Every person has the capacity, experience and perspective to create good art. Those who pursue art often feel that they must create, and the art comes from somewhere beyond themselves. In this episode, Dr. Bjorn Mercer talks to author and APU professor, Dr. Jackie Fowler, about being compelled to write, how it brings happiness along with frustration. Also learn how she teaches writing, the difference between critique and criticism, her creative process, and the importance of artists and their work evolving over time.

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Religion doesn’t often cause war, but it tends to emerge as a divisive tool used to identify differences between warring parties in support of the conflict. War is a universal human problem, and it may be surprising that Buddhist societies are no exception and have a long history of war, says religious scholar Dr. Christina Kilby. In this episode, APU’s Dr. Bjorn Mercer talks to her about her work and research understanding the Buddhism approach to war and what non-Buddhists can learn about the conduct of war and governance. Learn how Buddhists apply the concept of equanimity even in wartime—the idea of non-discrimination, that all humans are equal and deserve dignity. Also learn about the gift of fearlessness, that a government’s rulers must be able to offer security to its people and protect civilians.

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Why is strength still associated with masculinity? In this episode, APU’s Dr. Bjorn Mercer talks to professor Dr. Larry D. Parker, Jr. about his 24-year career in the Marine Corps and the connection between strength and masculinity. Learn how cultural changes are changing the perception that strength, power, and strength are masculine traits and why it’s so important to emphasize that masculinity and maleness are two different things.

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Where does your news come from? Who’s reporting it and what are their biases? Applying critical thought to media is imperative in today’s world, says APU communication professor Haytham Al-Rabeah. In this episode, he talks to Dr. Bjorn Mercer about why everyone must improve their media literacy, how to identify and address blind spots, and how algorithms essentially create echo chambers that limits and tailors information that people receive. Learn how to balance your media sources while also using the power of the internet to find new communities and groups that can aid in your own personal development and self-discovery.

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Are there truly any absolute and universal morals? In this episode, Dr. Bjorn Mercer talks to philosophy professor James Lendvay about moral relativism, the view that what people consider to be right and wrong depends on their own perspective or their cultural influences. If people just believe what they want to believe, how does that contribute to today’s divisive social environment? Can progress be made to find common ground?

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The goals, ideals, and principles of Batman changes during the different cinematic depictions of the character. What do these movies tell us about our own moral compass and how ethics and justice have changed over time? In this episode, Dr. Bjorn Mercer talks to APU philosophy professor Trey Jackson about how Batman's conflict with villains represents real-life philosophical conflicts about the pursuit of justice. What lessons does Batman teach us about apathy, corruption, anonymity, and how to bring about moral change?

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Writing a fantasy book series requires the author to spend endless hours developing the world in which unique and complex characters live and interact with one another. In this episode, Dr. Bjorn Mercer talks to APU professor and author Dr. Jennifer Fisch-Ferguson, who has published 10 books, about her writing process and tips for aspiring writers. Learn about her brainstorming process and where she finds sources of inspiration for her themes, characters, and urban fantasy settings. Also learn why she writes multiple stories at once, why she uses character sheets to help track her characters’ interactions, and all the research involved in ensuring these magical worlds are complete and engrossing for the reader.

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Before 2020, many leaders thought working from home wasn’t a feasible business model, but the COVID-19 pandemic proved otherwise. In this episode, Dr. Bjorn Mercer talks to Dr. Marie Gould Harper, Dean of APU’s School of Business, about how leaders and employees responded to this forced change. Learn why managers were often the ones resisting the most, how working from home highlighted a generational divide, and why success depends on everyone knowing their own strengths and weaknesses as a remote employee.

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The transition from one level of leadership to the next can bring a lot of uncertainty and insecurities. In this episode, APU’s Dr. Bjorn Mercer talks to Alexa Chilcutt about her experience teaching executive leadership education at Johns Hopkins Carey Business School. Learn about three basic communication competencies for executive leaders to help them convey their authentic selves that inspire those they manage and oversee.

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Political and social issues have seemingly created a polarizing divide among people who adamantly profess their beliefs and often adamantly protest against anyone who disagrees. But are our divisions really so wide? In this episode, Dr. Bjorn Mercer talks to APU philosophy professor Steven Schultz about the fact that people rarely examine why they believe what they believe. Learn the difference between having an informed position versus a personal opinion and why it’s so important for people to assess their own biases and worldviews so they can critically examine the evidence and reasoning behind their beliefs. Also learn how to find common ground with people who have different beliefs in order to have a constructive, intellectually honest, and open conversation. 

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