Uploaded November 2025 | Updated September 2026, 2 weeks ago
When we think about what shaped our life trajectory, we often focus on the way our parents raised us. But what about our siblings? What role do they play in who we become?
My guest today makes the case that siblings may be just as influential as parents in impacting how we turn out.
Her name is Susan Dominus, and she’s a journalist and the author of The Family Dynamic: A Journey into the Mystery of Sibling Success (amzn.to/4otP4JT) . Susan and I start our conversation by unpacking the broader question of what drives human development more — nature or nurture. We then dig into how siblings shape us, from the impact of birth order to how rivalry can raise our ambitions and alter our life paths. Along the way, we also explore the influence parents do have on their kids — and why it may not be as strong as we often think.
Connect With Susan Dominus
• Susan's website (susanpdominus.com/)
• Susan's faculty page (https://english.yale.edu/people/full-part-time-lecturers/susan-dominus)
• Susan at the NYT (nytimes.com/by/susan-dominus)
When we think about what shaped our life trajectory, we often focus on the way our parents raised us. But what about our siblings? What role do they play in who we become?
My guest today makes the case that siblings may be just as influential as parents in impacting how we turn out.
Her name is Susan Dominus, and she’s a journalist and the author of The Family Dynamic: A Journey into the Mystery of Sibling Success (amzn.to/4otP4JT) . Susan and I start our conversation by unpacking the broader question of what drives human development more — nature or nurture. We then dig into how siblings shape us, from the impact of birth order to how rivalry can raise our ambitions and alter our life paths. Along the way, we also explore the influence parents do have on their kids — and why it may not be as strong as we often think.
Connect With Susan Dominus
• Susan's website (susanpdominus.com/)
• Susan's faculty page (https://english.yale.edu/people/full-part-time-lecturers/susan-dominus)
• Susan at the NYT (nytimes.com/by/susan-dominus)
