I was surprised but not surprised when a very successful alumnus who had gone to an Old Ivy told me that 1/4 of his alma mater’s freshman seats each year are now “bought” (his word, not mine). I was surprised but not surprised when Harvard College admissions data released during a lawsuit showed that most
Category: Podcasts
‘Choice Overload’
Recently, I listened to an interesting podcast about “choice overload” (link here). Dr. Laurie Santos explains what the data show: making too many decisions creates unhappiness. The paradox of choice is that more choice can lead to a latter realization that “less is more,” that choice today may lead you to less choice. Some years
Bryan Stevenson
A podcast series on my fave list is “Stay Tuned.” I’m behind on my podcast listening, but was able to hear the recent one, which featured Bryan Stevenson, who has spent his life on criminal-justice reform (link here) and his job as an attorney defending minors on death row. I found the podcast to be
Andrew Yang and Universal Basic Income
We have a large rainstorm blowing through the area all day. So, it is a great time to simmer an all-day pasta sauce, exercise and read. One book I recently read and enjoyed is Andrew Yang’s The War on Normal People. Here is how the book starts: “I am writing from inside the tech bubble to
Derek Black and Matthew Stevenson
This is an interesting podcast from On Being. (Their podcasts sometimes have not been “on” for me, but this one is). Derek Black was the heir apparent to one of the country’s most prominent and activist white-supremacist families, which believed that a Zionist conspiracy controlled the world (among other beliefs). His father founded the web’s
The Human Cost of War
As a college student, I studied a great deal about international conflict. Today, I keep up on current events for fun, and we talk about the news at the dinner table. Over time, you can become immune to the headlines. Another war, another battle, another incursion. Yesterday, I listened to The Daily’s podcast about one