Free Forum with Terrence McNally

Episode 743: CORY DOCTOROW - AI-Use it. Don’t buy the hype. Don’t feed the bubble.

I learned a lot in this conversation with CORY DOCTOROW and in his new book, THE REVERSE CENTAUR’S GUIDE TO LIFE AFTER AI. Rather than fear AI, Doctorow uses it daily, but he is also skeptical. He reminds us that nothing about the way things are unfolding with AI, technology, or society is inevitable, though that is the contention of those who profit from it. He warns that, if - in protesting AI’s threat - we buy into worst-case scenarios of its power, we promote its value.. More than what AI does, we need to pay attention to who AI does it to, and who AI does it for. Timely and useful. His website is craphound.com [http://craphound.com/] and he maintains a daily blog at Pluralistic.net [http://pluralistic.net/]. (Photo: digital trends.com [http://trends.com/]) Doctorow Transcript [http://aworldthatjustmightwork.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/FF_Doctorow-06-17-2026_polished-transcript.pdf]

Episode 742: ROBERT COLES (2008) - renowned psychiatrist & Pulitzer-winning author died June 4 at 97

Here’s my 2008 conversation with ROBERT COLES, child psychiatrist, Harvard Professor, and author of 75 books, including the Pulitzer Prize-winning six volume Children of Crisis. He died June 4 at the age of 97. He spent a lifetime listening to people - often those ignored by others - and told their stories. Coles was awarded a MacArthur Fellowship in 1981, the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 1998, and the National Humanities Medal in 2001.

Episode 741: PROTEST-ANNIE LEONARD & ANDRE CAROTHERS-Respect It. Defend It. Use It.

I speak with ANNIE LEONARD & ANDRE CAROTHERS. She created the video documentary, The Story of Stuff, and led Greenpeace US for a decade. He worked for Greenpeace for 13 years and co-founded the Rockwood Institute. The new book they’ve written together, PROTEST: Respect it. Defend it. Use it includes brief essays on 42 protests from the 1700s to the present. It offers history and how-to, challenge and inspiration. Protest works. Protest is necessary. And as we celebrate our nation’s 250th anniversary, the right to protest is under attack. The website theprotestbook.com [http://theprotestbook.com/] offers resources and links to help you to act.  Carothers & Leonard Transcript [http://aworldthatjustmightwork.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/FF_Carothers-Leonard-05-27-2026_Transcript.pdf]

Episode 740: ANDREW WEIL MD (2003)-America’s most trusted doctor of integrative medicine

When many believe HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. - lacking in scientific, medical or public health training - is giving alternative medicine a bad name, here’s my 2003 conversation with Andrew Weil MD. We trace the evolution of Dr. Weil’s work and thinking from his earliest understandings of health and healing to his ongoing commitment to train a new generation of physicians. Weil’s definition of integrative medicine: rooted in the connection of medicine with nature and the natural healing potential of the organism, it utilizes the magic of the doctor/patient relationship to treat the whole person. On this episode, Weil, Spontaneous HealingHyla Cass MD joins the conversation. Weil Transcript [http://aworldthatjustmightwork.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/FF_Weil-Andy2003-06-06-2026_polished-transcript.pdf]

Episode 739: THE FUTURE IS PEACE-AZIZ ABU SARAH (Palestinian) & MAOZ INON (Israeli)

Palestinian Aziz Abu Sarah lost his brother to Israeli authorities in the second Intifada. Israeli Jew Maoz Inon lost both his parents to Hamas on October 7th. In their book,The Future Is Peace, these two travel guides to Israel/Palestine and lifelong peace activists, take readers on a journey across their holy bloodstained land. They share the mythic, political, and personal history that divides but also binds them and their peoples. This episode, recorded in front of an audience at a LiveTalksLA event in April, punctuated often by laughter, makes clear their love for each other and the land they share as well as their absolute conviction that dialogue and peace must and will prevail. You can learn more at thefutureispeace.com [http://thefutureispeace.com/] Sarah & Inon Transcript  [http://aworldthatjustmightwork.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/FF_Sarah-Inon-04-21-2026-Transcript.pdf]