“Human dignity is really the foundation for reasoned morality — there’s nothing we can do to increase it or decrease it. Even the worst people still deserve it simply because they’re human.”  - David B. McLaughlin

David B. McLaughlin, leadership coach and author of Humanism: Five Values for Living Well, joins us to map a practical, hopeful framework for meaning without dogma. From life in the U.S. Bible Belt to boardrooms wrestling with equity, we explore how meaning, dignity, reason, compassion, and justice work together to guide everyday choices and systemic change.

Connect with David B. McLaughlin

• Website – pendulumcoaching.com
• Newsletter – exploringhumanism.substack.com
• LinkedIn – www.linkedin.com/in/davidbmc

Topics we cover

• Dignity as a moral floor you can’t earn or revoke
• Spotting dehumanisation and resisting it
• The Pillar Model of meaning
• Rituals beyond religion: building habits that anchor values
• Reason + compassion: escaping autopilot and widening concern
• Justice at work: equity, fair policies, and psychological safety
• Seeing hidden power: systemic awareness for better decisions
• The “reverse wager of humanism”: urgency to do tangible good now

Resources & further reading

• Humanism: Five Values for Living Well – David B. McLaughlin  – https://www.amazon.co.uk/Humanism-Five-Values-Living-Well/dp/B0FNRP5GKR
• Pendulum Coaching Podcast – Conversations on modern leadership – https://www.pendulumcoaching.com/podcast
• “Pale Blue Dot,” Voyager 1 image & essay – background on Sagan’s perspective – https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pale_Blue_Dot

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Music: Blossom by Light Prism

Podcast transcripts are AI-generated and may contain errors or omissions. They are provided to make our content more accessible, but should not be considered a fully accurate record of the conversation.