Thomas J Bevan is an author and essayist. He pens The Commonplace newsletter which includes workshops on writing, movie reviews, and essays on life. We talk about:  Starting a commonplace Striking a balance between the physical and digital Not defining growth with metrics The Soaring 20s Social Club And MUCH more!  Follow Thomas on Twitter at https://twitter.com/thomasjb3van and subscribe to his newsletter at https://thomasjbevan.substack.com/ 

Thomas J Bevan — Avoiding the Middle Ground (EP.84)

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Professor, Mathematician and Writer John A. Paulos joins the show to discuss math education, the power of puzzles, cognitive biases, and MUCH more! Important Links:  John’s Website John’s Twitter  Show Notes:  Why Do People Hate Math? The Power of Posing Problems with Counterintuitive or Shocking Results Using Everyday Examples to Understand Math Concepts Systems Designed to Take Advantage of Innumeracy People’s Ignorance of Randomness and Random Samples The Strange Power of Anchoring Bias Tradeoffs between Probability and Plausibility The Prisoner’s Dilemma & Math Anxiety Improving the Monty Hall Problem Designing an Ideal Intro Math Course The Big Brother Aspect of Nudging John as Emperor of the World MORE!  Books Mentioned:  Innumeracy - Mathematical Illiteracy and Its Consequences; by J.A. Paulos A Mathematician Plays the Stock Market; by J.A. Paulos A Mathematician Reads the Newspaper; by J.A. Paulos Statistics; by D.A. Freedman, R. Pisani, and R.A. Purves Thinking Fast and Slow; by Daniel Kahneman  

John A. Paulos — Avoiding Innumeracy (EP. 219)

Chris Wilcha is an award-winning documentary filmmaker and commercial director. His latest film, Flipside, which is co-executive produced by Jim and presented in association with Infinite Films (among others), opens in select US theaters tomorrow (May 31st, 2024). An ode to creative failure, abandoned projects, and rekindled passion, Flipside premiered at the 2023 Toronto International Film Festival to  rave  reviews. Here’s the full description: “When filmmaker Chris Wilcha revisits the record store he worked at as a teenager in New Jersey, he finds the once-thriving bastion of music and weirdness from his youth slowly falling apart and out of touch with the times. FLIPSIDE documents his tragicomic attempt to revive the store while revisiting other documentary projects he has abandoned over the years. In the process, Wilcha captures This American Life icon Ira Glass in the midst of a creative rebirth, discovers the origin story of David Bowie’s ode to a local New Jersey cable television hero, and uncovers the unlikely connection between jazz photographer Herman Leonard and TV writer David Milch. This disparate collection of stories coheres into something strange and expansive—a moving meditation on music, work, and the sacrifices and satisfaction of trying to live a creative life.” Important Links:  Flipside; a film by Chris Wilcha 32 Sounds; a film by Sam Green  Show Notes:  An Ode to Abandoned Projects How Flipside Got Made When Filmmaking Gets Personal Taking the Big Swings Bringing the Film to Life in the Editing Room "Life can only be understood backwards, but we must live it forwards” Meeting Uncle Floyd Working With Judd Apatow & the Coen Brothers; Balancing Art & Commerce Stylistic Choices & Following Your Obsession How Jim Got Into Music The Changing Landscape of Documentary Filmmaking How the Creative Industries Compare to Wall Street Chris’ Favourite Unmade Documentaries Chris as Emperor of the World MORE! 

Chris Wilcha — Flipside (EP.218)

“PHETASY IS a movement disguised as a company. We just want to make you laugh while the world burns.” Bridget Phetasy is an entrepreneur, writer, podcast host, political commentator, burgeoning media mogul, and standup comedian. Over the past few years, her media company - Phetasy - has become an outlet for 100s of hours of social commentary filtered through her sharp and spiky worldview. She joins the show to discuss the comedic temperature in America today; the role of comedy in contemporary society; humour as a weapon; and MUCH more! Important Links:   Bridget’s Twitter The ‘Beyond Parody with Bridget Phetasy’ newsletter Bridget’s Youtube channel Bridget’s website  Show Notes:  Comedy as Dissidence Post-Trump Comedy America’s Comedic Temperature A Tipping Point For Comedy Does The Rubber Band Snap Back? The Atomization of Culture The Coddling of the American Mind Fighting Political Peer Pressure The Anti-fragility of Normie-ville “Capitalism Always Wins” The Pendulum Swings The Cyclical Nature of Moral Panic Luxury Beliefs Humor as a Weapon The Societal Utility of Comedy MORE!  Books Mentioned:   Trickster Makes This World: Mischief, Myth, and Art; by Lewis Hyde  Mediated: How the Media Shapes Your World and the Way You Live in It; by Thomas de Zengotita  Bowling Alone: The Collapse and Revival of American Community; By Robert D. Putnam  

Bridget Phetasy — Comedy is Dead, Long Live Comedy (EP.217)

  Porter Braswell is the Founder and CEO of 2045 Studio, an exclusive network for accomplished professionals of color. Porter is also the Co-founder and Executive Chairman of the career advancement platform Jopwell, the host of the Harvard Business Review podcast Race at Work, and the author of two books, including 2019’s Let Them See You. Porter joins the show to discuss how 2045 Studio is harnessing community to empower professionals of color to succeed, how to establish trust within a community, what he learned from Magic Johnson’s mentorship, and MUCH more! Important Links:  2045 Studio Porter’s LinkedIn Porter’s Twitter Porter’s Instagram Race at Work podcast  O'Shaughnessy Ventures Invests in 2045 Studio  Show Notes:  The Significance of 2045 Bridging the Inclusion Gap Networks, Community & the Clubhouse The Opportunity To Be in the Majority Building the Right Kind of Partnerships The Importance of Human Capital Socratic Problem-Solving How to Establish Trust Within a Community The 2045 Approach to Networking Councils & Relationship-Building Surprising Lessons From Foundership Leveraging the Community Magic Johnson’s Mentorship & the Advantages of the Athletic Mentality Why Porter Writes “Wouldn't it be so cool if I could always feel like I belong?” 2045’s Long-Term Vision Porter as Emperor of the World MORE!  Books Mentioned:  Let Them See You: The Guide for Leveraging Your Diversity at Work; by Porter Braswell  Yes, You Can: The Secrets Revealed for How to Get into and Succeed at America's Top Universities and Colleges; by Porter Braswell The Intelligent Investor; by Benjamin Graham 

Porter Braswell — Building the Future of Leadership (EP.216)

Grant Mitchell is a seasoned entrepreneur, operator, and investor in the areas of health, technology, and machine learning. He is currently the co-founder and CEO of Every Cure, where he uses AI to research rare diseases and conduct drug repurposing. Grant joins the show to discuss the use of AI in rare drug research, the role of translational scientists, neglected knowledge, and MUCH MORE! Important Links:  Every Cure Website Dr. Grant’s Twitter Dr. Grant’s LinkedIn  Show Notes:  The Organizational Problem in Pharma The Power of Biomedical Knowledge Graphs The Traditional Pharma Approach to Drug R&D; Risks in the World of AI-driven Drug Discovery The Limits of AI for Medical Use Biology’s ‘Ignorome’ The Role of Translators Every Cure’s Typical Supporters Neglected Latent Knowledge Grant as Emperor of the World MORE!  Books/Essays Mentioned:   The AI Revolution; by Tim Urban (Wait But Why) Ikigai - The Japanese Secret to a Long and Happy Life; by Héctor García & Francesc Miralles  

Thomas J Bevan — Avoiding the Middle Ground (EP.84)

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