How to Be a Better Human

By TED and PRX

Education

What's How to Be a Better Human about?

Join How to Be a Better Human as we take a look within and beyond ourselves.

How to Be a Better Human isn’t your average self improvement podcast. Each week join comedian Chris Duffy in conversation with guests and past speakers as they uncover sharp insights and give clear takeaways on how YOU can be a better human.

From your work to your home and your head to your heart, How to Be a Better Human looks in unexpected places for new ways to improve and show up for one another. Inspired by the popular series of the same name on TED’s Ideas blog, How to Be a Better Human will help you become a better person from the comfort of your own headphones.

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Andrew Marantz doesn’t want...

01.30.2023

The internet can be a wonderful, but also a terribly unpleasant place. Andrew Marantz knows this well. He is a staff writer at The New Yorker who spent three years embedded in the world of internet trolls to understand how ...

How to Be a Better Human episodes:

01.30.2023 Andrew Marantz doesn’t want you to give up on the internet The internet can be a wonderful, but also a terribly unpleasant place. Andrew Marantz knows this well. He is a staff writer at The New Yorker who spent three years embedded in the world of internet trolls to understand how ...
01.23.2023 The science of happiness (w/ Laurie Santos) The phrase “comparison is the thief of joy” might be the kind of cliche that makes you roll your eyes – and yet, it’s an idea that is, scientifically, pretty accurate. In today’s episode, psychologist Laurie Santos – a Yale ...
01.16.2023 How to care for the people who take care of us (w/ Ai-jen Poo) Activist, and MacArthur Genius, Ai-jen Poo believes that caring for others is one of the fundamental acts that make us human. But from nannies to elder-care workers, house cleaners to living assistants, single parents and beyond, globally, caretakers do not ...
01.09.2023 There is no “grief starter pack” (w/ Michael Cruz Kayne) There’s one thing that connects all living beings – an experience so profound yet so common. Today’s guest, Michael Cruz Kayne says it best: “It's gonna happen to you, to the people you love – even to the people you ...
01.06.2023 Happier with Gretchen Rubin Gretchen Rubin is HAPPIER, and she wants you to be happier too. The #1 bestselling author of The Happiness Project and Better Than Before gets more personal than ever as she brings her practical, manageable advice about happiness and good ...
01.02.2023 You can do better than a New Year’s resolution (w/ Gretchen Rubin) Why do so many of us wait until a new calendar year to start setting our goals? For today’s guest, Gretchen Rubin, “there really is no magic to January 1st”-- and the best time to start a healthy habit is ...
11.28.2022 How to answer your biggest questions—with data (w/ Mona Chalabi) Whenever we have a question – about ourselves or the world around us – it can be helpful to visualize our answer in order to really understand it. But how do you conceptualize something as big as inequality, as complex ...
11.21.2022 How to have curious conversations in dangerously divided times (w/ Mónica Guzmán) When was the last time you really connected with someone who disagrees with you? Or saw a post on social media that challenged your views? Or listened to a newscast from across the political aisle? Modern life places us in ...
11.14.2022 How to take charge of your money (w/ Wendy De La Rosa) We hardly ever talk openly about our money. Today’s guest Wendy De La Rosa thinks that’s a costly mistake. She is a behavioral scientist who helps people understand and rewire their relationship with money. A former private equity investor at ...
11.07.2022 How free solo climber Alex Honnold faces fear \| ReThinking with Adam Grant In 2017, Alex Honnold did what even the world’s best rock climbers thought was impossible. He climbed to the top of El Capitan– a granite rock mountain more than 3,000 feet high– without a rope, harness, or net. His audacious ...
10.31.2022 How labor unions create worker power (w/ Margaret Levi) We don't know about you, but we are fans of weekends. And social security. And health insurance. And the end of child labor! And all of these workplace protections exist because of the advocacy of labor unions. In this episode, ...
10.24.2022 How to stand up for what you believe in (w/ Luvvie Ajayi Jones) Most positive change starts with a challenge to the status quo. But going against the current and speaking up for the right thing can be a challenge–especially if you’re the only one voicing your concerns. Luvvie Ajayi Jones is a ...
10.17.2022 How to tell your authentic story (with Noor Tagouri) Do you remember a time you ACTUALLY felt represented in pop culture? For Libyan American journalist Noor Tagouri, those moments of being portrayed in a way that feels real can actually be an important catalyst for positive social change. Noor ...
10.10.2022 How to get workplace gender equity now (with Sara Sanford) There are more opportunities for women in the workplace today than there ever have been. But with stagnant wage gaps, limited parental leave, and enduring bias in recruitment, have modern businesses changed THAT much?? Gender equity expert Sara Sanford says ...
10.03.2022 How to have great sex (with Siphumeze Khundayi and Tiffany Mugo) Sex is a normal part of human life, but it can also get complicated–whether you’re having it or not! The way we approach, think, and engage with our sexuality varies widely our culture, community, identity, and more. But one thing ...
09.26.2022 TED Tech: Why people and AI make good business partners \| Shervin Khodabandeh What happens when the data-driven capabilities of AI are combined with human creativity and ingenuity? Shining a light on the opportunities this futuristic collaboration could bring to the workplace, AI expert Shervin Khodabandeh shares how to redesign companies so that ...
09.19.2022 How to be perfect (with Michael Schur) Humans face ethical dilemmas big and small every day: Which product is the most sustainable? Can you separate the art from the artist? Should you really share your streaming platform passwords? Today’s guest, Michael Schur, has spent a lot of ...
09.12.2022 How to get motivated - by losing?! (with Monica Wadhwa) If you’ve ever daydreamed o standing at an Olympic podium or delivering a big award speech, you probably pictured yourself as a winner. But according to today’s guest, marketing professor Monica Wadhwa, maybe you should imagine yourself as a runner-up. ...
09.05.2022 How to be okay when things are not okay (w/ Mollie West Duffy and Liz Fosslien) Humans: we've got Big Feelings. From happiness to regret, delight to frustration, we all experience a rollercoaster of emotions. But while it's become more acceptable to talk about and even embrace them, it still feels like there is a stigma ...
08.29.2022 How to embrace rejection (with Jia Jiang) We experience rejection all the time–in job interviews, while dating, when pitching a story or even trying to join a new club or activity. But if rejection happens so often, why is it so scary? And worse, what if our ...
08.22.2022 How to let go of being a "good" person (with Dolly Chugh) Most of us want to be good people–but what even makes a person “good?” And is our fixation on whether or not we ARE good holding us back from becoming even better? Dolly Chugh is an author and social psychologist ...
08.15.2022 The TED Interview: How to predict the future with Jane McGonigal Future forecaster and game designer Jane McGonigal ran a social simulation game in 2008 that had players dealing with the effects of a respiratory pandemic set to happen in the next decade. She wasn’t literally predicting the 2020 pandemic—but she ...
08.08.2022 How do you approach gender as a parent? (with LB Hannahs) Thinking and talking about gender is complex for anyone, and for some people it’s a frequent conversation–especially for parents. In today’s episode, LB Hannahs, a genderqueer parent, shares their experience of parenting and discusses why they try to center authenticity ...
08.01.2022 How to make transformative ideas happen (with Frans Johansson) You often hear that “there are no bad ideas” when brainstorming–but why is that? In those instances, doesn’t it feel inevitable that someone’s going to pitch a bad idea? Frans Johansson is a writer who argues that in fact, innovation ...
07.25.2022 How to discover your humanity… through math? (with Francis Su) Every day, we humans do math. Whether we are obsessed with a logic puzzle on our smartphones or even just calculating a morning alarm that gives you 8 more minutes in bed, our daily lives are full of numbers, quantities, ...
07.18.2022 How to find your voice (with Greta Morgan) What would happen if the thing that defined you disappeared overnight? Whether it’s our job, our abilities, or output—many of us meld our identities with the things we do, and often forget who we are in the process. Greta Morgan ...
07.11.2022 How to make yourself more human in an automated world (with Kevin Roose) Humans can have a complex relationship with technology: tools like smartphones make our lives easier, but they can also be a source of anxiety or dependence. The internet can be an amazing place, or it can be a doom scrolling ...
07.04.2022 How to Find the Comedy in A Messed-Up World (with Maeve Higgins) On a list of the least funny topics imaginable, the global refugee crisis, border disputes, and questions of citizenships are probably close to the top. And yet comedian Maeve Higgins has spent her career finding ways to make jokes about ...
06.27.2022 How to unite people through art (with JR) Art can move us in deep, meaningful ways. A beautiful song, a good book, or a great film can change our perspectives and attitudes toward ideas, and sometimes people. Where does that magic come from–and how can we channel it ...
05.30.2022 Body Stuff: Do you really need 8 hours of sleep? We all know a good night’s sleep is essential, but for many people, sleeping well (or falling asleep at all) can be difficult and even stressful– and there’s no shortage of tales about what prevents people from catching their ZZZs. ...
05.02.2022 How To Pitch Your Best Ideas \| WorkLife with Adam Grant Great pitches can seem like genius or magic. But you don’t have to be a great salesperson to give a great pitch. Whether you’re floating an idea at a team meeting, looking for investors for your startup, or applying for ...
03.21.2022 How to talk to a colleague who offended you Dionna and Denise had a professional relationship that mostly worked–until it didn’t. After a string of mishaps in their workplace, a comment Denise made online sparked a fallout between the two coworkers. In this episode, we hear from both women ...
12.20.2021 How to find gratitude everyday As the year draws to a close and the collective mood turns reflective, we asked you—our listeners—to pick moments from the first season that stuck with you and inspired you. In today’s episode, we yield the floor in gratitude and ...
12.13.2021 How creating space for joy can build resilience (with Miracle Jones) With all the terrible things happening in the world lately, does the idea of maintaining a spark of joy in your day to day feel unrealistic? Or even inappropriate? Today’s guest, Miracle Jones, believes that all the collective tragedy makes ...
12.06.2021 How to nurture your “emotional agility” (with Susan David) Whether you’re the kind of person who “gets in their feels” or you’re more the type to sweep things under the rug, all humans experience emotions. And the way we tend to those emotions directly affects the way we see ...
11.29.2021 How to enrich your everyday life with poetry (with Sarah Kay) Roses are red, violets are blue, has poetry ever been intimidating for you? For many people, this art form can feel unapproachable for a myriad of reasons, but today’s guest, poet and educator Sarah Kay, suggests that people who don’t ...
11.22.2021 How thinking critically about history shapes our future (with David Ikard) Can you think of a time when you told a story and remembered it...wrong? Perhaps you forgot a small detail, like the color of someone’s shoes, or something much bigger, like where the event took place. In a personal context, ...
11.15.2021 How to co-parent as allies, not adversaries (with Ebony Roberts) When you think of your home or your childhood, what comes to mind? Did you feel cared for and loved? Did you trust that your parents were always doing what’s best for you? Whether you are a parent or a ...
11.08.2021 How to find health information you can trust (with Dr. Jen Gunter) While technology and the internet have made accessing information easier than ever, how can we discern between the facts we need to make the right decisions and fictions that could actually cause us harm? Turns out there is a better ...
11.01.2021 How practicing curiosity could help the world around you (with Joe Hanson) Have you ever wondered why there are seven days in a week? Or, why glaciers are blue—or what color even is? Today’s guest, YouTube creator Joe Hanson, makes a living by asking—and trying to answer—these kinds of questions. A biologist ...
10.25.2021 Am I Normal? with Mona Chalabi: How many friends do I need? Time with friends just isn’t the same with a screen in between you. That’s a struggle many have faced recently, with half of Americans saying they’ve lost touch with at least one friend during the pandemic. It can be sad, ...
10.18.2021 How to be a better steward of the environment If there’s one thing that connects all humans, it’s that everything we walk on, breathe, drink, and eat comes from the same source: planet Earth. From composting to cooking to taking climate action, today’s guests (including Chef Sean Sherman, comedian ...
10.11.2021 How to find the humor in everyday life (with Jo Firestone) When was the last time you really, really laughed? For some people, laughter comes easily and anything can set them off. But for many of us, finding humor in everyday life is something we might leave to the professionals. Jo ...
10.04.2021 How engaging with the natural world benefits you-- and science (with Mary Ellen Hannibal) When you think of a scientist, do you think of a person in a lab coat? How about a teenager with a smartphone-- or even, yourself? Mary Ellen Hannibal is a science writer who argues that everyday people collecting data ...
09.27.2021 How to tap into your self-awareness-- and why it even matters (with Tasha Eurich) Imagine someone just pointed out you have something stuck in your teeth. A comment like that would probably make most of us self-conscious, but you’d probably be grateful for the heads up if you were about to head into a ...
09.20.2021 How to have conversations with people who hate you? (with Dylan Marron) If you are online and especially if you're on social media, it’s likely you’ve engaged with people whose opinions are different from your own. While those conversations can sometimes be informative, they often spiral into a vitriolic whirlpool of hurtful ...
09.13.2021 How to future-proof your career? (with Dorie Clark) Hustle culture, burnout, “toxic productivity.” Does today’s fast-paced world ever leave you feeling rushed? Dorie Clark teaches executive education at Duke University's Fuqua School of Business and at Columbia Business School. In today’s episode, she talks about the importance of ...
09.06.2021 How humility and bravery can help your career Whether they are academics, designers, medical professionals, or anything in between, our guests are leaders in their fields whose expertise goes beyond their TED and TEDx talks. Unsurprisingly, they’ve garnered wisdom on how to navigate or forge a successful career. ...
08.30.2021 Design Matters with Debbie Millman: Celebrating Pride Alison Bechdel. Eileen Myles. Kenny Fries. Saeed Jones. Four icons reflect on their journeys in this special Pride episode of Design Matters. For more episodes of Design Matters, find the podcast wherever you're listening to this.
08.23.2021 TED Climate: What happens to the plastic you throw away? Plastic is everywhere. We know we should cut down on it where we can, but is plastic ever the answer? In this episode, a whole world of plastic you never knew about. Starting with: which bag is best: paper, plastic, ...

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