22 December 2024
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MeaningofLife.tv videos
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May 14, 2019 — Aryeh Cohen-Wade & Leah Finnegan
How Leah realized that she should not “be herself”
The mental health benefits of getting a dog
Leah: We must bring back Kierkegaardian irony
Leah on the scourge of “urgent earnestness”
Is it ethical to not read the news?
Leah’s reflections on being “a year Twitter sober”
Lessons from the great “horseface” controversy of 2018
TAGS
Donald Trump
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happiness
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mental health
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philosophy
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sadness
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self
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technology
Oct 23, 2018 — Aryeh Cohen-Wade & Max Read
Viewing the Trump-Kanye meeting through the lens of mental illness
The shared traits that make Trump and Kanye irresistible to the media
How online news and social media created the “attention economy”
Did reality TV remake reality?
Jake and Logan Paul: brothers, YouTube superstars, and possible sociopaths
How social media helps people with mental illness
TAGS
culture
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Donald Trump
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mental health
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technology
Oct 10, 2018 — Aryeh Cohen-Wade & Lauren Oyler
What is it about social media that’s so depressing?
Twitter, the unpopular website that elites love
Is what happens on social media real or fake?
Is @laurenoyler the same as Lauren Oyler?
How everything in life became “toxic”
Do all online communities eventually become toxic?
The moral challenge of social media
TAGS
Donald Trump
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moral imagination
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technology
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tribalism
Dec 26, 2017 — Robert Wright & Paul Bloom
Is “dehumanization” really the root of cruelty?
How love deludes us
Paul: Empathy makes us morally stupid
The weird psychology of the Trump era
What people get wrong about Harvey Weinstein and dehumanization
When is objectification morally acceptable?
Keeping our worst selves in check
Getting pleasure out of your own pain
TAGS
Donald Trump
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empathy
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ethics
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human nature
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psychology
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violence
Sep 8, 2017 — Josh Summers & Stephen Asma
Stephen’s new book,
The Evolution of Imagination
Are dreams like “proto-consciousness”?
The mind as an extension of the body
Where Stephen thinks “effective altruism” falls short
How to improve your imagination
Trump as a bad improviser
Bringing imagination to a meditation practice
TAGS
altruism
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cognitive science
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consciousness
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Donald Trump
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dreaming
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empathy
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ethics
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evolution
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meditation
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philosophy
Jul 26, 2017 — Robert Wright & Daniel Ingram
Daniel: Aim for enlightenment (even if you’ll never reach it)
Levels of Buddhist awakening
Daniel assesses Bob’s level of spiritual attainment
Trump as an affront to Buddhism
The awakened sociopath
Daniel’s enlightened view of Trumpism
How to leverage anger wisely
TAGS
anger
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Buddhism
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Donald Trump
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enlightenment
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ethics
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human nature
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meditation
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mindfulness
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spirituality
May 22, 2017 — Robert Wright & Jay Van Bavel
The partisanship that bolsters Trump
Jay’s favorite experiments on the psychology of tribalism
Is the anti-Trump movement its own worst enemy?
What’s going on in Trump’s brain?
How a sports fan’s brain warps reality
Is there hope for overcoming our tribal psychology?
Want a retweet? Stoke moral outrage.
TAGS
cognitive science
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democracy
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Donald Trump
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moral imagination
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psychology
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science
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tribalism
Feb 20, 2017 — Robert Wright & Mark Van Steenwyk
Meet Mark Van Steenwyk, Christian Anarchist
Mark’s mystical experience at a Bible camp
The time Mark was diagnosed with demonic possession
Forms of Christian activism
Trump makes anarchism more appealing
Mystical dimensions of political activism
Getting the attention of Christians via civil disobedience
TAGS
Christianity
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Donald Trump
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mysticism
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religion
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spirituality
Jan 13, 2017 — Robert Wright & Mark Juergensmeyer
How Mark got his start studying under Reinhold Niebuhr
Using religion to justify violence
The appeal of ISIS’s apocalyptic vision
What Obama got right—and wrong—in his response to terrorism
Will Trump’s war on terrorism lead to another 9/11?
What would Reinhold Niebuhr say about religion and violence today?
Reinhold Niebuhr’s Christian realism
TAGS
Christianity
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Donald Trump
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foreign policy
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fundamentalism
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Islam
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politics
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psychology
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religion
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terrorism
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violence
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war
Dec 2, 2016 — Robert Wright & Jay Michaelson
Jay’s anti-Trump appeals
How the election unleashed hate
When “love your enemy” just won’t work
Is empathy a limited resource?
Jay’s spiritual toolkit for coping with a Trump presidency
Trump, the anti-Buddha
Can mindfulness help save the world?
TAGS
anger
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Buddhism
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Christianity
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compassion
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democracy
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Donald Trump
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empathy
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ethics
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happiness
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human nature
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identity
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Islam
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Judaism
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love
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meditation
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mental health
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mindfulness
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moral imagination
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politics
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psychology
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religion
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sadness
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spirituality
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tribalism
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Zen
Nov 14, 2016 — Robert Wright & Daniel Kaufman
Announcing a series of “sixty-second sermons”
Tribalism and Trump’s success
Apocalypse now?
Dan vs. Bob on whether a global community is possible
The moral dimensions of the election
The backlash against political correctness
What it feels like to be an outsider
A closer look at MeaningofLife.tv’s “sermons” and other local news
TAGS
democracy
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Donald Trump
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economics
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empathy
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ethics
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human nature
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identity
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moral imagination
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nationalism
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perception
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psychology
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tribalism
Nov 6, 2016 — Robert Wright & Arlie Hochschild
Arlie’s new book
Strangers in Their Own Land
The red state paradox
The psychology of Tea Party discontent
Does identity politics breed identity politics?
Justifying Trump’s bad behavior
Racial attitudes in rural white communities
The blue state paradox
TAGS
anger
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climate change
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democracy
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Donald Trump
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economics
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empathy
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human nature
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identity
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perception
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politics
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psychology
Nov 1, 2016 — Robert Wright & Glenn Loury
Why Trumpism isn’t surprising
Trump’s vulgarity as a feature, not a bug
Glenn: “America first” puts humanity last
The emptiness of attacks on Trump
How liberal elites give power to Trump’s dog whistles
Does America need an anti-tribalism movement?
TAGS
Donald Trump
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moral imagination
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politics
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psychology
Oct 31, 2016 — Robert Wright & Pamela Cooper-White
Bob and Pam team up to analyze the mind of Trump
Inside the mind of a narcissist
Narcissists are made not born
Psychoanalyzing Trumpism
A moment of compassion for Trump
TAGS
Christianity
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Donald Trump
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history
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mental health
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moral imagination
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nationalism
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politics
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psychology
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religion
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tribalism
Oct 25, 2016 — Philip Menchaca & Benjamin Zeller
The link between “new religious movements” and violence
The suicidal cult Heaven’s Gate
Suicide as a religious act
Why Heaven’s Gate matters
The thin line between Heaven’s Gate and mainstream religions
Donald Trump, American messiah?
TAGS
Buddhism
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Christianity
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death
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Donald Trump
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economics
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psychology
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religion
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science
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spirituality
Sep 29, 2016 — Robert Wright & Roger Petersen
Roger’s work on emotions that drive ethnic conflict
Perceived threats that unite Trump supporters
The new identity of the white working class
The “basket of deplorables” and the politics of indignation
How Middle American and liberal elites see each other
Are the perils of our time exaggerated?
TAGS
Donald Trump
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economics
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empathy
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fear
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human nature
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identity
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Islam
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moral imagination
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nationalism
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politics
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psychology
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tribalism
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violence
Jul 27, 2016 — Oliver Burkeman & Susan Piver
When rage intrudes on meditation
The internal logic of bad acts
Susan explains the uses of lovingkindness meditation
Resisting the temptation to take pleasure in anger
Seeing terrorists as humans
Susan: don’t flee from bad feelings
TAGS
anger
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Buddhism
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compassion
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Donald Trump
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empathy
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evil
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fear
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happiness
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love
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meditation
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mindfulness
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moral imagination
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psychology
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tribalism
Jul 13, 2016 — Robert Wright & Cristina Bicchieri
What is a social norm?
Why do norms like genital mutilation exist?
Ways to change norms (and ways to fail)
Change we have seen: smoking, gay marriage, bullying
Fear disrupts norms and helps people like Trump
The internet as a tool against “pluralistic ignorance”
Why the political establishment is in trouble
TAGS
crime
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Donald Trump
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economics
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game theory
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nationalism
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politics
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psychology
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violence
Jul 5, 2016 — Robert Wright & Steven Nadler
What made Spinoza a heretic?
Why Spinoza matters today
Perspectives on the purpose, if any, of nature
Religion: a source of morality, meaning, and fear
Spinoza’s mysticism—or lack thereof
Parallels between Spinozan and Buddhist thought
TAGS
ancient philosophy
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atheism
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Buddhism
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Christianity
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Donald Trump
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enlightenment
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ethics
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evolution
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Judaism
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meditation
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mysticism
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philosophy
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politics
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religion
Jun 21, 2016 — Robert Wright & Virginia Heffernan
Virginia’s new book,
Magic and Loss: The Internet as Art
The seductive realism of our online lives
The angry poetry of Twitter
Lamenting the loss of analog communication
Why Virginia was proclaimed #WorseThanISIS on Twitter
TAGS
Donald Trump
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New Atheists
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philosophy
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religion
May 25, 2016 — Robert Wright & Dacher Keltner
Dacher’s new book
The Power Paradox
How being nice can make you powerful
Gossip and other ways to keep leaders in check
How getting power can make you mean
The bully politics of Donald Trump
Stories the rich tell themselves
TAGS
Donald Trump
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politics
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power
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psychology
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science
Mar 21, 2016 — Robert Wright & Sarah Posner
Why do people believe in Donald Trump?
Tapping into fear and resentment
What’s the appeal of vulgar rhetoric?
Us vs. Them
The “Trumpvangelical”
Donald Trump at AIPAC
TAGS
Christianity
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Donald Trump
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economics
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foreign policy
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moral imagination
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politics
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tribalism
Mar 8, 2016 — Robert Wright & Susan Gelman
The psychology of essentialism
Is your dog an essentialist?
The essence of good, evil, and Donald Trump
Why we value some objects more than others
Religion and essentialism
Do we perceive reality accurately?
TAGS
ancient philosophy
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Donald Trump
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family
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philosophy
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psychology
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religion
Feb 11, 2016 — Robert Wright & Sarah Posner
The fractured evangelical vote
State of the evangelical mind (with a cameo by Sarah’s dog Karma)
The trajectory of Sarah’s relationship with Judaism
Journalistic work as a source of pleasure and meaning
Mourning without the consolation of an afterlife
Hillary’s brand of liberal Christianity
TAGS
Christianity
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death
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Donald Trump
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Islam
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Judaism
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media
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politics
Feb 4, 2016 — Robert Wright & Heather Hurlburt
Finding meaning in Washington D.C.
Heather’s spiritual life
Ways Episcopalians think about God
Tempting things public servants should avoid
The importance of being hokey
“There is no having it all”
TAGS
Christianity
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Donald Trump
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family
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Judaism
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Paul Tillich
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politics
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religion
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spirituality
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tribalism
Dec 28, 2015 — Robert Wright & Murtaza Hussain
The new normal for American Muslims
Why Muslim women bear the brunt of Islamophobia
Murtaza calls
The Atlantic
‘s big ISIS piece “shallow nonsense”
How Saudi Arabia fueled a “bad reformation” of Islam
A “Muslim loser with a gun” can hurt millions
What being a Muslim means to Murtaza
TAGS
Donald Trump
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Islam
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politics
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religion
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terrorism
Dec 15, 2015 — Robert Wright & Francis Fukuyama
Revisiting Frank’s “End of History” thesis
Trump, China, and the threat of illiberal democracy
Frank: The singularity is an “idiotic” idea
Should we fear homemade eugenics?
Why Americans need to improve their moral imaginations
Does religion unite more than it divides?
TAGS
Barack Obama
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democracy
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Donald Trump
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foreign policy
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history
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politics
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religion
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science
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technology
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terrorism
|
the future
Nov 23, 2015 — Robert Wright & David Carr
How personal trauma inspired David’s book on trauma and the Bible
Ancient Israel’s transition from polytheism to “monolatry”
The Babylonian exile and the birth of Abrahamic monotheism
The link between trauma and God’s covenant with Israel
Why the crucifixion of Jesus shocked his followers
Why have Biblical texts survived?
TAGS
Christianity
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Donald Trump
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foreign policy
|
Islam
|
Judaism
|
monotheism
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