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Big Think
By bigthinkEducation
Big Think episodes
- 10 biggest world threats of 2023, ranked | Ian Bremmer
Rogue Putin is the biggest risk of 2023. Here are the other 9, explained by global political expert Ian Bremmer.
Today’s world is facing large-scale problems, from wars to water shortages to a looming global recession. It's not easy to accurately conceptualize the risks posed by these issues. This is especially true when people on social media or in the news inaccurately overblow certain problems and discount others, or when problems become so emotionally or politically charged that it seems impossible to work toward a solution.That’s one reason why the Eurasia Group publishes a detailed analysis of the top risks facing our world each year. As political scientist Ian Bremmer explains, the top risks for 2023 include water stress, inflation shockwaves, and the uncertain future of a “rogue Russia.”Bremmer is the founder of Eurasia Group, an organization that for 25 years has been using political science to help investors and corporate decision-makers better understand how politics impact risks and opportunities in foreign markets.0:00 What is the global risk report?1:17 #10 Water stress2:37 #9 TikTok boom3:43 #8 Divided States of America4:54 #7 Arrested global development6:15 #6 Energy crunch7:15 #5 Iran in a corner8:47 #4 Inflation shockwaves10:30 #3 Weapons on mass disruption12:08 #2 Maximum Xi14:18 #1 Rogue Russia--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
About Ian Bremmer:Ian Bremmer is the president and founder of Eurasia Group, the leading global political risk research and consulting firm started in 1998. Today, the company has offices in New York, Washington, and London, as well as a network of experts and resources around the world. Bremmer has authored several books, including the national bestseller The End of the Free Market: Who Wins the War Between States and Corporations?-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------06:30-17
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22 min - Music’s power over your brain, explained | Michael Spitzer
Humans are musical animals 4 million years in the making, explained by music expert Michael Spitzer.
The oldest record of notated music, the Hurrian "Hymn to Nikkal," is more than 3,000 years old. But in a sense, our relationship with music is far more ancient than that.As Michael Spitzer, a professor of music at the University of Liverpool, told Big Think, humans have been making and learning to recognize music from the moment our species learned to walk on two legs, creating a predictable beat.Music affects the brain in profound ways. It eases stress by lowering cortisol. It floods the brain with pleasurable neurotransmitters like dopamine. And it serves as a conduit through which we can process emotions that otherwise might not be describable in words.----------------------------------------------------------------------------------About Michael Spitzer:Michael Spitzer is the author of The Musical Human and professor of music at the University of Liverpool, where he leads the department’s work on classical music. A music theorist and musicologist, he is an authority on Beethoven, with interests in aesthetics and critical theory, cognitive metaphor, and music and affect. He organized the International Conferences on Music and Emotion and the International Conference on Analyzing Popular Music and currently chairs the editorial board of Music Analysis Journal.---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------06:30-17
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12 min - If money doesn’t buy happiness, you’re spending it wrong | Your Brain on Money
These money experts say you can buy happiness. There are some red flags to look out for, though.
The saying, "Money cannot buy happiness," is wrong. It absolutely can.Research shows that spending our money on experiences rather than material possessions is more likely to make us happy.We should reword the maxim to: "If money doesn't buy you happiness, you're spending it the wrong way."----------------------------------------------------06:30-17
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11 min - Is race politics poisoning young minds? Coleman Hughes weighs in
**Key Insights from Coleman Hughes on Race, Colorblindness, and Public Policy:**
🌍 **Philosophy of Colorblindness**
Colorblindness, often misunderstood, isn’t about ignoring race or pretending it doesn’t exist. According to Coleman Hughes, it’s a philosophy of treating people without regard to race, advocating for equality in both personal lives and public policy. He argues that it’s a truce where race isn't directly selected for, but instead, more meaningful proxies like class and socioeconomics are prioritized.
👁 **The Danger of Racial Essentialism**
Hughes warns against viewing race as a deep, intrinsic part of one’s identity, as seen in certain educational philosophies. For instance, some programs push kids to view themselves primarily through the lens of race. Hughes sees this as harmful and believes it undermines the dream of a society where race isn't central to our identities, as emphasized by figures like Martin Luther King Jr.
💭 **Race as a Social Construct**
Race, as we commonly understand it, is a social construct inspired by biological differences but doesn't track tightly with them. The categories we use (Black, white, Hispanic, etc.) were created in a political context, not based on science. Hughes highlights how these categories are arbitrary and should be treated with less seriousness, as they were invented to meet bureaucratic needs.
📚 **History of Colorblindness**
The term "colorblindness" originates from the radical wing of the anti-slavery movement, notably used by abolitionists like Wendell Phillips. Hughes emphasizes that the modern conception of colorblindness isn’t rooted in racism but is a philosophy for creating a fairer, more just society in which race isn’t a deciding factor in opportunities or treatment.
🚫 **Racism Defined**
Hughes defines racism as the belief in the congenital inferiority of any group of people, aligning with Dr. King’s perspective. He argues that discriminatory policies—whether historical Jim Crow laws or modern racial quotas—are a form of racism, regardless of the group targeted. His stance is that policies should focus on socioeconomic factors rather than racial categories to truly level the playing field.
⚖️ **The Dangers of Race-Based Policies**
Hughes critiques race-based policies, citing examples like the Restaurant Revitalization Fund during the COVID-19 pandemic, where policies discriminated based on race and ended up causing chaos. He advocates for evidence-based policies that focus on financial need instead of race, as they would be more effective and just.
Hughes defends the idea that addressing disadvantage through the lens of class and economics is the way forward—without reinforcing racial divisions.
Folllow this Podcast for daily Episodes--------------------------------------------------06:30-17
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45 min - Why Steve-O risked his life over, and over, and over again
**🔥 “I’ve Been in Pain for a Living” — Steve-O’s Brutally Honest Truth 🎭**
From sixth-grade outcast to stuntman legend, Steve-O has lived a life built on chaos—and deep inner wounds.
👶 As a kid, he craved attention so badly, it pushed people away. His report card said it all:
*"Steve desperately wants praise… but the way he seeks it backfires."*
🎬 Fast forward to *Jackass* fame, where he found a twisted kind of acceptance—by turning pain into performance.
*“I document myself being in pain, and I’ve become successful as a result.”*
But the spotlight didn’t fix the hurt.
He dropped out of college, convinced he’d die young, and filmed his stunts *just to prove he existed.*
All he wanted was to be seen. To be liked. To feel *enough.*
🍾 Alcoholism deepened the cracks—but recovery opened the door to honesty.
He once wrote a secret list titled **“To the grave.”**
But sharing it with someone he trusted… helped free him.
Still, he’s *not* sharing it with the world. Some scars stay sacred.
🧠 And deep down? He *still* doesn’t feel good enough.
But here’s the twist:
> “If I felt I was good enough, I’d probably be content.
> And if I was content, I’d probably be lazy.
> So maybe I don’t want to feel good enough.”
Steve-O turned pain into purpose—but the hustle?
That’s fueled by never feeling *done.* 💔🔥
Folllow this Podcast for daily Episodes------------------------06:30-17Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
10 min - Wharton professor: 4 scenarios for AI’s future | Ethan Mollick for Big Think+
Wharton professor Ethan Mollick explains why “co-intelligence” may be the future of AI.
Ethan Mollick, professor at the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania and author of "Co-Intelligence: Living and Working with AI," explores the impact of AI on our work, creative endeavors, and overall lives.AI is reshaping our understanding of humanity and intelligence, evolving from simple prediction tools to sophisticated large language models, but how do we keep it from dooming us all? Should we be more afraid of it, or are we actually in control? Mollick proposes four most likely predictions of our future with AI – As Good As It Gets, Slow Growth, Exponential Growth, and The Machine God – and explains the likelihood and potential results of each one.Mollick stresses the importance of using AI as a supplemental tool to enhance your performance, not as something that will replace you entirely. According to Mollick, AI is here to stay, and it’s up to us to decide how it is used now, and in generations to come. Our choices today will shape the trajectory of AI and determine whether it becomes a force for good or a source of existential risk.About Ethan Mollick:
Ethan Mollick is a professor of management at Wharton, specializing in entrepreneurship and innovation. His research has been featured in various publications, including Forbes, The New York Times, and The Wall Street Journal. He is the creator of numerous educational games on a variety of topics. He lives and teaches in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.------------------------------------------11:10-18Folllow this Podcast for daily Episodes-----------------------------------------------------06:30-19
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13 min - Your brain doesn’t detect reality. It creates it. | Lisa Feldman Barrett
Our perception of reality is not an exact representation of the objective truth but rather a combination of sensory inputs and the brain’s interpretation of these signals. This interpretation is influenced by past experiences and is often predictive, with the brain creating categories of similar instances to anticipate future events.
The brain’s categorization process extends beyond physical characteristics to include abstract, functional features. This ability allows humans to create “social reality,” where we collectively assign functions or meanings to objects or concepts that don’t inherently possess them, such as the value of money or the concept of borders and citizenship.The brain’s capacity for imagination, drawing from past experiences to create something entirely new, is a double-edged sword. While it allows for creativity and innovation, it can also lead to difficulties in staying present.0:00 The debate over reality0:57 Objective reality3:54 Social reality------------------------------------------------------------------About Lisa Feldman Barrett:Dr. Lisa Feldman Barrett is among the top 1% most-cited scientists in the world, having published over 250 peer-reviewed scientific papers. Dr. Barrett is a University Distinguished Professor of psychology at Northeastern University with appointments at Harvard Medical School and Massachusetts General Hospital, where she is Chief Science Officer for the Center for Law, Brain & Behavior. She is the recipient of a NIH Director’s Pioneer Award for transformative research, a Guggenheim Fellowship in neuroscience, the Mentor Award for Lifetime Achievement from the Association for Psychological Science (APS) and from the Society for Affect Science (SAS), and the Distinguished Scientific Contribution Award from the American Psychological Association (APA). She is an elected fellow of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, the Royal Society of Canada, and a number of other honorific societies. She is the author of How Emotions are Made: The Secret Life of the Brain, and more recently, Seven and a Half Lessons About the Brain.------------------------------------------------------------06:30-19
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10 min - Stoicism: Turn suffering into unshakeable inner strength | Chloé Valdary
Chloé Valdary shares the ancient Stoic principle that can defeat modern despair.
It can be difficult to process sadness. People often try to numb it, avoid it, or deny that they’re even experiencing it, instead of better understanding and working through the emotion.The Stoics offer a more head-on approach. This school of philosophy is often falsely associated with the suppression of emotions. But it’s more accurate to say that the Stoics were interested in how people can respond virtuously to life’s trials and tragedies. The answer, according to general Stoic thought, is that we shouldn’t deny emotions or the things that make us feel pain or sadness, but rather strive to accept that which we cannot control and do our best to process our emotions in a way that puts us on a productive path forward.As Chloé Valdary, @cvaldary — an American writer and founder of the conflict-resolution program Theory of Enchantment — explains in this Big Think interview, Stoicism not only can help us work through sadness as individuals, but it can also teach us to recognize the many forms that suffering can take in others.0:00 Transcending suffering1:08 The origin of Stoic philosophy2:40 How to practice ‘sympatheia’4:48 Managing sadness with Stoicism5:57 Developing inner strength: Know yourself, know others----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
About Chloé Valdary:After spending a year as a Bartley fellow at the Wall Street Journal, Chloé Valdary developed The Theory of Enchantment, an innovative framework for compassionate antiracism that combines social emotional learning (SEL), character development, and interpersonal growth as tools for leadership development in the boardroom and beyond.Chloé has trained around the world, including in South Africa, The Netherlands, Germany, and Israel. Her clients have included high school and college students, government agencies, business teams, + many more.She has also lectured in universities across America, including Harvard and Georgetown. Her work has been covered in Psychology Today Magazine and her writings have appeared in the New York Times and the Wall St Journal.------------------------------------------------------------06:30-19---------------------
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11 min - How to live after your soulmate has died | Michelle Thaller
Astronomer Michelle Thaller explains the healing power of physics after losing her husband.
Grief is a haunting and powerful psychological force. It struck astronomer Dr. Michelle Thaller in 2020 when her husband died of cancer. She was left feeling utterly disconnected from the people and places around her, as if the fundamental nature of reality had shifted and Earth was no longer her home.She still lives with the pain. But as she told Big Think, she has found that the pursuits that make us feel connected to the Universe — science, poetry, art, literature — can serve as tools that help us continue pushing forward and living enriching lives.The pain from losing our loved ones may never disappear completely. But finding ways to connect to something larger than ourselves just might give us a path out of grief.----------------------------------------------------------------------------------About Michelle Thaller:Dr. Michelle Thaller is an astronomer who studies binary stars and the life cycles of stars. She is Assistant Director of Science Communication at NASA. She went to college at Harvard University, completed a post-doctoral research fellowship at the California Institute of Technology (Caltech) in Pasadena, Calif. Then started working for the Jet Propulsion Laboratory's (JPL) Spitzer Space Telescope. After a hugely successful mission, she moved on to NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC), in the Washington D.C. Area. In her off-hours often puts on about 30lbs of Elizabethan garb and performs intricate Renaissance dances. For more information, visit NASA.-----------------------------------------------------06:30-19---------------------
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12 min - Your money trauma starts at childhood | Your Brain on Money
Do you remember feeling “money shame” for the first time?
It’s no secret that the values, advice, and experiences we encounter as children shape how we relate to other people later in life. But less obvious is how our early experiences shape our relationship with money.Like other relationships, the ways we interact with money — whether it be spending, saving, or investing — can be highly emotionally charged, sometimes to the extent that we lose our control to make smart financial decisions.That’s why it’s important to understand where you come from before plotting where you’re going when it comes to personal finance. Doing so will not only help you plan for financial success, but it will also give you the tools to help your children develop a healthy and positive relationship with money.Kathleen Burns Kingsbury’s title is incorrectly cited in the video as financial psychologist. Kingsbury’s title is wealth psychology expert.We created this video in partnership with @MillionStoriesMedia------------------------------------------------------------06:30-19---------------------
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11 min
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