What are the chances of YOU existing? A biologist explains | Sean B. Carroll Big Think 2024-10-20 | What are the chances of YOU existing? A biologist explains | Sean B. Carroll
We can split the atom but not distinguish truth. Our information is failing us | Yuval Noah Harari Big Think 2024-10-18 | “Why is it that the quality of our information did not improve over thousands of years? Why is it that very sophisticated societies have been as susceptible as stone age tribes to mass delusion and the rise of destructive ideologies?”Subscribe to Big Think on YouTube ► youtube.com/channel/UCvQECJukTDE2i6aCoMnS-Vg?sub_confirmation=1Up next, Michio Kaku has some news about simulation theory ► youtube.com/watch?v=fU1YJE9HKaQWe belong to a world that is more interconnected, and yet more volatile than ever before. The masses of information that make this connectivity possible present the largest and most pressing threat to humanity, says historian and the best-selling author of 'Sapiens' @YuvalNoahHarari. Sitting down with journalist Andrew Ross Sorkin, Harari discusses the way our information systems are flawed, and how, despite our leaps in technology over the past centuries, we still remain as susceptible to deception and delusion as our ancestors were thousands of years ago. Harari says that if we don’t fix the flaws in our information systems, they could drive us to total disaster.In an exclusive hour-long interview, the Nexus author discusses truth, AI, fears, our possible future, and key ideas from his new book 'Nexus: A Brief History of Information Networks from the Stone Age to AI'.Timestamps: 0:00: Who is the arbiter of truth?0:59: Low-quality information6:16: Objective physical reality and cooperation11:29: GPT-4 deception18:11: Alien intelligence22:30: Democracy and information30:23: Setting information free34:44: Algorithmic fear38:36: The power of curation46:49: The annihilation of privacy53:26: Israel and Palestine1:04:02: Human-AI relationships1:09:52: The enormous potential of AIRead the video transcript ► bigthink.com/series/the-big-think-interview/yuval-noah-harari-full-interview/?utm_source=youtube&utm_medium=video&utm_campaign=youtube_description---------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Go Deeper with Big Think:►Become a Big Think MemberGet exclusive access to full interviews, early access to new releases, Big Think merch and more. members.bigthink.com/?utm_source=youtube&utm_medium=video&utm_campaign=youtube_description ►Get Big Think+ for BusinessGuide, inspire and accelerate leaders at all levels of your company with the biggest minds in business. bigthink.com/plus/great-leaders-think-big/?utm_source=youtube&utm_medium=video&utm_campaign=youtube_description---------------------------------------------------------------------------------- About Yuval Noah Harari:Prof. Yuval Noah Harari is a historian, philosopher, and the bestselling author of Sapiens: A Brief History of Humankind, Homo Deus: A Brief History of Tomorrow, 21 Lessons for the 21st Century, the series Sapiens: A Graphic History and Unstoppable Us, and Nexus: A Brief History of Information Networks from the Stone Age to AI. His books have sold over 45 Million copies in 65 languages, and he is considered one of the world’s most influential public intellectuals today.
What’s the biggest problem with AI? Big Think 2024-10-16 | @YuvalNoahHarari argues it’s not the power of AI, but our lack of understanding and attention. This could be the biggest tech revolution in history—and it’s moving incredibly fast. Are we ready?Check back on October 18th to catch the full conversation with Yuval Noah Harari.
Why Bill Cartwright is one of history’s greatest leaders Big Think 2024-10-15 | Hannah Beaver from the Big Think+ podcast chatted with author Martin Gutmann about leadership and why he believes Bill Cartwright – the former co-captain of the Chicago Bulls with Michael Jordan – is the unseen leader of such a memorable team.
The universal hack: Learn it once, apply it everywhere | Bob Sutton for Big Think+ Big Think 2024-10-09 | The ability to create and destroy friction in different circumstances is what defines an organizational genius.Subscribe to Big Think on YouTube ► youtube.com/channel/UCvQECJukTDE2i6aCoMnS-Vg?sub_confirmation=1Up next, Want to be a CEO? Become a master of paradox | Adam Bryant for Big Think+ ► youtube.com/watch?v=H5Q_-gIZIpsWhen a customer, an employee, or a senior leader has set their sights on a certain course of action and then runs into obstacles that make it slower, harder, more frustrating, we call this organizational friction. Many times, that can be a bad thing, but best-selling author and organizational psychologist Bob Sutton argues that we can actually harness it to benefit us. One thing that Sutton emphasizes in his book The Friction Project is that you should first ask yourself if your course of action is the ‘right’ or ‘wrong’ thing to do. If it's the right thing to do, it should happen fast and be relatively frictionless. The ‘wrong’ thing to do is often full of friction, but the right thing, although it may have some ‘constructive friction,’ is often able to push forward and make progress without harsh obstacles. Here are 2 easy tricks to solve any problem and make friction your secret weapon.Read the video transcript ► bigthink.com/series/the-big-think-interview/bob-sutton-friction/?utm_source=youtube&utm_medium=video&utm_campaign=youtube_description----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Use technology, don’t let it use you. Big Think 2024-10-09 | @YuvalNoahHarari argues that our relationship with information is a lot like our relationship with food – too much junk and it can be harmful. Could it be time for an information diet?Check back on October 18th to catch the full conversation with Yuval Noah Harari.
How my diagnosis changed the way I perceive myself | Kaelynn Partlow Big Think 2024-10-07 | Kaelynn Partlow shares her story about life with autism, ADHD, and dyslexia, and how finding the right diagnosis helped her embrace her neurodivergent identity.Subscribe to Big Think on YouTube ► youtube.com/channel/UCvQECJukTDE2i6aCoMnS-Vg?sub_confirmation=1Watch the full Perception Box series ► youtube.com/playlist?list=PL5uULy4b0kV4iomWS7CzqCdOCwj0lFnLr&si=yCY6Ee7m6bpj7E-yKaelynn Partlow, an author, autism advocate, and registered behavior technician, shares her own experiences living with autism, ADHD, dyslexia, and more. She talks about how these diagnoses shifted her self-perception from feeling "stupid" to understanding her unique challenges and strengths.Kaelynn opens up about the misunderstandings neurodivergent people face and the difficulty of connecting in a world that often doesn't accommodate different ways of thinking. She also shares her fears—like wondering if her social difficulties will ever improve—and how she copes with loneliness, especially when not focused on work.Through it all, Kaelynn emphasizes the value of recognizing your own strengths, even when it’s hard. By taking on challenges and thriving under pressure, she found new opportunities, from public speaking to creative writing. Her story shows that growth often comes from facing fears and redefining success on your own terms.Read more from this interview ► bigthink.com/videos/kaelynn-partlowExplore the Perception Box series hub ► bigthink.com/perception-box/?utm_source=youtube&utm_medium=video&utm_campaign=youtube_descriptionWe created this video in partnership with Unlikely Collaborators.---------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Go Deeper with Big Think:►Become a Big Think MemberGet exclusive access to full interviews, early access to new releases, Big Think merch and more. members.bigthink.com/?utm_source=youtube&utm_medium=video&utm_campaign=youtube_description ►Get Big Think+ for BusinessGuide, inspire and accelerate leaders at all levels of your company with the biggest minds in business. bigthink.com/plus/great-leaders-think-big/?utm_source=youtube&utm_medium=video&utm_campaign=youtube_description---------------------------------------------------------------------------------- About Kaelynn Partlow: In 2015, Kaelynn Partlow joined Project Hope Foundation as a Registered Behavior Technician. She is now a Lead Technician, providing services to middle and high-school-aged clients and contributing to staff training development.In 2021, Kaelynn was featured on the Netflix series Love On The Spectrum. She has also been a guest on numerous national podcasts and has published several articles, offering insights from an autistic perspective.With a large following on various social media platforms, Kaelynn uses her reach for autism advocacy, connecting with millions globally. In addition to her online work and role at Project Hope, she is an international public speaker, passionate about sharing tangible strategies for best practices when interacting with individuals on the autism spectrum
America is rife with political traps. What’s your escape route? | The Dilemma Ep. 3 Big Think 2024-10-04 | Can we let go of the need to win arguments without losing a part of who we are?Subscribe to Big Think on YouTube ► youtube.com/channel/UCvQECJukTDE2i6aCoMnS-Vg?sub_confirmation=1Up next, ► America’s mass spiral of self-censorship youtu.be/yfLOtaL0KEcAs Founder of Interfaith America Eboo Patel explains, there’s something romantic about a fist-in the-air approach, so much so that we often become caught up in the roles we play and the persona we adopt for ourselves. This can cause us to be perceived in ways we never intended; we can become misinterpreted, and even more disconnected to our true selves and intentions. How easy is it to ride our anger and our outrage, to chase the adrenaline of ego, the desire to be correct? Of course, it feels good to win, to “catch” your opponent, but why does it matter? Is succeeding in a debate truly more impactful than fueling a comprehensive discussion? When we move beyond the need to be right and let go of the desire to dominate, we can make room for something far more powerful: genuine curiosity. Letting go of the allure of competitive discourse - where there are winners and losers - allows us to create more meaningful conversations where both sides can learn and grow. This is The Dilemma with Irshad Manji, a series from Big Think created in partnership with Moral Courage College. Watch more from The Dilemma ► youtube.com/playlist?list=PL5uULy4b0kV4oa3rSzD8aw-lYqQ2CGd8b---------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Go Deeper with Big Think:►Become a Big Think MemberGet exclusive access to full interviews, early access to new releases, Big Think merch and more. members.bigthink.com/?utm_source=youtube&utm_medium=video&utm_campaign=youtube_description ►Get Big Think+ for BusinessGuide, inspire and accelerate leaders at all levels of your company with the biggest minds in business. bigthink.com/plus/great-leaders-think-big/?utm_source=youtube&utm_medium=video&utm_campaign=youtube_description---------------------------------------------------------------------------------- About Irshad Manji: Irshad Manji is an award-winning educator, author, and advocate for moral courage and diversity of thought. As the founder of Moral Courage College, she equips people to engage in honest conversations across lines of difference.
Why (some) great employees fail after a promotion Big Think 2024-10-03 | Why are so many companies filled with people out of their depth? It could be the “Peter Principle” — when competent workers are promoted until they reach a role they can no longer handle. Here are 3 ways to prevent it:1. Offer support: Leaders aren’t born overnight. Provide training and resources to help new leaders thrive.2. Embrace the challenge: Growth comes from being tested. Push your team (or yourself) to find and develop new competencies.3. Course correct: If someone is struggling in a new role, don’t write them off. Move them to a position in which they excel and let them shine again.How would you support a Peter?Read the full article here: bigthink.com/business/the-peter-principle-why-most-companies-are-filled-with-people-out-of-their-depth
What holds more power: facts or stories? Big Think 2024-10-02 | Is it those who know the facts or those who can tell the story who hold the most power? @YuvalNoahHarari argues that facts alone do not inspire action. For better or worse, history proves that it's the storytellers who move the masses.Check back on October 18th to catch the full interview with Yuval Noah Harari.
The smartest people have mastered these 6 core skills | Michael Watkins for Big Think+ Big Think 2024-10-02 | “I'm often asked, “Are great strategic thinkers born, or are they made?” And my answer is always yes. Like so many valuable human capabilities, it’s a mixture of nature, nurture, and experience.”Subscribe to Big Think on YouTube ► youtube.com/channel/UCvQECJukTDE2i6aCoMnS-Vg?sub_confirmation=1Up next, Want to be a CEO? Become a master of paradox | Adam Bryant for Big Think+ ► youtube.com/watch?v=H5Q_-gIZIpsStrategic thinking has always been a critical skill at the top: Leaders must be able to recognize emerging challenges and opportunities, establish the right priorities, and critically mobilize their people to adapt to the many changes that are going on.Michael Watkins, author of The 6 Disciplines of Strategic Thinking, has defined six key mental disciplines that underlie our ability to recognize, prioritize, and mobilize. Want to become the smartest person in the room and a better leader at work? Implement these six core skills to master your mind. Timestamps: 00:00 - Born or made?01:40 - 6 disciplines 01:48 - Pattern recognition02:28 - Systems analysis03:26 - Mental agility04:02 - Structured problem-solving04:58 - Visioning5:44 - Political savvyRead the video transcript ► bigthink.com/series/the-big-think-interview/michael-watkins-strategic-thinking/?utm_source=youtube&utm_medium=video&utm_campaign=youtube_description---------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Go Deeper with Big Think:►Become a Big Think MemberGet exclusive access to full interviews, early access to new releases, Big Think merch and more. members.bigthink.com/?utm_source=youtube&utm_medium=video&utm_campaign=youtube_description ►Get Big Think+ for BusinessGuide, inspire and accelerate leaders at all levels of your company with the biggest minds in business. bigthink.com/plus/great-leaders-think-big/?utm_source=youtube&utm_medium=video&utm_campaign=youtube_description---------------------------------------------------------------------------------- About Michael WatkinsMichael D. Watkins is a professor of leadership at the IMD Business School and a co-founder of Genesis Advisers. He was a professor at the Harvard Kennedy School and the Harvard Business School, and is the author of The Six Disciplines of Strategic Thinking and the international bestseller The First 90 Days.
America’s culture war thrives on anger. Here’s how to escape it. | The Dilemma Ep. 2 Big Think 2024-09-27 | Are you willing to engage with someone whose beliefs seem completely opposed to your own? Here’s why it might be worth the effort.In 2016, Genesis Be protested against Confederate Heritage Month, and was left surprised after an unlikely conversation with a Confederate flag advocate. Their discussion didn’t sway their stances, but it did reveal unexpected respect for one another. Before approaching someone else’s views, reflect on your own. Ask yourself why you believe what you do. Confront your fears and identify how they impact your behavior. Doing so will help you dissect and truly understand the beliefs of others, even if they don’t align with your own. Instead of letting anger drive our actions, we can focus on understanding what truly motivates us—and those we disagree with. This mutual vulnerability allows us to recognize the humanity behind our “opponents,” and find common ground where we once thought there was none. This is The Dilemma with Irshad Manji, a series from Big Think created in partnership with Moral Courage College. Watch more from The Dilemma ► youtube.com/playlist?list=PL5uULy4b0kV4oa3rSzD8aw-lYqQ2CGd8b---------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Go Deeper with Big Think:►Become a Big Think MemberGet exclusive access to full interviews, early access to new releases, Big Think merch and more. members.bigthink.com/?utm_source=youtube&utm_medium=video&utm_campaign=youtube_description ►Get Big Think+ for BusinessGuide, inspire and accelerate leaders at all levels of your company with the biggest minds in business. bigthink.com/plus/great-leaders-think-big/?utm_source=youtube&utm_medium=video&utm_campaign=youtube_description---------------------------------------------------------------------------------- About Irshad Manji: Irshad Manji is an award-winning educator, author, and advocate for moral courage and diversity of thought. As the founder of Moral Courage College, she equips people to engage in honest conversations across lines of difference.
This blind woodworkers story will change how you see life Big Think 2024-09-23 | “I feel like I had to lose my sight to fully gain my vision.” John Furniss on how becoming blind led him to drug abuse, rehab, woodworking, and finally, to a fulfilling life. Subscribe to Big Think on YouTube ► youtube.com/channel/UCvQECJukTDE2i6aCoMnS-Vg?sub_confirmation=1Watch the full Perception Box series ► youtube.com/playlist?list=PL5uULy4b0kV4iomWS7CzqCdOCwj0lFnLr&si=yCY6Ee7m6bpj7E-yJohn Furniss, also known as the Blind Woodsman, opens up about his journey from a difficult past to finding peace and purpose. After losing his sight as a teenager, John struggled for years to accept his new reality, battling inner turmoil and substance abuse along the way. It wasn't until he discovered woodworking through a vocational rehab program that he found a way to channel his creativity and start healing.Woodworking became more than just a skill for John; it allowed him to bring the designs he imagined in his mind to life. This craft also led him to meet his wife, Annie, who has been a constant source of love and support. Through his work and his relationship, John found a sense of belonging and a new way of seeing the world. He reflects on how losing his sight actually helped him gain a clearer vision of who he is and what he’s meant to do, ultimately finding peace in embracing his true self.John’s new memoir, ‘The Blind Woodsman’, is available through his publisher: foxchapelpublishing.com/products/the-blind-woodsman?variant=49478375112985Read more from this interview ► LINK?utm_source=youtube&utm_medium=video&utm_campaign=youtube_descriptionExplore the Perception Box series hub ► bigthink.com/perception-box/?utm_source=youtube&utm_medium=video&utm_campaign=youtube_descriptionWe created this video in partnership with Unlikely Collaborators.---------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Go Deeper with Big Think:►Become a Big Think MemberGet exclusive access to full interviews, early access to new releases, Big Think merch and more. members.bigthink.com/?utm_source=youtube&utm_medium=video&utm_campaign=youtube_description ►Get Big Think+ for BusinessGuide, inspire and accelerate leaders at all levels of your company with the biggest minds in business. bigthink.com/plus/great-leaders-think-big/?utm_source=youtube&utm_medium=video&utm_campaign=youtube_description---------------------------------------------------------------------------------- About John Furniss:John Furniss, known professionally as The Blind Woodsman, is a skilled woodworker, author, and disability advocate recognized for his meticulous hand-turned creations. After losing his sight at 16, John faced significant challenges adapting to life with total blindness. In his 20s, he found his passion for woodworking through a class designed for the blind, which led to the development of his unique craft.Today, John’s work has been featured on platforms such as Good Morning America and The Kelly Clarkson Show. He and his wife, Anni, who is also an artist, use their social media platforms to share their work and raise awareness about disability and mental health. John’s expertise in woodworking and his contributions to the art community have established him as a respected figure in his field.
Americans aren’t saying what they really think. Here’s why. Big Think 2024-09-20 | Your brain assumes the loudest voices, repeated the most, are the majority.” Todd Rose on why self-censorship is at an all-time high in America.
America’s mass spiral of self-censorship | The Dilemma Ep. 1 Big Think 2024-09-20 | Americans no longer feel safe to speak their minds. The levels of self-silencing in the country rival that of Mccarthyism in the late 1940s – or higher, says research scientist Todd Rose. Our social trust is non-existent, so much so that many are opting out of sharing their opinions altogether, making way for those at the extremes to be the dominant voices. But just because the most vocal want something, doesn’t mean that the rest of the country shares this ideology. In fact, our brains mistake this extremist noise for consensus, reinforcing the lie that this is what we must believe. Here’s why this social silence must be changed. Why it's healthy to invite in other points of view – even if they differ from yours. This is The Dilemma with Irshad Manji, a series from Big Think created in partnership with Moral Courage College. Watch more from The Dilemma ► youtube.com/playlist?list=PL5uULy4b0kV4oa3rSzD8aw-lYqQ2CGd8b---------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Go Deeper with Big Think:►Become a Big Think MemberGet exclusive access to full interviews, early access to new releases, Big Think merch and more. members.bigthink.com/?utm_source=youtube&utm_medium=video&utm_campaign=youtube_description ►Get Big Think+ for BusinessGuide, inspire and accelerate leaders at all levels of your company with the biggest minds in business. bigthink.com/plus/great-leaders-think-big/?utm_source=youtube&utm_medium=video&utm_campaign=youtube_description---------------------------------------------------------------------------------- About Irshad Manji: Irshad Manji is an award-winning educator, author, and advocate for moral courage and diversity of thought. As the founder of Moral Courage College, she equips people to engage in honest conversations across lines of difference.
How zero gave us mathematical and philosophical power | Talithia Williams Big Think 2024-09-19 | This interview is an episode from @The-Well, our publication about ideas that inspire a life well-lived, created with the @JohnTempletonFoundation.Subscribe to The Well on YouTube ► bit.ly/thewell-youtubeThe abstract numeral that changed everything, according to mathematician Talithia Williams. Before the introduction of zero, mathematics was a tangible subject, where numbers held weight and substance. With zero came the concept of a mathematical “nothing;” it turned our solid understanding of values into something theoretical. This development, the addition of zero, led scientists to begin exploring more conceptual ideas, like dark matter and black holes. Without zero, we wouldn’t have discovered equations like E=mc², which fundamentally rely on the concept of nothingness and balance to describe the relationship between energy and mass.Including zero and other abstract numerals like negative numbers, gave us the framework to think about the absence of things. This “nothing number” gave us access to a new layer of understanding, potentially even leading us to new solutions for problems that were unapproachable beforehand.Read the full video transcript: bigthink.com/the-well/how-zero-fundamentally-changed-our-understanding-of-the-universe---------------------------------------------------------------------------------- About Dr. Talithia Williams:Talithia Williams, PhD, is a Professor of Mathematics and the Mathematics Clinic Director at Harvey Mudd College. She develops statistical models focused on environmental issues, including a cataract model for the World Health Organization to predict surgical rates in Africa.Known for making complex numerical concepts accessible, Williams inspires others through her dedication to STEM education. Williams has worked with NASA, the Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL), and the National Security Agency (NSA).---------------------------------------------------------------------------------- About The WellDo we inhabit a multiverse? Do we have free will? What is love? Is evolution directional? There are no simple answers to life’s biggest questions, and that’s why they’re the questions occupying the world’s brightest minds.Together, let's learn from them.Subscribe to the weekly newsletter ► bit.ly/thewellemailsignup---------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Join The Well on your favorite platforms:► Facebook: bit.ly/thewellFB ► Instagram: bit.ly/thewellIG----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
How to see math like art, so you can appreciate it fully | Talithia Williams Big Think 2024-09-17 | This interview is an episode from @The-Well, our publication about ideas that inspire a life well-lived, created with the @JohnTempletonFoundation.Subscribe to The Well on YouTube ► bit.ly/thewell-youtubeWatch Talithia Williams’ next interview ► Zero: The key to understanding everything? youtube.com/watch?v=L8RifPByK6kIf you’ve taken a math class, it’s likely you’ve asked yourself “What am I really going to use this for?” Mathematician Talithia Williams has the answer. The key to understanding math outside of the classroom, Dr. Williams explains, is appreciating how beautiful it really is. Much like taking an art appreciation class, if one were to take a course that highlights the real-world applications of mathematics without the pressure of daunting calculations, complex equations, or graded tests. According to Dr. Williams, taking a course like this would reveal the aesthetic qualities of numbers and their values, and could transform our perception of math from being a subject to pass to a tool for understanding the world. Read the full video transcript: bigthink.com/the-well/how-to-appreciate-math-like-an-artform---------------------------------------------------------------------------------- About Dr. Talithia Williams:Talithia Williams, PhD, is a Professor of Mathematics and the Mathematics Clinic Director at Harvey Mudd College. She develops statistical models focused on environmental issues, including a cataract model for the World Health Organization to predict surgical rates in Africa.Known for making complex numerical concepts accessible, Williams inspires others through her dedication to STEM education. Williams has worked with NASA, the Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL), and the National Security Agency (NSA).---------------------------------------------------------------------------------- About The WellDo we inhabit a multiverse? Do we have free will? What is love? Is evolution directional? There are no simple answers to life’s biggest questions, and that’s why they’re the questions occupying the world’s brightest minds.Together, let's learn from them.Subscribe to the weekly newsletter ► bit.ly/thewellemailsignup---------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Join The Well on your favorite platforms:► Facebook: bit.ly/thewellFB ► Instagram: bit.ly/thewellIG---------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Go Deeper with Big Think:►Become a Big Think MemberGet exclusive access to full interviews, early access to new releases, Big Think merch and more. members.bigthink.com/?utm_source=youtube&utm_medium=video&utm_campaign=youtube_description ►Get Big Think+ for BusinessGuide, inspire and accelerate leaders at all levels of your company with the biggest minds in business. bigthink.com/plus/great-leaders-think-big/?utm_source=youtube&utm_medium=video&utm_campaign=youtube_description----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Why altruism is selfish | Neuroscientist Abigail Marsh Big Think 2024-09-13 | About the sponsor: Let our sponsor BetterHelp connect you to a therapist who can support you - all from the comfort of your own home. Visit betterhelp.com/bigthink and enjoy a special discount on your first month.If you have any questions about the brand relating to how the therapists are licensed, their privacy policy, or therapist compensation model, check out this FAQ: betterhelp.com/your-questions-answered About the video: “If we didn't find helping other people pleasurable, we wouldn’t be altruistic.”Subscribe to Big Think on YouTube ► youtube.com/channel/UCvQECJukTDE2i6aCoMnS-Vg?sub_confirmation=1Up next, She studied extreme psychopaths. Here’s what it taught her about human nature ► youtube.com/watch?v=kyow7KAHDksOne of the reasons that many people argue that there is no such thing as “true altruism,” that people are never purely motivated to help other people for their own sake, is because, paradoxically, altruism is a source of enormous joy for those who help others.Those who have made significant sacrifices for the benefit of others, such as donating a kidney, will attest to this. They’ll often say that it was one of the best decisions they made and would make it over and over if possible because of how happy it made them to help out the recipient. With this in mind, it’s easy to assume that nothing is ever truly altruistic because of the pleasure doing good can evoke.Neuroscientist Abigail Marsh says that this perspective can be a bit puritanical. Marsh says that actually, the best part of altruism is the sense of joy it brings, because these feelings encourage people to engage with it more often. Here’s why that principal actually underscores altruism, instead of contradicting it.Read the video transcript ► bigthink.com/series/great-question/abigail-marsh-altruism/?utm_source=youtube&utm_medium=video&utm_campaign=youtube_description---------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Go Deeper with Big Think:►Become a Big Think MemberGet exclusive access to full interviews, early access to new releases, Big Think merch and more. members.bigthink.com/?utm_source=youtube&utm_medium=video&utm_campaign=youtube_description ►Get Big Think+ for BusinessGuide, inspire and accelerate leaders at all levels of your company with the biggest minds in business. bigthink.com/plus/great-leaders-think-big/?utm_source=youtube&utm_medium=video&utm_campaign=youtube_description---------------------------------------------------------------------------------- About Abigail Marsh:Abigail Marsh is a Professor in the Department of Psychology and the Interdisciplinary Neuroscience Program at Georgetown University. She received her PhD in Social Psychology from Harvard University in 2004.
How math brings incredible meaning to everything in our universe | Talithia Williams Big Think 2024-09-12 | This interview is an episode from @The-Well, our publication about ideas that inspire a life well-lived, created with the @JohnTempletonFoundation.Subscribe to The Well on YouTube ► bit.ly/thewell-youtubeWatch Talithia Williams’ next interview ► Win back your agency from algorithms with data literacy youtu.be/Ay80VZo38Ak?feature=sharedWhat does math have to do with theology? According to Dr. Talithia Williams, a math professor and science communicator, quite a lot. In just under three minutes, Williams explains how mathematics connects the natural world with deeper ideas of order and purpose. Math, she says, helps us make sense of everything from the migration of fish to the patterns we see in nature, uncovering the structure of our universe.Dr. Williams believes math is more than just numbers—it’s a universal language that offers insights into our existence. This intersection of math, nature, and culture reveals something deep and profound about our lives and the purpose behind them. Read the full video transcript: bigthink.com/the-well/how-math-brings-order-to-our-universe---------------------------------------------------------------------------------- About Dr. Talithia Williams:Talithia Williams, PhD, is a Professor of Mathematics and the Mathematics Clinic Director at Harvey Mudd College. She develops statistical models focused on environmental issues, including a cataract model for the World Health Organization to predict surgical rates in Africa.Known for making complex numerical concepts accessible, Williams inspires others through her dedication to STEM education. Williams has worked with NASA, the Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL), and the National Security Agency (NSA).---------------------------------------------------------------------------------- About The WellDo we inhabit a multiverse? Do we have free will? What is love? Is evolution directional? There are no simple answers to life’s biggest questions, and that’s why they’re the questions occupying the world’s brightest minds.Together, let's learn from them.Subscribe to the weekly newsletter ► bit.ly/thewellemailsignup---------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Join The Well on your favorite platforms:► Facebook: bit.ly/thewellFB ► Instagram: bit.ly/thewellIG---------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Go Deeper with Big Think:►Become a Big Think MemberGet exclusive access to full interviews, early access to new releases, Big Think merch and more. members.bigthink.com/?utm_source=youtube&utm_medium=video&utm_campaign=youtube_description ►Get Big Think+ for BusinessGuide, inspire and accelerate leaders at all levels of your company with the biggest minds in business. bigthink.com/plus/great-leaders-think-big/?utm_source=youtube&utm_medium=video&utm_campaign=youtube_description----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Improve your critical thinking skills in just 6 minutes | Alex Edmans for Big Think+ Big Think 2024-09-11 | “People will claim that something is rigorous because it's by an authority figure, or it's written in a book. But anyone can write a book.”Subscribe to Big Think on YouTube ► youtube.com/channel/UCvQECJukTDE2i6aCoMnS-Vg?sub_confirmation=1Up next, Generative AI is not the panacea we’ve been promised ► youtube.com/watch?v=B2zCWJBnfuEWe often think the solution to misinformation is fact checking. But just checking facts is not enough. Even if a fact is 100% accurate, it could still be misleading – it could be a large-scale correlation when there’s no causation.The solution to misinformation is not obtaining a PhD in statistics, London Business School professor Alex Edmans and author of “May Contain Lies” argues. We often already possess the discerning skills to distinguish truth within ourselves.Misinformation is so prevalent today because we suffer from confirmation bias, or the idea that we have a certain view of the world which causes us to latch onto any piece of evidence that supports our viewpoint. When we inject skepticism into our thought process, we can overcome these biases.Read the video transcript ► bigthink.com/series/the-big-think-interview/alex-edmans-hero/?utm_source=youtube&utm_medium=video&utm_campaign=youtube_description---------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Go Deeper with Big Think:►Become a Big Think MemberGet exclusive access to full interviews, early access to new releases, Big Think merch and more. members.bigthink.com/?utm_source=youtube&utm_medium=video&utm_campaign=youtube_description ►Get Big Think+ for BusinessGuide, inspire and accelerate leaders at all levels of your company with the biggest minds in business. bigthink.com/plus/great-leaders-think-big/?utm_source=youtube&utm_medium=video&utm_campaign=youtube_description---------------------------------------------------------------------------------- About Alex Edmans:Alex Edmans is Professor of Finance at London Business School. Alex graduated from Oxford University and then worked for Morgan Stanley in investment banking (London) and fixed income sales and trading (New York). After a PhD in Finance from MIT Sloan as a Fulbright Scholar, he joined Wharton in 2007 and was tenured in 2013 shortly before moving to LBS.Alex’s research interests are in corporate finance, responsible business and behavioural finance. He is a Director of the American Finance Association; Vice President of the Western Finance Association; Fellow, Director, and Chair of the Ethics Committee of the Financial Management Association; Fellow of the British Academy; and Fellow of the Academy of Social Sciences. From 2017-2022 he was Managing Editor of the Review of Finance, the leading academic finance journal in Europe. Alex has spoken at the World Economic Forum in Davos, testified in the UK Parliament, presented to the World Bank Board of Directors as part of the Distinguished Speaker Series, and given the TED talk What to Trust in a Post-Truth World and the TEDx talks The Pie-Growing Mindset and The Social Responsibility of Business with a combined 2.8 million views. He has written for the Wall Street Journal, Financial Times, Harvard Business Review and World Economic Forum and been interviewed by Bloomberg, BBC, CNBC, CNN, ESPN, Fox, ITV, NPR, Reuters, Sky News, and Sky Sports.
You need data literacy now more than ever – here’s how to master it | Talithia Williams Big Think 2024-09-10 | This interview is an episode from @The-Well, our publication about ideas that inspire a life well-lived, created with the @JohnTempletonFoundation.Subscribe to The Well on YouTube ► bit.ly/thewell-youtubeWatch Talithia Williams’ next interview ► How math brings order to our universe youtu.be/qg1bznqb20o?feature=sharedIn a world where our decisions are increasingly influenced by data, understanding the information we encounter has never been more essential. Dr. Talithia Williams explains the case for data literacy. Dr. Talithia Williams, a math professor and science communicator, shares her take on why understanding data is now more important than ever. Using examples like noticing targeted ads after a conversation, Williams shows how data shapes our everyday experiences. But she also warns of the dangers, like biases in data-driven models that can lead to unfair outcomes. While AI and machine learning offer powerful insights, it’s up to us to ensure these tools are used fairly and accurately.Dr. Williams also emphasizes that by deepening our understanding of data, we can better navigate the challenges that arise in our daily lives. She encourages us to see data not just as numbers, but as a tool for making more informed, fairer decisions in our bewilderingly complex world.Read the video transcript ► bigthink.com/the-well/beat-the-algorithm-with-digital-literacy---------------------------------------------------------------------------------- About Dr. Talithia Williams:Talithia Williams, PhD, is a Professor of Mathematics and the Mathematics Clinic Director at Harvey Mudd College. She develops statistical models focused on environmental issues, including a cataract model for the World Health Organization to predict surgical rates in Africa.Known for making complex numerical concepts accessible, Williams inspires others through her dedication to STEM education. Williams has worked with NASA, the Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL), and the National Security Agency (NSA).---------------------------------------------------------------------------------- About The WellDo we inhabit a multiverse? Do we have free will? What is love? Is evolution directional? There are no simple answers to life’s biggest questions, and that’s why they’re the questions occupying the world’s brightest minds.Together, let's learn from them.Subscribe to the weekly newsletter ► bit.ly/thewellemailsignup---------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Join The Well on your favorite platforms:► Facebook: bit.ly/thewellFB ► Instagram: bit.ly/thewellIG---------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Go Deeper with Big Think:►Become a Big Think MemberGet exclusive access to full interviews, early access to new releases, Big Think merch and more. members.bigthink.com/?utm_source=youtube&utm_medium=video&utm_campaign=youtube_description ►Get Big Think+ for BusinessGuide, inspire and accelerate leaders at all levels of your company with the biggest minds in business. bigthink.com/plus/great-leaders-think-big/?utm_source=youtube&utm_medium=video&utm_campaign=youtube_description----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Your brain is biased by default. Here’s how to reset it. | David Eagleman Big Think 2024-09-09 | Expanding your worldview starts with understanding your brain. Stanford neuroscientist David Eagleman explains.Subscribe to Big Think on YouTube ► youtube.com/channel/UCvQECJukTDE2i6aCoMnS-Vg?sub_confirmation=1Watch the full Perception Box series ► youtube.com/playlist?list=PL5uULy4b0kV4iomWS7CzqCdOCwj0lFnLr&si=yCY6Ee7m6bpj7E-yDavid Eagleman, a neuroscientist at Stanford and host of the Inner Cosmos podcast, explores how our brains shape the reality we experience and why we often accept our perceptions as the only truth. From a young age, we develop our understanding of the world based on limited experiences and biases, which can lead us to form narrow views about what's true.Eagleman explains that our genetics and life experiences wire our brains in unique ways, meaning that each of us sees the world a little differently. He introduces the idea of "perceptual genomics," which looks at how slight genetic differences influence our perception of reality. He also discusses how our brains naturally create in-groups and out-groups, a tendency rooted in evolution that affects how much empathy we feel for others.To overcome these biases, Eagleman suggests that we start by recognizing our own prejudices, understanding the tactics of dehumanization, and connecting with others through shared interests. This approach helps us appreciate the diverse realities others experience, ultimately contributing to a more empathetic and understanding society.Explore the Perception Box series hub ► bigthink.com/perception-box/?utm_source=youtube&utm_medium=video&utm_campaign=youtube_descriptionWe created this video in partnership with Unlikely Collaborators.---------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Go Deeper with Big Think:►Become a Big Think MemberGet exclusive access to full interviews, early access to new releases, Big Think merch and more. members.bigthink.com/?utm_source=youtube&utm_medium=video&utm_campaign=youtube_description ►Get Big Think+ for BusinessGuide, inspire and accelerate leaders at all levels of your company with the biggest minds in business. bigthink.com/plus/great-leaders-think-big/?utm_source=youtube&utm_medium=video&utm_campaign=youtube_description---------------------------------------------------------------------------------- About David Eagleman:David Eagleman is a neuroscientist at Stanford University and an internationally bestselling author. He is co-founder of two venture-backed companies, Neosensory and BrainCheck, and he also directs the Center for Science and Law, a national non-profit institute. He is best known for his work on sensory substitution, time perception, brain plasticity, synesthesia, and neurolaw.
Who decides what is socially “normal”? | Christine Emba Big Think 2024-09-06 | About the sponsor: Start your journey to personal growth with Headway! Get a seven-day free trial—just click the link to get started: bit.ly/headway_bigthinkAbout the video: Who decides what’s “normal” and why? In an age with increasingly deteriorating social norms, here’s how to find true guidance. Subscribe to Big Think on YouTube ► youtube.com/channel/UCvQECJukTDE2i6aCoMnS-Vg?sub_confirmation=1Up next, Dating apps encourage our worst instincts. Here’s how to be more ethical ► youtube.com/watch?v=WXL2kjDoc04Why do cultures develop social norms? They provide a general guidebook of how to behave in society, sometimes in an effort to help members of that culture live an easier life. How do we evaluate if social norms are still valuable in this day and age? Investigation is the key to determining use. What was it originally for? Was it used as a method of protection? Is that use case still valuable right now?With the dissolving of social norms, some are seeking guidance to inform how they live their lives. In the age of the self-described “expert,” there are coaches or guides for nearly every subject. But this can make for an overwhelming amount of options. Here’s how to know who to trust, according to author Christine Emba.Read the video transcript ► bigthink.com/series/great-question/christine-emba-social-norms/?utm_source=youtube&utm_medium=video&utm_campaign=youtube_description---------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Go Deeper with Big Think:►Become a Big Think MemberGet exclusive access to full interviews, early access to new releases, Big Think merch and more. members.bigthink.com/?utm_source=youtube&utm_medium=video&utm_campaign=youtube_description ►Get Big Think+ for BusinessGuide, inspire and accelerate leaders at all levels of your company with the biggest minds in business. bigthink.com/plus/great-leaders-think-big/?utm_source=youtube&utm_medium=video&utm_campaign=youtube_description---------------------------------------------------------------------------------- About Christine Emba:Christine Emba is an opinion columnist and editor at The Washington Post, where she focuses on ideas, society, and culture. She is also a contributing editor at Comment Magazine and an editor at large at Wisdom of Crowds, which includes a podcast and newsletter. Before this, Emba was the Hilton Kramer Fellow in Criticism at The New Criterion and a deputy editor at the Economist Intelligence Unit, focusing on technology and innovation. Her book, Rethinking Sex: A Provocation, is about the failures and potential of the sexual revolution in a post-#MeToo world. Emba was named one of the World’s Top 50 Thinkers by Prospect Magazine in 2022.
Meet the scientist that made a machine to measure life itself | Lee Cronin Big Think 2024-09-05 | This interview is an episode from @The-Well, our publication about ideas that inspire a life well-lived, created with the @JohnTempletonFoundation.Subscribe to The Well on YouTube ► bit.ly/thewell-youtubeWatch Lee Cronin’s next interview ► A bold new theory on why the universe keeps expanding youtu.be/cYliayfoSDk?feature=sharedHave we found a new way of defining life? This scientist thinks so. Lee Cronin, the Regius Chair of Chemistry at the University of Glasgow, proposes that Assembly Theory may hold the key to discovering how life began and evolved. His theory introduces three parameters for understanding the transition from nonliving to living entities: the time it takes to make the object, the time it takes for the object to fall apart naturally, and the time the object can persist in living lineages. These parameters help to quantify life by calculating a system's construction, which measures the extent of selection that has occurred.In his laboratory, Cronin and his team have used this concept to create an "origin of life machine." It aims to replicate the conditions that allow life to emerge from nonliving materials. By leveraging these time-based parameters, Cronin and his team are constructing engines designed to perform random chemistry experiments, seeking systems that exhibit these life-like characteristics.If successful, this research could completely change how we think about where life came from —and its future. Read the video transcript ► bigthink.com/the-well/how-do-scientists-define-and-measure-life---------------------------------------------------------------------------------- About Lee Cronin:Leroy Cronin has one of the largest multidisciplinary, chemistry-based research teams in the world. He has given over 300 international talks and has authored over 350 peer-reviewed papers with recent work published in Nature, Science, and PNAS. He and his team are trying to make artificial life forms, find alien life, explore the digitization of chemistry, understand how information can be encoded into chemicals, and construct chemical computers.He went to the University of York where he completed both a degree and PhD in chemistry and then went on to do postdocs in Edinburgh and Germany before becoming a lecturer at the Universities of Birmingham, and then Glasgow where he has been since 2002, working up the ranks to become the Regius Professor of Chemistry in 2013 at age 39. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------- About The WellDo we inhabit a multiverse? Do we have free will? What is love? Is evolution directional? There are no simple answers to life’s biggest questions, and that’s why they’re the questions occupying the world’s brightest minds.Together, let's learn from them.Subscribe to the weekly newsletter ► bit.ly/thewellemailsignup---------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Join The Well on your favorite platforms:► Facebook: bit.ly/thewellFB ► Instagram: bit.ly/thewellIG---------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Go Deeper with Big Think:►Become a Big Think MemberGet exclusive access to full interviews, early access to new releases, Big Think merch and more. members.bigthink.com/?utm_source=youtube&utm_medium=video&utm_campaign=youtube_description ►Get Big Think+ for BusinessGuide, inspire and accelerate leaders at all levels of your company with the biggest minds in business. bigthink.com/plus/great-leaders-think-big/?utm_source=youtube&utm_medium=video&utm_campaign=youtube_description----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
How ancient philosophers would shape AI | Brendan McCord Big Think 2024-09-04 | We made this video in partnership with the Cosmos Institute, a network of thinkers and builders advancing human flourishing in the AI era. Read the Cosmos Institute Substack ► bit.ly/3XK5T7kSubscribe to the Cosmos Institute on YouTube ► youtube.com/@CosmosInstituteAIxHF?sub_confirmation=1Follow Brendan McCord on X ► bit.ly/3Y9pFLbArtificial intelligence is transforming our world, prompting us to revisit fundamental philosophical questions about human existence and purpose. In this interview, Brendan McCord, founder of the Cosmos Institute, examines how philosophical insights from thinkers like Aristotle, John Stuart Mill, and Alexis de Tocqueville can inform our approach to AI, ensuring it enhances rather than undermines human flourishing.McCord outlines three crucial steps to align AI with the principles of autonomy, reason, and decentralization. By drawing on ancient wisdom, we can navigate the complexities of modern technology and create a future where innovation and human values coexist.Reflecting on the transformative ideas from Copernicus to Turing, this interview offers a roadmap for finding our place in the cosmos amidst the AI revolution. Explore how we can build a society that prioritizes human potential in the age of technology.---------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Go Deeper with Big Think:►Become a Big Think MemberGet exclusive access to full interviews, early access to new releases, Big Think merch and more. members.bigthink.com/?utm_source=youtube&utm_medium=video&utm_campaign=youtube_description ►Get Big Think+ for BusinessGuide, inspire and accelerate leaders at all levels of your company with the biggest minds in business. bigthink.com/plus/great-leaders-think-big/?utm_source=youtube&utm_medium=video&utm_campaign=youtube_description---------------------------------------------------------------------------------- About Brendan McCord:Brendan McCord is the founder and Chair of the Cosmos Institute and a key thinker at the intersection of AI and philosophy. In the private sector, Brendan was the founding CEO of two AI startups that were acquired for $400 million. In the public sector, Brendan was the principal founder of the first applied AI organization for the US Department of Defense and author of its first AI strategy. Brendan is a graduate of MIT and Harvard Business School and was a Visiting Fellow at St Catherine’s College at the University of Oxford. After MIT, he spent 610 days underwater on a submarine. He lives in Austin, TX with his wife and two children.
Our universe keeps expanding. But why? | Lee Cronin Big Think 2024-09-04 | This interview is an episode from @The-Well, our publication about ideas that inspire a life well-lived, created with the @JohnTempletonFoundation. Subscribe to The Well on YouTube ► bit.ly/thewell-youtubeWatch Lee Cronin’s next interview ► How the universe randomly unfolded from "quantum foam" youtube.com/watch?v=3f6TSjR2GrkThe universe is inflating like a cosmic balloon. Lee Cronin, Regius Chair of Chemistry at the University of Glasgow, has a new theory about why. Many scientists believe cosmic inflation is occurring as a result of the Big Bang, but Cronin has a different idea. Time, he explains, may be expanding alongside space. This suggests that time and life may have a deeper connection to one another. According to Cronin, life could be seen as the amount of selection happening per unit volume, with selection being what keeps the universe inflated. Where there's interaction, there's selection, and, perhaps, this could explain the expansion.We don't fully understand what drives the universe's expansion or what time truly is. Testing this idea, even if it's wrong, could lead to ground-breaking discoveries about the nature of time, space, and the forces that shape our universe. Read the full video transcript: bigthink.com/the-well/why-does-the-universe-keep-expanding---------------------------------------------------------------------------------- About Lee Cronin:Leroy Cronin has one of the largest multidisciplinary, chemistry-based research teams in the world. He has given over 300 international talks and has authored over 350 peer-reviewed papers with recent work published in Nature, Science, and PNAS. He and his team are trying to make artificial life forms, find alien life, explore the digitization of chemistry, understand how information can be encoded into chemicals, and construct chemical computers.He went to the University of York where he completed both a degree and PhD in chemistry and then went on to do postdocs in Edinburgh and Germany before becoming a lecturer at the Universities of Birmingham, and then Glasgow where he has been since 2002, working up the ranks to become the Regius Professor of Chemistry in 2013 at age 39. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------- About The WellDo we inhabit a multiverse? Do we have free will? What is love? Is evolution directional? There are no simple answers to life’s biggest questions, and that’s why they’re the questions occupying the world’s brightest minds.Together, let's learn from them.Subscribe to the weekly newsletter ► bit.ly/thewellemailsignup---------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Join The Well on your favorite platforms:► Facebook: bit.ly/thewellFB ► Instagram: bit.ly/thewellIG
Why Florida and Texas are booming (and NY and California are not) | Economist Joseph Politano Big Think 2024-08-30 | The winners of the remote work boom? Utah, Arizona, and Maine. Here’s what the US’ post-pandemic migration looks like.Subscribe to Big Think on YouTube ► youtube.com/channel/UCvQECJukTDE2i6aCoMnS-Vg?sub_confirmation=1Up next, 10 biggest world threats of 2024, ranked ► youtube.com/watch?v=tpPFdFdfxxMIn the wake of COVID, rising populations are shifting out of states like New York and California and moving to previously less-popular landscapes. The biggest beneficiaries of the post-pandemic economy have been states in the American South, including Texas and Florida, which has seen the fastest GDP growth of any state since the start of COVID, at more than a 20% increase.What is driving these shifts in economic geography? Economist Joseph Politano points out that the most obvious factor is the increasing remote work possibilities. Some of the biggest states to lose residents have been dense, urbanized, unaffordable areas, and some of the biggest winners have been less dense, suburban, more affordable areas. People, when given the flexibility to tele-work, choose places that are more spacious suburban states than they did before the pandemic.California and New York are going to have to reform a lot of their policies around housing, construction, and transportation if they want to compete in this new economy. And if they don't, the exodus to states like Texas and Florida will only continue. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Go Deeper with Big Think:►Become a Big Think MemberGet exclusive access to full interviews, early access to new releases, Big Think merch and more. members.bigthink.com/?utm_source=youtube&utm_medium=video&utm_campaign=youtube_description ►Get Big Think+ for BusinessGuide, inspire and accelerate leaders at all levels of your company with the biggest minds in business. bigthink.com/plus/great-leaders-think-big/?utm_source=youtube&utm_medium=video&utm_campaign=youtube_description---------------------------------------------------------------------------------- About Joseph Politano:Joseph Politano is a Financial Management Analyst at the Bureau of Labor Statistics working to support the Labor Market Information and Occupational Health and Safety surveys that BLS conducts. He writes independently about economics, business, and public policy for a better world at apricitas.substack.com.
What we get wrong about learning — and how to reframe it Big Think 2024-08-29 | This interview is an episode from @The-Well our publication about ideas that inspire a life well-lived, created with the @JohnTempletonFoundation. Subscribe to The Well on YouTube ► bit.ly/thewell-youtubeWatch Mary Helen’s next interview ► The powers of transcendent thinking, explained by a neuroscientist youtube.com/watch?v=SxoVhcvun7gCan the power of community transform our educational systems for the better? This neuroscientist says absolutely. Mary Helen Immordino-Yang is a neuroscientist and USC professor, and she has spent her career studying education and the ways we can enhance it. Her findings claim that diversity has a huge impact on brain growth and even life experience. She explains that similarly to how fabric is composed of thousands of intricately woven threads, our schools need the active coordination of many people and skills, making them stronger together.Immordino-Yang stresses the importance of this strong social fabric, explaining that spending time around those who differ from us can help us become adaptable and truly deepen our understanding of the world around us. This idea calls for a new approach to education, where teachers and students work together to create systems of learning that help them grow alongside one another, instead of on confined and isolated paths.Read the full video transcript: bigthink.com/the-well/human-development-principles-could-unleash-our-collective-potential---------------------------------------------------------------------------------- About Mary Helen Immordino-Yang:Mary Helen Immordino-Yang, EdD, is an expert on the psychological and neurobiological foundations of social emotion, self-awareness, and culture, and how they impact learning, development, and education.She is a Professor of Education at the USC Rossier School of Education, a Professor of Psychology at the Brain and Creativity Institute, a faculty member in the Neuroscience Graduate Program at the University of Southern California, and the Director of the USC Center for Affective Neuroscience, Development, Learning, and Education (CANDLE).---------------------------------------------------------------------------------- About The WellDo we inhabit a multiverse? Do we have free will? What is love? Is evolution directional? There are no simple answers to life’s biggest questions, and that’s why they’re the questions occupying the world’s brightest minds.Together, let's learn from them.Subscribe to the weekly newsletter ► bit.ly/thewellemailsignup---------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Join The Well on your favorite platforms:► Facebook: bit.ly/thewellFB ► Instagram: bit.ly/thewellIG
Dating apps encourage our worst instincts. Here’s how to be more ethical | Christine Emba Big Think 2024-08-23 | About the sponsor: Let our sponsor BetterHelp connect you to a therapist who can support you - all from the comfort of your own home. Visit betterhelp.com/bigthink and enjoy a special discount on your first month.If you have any questions about the brand relating to how the therapists are licensed, their privacy policy, or therapist compensation model, check out this FAQ: betterhelp.com/your-questions-answeredAbout the video: Have we evolved to understand multiple rejections on Bumble, or survive more than one ghosting from Tinder? Christine Emba explores the sociology of modern dating and how to make them more ethical.Subscribe to Big Think on YouTube ► youtube.com/channel/UCvQECJukTDE2i6aCoMnS-Vg?sub_confirmation=1Up next, How to date, mate, and find fulfillment ► youtube.com/watch?v=_QJ3M8M_RU8Before online dating became ubiquitous, most people met their partners at work, school, or through a shared network of friends. But as apps like Tinder, Bumble, and Hinge have become the default for finding romance, an enormous shift from real life courtship to virtual has occurred.How has this impacted the dating process? Online connections are often made independent of your normal circles, and lack supervision. This creates a lack of accountability that can encourage unethical behaviors such as harassment, objectification, ghosting, and worse from users. How can we create a more positive environment on apps and ensure we’re dating with the best of intentions? Author Christine Emba explains. Read the video transcript ► bigthink.com/series/explain-it-like-im-smart/christine-emba-dating-apps/?utm_source=youtube&utm_medium=video&utm_campaign=youtube_description---------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Go Deeper with Big Think:►Become a Big Think MemberGet exclusive access to full interviews, early access to new releases, Big Think merch and more. members.bigthink.com/?utm_source=youtube&utm_medium=video&utm_campaign=youtube_description ►Get Big Think+ for BusinessGuide, inspire and accelerate leaders at all levels of your company with the biggest minds in business. bigthink.com/plus/great-leaders-think-big/?utm_source=youtube&utm_medium=video&utm_campaign=youtube_description---------------------------------------------------------------------------------- About Christine Emba:Christine Emba is an opinion columnist and editor at The Washington Post, where she focuses on ideas, society, and culture. She is also a contributing editor at Comment Magazine and an editor at large at Wisdom of Crowds, which includes a podcast and newsletter. Before this, Emba was the Hilton Kramer Fellow in Criticism at The New Criterion and a deputy editor at the Economist Intelligence Unit, focusing on technology and innovation. Her book, Rethinking Sex: A Provocation, is about the failures and potential of the sexual revolution in a post-#MeToo world. Emba was named one of the World’s Top 50 Thinkers by Prospect Magazine in 2022.
Train your brain’s emotional intelligence with metacognition | Arthur Brooks Big Think 2024-08-22 | This interview is an episode from @The-Well, our publication about ideas that inspire a life well-lived, created with the @JohnTempletonFoundation. Subscribe to The Well on YouTube ► bit.ly/thewell-youtubeWatch Arthur Brooks’s next interview ► There is a formula for happiness — but it’s highly misunderstood | youtube.com/watch?v=cJOi5z2IoG8You’ve heard of cognition. Now, here’s metacognition: the act of thinking about thinking. Arthur Brooks, author and public speaker, explains how metacognition helps us reflect on our emotional life, allowing our prefrontal cortex to evaluate signals from the limbic system. For instance, telling children to "use their words" instead of screaming encourages them to engage their prefrontal cortex. The same applies to adults: interrogate your emotions before reacting, and you might just become a more emotionally healthy person. According to Brooks, this is a skill that can be developed over time, so if you’re new to the idea of consciously regulating your own emotions, it’s not too late. He stresses that negative emotions - though unenjoyable - are entirely normal and are even representative of a healthy brain. What matters is how we engage with these negative emotions and what lessons we take away from the experiences they give us. Metacognition is a skill that requires patience and self-kindness. With enough practice and effort, we all can learn to master this ability and enhance our own happiness, as well as the happiness of those around us.Read the full video transcript: bigthink.com/the-well/use-metacognition-for-emotional-intelligence---------------------------------------------------------------------------------- About Arthur Brooks:Arthur C. Brooks is a professor at both the Harvard Kennedy School and Harvard Business School, where he teaches public and nonprofit leadership and management practice. Before joining Harvard in July 2019, he spent ten years as the president of the American Enterprise Institute, a well-known public policy think tank in Washington, DC.Brooks has written 11 books, including the bestsellers "Love Your Enemies" (2019), "The Conservative Heart" (2015), and "The Road to Freedom" (2012). He writes a column for The Atlantic, hosts the podcast "The Art of Happiness with Arthur Brooks," and is featured in the 2019 documentary "The Pursuit." He also serves on the board of the Legatum Institute, a think tank in London.---------------------------------------------------------------------------------- About The WellDo we inhabit a multiverse? Do we have free will? What is love? Is evolution directional? There are no simple answers to life’s biggest questions, and that’s why they’re the questions occupying the world’s brightest minds.Together, let's learn from them.Subscribe to the weekly newsletter ► bit.ly/thewellemailsignup---------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Join The Well on your favorite platforms:► Facebook: bit.ly/thewellFB ► Instagram: bit.ly/thewellIG---------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Go Deeper with Big Think:►Become a Big Think MemberGet exclusive access to full interviews, early access to new releases, Big Think merch and more. members.bigthink.com/?utm_source=youtube&utm_medium=video&utm_campaign=youtube_description ►Get Big Think+ for BusinessGuide, inspire and accelerate leaders at all levels of your company with the biggest minds in business. bigthink.com/plus/great-leaders-think-big/?utm_source=youtube&utm_medium=video&utm_campaign=youtube_description----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Don’t fall into the determinism trap. Everything is, in fact, random | Lee Cronin Big Think 2024-08-20 | This interview is an episode from @The-Well, our publication about ideas that inspire a life well-lived, created with the @JohnTempletonFoundation. Subscribe to The Well on YouTube ► bit.ly/thewell-youtubeWatch Lee Cronin’s next interview ► youtu.be/jtwkzZM-8EgHow did something come from nothing? Chemist Lee Cronin explains.According to current physics, the universe began with a Big Bang, leading to an expanding universe where matter, hydrogen, stars, and galaxies formed. From exploding stars came planets, and eventually, life emerged, leading to human beings and technology as we know it today.Quantum physics reveals the universe as a field of probabilities, full of entirely random sequences. When these sequences produce objects that can copy themselves and survive in their environment, evolution takes place. This quantum randomness provides the fuel for these processes, making the universe appear deterministic over time.Cronin uses a flipping coin as an example. If a system were truly random, it would yield an equivalent number of heads and tails on a flipped coin. If the coin were weighted, however, and showed mostly heads upon flipping, the system would be considered deterministic. Cronin’s perspective might just be imperative to understanding how the universe has evolved, through processes of selection and replication, and eventually brought us to this place in space and time. Read the full video transcript: bigthink.com/the-well/how-the-universe-unfolded-from-randomness---------------------------------------------------------------------------------- About Lee Cronin:Leroy Cronin has one of the largest multidisciplinary, chemistry-based research teams in the world. He has given over 300 international talks and has authored over 350 peer-reviewed papers with recent work published in Nature, Science, and PNAS. He and his team are trying to make artificial life forms, find alien life, explore the digitization of chemistry, understand how information can be encoded into chemicals, and construct chemical computers.He went to the University of York where he completed both a degree and PhD in chemistry and then went on to do postdocs in Edinburgh and Germany before becoming a lecturer at the Universities of Birmingham, and then Glasgow where he has been since 2002, working up the ranks to become the Regius Professor of Chemistry in 2013 at age 39. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------- About The WellDo we inhabit a multiverse? Do we have free will? What is love? Is evolution directional? There are no simple answers to life’s biggest questions, and that’s why they’re the questions occupying the world’s brightest minds.Together, let's learn from them.Subscribe to the weekly newsletter ► bit.ly/thewellemailsignup---------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Join The Well on your favorite platforms:► Facebook: bit.ly/thewellFB ► Instagram: bit.ly/thewellIG
Everything about humanity is changing—except our bodies | Sean B. Carroll on evolution Big Think 2024-08-16 | About the sponsor: Empower yourself with access to diverse perspectives and improve your media consumption habits by subscribing through this link: https://ground.news/bigthink for 40% off unlimited access this month with the Vantage Subscription and be the change you want to see.About the video: Biological evolution in humans has slowed. Can AI, culture wars, and modern tech explain why?Subscribe to Big Think on YouTube ► youtube.com/channel/UCvQECJukTDE2i6aCoMnS-Vg?sub_confirmation=1Up next, What are the chances of YOU existing? A biologist explains ► youtube.com/watch?v=YC2qoeWYr4wIn modern times, our lives have changed tremendously by gaining control over nature. The advent of vaccines, antibiotics, antivirals, and better sanitation has dramatically reduced our physiological challenges. In the present day, we enjoy a much more secure food supply than we did a hundred years ago.We live at a time where cultural evolution can be very, very, very rapid, but our biological evolution seems relatively stunted. Why is this? Why is everything about our civilization changing constantly, except our bodies? Biologist and author Sean B. Carroll unveils why biology isn’t evolving as rapidly as culture.Timestamps: 0:00 - Human life in modern times0:25 - Gaining control over nature1:58 - The productivity of agriculture2:45 - Is our species evolving? 4:28 - Slow biological evolutionRead the video transcript ► bigthink.com/series/the-big-think-interview/sean-b-carroll-evolution/?utm_source=youtube&utm_medium=video&utm_campaign=youtube_description---------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Go Deeper with Big Think:►Become a Big Think MemberGet exclusive access to full interviews, early access to new releases, Big Think merch and more. members.bigthink.com/?utm_source=youtube&utm_medium=video&utm_campaign=youtube_description ►Get Big Think+ for BusinessGuide, inspire and accelerate leaders at all levels of your company with the biggest minds in business. bigthink.com/plus/great-leaders-think-big/?utm_source=youtube&utm_medium=video&utm_campaign=youtube_description---------------------------------------------------------------------------------- About Sean B. Carroll: Sean B. Carroll is an award-winning scientist, author, educator, and film producer. He is Distinguished University Professor and the Andrew and Mary Balo and NIcholas and Susan Simon Chair of Biology at the University of Maryland, and an Investigator of the Howard Hughes Medical Institute. He was formerly Head of HHMI Tangled Bank Studios, and led the Department of Science Education from 2010-2023. He is also Professor Emeritus of Genetics and Molecular Biology at the University of Wisconsin.
Groundbreaking chemist defines all of life in 2 words | Lee Cronin Big Think 2024-08-15 | This interview is an episode from @The-Well, our publication about ideas that inspire a life well-lived, created with the @JohnTempletonFoundation. Subscribe to The Well on YouTube ► bit.ly/thewell-youtubeWatch Lee Cronin’s next interview ► How the universe randomly unfolded from "quantum foam" youtube.com/watch?v=3f6TSjR2Grk&t=0sWhat is life, really? Despite our scientific advancements, we still don’t really know. Lee Cronin, the Regis Professor of Chemistry at the University of Glasgow, says there is a significant disconnect between the physics of the universe and the biological processes we observe. This discrepancy makes for a difficult challenge in understanding how inanimate matter evolves into breathing, thinking, life forms. The solution? Cronin proposes assembly theory – where we use complexity at scale to piece together all the components that work together to create adaptable life. Assembly theory suggests that life emerges through two key processes: copying and existence. These two simple words, Cronin explains, are the essential essences of life as we know it. Thanks to Cronin, this theory has been put in use by NASA in its search for lifeforms on other planets. Together, we are growing closer to understanding the mystery of life – how it started, what it looks like, and how it might evolve. Read the full video transcript: bigthink.com/the-well/how-does-matter-become-life-assembly-theory---------------------------------------------------------------------------------- About Lee Cronin:Leroy Cronin has one of the largest multidisciplinary, chemistry-based research teams in the world. He has given over 300 international talks and has authored over 350 peer-reviewed papers with recent work published in Nature, Science, and PNAS. He and his team are trying to make artificial life forms, find alien life, explore the digitization of chemistry, understand how information can be encoded into chemicals, and construct chemical computers.He went to the University of York where he completed both a degree and PhD in chemistry and then went on to do postdocs in Edinburgh and Germany before becoming a lecturer at the Universities of Birmingham, and then Glasgow where he has been since 2002, working up the ranks to become the Regius Professor of Chemistry in 2013 at age 39. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------- About The WellDo we inhabit a multiverse? Do we have free will? What is love? Is evolution directional? There are no simple answers to life’s biggest questions, and that’s why they’re the questions occupying the world’s brightest minds.Together, let's learn from them.Subscribe to the weekly newsletter ► bit.ly/thewellemailsignup---------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Join The Well on your favorite platforms:► Facebook: bit.ly/thewellFB ► Instagram: bit.ly/thewellIG
Generative AI is not the panacea we’ve been promised | Eric Siegel for Big Think+ Big Think 2024-08-14 | Eric Siegel has been in the AI field since 1991. He’s “horrified” by the AI hype bubble, but not for the reason you may think.Subscribe to Big Think on YouTube ► youtube.com/channel/UCvQECJukTDE2i6aCoMnS-Vg?sub_confirmation=1Up next, Wharton professor: 4 scenarios for AI’s future ► youtube.com/watch?v=d4f1jqb3YisIs generative AI the viral sensation we’ve been promised? Headlines are selling it as a panacea, but 30-year AI industry vet Eric Siegel says that’s mostly hype. It may be impressive and introduce efficiencies, but it won’t run the world as we’ve been promised.Predictive AI, Siegel argues, often holds more transformative potential than generative AI, including LLMs. While generative AI cannot generally be blindly trusted, predictive AI has the potential to operate autonomously for some applications, across a wide range of industries.Here’s why Siegel thinks more potential lies with predictive modeling for many organizations, and why we’re not going to replicate general human intelligence in machines anytime soon.Timestamps:0:00 - The Generative AI illusion1:05 - Generative AI’s function3:13 - Generative vs. Predictive 4:21 - The Predictive AI process6:57 - Moving towards AGI?Read the video transcript ► bigthink.com/series/legends/eric-siegel-generative-ai/?utm_source=youtube&utm_medium=video&utm_campaign=youtube_description---------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Go Deeper with Big Think:►Become a Big Think MemberGet exclusive access to full interviews, early access to new releases, Big Think merch and more. members.bigthink.com/?utm_source=youtube&utm_medium=video&utm_campaign=youtube_description ►Get Big Think+ for BusinessGuide, inspire and accelerate leaders at all levels of your company with the biggest minds in business. bigthink.com/plus/great-leaders-think-big/?utm_source=youtube&utm_medium=video&utm_campaign=youtube_description---------------------------------------------------------------------------------- About Eric Siegel:Eric Siegel is a leading consultant and former Columbia University and UVA Darden professor. He is the founder of the long-running Machine Learning Week conference series, a frequent keynote speaker, and author of "The AI Playbook: Mastering the Rare Art of Machine Learning Deployment," as well as the bestselling "Predictive Analytics: The Power to Predict Who Will Click, Buy, Lie, or Die."
Why loneliness feels so real, even when it’s not | Kasley Killam Big Think 2024-08-12 | Challenging the loneliness stigma can change your life. Here’s how to start.Subscribe to Big Think on YouTube ► youtube.com/channel/UCvQECJukTDE2i6aCoMnS-Vg?sub_confirmation=1Watch the full Perception Box series ► youtube.com/playlist?list=PL5uULy4b0kV4iomWS7CzqCdOCwj0lFnLr&si=yCY6Ee7m6bpj7E-yFrom a young age, many of us are taught that being alone means something is wrong, leading to negative thought patterns that reinforce feelings of isolation. Kasley Killam, author of The Art and Science of Connection and an expert in social health, explains how these perceptions of loneliness can shape our experiences and influence our lives. According to Killam, this stigma around loneliness can trigger a stress response in the body, affecting both mental and physical well being. However, by challenging these narratives and reminding ourselves of how much control we really have, it’s possible to redirect our mindsets. It also helps, she says, to understand the difference between individualistic and collectivist cultures, and how each one can influence the way we interpret and discuss our feelings with others. For those who have struggled with loneliness or felt trapped in a cycle of negative thinking, this perspective can help us break free. By shifting our thought patterns, we can transform our relationships, enhance our sense of connection, and improve our overall well-being.Read more from this interview ► bigthink.com/perception-box/how-to-navigate-loneliness-according-to-neuroscience/?utm_source=youtube&utm_medium=video&utm_campaign=youtube_descriptionExplore the Perception Box series hub ► bigthink.com/perception-box/?utm_source=youtube&utm_medium=video&utm_campaign=youtube_descriptionWe created this video in partnership with Unlikely Collaborators.---------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Go Deeper with Big Think:►Become a Big Think MemberGet exclusive access to full interviews, early access to new releases, Big Think merch and more. members.bigthink.com/?utm_source=youtube&utm_medium=video&utm_campaign=youtube_description ►Get Big Think+ for BusinessGuide, inspire and accelerate leaders at all levels of your company with the biggest minds in business. bigthink.com/plus/great-leaders-think-big/?utm_source=youtube&utm_medium=video&utm_campaign=youtube_description---------------------------------------------------------------------------------- About Kasley Killam:Kasley Killam is a social health expert, author, and advocate focused on strengthening connections and enhancing community well-being. With a background in behavioral science and public health from Harvard University, she is a leading voice on the impact of social relationships on mental and physical health. As the founder of Social Health Labs, Killam collaborates with organizations to develop innovative solutions for combating loneliness and social isolation. Her work has been featured in major publications, and she is a sought-after speaker on the importance of social well-being in creating healthier, more resilient communities.
What the news wont tell you about climate change | Hannah Ritchie, PhD Big Think 2024-08-09 | About the sponsor: The first 500 people to click this link will get a 1-month free trial of Skillshare: https://skl.sh/bigthink08241About the video: “You can find examples of really big environmental problems that we've already solved.” Climate change is solvable, argues Hannah Ritchie.Subscribe to Big Think on YouTube ► youtube.com/channel/UCvQECJukTDE2i6aCoMnS-Vg?sub_confirmation=1Up next, The overpopulation myth, debunked by a data scientist ► youtu.be/xrbyI-Cuze4Doomerism about the state of the planet is widespread right now. Many see climate change as an insurmountable problem that we won’t be able to tackle. But the reality tells a different story, says data scientist Hannah Ritchie. By stepping back to look at the data and at how the world has changed over centuries, you can actually find examples of really big environmental problems that we've already solved.By tracing the evolution of human history, we can see that human progress was often very much in conflict with environmental impact. The more that humans progressed, the more the environment degraded. Ritchie argues that now, we're in a unique position where these two things are no longer in conflict, thanks to recent technologies that decouple our human wellbeing with our environmental impact. Timestamps: 0:00 - An ‘insurmountable’ problem?1:10 - 4 key targets to solve climate change04:27 - How we reduce our emissions09:36 - Being an ‘urgent optimist’Read the video transcript ► bigthink.com/series/the-big-think-interview/hannah-ritchie-climate/?utm_source=youtube&utm_medium=video&utm_campaign=youtube_description---------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Go Deeper with Big Think:►Become a Big Think MemberGet exclusive access to full interviews, early access to new releases, Big Think merch and more. members.bigthink.com/?utm_source=youtube&utm_medium=video&utm_campaign=youtube_description ►Get Big Think+ for BusinessGuide, inspire and accelerate leaders at all levels of your company with the biggest minds in business. bigthink.com/plus/great-leaders-think-big/?utm_source=youtube&utm_medium=video&utm_campaign=youtube_description---------------------------------------------------------------------------------- About Hannah Ritchie:Hannah Ritchie is a data scientist and science communicator focused on the largest problems that shape our world, and how to solve them.Ritchie's work focuses on environmental sustainability, including climate change, energy, food and agriculture, biodiversity, air pollution and deforestation.Ritchie is a Deputy Editor and Lead Researcher at Our World in Data, and a researcher at the Oxford Martin Programme in Global Development, at the University of Oxford.
How should we measure intelligence? | Mary-Helen Immordino Yang Big Think 2024-08-08 | This interview is an episode from @The-Well, our publication about ideas that inspire a life well-lived, created with the @JohnTempletonFoundation. Subscribe to The Well on YouTube ► bit.ly/thewell-youtubeWe’ve been looking at intelligence all wrong, explains a neuroscientist. Our society has an obsession with quantifying everything, often applying measurements and numerical values where they aren't necessary. Mary Helen Immordino-Yang, a neuroscientist and professor at USC, argues that we've taken this approach with intelligence, and it might not be the right path.Immordino-Yang uses standardized testing as an example, explaining how modern-day education systems equate high test scores with high intelligence levels. However, these tests usually only measure a student's ability to perform under specific conditions, focusing narrowly on memorization and regurgitation of predetermined answers.Instead, Mary Helen suggests a more dynamic concept of intelligence, considering a child's ability to navigate complex situations, understand new information, and innovate in real-time. This kind of intelligence is adaptive and essential for societal progress, as it allows for a more well-rounded perception of the world and situations that occur within it.Read the full video transcript: bigthink.com/the-well/does-testing-really-measure-intelligence---------------------------------------------------------------------------------- About Mary Helen Immordino-Yang:Mary Helen Immordino-Yang, EdD, is an expert on the psychological and neurobiological foundations of social emotion, self-awareness, and culture, and how they impact learning, development, and education.She is a Professor of Education at the USC Rossier School of Education, a Professor of Psychology at the Brain and Creativity Institute, a faculty member in the Neuroscience Graduate Program at the University of Southern California, and the Director of the USC Center for Affective Neuroscience, Development, Learning, and Education (CANDLE).---------------------------------------------------------------------------------- About The WellDo we inhabit a multiverse? Do we have free will? What is love? Is evolution directional? There are no simple answers to life’s biggest questions, and that’s why they’re the questions occupying the world’s brightest minds.Together, let's learn from them.Subscribe to the weekly newsletter ► bit.ly/thewellemailsignup---------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Join The Well on your favorite platforms:► Facebook: bit.ly/thewellFB ► Instagram: bit.ly/thewellIG---------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Go Deeper with Big Think:►Become a Big Think MemberGet exclusive access to full interviews, early access to new releases, Big Think merch and more. members.bigthink.com/?utm_source=youtube&utm_medium=video&utm_campaign=youtube_description ►Get Big Think+ for BusinessGuide, inspire and accelerate leaders at all levels of your company with the biggest minds in business. bigthink.com/plus/great-leaders-think-big/?utm_source=youtube&utm_medium=video&utm_campaign=youtube_description----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Land use vs. solar panels, wind power, and nuclear #shorts #nuclear #solarpower #windpower Big Think 2024-08-06 | ...
Why your Epicurean approach will never make you truly happy | Arthur Brooks Big Think 2024-08-06 | This interview is an episode from @The-Well, our publication about ideas that inspire a life well-lived, created with the @JohnTempletonFoundation.Subscribe to The Well on YouTube ► bit.ly/thewell-youtubeWatch Brooks’s next interview ► youtu.be/cJOi5z2IoG8?feature=sharedArthur Brooks, author and Harvard professor, has some startling news: In order to be happy, we also need to be unhappy, at least a little bit. To explain this theory, Brooks reflects on the ancient Greek philosopher Epicurus, who proposed that the key to happiness is to simply suffer less, not by seeking constant pleasure but by eliminating sources of discomfort. This idea, although intuitive, has significant implications. Avoiding the relationships and activities that cause friction can indeed make us happier. However, Brooks warns against the modern trend of overprotecting ourselves and our children from any form of suffering or conflict. In the long run, these types of “protection” could actually be more harmful than beneficial. Suffering is a natural part of life that teaches resilience and helps us especially appreciate the good moments we experience. As Carl Jung noted, we need contrast in our lives to truly experience joy.Read the video transcript ► bigthink.com/the-well/Epicurus-was-wrong–suffering-is-necessary---------------------------------------------------------------------------------- About Arthur Brooks:Arthur C. Brooks is a professor at both the Harvard Kennedy School and Harvard Business School, where he teaches public and nonprofit leadership and management practice. Before joining Harvard in July 2019, he spent ten years as the president of the American Enterprise Institute, a well-known public policy think tank in Washington, DC.Brooks has written 11 books, including the bestsellers "Love Your Enemies" (2019), "The Conservative Heart" (2015), and "The Road to Freedom" (2012). He writes a column for The Atlantic, hosts the podcast "The Art of Happiness with Arthur Brooks," and is featured in the 2019 documentary "The Pursuit." He also serves on the board of the Legatum Institute, a think tank in London.---------------------------------------------------------------------------------- About The WellDo we inhabit a multiverse? Do we have free will? What is love? Is evolution directional? There are no simple answers to life’s biggest questions, and that’s why they’re the questions occupying the world’s brightest minds.Together, let's learn from them.Subscribe to the weekly newsletter ► bit.ly/thewellemailsignup---------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Join The Well on your favorite platforms:► Facebook: bit.ly/thewellFB ► Instagram: bit.ly/thewellIG---------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Go Deeper with Big Think:►Become a Big Think MemberGet exclusive access to full interviews, early access to new releases, Big Think merch and more. members.bigthink.com/?utm_source=youtube&utm_medium=video&utm_campaign=youtube_description ►Get Big Think+ for BusinessGuide, inspire and accelerate leaders at all levels of your company with the biggest minds in business. bigthink.com/plus/great-leaders-think-big/?utm_source=youtube&utm_medium=video&utm_campaign=youtube_description----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
3 powerful mind states: Flow state, good anxiety, and Zen Buddhism Big Think 2024-08-02 | About the sponsor: Use code BIGTHINK25 to get 25% off your first supply of DS-01® Daily Synbiotic. Click here: seed.com/daily-synbiotic?utm_source=bigthink&utm_medium=youtube&utm_campaign=25p&promo_code=BIGTHINK25For more information about the science behind Seed's DS-01 product, visit the links below:Seed's Science:seed.com/reference/syn-wkSeed's Clinical Trials:clinicaltrials.gov/study/NCT04598295clinicaltrials.gov/study/NCT04171466About the video: “We can use neuroscience and tools from psychology to learn how to take advantage of anxiety.” From Zen Buddhism to flow state, these 3 experts explain how to hack your brain.Subscribe to Big Think on YouTube ► youtube.com/channel/UCvQECJukTDE2i6aCoMnS-Vg?sub_confirmation=1Up next, How to date, mate, and find fulfillment ► youtube.com/watch?v=_QJ3M8M_RU8When you think about the word "anxiety," it likely comes with a negative connotation. But anxiety is a normal human emotion that nearly all of us experience. Reframing anxiety as a tool for change, adopting concepts from Zen Buddhism, and striving to live in a ‘flow state’ can quell the negative thoughts we experience and amplify your mind’s abilities.Optimizing your brain so that you can work in harmony with your thoughts is entirely possible. These 3 experts explain how we can work with our physiology, rather than try to rebel against it. Authors Steven Kotler and Wendy Suzuki along with psychiatrist Robert Waldinger show us how to optimize our mind, transform anxiety, and drop into ‘flow state’ for a more peaceful life. Timestamps:0:00 - 3 powerful mind states2:39 - The flow state9:59 - Harnessing anxiety’s superpowers17:21 - A guide to Zen Buddhism Read the video transcript ► bigthink.com/series/the-big-think-interview/manage-your-mind-compilation/?utm_source=youtube&utm_medium=video&utm_campaign=youtube_description---------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Go Deeper with Big Think:►Become a Big Think MemberGet exclusive access to full interviews, early access to new releases, Big Think merch and more. members.bigthink.com/?utm_source=youtube&utm_medium=video&utm_campaign=youtube_description ►Get Big Think+ for BusinessGuide, inspire and accelerate leaders at all levels of your company with the biggest minds in business. bigthink.com/plus/great-leaders-think-big/?utm_source=youtube&utm_medium=video&utm_campaign=youtube_description---------------------------------------------------------------------------------- About [Speaker Name]:Bio
Earth used to look like Mars. Here’s why that changed. | Robert Hazen Big Think 2024-08-01 | This interview is an episode from @The-Well, our publication about ideas that inspire a life well-lived, created with the @JohnTempletonFoundation.Subscribe to The Well on YouTube ► bit.ly/thewell-youtubeWatch Hazen's next interview ► youtu.be/VQNAEec9W38?feature=sharedWhat can minerals tell us about the Earth's evolving colors? According to mineralogist Bob Hazen, they reveal an incredible history. Thanks to new research, we now know that minerals play immense roles in technology, agriculture, and the very origin of life itself, even down to our planet’s colors. Hazen explains the mineral roadmap of Earth’s transformation – starting as a black basalt-covered planet, evolving into a blue ocean world, transitioning to a red rusted landscape, and finally becoming the green, lively planet we know today. Hazen elaborates on how minerals have been essential in processes like plate tectonics and biomineralization, exemplifying the co-evolution of the geosphere and life. Using the knowledge that each and every mineral serves as a time capsule, we are able to better understand the 4.5 billion-year history - and potential future - of our Earth.Read the video transcript ► bigthink.com/the-well/a-technicolor-history-of-planet-earth---------------------------------------------------------------------------------- About Robert Hazen:Robert Hazen is a renowned American mineralogist and geologist, known for his pioneering work in mineral evolution and mineral ecology. He is a Senior Staff Scientist at the Carnegie Institution's Geophysical Laboratory and a Professor of Earth Sciences at George Mason University. Hazen has written over 400 articles and 25 books, contributing research as a profound leader in mineral evolution and mineral ecology. His studies delve into the complex interactions between minerals and life, contributing to our understanding of Earth’s history and the potential for life on other planets. Hazen is also a passionate educator and science communicator.---------------------------------------------------------------------------------- About The WellDo we inhabit a multiverse? Do we have free will? What is love? Is evolution directional? There are no simple answers to life’s biggest questions, and that’s why they’re the questions occupying the world’s brightest minds.Together, let's learn from them.Subscribe to the weekly newsletter ► bit.ly/thewellemailsignup---------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Join The Well on your favorite platforms:► Facebook: bit.ly/thewellFB ► Instagram: bit.ly/thewellIG---------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Go Deeper with Big Think:►Become a Big Think MemberGet exclusive access to full interviews, early access to new releases, Big Think merch and more. members.bigthink.com/?utm_source=youtube&utm_medium=video&utm_campaign=youtube_description ►Get Big Think+ for BusinessGuide, inspire and accelerate leaders at all levels of your company with the biggest minds in business. bigthink.com/plus/great-leaders-think-big/?utm_source=youtube&utm_medium=video&utm_campaign=youtube_description----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
How we fundamentally misunderstand ‘well-being’ | Mary Helen Immordino-Yang Big Think 2024-07-30 | This interview is an episode from @The-Well, our publication about ideas that inspire a life well-lived, created with the @JohnTempletonFoundation. Subscribe to The Well on YouTube ► bit.ly/thewell-youtubeWatch Immordino-Yang’s next interview ► youtu.be/jzRrDG9RKfM?feature=sharedCultivating your own well-being does not mean getting rid of discomfort, according to neuroscientist Mary Helen Immordino-Yang. Immordino-Yang is a professor of education, psychology, and neuroscience at the University of Southern California, and she has spent years researching what makes one “well.” Turns out, true well-being comes from balance and flexibility, not just from filling your life with positive experiences. Immordino-Yang suggests a few practical tips for maintaining this balance, such as prioritizing quality relationships, monitoring our social media usage, and engaging in activities that bring joy and reflection.We can’t fully eradicate suffering, but we can accept it and choose to grow through it. By welcoming healthy levels of discomfort and taking agency over our own activities and habits, we can achieve wellness as it was meant to be achieved - as a state of being, not a destination. Read the video transcript ► bigthink.com/the-well/wellbeing-explained-by-a-neuroscientist---------------------------------------------------------------------------------- About Mary Helen Immordino-Yang:Mary Helen Immordino-Yang, EdD, is an expert on the psychological and neurobiological foundations of social emotion, self-awareness, and culture, and how they impact learning, development, and education.She is a Professor of Education at the USC Rossier School of Education, a Professor of Psychology at the Brain and Creativity Institute, a faculty member in the Neuroscience Graduate Program at the University of Southern California, and the Director of the USC Center for Affective Neuroscience, Development, Learning, and Education (CANDLE).---------------------------------------------------------------------------------- About The WellDo we inhabit a multiverse? Do we have free will? What is love? Is evolution directional? There are no simple answers to life’s biggest questions, and that’s why they’re the questions occupying the world’s brightest minds.Together, let's learn from them.Subscribe to the weekly newsletter ► bit.ly/thewellemailsignup---------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Join The Well on your favorite platforms:► Facebook: bit.ly/thewellFB ► Instagram: bit.ly/thewellIG---------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Go Deeper with Big Think:►Become a Big Think MemberGet exclusive access to full interviews, early access to new releases, Big Think merch and more. members.bigthink.com/?utm_source=youtube&utm_medium=video&utm_campaign=youtube_description ►Get Big Think+ for BusinessGuide, inspire and accelerate leaders at all levels of your company with the biggest minds in business. bigthink.com/plus/great-leaders-think-big/?utm_source=youtube&utm_medium=video&utm_campaign=youtube_description----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Unmask the comedian. Meet the real Kel Mitchell. Big Think 2024-07-29 | How has Kel Mitchell navigated self-doubt, isolation, and the desire to “hit the off button”? He says it’s all faith, community, and personal forgiveness. Subscribe to Big Think on YouTube ► youtube.com/channel/UCvQECJukTDE2i6aCoMnS-Vg?sub_confirmation=1Watch the full Perception Box series ► youtube.com/playlist?list=PL5uULy4b0kV4iomWS7CzqCdOCwj0lFnLr&si=yCY6Ee7m6bpj7E-yAfter his debut on Nickelodeon, Kel Mitchell began a life-long career as an actor and comedian. He got married, started a family, and basked in professional success. However, behind the scenes, he faced intense personal hardships that pushed him to the brink, testing his resilience and strength in ways he never imagined.Kel guides us through the lowest points of his life, showing us how faith in himself and his religion helped him rebuild and achieve a fulfilling existence. He reminds us that blessings can often be hidden in hardships and that mistakes play a crucial role in shaping who we are.By expressing his pain and opening up to others about the things he was struggling with, he was able to find unity, community, and support from those who had experienced similar drawbacks. Mitchell stresses the importance of understanding others, and how deep relationships can change – and even save – lives. If you or someone you know is considering suicide, please contact the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-TALK (8255), text “STRENGTH” to the Crisis Text Line at 741-741 or go to suicidepreventionlifeline.org. Read more from this interview ► bigthink.com/perception-box/kel-mitchell/utm_source=youtube&utm_medium=video&utm_campaign=youtube_descriptionExplore the Perception Box series hub ► bigthink.com/perception-box/?utm_source=youtube&utm_medium=video&utm_campaign=youtube_descriptionWe created this video in partnership with Unlikely Collaborators.---------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Go Deeper with Big Think:►Become a Big Think MemberGet exclusive access to full interviews, early access to new releases, Big Think merch and more. members.bigthink.com/?utm_source=youtube&utm_medium=video&utm_campaign=youtube_description ►Get Big Think+ for BusinessGuide, inspire and accelerate leaders at all levels of your company with the biggest minds in business. bigthink.com/plus/great-leaders-think-big/?utm_source=youtube&utm_medium=video&utm_campaign=youtube_description---------------------------------------------------------------------------------- About Expert:Kel Mitchell is a two-time Emmy Award-nominated actor, producer, comedian, and youth pastor hailing from Chicago, Illinois.Mitchell executive produced and appeared in the new iteration of the beloved Nickelodeon series All That, bringing him full circle to the original award-winning show that was his big break. All That was Nickelodeon's longest-running live-action series, with 171 episodes across ten seasons from 1994 to 2005. The franchise paved the way for a number of successful spin-offs, including Kenan & Kel, The Amanda Show, The Nick Cannon Show, and the feature-length film Good Burger, all of which cemented Mitchell's impact on pop culture.
3 experts debunk common myths about work | James Suzman, Tyler Cowen, and Cal Newport Big Think 2024-07-26 | About the sponsor: If you're ready to transform your business' operations, go to odoo.com/bigthink to start a free 14-day trial, no credit card required.About the video: “It’s remarkable how weak the correlation between success and intelligence is.” Here’s what skills do matter, from 3 business experts.Subscribe to Big Think on YouTube ► youtube.com/channel/UCvQECJukTDE2i6aCoMnS-Vg?sub_confirmation=1Up next, The lost art of accomplishment without burnout ► youtube.com/watch?v=0HMjTxKRbaIOne of the greatest historical mysteries lies in why our hunter-gatherer ancestors made the sudden transition to agriculture. Hunter-gatherer economies always focused on the here and now, without spending a great deal of effort doing anything which was more than meeting their specific needs for that day.On the other hand, in our modern societies, everything has shifted to forward-planning with an emphasis on productivity. This dramatic leap altered our priorities as people and communities, and developed what we now know as the modern approach to work and business. Experts James Suzman, Tyler Cowen, and Cal Newport unpack common business myths, tracing how we reached our current work cultures from our hunter-gatherer origins.Timestamps: 0:00 - The history of work 2:30 - How work shaped society3:55 - The invention of fire5:16 - Transition to farming6:51 - Effort and reward11:40 - Why talent matters18:26 - Accomplishment without burnoutRead the video transcript ► bigthink.com/series/the-big-think-interview/compilation-business-myths/?utm_source=youtube&utm_medium=video&utm_campaign=youtube_description---------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Go Deeper with Big Think:►Become a Big Think MemberGet exclusive access to full interviews, early access to new releases, Big Think merch and more. members.bigthink.com/?utm_source=youtube&utm_medium=video&utm_campaign=youtube_description ►Get Big Think+ for BusinessGuide, inspire and accelerate leaders at all levels of your company with the biggest minds in business. bigthink.com/plus/great-leaders-think-big/?utm_source=youtube&utm_medium=video&utm_campaign=youtube_description---------------------------------------------------------------------------------- About Cal Newport:Cal Newport is an MIT-trained computer science professor at Georgetown University who also writes about the intersections of technology, work, and the quest to find depth in an increasingly distracted world.About James Suzman: Dr. James Suzman a PhD an anthropologist specializing in the Khoisan peoples of southern Africa. A former Smuts Fellow in African Studies at the University of Cambridge, he is now the director of Anthropos Ltd., a think-tank that applies anthropological methods to solving contemporary social and economic problems. Dr. Suzman's latest book is Work: A Deep History, from the Stone Age to the Age of Robots.About Tyler Cowen: Tyler is the Holbert L. Harris Chair of Economics at George Mason University and serves as chairman and general director of the Mercatus Center at George Mason University. He is co-author of the popular economics blog Marginal Revolution and co-founder of the online educational platform Marginal Revolution University.
The mindblowing way rocks “survive” and evolve | Robert Hazen Big Think 2024-07-25 | This interview is an episode from @The-Well, our publication about ideas that inspire a life well-lived, created with the @JohnTempletonFoundation. Subscribe to The Well on YouTube ► bit.ly/thewell-youtubeWatch Hazen’s next interview ► youtube.com/watch?v=LBh758B92nwHow did mineral evolution shape our planet? Robert Hazen, a renowned mineralogist, shares his fascinating insights into the co-evolution of minerals and life on Earth. Science has shown us that the universe started with a mere few dozen minerals, and those have since evolved into thousands. This discovery has proven that evolution does not only apply to living systems, like flora and fauna, but is relevant to non-living systems as well. Hazen highlights a deeper connection between these living and non-living systems, emphasizing that all evolving systems share three critical characteristics: interacting components, the generation of new configurations, and a selection mechanism. Whether it’s atoms and molecules forming minerals, genes in living organisms, or musical notes creating new compositions, these principles apply universally.When considering how living and non-living systems evolve alongside one another, we can begin to understand how truly connected all of the universe’s systems may be. Thanks to this knowledge, we may be closer to discovering our place in the cosmos. Read the video transcript ► bigthink.com/the-well/how-rocks-minerals-survive-and-evolve---------------------------------------------------------------------------------- About Robert Hazen:Robert Hazen is a renowned American mineralogist and geologist, known for his pioneering work in mineral evolution and mineral ecology. He is a Senior Staff Scientist at the Carnegie Institution's Geophysical Laboratory and a Professor of Earth Sciences at George Mason University. Hazen has written over 400 articles and 25 books, contributing research as a profound leader in mineral evolution and mineral ecology. His studies delve into the complex interactions between minerals and life, contributing to our understanding of Earth’s history and the potential for life on other planets. Hazen is also a passionate educator and science communicator.---------------------------------------------------------------------------------- About The WellDo we inhabit a multiverse? Do we have free will? What is love? Is evolution directional? There are no simple answers to life’s biggest questions, and that’s why they’re the questions occupying the world’s brightest minds.Together, let's learn from them.Subscribe to the weekly newsletter ► bit.ly/thewellemailsignup---------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Join The Well on your favorite platforms:► Facebook: bit.ly/thewellFB ► Instagram: bit.ly/thewellIG---------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Go Deeper with Big Think:►Become a Big Think MemberGet exclusive access to full interviews, early access to new releases, Big Think merch and more. members.bigthink.com/?utm_source=youtube&utm_medium=video&utm_campaign=youtube_description ►Get Big Think+ for BusinessGuide, inspire and accelerate leaders at all levels of your company with the biggest minds in business. bigthink.com/plus/great-leaders-think-big/?utm_source=youtube&utm_medium=video&utm_campaign=youtube_description----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The third, lost type of memory that might be the most important one Big Think 2024-07-23 | This interview is an episode from @The-Well, our publication about ideas that inspire a life well-lived, created with the @JohnTempletonFoundation.Subscribe to The Well on YouTube ► bit.ly/thewell-youtubeWatch Mary Helen Immordino-Yang’s next interview ► youtube.com/watch?v=jzRrDG9RKfMAre our current school systems stifling learning that matters? Mary Helen Immordino-Yang, a professor of education, psychology, and neuroscience at the University of Southern California, says yes. According to Immordino-Yang, our education system focuses too much on memorizing facts and procedures, neglecting autobiographical memory—the personal story we tell ourselves about who we are and what we stand for. This type of memory is crucial for growth, development, and well-being.Immordino-Yang tested this theory with a 5-year study that analyzed how young people’s brains are affected by deep thinking and reflection. She found that when teens were exposed to real-life stories and were asked to respond critically to how they made them feel, it had significant positive impacts on identity development and brain structure. Instead of teaching students to memorize and reiterate learned facts and figures, Immordino-Yang encourages us to focus on this type of “transcendent thinking,” as it can help young people give more context to their knowledge. By fostering this deeper level of understanding, we can better prepare students to navigate and contribute to the complex, constantly developing world we live in.Read the video transcript ► bigthink.com/the-well/rewire-your-brain-with-transcendental-thinking---------------------------------------------------------------------------------- About Mary Helen Immordino-Yang:Mary Helen Immordino-Yang, EdD, is an expert on the psychological and neurobiological foundations of social emotion, self-awareness, and culture, and how they impact learning, development, and education.She is a Professor of Education at the USC Rossier School of Education, a Professor of Psychology at the Brain and Creativity Institute, a faculty member in the Neuroscience Graduate Program at the University of Southern California, and the Director of the USC Center for Affective Neuroscience, Development, Learning, and Education (CANDLE).---------------------------------------------------------------------------------- About The WellDo we inhabit a multiverse? Do we have free will? What is love? Is evolution directional? There are no simple answers to life’s biggest questions, and that’s why they’re the questions occupying the world’s brightest minds.Together, let's learn from them.Subscribe to the weekly newsletter ► bit.ly/thewellemailsignup---------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Join The Well on your favorite platforms:► Facebook: bit.ly/thewellFB ► Instagram: bit.ly/thewellIG---------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Go Deeper with Big Think:►Become a Big Think MemberGet exclusive access to full interviews, early access to new releases, Big Think merch and more. members.bigthink.com/?utm_source=youtube&utm_medium=video&utm_campaign=youtube_description ►Get Big Think+ for BusinessGuide, inspire and accelerate leaders at all levels of your company with the biggest minds in business. bigthink.com/plus/great-leaders-think-big/?utm_source=youtube&utm_medium=video&utm_campaign=youtube_description----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Psychopathy can be treated—but here’s why it rarely is | Prof. Abigail Marsh Big Think 2024-07-19 | About the sponsor: Go to imprintapp.com/bigthink_LIB to get a 7-day free trial and save 20% off an annual membership.About the video: Psychopathy is actually a spectrum, and care is the variable that differentiates true psychopaths from highly empathetic people. Here’s why that matters, and how it can be treated, according to Professor Abigail Marsh. Subscribe to Big Think on YouTube ► youtube.com/channel/UCvQECJukTDE2i6aCoMnS-Vg?sub_confirmation=1Up next, She studied extreme psychopaths. Here’s what it taught her about human nature ► youtube.com/watch?v=kyow7KAHDksHumans are among the most altruistic species that we’ve studied, due to our alloparental instincts – a trait we evolved into that allows us to care for offspring who are not our own. Across species, the ones who alloparent the most appear to be the most altruistic. Very altruistic people seem to be the opposite of those who are psychopathic in terms of their neural structure, neural function, and characteristic emotional traits. Science has been studying psychopathy for decades, but only more recently have we been identifying the basic neurocognitive building blocks of those deficits in psychopathy, says Abigail Marsh, PhD. Here, Marsh explains how the psychopathic break is different, early warning signs that may indicate a lack of empathy, and how psychopathy can be treated. Timestamps: 0:00 - The psychopathy spectrum1:08 - An alloparental species2:32 - The physiology of psychopathy5:53 - The lateral prefrontal cortex6:29 - Treating psychopathyRead the video transcript ► bigthink.com/series/explain-it-like-im-smart/abigail-marsh-psychopathy/?utm_source=youtube&utm_medium=video&utm_campaign=youtube_description---------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Go Deeper with Big Think:►Become a Big Think MemberGet exclusive access to full interviews, early access to new releases, Big Think merch and more. members.bigthink.com/?utm_source=youtube&utm_medium=video&utm_campaign=youtube_description ►Get Big Think+ for BusinessGuide, inspire and accelerate leaders at all levels of your company with the biggest minds in business. bigthink.com/plus/great-leaders-think-big/?utm_source=youtube&utm_medium=video&utm_campaign=youtube_description---------------------------------------------------------------------------------- About Abigail Marsh:Abigail Marsh is a Professor in the Department of Psychology and the Interdisciplinary Neuroscience Program at Georgetown University. She received her PhD in Social Psychology from Harvard University in 2004.
How social media sabotages your brain’s friendship mechanism | Arthur Brooks Big Think 2024-07-18 | This interview is an episode from @The-Well, our publication about ideas that inspire a life well-lived, created with the @JohnTempletonFoundation.Subscribe to The Well on YouTube ► bit.ly/thewell-youtubeWatch Arthur Brooks's next interview ► youtube.com/watch?v=cJOi5z2IoG8Thanks to modern-day social media, it’s easier than ever to connect with the people you care about. But is this really the case? Professor Arthur Brooks discusses how social media is actually harming our ability to socialize, and proposes a way to fix it. Oxytocin, the bonding neuropeptide in our brains, needs eye contact and touch—things we don’t get from Zoom or social media. This lack leaves us feeling hungrier for connection, which only fuels the loneliness epidemic, and causes us to further distance ourselves from others. Does this mean we should ban social media and prevent young people from using it? Brooks says no, social media can be a wonderful complement to real-life interactions, like when it is used to arrange plans to meet up with friends. If social media substitutes for real-life relationships, it harms our happiness. If it complements them, it can be beneficial. We need connection now more than ever, and using social media wisely can help us stay connected and support our mental well-being.Read the full video transcript: bigthink.com/the-well---------------------------------------------------------------------------------- About Arthur Brooks:Arthur C. Brooks is a professor at both the Harvard Kennedy School and Harvard Business School, where he teaches public and nonprofit leadership and management practice. Before joining Harvard in July 2019, he spent ten years as the president of the American Enterprise Institute, a well-known public policy think tank in Washington, DC.Brooks has written 11 books, including the bestsellers "Love Your Enemies" (2019), "The Conservative Heart" (2015), and "The Road to Freedom" (2012). He writes a column for The Atlantic, hosts the podcast "The Art of Happiness with Arthur Brooks," and is featured in the 2019 documentary "The Pursuit." He also serves on the board of the Legatum Institute, a think tank in London.---------------------------------------------------------------------------------- About The WellDo we inhabit a multiverse? Do we have free will? What is love? Is evolution directional? There are no simple answers to life’s biggest questions, and that’s why they’re the questions occupying the world’s brightest minds.Together, let's learn from them.Subscribe to the weekly newsletter ► bit.ly/thewellemailsignup---------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Join The Well on your favorite platforms:► Facebook: bit.ly/thewellFB ► Instagram: bit.ly/thewellIG---------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Go Deeper with Big Think:►Become a Big Think MemberGet exclusive access to full interviews, early access to new releases, Big Think merch and more. members.bigthink.com/?utm_source=youtube&utm_medium=video&utm_campaign=youtube_description ►Get Big Think+ for BusinessGuide, inspire and accelerate leaders at all levels of your company with the biggest minds in business. bigthink.com/plus/great-leaders-think-big/?utm_source=youtube&utm_medium=video&utm_campaign=youtube_description----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
