Life Examined

Finding meaning in an impermanent world

The novel coronavirus pandemic is a daily reminder of how quickly life can change. Theoretical physicist Brian Greene joins KCRW’s Jonathan Bastian  and discusses the meaning of impermanence and living in the here and now. Poet and essayist Jane Hirshfield explains why poets treasure pondering life’s abysses and how words and imagery disseminate the world around us. 

‘Death reveals the depths of our love.’ Rabbi Steve Leder on dying and grieving

KCRW’s Jonathan Bastian talks with Rabbi Steve Leder  the Senior Rabbi of Wilshire Boulevard Temple and author of the upcoming book “The Beauty of What Remains: How Our Greatest Fear Becomes Our Greatest Gift”

Indoor spaces; are they good for our health and creativity

Modern humans are an indoor species. In normal times, the majority of us spend nearly 90% of our time shuttling between our homes, schools, stores, restaurants, and gyms. Yet unlike the great outdoors, we know relatively little about the indoor world in which we live. Just how much is our productivity and well being influenced by our indoor space? Can a small space nurture the creative process?

Vaccines and the history behind their discovery

Infectious diseases have long shaped human history, from the 14th century Black Death and the 1918–19 influenza pandemic to today’s emergence of the COVID-19. As new vaccines are getting ready to be administered against this latest pandemic, what’s the long history behind their discovery? And why are they still hotly debated despite their many global public health successes in eradicating deadly diseases like smallpox and polio.

What’s driving the rise in atheism?

Many people yearn to feel connected to something larger than life. For some that’s a belief in God and religion, but that number is starting to dramatically decline. According to a 2019 Pew Research survey, a quarter of the US population today say they have no religious affiliation. Secularism has skyrocketed over the last three decades in America and added to that equation, there’s also an increase in self-described atheists, those who completely reject any form of supernatural deity. So why are Americans turning away from God and what does it mean to be an atheist in today’s America?

‘Manhood has never been more beleaguered or more challenged’ says author Nicole Krauss

KCRW’s Joanthan Bastian talks with author Nicole Krauss. Her latest collection of short stories is titled “To be a Man”

The myth and dark side of meritocracy

Most people say merit-based success is the result of hard work and dedication. Those who achieve success typically enjoy the rewards: a better income, praise and recognition. Less talked about is the role of luck — like a natural born talent or timing and class. How do we reckon with a meritocratic society that is actually heavily stacked against those who are less fortunate? And in today’s society, if you want to compete and win in the global economy you need to go to college, but is the mantra “education, education, education” misplaced? Does a college degree further divide Americans into winners and losers? 

What makes men, men?

Over the last 50 years, our notion of masculinity has been steadily changing. Feminism and the shift in gender roles has seen increasing parity between the sexes and culturally we’re embracing a diverse array of sexual identities. So how are these changes impacting our perceptions of what it means to be a man and can men unlearn the old models of sexism, patriarchy and aggression? And are men today actually much happier in more egalitarian relationships at work and more emotionally connected with family?

Building bridges across America’s political divide

Americans today are deeply divided politically and even with an election around the corner that’s unlikely to change anytime soon. So what’s the solution to bridging the gap? How do we learn to talk to each other even when we vehemently disagree? Is there any value to taking the time to understand why people think differently, hear differing perspectives and experiences rather than arguing opinions and debating facts? Is, as Abraham Lincoln famously said, the “best way to destroy an enemy to make him a friend” and to recognize that what divides us politically also can unite us. 

The rich history and promising future of psychedelic therapy

Psychedelics have been used for thousands of years but in a provocative new book “The Immortality Key” author Brian Muraresku explores their impact on early Western civilization. Were the ancient Greeks, Romans and early Chrisitians influenced in their religious practices by psychedelics? Psilocybin, known by many as magic mushrooms, is being used to treat an array of mental disorders, from anxiety and depression to addiction and end of life issues with profound effects for patients. Today, the medical community is once again embracing research into the therapeutic benefits of hallucinogens.