Singal-Minded Conversations

In today's episode, I spoke with Keith Humphreys, a professor and addiction expert at Stanford University. We discussed the opioid crisis, what sane marijuana policy would look like, and why we are both skeptical about gung-ho revolutionary types. Keith also told me about the time he went to Iraq to help rebuild that country's psychiatric infrastructure, which is ten trillion times cooler and more impressive than anything I have ever done or ever will do. (Music: Intro: Why? - “The Vowels, Pt. 2”; break: Afroman - "Because I Got High"; outro: Against Me! - "Thrash Unreal")

In today's episode, I spoke with Ethan Strauss, a reporter at The Athletic and formerly ESPN. Ethan is working on a book about the Golden State Warriors which touches on the question of whether and to what extent professional success, even at the highest levels, brings lasting fulfillment. We discussed politics as well, and Ethan told me the story of the time he and the Aussie NBA center Andrew Bogut went to see Jordan Peterson in Los Angeles. We also talked about the time Kevin Durant got mad at him. (Overall, Ethan has better stories than I do.) (Music: Intro: Why? - “The Vowels, Pt. 2”; break: Skee-Lo - "I Wish"; outro: Casper - "Alles endet (aber nie die Musik))

In today's episode, I spoke with Spencer Greenberg about the personality differences between men and women, the different intrinsic values liberals and conservatives find most meaningful, power-posing, and social-science reform efforts. Spencer is a mathematician and entrepreneur, as well as s the founder of Spark Wave, a "startup foundry" which creates software designed to help solve problems in the world using social science, and to accelerate and improve social-science research. He also founded [ClearerThinking.org](ClearerThinking.org), which offers free tools and training programs geared at improving decision-making, increasing positive behaviors, and reducing cognitive biases. Spencer has a PhD in applied mathematics from NYU, with a specialty in machine learning, and his work has been featured in media outlets like the Wall Street Journal, the Independent, Lifehacker, Gizmodo, Fast Company, and the Financial Times. (Music: Intro: Why? - “The Vowels, Pt. 2”; break: Dropkick Murphys - "The Dirty Glass"; outro: Field Mouse - "Happy")

Nicholas Christakis is a physician and sociologist at Yale University who directs Yale's Human Nature Lab and codirects its Institute for Network Science. He is the author of Blueprint: The Evolutionary Origins of a Good Society. If you enjoy my work, please check out my newsletter, Singal-Minded. (Music: Intro: Why? - “The Vowels, Pt. 2”; break: Pearl Jam - "Do the Evolution"; outro: War - "Why Can't We Be Friends?")

Chris Arnade is a photographer and writer with a PhD in physics who, after two decades on Wall Street, decided to document the parts of America people with money stay away from, and warn others to stay away from. This yearslong, self-funded project culminated in a new book, Dignity: Seeking Respect Iin Back Row America, which is out next week and which you can, and should, preorder now. If you enjoy my work, please check out my newsletter, Singal-Minded. (Music: Intro: Why? - “The Vowels, Pt. 2”; outro: Dead Prez - "Don't Forget Where U Goin'")