Aspen Ideas to Go

Unpredictable weather is threatening crop production and a swelling population is increasing the demand for food. How will we eat in a hotter, more crowded world? The race to reinvent the global food system is on, and innovative solutions are already being served up. Meat produced from animal cells is one solution, says CEO of Memphis Meats Uma Valeti. "Can we start thinking about evolving our food system in a transformative way to feed 10 billion people and beyond?" He joins Amanda Little, author of The Fate of Food: What We'll Eat in a Bigger, Hotter, Smarter World, and Susan Goldberg, editor-in-chief of National Geographic to discuss new methods of food production. The views and opinions of the speakers in the podcast do not necessarily reflect those of the Aspen Institute.

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When Americans elected their first black president more than a decade ago, some questioned whether the country had transitioned into a post-racial era. But today race is a more prominent and intransigent problem than ever. As the US grapples with issues like identity politics, the Travel Ban, a wall on the southern border, and Black Lives Matter, writers Jelani Cobb and Wajahat Ali question the likelihood of a post-racial America. Cobb, a staff writer at The New Yorker and journalism professor at Columbia, says America needs to closely examine its imperfections and reflect on its history of slavery. He speaks with Ali, a New York Times op-ed contributor. This episode originally dropped in February of 2019. The views and opinions of the speakers in the podcast do not necessarily reflect those of the Aspen Institute.

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Societal problems like income inequality have emerged from a financial system that has taken a wrong turn, says Harvard finance professor Mihir Desai. “When finance goes awry, which I think it has, we all suffer. When finance is done well, it’s absolutely remarkable,” he says. Humanity needs to be re-infused into finance so that it’s led by personal stories rather than only value extraction. Desai, who wrote the book, The Wisdom of Finance: Discovering Humanity in the World of Risk and Return, sits down with John Dickerson, correspondent for CBS’ “60 Minutes.” The views and opinions of the podcast guests are their own and do not necessarily reflect those of the Aspen Institute.

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When psychotherapist Lori Gottlieb set out to write the stories of her patients she realized she should chronicle her own struggles too. The result was the bestselling book Maybe You Should Talk to Someone. In it, she explores the human condition through the lives of her patients and herself. "We're all asking ourselves, how do I love and be loved, and how do I live in a world of uncertainty. So the patients I chose [to write about] have experiences that look different on the surface but we can see aspects of ourselves in all of them," she says. Gottlieb speaks with Tara Westover, author of Educated. The views and opinions of the podcast guests are their own and do not necessarily reflect those of the Aspen Institute.

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It's already difficult to talk about politics in a polarized United States, but a few choice words are making it even harder. Columbia linguistics professor John McWhorter says the original meaning of words like "liberalism" and "socialism" have changed. Now such words muddy up political discourse. In this episode, McWhorter talks about the history of political "isms": progressivism, conservatism, fascism, and others. He says the rules that govern why words' meanings change and our social climate have made political terms dynamic and confusing.

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Social justice advocate Bryan Stevenson is the subject in the new movie, “Just Mercy.” The film, starring Michael B. Jordan and Jamie Foxx, is based on Stevenson’s memoir with the same name. Stevenson, an attorney, founded the Equal Justice Initiative and has advocated for the release of more than 100 prisoners on death row. He’s passionate about fighting against racial injustice and using history to help America confront its troubling past. In 2018, his organization opened The Legacy Museum: From Enslavement to Mass Incarceration in Montgomery, Alabama. In his conversation with former Harvard President Drew Gilpin Faust, he talks about how now is the time to change the narrative around issues of race. This is a rebroadcast. Stevenson and Faust spoke in 2016. The views and opinions of the podcast guests are their own and do not necessarily reflect those of the Aspen Institute.

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In the United States, the number of people attending church is declining. So where are people going to find meaning and community? Casper ter Kuile, Harvard ministry innovation fellow, says fitness classes, advocacy groups, and maker’s spaces are taking the place of congregations – they’re providing people with a sense of identity. Casper ter Kuile speaks with other spirituality experts in a conversation that touches on how modern-day communities can quash widespread feelings of social isolation and disconnectedness. The views and opinions of the podcast guests are their own and do not necessarily reflect those of the Aspen Institute.

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Former Acting Solicitor General Neal Katyal thinks American democracy is at risk if President Trump isn’t held accountable for abusing his office’s power for political gain. In December, the US House impeached Trump. Now Katyal believes the Senate should vote to remove him from office. Katyal, who has argued dozens of cases before the Supreme Court, says Trump’s actions — asking foreign powers to interfere in the 2020 presidential election — are exactly what the country’s Founders warned against when they granted Congress the power to impeach. Katyal speaks with Dahlia Lithwick, senior editor at Slate. Their conversation was held January 3, 2020. The views and opinions of the podcast guests are their own and do not necessarily reflect those of the Aspen Institute.

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Why is it that simple pleasures such as bubbles, rainbows, and hot air balloons bring joy to most people? Designer Ingrid Fetell Lee says, “there’s something really powerful in the idea that we all find joy in the same things,” especially items with little significance otherwise. Fetell Lee studied how our physical environment impacts our well-being, both physically and psychologically. She believes that our surroundings can be a powerful tool for cultivating happier, healthier lives … and joyful moments. In this episode, she talks about the difference between happiness and joy and how we can stimulate our senses to produce joy. Fetell Lee is the author of Joyful: The Surprising Power of Ordinary Things to Create Extraordinary Happiness.

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In the age of streaming entertainment, there’s Apple, Disney, Comcast, and many others. But it began with Netflix. In 2013 Netflix shifted from a distribution company (remember the mailed DVDs?) to a distribution and content creation business. Some of the company’s first shows were hits like “House of Cards” and “Orange is the New Black.” Ted Sarandos, chief content officer for Netflix, describes this transition and how the company has grown since. He tells Derek Thompson, staff writer for The Atlantic, how Netflix is keeping up in an increasingly crowded streaming market, and why a changing entertainment business is a good thing for artists. The views and opinions of the podcast guests are their own and do not necessarily reflect those of the Aspen Institute.

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