Can People Really Change? The Truth About Reinventing Yourself

Description

Can people actually change… or do we just tell ourselves they can? This week, I sit down with New York Times Magazine writer and Emerson professor Benoit Denizet-Lewis to talk about his new book You’ve Changed: The Promise and Price of Self-Transformation — and why we’re living in a culture obsessed with reinvention, identity, and becoming “better” versions of ourselves. We start with a story that genuinely unsettled me: Benoit once watched a colleague go from outspoken gay activist to “ex-gay.” How does something like that happen? And why do we react so strongly when someone transforms in a way we don’t expect? Because let’s be honest — most of us act like a digital parole board. We judge. We doubt. We question whether someone’s change is “real.” So what actually makes change possible? We get into the psychology of self-transformation: * Does personality really change? * What stays the same? * Why does doubt often spark growth? * Why are some transformations lasting… and others temporary? Then we zoom out- And here’s where it gets interesting: The most meaningful change might not come from obsessing over yourself at all. It might come from relationships. From service. From looking outward instead of inward. If you’ve ever wondered: * Can I really change? * Can someone I love change? * Or are we all just becoming more extreme versions of who we already are? This conversation is for you. You can write to us at: Questions@DukesDownload.com And follow us onInstagram: * @jamesdukemason * @PrideHouseMedia

Preserving Queer History: Brian J. Smith on His New Film "A House Is Not a Disco"

This week, I sit down with actor and filmmaker Brian J. Smith (Sense8, Stargate Universe, Tony‑nominated for The Glass Menagerie) — but this conversation is really about something deeply personal and culturally urgent: his Fire Island documentary, A House Is Not a Disco. And honestly? This film feels like a time capsule. Brian and I talk about why Fire Island — a place so central to queer history, identity, and freedom — deserved a documentary that captured it not just as a party destination, but as a living, evolving community. He shares how the film was shot across the 2022 season, with extraordinary access to residents, performers, and longtime community members. We get into what it takes to document a queer space from the inside — the trust, the archival material, the emotional responsibility — and why this moment in LGBTQ culture felt important to preserve on camera. We also talk about: * Why he moved from acting into directing and producing * Capturing Fire Island as both sanctuary and spectacle * The balance between nostalgia and forward momentum * Why queer spaces must be documented before they disappear * Self‑distribution in today’s indie film world Of course, we also touch on Brian’s career — from moving to New York in 2002 to study acting, to navigating a “don’t ask, don’t tell” industry climate after graduating in 2006, to how Sense8 built a passionate global fanbase during the early days of streaming before algorithms began steering creative decisions. But at its heart, this episode is about his extraordinary film A House Is Not a Disco — It’s about a chosen family, queer legacy, and what it means to document a culture while you’re still living in it. If you care about: ✅ Fire Island history and LGBTQ culture ✅ Queer documentary filmmaking ✅ Independent film distribution ✅ Sense8 and LGBTQ representation in media ✅ Preserving queer spaces ✅ The evolution of LGBTQ storytelling This one’s for you. A House is Not a Disco is available for pre-order on July 2nd here Gathr.com [https://gathr.com/vod/69affd7f/a-house-is-not-a-disco#]. It will be availblre for download July 9th. For more information about the film go to ahouseisnotadisco.com [http://ahouseisnotadisco.com] And be sure to follow at @ahouseisnotadisco You can write to us at: Questions@DukesDownload.com And follow us onInstagram: * @jamesdukemason * @PrideHouseMedia

Yesterday31 min

Can People Really Change? The Truth About Reinventing Yourself

Description

Comments

1 month for 9 kr.

All episodes