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PODCAST

Preconceived

Preconceived, hosted by Zale Mednick, dives deep into the intricacies of human experience, challenging the assumptions that shape our understanding of the world. In each episode, Zale engages with leading experts, thought leaders, and individuals with unique perspectives to uncover the layers beneath societal norms and expectations. From exploring cultural phenomena to dissecting scientific breakthroughs, Preconceived invites its listeners to question their preconceptions about love, life,

society & culture self-improvement

All Episodes

34:41

259. How To Debate

Preconceived ·

2024/10/22

In a world that increasingly feels like it’s falling into disarray, heated debates are taking place about a multitude of topics – war in the Middle East, the immigration crisis in the US, abortion rights, and much more.Personally, I’ve found myself listening to a disproportionate amount of debates on the above topics on some of my favorite podcasts.But I’ve come to wonder – what makes a good debater?What are the general tenets and principles of a debate that a participant needs to know before

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54:57

258. Hitler and Trump - A Comparison

Preconceived ·

2024/10/15

For many years now, the media and general population has loved making comparisons between Donald Trump and Adolf Hitler.On the one hand, the comparison seems odd – Hitler was a mass murderer and the architect of the most devastating genocide the world has ever seen; Donald Trump has committed no genocide.On the other hand, both are extreme political figures who each galvanized large segments of the population to rise to power.For those who deplore Trump, it is perhaps a political strategy to compare

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38:04

257. Regret and Decision Making

Preconceived ·

2024/10/08

‘Regret’ is a word that many in society hesitate to use.At its core, it implies we made the wrong decision, and that if we could go back in time, perhaps we would have acted differently.While there’s no doubt we all make poor decisions, we typically don’t frame our bad decisions as ‘regrets’.Often we will try to cast our regrets as ‘learning moments’ and might even say things like ‘I don’t regret that action because of what it taught me’.But the reality is, regret, or whatever you want to call it,

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38:00

256. Could our 'Peaceful World' Devolve Back into War?

Preconceived ·

2024/10/01

Whilewarsare still waged todayandatrocities still occur, many argue that this is actually the mostpeacefulperiod of humankind.Is this true?And if so, why is this the case?Is society’s inherent desire forpeacehigher than it was in ancientandmedieval times?Is the value ofpeaceandprotecting human life given a greater premiumthan it was in the past?Are our values fundamentally different than they were in prior centuriesand millennia?Were power, dominanceandlegacy valued more greatly in

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44:06

255. Too Much Therapy?

Preconceived ·

2024/09/24

It seems like more and more people are seeing therapists on a regular basis.And while that is not a bad thing, it does beg the question, ‘what is the role of therapy for someone who does not have psychiatric illness, but is just experiencing the ups and downs of the human condition?’Who should people be seeking therapy from, and what should the goals of therapy be?Psychologist Huw Green joins the podcast. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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32:40

254. 'Purity Culture' - No Sex Before Marriage

Preconceived ·

2024/09/17

We all grow up in different communities with varying value systems, traditional, and social norms.But the ‘rules’ of some communities are more rigid in some regards, and more isolated from other branches of mainstream culture.One such example is Purity Culture, an ethos in some communities that staunchly promotes abstinence, and preaches by virtue by refraining from sexual activity.So what is it like to live in such a community?What exactly is purity culture, and do the people in these communities

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30:44

253. Optimism

Preconceived ·

2024/09/10

We all know that optimism is a good thing.And in life, there is indeed much to be optimistic about.But the world can also be a cruel place, and the realities of life can sometimes be harsh.So what exactly does it mean to be optimistic?Is there such thing as a healthy dose of pessimism?Is it better to veer on the realist side of life and be pleasantly surprised when things go your way, or is having an optimistic outlook the key to a happier and more meaningful life?Bill Burke, founder of The Optimism

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39:03

Memory - How Reliable Is It?

Preconceived ·

2024/09/03

How accurate is the human memory? Dr. Elizabeth Loftus is a world-renowned psychologist who has devoted her career to studying the malleability of human memory.She joins the podcast to share what her research has shown regarding the accuracy of human memories, and explains how completely fabricated memories can actually be incepted into people's minds. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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43:28

252. 'God is Good'

Preconceived ·

2024/08/27

From a young age, many of us are brought up believing that God is the embodiment of perfection - that God is good, merciful, and reflective of the values we hold so dear in our daily lives. But on closer look, the Judaeo-Christian God that is portrayed in the Old and New Testaments can often be quite violent, vengeful, and even egotistical, demanding complete and utter loyalty from his followers. So how do we reconcile the ideals we hope God would have, with the actual portrayal of God in the

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49:04

251. Apologies and Forgiveness

Preconceived ·

2024/08/20

We all make mistakes – sometimes they are innocent mistakes, and sometimes they are true lapses in character judgement that we only later come to regret.And with any good mistake comes a good apology, and hopefully a genuine forgiveness on the other side.But what if the apology is disingenuous?Or what if the other side refuses to forgive?Why do we crave apologies from others, and why is it so hard to move past a situation if we are unable to obtain one’s forgiveness?Susan Shapiro, author of 'The

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32:52

250. Reflections

Preconceived ·

2024/08/08

In this 250th episode of Preconceived, Zale revisits segments from some of his favourite episodes whose messages truly resonated with him. Is age just a number? How can we make decisions amidst uncertainty? Is the grass always greener on the other side? And how do we know if we are a good person? These are some of the questions explored in this episode. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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45:52

249. The Olympics - 'Heroes in Our Midst'

Preconceived ·

2024/08/01

There are few cultural events that grasp the world’s attention as much of The Olympics.Regardless of what might be going on politically in the world, The Olympics is largely seen as a globally unifying moment, once every four summers, and once every four winters.But what is it that captivates so many people to turn on their televisions and tune into Olympics events?Is it the love of competition?The quest for glory?Robin Mednick, co-editor of the book 'Heroes in Our Midst', joins the podcast to shed

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46:04

248. Is Islam Violent?

Preconceived ·

2024/07/23

When a Muslim father was asked by his son if Islam is inherently a violent religion, he was taken aback. Where did his son get these ideas from, and how many other people shared this concern? In his book 'Being Muslim Today', Dr. Saqib Iqbal Qureshi explores the history of Islam and seeks to understand some of the preconceptions regarding Islamic doctrine and how, if at all, it relates to Muslim perception today. Dr. Qureshi joins the podcast to discuss Islam and some of the misconceptions

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56:29

247. 'Wisecracks' - Can a Joke Go Too Far?

Preconceived ·

2024/07/16

Pranks, Joshing, Deception, Practical Jokes ... Humor takes shape in many forms. But can a joke go too far? Should a joke's funniness be measured by the reactions it elicits, the intentions of the joke, or none of the above? Cornell Professor David Shoemaker is a philosopher and author. He joins the podcast to discuss his latest book, 'Wisecracks: Humor and Morality in Everyday Life'. Wisecracks - https://www.amazon.ca/Wisecracks-Humor-Morality-Everyday-Life/dp/0226832988 Hosted on Acast. See

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44:21

Fall of the Aztecs

Preconceived ·

2024/07/09

The Aztec Empire famously fell following the arrival of the Europeans in the 16th century. Much of what we know about the Aztecs – including their rise, the nature of the empire, and its eventual fall, comes strictly from European accounts. But what did the Aztecs themselves think? The narrative has almost solely been shaped by the European perspective – but how did the Aztecs view the Europeans who eventually conquered them? Professor Camilla Townsend joins the podcast. Camilla's Book - Fifth Sun

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36:25

246. The Only Child

Preconceived ·

2024/07/02

There is a certain stigma about only children - the idea that they may become more self-centred, and the concern that they will be lonelier in life without siblings. Such concerns have even prompted some to suggest that it is 'selfish' for parents to only have one child. But what does the evidence show about the life experiences of children who do not have siblings? UCLA Psychology Professor Tony Falbo joins the podcast. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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49:19

245. Is a Bachelor of Arts Degree Useful?

Preconceived ·

2024/06/25

The Preconceived or ‘status quo’ path in life typically includes a variety of steps; one major milestone is graduating from college.It’s something that we are ‘supposed to do’, a relatively expensive all-consuming four-year program that most of experience after high school.But how important is college?Do the academic benefits of college merit the time and cost of the endeavour?While many cite the importance of ‘the college experience’ as part of our maturation, is this just an idea we’ve been overly

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35:50

244. Travel - The Joys and Complexities

Preconceived ·

2024/06/18

For many people, travel provides some of the most profound experiences of their lives.Whether it’s a short excursion or a year living abroad, disengaging from your typical routine and transplanting yourself into the unknown is bound to lead to personal growth and self-discovery.But for all the good that can come from it, travelling can also be confusing.Is travelling always supposed to be joyful?Is there a trap that some fall into of travelling simply because that’s the ‘cool’ thing to do and

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49:52

243. Stockbrokers- Do You Need Them?

Preconceived ·

2024/06/11

When it comes to our finances, it’s natural for many to follow the traditional approach to investing by using a stock broker.Over the past couple of decades, however, there has been a growing trend to go against the grain andnotuse a stockbroker.You may have seen the commercials online by companies urging you to bypass stock brokers by investing in their online platforms; they show curves of net worth over the course of decades, suggesting that when one takes compound interest into account, all the

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1:50:34

242. Origins of the Israeli-Palestinian Conflict -...

Preconceived ·

2024/05/28

Since the October 7thmassacre and the ensuing war and humanitarian crisis in Gaza, much world attention has been given to the Israeli/Palestinian conflict.In this episode, we take a look back at the origins of this conflict, the concept of Zionism, and the events leading up to the 1948 war, known as the War of Independence in Israel, and referred to as The Nakba ('the catastrophe) by Palestinians. This episode explores two perspectives - a Jewish perspective shared by Harvard Professor Derek

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356 results

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