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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

00:52:31

Addiction: disease or choice?

Life Examined ·

2022/01/29

Dr. Carl Erik Fisher and journalist Shayla Martin reflect on the history and meaning of addiction and the challenges for people of color seeking recovery in AA.

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00:51:58

Outside in: Voyages beneath the skin

Life Examined ·

2022/01/22

Jonathan Bastian talks with Dr. Jonathan Reisman about his passion for adventure and fascination with the human body chronicled in his book “The Unseen Body: A Doctor's Journey Through the Hidden Wonders of the Human Anatomy.” Going beneath the skin, from blood and urine to the liver and kidneys, Reisman shares his unique perspective with the human body and the natural world.

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00:52:29

Prospects for optimism, with Pico Iyer and Vrajaprana

Life Examined ·

2022/01/15

As we enter the new year, is this an opportunity to embrace some new ideas and gain a better understanding of who we are and the world around us? Jonathan Bastian talks to Buddhist scholar Pico Iyer about the prospects for optimism and what author Graham Greene has taught him about human frailty and vulnerability. And Vedanta nun Pravrajika Vrajaprana shares wisdom and hope from the writings of Swami Vivekananda.

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00:51:59

COVID: A booster shot for medicine and science

Life Examined ·

2022/01/07

Amidst the devastation of the COVID-19 pandemic, two years of fighting the coronavirus has produced transformative advances in medicine, science, and the practice of healthcare. Jonathan Bastian talks with Dr. David Agus about the future of medicine and with Dr. Daniela Lamas about advanced care planning and insight into end of life care.

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00:52:26

Awestruck: Why a daily dose of wonder might benefit...

Life Examined ·

2021/12/27

On this week’s Life Examined, psychologist and co-author of “Born to Be Good: The Science of a Meaningful Life” and “The Compassionate Instinct” Dacher Keltner talks about the science of awe and why we need a daily dose. We also talk with cultural psychologist Dr. Yuria Celidwen about how the practices of Indigenous communities enhance prosocial behavior, and how the appreciation of awe also helps forge community bonds.

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00:44:31

The simple wisdom of doing nothing

Life Examined ·

2021/12/23

Jonathan Bastian talks with Josh Cohen, a psychoanalyst and professor of modern literary theory at Goldsmiths, about the cultivation of healthy aimlessness. Cohen’s recent book, “Not Working: Why We Have to Stop,” explores why doing nothing and seeking solitude — whether at home or at work — can provide balance needed for a healthy life.

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00:51:29

The most impactful ways to give back this holiday season

Life Examined ·

2021/12/18

The season of giving upon us — but what are the best, and most impactful, ways to bestow your generosity? Jonathan Bastian talks with professor Roland Geyer about the best types of sustainable and environmentally friendly holiday gifts, and with Luke Freeman, director of charitable community “Giving What We Can,” about the most effective ways of giving.

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00:50:59

Can pain and suffering sweeten our lives?

Life Examined ·

2021/12/11

Jonathan Bastian talks with psychologist Paul Bloom about the role that hardship and pain play in living a good life. Bloom, author of “The Sweet Spot,” explores why — from running a marathon to eating spicy food — suffering helps us to thrive and gives us satisfaction.

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00:51:28

Language, style, and Machiavelli for women

Life Examined ·

2021/12/04

Despite increasing attention to equity, diversity, and inclusivity, the pay gap for women has not shifted much over the last 15 years. According to one study of the median hourly earnings for full and part time workers in 2020, women earned 84% of what men earned. Jonathan Bastian talks with NPR host and author Stacey Vanek Smith about empowering women in the workplace and how Machiavelli’s “The Prince” might serve as a much needed resource. Later, professor of linguistics Deborah Tannen and author

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00:51:27

Why humans love, use, and abuse animals

Life Examined ·

2021/11/27

Jonathan Bastian talks with Susan Orlean about our love and relationship with animals. Orlean, staff writer for the New Yorker and acclaimed author of several books, discusses her latest collection of essays, “On Animals,” in which she explores her fascination and curiosity with all creatures, both feathered and four legged, and asks what our interaction with animals tells us about ourselves.

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00:52:26

Natural healing: Plant-based medicines and supplement...

Life Examined ·

2021/11/20

Host Jonathan Bastian talks with ethnobotanist Dr. Cassandra Quave about the amazing medicinal potential of plants and her global search for natural compounds — long known to traditional healers — that could help save us from the looming crisis of untreatable superbugs. We also hear from Dr. Marion Nestle, New York University professor emeritus of nutrition, food studies, and public health, on the health benefits — both real and fictitious — of nutritional supplements. From probiotics to vitamins,

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00:51:28

Poet David Whyte; on writing the unspeakable

Life Examined ·

2021/11/12

Host Jonathan Bastian talks with David Whyte about the power of the written and spoken word. Whyte, a poet, philosopher, and speaker, discusses his latest collection of poems, “Still Possible,” in which he continues to explore vulnerability, relationships, and “the conversational nature of reality.”

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00:51:57

Workplace burnout and the Great Resignation

Life Examined ·

2021/11/11

On this week’s Life Examined, how health organizations and employers are recognizing that workplace burnout is a real and growing problem. In 2019 the World Health Organization officially identified workplace burnout as an “occupational phenomenon.” Today burnout is reaching epidemic proportions and many employees say the pandemic has made the problem worse. Host Jonathan Bastian talks with burnout expert and author of “The Burnout Epidemic” Jennifer Moss about why overwork has reached epidemic

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00:50:56

Racism and the Great White Outdoors

Life Examined ·

2021/11/06

On this week’s Life Examined, host Jonathan Bastian talks with avid outdoor enthusiast Jaqueline L. Scott about how she fell in love with nature and birdwatching, and her efforts to make the outdoors a more welcoming and inviting space for Black people. We also hear from Yale environmental professor and historian Dorceta Taylor about the evolution of the environmental movement and how grassroots organizations, Indigenous communities, and other minorities are shaping the conversation around climate

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00:51:58

How extreme distance running can heal the mind

Life Examined ·

2021/10/30

Host Jonathan Bastian talks with J.M. Thompson about how running has been a personal voyage of discovery and healing from severe depression. Thompson, a clinical psychologist, is author of “Running Is a Kind of Dreaming: A Memoir,” in which he explores childhood trauma, suicide, and the powerful medicine of ultra running.

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00:51:56

Vaccination status: How to have hard conversations...

Life Examined ·

2021/10/23

This holiday season, as we finally enjoy the ability to gather in person, the question on many people’s minds is how to respond when a family member says they’re not vaccinated. Do we exclude our friends when they refuse to trust vaccines? How hard is it to change someone’s point of view? And what role does courage play when it comes to stepping up and doing the right thing? Host Jonathan Bastian talks with psychologist and author Tania Israel about opening a dialogue with unvaccinated friends and

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00:51:57

Workplace burnout and the Great Resignation

Life Examined ·

2021/10/16

On this week’s Life Examined, how health organizations and employers are recognizing that workplace burnout is a real and growing problem. In 2019 the World Health Organization officially identified workplace burnout as an “occupational phenomenon.” Today burnout is reaching epidemic proportions and many employees say the pandemic has made the problem worse. Host Jonathan Bastian talks with burnout expert and author of “The Burnout Epidemic” Jennifer Moss about why overwork has reached epidemic

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00:52:27

Behind the front lines of drug legalization and harm...

Life Examined ·

2021/10/06

On this week’s Life Examined, we’re teaming up with KCRW’s Bodies podcast. In “Do Less Harm,” the second episode of the new season, producer Hannah Harris Green travels to West Virginia, where despite government push back, activists are handing out clean needles and the opioid overdose medication Narcan. Host Jonathan Bastian talks with Green and Bodies creator and host Allison Behringer about their new season and Green’s experience meeting people who use drugs in rural West Virginia. We also hear

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00:51:57

The role of reason in a ‘post-truth’ world

Life Examined ·

2021/10/02

On this week’s Life Examined, we explore why rationality matters amidst a time of mass misinformation. Host Jonathan Bastian talks with Steven Pinker, Harvard psychologist and author of “Rationality: What It Is, Why It Seems Scarce, Why It Matters” about our ability to sort fact from fiction. We also hear from evolutionary biologist David Sloan Wilson about how the human species is evolving to become better caretakers of each other and the planet.

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00:51:55

Why good listening matters — and how to get better at it

Life Examined ·

2021/09/25

At a time of disconnection and distraction in the world, have we forgotten the importance of listening? Most of us are not shy about sharing our stories or voicing our opinions. But we spend much less time truly taking in what someone else says. How can asking Having better listening skills would help us build better relationships with our friends, families, and coworkers. And asking thoughtful questions would lead to less confusion and chaos. KCRW learns how to better hear what the world around us

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335 results

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