x

75% of people globally want unbiased news (Pew Research) but are concerned they're not getting that.

Get balanced coverage with Symby. See how stories are covered across diverse outlets and spot when one side covers a story the other skips.

PODCAST

Life Examined

Life Examined is a one-hour weekly podcast exploring psychology, philosophy, spirituality — and finding meaning in the modern world. The show is hosted by Jonathan Bastian.

society & culture

All Episodes

48:33

Robert Macfarlane: "Is a River Alive?"

Life Examined ·

2025/07/10

Robert Macfarlane of Cambridge University shares his extraordinary journey writing and researching his latest book “Is a River Alive?” and explains why a river can be viewed very much as a metaphor for life, always flowing, twisting, changing and adapting while at the same time providing sustenance for man and nature alike.

en-us

01:04:00

When to medicate the mind with Laura Delano

Life Examined ·

2025/06/10

Laura Delano is the author of “UNSHRUNK: A Story of Psychiatric Treatment Resistance." As you’ll hear, Laura Delano speaks from first hand experience - diagnosed as a teenager with bipolar disorder, Delano shares her own struggles with mental illness, the psychiatric and pharmaceutical industry and the toll that treatment and medication took on her.

en-us

50:54

Yale happiness guru Laurie Santos on the power of...

Life Examined ·

2025/05/27

Laurie Santos talks about the power of a sabbatical, burn out, and her new online course titled: “The Science of Well-Being for Parents” —a direct result of discovering just how much pressure, stress and anxiety parents are under these days.

en-us

59:15

Ocean Vuong: "The Emperor of Gladness"

Life Examined ·

2025/05/15

Ocean Vuong is a Vietnamese American poet, essayist, novelist and professor of modern poetry and poetics at New York University. Some of you may already be familiar with his best-selling debut novel, On Earth We’re Briefly Gorgeous, which received a MacArthur “Genius” grant and was nominated for the National Book Award for Fiction in 2019. Vuong’s award-winning poetry collections include, Time Is a Mother (2022) and Night Sky with Exit Wounds (2016). His latest novel is “The Emperor of Gladness

en-us

53:27

“He showed us what simplicity could offer:” Pico Iyer...

Life Examined ·

2025/04/26

Pico Iyer, essayist and author of numerous books including “The Half Known Life:In Search of Paradise ” and most recently “Aflame: Learning from Silence,” reflects on the death of Pope Francis and highlights the extraordinary impact Pope Francis’s life had, despite Iyer’s non-Christian faith. Pope Francis’s humility, simplicity, and actions, Iyer says, which exemplified his teachings had and continue to have a great impacted over

en-us

4:30

Midweek Reset: Life: less itinerary - more flow

Life Examined ·

2025/04/23

This week, economist and author of “Wild Problems: A Guide to the Decisions That Define Us,” Russ Roberts offers a different perspective and approach to tackling some of life’s biggest challenges and decisions.Revisit the complete episode of Life Examined with Russ Roberts which originally aired August 27th, 2022

en-us

53:22

Brainwashing; the history and complexity of coercive...

Life Examined ·

2025/04/19

Rebecca Lemov, professor of the history of science at Harvard University and author of “The Instability of Truth: Brainwashing, Mind Control, and Hyper-persuasion,” talks about the origins of brainwashing. The term ‘brainwashing,’ was first used to describe what happeded to American POW's during the Cold War in Korea. After enduring terrible conditions and indoctrination by their Chinese captors, 21 American prisoners of war refused to return home,

en-us

4:45

Midweek Reset: The Myths of Meritocracy

Life Examined ·

2025/04/16

This week, Michael Sandel, professor of political philosophy at Harvard University and author of “The Tyranny of Merit: What’s Become of the Common Good?” addresses the myth of meritocracy - the idea that, if all chances in life were made equal, then people would advance based on merit and succeed as far as their talent and effort would take them. Less acknowledged, Sandel says, is the role of luck; family, teachers, neighbors, time and place in success

en-us

53:29

Fred Luskin: ‘forgiveness is being at peace with your...

Life Examined ·

2025/04/13

Fred Luskin, director of the Stanford University Forgiveness Project, reflects on the nature of forgiveness and the value of letting go of grievances.

en-us

4:12

Midweek Reset: Super communicators

Life Examined ·

2025/04/09

This week, Charles Duhigg, Pulitzer prize-winning reporter and author of Supercommunicators; How to Unlock the Secret Language of Connection talks about why some people are just better at conversation and communication than others. Duhigg says conversations typically fall into three buckets; practical, emotional and social. Super communicators, Duhigg says, have the ability to listen for what kind of conversation is happening and are able to “match back.” The science

en-us

53:29

Jillian Turecki; ‘when it comes to love, it begins...

Life Examined ·

2025/04/05

Jillian Turecki, renowned couples coach, host of the podcast, ‘Jillian On Love.’ and author “It Begins With You: The 9 Hard Truths About Love That Will Change Your Life” unpacks some of the essential skills and habits needed to maintain long-term, healthy relationships. Turecki shares her own experience, marked by her husband's abandonment that prompted her obsession to find the essential ingredients that go into making a relationship work. Focusing on

en-us

4:36

Midweek Reset: The Gift Economy

Life Examined ·

2025/04/02

This week, Robin Wall Kimmerer, Indigenous ecologist and author of “The Serviceberry: An Economy of Gifts and Abundance,” talks about the virtues of the ‘gift economy,” and explains that gifting is instinctive in the natural world and has been the way of life with Indigenous cultures who have found that relying on each other is mutually beneficial. When one group or person shares their resources, they have the shared understanding that there is always

en-us

53:22

Are we wired for discovery? Alex Hutchinson on the...

Life Examined ·

2025/03/29

Alex Hutchinson, award-winning journalist and author “The Explorer’s Gene: Why We Seek Big Challenges, New Flavors, and the Blank Spots on the Map,” discusses the reasons behind human exploration. Hutchinson talks about the historical significance of human exploration and delves into the neuroscience and psychology behind why we are driven to test the limits of our abilities and to expand our knowledge. Hutchinson expands on the significant role dopamine plays

en-us

4:39

Midweek Reset: On having kids

Life Examined ·

2025/03/26

This week, Jennifer Senior, New York Times opinion writer and author “All Joy and No Fun: The Paradox of Modern Parenthood,” discusses the impact of having children on life satisfaction and meaning. Citing the psychologist and behavioral economist Daniel Kahneman’s work on the "experiencing self" versus the "remembering self," Senior says that while parenting can be exhausting in the moment, most often later on in life, the years raising kids are fondly

en-us

53:28

Unlocking the teen brain: Lisa Damour’s guide to...

Life Examined ·

2025/03/22

Lisa Damour, psychologist and author of “The Emotional Lives of Teenagers: Raising Connected, Capable, and Compassionate Adolescents,” addresses some of the common perceptions and misconceptions around raising teens. Damour addresses the impact of social media and societal pressures on teen mental health and advocates for a balanced approach, acknowledging both the benefits and potential risks associated with digital engagement. Despite societal concerns about social

en-us

4:19

Midweek Reset: On Mind over Body

Life Examined ·

2025/03/21

This week, journalist and author of The Explorers Gene:Why We Seek Big Challenges, New Flavors, and the Blank Spots on the Map,” Alex Hutchinson tackles something athletes and sports enthusiasts think about all the time; how to break through physical barriers. Hutchinson suggests that athletic milestones, and he uses the example of Roger Bannister breaking the 4-minute mile, often have little to do with physical ability and skill, but what holds us back is a lack of

en-us

53:28

What it's like to be an alcoholic: a renowned...

Life Examined ·

2025/03/19

Owen Flanagan, professor of philosophy and neurobiology at Duke University and author of “What Is It Like to Be an Addict? Understanding Substance Abuse” reflects on his life as an alcoholic and explores the brain science and individual complexities behind why we become addicted. Flanagan addresses the role of the individual and agency and is critical of those who maintain that addiction is a disease of the brain. When it comes to treatment, Flanagan says community,

en-us

5:02

Midweek Reset: On failure

Life Examined ·

2025/03/11

This week, polar scientist, explorer and author of “Life Lessons From Explorers: Learn how to weather life’s storms from history’s greatest explorers” Felicity Aston reflects on her experience of leading a failed North Pole expedition and the time it’s taken her to face and process that failure. Aston uses the example of the historical Scottish explorer David Livingston to show how much can be gained from time and perspective and to illustrate the

en-us

53:29

Life lessons from history’s greatest explorers

Life Examined ·

2025/03/09

Polar scientist Felicity Aston reflects on her fascination with exploration; shares lessons on survival, risk, and adventure.Guest: Felicity Aston Polar scientist, first woman to ski solo across Antarctica and author of “Life Lessons From Explorers: Learn how to weather life’s storms from history’s greatest explorers.” and “Polar Exposure: An All-Women’s Expedition to the North Pole.”

en-us

52:59

Felicity Ashton on solo skiing across Antarctica:...

Life Examined ·

2025/03/08

Explorer Felicity Ashton recounts her solo skiing expedition across Antarctica, explaining exploration for her and many others is not merely a choice but a fundamental need.“It took me a long time to realize that not everybody has that same itch to go. There's a commonality amongst all the explorers that I've written about is that, largely, it's not their choice. They're not deciding, ‘Oh, I'm going to do this.’ It's almost taken out of their control. They

en-us

335 results

Similar Podcasts

Voices of Life

APG Mannheim

Promo Estereo Podcast

Promo Estereo

Talking Timelines Podcast

Talkingtimelines

גיקונומי

ראם שרמן ודורון ניר

Drømmefanger

Drømmefanger