Aspen Ideas to Go

Cancer is the second leading cause of death among adults in the US and cancer care costs $125 billion a year. In this episode we hear from medical experts who have researched, written, and made progress in the fight against cancer. Ronald DePinho, president of the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, says it’s an exciting time because research has shed light on the instigators of the disease. With the knowledge we have now, he says, up to half of all cancers can be prevented. He’s featured in the podcast along with Eric Lander, president and director of the Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, and Siddhartha Mukherjee, author of the Pulitzer Prize-winning book The Emperor of All Maladies: A Biography of Cancer.

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The Director of the FBI has said that the Bureau has counterterrorism investigations underway in all 50 states, underscoring the gravity of the “insider” terrorism threat in the United States. Simultaneously, terrorists from abroad, especially “foreign fighters” from among ISIL’s ranks, are seeking to enter Western countries. In this episode FBI Director James Comey speaks with Brooke Masters of the Financial Times about terrorism, cybercrime, an uptick in violence in minority communities in the US and Apple’s refusal to hack into the iPhone of a terrorist. Comey spoke at the Aspen Security Forum Global in London in April. (music bed: Podington Bear/Bambi, photo: Miles Willis)

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Best-selling author of "The First 20 Hours: How to Learn Anything Fast!" Josh Kaufman shares universal, field-tested approaches to effective learning and rapid skill acquisition in adults. From deconstructing complex skills to maximizing productive practice and removing common learning barriers, Kaufman describes how 20 hours of focused, deliberate practice can help you develop surprising levels of skill in any field. And, he may even play his Ukulele.

(music bed: Podington Bear/Golden Hour)

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The architecture of how we live our lives is badly in need of renovation and repair. One of the things that makes it harder to connect with ourselves - and thus our creativity, intuition, and wisdom - is our increasing dependence on technology. In this episode, Huffington Post founder Arianna Huffington explains how devices, texts, emails, constant notifications, and social media are not just distractions, but addictions. Reimagining our relationship with technology can have a transformational impact on our well-being, our capacity to tap into our own wisdom, and to make a difference in the lives of others, and on our ability to truly thrive.

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As radical extremism in the Middle East continues to undermine global security, it's crucial to understand and counter its roots and appeal. This episode features a discussion between David Ignatius, columnist for the Washington Post, Farah Pandith, who's with the Council on Foreign Relations and Nicholas Burns, director of the Aspen Strategy Group. How do we confront radicalism in the Middle East? What does this nightmare mean for the United States? And, what about the refugee crisis? The panelists also give thoughts on what the next president should be thinking about.

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Raising a teenager can be a lot of work and there's hard science behind why adolescence is so challenging. Laurence Steinberg authored the book "Age of Opportunity: Lessons from the New Science of Adolescence." In this episode, he talks about how brain development doesn't stop at age three. There's another period where the brain is malleable: during adolescence. These years are key in determining individuals' life outcomes. How should we change the way we parent, educate, and understand young people?

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Tom Kelley, author of Creative Confidence and partner at IDEO, says creativity and innovation aren't only reserved for "creative types," but everyone can tap into creative potential. In this episode, he recounts the stories of individuals who doubted their creativity but overcame fear to go on to do highly creative things. Also, we hear from leading neuroscientist Dr. Nancy Andreasen who researches highly creative people and how they think. Her work also examines the roles of nature v. nurture and the relationship between creativity and mental illness.

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What has the Obama Administration done for women and girls? How will their women and girls initiatives continue after the president leaves office? Tina Tchen, executive director for the White House Council on Women and Girls, talks about what's been done on the federal level since President Obama took office. She speaks with Jonathan Capehart of the Washington Post as part of the Aspen Forum on Women and Girls at the Aspen Institute. The event in March precedes the United State of Women Summit on May 23rd in Washington DC.

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When it comes to the bottom line, corporate social responsibility sometimes pays, but sometimes does not, according to Jonathan Haidt of the NYU Stern School of Business. This episode features his lecture at the Aspen Ideas Festival. He says studies back up the notion that creating an ethical culture within your organization, and treating your employees well, always pays in the long run. Learn how business leaders and government regulators can work together to do much better "ethical systems design." The stakes are high because doing this well would boost productivity and the GDP.

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Sifting through centuries of mythmaking, Reza Aslan sheds new light on one of history's most influential and enigmatic figures by examining Jesus within the context of the times in which he lived: the age of zealotry. Balancing the Jesus of the Gospels against historical sources, Aslan describes a man of peace who exhorted his followers to arm themselves; an exorcist and faith healer who urged his disciples to keep his identity secret; and the seditious "King of the Jews," whose promise of liberation from Rome went unfulfilled in his lifetime.

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