Pulled Up Short

Featuring Micah Lott (guest) with Stanton Wortham (host) and Daniel Groll (commentator)

Science fiction books and movies help us to imagine what a utopian society may look like. Though many representations have been offered, one common theme is the absence of challenge and hardship. In this episode, Micah Lott considers why a “good” life might need some non-ideal conditions.

Featuring Amy Shuffelton (guest) with Stanton Wortham (host) and David Blustein (commentator)

In schools and workplaces, people are often encouraged to be “good collaborators” or "team players." However, in this episode, Amy Shuffelton problematizes this virtuous skill to claim that collaboration can also be understood to describe a particular kind of treachery. Join Amy in considering how to reimagine the role of collaboration in our lives and communities.

With Kevin Gary (guest) with Stanton Wortham (host) and Jeffery Frank (commentator)

"I'm bored" is a phrase often met with disdain from parents, teachers, and friends alike. It seems obvious that we should do our best to avoid boredom, instead working toward being engaged in school, staying curious in work, and seeking enjoyment in life. In this episode, Kevin Gary shortcircuits our negative associations with boredom to consider how boredom could instead lead to thriving and flourishing.

Featuring Douglas Yacek (guest) with Stanton Wortham (host) and Caitlin Bolton (commentator) 

Since the start of common schooling, indoctrination has remained a central concern. Today, cries of "liberal brainwashing" undergird moves toward incorporating Critical Race Theory into the curriculum, and people continue to worry about the undue influence of teachers' political opinions on students' own stances. However, Douglas Yacek pulls us up short in this episode to consider how indoctrination might actually be a central educational goal for teachers.

Featuring Richard Lerner (guest) with Stanton Wortham (host) and Carol Lee (commentator)

We think we know a good deal about human development, based on our current research and measurement about people. There's an assumption that we measure "individuals" - a given person's standardized test scores, grades, sleep habits - but in reality, most of our research obscures the very individuality of a person. In this episode, Richard Lerner offers us a more holistic understanding how to better center the individual in research.

Featuring Michael Serazio (guest) with Stanton Wortham (host) and Chip Zuckerman (commentator)

In an era where accusations of fake news run rampant, it might provide us with some comfort in knowing that we at least hold conscious control over choosing our media sources and what information we are critically consuming. In this episode, however, Michael Serazio desettles our assumptions by proposing that the medium is even more powerful than the content of the message itself.

Featuring Lauren Bialystok (guest) with Stanton Wortham (host) and Regina Bendix (commentator) 

Most of us have been inundated with the seemingly well-intentioned advice to "be authentic" or simply, to "be yourself." In this episode, Lauren Bialystok troubles this fascination with authenticity to ask, what does it really mean to be "true to ourselves"? And is authenticity really even possible? Tune in to consider why it might be misleading to strive toward our most authentic selves.

Featuring Eduardo Duarte (guest) with Samantha Ha DiMuzio (host) and Jessica Harless (commentator)

Eduardo Duarte has often been labeled an "adrenaline junkie" by his friends given his interest in activities like mountain biking and skiing. However, this label raises some dominant assumptions about what activities and domains "count" as risky. Join us as we explore how we might expand our understanding of risk and be more open to experimentation in our every day experience.

Featuring Marina Bers (guest) with Stanton Wortham (host) and David Goodman (commentator)

Coding is usually understood as a neutral tool that we use for practical purposes and to solve technical problems. However, in this episode, Marina Bers offers an alternative vision of coding as an ethical enterprise, which provides an opening to better contemplate our own humanity - our values, relationships, and understanding across differences.

Featuring Kieran Setiya (guest) with Stanton Wortham (host) and Gregory Fried (commentator)

The conventional wisdom is that hope is a good thing. Hope is valorized, especially in the face of hardship and the many challenges of life. However, in this episode, Kieran Setiya offers us reasons why we ought to be skeptical of hope as a pacifying force, especially in comparison to the motivation elicited by other emotions like grief, rage, and fear. Tune in to consider how we might rehabilitate our understanding of hope.