How to Be a Better Human

“We have tried to create a system devoid of beauty, and it has failed. We have never tried to create a system that is replete with beauty and ask us what it might do.” Reginald Dwayne Betts is a poet, a lawyer, and a prison reform advocate. In this episode, he joins Chris to discuss the detrimental effects of prison systems and how lack of resources and the lack of beauty in prison perpetuates dehumanization. Reginald and Chris also share their favorite poems and books and discuss Reginald’s work with the Freedom Library to bring books to prisoners and correction officers.

Poems and Books Mentioned

From the Mixed-up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler by E.L. Konigsburg

Free Food for Millionaires by Min Jin Lee

won’t you celebrate with me by Lucille Clifton

Those Winter Sundays by Robert Hayden

Failing and Flying by Jack Gilbert

The Forgotten Dialect of the Heart by Jack Gilbert

A Gentleman in Moscow by Amor Towles

under a soprano sky by Sonia Sanchez

For Freckle-Faced Gerald by Etheridge Knight

Featured guest

Connect with the team

For the full text transcript, visit go.ted.com/BHTranscripts

Fill out our survey at bit.ly/BHSurvey6

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Keith Diaz is an exercise scientist who studies the importance of movement to combat a sedentary lifestyle. He joins Chris to talk about how you can build better habits, and why simple alarm alerts might be more effective in motivating people to move than savvier tech like smart watches. Keith also shares why you need to activate your muscles to help you fight diseases and stay healthy.

Featured guest

Connect with the team

For the full text transcript, visit go.ted.com/BHTranscripts

Fill out our survey at bit.ly/BHSurvey6

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

How do you bring up difficult topics—especially when it involves a loved one? In this episode, Emerson Whitney, author of the book O Mother, talks about the grief of losing his mom to suicide. Emerson shares delicate topics such as growing up neurodivergent with ADHD and autism and how he continues to show up as his authentic self. Then Emerson and Chris discuss finding community and how to cultivate more joyful friendships.

Featured guest

Connect with the team

For the full text transcript, visit go.ted.com/BHTranscripts

Fill out our survey at bit.ly/BHSurvey6

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Harlan Coben doesn’t think so. The mega-best-selling author talks suburbia, impostor syndrome, and what he learned from his college friend David Foster Wallace.

If you'd like to see the video version of Better in Person, you can watch it on YouTube orApple Podcasts.

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

For the full text transcript, visit go.ted.com/BHTranscripts

Fill out our survey at bit.ly/BHSurvey6

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Roleplaying games and the Marvel universe may be fictional, but they can also teach us a lot about morality in the real world. Christopher Robichaud is a Lecturer in Ethics and Public Policy at the Harvard Kennedy School of Government. In this episode, he shares ways we can explore important, everyday issues in fun, safe, and unexpected ways. Christopher has made a career out of teaching ethics and philosophy using pop culture, dissecting moral questions using anything from zombie apocalypse simulations to superhero narratives. He received his doctorate in philosophy from MIT. In 2015 he won the Innovation in Teaching Award at the Harvard Kennedy School for creating a day-long simulation--using design elements from old school tabletop roleplaying games like D&D--where policy students wielded their leadership skills and confronted ethical dilemmas to deal with a zombie pandemic.

For the full text transcript, visit go.ted.com/BHTranscripts

Fill out our survey at bit.ly/BHSurvey6

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hrishikesh Hirway is a musician and producer, but you probably know him best as the host of the podcast Song Exploder. Hrishikesh has a new album out, “In the Last Hour of Light,” and he shares with Chris his creative  process. Hrishikesh also talks about his definition of success and why he values the act of creating over the insecurity of whether his work is “good enough.” Finally, Hrishikesh shares his advice for how people can become more attuned to their creative side.

Featured guest

Connect with the team

For the full text transcript, visit go.ted.com/BHTranscripts

Fill out our survey at bit.ly/BHSurvey6

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

If you found yourself doodling or writing a lot as a child but then lost the hobby as you grew up, Wendy MacNaughton and Laurel Braitman want to help you recapture your spark. Wendy MacNaughton is an illustrator, the author of “How to Say Goodbye”, and the creator of Draw Together, an art and learning community. Laurel Braitman is a TED Fellow, the author of the memoir “What Looks Like Bravery”, and the founder of Writing Medicine, a community of writing healthcare professionals. Together, Wendy and Laurel created Attention Club, a group of people pursuing creativity by practicing focus with one another. In this episode, Wendy and Laurel join Chris for an in-person chat at the 2024 TED Conference where they discuss the feelings that arise when sharing art with an audience and why embracing mistakes can lead to more meaningful work.

For the full text transcript, visit go.ted.com/BHTranscripts

Fill out our survey at bit.ly/BHSurvey6

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

What is natural sound in an increasingly noisy world? asks sound recordist and audio engineer Matt Mikkelsen. Matt travels the world recording natural sounds in places where you can’t hear anything made by humans: no planes, no cars, no ringing phones. In this episode, Matt joins Chris to talk about the difference between quiet and silence. Matt shares his adventures and work with Quiet Parks International and even shares a story about the time he was struck by lightning. They also talk about the importance of choosing our acoustic environment and why it’s important to unplug and sit still in nature.

Featured guest

Connect with the team

For the full text transcript, visit go.ted.com/BHTranscripts

Fill out our survey at bit.ly/BHSurvey6

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

If you ask Christian Cooper, a science writer, editor, and the host of the show “Extraordinary Birder With Christian Cooper”, birding can teach us all kinds of lessons about life, self-acceptance, and joy. In this episode, Christian shares what he deems as the seven pleasures of birding, why inclusion is especially important in life-affirming pursuits, and how anyone (city-dwellers and countryside-residents alike) can commune with nature to unlock the awe and wonder of the world around us.

For the full text transcript, visit go.ted.com/BHTranscripts

Fill out our survey at bit.ly/BHSurvey6

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The conversation around climate change is often bleak and terrifying, but it doesn’t have to be that way, says climate behavior scientist Jiaying Zhao, or JZ. In this episode, JZ and happiness researcher Elizabeth Dunn join Chris to discuss why we need to account for happiness in climate solutions. JZ and Elizabeth argue since happiness is contagious, making happiness-driven decisions go further in influencing behavioral change than fear-based tactics. They also talk about an anesthetic gas that releases more carbon than CO2 and why you should google if your bank is investing money in fossil fuels.

Featured guest

Connect with the team

For the full text transcript, visit go.ted.com/BHTranscripts

Fill out our survey at bit.ly/BHSurvey6

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Let’s face it: if chores were fun, they probably wouldn’t be called that. Because for most people, life can be overwhelming – and that means it doesn’t always look like a cleaning commercial where everyone is dancing their way to do laundry, take out trash, or smiling while washing the dishes. KC Davis is a therapist, author, podcaster, and TikToker who knows that caring for yourself can be a struggle. In this episode, she shares how radically rethinking “care” tasks –like not seeing a lack of cleanliness as shameful, or viewing messiness as a moral failure– can improve our quality of life. She also shares small strategies that could help us take better care of ourselves, because we deserve it.

For the full text transcript, visit go.ted.com/BHTranscripts

Fill out our survey at bit.ly/BHSurvey6

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

What can we learn from trees? Robert Moor thinks that the path to a well-lived life lies in trying our best to live like a tree. Branch out, prune what doesn’t work, and make use of the spots where we’ve been injured or broken. Robert talks to Chris about his decade-long project to write a book about the wisdom of trees, which took him from a thousand year old bonsai in Tokyo to a tree-climbing teacher in England and living in the canopy of an old growth forest in Canada to try and prevent its logging. This is an adventurous, far-ranging episode about what it means to be a human and why the answer to that question might just lie in the top branches of the nearest tree.

Featured guest

Connect with the team

For the full text transcript, visit go.ted.com/BHTranscripts

Fill out our survey at bit.ly/BHSurvey6

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Maurine “Mighty Mo'' Kornfeld will soon turn 102 years old, and most days, you can catch her doing laps in a Los Angeles public swimming pool. And that’s not just because she regularly competes in – and wins – world swimming championships! It’s because she loves being in the water, despite only picking up swimming as a hobby well into her sixties. In this special episode, Maurine shares what she’s learned from doing something she loves almost every day, why it’s never too late to start something new, and the three things anyone can do to improve their life, no matter their age. For the full text transcript, visit go.ted.com/BHTranscripts

(This episode originally aired in 2023 when Mighty Mo was 102 years old. Mighty Mo is still swimming and will soon turn 106 years old in November!)

For the full text transcript, visit go.ted.com/BHTranscripts

Fill out our survey at bit.ly/BHSurvey6

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Perrin Ireland is an artist and environmentalist who draws science comics. She’s also the author of Poking the Squid: What We Can Learn from Animal Sex. In this episode, Perrin discusses why learning about the kinky sex lives of animals is a form of biodiversity! From topics such as animal caregiving to how language tends to ascribe sexual characteristics onto non-objects, Perrin shares why openly talking about animal sex isn’t scandalous, but allows for better understanding of animal and human social organization.

Factcheck Notes

1.Reported estimates of same-sex pairings and divorce rates in penguins vary across species and populations. Some studies have found values similar to those mentioned here, although these should not be treated as general estimates.

2.Rostrum-to-genital interactions in dolphins have been interpreted in multiple ways. In addition to possible sexual functions, studies suggest they may facilitate the inspection of chemical cues, allowing dolphins to gather information such as identity or reproductive status. Therefore, describing this behavior solely as a form of oral sex may oversimplify its potential functions.

3.Although it has been suggested that dolphins may obtain information by listening to the echoes produced by another dolphin’s echolocation, there is currently insufficient evidence that dolphins can intentionally transmit complex 3D images or engage in "holographic communication". This remains mostly a speculative hypothesis rather than an established scientific theory.

Featured guest

Connect with the team

For the full text transcript, visit go.ted.com/BHTranscripts

Fill out our survey at bit.ly/BHSurvey6

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

How to find and create Joy in your life -- what is joy? And what is its purpose in our lives? We talk with Ingrid about how to cultivate more joy in our daily lives, especially when we don't feel particularly in the headspace for joy, and about how our design choices can have a huge impact on the way we perceive joy in our environment. We also talk with her about her book Joyful and her TED talk.

(This episode originally aired in 2025.)

For the full text transcript, visit go.ted.com/BHTranscripts

Fill out our survey at bit.ly/BHSurvey6

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Journalist Keith Rushing has spent years trying to report on his most difficult story - the history of his own family. Who do we come from? What do we inherit from the past? How can understanding our ancestors make us better humans today? To find out the answers, Chris invites Keith to talk about his book Descended: Searching for my Gullah-Geechee Roots. They cover how everything from the history of slavery to the cultural significance of African connections to the Gullah-Geechee people. This is a conversation about how you can spark your own curiosity to start researching your own family history.

Featured guest

Connect with the team

For the full text transcript, visit go.ted.com/BHTranscripts

Fill out our survey at bit.ly/BHSurvey6

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Some people are born knowing exactly what they want to do with their life – and because of that, they’re able to get to the top of their field. But most of us have multiple passions and identities, making it difficult to visualize our own unique paths. So, how do we explore who we are and what we love to do in our careers and in our lives? This week, guest & TED Fellow Constance Hockaday helps us navigate and voice our deepest hopes and desires. She walks us through her perspective as an artist, what she’s learned from immersing herself into small and sometimes very isolated communities, and gives tips on how to find liberation by pursuing your passion.

(This episode originally aired in 2024.)

For the full text transcript, visit go.ted.com/BHTranscripts

Fill out our survey at bit.ly/BHSurvey6

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

“Social media and screen time aren’t the most important factor in teen mental health,” says development psychologist Candice Odgers. While this claim sounds counterintuitive, Candice shares why it’s so pervasive—scary stories sell. They always have. In this episode, Candice joins Chris to discuss social inequity and the five areas that would be more effective in helping improve teens mental health than banning social media.

Featured guest

Connect with the team

For the full text transcript, visit go.ted.com/BHTranscripts

Fill out our survey at bit.ly/BHSurvey6

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

How do you make sense of the present? Nate DiMeo might suggest you look at the past. Nate is the host of the podcast and book, The Memory Palace. Nate joins Chris to discuss how the past can teach us to live life in a new, rich, and complex way. Nate shares how to exercise the muscle of curiosity, how to tap into your sense of wonder to escape algorithmic filters, and urges you to seek moments of meaning in between life’s biggest plot points.

This is an episode of TED's How to Be a Better Human podcast. Listen on your favorite podcast app: https://tedtalks.social/4gmAZt3

For the full text transcript, visit https://go.ted.com/BHTranscripts

Audio excerpted courtesy of Penguin Random House Audio from THE MEMORY PALACE by Nate DiMeo; excerpt read by Nate DiMeo. © 2024 Nate DiMeo ℗ 2024 Penguin Random House, LLC. All rights reserved.

This episode originally aired in 2025.

For the full text transcript, visit go.ted.com/BHTranscripts

Fill out our survey at bit.ly/BHSurvey6

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Matt Abrahams is a communication expert who teaches strategic communication at Stanford University, hosts the podcast Think Fast Talk Smart, and wrote the new book Think Faster, Talk Smarter. In this episode, he joins Chris to share his insights on mastering communication on the spot. From breaking down the four-step format on how to give an excellent speech to identifying which peers would be most effective as your test audience, Matt’s tips demonstrate the clues you can use to help you communicate better and deliver messages worth remembering.

Featured guest

Connect with the team

For the full text transcript, visit go.ted.com/BHTranscripts

Fill out our survey at bit.ly/BHSurvey6

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Katina Bajaj is a scientist studying “creative health.” She looks at the role of play, fun, art, and creativity in our overall wellbeing. When was the last time you’ve gone on an “awe walk?” For Katina, carving out time where she’s not listening to music or podcasts on her walks but instead smelling the hydrangeas or allowing her mind to wander is a key way to destress. Katina joins Chris to talk about why adults are starved for creativity and why it’s important to push through the discomfort when trying something new for the first time.

Featured guest

Connect with the team

For the full text transcript, visit go.ted.com/BHTranscripts

Fill out our survey at bit.ly/BHSurvey6

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Why is it so fun to watch your team win in the World Cup or to be a Knicks fan as they finally get an NBA championship? There’s a collective joy in sports that can also be found in art, theater, and comedy. In this episode of How to Be a Better Human with Maxwell Pearce, Chris talks to him about his accomplishments as a mixed media artist and a Harlem Globetrotter. Maxwell integrates playfulness into his art and in sports—whether it’s using shoelaces as texture in his artwork or training his body to perform a basketball trick shot. Maxwell shares how play is the secret ingredient in his career and how changing the way he thinks about the rules and mistakes allows him to have more fun and more successes.

Find more ways you can make more room for play in your life with PLAY@TED. Learn more from conversations, ideas and moments at ted.com/play

Featured guest

Connect with the team

For the full text transcript, visit go.ted.com/BHTranscripts

Fill out our survey at bit.ly/BHSurvey6

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Heather Berlin is a a neuroscientist, clinical psychologist, and professor of psychiatry and neuroscience who studies the science of giving up control. She joins Chris to talk about finding the balance between knowing when to hold on to control and when to let go and be present in the moment. They also discuss why you don’t need to always be productive or in a constant state of self-optimization, and how there are benefits in learning to lose track of time and practicing boredom.

Featured guest

Connect with the team

For the full text transcript, visit go.ted.com/BHTranscripts

Fill out our survey at bit.ly/BHSurvey6

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

What do radio personality Ira Glass, New York City mayor Zohran Mamdani, and your host Chris Duffy have in common? They all have practiced an unexpected skill that makes them more human—improv comedy. And they learned it from master improv teacher Rick Andrews. Rick joins Chris to discuss the life lessons they learn from giving up control and practicing how to “yes an” in conversations. They also modeled improv games such as “Alibi,” “7 Things,” “Fortunately and Unfortunately,” and more, so you can sprinkle some improvisational silliness to build better communication and trust in your work and personal life.

Featured guest

Connect with the team

For the full text transcript, visit go.ted.com/BHTranscripts

Fill out our survey at bit.ly/BHSurvey6

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

How long have you been sitting today? If you’re still on the couch or the office chair, then this is your PSA to get up and move! In this episode, Manoush Zomorodi, host of NPR's TED Radio Hour, joins Chris to share the detrimental effects of sitting all day. They talk about the joy of adding more positive interruptions in your life, why going off-camera helps you improve your mind-body connection, and more!

Featured guest

Connect with the team

For the full text transcript, visit go.ted.com/BHTranscripts

Fill out our survey at bit.ly/BHSurvey6

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In today’s special featured episode of 10% Happier with Dan Harris, hear from Ranjay Gulati, a Harvard professor and author whose pioneering work focuses on unlocking organizational and individual potential—embracing courage, nurturing purpose-driven leaders, driving growth, and transforming businesses. Find out how you can decipher courage and recklessness, build moral anchors for your decision-making, and take action when you’re feeling stuck.

10% Happier with Dan Harris is a show about how to do life better, hosted by a former ABC News anchor turned bestselling author. Drawing on a mix of ancient Buddhism and modern science, this podcast covers self-compassion, relationships , productivity, and more. Find out how happiness is not an unalterable factory setting; it’s a skill. You can find more episodes of 10% Happier with Dan Harris wherever you get your podcasts.

For the full text transcript, visit go.ted.com/BHTranscripts

Fill out our survey at bit.ly/BHSurvey6

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

When you think about risk, you probably think about big, dramatic moves: quitting your job, moving across the country, saying something controversial. But the people who are actually good at taking risks are the ones who practice small challenges every day. Julie Zhuo was one of the earliest product and design leaders at Facebook, and is now the co-founder of Sundial, a company that uses AI to help organizations make better decisions. In this episode, Molly and Julie dissect what it actually means to take a risk and how you can build your risk-taking skills through daily practice. Julie reflects on her own risk-taking journey, the ways she has honed her abilities to challenge fear, her thinking on when you shouldn’t take a leap, and the important distinction between courage and fearlessness.

WorkLife is a podcast from TED where host and company builder Molly Graham and her expert guests talk through the messy feelings we all experience at work. Ambition and failure, joy and burnout, confidence and self-doubt — this show digs into it all to help you build a career without losing yourself. Listen now: https://link.mgln.ai/9sBEHV

For the full text transcript, visit go.ted.com/BHTranscripts

Fill out our survey at bit.ly/BHSurvey6

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

A-1. Killer-diller. Outta sight. All that and a bag of chips. This slaps! From the 1940s to the early 2020s, these words and phrases are all generational slang that means the same thing—“excellent.” In this episode, Chris speaks with linguist and content creator Adam Aleksic on how technology and algorithms are changing language. They also discuss which age-group is experimenting the most with language, how social media is transforming how the deaf community communicates, and whether going completely offline does more harm than good.

Featured guest

Connect with the team

For the full text transcript, visit go.ted.com/BHTranscripts

Fill out our survey at bit.ly/BHSurvey6

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

I was looking for certainty when there was no certainty to be found. If Simone’s words resonate with you, then this episode is for YOU. Simone Stolzoff is a journalist who writes about the uncertainty of life. In his conversation with Chris, he observes why people are becoming less tolerant of uncertainty, the harm caused when we take AI output as definitive answers, and what you can do to expand your capacity to hold uncertainty in your life.

Featured guest

Connect with the team

For the full text transcript, visit go.ted.com/BHTranscripts

Fill out our survey at bit.ly/BHSurvey6

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

It’s hard to not feel stress at the state of the world today, so how can you cope with stressors without letting them completely overwhelm you? Clinical psychologist Jenny Taitz spends most of her days helping clients navigate through their stress. She shares why she uses Dialectical Behavior Therapy, or DBT, in her therapy work, whether a cold plunge can help you snap out of your messy ruminations, and why doing a few tasks each day to practice for pleasure and mastery can help improve your mood.

Featured guest

Connect with the team

For the full text transcript, visit go.ted.com/BHTranscripts

Fill out our survey at bit.ly/BHSurvey6

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

What if your hardest emotional challenges could be solved by talking to a stranger? A person who has gone through the exact same situation or something very similar. That’s the premise of Proxy, a podcast that investigates your niche emotional conundrums with host Yowei Shaw. In this episode, Yowei and Chris talk about the power of knowing you’re not the only person going through something, however specific. Whether it’s losing your job, a friend breakup, or an alternate version of your life that you can’t let go of, Yowei has a method to make it all make more sense.

Featured guest

Connect with the team

For the full text transcript, visit go.ted.com/BHTranscripts

Fill out our survey at bit.ly/BHSurvey6

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Molly Graham has had a high-powered career at a ton of extremely successful companies—and now she’s joining TED as the new host of the podcast WorkLife with Molly Graham. So what does it take to have a great career? And how do you know what job you should take, which you should quit, and which you should try to change? Chris and Molly discuss career transitions, the benefits of taking a meandering path, and how to take more risks for a fulfilling life.

Featured guest

Connect with the team

For the full text transcript, visit go.ted.com/BHTranscripts

Fill out our survey at bit.ly/BHSurvey6

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Molly Graham has had a high-powered career at a ton of extremely successful companies—and now she’s joining TED as the new host of the podcast WorkLife with Molly Graham. So what does it take to have a great career? And how do you know what job you should take, which you should quit, and which you should try to change? Chris and Molly discuss career transitions, the benefits of taking a meandering path, and how to take more risks for a fulfilling life.

Featured guest

Connect with the team

For the full text transcript, visit go.ted.com/BHTranscripts

Fill out our survey at bit.ly/BHSurvey6

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Sex is a normal part of human life, but it can also get complicated–whether you’re having it or not! The way we approach, think, and engage with our sexuality varies widely our culture, community, identity, and more. But one thing we can all strive for is healthy and safe sex. Siphumeze Khundayi and Tiffany Mugo are two sex educators and the co-founders of HOLAAfrica (HOLAA!) a Pan-Africanist digital platform that focuses on creating spaces that deal with safe sex and pleasure. Today they share insights on the kinds of mental and emotional tools we can turn to in order to have great sex, why it’s ok to take small steps on your sexual journey, and why it’s important to take ownership of your pleasure.

(This episode originally aired in 2022)

For the full text transcript, visit go.ted.com/BHTranscripts

Fill out our survey at bit.ly/BHSurvey6

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Eric Zimmer has learned the hard way that the path to big life changes starts with small everyday behaviors. Whether it’s kicking an addiction, building a business, or writing a book, Eric starts with habits and a clear focus on what he wants to do. The host of the podcast “The One You Feed” and the author of the new book “How a Little Becomes a Lot,” Eric joins Chris to discuss his recovery journey and why he values consistency over perfection.

Featured guest

Connect with the team

For the full text transcript, visit go.ted.com/BHTranscripts

Fill out our survey at bit.ly/BHSurvey6

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Chris Duffy—comedian, writer, and host of the TED podcast How to Be a Better Human—joins to discuss how humor shaped his path from teaching and improv to podcasting and television. Together, they explore why laughing more isn’t about being funny, but about attention, vulnerability, and connection, and how humor helps us stay human.

For the full text transcript, visit go.ted.com/BHTranscripts

Fill out our survey at bit.ly/BHSurvey6

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

“Optimism is not what exists in a vacuum on your best day, but how you're pulling through for yourself on your worst days,” says actress Yara Shahidi. Yara is known for her sitcoms Black-ish and its spinoff Grown-ish. She shares what she learned from creating a “Hard Yes” list, why she chose to attend Harvard after acting, and why she thinks anyone can find their highest order if they pay attention.

Featured guest

Connect with the team

For the full text transcript, visit go.ted.com/BHTranscripts

Fill out our survey at bit.ly/BHSurvey6

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

“When was the last time you did something you didn’t do yesterday?” asks journalist and explorer Alex Hutchinson. Alex joins Chris to examine whether the desire to explore is baked into our genes, how he intentionally tries to get lost in his neighborhood, and what he learns from following his curiosity.

Featured guest

Connect with the team

For the full text transcript, visit go.ted.com/BHTranscripts

Fill out our survey at bit.ly/BHSurvey6

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

What is consciousness? Humans and animals have it, but do plants have sentience? These are the questions journalist Michael Pollan studies. Michael is the author of ten books on the relationship between food, consciousness, and psychedelics. Michael joins Chris to discuss why humans ruminate, how people should get comfortable with boredom, and whether we can really trust our own memories?

Featured guest

Connect with the team

For the full text transcript, visit go.ted.com/BHTranscripts

Fill out our survey at bit.ly/BHSurvey6

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

“Optimism is not what exists in a vacuum on your best day, but how you're pulling through for yourself on your worst days,” says actress Yara Shahidi. Yara is known for her sitcoms Black-ish and its spinoff Grown-ish. She shares what she learned from creating a “Hard Yes” list, why she chose to attend Harvard after acting, and why she thinks anyone can find their highest order if they pay attention.

Featured guest

Connect with the team

For the full text transcript, visit go.ted.com/BHTranscripts

Fill out our survey at bit.ly/BHSurvey6

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Matt Levine is the author of Bloomberg’s “Money Stuff” newsletter where he writes about Wall Street and finances. Matt joins Chris to break down common money questions such as what exactly is commodity trading? How do AI companies make money? How do companies balance ethics and virtues with increasing profits for shareholders? They also discuss how Matt uses comedy and humor to make complicated money topics accessible.

Featured guest

Connect with the team

For the full text transcript, visit go.ted.com/BHTranscripts

Fill out our survey at bit.ly/BHSurvey6

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

If we accept that work-life balance is a necessity, then why are stress and burnout still increasing? Guy Winch is a psychologist and was the first guest ever on the How to Be a Better Human podcast. Guy returns to the show six years later to share strategies on how to stop indulging in unhealthy ruminations, start identifying harmful triggers, and why it’s necessary to change your perspective and view problems as solvable.

Featured guest

Connect with the team

For the full text transcript, visit go.ted.com/BHTranscripts

Fill out our survey at bit.ly/BHSurvey6

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

If you could switch places with someone and peek into their mind, who would you pick? For journalist Courtney Martin, she chose her aging dad with advanced dementia. Courtney joins Chris to talk about her deep desire to understand her father’s experiences, what it’s like to witness a loved one's health decline, and why it’s important to practice asking for help. This is a perfect episode to listen to if you’re taking care of a loved one (or know someone who is) and want practical ways to be kinder to caregivers.

Featured guest

Connect with the team

For the full text transcript, visit go.ted.com/BHTranscripts

Fill out our survey at bit.ly/BHSurvey6

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Many of us tend to prioritize our romantic and familial relationships over friendships — and that could be harming our wellbeing and health. In this special episode from our friends at A Slight Change of Plans, cognitive behavioral scientist and bestselling author Dr. Maya Shankar looks at how friendships expand our sense of self. Maya is joined by psychologist Dr. Marisa Franco, who offers research-based strategies to make new friends and deepen our existing friendships, including helpful concepts like mutuality and the mere-exposure effect. Marisa and Maya also discuss how to stay friends through big life changes, why fighting could make your friendship stronger, and how to break up with a friend with clarity and kindness.

On A Slight Change of Plans, Maya explores how we experience change and provides strategies we can use to better navigate moments of upheaval. Find A Slight Change of Plans wherever you get podcasts.

For the full text transcript, visit go.ted.com/BHTranscripts

Fill out our survey at bit.ly/BHSurvey6

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Love coach Francesca Hogi is dedicated to helping daters find “lasting love in the midst of a broken dating culture.” In this episode, Francesca shares her approach to analyzing romantic patterns and feeling more empowered in your love life. From discussing romantic manifestations to reflecting on bell hooks’ claim that humans are unskilled at love, Chris and Francesca talk about the ways you can be more open to finding love.

Featured guest

Connect with the team

For the full text transcript, visit go.ted.com/BHTranscripts

Fill out our survey at bit.ly/BHSurvey6

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

How do you quieten the judgmental voice in your head? Educator and entrepreneur Anu Gupta suggests you actually listen to it.Anu joins Chris to discuss the effects of human biases on our psyche and how to combat self-destructive habits by swapping out harmful emotions with constructive thoughts. They also talk about how individuals, when they come together, can create a society that is anchored around a loving, not critical, culture.

Featured guest

Connect with the team

For the full text transcript, visit go.ted.com/BHTranscripts

Fill out our survey at bit.ly/BHSurvey6

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Many company cultures can feel stagnant and uninspiring, says designer Ben Swire, whose job is to help people take creative risks. Ben shares why icebreakers, compliments, and competitive bonding games can undermine workplace camaraderie. Later Ben shares how he finds success leaning into creativity and provides five activities for more meaningful connections.

Featured guest

Connect with the team

For the full text transcript, visit go.ted.com/BHTranscripts

Fill out our survey at bit.ly/BHSurvey6

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Kevin Townley is a meditation teacher. But he’s also a comedian who leads museum tours and an actor whose career spans Men in Black 3 and Law & Order. In today’s episode, Kevin talks about how to practice the art of looking and the deep Buddhist wisdom that can be found in every museum. Inspired by his book Look, Look, Look, Look, Look Again: Buddhist Wisdom Reflected in 26 Artists, Kevin shows Chris how letting go of judgment—and engaging Buddhist principles—can change the way we view the world and find belonging.

Featured guest

Connect with the team

For the full text transcript, visit go.ted.com/BHTranscripts

Fill out our survey at bit.ly/BHSurvey6

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Can our dogs feel guilt? Or have they successfully trained us with their puppy eyes to win a treat and extra kibble? Alexandra Horowitz is a researcher and head of the Dog Cognition Lab at Barnard College; she joins Chris to chat about how dogs make us laugh and ways to be more present in life.

Featured guest

Connect with the team

For the full text transcript, visit go.ted.com/BHTranscripts

Fill out our survey at bit.ly/BHSurvey6

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

For the past five seasons, host Chris Duffy has been interviewing guests from psychotherapist Dr. Orna Guralnik to poet Sarah Kay to author Andrew Leland and more on how they work to become better humans. In this special episode kicking off season 6, Chris is now in the hot seat. Manoush Zomorodi, host of NPR’s TED Radio Hour, joins as guest host to interview Chris on finding joy and how a 5th grader taught Chris humor. They also discuss Chris’ debut book Humor Me and the lessons he learned from hosting the podcast throughout the years.

Featured guest

Connect with the team

For the full text transcript, visit go.ted.com/BHTranscripts

Fill out our survey at bit.ly/BHSurvey6

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

After a mysterious wave of tics and twitches swept through a small-town high school in New York, documentary podcaster Dan Taberski set out to investigate what was really happening. Drawing on extensive research and intimate interviews with the people involved, he explores the roots of mass hysteria — and what it reveals about the line between illness and belonging. What happens when the very thing that makes us sick ... is also what connects us?

After the talk, Shoshana interviews Dan on how his research into the mysterious Havana Syndrome leads to his unearthing of a similar mass hysteria in Le Roy, New York. They also discuss how storytelling can reshape discourse surrounding medicine and what happens when the person experiencing an illness feels unheard and unsupported by the very medical professionals supposed to care for them?

For the full text transcript, visit go.ted.com/BHTranscripts

Fill out our survey at bit.ly/BHSurvey6

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Relationships of any kind can be tricky—but therapists are here to help. In this special episode, Anne and Frances talk to clinical psychologist Dr. Orna Guralnik, star of the hit show Couples Therapy, to translate her advice for romantic relationships to the professional world. Together, they discuss the art of deep listening, underline the importance of patience and working through differences, and reframe relationships as a constant cycle of rupture and repair. Dr. Guralnik also reflects on the making of Couples Therapy and gives Anne and Frances advice as a couple who work together.

For the full text transcript, visit go.ted.com/BHTranscripts

Fill out our survey at bit.ly/BHSurvey6

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Many of us are entering the new year with a similar goal — to build community and connect more with others. To kick off season five, Priya Parker shares ideas on how to be the host with the most. An expert on building connection, Priya is the author of “The Art of Gathering: How We Meet and Why It Matters.” Whether it's a book club, wedding, birthday or niche-and-obscurely themed party, Priya and Chris talk about how to create meaningful and fun experiences for all of your guests — including yourself.

For the full text transcript, visit go.ted.com/BHTranscripts

Fill out our survey at bit.ly/BHSurvey6

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Remember those fun high school superlatives like the “Class Clown” or the “Biggest Flirt”? In this special How to Be a Better Human season finale, you will be hearing from our previous guest Dallas Youth Poet Laureate Naisha Randhar and our team of editors, marketers, producers, fact-checkers and more on their favorite episodes this year. 

How to Be a Better Human 2025 Superlatives

For the full text transcript, visit go.ted.com/BHTranscripts

Fill out our survey at bit.ly/BHSurvey6

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Money can buy you happiness – but not in the way we think. Giving money away – especially to help others – has been shown make us happier than spending on ourselves.

Social psychologist Lara Aknin explains the best ways to spend on loved ones, friends and even total strangers to get the biggest happiness bang for your buck.

And Harvard’s Josh Greene reveals how much money Happiness Lab listeners gave to charity via Giving Multiplier last year – and how many lives you saved.

Pods Fight Poverty: https://GiveDirectly.org/betterhuman

For the full text transcript, visit go.ted.com/BHTranscripts

Fill out our survey at bit.ly/BHSurvey6

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

What makes a hometown home, and how do you find community? Sarah Kay is a spoken word poet and author of the latest poetry collection, A Little Daylight Left. Sarah and Chris grew up in New York City where the energetic and diverse community shaped their lives. They discuss how to find belonging in new neighborhoods, how to focus on creating art and being empathetic when it feels like the world is chaotic, and how to take note of the small things in life that bring them joy.

Host & Guest

Chris Duffy (Instagram: @chrisiduffy | https://chrisduffycomedy.com/)

Sarah Kay (Instagram: @kaysarahsera | https://kaysarahsera.com/)

Links

Humor Me by Chris Duffy: https://t.ted.com/ZGuYfcL

Follow TED! 

X: https://www.twitter.com/TEDTalks

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ted

Facebook: https://facebook.com/TED

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/ted-conferences

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@tedtoks 

Podcasts: https://www.ted.com/podcasts

For the full text transcript, visit go.ted.com/BHTranscripts

Fill out our survey at bit.ly/BHSurvey6

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

If you remove ingredients like dairy, wheat, flour, cane sugar, beef, pork, and chicken from your diet—then what do you eat? For Sioux chef Sean Sherman, excluding colonial ingredients from his cuisines gives him the opportunity to spotlight indigenous produce and uplift local communities. Sean is the owner of the James Beard Award-winning restaurant Owamni in Minneapolis. Sean joins Chris to discuss the philosophy behind his indigenous restaurant, where he thinks the American education system falls short, and how he is using food to reclaim indigenous history.

This episode is part of a series of bonus videos from "How to Be a Better Human." You can watch the extended video companion on the TED YouTube Channel and the extended interview on the TED Audio Collective YouTube Channel.

Watch

Sean cooking Indigenous foods: https://youtu.be/p0IpMqUZKbs

Chris extended interview: https://youtu.be/n6_bat26dmQ

Follow

Host: Chris Duffy (Instagram: @chrisiduffy |https://chrisduffycomedy.com/)

Guests:

Sean Sherman (Instagram: @the_sioux_chef and @siouxchef| https://seansherman.com/)  

Linda Black Elk (Instagram:@linda.black.elk)

Links

Humor Me by Chris Duffy (https://t.ted.com/ZGuYfcL)

Instagram: @owamni | Facebook: @Owamni - By The Sioux Chef | https://owamni.com/

Instagram: @natifs_org | Facebook: @NATIFSorg | https://natifs.org/

Follow TED! 

X:https://www.twitter.com/TEDTalks

Instagram:https://www.instagram.com/ted

Facebook:https://facebook.com/TED

LinkedIn:https://www.linkedin.com/company/ted-conferences

TikTok:https://www.tiktok.com/@tedtoks 

Podcasts:https://www.ted.com/podcasts

For the full text transcript, visit go.ted.com/BHTranscripts

Fill out our survey at bit.ly/BHSurvey6

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Where do you belong and what does community mean to you? These are the central questions Chris asks poet and cultural critic Hanif Abdurraqib while visiting Hanif’s hometown of Columbus, Ohio. Hanif is a poet and essayist of many notable works such as They Can’t Kill Us Until They Kill Us, A Fortune for Your Disaster, and A Little Devil in America, among others. Hanif joins Chris to share his love for the city Columbus, what it means to be cared for by community members, and how spending time with others can show you how to love them better. 

This episode is part of a series of bonus videos from "How to Be a Better Human." You can watch the extended video companion on theTED YouTube Channel and the extended interview on the TED Audio Collective YouTube Channel.

Watch

Hanif shows Chris and Sarah his hometown: https://youtu.be/xGJe_eRw2Ao

Extended interview with Chris: https://youtu.be/hl-5PGuwEBg

Follow

Host: Chris Duffy (Instagram: @chrisiduffy |https://chrisduffycomedy.com/)

Guest: 

Hanif Abdurraqib (Instagram: @nifmuhammad | https://www.abdurraqib.com/)

Sarah Kay (Instagram: @kaysarahsera | https://kaysarahsera.com/)

Links

Humor Me by Chris Duffy (https://t.ted.com/ZGuYfcL)

Follow TED! 

X:https://www.twitter.com/TEDTalks

Instagram:https://www.instagram.com/ted

Facebook:https://facebook.com/TED

LinkedIn:https://www.linkedin.com/company/ted-conferences

TikTok:https://www.tiktok.com/@tedtoks 

Podcasts:https://www.ted.com/podcasts

For the full text transcript, visit go.ted.com/BHTranscripts

Fill out our survey at bit.ly/BHSurvey6

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

“All couples fight. In fact, how they fight in the first three minutes predicts with 96% accuracy not only how the rest of the conversation will go, but how the rest of the relationship will go six years down the road,” says relationship expert Dr. Julie Gottman. Dr. Julie and John Gottman are founders of the Gottman Institute and the Love Lab where they study how to sustain love and health in relationships. They join Chris to discuss why more people now than ever are deciding to go solo, what a healthy end to a conflict looks like, and the 52 questions you should ask your partner before getting married.

This episode is part of a series of bonus videos from "How to Be a Better Human." You can watch the extended video companion on theTED YouTube Channel and the extended interview on the TED Audio Collective YouTube Channel.

Watch

Julie and John answer listeners' questions:https://youtu.be/nJ4RtT0T_BA

Extended interview with Chris: https://youtu.be/CxW0JRAw8bk

Follow

Host: Chris Duffy (Instagram: @chrisiduffy |https://chrisduffycomedy.com/)

Guest: Dr. Julie and John Gottman

Links

Humor Me by Chris Duffy (https://t.ted.com/ZGuYfcL)

https://www.gottman.com/

Instagram: @thegottmaninstitute

YouTube: @TheGottmanInstitute

Linkedin: @the-gottman-institute

TikTok: @thegottmaninstitute

Follow TED! 

X:https://www.twitter.com/TEDTalks

Instagram:https://www.instagram.com/ted

Facebook:https://facebook.com/TED

LinkedIn:https://www.linkedin.com/company/ted-conferences

TikTok:https://www.tiktok.com/@tedtoks 

Podcasts:https://www.ted.com/podcasts

For the full text transcript, visit go.ted.com/BHTranscripts

Fill out our survey at bit.ly/BHSurvey6

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Edith Zimmerman is a sketchbook cartoonist and writer of the Substack newsletter, Drawing Links. In this episode, she joins Chris to talk about honesty and self-discovery. From sharing her artwork to discussing her sobriety journey to falling in love with running, Edith and Chris explore how creativity and pursuing new activities can help you overcome personal challenges.

This episode is part of the How to Be a Better Human Bonus Videos series. You can find the extended video companion on the TED YouTube Channel.

Watch

Edith draw and go running with Chris: https://youtu.be/1jWA3mE5o9Y

Edith and Chris' interview: https://youtu.be/U_tOmuja0w8

Follow

Host: Chris Duffy (Instagram: @chrisiduffy | chrisduffycomedy.com)

Guest: Edith Zimmerman (Instagram: @edithzimmermans | Website: https://www.edithzimmerman.com/) 

Links

https://drawinglinks.substack.com/

Stop Drinking Now by Allen Carr

Subscribe to TED 

Instagram:@ted

YouTube:@TED

TikTok:@tedtoks

LinkedIn:@ted-conferences

Website:ted.com

Podcasts:ted.com/podcasts

For the full text transcript, visit go.ted.com/BHTranscripts

Fill out our survey at bit.ly/BHSurvey6

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Did you know that you start losing bone AND muscle mass as soon as the age of thirty? Or that your fingers and toes don’t have muscles? Or how women in Scotland are starting to compete in the lighting of Dinnie Stones – which weighs 733 pounds?! These are topics that Chris discussed with Bonnie Tsui, author of the book On Muscle: The Stuff That Moves Us and Why It Matters. They also discuss what strength and weightlifting means in today’s society – especially as more women enter the sport. Bonnie and Chris also discuss studying martial arts, playing on sports teams, and the benefits of functional mobility as you age.

Watch

Bonnie teaches Chris to surf: https://youtu.be/YOryOy1qL00

Bonnie and Chris' interview: https://youtu.be/Z3WnwLtVUes

Follow

Host: Chris Duffy (Instagram: @chrisiduffy | https://chrisduffycomedy.com/)

Guest: Bonnie Tsui (Instagram: @bonnietsui8 | Website: https://www.bonnietsui.com/)

Links

Humor Me by Chris Duffy (https://t.ted.com/ZGuYfcL)

Buy Bonnie's book On Muscle: https://tinyurl.com/onmuscle

Newsletter: https://www.bonnietsui.com/events

Other handles:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/bonnietsui

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bonnie-tsui-71a57775

Threads: https://www.threads.com/@bonnietsui8

Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/bonnietsui

Follow TED! 

X: https://www.twitter.com/TEDTalks

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ted

Facebook: https://facebook.com/TED

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/ted-conferences

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@tedtoks 

Podcasts: https://www.ted.com/podcasts

For the full text transcript, visit go.ted.com/BHTranscripts

Fill out our survey at bit.ly/BHSurvey6

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

How do you quit people-pleasing? Internet filmmaker Baron Ryan and family therapist Stephanie R. Yates-Anyabwile unpack the all-too-common fear of rejection and explore the practices necessary to reclaim your ability to finally say “no” and stop caring about what other people think. (This conversation is part of “TED Intersections,” a series featuring thought-provoking conversations between experts navigating the ideas shaping our world.)

For the full text transcript, visit go.ted.com/BHTranscripts

Fill out our survey at bit.ly/BHSurvey6

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This is the surprising story of how Texas – rich in oil and gas – became America's biggest producer of wind energy. For our first episode, Ryan and Anjali talk with Pat Wood, once George W. Bush’s right hand man and head of Texas's Public Utility Commission, to uncover the innovative approach that turned Texas into a renewable energy powerhouse. It’s a story about what could get done before partisan politics got in the way of good climate policy, and it shows that economic incentives for consumers, government, and companies can play a huge role in supercharging clean energy.

For the full text transcript, visit go.ted.com/BHTranscripts

Fill out our survey at bit.ly/BHSurvey6

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The real lever of a meaningful life isn’t intelligence or hustle — it’s personal agency, says Cate Hall, former Supreme Court attorney and once the world’s top-ranked female poker player. Sharing her journey from the throes of addiction to leading a multibillion-dollar foundation, Hall shares tactical wisdom for increasing your ability to see and act on life's hidden degrees of freedom, showing how even the most trapped among us can discover a path to fulfillment.

For the full text transcript, visit go.ted.com/BHTranscripts

Fill out our survey at bit.ly/BHSurvey6

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

How often do you connect with different people each week? How many many close relationships do you aim to cultivate during those connections? And how long do these interactions last? Kasley Killam has the perfect guide to help you build better social connections – the 5-3-1 Rule. Kasley is a social scientist and the author of The Art of Science and Connection. Kasley joins Chris to discuss the future of social connection – why do we invest in physical health but not social health? And what happens when you substitute companionship for AI chatbots? Kasley shares tips on how to connect with your community and rethink social norms on technology.

Follow

Host: Chris Duffy (Instagram: @chrisiduffy | chrisduffycomedy.com)

Guest: Kasley Killam (Instagram: @kasleykillam | LinkedIn: @kasleykillam | Website: https://www.kasleykillam.com/) 

Links

TED Talk: Why social health is key to happiness and longevity

Substack: Social Health with Kasley Killam

Book: https://www.kasleykillam.com/social-health-book

Newsletter: https://www.kasleykillam.com/newsletter

Subscribe to TED 

Instagram:@ted

YouTube:@TED

TikTok:@tedtoks

LinkedIn:@ted-conferences

Website:ted.com

Podcasts:ted.com/podcasts

For the full text transcript, visit go.ted.com/BHTranscripts

Fill out our survey at bit.ly/BHSurvey6

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

How do you raise confident and capable children in a seemingly scary and unsafe world? According to Lenore Skenazy, the solution is simple yet controversial — you leave the kids alone. Lenore is the president of Let Grow and the founder of the Free Range Kids Movement where she argues that parents don’t need to hover over their kids as much because they’ll be more than okay — they’ll thrive. Chris and Lenore discuss why overprotecting kids can backfire, how parents might be unintentionally stifling children’s innate curiosity, and why one of the best tools to teach kids is to step away and let them learn and problem-solve themselves.

Follow

Host: Chris Duffy (Instagram: @chrisiduffy | chrisduffycomedy.com)

Guest: Lenore Skenazy (Instagram: @lenoreskenazy_freerange | LinkedIn: @lenoreskenazy | Website: https://www.freerangekids.com/) 

Links

Instagram: @letgroworg

LinkedIn: @letgrow

Join Let Grow (free!): https://letgrow.org/join

Facebook Group: Raising Independent Kids Facebook Group

Book: Free Range Kids: How Parents and Teachers Can Let Go and Let Grow

Lenore's TED Talk: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=whaesnYloMQ

Subscribe to TED 

Instagram:@ted

YouTube:@TED

TikTok:@tedtoks

LinkedIn:@ted-conferences

Website:ted.com

Podcasts:ted.com/podcasts

For the full text transcript, visit go.ted.com/BHTranscripts

Fill out our survey at bit.ly/BHSurvey6

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

What’s more important in communication— the content or the delivery? Julian Treasure is a five-time TED speaker and the author of Sound Affects: How Sound Shapes Our Lives, Our Wellbeing and Our Planet, and he argues conscious listening is an invaluable tool for elevating conversations. Julian joins Chris to give advice on how to speak better, the listening method that could save your marriage, and how to be comfortable in silence.

Follow

Host: Chris Duffy (Instagram: @chrisiduffy | chrisduffycomedy.com)

Guest: Julian Treasure (Instagram: @juliantreasure | LinkedIn: @juliantreasure | Website: https://www.juliantreasure.com/) 

Links

Sound Affects: How Sound Shapes Our Lives, Our Wellbeing and Our Planet 

How to Be Heard

Subscribe to TED 

Instagram:@ted

YouTube:@TED

TikTok:@tedtoks

LinkedIn:@ted-conferences

Website:ted.com

Podcasts:ted.com/podcasts

For the full text transcript, visit go.ted.com/BHTranscripts

Fill out our survey at bit.ly/BHSurvey6

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

What makes some people supercommunicators? How can you become one too? This is the central lesson in Charles Duhigg’s bestseller Supercommunicators: How to Unlock the Secret of Communication. Charles and Chris dissect what makes messy conversations so great, how to ask deep questions, and whether women and men communicate differently. They also discuss the different rules for different technologies — from telephones to Facebook to Signal — and how cautious politeness may be the best method to communicate effectively online.

Follow

Host: Chris Duffy (Instagram: @chrisiduffy | chrisduffycomedy.com)

Guest: Charles Duhigg (Instagram: @charlesduhigg | LinkedIn: @charlesduhigg | Website: https://charlesduhigg.com/) 

Links

Supercommunicators: How to Unlock the Secret Language of Connection

The Power of Habit: Why We Do What We Do in Life and Business

Subscribe to TED 

Instagram:@ted

YouTube:@TED

TikTok:@tedtoks

LinkedIn:@ted-conferences

Website:ted.com

Podcasts:ted.com/podcasts

For the full text transcript, visit go.ted.com/BHTranscripts

Fill out our survey at bit.ly/BHSurvey6

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Is it effective to engage with politics on social media — and what does it take to make actual change? Katherine Cross is a researcher on online harassment and the author of Log Off: Why Posting and Politics (Almost) Never Mix. She shares why she believes social media is “anti-political” and how virtual engagement will not achieve the necessary political work for us. Katherine and Chris also discuss the limitations of short-form content in conveying decades of geopolitical strife, why our lives would be better off without social media, and the guardrails platforms could utilize to help users engage with posts critically and to slow down viral misinformation. 

Follow

Host: Chris Duffy (Instagram: @chrisiduffy | chrisduffycomedy.com)

Guest: Katherine Cross (Website: ischool.uw.edu/people/phd/profile/kcross1) 

Links

Log Off Why Posting and Politics (Almost) Never Mix

Subscribe to TED 

Instagram:@ted

YouTube:@TED

TikTok:@tedtoks

LinkedIn:@ted-conferences

Website:ted.com

Podcasts:ted.com/podcasts

For the full text transcript, visit go.ted.com/BHTranscripts

Fill out our survey at bit.ly/BHSurvey6

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

What will dating look like in the age of AI? Whitney Wolfe Herd is the founder and CEO of Bumble, the popular dating app that has helped millions of people meet their match. In this episode, Whitney chats with Adam about her vision for the future of dating online and offline, her decision to take a break from leading Bumble, and the importance of platonic love. They also debate whether or not you have to learn to love yourself before loving someone else, and imagine a world in which AI agents vet potential partners before a first date.

Follow

Host: Adam Grant (Instagram: @adamgrant | LinkedIn: @adammgrant | Website: adamgrant.net/)

Guest: Whitney Wolfe Herd (Instagram: @whitney) 

Links

bumble.com

Subscribe to TED 

Instagram:@ted

YouTube:@TED

TikTok:@tedtoks

LinkedIn:@ted-conferences

Website:ted.com

Podcasts:ted.com/podcasts

For the full text transcript, visit go.ted.com/BHTranscripts

Fill out our survey at bit.ly/BHSurvey6

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

When someone you love is going through a difficult time, what do you say? Despite your best intentions, author Katherine May argues offering help or shying away from tough conversations isn’t as effective as you think. Katherine is the author of the memoir, Wintering: The Power of Rest and Retreat in Difficult Times, and its latest companion piece, Enchantment: Awakening Wonder in an Anxious Age. Chris and Katherine share how humor may sometimes be a good medicine and how to live alongside life’s difficulties.

Follow

Host: Chris Duffy (Instagram: @chrisiduffy | chrisduffycomedy.com)

Guest: Katherine May (Instagram: @katherinemay_ | Website: katherine-may.co.uk/) 

Links

Wintering: The Power of Rest and Retreat in Difficult Times (UK Bookshop / US & CAN Bookshop)

Enchantment: Reawakening Wonder in an Exhausted Age (UK Bookshop / US & CAN Bookshop)

Subscribe to TED 

Instagram:@ted

YouTube:@TED

TikTok:@tedtoks

LinkedIn:@ted-conferences

Website:ted.com

Podcasts:ted.com/podcasts

For the full text transcript, visit go.ted.com/BHTranscripts

Fill out our survey at bit.ly/BHSurvey6

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

What parts of yourself did you lose as you grew up? This is one of the central questions asked in Ashley C. Ford’s memoir, Somebody’s Daughter. Ashley joins Chris to talk about growing up with an incarcerated father, grappling with a complicated relationship with her mother, and how writing can be a way of processing and understanding your life. They also discussed why adults become less kind to kids, how libraries can become safezones, and how to confront the messy parts of childhood.

Follow

Host: Chris Duffy (Instagram: @chrisiduffy | chrisduffycomedy.com)

Guest: Ashley C. Ford (Instagram: @smashfizzle | Website: ashleycford.net/) 

Links

Somebody’s Daughter

Subscribe to TED 

Instagram:@ted

YouTube:@TED

TikTok:@tedtoks

LinkedIn:@ted-conferences

Website:ted.com

Podcasts:ted.com/podcasts

For the full text transcript, visit go.ted.com/BHTranscripts

Fill out our survey at bit.ly/BHSurvey6

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

What makes kids so joyful? Why do polka-dots and bright colors invoke feelings of joy? How do our senses shape our experience of joy? These are questions designer Ingrid Fetell Lee studies. Ingrid is the author of Joyful: The Surprising Power of Ordinary Things to Create Extraordinary Happinessand the blog, The Aesthetics of Joy. Chris and Ingrid ruminate on how joy differs from happiness and how infectious joy can be – so much so that the simple act of sharing your joy with others can even spark second-hand joy!

Follow

Host: Chris Duffy (Instagram: @chrisiduffy | chrisduffycomedy.com)

Guest: Ingrid Fetell Lee (Instagram: @ingridfetell | @aestheticsofjoy) 

Links

Book: Joyful: The Surprising Power of Ordinary Things to Create Extraordinary Happiness

aestheticsofjoy.com/

Subscribe to TED 

Instagram:@ted

YouTube:@TED

TikTok:@tedtoks

LinkedIn:@ted-conferences

Website:ted.com

Podcasts:ted.com/podcasts

For the full text transcript, visit go.ted.com/BHTranscripts

Fill out our survey at bit.ly/BHSurvey6

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

“People are expected to have good friendships, but nobody talks about how they happen,” says journalist Aminatou Sow. Aminatou is also the host of the podcast Call Your Girlfriend and the author of the book Big Friendship: How We Keep Each Other Close. She joins Chris to discuss the communication efforts necessary to maintain meaningful friendships, why she rejects Western society’s obsession with self-improvement, the insights she gained from reading obituaries and the act of grace in sharing bits of yourself with others.

Follow

Host: Chris Duffy (Instagram: @chrisiduffy | chrisduffycomedy.com)

Guest: Aminatou Sow (Instagram: @aminatou) 

Links

Crème de la Crème Substack

Book: bigfriendship.com/

Podcast: callyourgirlfriend.com/

Subscribe to TED 

Instagram:@ted

YouTube:@TED

TikTok:@tedtoks

LinkedIn:@ted-conferences

Website:ted.com

Podcasts:ted.com/podcasts

For the full text transcript, visit go.ted.com/BHTranscripts

Fill out our survey at bit.ly/BHSurvey6

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Humor is all around us— you only need to be intentional about seeking moments of laughter and joy in your life. In this special compilation episode on humor, Chris shares six short snippets from his conversation with thoughtful guests such as TikTok forager Alexis Nikole Nelson, meditation and happiness journalist Dan Harris, peace activist Aziz Abu-Sarah and more on how they flex their laughing muscles. From foraging mugwort to drawing a stranger for 60-seconds, Chris and his guests encourage you to practice mindfulness and embrace the spectacle of life.

Follow

Host: Chris Duffy (Instagram: @chrisiduffy | chrisduffycomedy.com)

Guests:

Alexis Nikole Nelson (Instagram: @blackforager | TikTok: @alexisnikole | YouTube: @blackforager)

Dan Harris (Instagram: @danharris | Website: danharris.com)

Wendy MacNaughton (Instagram: @wendymac)

Laurel Braitman (Instagram: @laurel_braitman | Website: laurelbraitman.com/)

Lear deBessonet (Website: lct.org/shows/people/lear-debessonet/)

Dave Nadelberg (Instagram: @davenadelberg | Website: getmortified.com/)

Neil Katcher (Instagram: @neilkatcher | LinkedIn: @neilkatcher | Website: getmortified.com/) 

Aziz Abu-Sarah (Instagram: @azizabusarah | Website: azizabusarah.com/)

Subscribe to TED 

Instagram:@ted

YouTube:@TED

TikTok:@tedtoks

LinkedIn:@ted-conferences

Website:ted.com

Podcasts:ted.com/podcasts

For the full text transcript, visit go.ted.com/BHTranscripts

Fill out our survey at bit.ly/BHSurvey6

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

We often think donating clothes is a sustainable act, but when tons of garments are shipped to places like West Africa, it creates environmental waste and disrupts local artisans’ livelihoods. Diarra Bousso, a mathematician and sustainable fashion designer, joins Chris to unpack the hidden cost of global textiles waste and how she founded her lifestyle brand Diarrablu. She shares how she designs with emotional sustainability in mind – creating clothes that adjust to our changing body while showcasing Sengalese’s bold colors and prints. They also discuss how mathematical concepts influence her work, how technology and AI might help designers reduce waste, and why it’s important to make clothes that make you feel good.

Follow

Host: Chris Duffy (Instagram: @chrisiduffy | chrisduffycomedy.com)

Guest: Diarra Bousso (Instagram: @thediarrablu | LinkedIn: @diarrabousso | Website: diarrabousso.com/) 

Links

diarrablu.com

Subscribe to TED 

Instagram:@ted

YouTube:@TED

TikTok:@tedtoks

LinkedIn:@ted-conferences

Website:ted.com

Podcasts:ted.com/podcasts

For the full text transcript, visit go.ted.com/BHTranscripts

Fill out our survey at bit.ly/BHSurvey6

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Sarah Jaffe is the author of Work Won’t Love You Back: How Devotion to Our Jobs Keep Us Exploited, Exhausted, and Alone. She and Chris discuss the emotional toll of modern work culture and the importance of community. They also dive into Sarah’s newest book,From the Ashes: Grief and Revolution in a World on Fire, and explore the idea that between pandemics, climate change, and economic inequality, many of us are feeling a huge (and often unacknowledged sense of grief. Sarah explains the concept of “disenfranchised grief” and how collective mourning can invite meaningful social connections.

Follow

Host: Chris Duffy (Instagram: @chrisiduffy | chrisduffycomedy.com)

Guest: Sarah Jaffe (Instagram: @sarahljaffe | Website: sarahljaffe.com/) 

Links

From the Ashes: Grief and Revolution in a World on Fire

Work Won’t Love You Back: How Devotion to Our Jobs Keep Us Exploited, Exhausted, and Alone

Subscribe to TED 

Instagram:@ted

YouTube:@TED

TikTok:@tedtoks

LinkedIn:@ted-conferences

Website:ted.com

Podcasts:ted.com/podcasts

For the full text transcript, visit go.ted.com/BHTranscripts

Fill out our survey at bit.ly/BHSurvey6

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Widely recognized as a musical genius and once-in-a-generation talent, Jon Batiste is one of history’s most brilliant, prolific, and accomplished musicians. The Grammy, Emmy, and Oscar-winning star joins to discuss his legendary career, connecting people through a shared love of music. This episode originally aired on Design Matters March 31, 2025.

For the full text transcript, visit go.ted.com/BHTranscripts

Fill out our survey at bit.ly/BHSurvey6

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

What is the aspect of being you that you cling to most tightly? Why are you you and not somebody else? How do you understand and make sense of your experiences? These are questions studied by Anil Seth, Professor of Cognitive and Computational Neuroscience and the University of Sussex. Anil and Chris reflect on the limitations in describing the brain as a “supercomputer,” the ethical and morally grey areas of technological advancements and brain computer interfaces, and how hallucinogenic drugs affect consciousness.

Follow

Host: Chris Duffy (Instagram: @chrisiduffy | chrisduffycomedy.com)

Guest: Anil Seth (Instagram: @profanilseth | LinkedIn: @anilseth | Website: https://www.anilseth.com/) 

Links

Being You: A New Science of Consciousness

Subscribe to TED 

Instagram:@ted

YouTube:@TED

TikTok:@tedtoks

LinkedIn:@ted-conferences

Website:ted.com

Podcasts:ted.com/podcasts

For the full text transcript, visit go.ted.com/BHTranscripts

Fill out our survey at bit.ly/BHSurvey6

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Austin Kleon thinks stealing inspiration is a good thing — because it requires you to pay attention to the world. Austin is a self-proclaimed “creative kleptomaniac” and the author of five books, including Steal Like An Artist: 10 Things Nobody Told You About Being Creative. In his conversation with Chris, they discuss “scenius,” or the creative genius of a group, how children are invaluable creative teachers, and why he thrives in the tension between discipline and spontaneity.

Follow

Host: Chris Duffy (Instagram: @chrisiduffy | chrisduffycomedy.com)

Guest: Austin Kleon (Instagram: @austinkleon | Website: https://austinkleon.com/) 

Links

Austin Kleon’s Substack

Steal Like an Artist (Book)

Subscribe to TED 

Instagram:@ted

YouTube:@TED

TikTok:@tedtoks

LinkedIn:@ted-conferences

Website:ted.com

Podcasts:ted.com/podcasts

For the full text transcript, visit go.ted.com/BHTranscripts

Fill out our survey at bit.ly/BHSurvey6

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

“If you’re a good designer in five or ten years, you’re gonna want to look back on your portfolio with horror and nostalgia and somewhat amusement… because you want to be growing,” says illustrator Debbie Millman. Debbie is the host of the longest running podcast, Design Matters, and the author of the book, Love Letter to a Garden. In this episode, authenticity and growth are at the forefront. Debbie talks about the loss of humanity with the rise of personal branding, how her fascination with origin stories and the universe led her to gardening, and her advocacy with the Joyful Heart Foundation, an organization working to help sexual assault victims heal and reclaim their lives.

Follow

Host: Chris Duffy (Instagram: @chrisiduffy | chrisduffycomedy.com)

Guest: Debbie Millman (Instagram: @debbiemillman | LinkedIn: @deborahmillman | Website: debbiemillman.com/) 

Links

Love Letter to a Garden (Bookshop.org)

joyfulheartfoundation.org/

Subscribe to TED 

Instagram:@ted

YouTube:@TED

TikTok:@tedtoks

LinkedIn:@ted-conferences

Website:ted.com

Podcasts:ted.com/podcasts

For the full text transcript, visit go.ted.com/BHTranscripts

Fill out our survey at bit.ly/BHSurvey6

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Ethan Lindenberger never got vaccinated as a kid. So one day, he went on Reddit and asked a simple question: "Where do I go to get vaccinated?" The post went viral, landing Lindenberger in the middle of a heated debate about vaccination and, ultimately, in front of a US Senate committee. Less than a year later, the high school senior reports back on his unexpected time in the spotlight and a new movement he's leading to fight misinformation and advocate for scientific truth.

After the talk, Shoshana interviews Dr. Jennifer Reich, a sociologist, and asks the question, “Where has vaccine mistrust come from?” -- and how transparency in clinical trials and federal advisory boards are key in gaining community trust.

For the full text transcript, visit go.ted.com/BHTranscripts

Fill out our survey at bit.ly/BHSurvey6

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Heather Havrilesky is the author of the book Foreverland: On the Divine Tedium of Marriage. She’s also the writer behind the advice columns “Ask Polly,” and “Ask Molly,” which is written by Polly’s mischievous alterego. In this episode, Heather and Chris navigate how to showcase your whole self – even if it means embracing the messy parts – and how leaning into contradictions can make you happier and healthier. They also discuss how most people’s twenties are a disaster, how to write in a way that feels true, and why it’s necessary to laugh at your own ridiculousness.

Follow

Host: Chris Duffy (Instagram: @chrisiduffy | chrisduffycomedy.com)

Guest: Heather Havrilesky (Instagram: @heatherhav) 

Links

ask-polly.com

Foreverland: On the Divine Tedium of Marriage

Subscribe to TED 

Instagram:@ted

YouTube:@TED

TikTok:@tedtoks

LinkedIn:@ted-conferences

Website:ted.com

Podcasts:ted.com/podcasts

For the full text transcript, visit go.ted.com/BHTranscripts

Fill out our survey at bit.ly/BHSurvey6

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Dawn Burrell is a celebrated long jumper, an Olympic athlete, and a chef’s whose cooking made her a semifinalist for a James Beard Award — and these are just a sampling of her many accolades. In this episode, Dawn talks about how she navigated the career shift from athlete to chef, redefining success for herself, and finding joy and fulfillment in the kitchen cooking for others. She and Chris also discuss ways to grow from failure, build confidence, and the creative process of starting something new – whether it’s a career or a recipe.

Follow

Host: Chris Duffy (Instagram: @chrisiduffy | chrisduffycomedy.com)

Guest: Dawn Burrell (Instagram: @chefdawnburrell | Facebook: @chefdawnburrell | LinkedIn: @dawnburrell) 

Links

chefdawnburrell.com/

Subscribe to TED 

Instagram:@ted

YouTube:@TED

TikTok:@tedtoks

LinkedIn:@ted-conferences

Website:ted.com

Podcasts:ted.com/podcasts

For the full text transcript, visit go.ted.com/BHTranscripts

Fill out our survey at bit.ly/BHSurvey6

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

It’s extremely difficult to move past anger and hurt driving you towards revenge. War, violence, and suffering are driven by that cycle of emotions. Palestinian author, peacemaker, and entrepreneur Aziz Abu Sarah knows the feelings well, but from his own life experiences, he shares his belief that peace is achievable and another way forward is possible. In this episode, Aziz tells his story and explains his work to bring even the most seemingly intractable conflicts to a resolution that allows for justice, reconciliation, and safety for all.

This episode originally aired September 9, 2024.

For the full text transcript, visit go.ted.com/BHTranscripts

Fill out our survey at bit.ly/BHSurvey6

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

What would it look like if we took friendship as seriously as we take romance? Rhaina Cohen, author of the book The Other Significant Others: Reimagine Life with Friendship at the Center, talks to Chris about the value of platonic relationships. They get into everything from offloading expectations from a romantic partner onto a friend can help improve relationships to how to cope with the loss of a friend to what to do when politics divide friendships. If you want to develop your friendships, Rhaina has tons of practical tips and advice.

Follow

Host: Chris Duffy (Instagram: @chrisiduffy | chrisduffycomedy.com)

Guest: Rhaina Cohen (Instagram: @rhainacohen | LinkedIn: @rhainacohen | Website: rhainacohen.com/) 

Links

Bookshop.org: The Other Significant Others

Subscribe to TED 

Instagram:@ted

YouTube:@TED

TikTok:@tedtoks

LinkedIn:@ted-conferences

Website:ted.com

Podcasts:ted.com/podcasts

For the full text transcript, visitgo.ted.com/BHTranscripts

For the full text transcript, visit go.ted.com/BHTranscripts

Fill out our survey at bit.ly/BHSurvey6

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Why is American culture so fascinated with psychopathic people and true crime stories? Why don’t billionaires give more? What makes some people so generous that they’d undergo surgery to donate an organ to a complete stranger? These are the kinds of questions that Abigail Marsh, a professor of psychology and neuroscience at Georgetown University, studies. Chris and Abigail discuss the brain differences between extreme altruists and psychopathic individuals, why psychopathic traits do not necessarily correlate with aggression, how parents can support children with behavioral issues, and what we can all do to train ourselves to be more altruistic.

Follow

Host: Chris Duffy (Instagram: @chrisiduffy | chrisduffycomedy.com)

Guest: Abigail Marsh PhD (LinkedIn: @abigail-marsh) 

Links

abigailmarsh.com/

disordersofaggression.org

Bookshop.org: The Fear Factor

TED Talk: Why some people are more altruistic than others

Subscribe to TED 

Instagram: @ted

YouTube: @TED

TikTok: @tedtoks

LinkedIn: @ted-conferences

Website: ted.com

Podcasts: ted.com/podcasts

For the full text transcript, visit go.ted.com/BHTranscripts

Fill out our survey at bit.ly/BHSurvey6

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

What is a romantic relationship “supposed” to look like? How do you feel when your relationship doesn’t check all the boxes? In this episode, licensed marriage and family therapist Stephanie Yates-Anyabwile talks about everything from how to get into couples counseling to navigating hard conversations to understanding the difference between relationship dynamics in reality and on reality TV (which she actually loves and thinks there’s a lot to learn from watching).

Follow

Host: Chris Duffy (@chrisiduffy | chrisduffycomedy.com)

Guest: Stephanie Yates-Anyabwile (Instagram: @_steph.anya | Youtube: @stephanya) 

Links

whatsanyamind.com/

Subscribe to TED 

Instagram:@ted

YouTube:@TED

TikTok:@tedtoks

LinkedIn:@ted-conferences

Website:ted.com

Podcasts:ted.com/podcasts

For the full text transcript, visitgo.ted.com/BHTranscripts

For the full text transcript, visit go.ted.com/BHTranscripts

Fill out our survey at bit.ly/BHSurvey6

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

What do we gain from a long walk? Craig Mod is a photographer and writer who has done treks and pilgrimages around the world. From the Camino de Santiago to the Old Tōkaidō Road, Craig Mod transforms the simple act of walking into a meditative journey and creative practice. In his new book, Things Become Other Things, Craig chronicles a long distance journey on foot in Japan where he lives. In this conversation, Craig talks about the presence, mindset, and meditation of walking. He talks about the role that boredom plays in sparking creativity and the social conditions that allow for people to have the time, space, and flexibility to pursue their best selves.

Follow

Host: Chris Duffy (@chrisiduffy | chrisduffycomedy.com)

Guest: Craig Mod (Instagram: @craigmod | LinkedIn: @craigmod | Website: craigmod.com) 

Links

Books by Craig Mod (craigmod.com/books)

Subscribe to TED 

Instagram:@ted

YouTube:@TED

TikTok:@tedtoks

LinkedIn:@ted-conferences

Website:ted.com

Podcasts:ted.com/podcasts

For the full text transcript, visitgo.ted.com/BHTranscripts

For the full text transcript, visit go.ted.com/BHTranscripts

Fill out our survey at bit.ly/BHSurvey6

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The future could be amazing, if we get it right. That’s so rarely how we think about it though. Ayana Elizabeth Johnson, marine biologist and author of the anthology What If We Get it Right?, is constantly collecting visions of the future and of climate solutions that are worth working towards together. Chris and Ayana talk about how to find your unique role in climate activism, the media’s responsibility in reporting climate-solution-focused news, and how to emphasize climate solutions rather than only catastrophizing the crisis. This is an episode all about what needs to be done, what you can do, and the world we could build together.

Follow

Host: Chris Duffy (Instagram: @chrisiduffy | chrisduffycomedy.com)

Guest: Ayana Elizabeth Johnson (Instagram: @ayanaeliza | LinkedIn: @ayanaelizabeth | ayanaelizabeth.com) 

Links

ayanaelizabeth.substack.com

Getitright.earth

Bookshop.org What If We Get It Right? 

urbanoceanlab.org

Listen to Ayana's podcast, What If We Get it Right?, on Apple or Spotify!

Subscribe to TED 

Instagram:@ted

YouTube:@TED

TikTok:@tedtoks

LinkedIn:@ted-conferences

Website:ted.com

Podcasts:ted.com/podcasts

For the full text transcript, visitgo.ted.com/BHTranscripts

For the full text transcript, visit go.ted.com/BHTranscripts

Fill out our survey at bit.ly/BHSurvey6

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Roses are red, violets are blue, has poetry ever been intimidating for you? For many people, this art form can feel unapproachable, but poet and educator Sarah Kay, suggests that people who don’t like poetry just maybe haven’t found a poem that really speaks to them. Sarah proposes a fresh approach to this ancient art, talks about why playing with language can help you get in touch with yourself, and discusses the ways that writing and art help us form deeper, meaningful connections with others.

This episode was originally recorded on November 29, 2021.

For the full text transcript, visit go.ted.com/BHTranscripts

Fill out our survey at bit.ly/BHSurvey6

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

How do you grapple with national history, legacy, and the stories you tell yourself? Clint Smith is the author of the narrative nonfiction, How the Word is Passed, and the poetry collection, Above Ground. Clint joins Chris to talk about the cognitive dissonances that shaped American history. From understanding the complexities of Thomas Jefferson, who wrote “all men are created equal” while enslaving over 600 people – to reflecting on growing up in New Orleans – a major site for domestic slave trades, Clint urges you to examine historical contradictions. He also discusses his love for poetry and why it’s crucial to teach joyous moments in Black history too. So students won’t see slavery and Jim Crow as the totality of the black historical experience but can envision themselves of possibilities beyond subjugation.

Follow

Host: Chris Duffy (@chrisiduffy | chrisduffycomedy.com)

Guest: Clint Smith (Instagram: @clintsmithiii | clintsmithiii.com) 

Links

Above Ground

How the Word Is Passed

Subscribe to TED 

Instagram:@ted

YouTube:@TED

TikTok:@tedtoks

LinkedIn:@ted-conferences

Website:ted.com

Podcasts:ted.com/podcasts

For the full text transcript, visitgo.ted.com/BHTranscripts 

For the full text transcript, visit go.ted.com/BHTranscripts

Fill out our survey at bit.ly/BHSurvey6

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

What makes a story so good you HAVE to tell everyone you know? How do you hook listeners with juicy details and tantalizing conundrums? In this special live episode, recorded at On Air Fest in Brooklyn, Chris is joined by Rachelle Hampton, the new host of Normal Gossip. Chris and Rachelle talk about what she’s learned touring the country and hearing strangers share their secrets, the art of keeping (or not keeping) secrets, and how to listen closely to hear the story behind the story. Plus, audience members share wild stories of their own, including gossip about a Maine snowplow coup and a wedding throuple.

Follow

Host: Chris Duffy (@chrisiduffy | chrisduffycomedy.com)

Guest: Rachelle Hampton (Instagram: @heyydnae | LinkedIn: rachelle-hampton-95355899) 

Links

Normal Gossip (@normalgossip | defector.com/normal-gossip-podcast) NEW SEASON premieres Wednesday, April 9th

Subscribe to TED 

Instagram:@ted

YouTube:@TED

TikTok:@tedtoks

LinkedIn:@ted-conferences

Website:ted.com

Podcasts:ted.com/podcasts

For the full text transcript, visitgo.ted.com/BHTranscripts 

For the full text transcript, visit go.ted.com/BHTranscripts

Fill out our survey at bit.ly/BHSurvey6

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Happiness, high achievement, or kindness – which is most important to you in your kids? Which do you think your kids think you care about the most? Richard Weissbourd is a psychologist, the senior lecturer at the Harvard Graduate School of Education, and the director of the Making Caring Common Project. Richard joins Chris to discuss the challenges facing American parents which he raised in his book, The Parents We Mean to Be. Rick also explains how parents can overcome their own shame, the importance of teaching kids to recognize others' emotions, and how acts of service can strengthen relationships.

Follow

Host: Chris Duffy (Instagram |Website)

Guest: Richard Weissbourd (Harvard Website) 

Links

Making Caring Common

The Parents We Mean to Be by Richard Weissbourd

Subscribe to TED 

Instagram:@ted

YouTube:@TED

TikTok:@tedtoks

LinkedIn:@ted-conferences

Website:ted.com

Podcasts:ted.com/podcasts

For the full text transcript, visitgo.ted.com/BHTranscripts

For the full text transcript, visit go.ted.com/BHTranscripts

Fill out our survey at bit.ly/BHSurvey6

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In honor of National Poetry Month, Chris is speaking with Naisha Randhar. Naisha is the Youth Poet Laureate of Dallas, the author of Roses of Arma, and the youngest guest Chris has ever interviewed — she’s a high school sophomore. Chris and Naisha talk about the inspiring work of teaching teenagers poetry and how to balance self-awareness with self-confidence. Naisha also encourages listeners to be witnesses more than interpreters and how it’s equally important to witness yourself and your presence in the world.

Follow

Host: Chris Duffy (Instagram |Website)

Links

Youth Poet Laureate of Dallas

Roses of Arma by Naisha Randhar

Subscribe to TED

Instagram: @ted

YouTube: @TED

TikTok: @tedtoks

LinkedIn: @ted-conferences

Website: ted.com

Podcasts: ted.com/podcasts

For the full text transcript, visit go.ted.com/BHTranscripts

For the full text transcript, visit go.ted.com/BHTranscripts

Fill out our survey at bit.ly/BHSurvey6

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Tenelle Porter’s job is to study humility. Specifically, intellectual humility, the idea that we might be wrong or mistaken about some of our beliefs. Tenelle talks with Chris about why she thinks intellectual humility is so important, how to cultivate it, and why it’s the missing piece in so many conversations these days. Whether it’s in politics, academia or social media, Tenelle argues discovering you are wrong doesn’t have to be a painful realization, rather it can lead to positive discovery.

For the full text transcript, visit go.ted.com/BHTranscripts

For the full text transcript, visit go.ted.com/BHTranscripts

Fill out our survey at bit.ly/BHSurvey6

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Rachel Botsman studies trust. She’s a professor at Oxford University and the author of the books What's Mine is Yours, Who Can You Trust? and the new audiobook, How to Trust and Be Trusted. From asking AI medical questions, to understanding what’s real and what’s a lie online, Chris and Rachel discuss trust in many forms. What happens when trust is shifted away from human interactions and given to machines or companies to be monetized?

For the full text transcript, visit go.ted.com/BHTranscripts

For the full text transcript, visit go.ted.com/BHTranscripts

Fill out our survey at bit.ly/BHSurvey6

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

How do you make sense of the present? Nate DiMeo might suggest you look at the past. Nate is the host of the podcast and book, The Memory Palace. Nate joins Chris to discuss how the past can teach us to live life in a new, rich, and complex way. Nate shares how to exercise the muscle of curiosity, how to tap into your sense of wonder to escape algorithmic filters, and urges you to seek moments of meaning in between life’s biggest plot points.

Audio excerpted courtesy of Penguin Random House Audio from THE MEMORY PALACE by Nate DiMeo; excerpt read by Nate DiMeo. © 2024 Nate DiMeo ℗ 2024 Penguin Random House, LLC. All rights reserved.

For the full text transcript, visit go.ted.com/BHTranscripts

For the full text transcript, visit go.ted.com/BHTranscripts

Fill out our survey at bit.ly/BHSurvey6

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

What do the most powerful people in the world do after they've achieved success? Jared Cohen is a history buff and a presidential historian. His latest book, “Life After Power,” is a fascinating exploration about what seven American presidents did after leaving the most influential job in the world. In this episode of ReThinking with Adam Grant, another podcast in the TED Audio Collective, Adam and Jared discuss the psychology of the founding fathers, debate the pros and cons of pursuing a legacy, and share what these historic figures can teach us all about pursuing and finding purpose.

Transcripts for ReThinking are available at go.ted.com/RWAGscripts

For more, follow ReThinking with Adam Grant wherever you get your podcasts.

For the full text transcript, visit go.ted.com/BHTranscripts

Fill out our survey at bit.ly/BHSurvey6

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.