Man Up For Good

How My View Grew

#Society #Politics #Podcasting Education #News #Self-Improvement #Amiel Handelsman

34:01

I think you could probably go back and track the stages of grief, probably that is what I went through. But I think if you do it right, you end up at acceptance. And that's where I ended up. And that's not to say that I've fully accepted the idea that the golden toad is extinct. Personally, I do still hold out hope that it could still be out there in those forests." - Trevor Ritland This conversation is with Trevor Ritland, who—along with his twin brother Kyle—authored The Golden Toad . The book chronicles their remarkable journey into Costa Rica’s cloud forest, once home to hundreds of brilliant golden toads that would emerge for just a few weeks each year—until, one day, they vanished without a trace. What began as a search for a lost species soon became something much more profound: a confrontation with ecological grief, a meditation on hope, and a powerful call to protect the natural world while we still can. Links: SpeciesUnite.com Kyle and Trevor: https://kyleandtrevor.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/adventureterm/ Goodreads - https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/222249677-the-golden-toad Amazon - https://www.amazon.com/Golden-Toad-Ecological-Mystery-Species/dp/163576996…

about a year ago 5:34

MP3•Episode home

In this five-minute episode of How My View Grew, I offer five perspectives about being a man today:

It's confusing
Men and women are different
There is no need to apologize for being a man
Long live the healthy masculine
It's time for a new Bro Code

**Resources**

**Subscribe to the podcast**

To hear the origin stories of more big ideas, subscribe to How My View Grew on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or wherever you listen to podcasts.

**Share the love**

Leave me a rating or review on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or wherever you listen to podcasts.

36 episodes

Man Up For Good

How My View Grew

published about a year ago

MP3•Episode home

In this five-minute episode of How My View Grew, I offer five perspectives about being a man today:

It's confusing
Men and women are different
There is no need to apologize for being a man
Long live the healthy masculine
It's time for a new Bro Code

**Resources**

**Subscribe to the podcast**

To hear the origin stories of more big ideas, subscribe to How My View Grew on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or wherever you listen to podcasts.

**Share the love**

Leave me a rating or review on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or wherever you listen to podcasts.

36 episodes

#Society #Politics #Podcasting Education #News #Self-Improvement #Amiel Handelsman

All episodes

1
David Storey (Part 1): Raw Egg Nationalists and the Rise of the Manosphere 28:19

8 days ago28:19

28:19

Part one of a fascinating and just plain fun conversation about the manosphere with David Storey, associate professor of philosophy at Boston College. Our first experiment in doing a "high-brow brocast." Big ideas with a casual vibe. **Key takeaways** 4:00 Beards, mustaches, and the aesthetics of Trumpism 7:15 When my mask threatens your identity 12:10 Why this philosophy professor competes in Spartan races 17:00 The laptop class manipulates bits, not its 19:00 The economics behind the rise of the manosphere 24:00 The impact on young men of #metoo and the rise of girl-boss culture 26:00 When the male body feels stuck, where does testosterone go? **Resources** David's web site, including his podcast, Wisdom@Work **Subscribe to the podcast** To hear the origin stories of more big ideas, subscribe to How My View Grew on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or wherever you listen to podcasts. **Share the love** Leave me a rating or review on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or wherever you listen to podcasts.…

1
No Kings Protest—Kudos and Disappointment 5:07

22 days ago5:07

5:07

This past Saturday, I attended the No Kings protest in a Midwestern college town. I walked in with a spring in my step, yet left early with a frown on my face. In this 5-minute episode of How My View Grew, I explain why. It's a good-news, bad-news tale. **Subscribe to the podcast** To hear the origin stories of more big ideas, subscribe to How My View Grew on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or wherever you listen to podcasts. **Share the love** Leave me a rating or review on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or wherever you listen to podcasts.…

1
Greg Thomas: Can Injustice Catalyze a Hero's Journey? 26:57

6 weeks ago26:57

26:57

In this episode of How My View Grew, Greg Thomas describes how jazz saved him from hating so-called "white people" and how he learned to see the Black American experience as a hero's journey that is central to American history and culture. **Key takeaways** 3:00 Early-life learning about rabid southern racists 9:00 "I gotta pick up an instrument" 13:30 The pathologizing of Black Americans by "white" liberals 16:00 The depth and wisdom of Albert Murray, Ralph Ellison, and Stanley Crouch 19:00 "This history has got my back" and the artificiality of "whiteness" 22:00 The hero's journey 23:30 Amiel's reflections **Resources** Jazz Leadership Project Omni-American Future Project “King of Cats,” Henry Louis Gates Jr’s long profile of Murray in The New Yorker The Omni-Americans: Some Alternatives to the Folklore of White Supremacy by Albert Murray **Subscribe to the podcast** To hear the origin stories of more big ideas, subscribe to How My View Grew on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or wherever you listen to podcasts. **Share the love** Leave me a rating or review on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or wherever you listen to podcasts.…

1
Two Audacious Ideas for a Post-Trump America (Really) 23:38

8 weeks ago23:38

23:38

When right-wingers in the United States were in the wilderness for decades, they didn't just sit on their hands. They envisioned bold ways to change the country. When they came to power, they were ready to act. Setting aside whether you like those ideas, ask yourself this: if Republicans could do this, why can't Democrats? Are liberals and progressives incapable of imagining what they'll do when back in power? Or have they simply not yet grown this potential? Maybe it's time for all of us to not just play defense against the current mayhem but also to envision a better offense. If your party were to regain power, what would you want it to do? In this episode, I invite you to think audaciously and notice not only what you come up with, but also how this improves your mood for dealing with the current presidency and its agents of sycophancy. Imagine tomorrow so you have more power to act today. To get you started, I propose two audacious ideas for a post-Trump America. **Subscribe to the podcast** To hear the origin stories of more big ideas, subscribe to How My View Grew on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or wherever you listen to podcasts. **Share the love** Leave me a rating or review on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or wherever you listen to podcasts.…

1
Seven Causes of Trump Mafia State Fatigue 9:10

9 weeks ago9:10

9:10

Let's admit it. The Trump presidency isn't just creating chaos and destruction with sadistic glee. It's also exhausting. What's exhausting isn't only the President, but also the mafia state he has built, many journalists who cover him, and progressives who frame the situation ideologically. In this 9-minute episode, I describe seven causes of Trump Mafia State Fatigue: The Bullshit Asymmetry Principle The Gaslighting Effect Fly in the Ear Affirmative action for mediocrity The double-edged corruption sword Sanewashing Progressive ideological framing **Subscribe to the podcast** To hear the origin stories of more big ideas, subscribe to How My View Grew on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or wherever you listen to podcasts. **Share the love** Leave me a rating or review on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or wherever you listen to podcasts.…

1
Ten Bright Spots in the First 100 Days 3:48

10 weeks ago3:48

3:48

The first 100 days of the Trump presidency have brought destruction and chaos at astonishing speeds. Yet we've also seen demonstrations of courage, strength, and grace. In this 4-minute episode, I describe ten such bright spots. **Subscribe to the podcast** To hear the origin stories of more big ideas, subscribe to How My View Grew on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or wherever you listen to podcasts. **Share the love** Leave me a rating or review on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or wherever you listen to podcasts.…

1
Nine Suggestions For Facing An American Warlord 14:32

12 weeks ago14:32

14:32

In this episode of How My View Grew, I offer nine ways that leaders of key American institutions—Congressional Democrats, the Supreme Court, universities, and law firms—can act differently when facing a warlord Administration. How do you act toward people whose primary modes are force and intimidation and who honor no laws, constitutions, or norms? **Subscribe to the podcast** To hear the origin stories of more big ideas, subscribe to How My View Grew on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or wherever you listen to podcasts. **Share the love** Leave me a rating or review on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or wherever you listen to podcasts.…

1
"They Would Never Do That" 17:37

15 weeks ago17:37

17:37

Why have so many liberals and progressives felt shocked by the first two months of the second Trump Administration? Why, instead, did so many assume that "they would never do that?" In this short solo episode, I offer a possible answer. Liberals and progressives have a massive blind spot. They don't know who and what they are dealing with—namely, a worldview that is deeply entrenched in human culture yet widely misunderstood: the warlord or warrior. Once they see it, they—and conservatives committed to prudence, humility, and order—can abandon failed strategies and craft new ones. **Resources** What I saw at a MAGA conference: A Day at CPAC Two days with former Republicans who won't bend the knee for Trump: The Principles First conference Why Trump and Vance looked weak and Zelensky looked strong **Subscribe to the podcast** To hear the origin stories of more big ideas, subscribe to How My View Grew on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or wherever you listen to podcasts. **Share the love** Leave me a rating or review on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or wherever you listen to podcasts.…

1
Ari Weinzweig: Can Workplace Dignity Prevent Political Tyranny? 51:00

16 weeks ago51:00

51:00

The first two months of the new Administration in Washington DC have brought shocking degrees of chaos and disruption. Many people who didn't vote for the current President feel like they've been punched in the face and knocked to the ground. How in a situation like this do you get back up? What actions can you take to lift your mood and make things in the world better? This week's guest on How My View Grew, which launches season three of the podcast, is no stranger to this dilemma. Ari Weinzweig, co-founder of the Zingerman's Community of Businesses in Ann Arbor, Michigan, knows something about getting crushed by a global shock and then finding a way to get back up. In his case, the event was Russia's brutal full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022. How he got back up was by learning about Ukraine's Revolution of Dignity in 2014 and then using this as inspiration to bring dignity into the workplace. Ari's story offers a lesson about how to respond to disturbing and horrific events. It also raises a startling question: if millions of people felt a sense of dignity in the workplace, would they vote for demagogues claiming "you've been screwed" and promising to "fix it" for them? Or might they instead say, "No thanks. I'm good. If you want to be an autocrat, move to Russia?" **Key takeaways** 5:00 When Ari was unconsciously competent at dignity 10:00 "Putin isn't going to call me for advice" 14:00 Inspiration from Ukraine's Revolution of Dignity 25:00 Honoring dignity doesn't take more time 27:00 Being authentic without dumping on others 32:00 Showing employees the financial numbers 36:00 "Maybe it's not because they're lazy." 43:00 Slipping daily and then gamefilming 45:30 Amiel's reflections **Resources** A Revolution of Dignity in the Twenty-first Century Workplace , a pamphlet by Ari Zingerman's Deli in Ann Arbor, Michigan Ukrainian civic activist Valerii Pekar on Ukraine's stunning resilience (How My View Grew) Historian Marci Shore on how to improve the world amidst evil (How My View Grew) Depolarize politics by escaping the drama triangle (How My View Grew) **Subscribe to the podcast** To hear the origin stories of more big ideas, subscribe to How My View Grew on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or wherever you listen to podcasts. **Share the love** Leave me a rating or review on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or wherever you listen to podcasts.…

1
How to Escape the Drama Triangle 5:08

24 weeks ago5:08

5:08

This is the final episode of season two. After taking a short break, we'll return in March with season three. In episode eight of this season, I introduced a way to depolarize politics and evoke more constructive moods: escaping the drama triangle. In this five-minute episode, I answer a related question: how do you escape the drama triangle? Here are four steps you can start using today. **Subscribe to the podcast** To hear the origin stories of more big ideas, subscribe to How My View Grew on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or wherever you listen to podcasts. **Share the love** Leave me a rating or review on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or wherever you listen to podcasts.…

1
Kim Stanley Robinson: How can humans reverse climate change? 43:28

26 weeks ago43:28

43:28

Kim Stanley ("Stan") Robinson is one of the world's most acclaimed and popular science fiction novelists, first famous for his Mars Trilogy. For the past two decades, Stan has been telling vivid stories in which climate change is catastrophic yet people invent ways of reversing it. What he imagines is so bold it takes your breath away, then fills you with hope and resolve that you didn't know existed within you. In his Science in the Capital trilogy, a Washington DC thriller, National Zoo animals roam the capital after a massive flood. The Gulf Stream shuts down. Then a tiny U.S. government agency with bold leadership funds massive global climate projects. That plus the election of an inspiring everyman new President saves the day. Two decades later, Ministry for the Future tells a very different heroic tale. Here the protagonist is a new international agency based in Zurich led by an Irishwoman. After a massive heat wave in Indian kills millions, she gets kidnapped by one of its survivors and eventually answers her captor's challenge to do more. She persuades central bankers to back a "carbon coin" that changes the rules of the economic game. Companies now earn money by keeping oil in the ground, slowing Antarctica's melting, and investing in other projects on a scale commensurate with the climate catastrophe. What led Robinson to dramatically rethink his bold ideas for reversing climate change? What can we learn from this about climate economics and the financial rules in capitalism? How might this learning shift us into more constructive moods as we face seemingly insurmountable challenges? Join me in exploring these questions in this new episode of How My View Grew. **Key takeaways** 4:00 A DC thriller: the Gulf Stream slows down. Washington floods. Science and government save the day 12:00 Stan gets criticized about economics and responds by reading more deeply. The virtues and limits of nationalizing banks. 18:00 A new view of money and lessons from the 2008 financial crisis 23:00 Paying companies to green the planet, changing the economic game 28:45 Stop asking "Is it to late?" Focus instead on better versus worse 33:30 Telling good stories that our culture ignores 35:00 Stan's message to the Left: get over it 40:00 Amiel's reflections **Resources** A reference site for Kim Stanley Robinson Amiel's essay, "Beyond the false choice between despair and hope" **Subscribe to the podcast** To hear the origin stories of more big ideas, subscribe to How My View Grew on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or wherever you listen to podcasts. **Share the love** Leave me a rating or review on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or wherever you listen to podcasts.…

1
Depolarize Politics by Escaping the Drama Triangle 9:18

28 weeks ago9:18

9:18

In this 10-minute episode of How My View Grew, discover a powerful method for depolarizing politics and improving relationships: the drama triangle. Invented to support families in high-conflict situations, the drama triangle opens a new window into understanding political polarization, emotional intelligence, and difficult conversations. Listen in as I describe the victim, the persecutor, and the rescuer and how they show up in MAGA and liberal/progressive politics. **Subscribe to the podcast** To hear the origin stories of more big ideas, subscribe to How My View Grew on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or wherever you listen to podcasts. **Share the love** Leave me a rating or review on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or wherever you listen to podcasts.…

1
Lene Rachel Andersen: Can Teaching History Prevent Authoritarianism? 36:36

30 weeks ago36:36

36:36

As Donald Trump returns to the White House, many American citizens are willing to tear everything down. Where did these destructive inclinations come from? Might they partly reflect the way that voters learned history back in school? How well are we teaching history through the eyes of people living then so we can learn from their experiences? To what extent are we introducing students to their culture's proud traditions so they feel inspired to defend them rather than throw everything away? In this episode of How My View Grew, we explore these questions by hearing from someone from outside the United States. Lene Rachel Andersen is a Danish author, futurist, and economist. As a student, she knew history was important. However, when challenged by a classmate, she couldn't explain why. Lene sensed the disjointed nature of the history curriculum but couldn't pinpoint what was missing. Years later, as the result of a TV series she created that went awry, she discovered answers to both questions. Then postmodernism entered the scene, and Lene wondered: should we be teaching deconstruction to third graders—or can this wait until later? Lene's story reveals deep lessons for avoiding authoritarianism and meeting other challenges of our time. **Key takeaways** 8:00 A classmate's question about history stump Lene 12:00 Put yourself in the shoes of people in history 14:00 To avoid authoritarianism and stupid wars, understand history and humans 18:00 Pitfalls of the postmodern approach to history 24:00 An exciting pilot project in a Danish public school 27:00 Third grade teachers shouldn't be teaching deconstruction 32:00 Amiel's reflections **Resources** Lene's web site "The Surprising Lesson of History"—from season one of this podcast **Subscribe to the podcast** To hear the origin stories of more big ideas, subscribe to How My View Grew on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or wherever you listen to podcasts. **Share the love** Leave me a rating or review on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or wherever you listen to podcasts.…

1
Beyond the false choice between despair and hope 10:37

32 weeks ago10:37

10:37

In this short episode of How My View Grew, I offer an alternative to the false choice between despair and hope. After the recent U.S presidential election, many people in my orbit are feeling despair. Their response: search for signs of hope. But what if this is a false choice? What if we could gain access to other moods that are more constructive and powerful? Say hello to resolve and curiosity, two moods for this moment. **Resources** A Cabinet of buffoons, bomb throwers, and bottom-feeders? Republican Senators get to decide . My recent Medium essay. **Subscribe to the podcast** To hear the origin stories of more big ideas, subscribe to How My View Grew on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or wherever you listen to podcasts. **Share the love** Leave me a rating or review on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or wherever you listen to podcasts.…

1
The day liberals became small "c" conservative 19:35

34 weeks ago19:35

19:35

When new political leaders promote disruptive and even violent change, then people accustomed to pressing the gas pedal on change may choose instead to hit the breaks. Liberals become small "c" conservatives. In this episode of How My View Grew, I suggest that after November 5, 2024 every liberal in the United States became a small "c" conservative. Instead of pushing for change in society, liberals now have good reason to slow it down. That's because the changes coming with the new Trump Administration threaten to destroy or disrupt many things worth preserving, from liberal gains of the past 90 years to basic Constitutional protections we've had for two and a half centuries. Much that we Americans take for granted, everything from childhood immunizations to Constitutional freedoms to the rule of law, is now at risk. Someone needs to stand up and shout, "Stop." For decades, liberals associated this stance with Republicans, and for good reason. But today's Republican leader doesn't have a small "c" conservative bone in his body. His Administration will be about rapidly disrupting and destroying much that liberals—and all Americans—value. So, who will fill the void of slowing down change and preserving that which we hold most dear? Liberals. After making this case, I describe five steps liberals can take to embody such small "c" conservatism. **Key takeaways** 2:00 The reactionary changes coming 5:30 The two forms of conservatism: small "c" and big "C" 8:30 Big "C" conservatism, the ideology, is whatever the Republican Party currently stands for 13:30 Five steps liberals can take to conserve liberal gains and American traditions **Resources** My recent essay, "Nine tempting but unhelpful interpretations of Mr. Trump's victory" On Tyranny: Twenty Lessons from the Twentieth Century by Timothy Snyder **Subscribe to the podcast** To hear the origin stories of more big ideas, subscribe to How My View Grew on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or wherever you listen to podcasts. **Share the love** Leave me a rating or review on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or wherever you listen to podcasts.…

How My View Grew

1
5 Election Scenarios and 3 No-Matter-What Commitments 9:34

36 weeks ago9:34

9:34

The human brain craves certainty. It convinces us we know how next week's U.S. presidential election will turn out. We don't. Things are uncertain. Yet, we can imagine different scenarios. In this nine-minute episode of How My View Grew, I describe five scenarios for the election and its aftermath. Then, I invite you to consider three "no-matter-what commitments." These are stands we can take no matter what happens. Making such commitments is an antidote to anxiety and despair. It reminds us of our strengths and resilience. **Subscribe to the podcast** To hear the origin stories of more big ideas, subscribe to How My View Grew on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or wherever you listen to podcasts. **Share the love** Leave me a rating or review on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or wherever you listen to podcasts.…

How My View Grew

1
Stephen E. Hanson: Can Mafia-like States Spread to the West? 44:08

38 weeks ago44:08

44:08

In the upcoming U.S. presidential election, democracy, many say, is on the ballot. But is democracy versus autocracy the best description of the stakes? Not according to Stephen E. Hanson, co-author with Jeffrey Kopstein of the new book The Assault on the State. The democracy/autocracy distinction is about how people come to power. It doesn't address how leaders rule their staffs and administrations once they are in power. In the West, we've long managed states based on professional expertise and the rule of law. It's so common that we take it for granted. Yet, in recent years a different form of rule has taken root, first in Russia, then in Eastern Europe, and now in England, the U.S., and other parts of the West. Here the method of rule resembles the mafia. It's based on loyalty to a single leader, typically a man, and characterized by attacks on professional experts and power centralized in a ruling household. For many years, Hanson, an expert on Russia and Eastern Europe, didn't think that strong mafia-like states were possible in the 21st century. And he was far from alone in this. Then, when Putin defied the odds by building one in Russia, Hanson didn't think this model of rule would spread elsewhere. And yet it has. In this episode of How My View Grew, we explore why it made sense to bet against the rise of mafia-like states and why such bets turned out to be misguided. **Key takeaways** 5:30 Steve's prediction that Russia wouldn't build a state after communism 8:30 How Putin built a state with loyalists 14:00 Why nobody thought Russia's mafia-like rule would spread 17:00 An epiphany during the pandemic sparks an "aha" 20:00 Three warning signs 24:00 Democracies can be run like the mafia. Autocracies can be run by experts based on the rule of law 28:00 The "unholy alliance" leading the assaults on the expert-run state 33:00 How an assault on the state in Israel contributed to the country's lack of preparedness for Hamas's massacres on October 7, 2023 39:30 We only notice government when it fails 41:00 Amiel's reflections **Resources** The Assault on the State by Stephen E. Hanson and Jeffrey S. Kopstein **Subscribe to the podcast** To hear the origin stories of more big ideas, subscribe to How My View Grew on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or wherever you listen to podcasts. **Share the love** Leave me a rating or review on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or wherever you listen to podcasts.…

How My View Grew

1
Man Up For Good 5:34

40 weeks ago5:34

5:34

In this five-minute episode of How My View Grew, I offer five perspectives about being a man today: It's confusing Men and women are different There is no need to apologize for being a man Long live the healthy masculine It's time for a new Bro Code **Resources** "Men are lost. Here's a map out of the wilderness" by Christine Emba in the Washington Post. "How to Be a Good Guy" by Janet Crawford and Lisa Marshall—includes a section on breaking the bro code **Subscribe to the podcast** To hear the origin stories of more big ideas, subscribe to How My View Grew on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or wherever you listen to podcasts. **Share the love** Leave me a rating or review on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or wherever you listen to podcasts.…

How My View Grew

1
David Storey: Can A Liberal Democrat Be Conservative? 30:26

42 weeks ago30:26

30:26

Why might a liberal Democrat with progressive values hold a conservative disposition? Could it make sense to both advocate for positive change and honor traditions and the social cohesion they foster? Might this represent the twin challenges facing today's Democratic Party? In this 30-minute episode of How My View Grew, Boston College philosophy professor David Storey explores these questions through his own personal and professional experience. How did someone who dismissed the Republican Party as simplistic and repellent learn to recognize the virtues of the conservative disposition, even as Republicans themselves abandoned this disposition? What does this tell us about MAGA, Mr. Trump, January 6, and the the upcoming U.S. Presidential Election? Who are the "barstool conservatives," and why are they anything but conservative? If you believe in the gains brought by liberalism and progressivism, aren't you acknowledging that these are traditions you want to conserve? **Key takeaways** 3:00 The thick culture and Fox News habits of a childhood friend's family 5:30 Discovering positive patriotism on 9/11 9:00 Learning from Andrew Sullivan that traditions are complex, involve pruning, and were built by people 12:00 Why the Iraq War violated conservative principles and climate activism can piggyback on them 17:30 The primal ethnocentric energies of George Wallace and Patrick Buchanan—also not truly conservative 20:00 How these primal energies broke through to the mainstream in the form of MAGA and Mr. Trump 22:30 The "barstool conservatives" who are angry they can't watch cheerleaders or call things "gay" 25:00 The January 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol is what happens when you abandon the conservative disposition 27:00 The important contributions of the Never Trumpers 28:00 Amiel's reflections **Resources** David's web site, including his podcast, Wisdom@Work The Institute for Cultural Evolution, where David is a Senior Fellow **Subscribe to the podcast** To hear the origin stories of more big ideas, subscribe to How My View Grew on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or wherever you listen to podcasts. **Share the love** Leave me a rating or review on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or wherever you listen to podcasts.…

How My View Grew

1
The Surprising Lesson of History 14:43

1 year ago14:43

14:43

In this final episode of season one, a short one, I describe how my view of history shifted after reading the memoir of Stefan Zweig, a popular early 20th century European novelist. What if the lesson of history, especially around war and other catastrophes, is precisely the opposite of what I long assumed? How might history make us humbler about our ability to predict the future? Might it help us see possibilities and perils we otherwise would ignore or dismiss? Finally, a brief riff on why, in light of this uncertainty, curiosity, resolve, and acceptance are more useful moods than despair and anxiety. **Subscribe to the podcast** To hear the origin stories of more big ideas, subscribe to How My View Grew on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or wherever you listen to podcasts. **Share the love** Leave me a rating or review on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or wherever you listen to podcasts.…

How My View Grew

1
Marci Shore: How to Improve the World Amidst Evil? 54:15

1 year ago54:15

54:15

In a Soviet-era bunker in an undisclosed location in Ukraine, a Ukrainian soldier reads books by the late historian Tony Judt and wonders: Is it possible to make the world better amidst evil? Not long after, Yale historian Marci Shore, a former peacenik, finds herself pleading to the German government to send lethal weapons to Ukraine. What's happening here? How does one historian's words support a courageous defense of democracy that, in turn, inspires another historian to step outside of her comfort zone and into a debate about war? In this week's episode of How My View Grew, the second-to-last of season one, Marci Shore joins me to explore these questions. The story she shares is about choosing to take moral responsibility rather than ignoring evil or rationalizing it away, even if this means risking friendship, status, or your own sense of identity. Her story is also about tapping the lessons of history to see future scenarios you otherwise might miss or consider impossible. And it's about postmodernism—both the new capacities it offers and, when stretched to an extreme, the disasters it produces. The episode draws from Shore's book, The Ukrainian Night: An Intimate History of Revolution, as well as Judt's books, Thinking the Twentieth Century , written with Timothy Snyder, and Past Imperfect. **Key takeaways** 6:00 Judt's harsh critique of French intellectuals' silence about the show trials and other Soviet terror 17:00 The alternative to silence and rationalization: taking moral responsibility 20:00 There is a difference between good and evil, and between truth and lies 25:00 A Ukrainian soldier reading Judt's books in a bunker 30:00 Mr. Putin, Mr. Trump, and the evasion of responsibility 33:30 Why liberals struggle to grasp nihilism and mass murder 40:00 World War I was, before it occurred, unimaginable 46:00 Historians can't predict the future, but they describe what can happen 50:00 Amiel's reflections **Resources** "Reading Tony Judt in Wartime Ukraine," Marci Shore's essay in The New Yorker. Thinking the Twentieth Century by Tony Judt with Timothy Snyder Past Imperfect: French Intellectuals 1944-1956 by Tony Judt The Ukrainian Night: An Intimate History of Revolution **Subscribe to the podcast** To hear the origin stories of more big ideas, subscribe to How My View Grew on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or wherever you listen to podcasts. **Share the love** Leave me a rating or review on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or wherever you listen to podcasts.…

How My View Grew

1
The Clarifying Question 11:17

1 year ago11:17

11:17

This short episode is about asking clarifying questions, which involve far more than building rapport and trust. Clarifying questions provide powerful ways to understand what matters to others—clearly, accurately, and without illusions. Listen in as I walk through the three steps in the clarifying question (only two of which happen while you're speaking!) and when you can use this powerful conversation habit.…

How My View Grew

1
Einat Wilf: What Do Most Palestinians Actually Want? 1:00:07

1 year ago1:00:07

1:00:07

Do most Palestinians want their own state in the West Bank and Gaza, one that co-exists with the state of Israel? Is the conflict between Israel and Palestinians primarily about territory and the solution therefore simply to trade territory for peace? For many years, as an advisor to Israel's top leaders and member of its parliament, Einat Wilf thought so. Then she started to listen deeply to what Palestinians were saying, and what she heard stunned her. What Palestinians wanted was a land to themselves so they could return to the homes their families once occupied in Israel proper. What they didn't want was a Jewish state. This discovery, coupled with extensive research into the century-long history, left Einat with a dramatically different view of the conflict. Palestinians' dream of "return" and the world's support for this dream constituted as big an obstacle to peace as Israeli settlements in the West Bank. Engaging with this possibility may be painful, but it opens new possibilities for long-term peace in the region. If Israel and the United states take Einat's story seriously, they will approach the conflict dramatically differently than they have been doing for decades. **Key takeaways** 4:00 Why Einat believed that the conflict was simply about territory 9:39 The purpose and flaws of constructive ambiguity 16:00 The shock and meaning of the Second Intifada 19:00 Listening deeply to Palestinians and taking seriously what they say they want 22:30 The settlements are Israel's most wasteful project 28:30 The Jews want a state. The Arabs want the Jews to not have a state 31:00 What the Arabs of Gaza did and didn't do when they finally controlled the territory 37:30 Why Israel's Labor Party declined 40:30 When Arabs say two states, do they mean two Palestinian states? 44:00 A clarifying question to a Palestinian student reveals a great deal 45:00 The one question Israeli negotiators should ask before entering the room 50:00 No refugees anywhere else in the world have had a "right of return" 54:00 Amiel's reflections **Resources** Einat's web site The War of Return, Einat's book with Adi Schwartz Einat's detailed recommendations about where to draw boundaries and which settlements to allow to wither Amiel's essay, "Seven lessons seven months after October 7" **Subscribe to the podcast** To hear the origin stories of more big ideas, subscribe to How My View Grew on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or wherever you listen to podcasts. **Share the love** Leave me a rating or review on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or wherever you listen to podcasts.…

How My View Grew

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My Assessment, Your Assessment 5:58

1 year ago5:58

5:58

In this week's episode, I describe how to have difficult conversations about charged topics. It's a game called My Assessment, Your Assessment. I walk you through the eight rules of the game, how to know when the game is over, and what makes this valuable in discussing big global challenges or everyday topics.…

How My View Grew

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Noor Awad: Can Israeli and Palestinian Narratives Co-exist? 46:32

1 year ago46:32

46:32

In this episode of How My View Grew, Palestinian Noor Awad describes an encounter with a Zionist Israeli settler that caused him to broaden his view of the conflict. This is a story of growing up within a particular narrative and learning to take seriously a very different narrative without given up one's own. What would be possible if more Palestinians—and Israelis—developed this capacity? **Key takeaways** 3:30 Noor becomes aware of the conflict during the Second Intifada 9:30 The Palestinian identity Noor was born with 13:30 Noor's early-life view of Israelis and Zionism 18:00 Noor discovers Israel's New Historians, who questioned the conventional Israeli narrative of 1948 20:45 Noor meets Hanan Schlesinger, a passionate Zionist settler, and has a life-changing experience 31:00 "I'm right, they're wrong" is not the only way to see things 34:30 Noor's capacity to hold two narratives is rare 38:00 The devastating impact of October 7 and the war on Roots' efforts to build mutual understanding 42:30 Amiel's reflections **Resources** Roots, the organization Noor works with Amiel's essay, "Seven lessons seven months after October 7" Amiel's page of essays on Medium **Subscribe to the podcast** To hear the origin stories of more big ideas, subscribe to How My View Grew on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or wherever you listen to podcasts. **Share the love** Leave me a rating or review on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or wherever you listen to podcasts.…

How My View Grew

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Different Strokes for Different Folks 6:18

1 year ago6:18

6:18

This short episode is about giving better advice. Just as medicine containers have warning labels, I propose that all advice about being a better citizen, leader, parent, or partner come with three disclaimers: Not for everyone May have side effects Dilute before using After all, different folks deserve different strokes.…

How My View Grew

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Carlos Hoyt: Do Races Exist? 55:57

1 year ago55:57

55:57

In this episode of How My View Grew, educator Carlos Hoyt describes his early life experience transcending racial categories and how he discovered that the entire concept of "race" was false and unhelpful. What if the racial categories that pervade our conversations, public policy, and social science data are scientifically meaningless? What can we learn from people who have deracialized themselves and others? How might these insights improve lives and undermine racism at its roots? **Key Takeaways** 8:00 Growing up in Boston—"Black and proud," changing school districts, mixing it up at summer camp 18:00 Discovering research on other "race transcenders" 22:00 The five steps in racializing people 27:00 The pseudoscience of race 34:00 Why "racial equality" is an oxymoron 40:00 Making the U.S. Census more accurate 44:00 How to adjust the way you refer to people 50:00 Amiel's reflections, including the analogy of the Elvis Lives Fan Club **Resources** Carlos's web site Carlos's forthcoming book, Diversity Without Divisiveness **Subscribe to the podcast** To hear the origin stories of more big ideas, subscribe to How My View Grew on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or wherever you listen to podcasts. **Share the love** Leave me a rating or review on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or wherever you listen to podcasts.…

How My View Grew

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Regaining center when verbally attacked 8:17

1 year ago8:17

8:17

In this short episode, I share a personal story about a time I was knocked off center by the verbal attacks of a human "bull." When someone attacks you, what can you do to regain center and respond skillfully? Here are five tips. **Subscribe to the podcast** To hear the origin stories of more big ideas, subscribe to How My View Grew on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or wherever you listen to podcasts. **Share the love** Leave me a rating or review on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or wherever you listen to podcasts.…

How My View Grew

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Rachel Eryn Kalish: When is Violence Necessary? 38:08

1 year ago38:08

38:08

Rachel Eryn Kalish is a peacemaker. Personally, she radiates harmony. Professionally, she has devoted decades to non-violence and was mediating conflict before the term conflict resolution existed. Yet, today, she doesn't view non-violence as the one and only approach to global conflict. Sometimes, she has learned, force is necessary to save lives and reduce suffering. The massacre of Israelis by Hamas on October 7 is one example. We all know the saying that violence begets violence. But are there situations in which non-violence begets violence? This is the story of how Rachel Eryn began asking this question and listening deeply for answers. **Key takeaways** 5:30 Facilitating conflict resolution and violence prevention in the workplace 9:30 Teaching dialogue skills to mixed groups of Israelis and Palestinians amidst the suicide bombings of the Second Intifada 14:15 Helping the deeply divided Bay Area Jewish community talk constructively about Israel 19:00 The civil war in Sierra Leone prompts Rachel Eryn to reconsider her view of non-violence 25:00 The savagery of October 7 and the need to get rid of Hamas's infrastructure 31:30 Amiel's reflections: what type of humans commit barbaric violence, and what types of response can constrain them? **Resources** Workplace Connections, Rachel Eryn's consulting firm Amiel's essays on Medium about Israel/Gaza (and other big messes) **Share the love** Leave me a rating or review on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or wherever you listen to podcasts. **Subscribe to the podcast** To hear the origin stories of more big ideas, subscribe to How My View Grew on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or wherever you listen to podcasts.…

How My View Grew

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Possibility Conversations 9:50

1 year ago9:50

9:50

In this episode, I describe a conversation that is pivotal to approaching big global messes. Also useful for parenting, partnering, being a friend, and being a citizen. The possibility conversation is about the future. It's aspirational. It doesn't include assessments of the past. It's not about coordinating action. The critic stays on the bench. Our mood is constructive. **Share the love** Leave me a rating or review on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or wherever you listen to podcasts. **Subscribe to the podcast** To hear the origin stories of more big ideas, subscribe to How My View Grew on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or wherever you listen to podcasts.…

How My View Grew

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Valerii Pekar: Ukraine's stunning resilience 38:56

1 year ago38:56

38:56

Two years ago, Ukraine stunned the world with its response to Russia's full-scale invasion. Where did its resilience come from? Leading Ukrainian civic activist Valerii Pekar has an answer. It's a story of a nation—and a man—undergoing two major transformations after the fall of the Soviet Union. First, a shift into freedom, then an awakening of dignity and civic activism. Why this matters to you and me: If Russia were to defeat Ukraine, its next likely targets are NATO countries the United States is bound by treaty to defend. Here's the back story—cultural, political, economic, and personal—behind Ukraine's extraordinary response to Russian aggression. **Key takeaways** 7:00 The many facets of freedom after the fall of the Soviet Union 10:35 Ukrainians vote for independence 12:30 Valerii shifts from traditional to modern worldview 15:00 Moscow tries to steal an election. Ukrainians take to the streets 19:00 Valerii's speech on the Maidan about Ukraine's three revolutions 20:00 The progressive postmodern worldview emerges 23:00 Ukrainians explore a big question: what mistakes did we make ten years ago 25:30 Valerii is elected to the National Reform Council 29:30 A meeting with the President, who issues an invitation 31:00 Russia invades, and Ukraine's new horizontal networks activate 34:30 My reflections **Resources** Valerii's essays in the journal New Eastern Europe **Share the love** Leave me a rating or review on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or wherever you listen to podcasts. **Subscribe to the podcast** To hear the origin stories of more big ideas, subscribe to How My View Grew on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or wherever you listen to podcasts.…

How My View Grew

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The Real Reason You're Ready to Grow 4:20

1 year ago4:20

4:20

A short episode in which I explore: why would any of us want to shift our perspective on a big complex issue like climate change, democracy, the Middle East, or political polarization? Doing this isn't easy and can affect our status and relationships, so why bother? The answer is a quick primer on how as adults we grow our span of care. **Share the love** Leave me a rating or review on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or wherever you listen to podcasts. **Subscribe to the podcast** To hear the origin stories of more big ideas, subscribe to How My View Grew on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or wherever you listen to podcasts.…

How My View Grew

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William Deresiewicz: What News Sources Can I Trust? 47:21

1 year ago47:21

47:21

In this episode of How My View Grew, essayist Bill Deresiewicz describes the moment he stopped trusting his go-to news sources and started listening to "heterodox" perspectives. This is a story about American journalism and culture. It's also a story about the humility and courage it takes to let go of deeply held ideas and create space for something new. **About the guest** Bill Deresiewicz is an award-winning essayist and critic and frequent speaker at colleges and high schools. He is the author of five books, including the New York Times's best-seller Excellent Sheep: The Miseducation of the American Elite and the Way to a Meaningful Life . His latest book is The End of Solitude: Selected Essays on Culture and Society . **Key takeaways** 5:20 "Hate listening" to NPR and discovering the heterodox world 9:00 When an ideology from academia entered the mainstream 15:00 Realizing his attitude about art and money is BS 22:00 Growing up in a world of liberal Democrats and Orthodox Judaism—and making breaks from this world 27:00 Discovering the misery and despair of many students at elite colleges 31:00 Learning from Pride and Prejudice that feelings can be wrong 35:00 Bill's message to Antifa and other young people revolting against the system 39:00 Learning that he knew much less than he thought he did 41:00 Amiel's reflections on the conversation **Resources** Bill's web site "Escaping American Tribalism" in UnHerd " Why I Left Academia (Since You're Wondering) " in Quillette A Jane Austin Education: How Six Novels Taught Me About Love, Friendship and the Things That Really Matter. The Death of the Artist **Share the love** Leave me a rating or review on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or wherever you listen to podcasts. **Subscribe to the podcast** To hear the origin stories of more big ideas, subscribe to How My View Grew on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or wherever you listen to podcasts.…

How My View Grew

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Permission to Despair Revoked 6:23

1 year ago6:23

6:23

In this short episode, I revoke my permission to get stuck in a mood of despair and show you how to do the same. How moods differ from emotions. If you can't beat despair, don't join it. Dissolve it with humor. **Share the love** Leave me a rating or review on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or wherever you listen to podcasts. **Subscribe to the podcast** To hear the origin stories of more big ideas, subscribe to How My View Grew on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or wherever you listen to podcasts.…

How My View Grew

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Gil Friend: Can the World Work? 34:35

1 year ago34:35

34:35

In this episode of How My View Grew, discover how sustainability pioneer Gil Friend found his footing...and a commitment to a world that works for all life. At an extraordinary summer workshop filled with aliveness and curiosity, he found a new answer to the question, "Can the world work?" About the guest Gil Friend is an inaugural member of the Sustainability Hall of Fame. He was named by the Guardian as one of the ten most influential sustainability voices in America. He served as the first chief sustainability officer for Palo Alto, California. He founded and runs both Natural Logic, Inc. and Critical Path Capital. Key takeaways 1:37 An early belief that things are terrible and it's their fault 7:33 Learning to plan backwards from the future 13:12 Gil is tapped on the shoulder, saying "Go this way." 17:15 Moods are the resonant frequencies of groups 24:46 You can point fingers at others, or you can design the future 26:30 Let's try capitalism by removing the subsidies for fossil fuel industries 30:24 Amiel's reflections on the conversation Resources Connect with Gil Friend at Natural Logic , Critical Path Capital , or Trimtab4Trimtabs Connect with Gil's Substack , Gil's YouTube channel or on Linked In Book Gil for a video consultation "Who was Buckminster Fuller?" **Subscribe to the podcast** To hear the origin stories of more big ideas, subscribe to How My View Grew on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or wherever you listen to podcasts.…

How My View Grew

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Introducing: How My View Grew 3:15

1 year ago3:15