What happens when the responsibility to have an open mind pushes against the responsibility to protect people from hateful speech and ideology? José argues that having an open mind is required for us all to develop into our full selves, but cautions that this open-mindedness should happen primarily in the intimacy of private spaces, not necessarily on the public stage.This episode is the bookend to: “#11: Tolerating the Nazi Next Door,” so we recommend you take a listen to that one from our archives here.
Read MoreWhy is feeling two or more conflicting things at the same time so hard? Danielle and José talk about the experience of ambivalence and dive into how our feelings are connected to our beliefs about the world. They explore some ways to understand, work through, or even just sometimes accept ambivalence in our daily lives.
Read MoreDuring this (past) holiday season, Danielle and José explored why cultivating gratitude may lead to increased well being, happiness, and richness of meaning. They suggest that gratitude is an achieved mental state that involves a re-cognition of our lives into a narrative of growth and positivity.
Read MoreDanielle is wondering how to make decisions about how to spend her money, which leads to the larger question of what constitutes the good life. What purchases will make us happy, and how do we know what to choose? José offers some budgeting wisdom.
Read MoreDuring this holiday season, Danielle and José explore why cultivating gratitude may lead to increased well being, happiness, and richness of meaning. They suggest that gratitude is an achieved mental state that involves a re-cognition of our lives into a narrative of growth and positivity.
Read MoreWhy do we get paralyzed in the face of freedom? Why are we left spinning our wheels, unable to make a decision, when faced with too many options? Danielle and José suggest that freedom paralysis happens when we are unclear about our values and priorities. Choosing one option means killing off the others. We make some suggestions for how to get unstuck.
Read MoreJosé claims boredom sucks because it shows us how meaningless the world is. This realization leads us to either make something meaningful or to wallow in the emptiness. Danielle explores how we can cultivate our attention to things we might otherwise dismiss, thus finding a cure for boredom.
Read MoreWhen is anger a justified or appropriate response to a situation? Guest Greg Sadler, founder of ReasonIO which puts philosophy into practice, is on the show to talk about when, how, and with whom we should be angry. We consider anger’s role in political movements, its relationship to clear and rational thinking, and how to cope with anger so that it doesn’t swallow us up.
Read MoreSo many people deal with everyday anxiety. Danielle suggests that all anxiety—whether it be about social gatherings, sexual performance, job stress, or choosing restaurants—can be understood as one or more of three basic fears, all of which are fundamental features of the human condition. If we can understand these fears and how they operate within us—through talk therapy and/or philosophical reflection—we can go a long way in managing our anxiety.
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