Dr. Rod Berger talks with Dr. Stephen Zunes on activism, civil resistance, and Western Sahara storylines. 
This conversation explores how Dr. Stephen Zunes’ upbringing in a Christian pacifist, politically engaged household shaped his lifelong focus on human rights, international law, and nonviolent resistance. Host Dr. Rod Berger, editor at large at Fair Observer, and Zunes also discuss Western Sahara, Israel-Palestine, democracy, polarization, and why Zunes still believes large-scale civic action can change history.

Guest
Dr. Stephen Zunes — Professor of politics and director of Middle Eastern Studies at the University of San Francisco, speaking about his background, scholarship, activism, and views on civil resistance

Key topics
In this episode: Zunes traces his worldview to a Christian pacifist household shaped by civil rights activism, anti-Vietnam War protests, environmental concern, and early Palestinian solidarity.
We discuss: How his parents’ backgrounds—one from a Greek immigrant line and one from a conservative Southern family—led to an unusual but deeply consistent social justice ethic.

Zunes shares: How growing up in Chapel Hill and reading the newspaper as a child helped make political curiosity and international affairs feel natural.

In this episode: His decision to move from organizing into academia came from realizing he was better as an intellectual than a movement organizer.

We discuss: Why Western Sahara became a central focus for him as a test case for international law, self-determination, and opposition to territorial conquest.

Zunes shares: His view that Western Sahara and Palestine are two important examples of foreign belligerent occupation that are often treated very differently in public discourse.

We discuss: How he sees support for Western Sahara as potentially strengthening the pro-Palestinian movement by centering international law rather than sectarian argument.
Zunes shares: His experience debating John Bolton at the Oxford Union on whether military force is an effective way to promote democracy, and why he argues that civil society and nonviolent action are usually more effective.

We discuss: Why the United States and Britain should examine their own support for authoritarian regimes before advocating military intervention abroad.

Zunes shares: His optimism rooted in historical examples, including civil rights, Vietnam, South Africa, and East Timor, where sustained pressure changed policy.

We discuss: The role of polarization, which he sees as dangerous but also potentially transformative, depending on how people shape it.

Zunes shares: Why he remains hopeful about younger generations, whom he sees as more open to socialism, social democracy, and critiques of militarism.

Timestamps

02:16 — Rod introduces the show and Stephen Zunes

03:37 — Zunes’ academic background and family roots

04:20 — A Christian pacifist household shaped by civil rights and anti-war politics

07:16 — Parents’ unusual pro-Palestinian stance in the Deep South

08:53 — Learning politics at the dinner table and from newspapers

11:26 — Chapel Hill, Oberlin, and becoming a political science scholar

13:35 — Why Western Sahara became a defining issue

14:34 — Civil rights, Namibia, East Timor, and the logic of solidarity

15:31 — Why Western Sahara matters for international law

16:55 — Comparing Western Sahara, Palestine, and U.
S. double standards

19:17 — Why obscurity made Western Sahara a compelling cause

21:47 — Activism, voice, and how scholarship enters public debate

22:30 — The Oxford debate with John Bolton

24:44 — Why civil society beats foreign military intervention

26:33 — Why cynicism is hard to avoid in a militarized world

28:15 — Movements that changed history from Vietnam to South Africa

30:40 — Why these perspectives are becoming more mainstream

31:25 — Concern about U.
S. civic fragility and democratic decline

33:25 — Why authoritarian systems can also produce skepticism and resistance

35:20 — Polarization as a force that can produce reform or reaction

39:07 — Grassroots voter mobilization and the importance of turnout

40:12 — Final reflection on whether nonviolent struggle still wins

41:20 — Why Zunes remains optimistic about the long term

43:13 — Younger generations, social democracy, and anti-militarism

44:10 — Closing thoughts on the value of debate and informed disagreement

TOP INSIGHTS

1. Universal principles are stronger than issue-by-issue loyalty

   Judge every occupation, annexation, or intervention by the same standard: international law. A consistent, principle-based approach is harder to dismiss as selective outrage and creates stronger coalitions across conflicts.

2. Overlooked issues can offer meaningful opportunities for advocacy

   Western Sahara’s relative obscurity allowed focused expertise and advocacy to develop. Importance is not always reflected by the amount of public attention an issue receives.

3. Nonviolent movements create sustainable political change

   Civil resistance is not merely symbolic. Organized citizens, durable networks, and sustained pressure can produce legitimacy and lasting policy change more effectively than military intervention.

4. Polarization can lead to authoritarianism or reform

   Polarization is not inherently destructive. Its consequences depend on how social energy is organized and whether democratic institutions can channel conflict toward constructive change.

5. Democracy depends on local participation

   Democratic decline often begins with disengagement from local institutions such as school boards, city councils, and community organizations. Participation is a form of democratic maintenance.

6. Historical memory can produce realistic hope

   Optimism does not have to mean ignoring present challenges. Past movements—including civil rights, anti-war, anti-apartheid, and labor movements—show that organized pressure can change systems that once appeared permanent.

7. Younger generations are questioning inherited political assumptions

   Younger people are increasingly willing to challenge conventional ideas about capitalism, militarism, socialism, and foreign policy. Their skepticism may represent a broader shift in political expectations.

Dr. Rod Berger is a keynote speaker, moderator, producer, author, and expert in strategic storytelling. Berger’s book, The Narrative Edge: Authentic Storytelling That Meets The Moment (Wiley), hits bookstores in late 2025. He draws on more than 4,000 interviews conducted worldwide for Forbes, Entrepreneur Magazine, and Fair Observer, including a cover story about former Virgin Entertainment co-founder Jason Felts, for Los Angeles Magazine, as well as various podcasts. He has captured the narratives of investors, CEOs, renowned entrepreneurs, bestselling authors, scholars, and cultural icons such as NBA legends Magic Johnson and Charles Barkley, as well as United Nations officials and Van Halen’s Sammy Hagar, while also exploring the behind-the-scenes world of Formula 1.

Berger has met with the Crown Princess of Sweden, Pope Francis, United Nations officials, and NGO leaders, covering stories of water insecurity with WaterAid, the intergenerational refugee crisis faced by displaced Sudanese in Uganda, and the impacts of child marriage in Western Africa with the Le Korsa Foundation.

Berger served as a guest lecturer at Vanderbilt University’s Owen Graduate School of Management for nearly two decades, focusing on the power of storytelling in business.

He has partnered with The Jim Henson Company to create a television show, The Ultimate GOAT, that combines his passion for distant lands and storytelling with culture, sports, and puppetry for family programming.

Berger conducts moderated keynote events that blend storytelling with live, on-stage narratives featuring cultural icons such as Opal Lee, the recipient of the Presidential Medal of Freedom, a Nobel Peace Prize nominee, and recognized as the “Grandmother” of Juneteenth. In 2023, Berger received the inaugural Pangea International Literacy Prize and delivered his TEDx Talk, “Story is Our Currency.” He lives in Franklin, Tennessee, with his wife and two children.

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Sometimes the most important leadership shift starts with changing the song in your own head.

Live from CultureCon 2026, Dr. Rod Berger sits down with Claude Silver, Chief Heart Officer at VaynerX, USA Today bestselling author of “Be Yourself at Work”, and a pioneer of people-first leadership. Claude shares how a 93-day Outward Bound experience helped her find her voice, challenge the limiting beliefs she carried for years, and ultimately recognize the kind of leader she was meant to become.

From building a culture rooted in empathy to taking accountability for how we show up, Claude explores why great leadership requires both heart and ownership. She also opens up about the trust that changed her career, the importance of knowing when you are not at your best, and why people should never have to shrink themselves to succeed at work.

Additional Resources:

Connect with Claude on LinkedIn

Get Claude’s book “Be Yourself at Work”

Learn more about Claude’s work

Connect with Rod on LinkedIn

Connect with Zach on LinkedIn

Connect with Nick on LinkedIn

Subscribe to CultureCon’s YouTube channel!

Follow PeopleForward Network on LinkedIn

Learn more about PeopleForward Network

Learn more about CultureCon

Key Takeaways:

Dr. Rod Berger is a keynote speaker, moderator, producer, author, and expert in strategic storytelling. Berger’s book, The Narrative Edge: Authentic Storytelling That Meets The Moment (Wiley), hits bookstores in late 2025. He draws on more than 4,000 interviews conducted worldwide for Forbes, Entrepreneur Magazine, and Fair Observer, including a cover story about former Virgin Entertainment co-founder Jason Felts, for Los Angeles Magazine, as well as various podcasts. He has captured the narratives of investors, CEOs, renowned entrepreneurs, bestselling authors, scholars, and cultural icons such as NBA legends Magic Johnson and Charles Barkley, as well as United Nations officials and Van Halen’s Sammy Hagar, while also exploring the behind-the-scenes world of Formula 1.

Berger has met with the Crown Princess of Sweden, Pope Francis, United Nations officials, and NGO leaders, covering stories of water insecurity with WaterAid, the intergenerational refugee crisis faced by displaced Sudanese in Uganda, and the impacts of child marriage in Western Africa with the Le Korsa Foundation.

Berger served as a guest lecturer at Vanderbilt University’s Owen Graduate School of Management for nearly two decades, focusing on the power of storytelling in business.

He has partnered with The Jim Henson Company to create a television show, The Ultimate GOAT, that combines his passion for distant lands and storytelling with culture, sports, and puppetry for family programming.

Berger conducts moderated keynote events that blend storytelling with live, on-stage narratives featuring cultural icons such as Opal Lee, the recipient of the Presidential Medal of Freedom, a Nobel Peace Prize nominee, and recognized as the “Grandmother” of Juneteenth. In 2023, Berger received the inaugural Pangea International Literacy Prize and delivered his TEDx Talk, “Story is Our Currency.” He lives in Franklin, Tennessee, with his wife and two children.

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Show Notes

In this episode of the Dr. Rod Berger Show, presented by Fair Observer, Rod sits down with sociocultural anthropologist Professor John Friedman to discuss his sudden dismissal from a university position, the broader crisis facing higher education, and why the humanities still matter more than ever. John shares the story of being let go during a shocking campus purge, what it felt like to lose a long-built academic home, and why he refused to return to the same classroom without first acknowledging the harm done. From there, the conversation expands into a wider examination of institutional priorities, neoliberal management, the rise of AI and engineering over the humanities, and the future of critical thinking in education. Rod and John also explore:

John also reflects on his move into social media, the role of public anthropology, and why people need more exposure to disciplines that challenge how they think about the world.

Key Topics

Notable Quotes

Guest

Professor John Friedman

Sociocultural anthropologist, public lecturer, and advocate for humanistic inquiry

Connect with John Friedman

Find him on TikTok, Instagram, and YouTube as: @ProfessorJohnT.Friedman

About the Dr. Rod Berger Show

The Dr. Rod Berger Show explores timely ideas, culture, education, leadership, and the human stories shaping our world.

Dr. Rod Berger is a keynote speaker, moderator, producer, author, and expert in strategic storytelling. Berger’s book, The Narrative Edge: Authentic Storytelling That Meets The Moment (Wiley), hits bookstores in late 2025. He draws on more than 4,000 interviews conducted worldwide for Forbes, Entrepreneur Magazine, and Fair Observer, including a cover story about former Virgin Entertainment co-founder Jason Felts, for Los Angeles Magazine, as well as various podcasts. He has captured the narratives of investors, CEOs, renowned entrepreneurs, bestselling authors, scholars, and cultural icons such as NBA legends Magic Johnson and Charles Barkley, as well as United Nations officials and Van Halen’s Sammy Hagar, while also exploring the behind-the-scenes world of Formula 1.

Berger has met with the Crown Princess of Sweden, Pope Francis, United Nations officials, and NGO leaders, covering stories of water insecurity with WaterAid, the intergenerational refugee crisis faced by displaced Sudanese in Uganda, and the impacts of child marriage in Western Africa with the Le Korsa Foundation.

Berger served as a guest lecturer at Vanderbilt University’s Owen Graduate School of Management for nearly two decades, focusing on the power of storytelling in business.

He has partnered with The Jim Henson Company to create a television show, The Ultimate GOAT, that combines his passion for distant lands and storytelling with culture, sports, and puppetry for family programming.

Berger conducts moderated keynote events that blend storytelling with live, on-stage narratives featuring cultural icons such as Opal Lee, the recipient of the Presidential Medal of Freedom, a Nobel Peace Prize nominee, and recognized as the “Grandmother” of Juneteenth. In 2023, Berger received the inaugural Pangea International Literacy Prize and delivered his TEDx Talk, “Story is Our Currency.” He lives in Franklin, Tennessee, with his wife and two children.

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

The Dr. Rod Berger Show is presented by Fair Observer.

Understanding one's family history can provide deep insights into personal identity. The impact of historical events on family dynamics is profound. Symbolic objects, like watches, can carry significant emotional weight across generations. The stories of those who lived through wartime are invaluable and unique. Generational trauma can shape perspectives and experiences in profound ways. The importance of storytelling in preserving family legacies. Modern society often lacks the context of historical struggles. Rapid news cycles can hinder our ability to process information meaningfully. Personal connections to history can foster empathy and understanding. Martin's mother was a significant influence on his advocacy. Apartheid felt normal to those living under it. Education played a crucial role in challenging injustice. Activism in university led to significant changes. Moving to London brought a sense of freedom. Dangerous environments can be intoxicating for journalists. The responsibility of storytelling is paramount. Modern slavery still exists in Africa today. Personal experiences shape one's perspective on injustice. Advocacy for marginalized voices is essential.

Summary

In this conversation, Rod Berger and Martin Plaut navigate technical difficulties before delving into Plaut's rich family history, with a particular focus on his father's experiences as a refugee from Nazi Germany. They explore the significance of family legacies, the emotional weight of symbolic objects, and the contrasting experiences of past generations with the present day. The discussion highlights the importance of storytelling in understanding personal and collective histories, as well as the challenges of processing information in a fast-paced world. In this conversation, Martin Plaut shares his journey from growing up in apartheid South Africa to becoming a journalist and advocate for social justice. He reflects on the profound influence of his family, particularly his mother, on his values and his commitment to fighting injustice. The discussion delves into the normalization of apartheid, the role of education and activism in challenging systemic oppression, and the transition to journalism as a means of storytelling. Plaut emphasizes the importance of representing marginalized voices and highlights the ongoing issue of modern slavery in Africa, urging listeners to recognize and address these injustices.

Dr. Rod Berger is a keynote speaker, moderator, producer, author, and expert in strategic storytelling. Berger’s book, The Narrative Edge: Authentic Storytelling That Meets The Moment (Wiley), hits bookstores in late 2025. He draws on more than 4,000 interviews conducted worldwide for Forbes, Entrepreneur Magazine, and Fair Observer, including a cover story about former Virgin Entertainment co-founder Jason Felts, for Los Angeles Magazine, as well as various podcasts. He has captured the narratives of investors, CEOs, renowned entrepreneurs, bestselling authors, scholars, and cultural icons such as NBA legends Magic Johnson and Charles Barkley, as well as United Nations officials and Van Halen’s Sammy Hagar, while also exploring the behind-the-scenes world of Formula 1.

Berger has met with the Crown Princess of Sweden, Pope Francis, United Nations officials, and NGO leaders, covering stories of water insecurity with WaterAid, the intergenerational refugee crisis faced by displaced Sudanese in Uganda, and the impacts of child marriage in Western Africa with the Le Korsa Foundation.

Berger served as a guest lecturer at Vanderbilt University’s Owen Graduate School of Management for nearly two decades, focusing on the power of storytelling in business.

He has partnered with The Jim Henson Company to create a television show, The Ultimate GOAT, that combines his passion for distant lands and storytelling with culture, sports, and puppetry for family programming.

Berger conducts moderated keynote events that blend storytelling with live, on-stage narratives featuring cultural icons such as Opal Lee, the recipient of the Presidential Medal of Freedom, a Nobel Peace Prize nominee, and recognized as the “Grandmother” of Juneteenth. In 2023, Berger received the inaugural Pangea International Literacy Prize and delivered his TEDx Talk, “Story is Our Currency.” He lives in Franklin, Tennessee, with his wife and two children.

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Dr. Rod Berger sits down with Sebastian Schäffer, who wrote a book with his mentor arguing that the Balkans belong in Europe. Not eventually. Immediately. The mentor, former Austrian Vice-Chancellor Erhard Busek, died in March 2022, weeks after Russian tanks crossed into Ukraine and the argument the two of them had spent years making became the most urgent question on the continent. Schäffer is still making it.

Born in Munich, he gave his career to somebody else's neighborhood. He directs the Institute for the Danube Region and Central Europe in Vienna, a think tank founded in 1953 and older than most of the European Union, and serves as Secretary General of the Danube Rectors' Conference, a network of more than sixty universities across the region. He founded SSC Europe in 2011 to run simulations and strategic foresight, which is also how he thinks: run the scenario forward, then ask what happens next.

His own contribution to the field is a reversal. The Dilemma of Simultaneity described how post-Soviet states had to build democracy, markets, and nations all at once. Schäffer turned the mirror around and pointed it at Brussels, which now has to reform enlargement, reform itself, and become a real geopolitical power at the same time and under fire. In a July 2025 essay for Fair Observer, he wrote about an editor who asked him to stop using the word "disinformation" because it sounded too political. He refused, and called that kind of softening death by a thousand footnotes.

What we get into:

Dr. Rod Berger is a keynote speaker, moderator, producer, author, and expert in strategic storytelling. Berger’s book, The Narrative Edge: Authentic Storytelling That Meets The Moment (Wiley), hits bookstores in late 2025. He draws on more than 4,000 interviews conducted worldwide for Forbes, Entrepreneur Magazine, and Fair Observer, including a cover story about former Virgin Entertainment co-founder Jason Felts, for Los Angeles Magazine, as well as various podcasts. He has captured the narratives of investors, CEOs, renowned entrepreneurs, bestselling authors, scholars, and cultural icons such as NBA legends Magic Johnson and Charles Barkley, as well as United Nations officials and Van Halen’s Sammy Hagar, while also exploring the behind-the-scenes world of Formula 1.

Berger has met with the Crown Princess of Sweden, Pope Francis, United Nations officials, and NGO leaders, covering stories of water insecurity with WaterAid, the intergenerational refugee crisis faced by displaced Sudanese in Uganda, and the impacts of child marriage in Western Africa with the Le Korsa Foundation.

Berger served as a guest lecturer at Vanderbilt University’s Owen Graduate School of Management for nearly two decades, focusing on the power of storytelling in business.

He has partnered with The Jim Henson Company to create a television show, The Ultimate GOAT, that combines his passion for distant lands and storytelling with culture, sports, and puppetry for family programming.

Berger conducts moderated keynote events that blend storytelling with live, on-stage narratives featuring cultural icons such as Opal Lee, the recipient of the Presidential Medal of Freedom, a Nobel Peace Prize nominee, and recognized as the “Grandmother” of Juneteenth. In 2023, Berger received the inaugural Pangea International Literacy Prize and delivered his TEDx Talk, “Story is Our Currency.” He lives in Franklin, Tennessee, with his wife and two children.

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Something feels off in 2026, and you already know it. Maybe you can't name it precisely, but there's a tilt to the world right now, a sense that the ground beneath familiar systems is shifting in ways that resist easy explanation. If you've caught yourself staring at headlines with a mix of dread and curiosity, wondering whether this stretch of uncertainty is just noise or something more structural, this conversation is for you.

I sat down with Natasha Weber, the award-winning Australian astrologer known as Astro Tash, to explore a question that's been circling my mind for months: Can astrology offer a practical framework for navigating a period that feels genuinely unprecedented? Not vague mystical reassurance, not doom predictions, but something closer to pattern recognition and timing, a way to read the conditions and make grounded decisions about how to respond.

Natasha brings over 25 years of study to this conversation, and what struck me most is the way she strips away the mystique without diminishing the substance. She describes astrology as "cosmic climate" or "astrological weather," and the analogy lands immediately. The planets don't make us do things. They set up conditions, and then we decide whether or not to carry the umbrella. That distinction between fate and agency runs through the entire episode, and it's the piece I think most people are hungry for right now. You don't want to be told what's going to happen to you. You want to understand the environment you're operating in so you can make sharper choices.

We get into the specifics of what makes 2026 such a seismic year astrologically. Saturn and Neptune meeting at zero degrees Aries, the very starting point of the zodiac, for the first time in decades. Uranus is entering Gemini for the first time in 84 years. The return of Leo-Aquarius eclipses, which last cycled through during a period of significant political upheaval. Natasha walks through historical parallels with striking concreteness: the fall of the Berlin Wall during the last Saturn-Neptune conjunction, the collapse of the Romanov dynasty during the one before that. She's not drawing these connections loosely. She's using cycles the way a historian might, looking at what happened during the same planetary alignments in previous eras and asking what rhymes now.

One of the most fascinating moments in our conversation came when Natasha described something deeply personal: looking at her own chart and not liking what she saw for a particular year. Rather than accepting it passively, she used her knowledge of solar return charts to physically relocate to Japan on her birthday, shifting the mathematical framework of her year ahead. That relocation placed her strongest planetary influences into the house of publishing, and that turned out to be the year she published her book with Penguin Random House. It's a small, vivid example of what agency looks like within this system. You're not rewriting the sky. You're choosing where to stand under it.

We also spent time on the question that I think sits underneath everything right now: artificial intelligence. Natasha connects the acceleration of AI to Pluto's entry into Aquarius, a transit that won't complete until 2044. She frames this not as a prediction but as a description of the era we've entered, one defined by intelligence, technology, and the tension between cool logic and human compassion. The last time Pluto was in Aquarius, the American and French revolutions were reshaping the Western world, and the Industrial Revolution was beginning. The parallel isn't subtle. And the question she poses is worth sitting with: Are we using this technology as a tool, or are we handing our power over to it?

What I keep coming back to is something Natasha said almost in passing, the phrase "as above, so below." It's ancient, but in this conversation, it felt urgent. We are all of us living through a transition between ages. The Age of Pisces, with its emphasis on religion, spirituality, and compassion, is giving way to the Age of Aquarius, with its emphasis on technology, intelligence, and collective humanity. These epochs last roughly two and a half thousand years. Most people who will live in the Aquarian age will simply know it as the way things are. We happen to be the ones standing at the threshold, which is disorienting and, if you hold it at the right angle, extraordinary.

This episode is not about converting anyone into an astrology believer. It's about offering a different lens for a moment when the usual lenses feel insufficient. Natasha's insistence on pairing every difficult transit with a remedy, her refusal to deliver hard news without a pathway through it, reflects something I think we all need more of right now: honesty that doesn't abandon you, and frameworks that leave room for what you choose to do next. What questions are you asking about this period in your life? And what would it mean to stop waiting for certainty and start reading the weather instead?

Check out Natasha's free birth chart service: https://www.astrotash.com/services/star-charts/

Learn more about Natasha: https://www.astrotash.com/

Dr. Rod Berger is a keynote speaker, moderator, producer, author, and expert in strategic storytelling. Berger’s book, The Narrative Edge: Authentic Storytelling That Meets The Moment (Wiley), hits bookstores in late 2025. He draws on more than 4,000 interviews conducted worldwide for Forbes, Entrepreneur Magazine, and Fair Observer, including a cover story about former Virgin Entertainment co-founder Jason Felts, for Los Angeles Magazine, as well as various podcasts. He has captured the narratives of investors, CEOs, renowned entrepreneurs, bestselling authors, scholars, and cultural icons such as NBA legends Magic Johnson and Charles Barkley, as well as United Nations officials and Van Halen’s Sammy Hagar, while also exploring the behind-the-scenes world of Formula 1.

Berger has met with the Crown Princess of Sweden, Pope Francis, United Nations officials, and NGO leaders, covering stories of water insecurity with WaterAid, the intergenerational refugee crisis faced by displaced Sudanese in Uganda, and the impacts of child marriage in Western Africa with the Le Korsa Foundation.

Berger served as a guest lecturer at Vanderbilt University’s Owen Graduate School of Management for nearly two decades, focusing on the power of storytelling in business.

He has partnered with The Jim Henson Company to create a television show, The Ultimate GOAT, that combines his passion for distant lands and storytelling with culture, sports, and puppetry for family programming.

Berger conducts moderated keynote events that blend storytelling with live, on-stage narratives featuring cultural icons such as Opal Lee, the recipient of the Presidential Medal of Freedom, a Nobel Peace Prize nominee, and recognized as the “Grandmother” of Juneteenth. In 2023, Berger received the inaugural Pangea International Literacy Prize and delivered his TEDx Talk, “Story is Our Currency.” He lives in Franklin, Tennessee, with his wife and two children.

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

In this episode, we explore how mental health, purpose, and human connection are evolving amid rapid technological and societal shifts. Jarrod Hoffman, a Memphis-based licensed professional counselor, shares insights into working with teens and families facing uncertainty, especially in the age of AI and a changing educational landscape.

Key Topics Covered:

The role of purpose and stability in mental health during unpredictable times

The impact of AI on relationships, therapy, and youth development

The metaphor of uphill and downhill riding as a reflection of life's challenges

How connection, not just knowledge, drives meaningful change

The influence of societal expectations on teens' mental health and career choices

Navigating therapeutic work in a digital age with AI chatbots and virtual interactions

Personal stories of resilience, rule-following, and the importance of authentic human connection

Timestamps:

00:37 - Introduction: The season of exploring stories that matter

01:02 - The importance of diversity in conversations and understanding human complexity

01:28 - Jared Hoffman’s background: From youth ministry to clinical work

02:14 - The mental health overlap with physical endurance: Jared’s triathlon journey

03:23 - The inspiring story of a 91-year-old triathlete

04:21 - The human need for structure amid chaos

05:07 - How societal fear impacts long-term planning and purpose

06:20 - The metaphor of uphill and downhill in life and work challenges

07:27 - The changing landscape of careers and climbing the traditional ladder

07:55 - Anxiety and job security in the modern workplace

08:43 - The impact of AI and outsourcing knowledge to technology

09:47 - The importance of empathy and understanding in therapy

10:16 - Challenges and opportunities in the mental health field with AI integration

11:34 - Supporting youth in a world of increasing information and uncertainty

12:32 - The true driver of change: Connection over information

13:43 - The role of AI in therapy and potential risks for vulnerable populations

14:57 - Maintaining human connection in an AI-driven world

16:13 - The emotional effects of encouragement versus virtual affirmation

17:34 - The shifting expectations around education and career paths for teens

18:30 - Purposelessness and anxiety in young people faced with societal pressures

19:45 - The weight of self-identity amid rapid technological change

20:38 - Personal insights from working with teens and the value of authenticity

21:42 - Jarrod’s reflection: Learning about himself through working with youth

23:22 - How to connect with Jarrod Hoffman and access resources

Resources & Links:

Website: JarrodHoffman.com

LinkedIn: Jarrod Hoffman

This episode reminds us of the profound importance of authentic human connection in a digital age, encouraging us to embrace vulnerability and purpose as we navigate life's uphill and downhill moments.

Dr. Rod Berger is a keynote speaker, moderator, producer, author, and expert in strategic storytelling. Berger’s book, The Narrative Edge: Authentic Storytelling That Meets The Moment (Wiley), hits bookstores in late 2025. He draws on more than 4,000 interviews conducted worldwide for Forbes, Entrepreneur Magazine, and Fair Observer, including a cover story about former Virgin Entertainment co-founder Jason Felts, for Los Angeles Magazine, as well as various podcasts. He has captured the narratives of investors, CEOs, renowned entrepreneurs, bestselling authors, scholars, and cultural icons such as NBA legends Magic Johnson and Charles Barkley, as well as United Nations officials and Van Halen’s Sammy Hagar, while also exploring the behind-the-scenes world of Formula 1.

Berger has met with the Crown Princess of Sweden, Pope Francis, United Nations officials, and NGO leaders, covering stories of water insecurity with WaterAid, the intergenerational refugee crisis faced by displaced Sudanese in Uganda, and the impacts of child marriage in Western Africa with the Le Korsa Foundation.

Berger served as a guest lecturer at Vanderbilt University’s Owen Graduate School of Management for nearly two decades, focusing on the power of storytelling in business.

He has partnered with The Jim Henson Company to create a television show, The Ultimate GOAT, that combines his passion for distant lands and storytelling with culture, sports, and puppetry for family programming.

Berger conducts moderated keynote events that blend storytelling with live, on-stage narratives featuring cultural icons such as Opal Lee, the recipient of the Presidential Medal of Freedom, a Nobel Peace Prize nominee, and recognized as the “Grandmother” of Juneteenth. In 2023, Berger received the inaugural Pangea International Literacy Prize and delivered his TEDx Talk, “Story is Our Currency.” He lives in Franklin, Tennessee, with his wife and two children.

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Navigating Voice, Trust, and Advocacy in a Divided World

In this episode, Rod Berger sits down with Jim and Tiffany Drastic—creators of The Dangerous Ones & Eleven Films—to explore the journey of finding and using their voices amid societal chaos, personal trauma, and the ongoing fight for justice. Discover how authenticity, modulation, and community-building shape their impactful work.

Key topics:

Timestamps:

S. influence

Resources & Links:

Connect with Jim and Tiffany Drastic:

Dr. Rod Berger is a keynote speaker, moderator, producer, author, and expert in strategic storytelling. Berger’s book, The Narrative Edge: Authentic Storytelling That Meets The Moment (Wiley), hits bookstores in late 2025. He draws on more than 4,000 interviews conducted worldwide for Forbes, Entrepreneur Magazine, and Fair Observer, including a cover story about former Virgin Entertainment co-founder Jason Felts, for Los Angeles Magazine, as well as various podcasts. He has captured the narratives of investors, CEOs, renowned entrepreneurs, bestselling authors, scholars, and cultural icons such as NBA legends Magic Johnson and Charles Barkley, as well as United Nations officials and Van Halen’s Sammy Hagar, while also exploring the behind-the-scenes world of Formula 1.

Berger has met with the Crown Princess of Sweden, Pope Francis, United Nations officials, and NGO leaders, covering stories of water insecurity with WaterAid, the intergenerational refugee crisis faced by displaced Sudanese in Uganda, and the impacts of child marriage in Western Africa with the Le Korsa Foundation.

Berger served as a guest lecturer at Vanderbilt University’s Owen Graduate School of Management for nearly two decades, focusing on the power of storytelling in business.

He has partnered with The Jim Henson Company to create a television show, The Ultimate GOAT, that combines his passion for distant lands and storytelling with culture, sports, and puppetry for family programming.

Berger conducts moderated keynote events that blend storytelling with live, on-stage narratives featuring cultural icons such as Opal Lee, the recipient of the Presidential Medal of Freedom, a Nobel Peace Prize nominee, and recognized as the “Grandmother” of Juneteenth. In 2023, Berger received the inaugural Pangea International Literacy Prize and delivered his TEDx Talk, “Story is Our Currency.” He lives in Franklin, Tennessee, with his wife and two children.

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"From the Classroom to the C-Suite: Greta Jackson on Culture, Storytelling, and the Human Hum of Organizations"

In this episode of the CultureCon Catalyst podcast, Dr. Rod Berger sits down with Greta Jackson, Employee Engagement and Culture Enrichment Director at Tegria, and a CultureCon Culture Catalyst. Greta's journey — from third-grade dreamer to middle school English teacher, high school AP Lit instructor, principal, recruiter, and now culture strategist — is a masterclass in following your instincts and letting storytelling lead the way.

What we cover:

Connect with Greta Jackson:

About the Host: Dr. Rod Berger is a storyteller, author of The Narrative Edge, and Storyteller in Residence at CultureCon.

Are you the author of your story — or a character in someone else's? Find out together.

Dr. Rod Berger is a keynote speaker, moderator, producer, author, and expert in strategic storytelling. Berger’s book, The Narrative Edge: Authentic Storytelling That Meets The Moment (Wiley), hits bookstores in late 2025. He draws on more than 4,000 interviews conducted worldwide for Forbes, Entrepreneur Magazine, and Fair Observer, including a cover story about former Virgin Entertainment co-founder Jason Felts, for Los Angeles Magazine, as well as various podcasts. He has captured the narratives of investors, CEOs, renowned entrepreneurs, bestselling authors, scholars, and cultural icons such as NBA legends Magic Johnson and Charles Barkley, as well as United Nations officials and Van Halen’s Sammy Hagar, while also exploring the behind-the-scenes world of Formula 1.

Berger has met with the Crown Princess of Sweden, Pope Francis, United Nations officials, and NGO leaders, covering stories of water insecurity with WaterAid, the intergenerational refugee crisis faced by displaced Sudanese in Uganda, and the impacts of child marriage in Western Africa with the Le Korsa Foundation.

Berger served as a guest lecturer at Vanderbilt University’s Owen Graduate School of Management for nearly two decades, focusing on the power of storytelling in business.

He has partnered with The Jim Henson Company to create a television show, The Ultimate GOAT, that combines his passion for distant lands and storytelling with culture, sports, and puppetry for family programming.

Berger conducts moderated keynote events that blend storytelling with live, on-stage narratives featuring cultural icons such as Opal Lee, the recipient of the Presidential Medal of Freedom, a Nobel Peace Prize nominee, and recognized as the “Grandmother” of Juneteenth. In 2023, Berger received the inaugural Pangea International Literacy Prize and delivered his TEDx Talk, “Story is Our Currency.” He lives in Franklin, Tennessee, with his wife and two children.

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The Power of Storytelling in Leadership: Insights from Dr. Marcus Conyers

Discover how storytelling shapes leadership and innovation. Learn key insights from Dr. Marcus Conyers, founder of BrainSmart, on enhancing organizational effectiveness.

In today’s fast-paced world, understanding the power of storytelling in leadership is crucial. How can narratives shape our leadership styles and foster innovation within organizations? In this blog post, we’ll dive into the insights shared by Dr. Marcus Conyers during his conversation with Dr. Rod Berger on "The Narrative Edge." You’ll discover how to leverage storytelling to create impactful connections and drive change in your organization.

About Dr. Marcus Conyers

Dr. Marcus Conyers is the founder and CEO of BrainSmart, a pioneering organization dedicated to enhancing innovation and productivity in various sectors through brain research. With over 30 years of experience, he has authored 20 books, including the bestseller "Positively Smarter," and has shared his expertise across 30 countries. His journey emphasizes the significance of applying brain science in practical settings, making him a credible voice in the field of leadership and education.

The Role of Storytelling in Leadership

Storytelling is not just a tool for entertainment; it’s a vital aspect of effective leadership. Here’s why it matters:

Key Insights from Dr. Conyers

During the conversation, Dr. Conyers shared several key insights that illuminate the relationship between storytelling and leadership effectiveness:

1. The Kaleidoscope of Human Experience: Dr. Conyers highlighted that the human experience is rich and varied. By embracing diverse backgrounds and perspectives, leaders can craft more compelling narratives that reflect the complexity of their teams and the challenges they face.

2. Learning from the Past: He emphasized the importance of reflecting on past narratives to understand what drives success. Leaders should analyze previous experiences to identify patterns and insights that inform future strategies.

3. Creating a Culture of Exploration. Dr. Conyers encourages leaders to foster an environment where exploration and curiosity are valued. This involves encouraging team members to share their stories, insights, and lessons learned, which can lead to collective growth and innovation.

Practical Strategies for Leaders

To effectively harness the power of storytelling in your leadership approach, consider the following strategies:

Conclusion

The power of storytelling in leadership cannot be overstated. By integrating narratives into your leadership style, you can foster deeper connections, drive innovation, and create a culture of exploration within your organization. As Dr. Conyers illustrates, every leader has the potential to shape their narrative and inspire others by sharing their story.

So, what’s your story? Consider how you can leverage it to enhance your leadership effectiveness

Dr. Rod Berger is a keynote speaker, moderator, producer, author, and expert in strategic storytelling. Berger’s book, The Narrative Edge: Authentic Storytelling That Meets The Moment (Wiley), hits bookstores in late 2025. He draws on more than 4,000 interviews conducted worldwide for Forbes, Entrepreneur Magazine, and Fair Observer, including a cover story about former Virgin Entertainment co-founder Jason Felts, for Los Angeles Magazine, as well as various podcasts. He has captured the narratives of investors, CEOs, renowned entrepreneurs, bestselling authors, scholars, and cultural icons such as NBA legends Magic Johnson and Charles Barkley, as well as United Nations officials and Van Halen’s Sammy Hagar, while also exploring the behind-the-scenes world of Formula 1.

Berger has met with the Crown Princess of Sweden, Pope Francis, United Nations officials, and NGO leaders, covering stories of water insecurity with WaterAid, the intergenerational refugee crisis faced by displaced Sudanese in Uganda, and the impacts of child marriage in Western Africa with the Le Korsa Foundation.

Berger served as a guest lecturer at Vanderbilt University’s Owen Graduate School of Management for nearly two decades, focusing on the power of storytelling in business.

He has partnered with The Jim Henson Company to create a television show, The Ultimate GOAT, that combines his passion for distant lands and storytelling with culture, sports, and puppetry for family programming.

Berger conducts moderated keynote events that blend storytelling with live, on-stage narratives featuring cultural icons such as Opal Lee, the recipient of the Presidential Medal of Freedom, a Nobel Peace Prize nominee, and recognized as the “Grandmother” of Juneteenth. In 2023, Berger received the inaugural Pangea International Literacy Prize and delivered his TEDx Talk, “Story is Our Currency.” He lives in Franklin, Tennessee, with his wife and two children.

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