
0:00 Teaser
0:52 Bruce’s new book on ritual, A Time to Gather
3:12 The "Lifequake" that led Bruce to study ritual
8:10 The current "shadow ritual" renaissance
12:42 What is a ritual?
15:26 The origins of the shadow ritual renaissance
18:25 Forest bathing and the essence of ritual
26:11 Ritual as the original human algorithm
31:39 Honor walks: a quintessentially modern ritual
36:23 Rituals across Christianity
42:07 What rituals do
46:47 Heading to Overtime
Discussed in Overtime:
Tribalism in the age of AI.
Lifequakes in the age of AI.
IRL rituals in the age of AI.
Pain, commitment, and dental rituals.
Ritual-forward families.
Robert Wright (Nonzero, The Evolution of God, Why Buddhism Is True) and Bruce Feiler (Council of Dads, Walking the Bible, A Time to Gather). Recorded April 21, 2026.
Twitter: twitter.com/NonzeroPods
