Episode 189: Hosts Scott Rada and Richard Kyte delve into the ethical tension between justice and revenge, revealing how these seemingly similar concepts diverge in motives, processes and outcomes.

To illustrate the contrast, Kyte draws on the symbol of Lady Justice: blindfolded, holding scales and a sword — a figure meant to represent impartiality and measured response. Revenge, by contrast, is fueled by emotion and often lacks balance or mercy.

The conversation spans everything from classic Westerns to contemporary political discourse. Kyte notes that revenge has long been a powerful storytelling device, particularly in films where personal retribution collides with the rise of law and order. But the desire to get even, he warns, can also corrode trust in real-world institutions.

That concern is especially visible in modern politics. Kyte points to President Donald Trump, who has made retribution a recurring theme — both on the campaign trail and in office. Using political power to settle personal scores, Kyte argues, undermines democratic norms and risks turning governance into a vendetta.

Later, the episode turns toward everyday life. From workplace slights to social media feuds, revenge often masquerades as justice. But as one district attorney told Rada, victims of identical crimes may respond in vastly different ways — some seeking harsh punishment, others showing surprising compassion.

Kyte cautions that vengeance rarely delivers what it promises. According to philosopher Simone Weil, Kyte said that imagined evil can seem thrilling, but real evil is often dull, painful, and empty. Instead of ruminating about harm, he urges listeners to cultivate habits of empathy, forgiveness, and moral clarity.

Episode 188: Hosts Richard Kyte and Scott Rada discuss how parents influence their children's understanding of work and career choices, highlighting the delicate balance between guiding and pressuring young people toward professional paths.

Drawing from personal experiences, the hosts emphasize the importance of exposing children to diverse career opportunities without forcing predetermined trajectories.

Kyte shares a pivotal childhood memory of his mother taking him to a hospital lab, quickly dispelling his romanticized notions of scientific work. This anecdote underscores a key point: children benefit from realistic, first-hand experiences of different professions.

The conversation reveals significant shifts in youth employment. Where 60% of high school students worked in 1978, today only about 35% hold jobs. This decline concerns experts who believe early work experiences are crucial for developing responsibility and understanding workplace dynamics.

Family businesses emerge as a unique lens for career exposure. The hosts discuss how children of small business owners often gain intimate knowledge of entrepreneurship, though they caution against automatically expecting children to inherit family enterprises.

The podcast also addresses socioeconomic factors, acknowledging that teenage employment is an economic necessity for some families rather than a developmental opportunity.

Links to stories discussed during the podcast

Some see work as a calling, others say it’s just a job, University of Michigan

How your work ethic influences your kids, Emily Rivas, Today's Parent

About the hosts

Scott Rada is a digital strategist with Lee Enterprises, and Richard Kyte is the director of the D.B. Reinhart Institute for Ethics in Leadership at Viterbo University in La Crosse, Wisconsin. He is also the author of "Finding Your Third Place: Building Happier Communities (and Making Great Friends Along the Way)."

Episode 187: Hosts Richard Kyte and Scott Rada discuss the emerging conservative critiques that frame empathy as a potential moral liability, offering a nuanced perspective on human compassion’s psychological and ethical dimensions.

Kyte explained that some Christian commentators, including figures like Allie Beth Stuckey and Joe Rigney, have begun characterizing empathy as a potentially dangerous emotional response that can lead to misguided actions.

"Empathy is a psychological ability to feel what another person is experiencing," Kyte said. "It's different from compassion, which involves taking practical action to help others." He emphasized that while empathy provides an important emotional foundation for understanding human suffering, it must be balanced with practical wisdom.

The discussion highlighted recent controversies, including Elon Musk's approach to workforce reductions, which Kyte described as demonstrating a "callous disregard" for employees' experiences. The conversation also touched on broader social issues like homelessness, where simplistic solutions often fail to address complex systemic challenges.

Kyte argued that responsible empathy requires careful consideration of legitimate needs and potential consequences. "You can't immediately go from feeling someone's pain to implementing a solution without understanding the broader context," he explained.

Drawing from New York Times columnist David French's analysis, the podcast suggested that some conservative religious movements are increasingly prioritizing political dominance over compassionate understanding. Kyte warned that this approach could ultimately backfire by creating unnecessary cultural divisions.

The podcast concluded with an ethical dilemma exploring how to respond to a potentially homeless individual using gym facilities, with Kyte emphasizing that behavior, not appearance, should guide compassionate responses.

"The main question is whether the person is causing any harm," Kyte said. "If they're not disrupting others and are a paying member, there's no reason to intervene."

Episode 186: Hosts Richard Kyte and Scott Rada discuss the delicate balance between pleasure-seeking and meaning-making in our fast-paced, technology-driven world.

"Are we chasing quick pleasure at the cost of deeper meaning?" Rada asks at the start of the discussion. Kyte explains that these two orientations toward life often exist on a continuum — pleasure-seeking is passive and short-term, while meaning-making is active and long-term.

The hosts note that society seems to have tilted heavily toward the pleasure-seeking side in recent decades, fueled by advances in technology and brain science that allow companies to engineer highly addictive digital experiences and products. From social media and online gaming to streaming television and convenient but unhealthy food, these stimuli provide instant gratification that can come at the expense of more meaningful pursuits.

"Pleasure-seeking is always shorter term because it is immediate gratification, while meaning-making is more long-term and goal-oriented," Kyte says. He worries this shift has led people to prioritize controlled, predictable digital interactions over the unpredictability of real-life relationships and activities.

The hosts acknowledge the personal responsibility people have in finding a healthier balance. They suggest taking up hobbies, joining community groups and setting aside time for reading — activities that restore energy rather than deplete it. However, they also believe there is a role for public policy, especially when it comes to protecting children.

Episode 185: Hosts Richard Kyte and Scott Rada discuss a paradox in America — that even as formal religious participation declines, belief in the supernatural remains remarkably strong.

According to data from the Pew Research Center, 86% of Americans believe in the existence of a soul or spirit, 83% believe in God or a universal spirit and 70% believe in an afterlife. These findings suggest that while fewer people identify with organized religion, the human need for spiritual and supernatural explanations persists.

"It seems to go deep in human nature," Kyte said. "Human beings want answers to why questions like, 'Why am I here? What's the purpose of my life?'"

Kyte explained that while science has provided explanations for many of the "how" questions, religion continues to play a role in addressing the deeper "why" questions that science cannot fully answer. This desire for meaning and purpose beyond the physical world appears to be a fundamental part of the human experience.

The discussion also explored the role of religion in providing community, support and a sense of purpose, particularly during difficult times. Kyte emphasized the importance of religious practices and rituals in helping individuals develop the habits and disciplines necessary for a "meaningful life."

About the hosts

Scott Rada is a digital strategist with Lee Enterprises, and Richard Kyte is the director of the D.B. Reinhart Institute for Ethics in Leadership at Viterbo University in La Crosse, Wisconsin. He is also the author of "Finding Your Third Place: Building Happier Communities (and Making Great Friends Along the Way)."

Episode 184: Hosts Richard Kyte and Scott Rada discuss the concept of temperance and its waning influence in today's society.

Historically considered one of the four cardinal virtues — along with wisdom, courage and justice — temperance and its connection to personal restraint and moderation have become increasingly rare in both individual and governmental decision-making.

Kyte argues that our collective lack of self-restraint has contributed to many of the challenges facing modern society. He draws a parallel between the rise of a "disposable culture" and the way we govern, noting that the prevalence of nondurable goods and a focus on short-term gratification mirror the fiscal irresponsibility seen in growing personal and national debt.

The conversation then turns to the implications of this lack of temperance, both in the private sector and in government. The hosts examine the example of Elon Musk's recent efforts to slash government programs, questioning whether this approach represents a responsible use of power or a reckless disregard for the proper channels of governance.

About the hosts

Scott Rada is a digital strategist with Lee Enterprises, and Richard Kyte is the director of the D.B. Reinhart Institute for Ethics in Leadership at Viterbo University in La Crosse, Wisconsin. He is also the author of "Finding Your Third Place: Building Happier Communities (and Making Great Friends Along the Way)."

Episode 183: Hosts Richard Kyte and Scott Rada discuss the sense of urgency and panic many Americans are feeling about the country's direction under the Trump administration.

Kyte emphasizes the importance of getting involved at the local level, such as following city council and school board elections, rather than just focusing on national politics.

The conversation then turns to economic boycotts, with Rada noting that some people are choosing not to patronize companies they believe are supporting policies they disagree with. The hosts also discuss traditional protests, particularly the contrast between the recent campus activism around the Israel-Gaza conflict and the relative lack of large-scale protests against the new administration's policies. Kyte suggests that while such protests may feel personally satisfying, they are often counterproductive in actually changing minds.

The conversation then explores the role of social media in political discourse, with Rada noting the tendency for people to vent their frustrations in echo chambers that reinforce their views. Kyte emphasizes the importance of honest, nuanced conversations over emotional venting, arguing that the latter is unlikely to persuade those with differing opinions.

The episode also touches on the concept of "tone policing," where people are accused of dismissing others' anger based on how it is expressed. Kyte pushes back against this idea, arguing that respectful disagreement is important for healthy discourse.

About the hosts

Scott Rada is a digital strategist with Lee Enterprises, and Richard Kyte is the director of the D.B. Reinhart Institute for Ethics in Leadership at Viterbo University in La Crosse, Wisconsin. He is also the author of "Finding Your Third Place: Building Happier Communities (and Making Great Friends Along the Way)."

Episode 182: The conversation between hosts Richard Kyte and Scott Rada begins by examining a recent New York Times article that explored dozens of metrics that were used to measure societal well-being in the United States.

The study found that while the United States has experienced remarkable economic growth and prosperity since the 1990s, measures of happiness and overall well-being have not kept pace.

"There was little disagreement about that," Rada said. "At the same time, they looked at things like trying to measure people's happiness and things like addiction and things like long longevity, and all of these things were either not growing at the same rate as they were in the other wealthy countries in the world or were getting worse."

Kyte attributed this disconnect to the United States' highly materialistic culture, noting that countries such as Japan experienced similar declines in well-being as they became more prosperous and focused on material goods. In contrast, the island of Okinawa, which maintained a focus on tradition, community and relationships, saw much higher levels of happiness.

The discussion also explored the role of income inequality, with the U.S. ranking among the highest in the world for income disparity. Kyte explained that this can create stress and a sense of unfairness, even among those who are relatively well-off.

The conversation delved into the limits of how much money can truly contribute to happiness, with Kyte explaining that once basic needs are met, additional wealth does not necessarily lead to greater fulfillment. Instead, he emphasized the importance of cultivating meaningful relationships and intrinsic sources of joy.

Links to stories discussed during the podcast

Why Americans older than 60 are so happy, by Emily Peck, Axios

Ted Talk: Why monkeys (and humans) are wired for fairness, by Sarah Brosnan

About the hosts

Scott Rada is a digital strategist with Lee Enterprises, and Richard Kyte is the director of the D.B. Reinhart Institute for Ethics in Leadership at Viterbo University in La Crosse, Wisconsin. He is also the author of "Finding Your Third Place: Building Happier Communities (and Making Great Friends Along the Way)."

Episode 181: Hosts Richard Kyte and Scott Rada explore the growing challenge of maintaining focus and attention in our increasingly digital world.

To combat these distractions, Kyte suggests three key strategies: cultivating face-to-face relationships, spending time in silence and engaging in creative activities. He emphasizes the importance of disconnecting from phones during social gatherings to fully engage with others, as well as the value of quiet reflection to develop deep focus.

The discussion also explores the concept of depth versus breadth of experience.

Kyte explains that while breadth involves a wide variety of activities, depth requires focusing on a single thing in greater detail. The hosts agree that deeply focusing on one task can lead to a greater sense of accomplishment compared to multitasking, which the research shows is detrimental to productivity and focus.

Links to stories discussed during the podcast

Attention spans are declining. Here's how to reverse the trend, by Richard Kyte

The real stakes of the war for your attention, by Sean Illing, Vox

Chris Hayes' 'Sirens' Call' is a thorough look at the fight for attention in modern age, by Andrew DeMillo, The Associated Press

About the hosts

Scott Rada is a digital strategist with Lee Enterprises, and Richard Kyte is the director of the D.B. Reinhart Institute for Ethics in Leadership at Viterbo University in La Crosse, Wisconsin. He is also the author of "Finding Your Third Place: Building Happier Communities (and Making Great Friends Along the Way)."

Episode 180: Hosts Richard Kyte and Scott Rada talk through the best answers to four ethical dilemmas.

One scenario involves a last-minute concert invitation where the tickets turned out to cost $75 each, despite assumptions they were free. The discussion centered on the importance of clear communication to avoid misunderstandings that could damage friendships.

Other dilemmas include how to deal with a rude traveler at an airport, how to handle a constantly complaining elderly relative and a cat-sitting situation where the owner gave the host an expired gift card, prompting a debate on the ethics of regifting.

About the hosts

Scott Rada is a digital strategist with Lee Enterprises, and Richard Kyte is the director of the D.B. Reinhart Institute for Ethics in Leadership at Viterbo University in La Crosse, Wisconsin. He is also the author of "Finding Your Third Place: Building Happier Communities (and Making Great Friends Along the Way)."