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PODCAST

Learning English with Human Beans

Welcome to "Learning English with Human Beans," where language learning meets social sciences! Dive into fascinating human behavior topics while naturally improving your English skills. We explore current research from psychology, sociology, anthropology... unpacking key vocabulary and expressions along the way. Each episode combines engaging social science concepts with practical language learning, helping you communicate with confidence about complex human topics. Grow your English skills through

science social sciences

All Episodes

00:17:28

#74 – The Psychology Years

Learning English with Human Beans ·

2026/03/13

Marc's story ...

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00:14:58

#73 — Selfish or Altruistic. What is our true nature?

Learning English with Human Beans ·

2026/03/10

Are we secretly wired to think only of ourselves, or is the drive to help others hardwired into our DNA?In this episode of Learning English with Human Beans, Alice and Marc debate one of the greatest questions about human nature. Marc, with his scientific and analytical mind, confronts us with Hobbes' cynicism, the laws of evolution, and the brain's dopamine circuits. Alice grounds the conversation in empathy and everyday life, making the case that kindness is far more than a cultural

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00:21:53

#72 – Is Utopia the Narcissus of politics?

Learning English with Human Beans ·

2026/03/09

In this new episode of Learning English with Human Beans, Marc and Alice shift into high gear! After deconstructing the illusion of the “perfect self,” we tackle its collective equivalent: the perfect society.Delving into André Comte-Sponville's Treatise on Despair and Bliss, we explore why our political utopias are often just a reflection of Narcissus on a societal scale. From “Make America Great Again” nostalgia to eco-anxiety and progressive technocracy, why do we always fall in love with an

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00:31:15

#71 – What Does It Mean to Live in De-Hope?

Learning English with Human Beans ·

2026/03/06

Explore why the "self" is a dream and how "de-hope" leads to radical freedom. This episode dives into André Comte-Sponville’s philosophy to challenge the self-help industry and reclaim the present moment.De-hope is the neutral state of being free from expectations and the "trap of time". It is not a form of sadness, but a way to stop fighting reality and find happiness in the now. This "zero degree of hope" allows us to live with a sense of freedom, unburdened by future projections.The sense of a

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00:31:34

#70 – Mikasa Ackerman's Psychological Journey

Learning English with Human Beans ·

2026/02/17

Mikasa Ackerman is Attack on Titan's most lethal warrior—rated 10/10 in combat, capable of decimating titans and humans alike with surgical precision. Yet beneath her unmatched strength lies a devastating psychological fragility. In this deep-dive analysis, we explore Mikasa through the lens of clinical psychology, examining how Dependent Personality Disorder (DPD) shapes every aspect of her character.From her founding childhood trauma to her final, impossible choice, we dissect the mechanisms

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00:39:48

#69 – Music! Music!! Music!!!

Learning English with Human Beans ·

2026/02/14

Have you ever felt a shiver run down your spine while listening to a violin tune, or a knot in your stomach when faced with a melancholic melody? Why can simple vibrations in the air, pure physics, trigger such deep and visceral emotions?In this fascinating episode of “Learning English with Human Beans,” Alice and Marc explore one of the greatest mysteries of the human experience: the emotional power of music. Beyond the notes, we delve into neuroscience to understand how sounds “hijack” our brains

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00:25:58

#68 – Understanding Narcissism Through Barney Stinson.

Learning English with Human Beans ·

2026/02/12

"Suit up!" Everyone knows Barney Stinson—the legendary, high-fiving, magic-trick-performing playboy of How I Met Your Mother. But what if the suit isn't an armor of confidence? What if it’s actually a cage?In this episode, Alice and Marc move past the sitcom laughs to perform a deep-dive psychological autopsy on the "Legendary" Barney Stinson. Using his character as a lens, we deconstruct the mechanics of Narcissistic Personality Disorder (NPD). This isn't about selfies

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00:33:15

#67 – Do We Really Want What We Desire?

Learning English with Human Beans ·

2026/02/09

Have you ever worked yourself to the bone to achieve a goal, only to feel completely empty when you finally reached it?In this deep dive into Jack London’s masterpiece (with SPOILERS), Martin Eden, Alice and Marc explore the dark side of the "American Dream." We analyze the tragic journey of a rough, uneducated sailor who transforms himself into a literary genius—not for art, but to be worthy of a bourgeois woman named Ruth.But this is not a simple love story. Using René Girard’s theory of

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00:22:05

#66 – The End of Reading? (Pt. 3 – Reader, Come Home)

Learning English with Human Beans ·

2026/02/05

We diagnosed the illness (Episode 64) and we saw the terrifying prognosis for democracy (Episode 65). Now, it is time for the cure.In this explosive finale of our trilogy based on Reader, Come Home, Alice and Marc refuse the path of the Luddite. We cannot throw away our screens, but we can stop them from rewiring our children.In this episode, we build the "Reader of the Future":The Critical Window (0-5 Years): Why the "Digital Nanny" is a disaster for a toddler's developing

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00:18:31

#65 – The End of Reading (Pt. 2 – Why Deep Reading...

Learning English with Human Beans ·

2026/02/03

In the previous episode, we discovered that we have lost our “cognitive patience.” But is it really that bad if we can no longer read complex novels?In this intense second installment of our trilogy based on Maryanne Wolf's Reader, Come Home, Alice and Marc answer with a resounding “YES.” We dive into the heart of the Deep Brain to understand what we really lose when we “skim” a text.On the agenda:The Engine Room: Discover what happens in your brain during the precious milliseconds of delay that

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00:17:16

#64 – The End of Reading? (Pt. 1 – The Hemorrhage of...

Learning English with Human Beans ·

2026/02/02

Have you ever opened a book you used to love, only to find that you can no longer focus on the page? Do you feel an urgent, twitchy need to check your phone after just two paragraphs of "dense" text?In this first installment of our special trilogy based on Maryanne Wolf’s Reader, Come Home, Alice and Marc explore the fragile miracle of the Reading Brain. We discuss why humans were never actually "born" to read and how our brains had to perform a feat of "Neuronal

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00:22:04

#63 - When Paradise Becomes Prison (Pluribus - Review)

Learning English with Human Beans ·

2026/02/01

What if the end of the world wasn't a hell of dust and violence, but a paradise of comfort and harmony?In this episode, Alice and Marc dissect the narrative universe of the Pluribus series. Forget brutal invasions like Star Trek; here, humanity is not undergoing a war, but an “update.” We explore how this collective consciousness (the Hive Mind) uses abundance and empathy as weapons of mass destruction of identity.

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00:23:46

#62 – Born to Kill? (The Science of Evil)

Learning English with Human Beans ·

2026/01/30

Are "monsters" made, or are they born?In this chilling episode, Alice and Marc venture into the dark side of the brain to explore the biological roots of violence. We debunk the myth of pure evil by looking at the Biopsychosocial Etiology of Antisocial Personality Disorder.Discover why a low resting heart rate might be a predictor of criminality (the Stimulation Seeking Theory) and how the "Warrior Gene" (MAOA) can turn a child into a ticking time bomb—but only if the environment pulls the

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00:08:08

#61 – Why Do Smart People Hate Small Talk? (Need for...

Learning English with Human Beans ·

2026/01/29

Why does a polite conversation about the weather sometimes feel like a physical assault on your energy? Why do you feel like a wilting plant when stuck at a dinner party with no "real" topics?In this episode, Alice and Marc reveal that your impatience isn't arrogance—it's a biological hunger. We explore Cognitive Intolerance to Under-stimulation and why a High Need for Cognition turns boredom into a state of Agitated Stress (cortisol spike), literally starving your brain of

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00:17:43

#60 – Why Your Intelligent Brain Exhausts You Chasing...

Learning English with Human Beans ·

2026/01/28

Have you ever spent three hours comparing toasters at midnight, paralyzed by the fear of making the "wrong" choice?In this episode, Alice and Marc diagnose the curse of bright minds: Pathological Optimization. Discover why having a High Need for Cognition (loving to think) paired with a Maximizer mindset (wanting the best) turns every mundane decision into a neurological ordeal.We explain how your own intelligence can backfire, causing Analysis Paralysis and Ego Depletion, and we provide

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00:08:57

#59 – Does Concrete Have a Soul? (The Brutalist -...

Learning English with Human Beans ·

2026/01/27

Is "Brutalism" just about ugly grey buildings, or is it a philosophy of truth?In this episode, Alice and Marc decode Brady Corbet’s monumental film, The Brutalist. Follow the journey of László Tóth (Adrien Brody), a Holocaust survivor trying to rebuild his life in a predatory post-war America.Discover why concrete becomes an armor against trauma and how the clash between the architect and his billionaire patron (Guy Pearce) exposes the dark side of the American Dream. We analyze the

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00:15:38

#58 – Why Does Your Libido Ghost You When You’re Naked?

Learning English with Human Beans ·

2026/01/25

You've got everything planned: the hotel, the champagne, the mood... but when the moment arrives, your body displays an “Error 404: Desire not found” message?In this episode, Alice and Marc tackle the complex mechanics of sexual desire. Discover the Dual Control Model: why your brain sometimes hits the brakes when you want to accelerate.From the anatomical truth about the CUV Complex (goodbye to the myth of the vaginal orgasm!) to Non-Concordance (why lubrication is not proof of desire), we

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00:14:56

#57 – Is Your Identity Just Another Fiction? (The Don...

Learning English with Human Beans ·

2026/01/09

What if the "Real You" didn't actually exist? In this grand finale of our trilogy "The Self is a Fiction," Alice and Marc tackle a dizzying question: is your identity merely a narrative construction constantly manufactured by your brain? From the gentle madness of Don Quixote to the trap of "Bovarism," discover how our minds superimpose stories onto the real world. But don't worry, this isn't bad news. By exploring the concept of the "Conscious Don

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00:09:48

#56 – Can You Heal Your Brain With Stories?...

Learning English with Human Beans ·

2026/01/06

If reading can change us for 20 minutes, can it transform us forever?In this episode, Alice and Marc move from simulation to therapy. Discover the science of Bibliotherapy and why the NHS prescribes novels instead of pills.We dive into the Proteus Effect: how adopting a mental avatar can physically alter your confidence. Learn why your "Self" is actually a Narrative Identity and how to use the Behavioral Bridge protocol to hardwire your favorite character's traits into your own

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00:15:05

#55 – Do you become someone else when you read? (The...

Learning English with Human Beans ·

2026/01/04

Have you ever wanted to run a marathon right after finishing a novel... even though you hate sports?In this first installment of the “The Self is a Fiction” saga, Alice and Marc explore the fascinating phenomenon of Experience Taking. Discover why immersive reading is not mere observation, but a true dissolution of identity.Unlike simple “Perspective Taking” (conscious empathy), learn how your brain temporarily “turns off” your own personality to viscerally simulate that of the protagonist. From

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74 results

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