The Ethical Life

By Scott Rada and Richard KyteSociety & Culture

The Ethical Life episodes

July 05, 2023 What's your take on these four ethical dilemmas?
Episode 97: Hosts Richard Kyte and Scott Rada are off this week, so we looked back though our show archives and are sharing four of our favorite ethical dilemmas from the past year. Topics include local politics, DNA tests and gender identity.
About the hosts: Scott Rada is social media manager 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, Wis.
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
32 min
June 28, 2023 Why are Americans so obsessed with parking?
Episode 96: If you follow local government, whether in big cities or small towns, you’ll undoubtably hear debates about parking. There is often little agreement about how to pay for parking, how much to require and where to put it.
The recent book by Henry Graber, “Paved Paradise: How Parking Explains the World,” is taking a critical look at our country’s obsession with parking.
The hosts discuss why such policies can hurt cities and often cause a lack of affordable housing.
Links to stories discussed during the podcast:
America has eight parking spaces for every car. Here’s how cities are rethinking that land, by Daniel Baldwin Hess and Jeffrey Rehler, Fast Company
Why the U.S. builds more three-car garages than one-bedroom apartments, by Connor Donevan, Christopher Intagliata and Juana Summers, National Public Radio
About the hosts: Scott Rada is social media manager 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, Wis.
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
37 min
June 21, 2023 How can we rekindle the spirit of patriotism in America?
Episode 95: As we prepare to celebrate our nation’s 245th birthday, many Americans seem to have a distorted view of what it means to be patriotic or don’t consider themselves to be patriotic at all.
When asked, many people — of all political persuasions — say we’re doing so many things wrong in this country, we don’t have a reason to celebrate.
Hosts Richard Kyte and Scott Rada talk about why patriotism is important and what steps we can take to bring back this important virtue.
Links to stories discussed during the podcast:
Our divided nation puts patriotism in peril, by Richard Kyte
The necessity of patriotism (even in times like these), by David Brooks, The New York Times
How Americans view the American flag, and other symbolic flags, in 2022, Linley Sanders, YouGov
About the hosts: Scott Rada is social media manager 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, Wis.
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
45 min
June 14, 2023 How can we make DEI trainings more effective?
Episode 94: Diversity, equity and inclusion efforts have exploded on the scene in the past few years.
After the 2020 killing of George Floyd at the hands of Minneapolis police officers, many companies and organizations decided it was time — perhaps past time — to confront racism and inequality head on.
This led to the creation of an entire industry, which critics have called the DEI Industrial Complex.
A recent article in The Atlantic by Conor Friedersdorf titled “The DEI industry needs to check its privilege,” examines the time and expense many organizations have devoted to this topic, which some say are at best useless and at worst counterproductive.
Host Richard Kyte and Scott Rada discuss the opportunities and pitfalls with DEI training in public and private workplaces.
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
40 min
June 07, 2023 What can reduce our risk of developing dementia?
Episode 93: Someone in the world develops dementia every 3 seconds. There are over 55 million people worldwide living with dementia in 2020. This number will almost double every 20 years, reaching 78 million in 2030 and 139 million in 2050.
These statistics from Alzheimer’s Disease International are sobering, but few of us think much about how we can reduce our risk. A recent study shows that being socially active in mid to late life can cut the risk of dementia by as much as 30 to 50 percent.
Hosts Richard Kyte and Scott Rada discuss what can be done with public policy and in our own lives to attempt to thwart this costly disease.
Richard Kyte: Social connections could be key to defying dementia
About the hosts: Scott Rada is social media manager 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, Wis.
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
43 min
May 31, 2023 How big of a role should diversity play in casting choices?
Episode 92: The performers we see on stage, in film and on television are much more diverse than they were just a few decades ago. But this welcome change doesn’t mean there aren’t still many questions about casting choices.
Hosts Richard Kyte and Scott Rada discuss the ethics behind casting choices and whether color-blind casting makes sense when staging a performance.
Links to stories discussed during the podcast:
Our theater is fighting about diversity. Who is right?, by Kwame Anthony Appiah, The New York Times Magazine
Is color-blind casting In Regency-Era romances really progressive? Or just delusional?, by Nylah Burton, Refinery29
Suranne Jones shares her verdict on straight actors playing gay characters, by Tom Murray, The Independent
About the hosts: Scott Rada is social media manager 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, Wis.
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
43 min
May 24, 2023 Does the pervasiveness of cellphones make our lives better?
Episode 91: Nearly everyone, it seems, has a smartphone with them at all times.
It’s hard to overstate how truly incredible it is that we can carry around nearly all of the world’s knowledge in our pockets, but we shouldn’t be surprised that such devices can lead to distraction and sometimes addiction.
Hosts Richard Kyte and Scott Rada discuss whether our lives are actually better today because of the invention and pervasiveness of smartphones?
Links to stories discussed during the podcast:
Cellphones are creating a generation of disengaged youth, by Richard Kyte
Surgeon general warns against social media use for children, calls for 'immediate action to protect kids now', by Barbara Ortutay, The Associated Press
Garth Brooks has a no-phone policy at his new Vegas show, by Scripps News
Young Dillon Reeves stepped in to save the day when his school bus driver became incapacitated following a medical emergency, Steve Hartman, CBS News
About the hosts: Scott Rada is social media manager 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, Wis.
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
40 min
May 17, 2023 Why have our lawns turned into latest culture war fight?
Episode 90: If you aren’t sure that nearly everything has become political, let’s talk for a moment about our yards. It used to be that some homeowners paid great attention to having a perfectly manicured lawn, while others took a much more casual approach.
But — pardon the pun — a growing trend across many cities is No Mow May, an initiative that encourages people to leave their lawns untouched so pollinators and other small critters can flourish. And those homeowners who have perfectly green and weed-free lawns now get the side-eye from many people who are worried about the environmental impact of perfectly manicured grass.
Host Richard Kyte and Scott Rada discuss whether this new trend is helpful or simply another thing to pull people apart.
Links to stories discussed during the podcast:
Lawn wars consume America's neighborhoods, by Jennifer A. Kingson, Axios
Gas-powered lawn care meets sharp blade of state, local laws, Ramsey Touchberry, The Washington Times
What is the anti-lawn movement? Expert opinions and how you can join in with the change, Chiana Dickson, Home & Gardens
About the hosts: Scott Rada is social media manager 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, Wis.
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
45 min
May 10, 2023What goes into making a memorable family vacation?
Episode 89: It’s summertime, and for many families, that means it’s time to plan a vacation. But there are two important variables — where to go and how much to spend.
From budget roadtrips across Montana to costly trips to Walt Disney World, Richard Kyte and Scott Rada discuss why some getaways are worth the money. They also share some of their all-time favorite destinations.
Links to stories discussed during the podcast:
Family vacations can help build generational virtue, by Richard Kyte
21 best family vacations in the USA, by Nicola Wood, U.S. News and World Report
Down the Rabbit Hole: 18% of Disney Goers Have Racked Up Debt, But Most Have No Regrets, by Maggie Davis, Lending Tree
Parents choose vacations over saving for kid's college, by Elaheh Zozari, LearnVest
Frazee Turkey Days event page
About the hosts: Scott Rada is social media manager 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, Wis.
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
42 min
May 03, 2023 Does our criminal justice system do enough to make us safe?
Episode 88: A recent column by Charles Fain Lehman says our criminal justice system should do more to make us safe. He says we should increase spending for more police officers, a more efficient court system and better prisons would make us safer.
Hosts Richard Kyte and Scott Rada discuss which tactics prevent crimes from happening in the first place and whether the punishments we use properly deter criminals.
Links to stories discussed during the podcast:
Controversy in California: Should Crime be Punished, by Josh Barro
Stalled justice: Yearslong delays in Cook County murder cases break rules, gouge taxpayers, Chicago Tribune
Mayor Muriel Bowser budget proposal calls for repurposing camera ticket money, new task force to look at equity in fines, by Jordan Pascale, WAMU
What broken windows theory can teach us now, Henry Grabar, Slate
About the hosts: Scott Rada is social media manager 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, Wis.
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
40 min

About The Ethical Life

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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. Kyte is also the author of "Finding Your Third Place: Building Happier Communities (and Making Great Friends Along the Way)."