Naked Humanity

In today’s episode, Stefani chats with New York Times best-selling author Abel James. After having careers as a musician, a corporate consultant, an award-winning podcast host, a reality TV star, and a fitness guru, to name a few--James has developed a fascinating take on what’s wrong with the modern world. At the core of James’s vision is the idea that humanity has strayed from a core inner subjectivity and truth, which makes us vulnerable to brainwashing via advertisements, media, propaganda, and more.   ---------------------   To enter the weekly giveaway for a FREE book, write a review of the podcast on iTunes (http://stefaniruper.com/listen), take a screen shot of your review, then email it to stefani@nakedhumanity.org. Then you'll be PERMANENTLY entered into the drawing! Check out the list of books you can get @ http://stefaniruper.com/bookgiveaway. Guests for this show are carefully curated and vetted by a team of content experts to bring you nothing less than the most interesting, most intellectually rigorous, and most exciting insights into human nature the world has to offer. The host of Naked Humanity is Oxford PhD candidate and theorist of the human condition Stefani Ruper. Ruper has worked as a scientist studying life on Mars, as a scholar of religion, and is now a specialist on the human condition in the modern world. Her genius is in refusing to hide from hard questions and harder answers, so you get a real, honest look at what it means to be human. Never shying away from controversy or unpopular opinions, Ruper demonstrates everything is more complicated when you peer behind the curtain - but that is exactly what we must to do make a better, happier world. *Subscribe on Youtube: http://bit.ly/2Y8fkfV Instagram: http://instagram.com/stefani.ruper Twitter: http://twitter.com/stefaniruper Facebook: http://facebook.com/stefaniruper Website: http://stefaniruper.com *Subscribe on a podcasting app: iTunes: https://apple.co/2JJM4Is Spotify: https://spoti.fi/2Ye2b9x   Google Play: http://bit.ly/2Y1vXig

I have taken a pause from our regular programming to respond to the flood of people asking me to talk about coronavirus. In the beginning of this episode I briefly address anxiety and coping strategies. But because I believe these are addressed widely elsewhere, I then move on to what I can truly lend to you: perspective. This podcast focuses on the ways in which the Western world’s technologies and spiritualities have blinded us to some of the realities of what it means to be human. Tune in to reflect a bit on how you can use this time of disruption to reflect, grow, and even find some peace. --- To enter the weekly giveaway for a FREE book, write a review of the podcast on iTunes (http://stefaniruper.com/listen), take a screen shot of your review, then email it to stefani@nakedhumanity.org. Then you'll be PERMANENTLY entered into the drawing. Check out the list of books you can get @ http://stefaniruper.com/bookgiveaway. I carefully curate the guests on this show alongside a few team members who help me do it. We work hard to bring you nothing less than the most interesting, engaging, insightful, provocative guests out there. *Subscribe on Youtube: http://bit.ly/2Y8fkfV Instagram: http://instagram.com/stefani.ruper Twitter: http://twitter.com/stefaniruper Facebook: http://facebook.com/stefaniruper Website: http://stefaniruper.com *Subscribe on a podcasting app: iTunes: https://apple.co/2JJM4Is Spotify: https://spoti.fi/2Ye2b9x Google Play: http://bit.ly/2Y1vXig

Alex Farrow is both a philosophy teacher AND a really extraordinary stand up comedian (I’ve seen his show live!) so this is a heck of a podcast. Alex and I chat about what he learned teaching philosophy to high schoolers in London, what makes something funny, the precise science of crafting a joke, and the shifting landscape of  political correctness in comedy today. Check out the night he runs in Oxford @ http://www.jerichocomedy.com/ Find him on Twitter @ https://twitter.com/alex_farrow ----- To enter the weekly giveaway for a FREE book, write a review of the podcast on iTunes (http://stefaniruper.com/listen), take a screen shot of your review, then email it to stefani@nakedhumanity.org. Then you'll be PERMANENTLY entered into the drawing. Check out the list of books you can get @ http://stefaniruper.com/bookgiveaway. I carefully curate the guests on this show alongside a few team members who help me do it. We work hard to bring you nothing less than the most interesting, engaging, insightful, provocative guests out there. *Subscribe on Youtube: http://bit.ly/2Y8fkfV Instagram: http://instagram.com/stefani.ruper Twitter: http://twitter.com/stefaniruper Facebook: http://facebook.com/stefaniruper Website: http://stefaniruper.com *Subscribe on a podcasting app: iTunes: https://apple.co/2JJM4Is Spotify: https://spoti.fi/2Ye2b9x Google Play: http://bit.ly/2Y1vXig

A listener wrote in and asked me: Stefani, if you were Emperor of the World for a day, what would you do? I sat down and put some thought into the question, and came up with a list of four things involving education, safety, freedom, and meaning. Take a dive into the fun question with me, and hope over to Insta or Facebook to chime in in the discussion. --- To enter the weekly giveaway for a FREE book, write a review of the podcast on iTunes (http://stefaniruper.com/listen), take a screen shot of your review, then email it to stefani@nakedhumanity.org. Then you'll be PERMANENTLY entered into the drawing. Check out the list of books you can get @ http://stefaniruper.com/bookgiveaway. I carefully curate the guests on this show alongside a few team members who help me do it. We work hard to bring you nothing less than the most interesting, engaging, insightful, provocative guests out there. *Subscribe on Youtube: http://bit.ly/2Y8fkfV Instagram: http://instagram.com/stefani.ruper Twitter: http://twitter.com/stefaniruper Facebook: http://facebook.com/stefaniruper Website: http://stefaniruper.com *Subscribe on a podcasting app: iTunes: https://apple.co/2JJM4Is Spotify: https://spoti.fi/2Ye2b9x Google Play: http://bit.ly/2Y1vXig

This week I have the enormous pleasure to chat with freelance philosopher Steve Patterson, who studied philosophy and became an expert in logic entirely outside of the academy. Steve and I chat about his adventurous career, as well as the state of logic in our world today. Steve chats with me about what the philosophy of logic can teach us about quantum mechanics, about economic systems, and about our abilities to know and love one another. Steve is the host of Patteron in Pursuit, a top rated podcast. You can find links to all of his videos, books, and  content at his web page steve-patterson.com. Twitter: http://twitter.com/steveinpursuit Youtube: http://youtube.com/stevepatterson Square One: The Foundations of Knowledge: https://amzn.to/3c7LnFk --- To enter the weekly giveaway for a FREE book, write a review of the podcast on iTunes (http://stefaniruper.com/listen), take a screen shot of your review, then email it to stefani@nakedhumanity.org. Then you'll be PERMANENTLY entered into the drawing. Check out the list of books you can get @ http://stefaniruper.com/bookgiveaway. I carefully curate the guests on this show alongside a few team members who help me do it. We work hard to bring you nothing less than the most interesting, engaging, insightful, provocative guests out there. *Subscribe on Youtube: http://bit.ly/2Y8fkfV Instagram: http://instagram.com/stefani.ruper Twitter: http://twitter.com/stefaniruper Facebook: http://facebook.com/stefaniruper Website: http://stefaniruper.com *Subscribe on a podcasting app: iTunes: https://apple.co/2JJM4Is Spotify: https://spoti.fi/2Ye2b9x Google Play: http://bit.ly/2Y1vXig

Our society says you are who you are because of your beliefs, butt how much does that confine you, restrict you, draw you too much in the ilnes, and hinder your growth? In last week’s question, a listener claimed that we were polar opposites.But what does this mean? I don't consider myself ppolar opposites from ANYBODY unless they hate listening and empathising. In this episode, I talk about how I don't identify myself with BELIEFS, but instead with how carefully I hold and question them. I call this "living outside the philosophical box" because if you do this, you break free form the bonds of our culture that try to put you into ideological boxes. Our culture says you have to be THIS or THAT, belong to THIS  group or THAT group. But if you break yourself out of the philosophical box, you will open yourself up to more growth, learning, and connection than anyone following the traditional model. --- To enter the weekly giveaway for a FREE book, write a review of the podcast on iTunes (http://stefaniruper.com/listen), take a screen shot of your review, then email it to stefani@nakedhumanity.org. Then you'll be PERMANENTLY entered into the drawing. Check out the list of books you can get @ http://stefaniruper.com/bookgiveaway. I carefully curate the guests on this show alongside a few team members who help me do it. We work hard to bring you nothing less than the most interesting, engaging, insightful, provocative guests out there. *Subscribe on Youtube: http://bit.ly/2Y8fkfV Instagram: http://instagram.com/stefani.ruper Twitter: http://twitter.com/stefaniruper Facebook: http://facebook.com/stefaniruper Website: http://stefaniruper.com *Subscribe on a podcasting app: iTunes: https://apple.co/2JJM4Is Spotify: https://spoti.fi/2Ye2b9x Google Play: http://bit.ly/2Y1vXig

Today I chat with one of the pioneers of philosophy podcasting, John Perry. But Professor Perry is such a pro that he’s not actually a podcaster: he hosted the philosophy radio show Philosophy Talk for decades. We chit chat about the state of philosophy today. Tune in for an entertaining dip into how philosophers today are wrestling with what it means to be true, and John’s thoughts on free will, logic, and the value of procrastination. http://John.j.perry.net http://Philosophytalk.org   http://www.structuredprocrastination.com/ ---- To enter the weekly giveaway for a FREE book, write a review of the podcast on iTunes (http://stefaniruper.com/listen), take a screen shot of your review, then email it to stefani@nakedhumanity.org. Then you'll be PERMANENTLY entered into the drawing. Check out the list of books you can get @ http://stefaniruper.com/bookgiveaway. I carefully curate the guests on this show alongside a few team members who help me do it. We work hard to bring you nothing less than the most interesting, engaging, insightful, provocative guests out there. *Subscribe on Youtube: http://bit.ly/2Y8fkfV Instagram: http://instagram.com/stefani.ruper Twitter: http://twitter.com/stefaniruper Facebook: http://facebook.com/stefaniruper Website: http://stefaniruper.com *Subscribe on a podcasting app: iTunes: https://apple.co/2JJM4Is Spotify: https://spoti.fi/2Ye2b9x Google Play: http://bit.ly/2Y1vXig

A listener writes in and asks me to unpack intersectionality (which is basically the idea that categories of marginalisation on the basis of group identity such as gender, race, and ability can intersect to create unique sociopolitical situations). I start at the bottom, telling you all about the origins of the term and its legal implications. Then I explore what it means now, which involves explaining how people in different groups (generally, progressives and conservatives) relate to the idea. I elevate what I think are benefits and risks of talking about intersectionality. This is a very contentious topic, so I am extremely careful. I do everything I can to be objective and show without judgment why people at various places on the political spectrum feel and think the way they do. --- To enter the weekly giveaway for a FREE book, write a review of the podcast on iTunes (http://stefaniruper.com/listen), take a screen shot of your review, then email it to stefani@nakedhumanity.org. Then you'll be PERMANENTLY entered into the drawing. Check out the list of books you can get @ http://stefaniruper.com/bookgiveaway. I carefully curate the guests on this show alongside a few team members who help me do it. We work hard to bring you nothing less than the most interesting, engaging, insightful, provocative guests out there. *Subscribe on Youtube: http://bit.ly/2Y8fkfV Instagram: http://instagram.com/stefani.ruper Twitter: http://twitter.com/stefaniruper Facebook: http://facebook.com/stefaniruper Website: http://stefaniruper.com *Subscribe on a podcasting app: iTunes: https://apple.co/2JJM4Is Spotify: https://spoti.fi/2Ye2b9x Google Play: http://bit.ly/2Y1vXig

What’s up with yoga as a spiritual practice? Is it legit, or just wishy washy new age woo woo? In this podcast I chat with long-time yoga advocate David Garrigues. We get to the heart of what yoga can do for you, as well as talk about how issues of appropriation, consumerism, and trendiness affect (or don’t) this centuries old sacred practice. Links: Books, retreats, articles: http://davidgarrigues.com Youtube: http://davidgarrigues.com/youtube   Podcast: http://davidgarrigues.com/podcast ------- To enter the weekly giveaway for a FREE book, write a review of the podcast on iTunes (http://stefaniruper.com/listen), take a screen shot of your review, then email it to stefani@nakedhumanity.org. Then you'll be PERMANENTLY entered into the drawing. Check out the list of books you can get @ http://stefaniruper.com/bookgiveaway. I carefully curate the guests on this show alongside a few team members who help me do it. We work hard to bring you nothing less than the most interesting, engaging, insightful, provocative guests out there. *Subscribe on Youtube: http://bit.ly/2Y8fkfV Instagram: http://instagram.com/stefani.ruper Twitter: http://twitter.com/stefaniruper Facebook: http://facebook.com/stefaniruper Website: http://stefaniruper.com *Subscribe on a podcasting app: iTunes: https://apple.co/2JJM4Is Spotify: https://spoti.fi/2Ye2b9x Google Play: http://bit.ly/2Y1vXig

A listener writes in and asks, how do I know if I’m objective? I say right off the bat: you aren’t. Period. No such thing truly exists. BUT, this doesn’t mean you should take offense (because we’re all just human), or lose hope. Truth exists - we are simply all on a journey toward it. In this podcast, I explain why we all think we’re right but probably aren’t, then provide my 4 ways of trying to seek truth and be as objective as possible. ------ To enter the weekly giveaway for a FREE book, write a review of the podcast on iTunes (http://stefaniruper.com/listen), take a screen shot of your review, then email it to stefani@nakedhumanity.org. Then you'll be PERMANENTLY entered into the drawing. Check out the list of books you can get @ http://stefaniruper.com/bookgiveaway. I carefully curate the guests on this show alongside a few team members who help me do it. We work hard to bring you nothing less than the most interesting, engaging, insightful, provocative guests out there. *Subscribe on Youtube: http://bit.ly/2Y8fkfV Instagram: http://instagram.com/stefani.ruper Twitter: http://twitter.com/stefaniruper Facebook: http://facebook.com/stefaniruper Website: http://stefaniruper.com *Subscribe on a podcasting app: iTunes: https://apple.co/2JJM4Is Spotify: https://spoti.fi/2Ye2b9x Google Play: http://bit.ly/2Y1vXig

Finally, a Naked Humanity episode devoted to feminism! I chat with scholar-activist Professor Hannah McGregor, and we get to the heart of feminism and why it matters in today’s world. We talk about misconceptions of feminism, how feminism can be useful for your daily life, and how feminism helped Hannah figure out why she was getting impolite with airport security. -------- Links: http://hannahmcgregor.com http://secretfeministagenda.com https://twitter.com/hkpmcgregor Care Work book: https://amzn.to/363stuE --------- To enter the weekly giveaway for a FREE book, write a review of the podcast on iTunes (http://stefaniruper.com/listen), take a screen shot of your review, then email it to stefani@nakedhumanity.org. Then you'll be PERMANENTLY entered into the drawing. Check out the list of books you can get @ http://stefaniruper.com/bookgiveaway. I carefully curate the guests on this show alongside a few team members who help me do it. We work hard to bring you nothing less than the most interesting, engaging, insightful, provocative guests out there. *Subscribe on Youtube: http://bit.ly/2Y8fkfV Instagram: http://instagram.com/stefani.ruper Twitter: http://twitter.com/stefaniruper Facebook: http://facebook.com/stefaniruper Website: http://stefaniruper.com *Subscribe on a podcasting app: iTunes: https://apple.co/2JJM4Is Spotify: https://spoti.fi/2Ye2b9x Google Play: http://bit.ly/2Y1vXig

Alright, four steps might be a *hair* of an oversimplification, but not by too much. In this episode, a listener writes in and tells me she feels listless, uninterested in life, meaningless, and alienated from the people around her. What gives? Is there anything she can do to fix this existential malaise? Drawing on my experiences working with biochemistry and nutrition alongside my philosophical work, I provide four categories of approach I think are useful for addressing such down and listless feelings and creating a life that is full of gratitude, connection, and meaning. ------- To enter the weekly giveaway for a FREE book, write a review of the podcast on iTunes (http://stefaniruper.com/listen), take a screen shot of your review, then email it to stefani@nakedhumanity.org. Then you'll be PERMANENTLY entered into the drawing. Check out the list of books you can get @ http://stefaniruper.com/bookgiveaway. I carefully curate the guests on this show alongside a few team members who help me do it. We work hard to bring you nothing less than the most interesting, engaging, insightful, provocative guests out there. *Subscribe on Youtube: http://bit.ly/2Y8fkfV Instagram: http://instagram.com/stefani.ruper Twitter: http://twitter.com/stefaniruper Facebook: http://facebook.com/stefaniruper Website: http://stefaniruper.com *Subscribe on a podcasting app: iTunes: https://apple.co/2JJM4Is Spotify: https://spoti.fi/2Ye2b9x Google Play: http://bit.ly/2Y1vXig

Ever shocked by people’s complete lack of empathy? In this episode, I chat with experimental psychologist Dr Daryl Cameron, who runs a lab at Penn State that investigates empathy. What circumstances enhance or diminish our capacity to be empathetic? Many of us think that having empathy is difficult - but why? Can this difficulty be overcome? Could understanding empathy help us unlock our potential to be good humans and live more satisfying lives? ----- To enter the weekly giveaway for a FREE book, write a review of the podcast on iTunes (http://stefaniruper.com/listen), take a screen shot of your review, then email it to stefani@nakedhumanity.org. Then you'll be PERMANENTLY entered into the drawing. Check out the list of books you can get @ http://stefaniruper.com/bookgiveaway. I carefully curate the guests on this show alongside a few team members who help me do it. We work hard to bring you nothing less than the most interesting, engaging, insightful, provocative guests out there. *Subscribe on Youtube: http://bit.ly/2Y8fkfV Instagram: http://instagram.com/stefani.ruper Twitter: http://twitter.com/stefaniruper Facebook: http://facebook.com/stefaniruper Website: http://stefaniruper.com *Subscribe on a podcasting app: iTunes: https://apple.co/2JJM4Is Spotify: https://spoti.fi/2Ye2b9x Google Play: http://bit.ly/2Y1vXig

A listener writes in and asks, can multiple religions be true at the same time? I respond by describing what I think are four different ways of thinking about religious truths and beliefs: metaphysically assertively (I’ll explain this in the podcast!), symbolically, as gesturing towards a universal truth, and with mystery. I happen to personally like the last three pretty equally, and enact each of them to some degree or another in my personal life. Tune in to learn more about what I believe and what could work for you. To enter the weekly giveaway for a FREE book, write a review of the podcast on iTunes (http://stefaniruper.com/listen), take a screen shot of your review, then email it to stefani@nakedhumanity.org. Then you'll be PERMANENTLY entered into the drawing. Check out the list of books you can get @ http://stefaniruper.com/bookgiveaway. I carefully curate the guests on this show alongside a few team members who help me do it. We work hard to bring you nothing less than the most interesting, engaging, insightful, provocative guests out there. *Subscribe on Youtube: http://bit.ly/2Y8fkfV Instagram: http://instagram.com/stefani.ruper Twitter: http://twitter.com/stefaniruper Facebook: http://facebook.com/stefaniruper Website: http://stefaniruper.com *Subscribe on a podcasting app: iTunes: https://apple.co/2JJM4Is Spotify: https://spoti.fi/2Ye2b9x Google Play: http://bit.ly/2Y1vXig

This week I have on experimental psychologist Jessie Dezutter of KU Leuven University in Belgium, who studies how people make meaning, with a focus on how people deal with existential concerns later in life. We chat about how humans need to tell their stories, how Alzheimer’s and later life experiences shape emotions, the importance of acknowledging and accepting death, and how you can build your own personal feelings of meaning so that life (and death) are less scary. This was a really enlightening podcast for me, and I highly recommend it for anyone concerned with making sense of life or coping with later stages of life and death. ----------- To enter the weekly giveaway for a FREE book, write a review of the podcast on iTunes (http://stefaniruper.com/listen), take a screen shot of your review, then email it to stefani@nakedhumanity.org. Then you'll be PERMANENTLY entered into the drawing. Check out the list of books you can get @ http://stefaniruper.com/bookgiveaway. I carefully curate the guests on this show alongside a few team members who help me do it. We work hard to bring you nothing less than the most interesting, engaging, insightful, provocative guests out there. *Subscribe on Youtube: http://bit.ly/2Y8fkfV Instagram: http://instagram.com/stefani.ruper Twitter: http://twitter.com/stefaniruper Facebook: http://facebook.com/stefaniruper Website: http://stefaniruper.com *Subscribe on a podcasting app: iTunes: https://apple.co/2JJM4Is Spotify: https://spoti.fi/2Ye2b9x

Eckhart Tolle is the famous spiritual guru who wrote “The Power of Now” - a book about being present, letting go of your ego, and becoming a happier and better person. Is it all BS? Or is it worthwhile? In this X episode I respond to a listener question about whether she should like Tolle. I use it as an opportunity to talk about what Tolle has in common with Christianity and Buddhism, and I argue in favour of universal love, care, and forgiveness, no matter which spiritual form it takes. --------- To enter the weekly giveaway for a FREE book, write a review of the podcast on iTunes (http://stefaniruper.com/listen), take a screen shot of your review, then email it to stefani@nakedhumanity.org. Then you'll be PERMANENTLY entered into the drawing. Check out the list of books you can get @ http://stefaniruper.com/bookgiveaway. I carefully curate the guests on this show alongside a few team members who help me do it. We work hard to bring you nothing less than the most interesting, engaging, insightful, provocative guests out there. *Subscribe on Youtube: http://bit.ly/2Y8fkfV Instagram: http://instagram.com/stefani.ruper Twitter: http://twitter.com/stefaniruper Facebook: http://facebook.com/stefaniruper Website: http://stefaniruper.com *Subscribe on a podcasting app: iTunes: https://apple.co/2JJM4Is Spotify: https://spoti.fi/2Ye2b9x Google Play: http://bit.ly/2Y1vXig

Friedrich Nietzsche is a controversial figure. He proclaimed “God is dead!” and has often been held up as a hero of Nazis and the alt-right. A closer look at Nietzsche reveals however that what he said is actually really valuable and relevant to our modern moment. In this chat with political and historical theorist Hugo Drochon, I get to the bottom of Nietzsche and how he was able to predict so much about today’s landscape from 150 years back. We discuss the death of God, the “ubermensch,” resentment, and what it all has to do with the crumbling of the European Union and popularity of Donald Trump. Very timely after the Conservative sweep of the UK last week! --Follow Hugo on Twitter! http://twitter.com/HDrochon --Get Hugo's book! https://amzn.to/2PIsTAM ---- To enter the weekly giveaway for a FREE book, write a review of the podcast on iTunes (http://stefaniruper.com/listen), take a screen shot of your review, then email it to stefani@nakedhumanity.org. Then you'll be PERMANENTLY entered into the drawing. Check out the list of books you can get @ http://stefaniruper.com/bookgiveaway. I carefully curate the guests on this show alongside a few team members who help me do it. We work hard to bring you nothing less than the most interesting, engaging, insightful, provocative guests out there. *Subscribe on Youtube: http://bit.ly/2Y8fkfV Instagram: http://instagram.com/stefani.ruper Twitter: http://twitter.com/stefaniruper Facebook: http://facebook.com/stefaniruper Website: http://stefaniruper.com *Subscribe on a podcasting app: iTunes: https://apple.co/2JJM4Is Spotify: https://spoti.fi/2Ye2b9x Google Play: http://bit.ly/2Y1vXig

A listener writes in and asks, why are some people so obsessed with reason? He asks the question because “prioritizing reason to know the world” is listed as a mission statement of a church he tried going to. I respond. I talk about limitations to reason and the kinds of danger we get in (including really big political danger) when we get obsessed with our own rationality. It’s a dense podcast, but it’s really important for anyone who’s interested in a few different things: gender stereotypes, faith versus reason, or successfully relying on your intuition. --------- To enter the weekly giveaway for a FREE book, write a review of the podcast on iTunes (http://stefaniruper.com/listen), take a screen shot of your review, then email it to stefani@nakedhumanity.org. Then you'll be PERMANENTLY entered into the drawing. Check out the list of books you can get @ http://stefaniruper.com/bookgiveaway. I carefully curate the guests on this show alongside a few team members who help me do it. We work hard to bring you nothing less than the most interesting, engaging, insightful, provocative guests out there. *Subscribe on Youtube: http://bit.ly/2Y8fkfV Instagram: http://instagram.com/stefani.ruper Twitter: http://twitter.com/stefaniruper Facebook: http://facebook.com/stefaniruper Website: http://stefaniruper.com *Subscribe on a podcasting app: iTunes: https://apple.co/2JJM4Is Spotify: https://spoti.fi/2Ye2b9x Google Play: http://bit.ly/2Y1vXig

Super-intelligent machines are coming - but what does that mean for us? Will they become like Gods? Maybe. Will we treat them like Gods? Some people are already doing it. In today’s fascinating episode, Dr Beth Singler and I talk about how some people are already worshipping technology, how humans tend to mirror religious myths in other kinds of stories, and what kinds of dangers are involved when we try to predict the future. --------- To enter the weekly giveaway for a FREE book, write a review of the podcast on iTunes (http://stefaniruper.com/listen), take a screen shot of your review, then email it to stefani@nakedhumanity.org. Then you'll be PERMANENTLY entered into the drawing. Check out the list of books you can get @ http://stefaniruper.com/bookgiveaway. I carefully curate the guests on this show alongside a few team members who help me do it. We work hard to bring you nothing less than the most interesting, engaging, insightful, provocative guests out there. *Subscribe on Youtube: http://bit.ly/2Y8fkfV Instagram: http://instagram.com/stefani.ruper Twitter: http://twitter.com/stefaniruper Facebook: http://facebook.com/stefaniruper Website: http://stefaniruper.com *Subscribe on a podcasting app: iTunes: https://apple.co/2JJM4Is Spotify: https://spoti.fi/2Ye2b9x Google Play: http://bit.ly/2Y1vXig

A listener writes in and asks: am I a slut? I use what I know about the histories of religion, philosophy, and culture to explain why the idea of a slut exists at all, and options for handling it. I also argue that we need to get rid of shame based on promiscuity and instead pay attention to how well we treat people. Some monogamous people, for example, treat their partners terribly, and some promiscuous people treat them with great love and care. This observation can teach us much about how we judge. -------------- To enter the weekly giveaway for a FREE book, write a review of the podcast on iTunes (http://stefaniruper.com/listen), take a screen shot of your review, then email it to stefani@nakedhumanity.org. Then you'll be PERMANENTLY entered into the drawing. Check out the list of books you can get @ http://stefaniruper.com/bookgiveaway. I carefully curate the guests on this show alongside a few team members who help me do it. We work hard to bring you nothing less than the most interesting, engaging, insightful, provocative guests out there. *Subscribe on Youtube: http://bit.ly/2Y8fkfV Instagram: http://instagram.com/stefani.ruper Twitter: http://twitter.com/stefaniruper Facebook: http://facebook.com/stefaniruper Website: http://stefaniruper.com *Subscribe on a podcasting app: iTunes: https://apple.co/2JJM4Is Spotify: https://spoti.fi/2Ye2b9x Google Play: http://bit.ly/2Y1vXig

One of the biggest misconceptions in the world today is that religion is irrational, or disproved by science. Wrong. When you actually study religion and science, like I have, you learn that it’s a much more complex and potentially harmonious picture. Today’s guest, Tom McCleish, is a renowned physicist who also writes books about science and his faith. Tune in to learn how the histories of Christianity and science were mutually beneficial up until about 200 years ago. See the world through the eyes of a physicist who has faith without contradicting science. Tom's books: Faith and Wisdom in Science: https://amzn.to/2sslv4o Let There Be Science: https://amzn.to/37RrX5h The Poetry and Music of Science: https://amzn.to/37RrX5h   ------   To enter the weekly giveaway for a FREE book, write a review of the podcast on iTunes (http://stefaniruper.com/listen), take a screen shot of your review, then email it to stefani@nakedhumanity.org. Then you'll be PERMANENTLY entered into the drawing. Check out the list of books you can get @ http://stefaniruper.com/bookgiveaway. I carefully curate the guests on this show alongside a few team members who help me do it. We work hard to bring you nothing less than the most interesting, engaging, insightful, provocative guests out there. *Subscribe on Youtube: http://bit.ly/2Y8fkfV Instagram: http://instagram.com/stefani.ruper Twitter: http://twitter.com/stefaniruper Facebook: http://facebook.com/stefaniruper Website: http://stefaniruper.com *Subscribe on a podcasting app: iTunes: https://apple.co/2JJM4Is Spotify: https://spoti.fi/2Ye2b9x Google Play: http://bit.ly/2Y1vXig

Postmodernism has been rumored to be BOTH the cause of Donald Trump’s popularity as well as the movement that will ultimately be the ruin of him. How could it be both at once? In this episode I respond to a listener who wrote in and asked: “What the heck is postmodernism?” I set the record straight. In it you’ll learn not just how postmodernism got started but also whether it’s to blame for the mess we’re in it. ------ To enter the weekly giveaway for a FREE book, write a review of the podcast on iTunes (http://stefaniruper.com/listen), take a screen shot of your review, then email it to stefani@nakedhumanity.org. Then you'll be PERMANENTLY entered into the drawing! Check out the list of books you can get @ http://stefaniruper.com/bookgiveaway. Guests for this show are carefully curated and vetted by a team of content experts to bring you nothing less than the most interesting, engaging, insightful, provocative guests out there. The host of Naked Humanity is Oxford PhD candidate in religion and science Stefani Ruper. *Subscribe on Youtube: http://bit.ly/2Y8fkfV Instagram: http://instagram.com/stefani.ruper Twitter: http://twitter.com/stefaniruper Facebook: http://facebook.com/stefaniruper Website: http://stefaniruper.com *Subscribe on a podcasting app: iTunes: https://apple.co/2JJM4Is Spotify: https://spoti.fi/2Ye2b9x Google Play: http://bit.ly/2Y1vXig

What is the meaning of life? You might not know it, but you probably assume a lot of things that affect your feelings about meaning. For instance, it is a very common bias for people to think that life is meaningful for others, but not necessarily for themselves. Philosopher Iddo Landau asks, Why is this the case? Why do so many people today think life is meaningless? What’s the difference between people who think life is meaningful and people who don’t? I chat with Iddo and he explains what’s wrong with our approach to the meaning of life, and what to do about it. Iddo recently published a book on the topic - Finding Meaning in an Imperfect World - check it out at this link!: https://amzn.to/2NUuCSo. ------- To enter the weekly giveaway for a FREE book, write a review of the podcast on iTunes (http://stefaniruper.com/listen), take a screen shot of your review, then email it to stefani@nakedhumanity.org. Then you'll be PERMANENTLY entered into the drawing! Check out the list of books you can get @ http://stefaniruper.com/bookgiveaway. Guests for this show are carefully curated and vetted by a team of content experts to bring you nothing less than the most interesting, engaging, insightful, provocative guests out there. The host of Naked Humanity is Oxford PhD candidate in religion and science Stefani Ruper. *Subscribe on Youtube: http://bit.ly/2Y8fkfV Instagram: http://instagram.com/stefani.ruper Twitter: http://twitter.com/stefaniruper Facebook: http://facebook.com/stefaniruper Website: http://stefaniruper.com *Subscribe on a podcasting app: iTunes: https://apple.co/2JJM4Is Spotify: https://spoti.fi/2Ye2b9x Google Play: http://bit.ly/2Y1vXig

This week a listener asks, does humanity seem small and insignificant to you? Does it scare you? I reflect on how modern humans are more worried about insignificance than any before, and I describe two primary philosophical ways of solving the problem. You could very generally describe them as ‘eastern’ and ‘western.’ I share which I prefer and why it works for me. (Note: this is an "x" episode and the only episode this week!) ---- To enter the weekly giveaway for a FREE book, write a review of the podcast on iTunes (http://stefaniruper.com/listen), take a screen shot of your review, then email it to stefani@nakedhumanity.org. Then you'll be PERMANENTLY entered into the drawing! Check out the list of books you can get @ http://stefaniruper.com/bookgiveaway. Guests for this show are carefully curated and vetted by a team of content experts to bring you nothing less than the most interesting, engaging, insightful, provocative guests out there. The host of Naked Humanity is Oxford PhD candidate in religion and science Stefani Ruper. *Subscribe on Youtube: http://bit.ly/2Y8fkfV Instagram: http://instagram.com/stefani.ruper Twitter: http://twitter.com/stefaniruper Facebook: http://facebook.com/stefaniruper Website: http://stefaniruper.com *Subscribe on a podcasting app: iTunes: https://apple.co/2JJM4Is Spotify: https://spoti.fi/2Ye2b9x Google Play: http://bit.ly/2Y1vXig

We grow up hearing about George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, the midnight ride of Paul Revere. These are glorious tales of courage and triumph. But what other stories aren’t being told? Today I chat with the co-founders of Uncomfortable Oxford, an organization that leads walking tours around Oxford showcasing the less comfortable bits of Oxford’s history: moments of racism, sexism, classism, colonialism. I and the founders Olivia Larsson and Paula Durand chat about the ugly parts of our past. We also talk about why these ugly parts so often go untold, the challenge of trying to get an accurate picture of the past, and how to facilitate conversations about uncomfortable history that are respectful and productive. Learn more from Uncomfortable Oxford at their website - http://uncomfortableoxford.co.uk - and follow them on twitter @unoxproject. ------------- To enter the weekly giveaway for a FREE book, write a review of the podcast on iTunes (http://stefaniruper.com/listen), take a screen shot of your review, then email it to stefani@nakedhumanity.org. Then you'll be PERMANENTLY entered into the drawing! Check out the list of books you can get @ http://stefaniruper.com/bookgiveaway. Guests for this show are carefully curated and vetted by a team of content experts to bring you nothing less than the most interesting, engaging, insightful, provocative guests out there. The host of Naked Humanity is Oxford PhD candidate in religion and science Stefani Ruper. *Subscribe on Youtube: http://bit.ly/2Y8fkfV Instagram: http://instagram.com/stefani.ruper Twitter: http://twitter.com/stefaniruper Facebook: http://facebook.com/stefaniruper Website: http://stefaniruper.com *Subscribe on a podcasting app: iTunes: https://apple.co/2JJM4Is Spotify: https://spoti.fi/2Ye2b9x Google Play: http://bit.ly/2Y1vXig

For this episode, a listener writes in and asks: is it a problem that I go shopping every time I get bad news or have a bad day? This listener isn’t alone - #primetherapy is a hashtag that trends on social media on a regular basis. So what gives? Why are humans constantly medicating and anaesthetizing with shopping, with social media, with TV, with exercise addiction, with food, with alcohol, gambling, drugs, and more? I respond to the listener question drawing on personal experience and on my expertise in a field of the humanities called affect theory. Affect theorists study human beings as animals that are constantly seeking promises of satisfaction. In what sorts of things do you seek satisfaction? Are they healthy? Can they ever be healthy? --------- To enter the weekly giveaway for a FREE book, write a review of the podcast on iTunes (http://stefaniruper.com/listen), take a screen shot of your review, then email it to stefani@nakedhumanity.org. Then you'll be PERMANENTLY entered into the drawing! Check out the list of books you can get @ http://stefaniruper.com/bookgiveaway. Guests for this show are carefully curated and vetted by a team of content experts to bring you nothing less than the most interesting, engaging, insightful, provocative guests out there. The host of Naked Humanity is Oxford PhD candidate in religion and science Stefani Ruper. *Subscribe on Youtube: http://bit.ly/2Y8fkfV Instagram: http://instagram.com/stefani.ruper Twitter: http://twitter.com/stefaniruper Facebook: http://facebook.com/stefaniruper Website: http://stefaniruper.com *Subscribe on a podcasting app: iTunes: https://apple.co/2JJM4Is Spotify: https://spoti.fi/2Ye2b9x Google Play: http://bit.ly/2Y1vXig

Many people think that libertarianism are selfish misers who like free markets because it helps make them rich. But that’s a radical misperception. In today’s episode, I chat with political commentator Cathy Reisenwitz, who identifies both as a libertarian and as a feminist who cares about racism, privilege, and many other issues commonly identified with the “left.” Cathy is the perfect example of how dangerous it is to over-simplify the political “other”. Cathy and I also discuss what’s wrong with San Francisco, why it’s important to address privilege, and how government can’t always be the solution to our problems. Check out Cathy's blog Sex and the State @ cathyreisenwitz.com ; follow her on Twitter @cathyreisenwitz. ---------- To enter the weekly giveaway for a FREE book, write a review of the podcast on iTunes (http://stefaniruper.com/listen), take a screen shot of your review, then email it to stefani@nakedhumanity.org. Then you'll be PERMANENTLY entered into the drawing! Check out the list of books you can get @ http://stefaniruper.com/bookgiveaway. Guests for this show are carefully curated and vetted by a team of content experts to bring you nothing less than the most interesting, engaging, insightful, provocative guests out there. The host of Naked Humanity is Oxford PhD candidate in religion and science Stefani Ruper. *Subscribe on Youtube: http://bit.ly/2Y8fkfV Instagram: http://instagram.com/stefani.ruper Twitter: http://twitter.com/stefaniruper Facebook: http://facebook.com/stefaniruper Website: http://stefaniruper.com *Subscribe on a podcasting app: iTunes: https://apple.co/2JJM4Is Spotify: https://spoti.fi/2Ye2b9x Google Play: http://bit.ly/2Y1vXig  

A listener writes in and asks: I think my family’s political views are backwards--how do I deal? I talk about her own experiences of dealing with political difference. I also describe how we can--no, must--use political difference NOT as an opportunity to change other people’s minds, but rather as an opportunity to grow in our own practices and values. -------- To enter the weekly giveaway for a FREE book, write a review of the podcast on iTunes (http://stefaniruper.com/listen), take a screen shot of your review, then email it to stefani@nakedhumanity.org. Then you'll be PERMANENTLY entered into the drawing! Check out the list of books you can get @ http://stefaniruper.com/bookgiveaway. Guests for this show are carefully curated and vetted by a team of content experts (a team of two, anyway) to bring you nothing less than the most interesting, engaging, insightful, provocative guests we can find. The host of Naked Humanity is Oxford PhD candidate and theorist of the human condition Stefani Ruper. *Subscribe on Youtube: http://bit.ly/2Y8fkfV Instagram: http://instagram.com/stefani.ruper Twitter: http://twitter.com/stefaniruper Facebook: http://facebook.com/stefaniruper Website: http://stefaniruper.com *Subscribe on a podcasting app: iTunes: https://apple.co/2JJM4Is Spotify: https://spoti.fi/2Ye2b9x Google Play: http://bit.ly/2Y1vXig

Pope Francis might try to make Catholicism more green, and priests and pastors all over the world might make their churches recycle, and many small groups and individuals might try very hard to help, but in today’s podcast specialist in religion and the environment Bron Taylor reveals the truth: as much as we want traditional religions to be progressively environmental, across the board they exhibit inertia and struggle. Modern, traditional religions seem to inhibit environmental progress. Why? Today I chat with him to get to the bottom of it. ------------------- To enter the weekly giveaway for a FREE book, write a review of the podcast on iTunes (http://stefaniruper.com/listen), take a screen shot of your review, then email it to stefani@nakedhumanity.org. Then you'll be PERMANENTLY entered into the drawing! Check out the list of books you can get @ http://stefaniruper.com/bookgiveaway. Guests for this show are carefully curated and vetted by a team of content experts (a team of two, anyway) to bring you nothing less than the most interesting, engaging, insightful, provocative guests we can find. The host of Naked Humanity is Oxford PhD candidate and theorist of the human condition Stefani Ruper. *Subscribe on Youtube: http://bit.ly/2Y8fkfV Instagram: http://instagram.com/stefani.ruper Twitter: http://twitter.com/stefaniruper Facebook: http://facebook.com/stefaniruper Website: http://stefaniruper.com *Subscribe on a podcasting app: iTunes: https://apple.co/2JJM4Is Spotify: https://spoti.fi/2Ye2b9x Google Play: http://bit.ly/2Y1vXig  

For this episode a listener writes in and asks, how do I figure out what to do with my life? Why is it so hard to feel purposeful? I reflect on the current cultural moment, explain why so many people struggle with finding a “purpose” these days, and provide three ways to respond to the problem depending on your own personality.   -----------   To enter the weekly giveaway for a FREE book, write a review of the podcast on iTunes (http://stefaniruper.com/listen), take a screen shot of your review, then email it to stefani@nakedhumanity.org. Then you'll be PERMANENTLY entered into the drawing! Check out the list of books you can get @ http://stefaniruper.com/bookgiveaway. Guests for this show are carefully curated and vetted by a team of content experts (a team of two, anyway) to bring you nothing less than the most interesting, engaging, insightful, provocative guests we can find. The host of Naked Humanity is Oxford PhD candidate and theorist of the human condition Stefani Ruper. *Subscribe on Youtube: http://bit.ly/2Y8fkfV Instagram: http://instagram.com/stefani.ruper Twitter: http://twitter.com/stefaniruper Facebook: http://facebook.com/stefaniruper Website: http://stefaniruper.com *Subscribe on a podcasting app: iTunes: https://apple.co/2JJM4Is Spotify: https://spoti.fi/2Ye2b9x   Google Play: http://bit.ly/2Y1vXig

Is there a way to advertise to people that is ethical, or are we basically doomed to forever con one another into buying our services? On today’s podcast, I chat with drag king, burlesque dancer, and PhD student Kaila Tova about the ways in which marketing influences our decisions and the shape of our worlds. Kaila is the host of the podcast “Your Body, Your Brand” that explores the ways in which people--often women--end up selling health and fitness online. Kaila knows ALL about this after battling eating disorders, becoming a nutrition coach, and watching how the ways in which people brand themselves shapes their messages, their communities, and their  lives. Check out the podcast “Your Body, Your Brand” by searching it on any podcasting platform, going to bodybrandpod.com or following  @bodybrandpod on Instagram or Twitter. Also check out the podcast on the attention economy Kaila recommends, “Your Undivided Attention.”   --------   To enter the weekly giveaway for a FREE book, write a review of the podcast on iTunes (http://stefaniruper.com/listen), take a screen shot of your review, then email it to stefani@nakedhumanity.org. Then you'll be PERMANENTLY entered into the drawing! Check out the list of books you can get @ http://stefaniruper.com/bookgiveaway. Guests for this show are carefully curated and vetted by a team of content experts to bring you nothing less than the most interesting, most intellectually rigorous, and most exciting insights into human nature the world has to offer. *Subscribe on Youtube: http://bit.ly/2Y8fkfV Instagram: http://instagram.com/stefani.ruper Twitter: http://twitter.com/stefaniruper Facebook: http://facebook.com/stefaniruper Website: http://stefaniruper.com *Subscribe on a podcasting app: iTunes: https://apple.co/2JJM4Is Spotify: https://spoti.fi/2Ye2b9x Google Play: http://bit.ly/2Y1vXig  

Today’s episode goes deep. A listener writes in with the question: is life worth living? This is not an uncommon question. But, have people always struggled with life’s worthwhileness and meaning? I talk about the idea of meaning and why people today are more convinced life is meaningless than ever before. I also offer some surprising paths forward out of the philosophical abyss. (Important note, I don't presume to be able to solve mental health disorders and wouldn’t dare to.)   ---------   To enter the weekly giveaway for a FREE book, write a review of the podcast on iTunes (http://stefaniruper.com/listen), take a screen shot of your review, then email it to stefani@nakedhumanity.org. Then you'll be PERMANENTLY entered into the drawing! Check out the list of books you can get @ http://stefaniruper.com/bookgiveaway. Guests for this show are carefully curated and vetted by a team of content experts to bring you nothing less than the most interesting, most intellectually rigorous, and most exciting insights into human nature the world has to offer. The host of Naked Humanity is Oxford PhD candidate and theorist of the human condition Stefani Ruper. Ruper has worked as a scientist studying life on Mars, as a scholar of religion, and is now a specialist on the human condition in the modern world. Her genius is in refusing to hide from hard questions and harder answers, so you get a real, honest look at what it means to be human. Never shying away from controversy or unpopular opinions, Ruper demonstrates everything is more complicated when you peer behind the curtain - but that is exactly what we must to do make a better, happier world. *Subscribe on Youtube: http://bit.ly/2Y8fkfV Instagram: http://instagram.com/stefani.ruper Twitter: http://twitter.com/stefaniruper Facebook: http://facebook.com/stefaniruper Website: http://stefaniruper.com *Subscribe on a podcasting app: iTunes: https://apple.co/2JJM4Is Spotify: https://spoti.fi/2Ye2b9x Google Play: http://bit.ly/2Y1vXig  

Did you know that relativism, capitalism, and consumerism were all born at the same time? It was in the 1500s, during the period we now know as the Protestant Reformation. This Reformation started humbly: people like Martin Luther just wanted Church officials to be less corrupt. But it ended up creating spiritual, philosophical, and economic chaos from which we have not--and may not ever--recover. Are we in a climate crisis because of some 400 year old religious disputes? Today I have on historian Brad Gregory to discuss how this one moment in time is still sending shock waves through us today.   ------------   To enter the weekly giveaway for a FREE book, write a review of the podcast on iTunes (http://stefaniruper.com/listen), take a screen shot of your review, then email it to stefani@nakedhumanity.org. Then you'll be PERMANENTLY entered into the drawing! Check out the list of books you can get @ http://stefaniruper.com/bookgiveaway. Guests for this show are carefully curated and vetted by a team of content experts to bring you nothing less than the most interesting, most intellectually rigorous, and most exciting insights into human nature the world has to offer. The host of Naked Humanity is Oxford PhD candidate and theorist of the human condition Stefani Ruper. Ruper has worked as a scientist studying life on Mars, as a scholar of religion, and is now a specialist on the human condition in the modern world. Her genius is in refusing to hide from hard questions and harder answers, so you get a real, honest look at what it means to be human. Never shying away from controversy or unpopular opinions, Ruper demonstrates everything is more complicated when you peer behind the curtain - but that is exactly what we must to do make a better, happier world. *Subscribe on Youtube: http://bit.ly/2Y8fkfV Instagram: http://instagram.com/stefani.ruper Twitter: http://twitter.com/stefaniruper Facebook: http://facebook.com/stefaniruper Website: http://stefaniruper.com *Subscribe on a podcasting app: iTunes: https://apple.co/2JJM4Is Spotify: https://spoti.fi/2Ye2b9x Google Play: http://bit.ly/2Y1vXig    

This week a listener asks me about how to be happy. She’s got a steady job, friends, romance--what gives? Why isn’t she happy? I talk about advertising in the modern world, the demand that you be happy, the illusions of social media, and why chasing happiness all make you sad. I reflect on my own journey and argue that the secret to happiness isn’t to seek it, but to seek something far more important instead.   ---------------   To enter the weekly giveaway for a FREE book, write a review of the podcast on iTunes (http://stefaniruper.com/listen), take a screen shot of your review, then email it to stefani@nakedhumanity.org. Then you'll be PERMANENTLY entered into the drawing! Check out the list of books you can get @ http://stefaniruper.com/bookgiveaway. Guests for this show are carefully curated and vetted by a team of content experts to bring you nothing less than the most interesting, most intellectually rigorous, and most exciting insights into human nature the world has to offer. The host of Naked Humanity is Oxford PhD candidate and theorist of the human condition Stefani Ruper. Ruper has worked as a scientist studying life on Mars, as a scholar of religion, and is now a specialist on the human condition in the modern world. Her genius is in refusing to hide from hard questions and harder answers, so you get a real, honest look at what it means to be human. Never shying away from controversy or unpopular opinions, Ruper demonstrates everything is more complicated when you peer behind the curtain - but that is exactly what we must to do make a better, happier world. *Subscribe on Youtube: http://bit.ly/2Y8fkfV Instagram: http://instagram.com/stefani.ruper Twitter: http://twitter.com/stefaniruper Facebook: http://facebook.com/stefaniruper Website: http://stefaniruper.com *Subscribe on a podcasting app: iTunes: https://apple.co/2JJM4Is Spotify: https://spoti.fi/2Ye2b9x   Google Play: http://bit.ly/2Y1vXig

Mark Juergensmeyer is a leading expert on religion and violence. In today’s episode, Professor Juergensmeyer and I dig deep into the psychology of violence in religion: what is it about religion that enables, facilitates, and exacerbates violence? What is it about humans that make us so susceptible to violent narratives? We also chat about American politics, the dangers of globalization, and how to turn a terrorist into a mechanic.   ---------   To enter the weekly giveaway for a FREE book, write a review of the podcast on iTunes (http://stefaniruper.com/listen), take a screen shot of your review, then email it to stefani@nakedhumanity.org. Then you'll be PERMANENTLY entered into the drawing! Check out the list of books you can get @ http://stefaniruper.com/bookgiveaway. Guests for this show are carefully curated and vetted by a team of content experts to bring you nothing less than the most interesting, most intellectually rigorous, and most exciting insights into human nature the world has to offer. The host of Naked Humanity is Oxford PhD candidate and theorist of the human condition Stefani Ruper. Ruper has worked as a scientist studying life on Mars, as a scholar of religion, and is now a specialist on the human condition in the modern world. Her genius is in refusing to hide from hard questions and harder answers, so you get a real, honest look at what it means to be human. Never shying away from controversy or unpopular opinions, Ruper demonstrates everything is more complicated when you peer behind the curtain - but that is exactly what we must to do make a better, happier world. *Subscribe on Youtube: http://bit.ly/2Y8fkfV Instagram: http://instagram.com/stefani.ruper Twitter: http://twitter.com/stefaniruper Facebook: http://facebook.com/stefaniruper Website: http://stefaniruper.com *Subscribe on a podcasting app: iTunes: https://apple.co/2JJM4Is Spotify: https://spoti.fi/2Ye2b9x   Google Play: http://bit.ly/2Y1vXig

Tasneem Zehra Husain is the first female Pakistani string theorist, and if that’s not impressive enough, she’s also the author of an extraordinary work of fiction. In this episode Dr. Husain and I chat about the role of exploration and discovery in the creation of our modern world, focusing on the deep emotional bonds Dr. Husain and other scientists end up building with their work. Also on the table are flaws in the public understanding of science, the power of storytelling, and how multiverse theory can make or break your spirituality.  And check out her book, Only the Longest Threads! here >>> https://amzn.to/2LwScVl   ---------------------   To enter the weekly giveaway for a FREE book, write a review of the podcast on iTunes (http://stefaniruper.com/listen), take a screen shot of your review, then email it to stefani@nakedhumanity.org. Then you'll be PERMANENTLY entered into the drawing! Check out the list of books you can get @ http://stefaniruper.com/bookgiveaway. Guests for this show are carefully curated and vetted by a team of content experts to bring you nothing less than the most interesting, most intellectually rigorous, and most exciting insights into human nature the world has to offer. The host of Naked Humanity is Oxford PhD candidate and theorist of the human condition Stefani Ruper. Ruper has worked as a scientist studying life on Mars, as a scholar of religion, and is now a specialist on the human condition in the modern world. Her genius is in refusing to hide from hard questions and harder answers, so you get a real, honest look at what it means to be human. Never shying away from controversy or unpopular opinions, Ruper demonstrates everything is more complicated when you peer behind the curtain - but that is exactly what we must to do make a better, happier world. *Subscribe on Youtube: http://bit.ly/2Y8fkfV Instagram: http://instagram.com/stefani.ruper Twitter: http://twitter.com/stefaniruper Facebook: http://facebook.com/stefaniruper Website: http://stefaniruper.com *Subscribe on a podcasting app: iTunes: https://apple.co/2JJM4Is Spotify: https://spoti.fi/2Ye2b9x   Google Play: http://bit.ly/2Y1vXig

Are you constantly busy? Stressed? Over-worked and over-committed? In this episode, a listener asks me how to balance commitments so she can be less stressed and feel better. I respond by questioning the idea of keeping busy altogether. Being busy for the sake of busyness is practically a national past time--but it’s far from healthy. What we should do instead is ask what is worthwhile and good, and learn to prioritise meaningful acts, while letting others slide.   ------------------------   To enter the weekly giveaway for a FREE book, write a review of the podcast on iTunes (http://stefaniruper.com/listen), take a screen shot of your review, then email it to stefani@nakedhumanity.org. Then you'll be PERMANENTLY entered into the drawing! Check out the list of books you can get @ http://stefaniruper.com/bookgiveaway. Guests for this show are carefully curated and vetted by a team of content experts to bring you nothing less than the most interesting, most intellectually rigorous, and most exciting insights into human nature the world has to offer. The host of Naked Humanity is Oxford PhD candidate and theorist of the human condition Stefani Ruper. Ruper has worked as a scientist studying life on Mars, as a scholar of religion, and is now a specialist on the human condition in the modern world. Her genius is in refusing to hide from hard questions and harder answers, so you get a real, honest look at what it means to be human. Never shying away from controversy or unpopular opinions, Ruper demonstrates everything is more complicated when you peer behind the curtain - but that is exactly what we must to do make a better, happier world. *Subscribe on Youtube: http://bit.ly/2Y8fkfV Instagram: http://instagram.com/stefani.ruper Twitter: http://twitter.com/stefaniruper Facebook: http://facebook.com/stefaniruper Website: http://stefaniruper.com *Subscribe on a podcasting app: iTunes: https://apple.co/2JJM4Is Spotify: https://spoti.fi/2Ye2b9x   Google Play: http://bit.ly/2Y1vXig

How much do you trust other people? The answer depends on where you live. Today, political scientist Peter Thisted Dinesen tells me all about the importance of trust for a functioning society. Some societies, like Denmark, have uniquely high amounts of social trust. Unfortunately, many of the world’s most powerful countries are seeing unprecedented amounts of distrust, the United States in particular, which might be why the world is falling apart at the seams. ----------------------   To enter the weekly giveaway for a FREE book, write a review of the podcast on iTunes (http://stefaniruper.com/listen), take a screen shot of your review, then email it to stefani@nakedhumanity.org. Then you'll be PERMANENTLY entered into the drawing! Check out the list of books you can get @ http://stefaniruper.com/bookgiveaway. Guests for this show are carefully curated and vetted by a team of content experts to bring you nothing less than the most interesting, most intellectually rigorous, and most exciting insights into human nature the world has to offer. The host of Naked Humanity is Oxford PhD candidate and theorist of the human condition Stefani Ruper. Ruper has worked as a scientist studying life on Mars, as a scholar of religion, and is now a specialist on the human condition in the modern world. Her genius is in refusing to hide from hard questions and harder answers, so you get a real, honest look at what it means to be human. Never shying away from controversy or unpopular opinions, Ruper demonstrates everything is more complicated when you peer behind the curtain - but that is exactly what we must to do make a better, happier world. *Subscribe on Youtube: http://bit.ly/2Y8fkfV Instagram: http://instagram.com/stefani.ruper Twitter: http://twitter.com/stefaniruper Facebook: http://facebook.com/stefaniruper Website: http://stefaniruper.com *Subscribe on a podcasting app: iTunes: https://apple.co/2JJM4Is Spotify: https://spoti.fi/2Ye2b9x   Google Play: http://bit.ly/2Y1vXig

This week, X episodes turn into listener questions! Our first listener question is from Suzy. Suzy gave up Catholicism, but now she’s worried about losing her friendships and finding her way without traditional religion. I share what I know about religious communities and beliefs in the modern world, and offer a few potential solutions to optimize happiness, friendship, and spiritual fulfillment moving forward.   ---------   To enter the weekly giveaway for a FREE book, write a review of the podcast on iTunes (http://stefaniruper.com/listen), take a screen shot of your review, then email it to stefani@nakedhumanity.org. Then you'll be PERMANENTLY entered into the drawing! Check out the list of books you can get @ http://stefaniruper.com/bookgiveaway. Guests for this show are carefully curated and vetted by a team of content experts to bring you nothing less than the most interesting, most intellectually rigorous, and most exciting insights into human nature the world has to offer. The host of Naked Humanity is Oxford PhD candidate and theorist of the human condition Stefani Ruper. Ruper has worked as a scientist studying life on Mars, as a scholar of religion, and is now a specialist on the human condition in the modern world. Her genius is in refusing to hide from hard questions and harder answers, so you get a real, honest look at what it means to be human. Never shying away from controversy or unpopular opinions, Ruper demonstrates everything is more complicated when you peer behind the curtain - but that is exactly what we must to do make a better, happier world. *Subscribe on Youtube: http://bit.ly/2Y8fkfV Instagram: http://instagram.com/stefani.ruper Twitter: http://twitter.com/stefaniruper Facebook: http://facebook.com/stefaniruper Website: http://stefaniruper.com *Subscribe on a podcasting app: iTunes: https://apple.co/2JJM4Is Spotify: https://spoti.fi/2Ye2b9x   Google Play: http://bit.ly/2Y1vXig

In this episode I share some facts and figures about the horrifying charade of academic journal publishing. If you want to read any of most journal articles today you have to pay between thirty and sixty dollars; if you want a subscription it’ll be several hundred dollars per year. Institutions have to pay millions, tens of millions, to provide students with journal access.  Why is this relevant? Because humanity will not be able to make progress if we don’t break down the barriers between the academy and everybody else. Listen in to get excited about change I and others are trying to make. Vive la revolution!   ----------------------   To enter the weekly giveaway for a FREE book, write a review of the podcast on iTunes (http://stefaniruper.com/listen), take a screen shot of your review, then email it to stefani@nakedhumanity.org. Then you'll be PERMANENTLY entered into the drawing! Check out the list of books you can get @ http://stefaniruper.com/bookgiveaway. Guests for this show are carefully curated and vetted by a team of content experts to bring you nothing less than the most interesting, most intellectually rigorous, and most exciting insights into human nature the world has to offer. The host of Naked Humanity is Oxford PhD candidate and theorist of the human condition Stefani Ruper. Ruper has worked as a scientist studying life on Mars, as a scholar of religion, and is now a specialist on the human condition in the modern world. Her genius is in refusing to hide from hard questions and harder answers, so you get a real, honest look at what it means to be human. Never shying away from controversy or unpopular opinions, Ruper demonstrates everything is more complicated when you peer behind the curtain - but that is exactly what we must to do make a better, happier world. *Subscribe on Youtube: http://bit.ly/2Y8fkfV Instagram: http://instagram.com/stefani.ruper Twitter: http://twitter.com/stefaniruper Facebook: http://facebook.com/stefaniruper Website: http://stefaniruper.com *Subscribe on a podcasting app: iTunes: https://apple.co/2JJM4Is Spotify: https://spoti.fi/2Ye2b9x   Google Play: http://bit.ly/2Y1vXig

Why are we so indifferent and passive when it comes to protecting the environment? Today I chat with specialist in Native American literature Siobhan Senier. We lean into Senier’s keen insights about the nature of human relationships, rituals, and stories to get to the heart of difference between the “modern” world and traditional cultures. We wander into deep and reflective territory about the nature of the human species and ask hard questions of one another about the future of humanity, making this a must listen podcast for anyone at all interested in sustainability, the state of our world today, or the multitudes of things we can learn about the human condition by listening to native traditions--who appear to have known much of it all along.   -------------------------   To enter the weekly giveaway for a FREE book, write a review of the podcast on iTunes (http://stefaniruper.com/listen), take a screen shot of your review, then email it to stefani@nakedhumanity.org. Then you'll be PERMANENTLY entered into the drawing! Check out the list of books you can get @ http://stefaniruper.com/bookgiveaway. Guests for this show are carefully curated and vetted by a team of content experts to bring you nothing less than the most interesting, most intellectually rigorous, and most exciting insights into human nature the world has to offer. The host of Naked Humanity is Oxford PhD candidate and theorist of the human condition Stefani Ruper. Ruper has worked as a scientist studying life on Mars, as a scholar of religion, and is now a specialist on the human condition in the modern world. Her genius is in refusing to hide from hard questions and harder answers, so you get a real, honest look at what it means to be human. Never shying away from controversy or unpopular opinions, Ruper demonstrates everything is more complicated when you peer behind the curtain - but that is exactly what we must to do make a better, happier world. *Subscribe on Youtube: http://bit.ly/2Y8fkfV Instagram: http://instagram.com/stefani.ruper Twitter: http://twitter.com/stefaniruper Facebook: http://facebook.com/stefaniruper Website: http://stefaniruper.com *Subscribe on a podcasting app: iTunes: https://apple.co/2JJM4Is Spotify: https://spoti.fi/2Ye2b9x   Google Play: http://bit.ly/2Y1vXig

We tend to think that science robs the world of meaning. But today’s guest, world famous biologist (who’s met with the Dalai Lama) Ursula Goodenough has changed the way that we see nature forever. This is because Goodenough interprets scientific facts in unique and powerful ways that many people find spiritually fulfilling. She knows how to make sense of the world without God. Goodenough argues that what we’ve learned about nature through science is non-negotiable; we have to accept the way things are. But this can actually be great for us, because science provides the same kinds of meaning, purpose, and even myth that religion does (or better). -The Sacred Depths of Nature: https://amzn.to/2KyKvxv -The Religious Naturalism Association: http://religious-naturalist-association.org/ ---------------------- To enter the weekly giveaway for a FREE book, write a review of the podcast on iTunes (http://stefaniruper.com/listen), take a screen shot of your review, then email it to stefani@nakedhumanity.org. Then you'll be PERMANENTLY entered into the drawing! Check out the list of books you can get @ http://stefaniruper.com/bookgiveaway. Guests for this show are carefully curated and vetted by a team of content experts to bring you nothing less than the most interesting, most intellectually rigorous, and most exciting insights into human nature the world has to offer. The host of Naked Humanity is Oxford PhD candidate and theorist of the human condition Stefani Ruper. Ruper has worked as a scientist studying life on Mars, as a scholar of religion, and is now a specialist on the human condition in the modern world. Her genius is in refusing to hide from hard questions and harder answers, so you get a real, honest look at what it means to be human. Never shying away from controversy or unpopular opinions, Ruper demonstrates everything is more complicated when you peer behind the curtain - but that is exactly what we must to do make a better, happier world. *Subscribe on Youtube: http://bit.ly/2Y8fkfV Instagram: http://instagram.com/stefani.ruper Twitter: http://twitter.com/stefaniruper Facebook: http://facebook.com/stefaniruper Website: http://stefaniruper.com *Subscribe on a podcasting app: iTunes: https://apple.co/2JJM4Is Spotify: https://spoti.fi/2Ye2b9x   Google Play: http://bit.ly/2Y1vXig

Power is the most important but least talked about part of what it means to be human. Power is everywhere and in everything in your life, from your romantic relationships to your religion and to your political beliefs and practices. No matter what you do, someone's going to have more power than someone else. In this brief episode Stefani describes how academics discovered the importance of thinking about relationships in terms of power, and what that means for how we think about our governments, our religions, and our personal relationships of all sorts. ----------------   To enter the weekly giveaway for a FREE book, write a review of the podcast on iTunes (http://stefaniruper.com/listen), take a screen shot of your review, then email it to stefani@nakedhumanity.org. Then you'll be PERMANENTLY entered into the drawing! Check out the list of books you can get @ http://stefaniruper.com/bookgiveaway. Guests for this show are carefully curated and vetted by a team of content experts to bring you nothing less than the most interesting, most intellectually rigorous, and most exciting insights into human nature the world has to offer. The host of Naked Humanity is Oxford PhD candidate and theorist of the human condition Stefani Ruper. Ruper has worked as a scientist studying life on Mars, as a scholar of religion, and is now a specialist on the human condition in the modern world. Her genius is in refusing to hide from hard questions and harder answers, so you get a real, honest look at what it means to be human. Never shying away from controversy or unpopular opinions, Ruper demonstrates everything is more complicated when you peer behind the curtain - but that is exactly what we must to do make a better, happier world. *Subscribe on Youtube: http://bit.ly/2Y8fkfV Instagram: http://instagram.com/stefani.ruper Twitter: http://twitter.com/stefaniruper Facebook: http://facebook.com/stefaniruper Website: http://stefaniruper.com *Subscribe on a podcasting app: iTunes: https://apple.co/2JJM4Is Spotify: https://spoti.fi/2Ye2b9x   Google Play: http://bit.ly/2Y1vXig

Surveys just confirmed that as of 2019 exactly the same number of Americans claim “no religion” as evangelical Christianity--a first in all of our history. Spirituality has transformed in extraordinary ways in recent decades, and today Stefani has on one of the world’s leading theorists of religion--Linda Woodhead--to discuss these changes, and why they’re happening. They chat about the return of ancient pagan faiths, the pros and cons of the internet, and how the youngest generation seems to be changing the game altogether. -------------------------- To enter the weekly giveaway for a FREE book, write a review of the podcast on iTunes (http://stefaniruper.com/listen), take a screen shot of your review, then email it to stefani@nakedhumanity.org. Then you'll be PERMANENTLY entered into the drawing! Check out the list of books you can get @ http://stefaniruper.com/bookgiveaway. Guests for this show are carefully curated and vetted by a team of content experts to bring you nothing less than the most interesting, most intellectually rigorous, and most exciting insights into human nature the world has to offer. The host of Naked Humanity is Oxford PhD candidate and theorist of the human condition Stefani Ruper. Ruper has worked as a scientist studying life on Mars, as a scholar of religion, and is now a specialist on the human condition in the modern world. Her genius is in refusing to hide from hard questions and harder answers, so you get a real, honest look at what it means to be human. Never shying away from controversy or unpopular opinions, Ruper demonstrates everything is more complicated when you peer behind the curtain - but that is exactly what we must to do make a better, happier world. *Subscribe on Youtube: http://bit.ly/2Y8fkfV Instagram: http://instagram.com/stefani.ruper Twitter: http://twitter.com/stefaniruper Facebook: http://facebook.com/stefaniruper Website: http://stefaniruper.com *Subscribe on a podcasting app: iTunes: https://apple.co/2JJM4Is Spotify: https://spoti.fi/2Ye2b9x   Google Play: http://bit.ly/2Y1vXig

We often talk about ending suffering--but would that really be good for us? In this podcast, Stefani argues that suffering is necessary for a good, meaningful, and happy life. ---------- To enter the weekly giveaway for a FREE book, write a review of the podcast on iTunes (http://stefaniruper.com/listen), take a screen shot of your review, then email it to stefani@nakedhumanity.org. Then you'll be PERMANENTLY entered into the drawing! Check out the list of books you can get @ http://stefaniruper.com/bookgiveaway. Guests for this show are carefully curated and vetted by a team of content experts to bring you nothing less than the most interesting, most intellectually rigorous, and most exciting insights into human nature the world has to offer. The host of Naked Humanity is Oxford PhD candidate and theorist of the human condition Stefani Ruper. Ruper has worked as a scientist studying life on Mars, as a scholar of religion, and is now a specialist on the human condition in the modern world. Her genius is in refusing to hide from hard questions and harder answers, so you get a real, honest look at what it means to be human. Never shying away from controversy or unpopular opinions, Ruper demonstrates everything is more complicated when you peer behind the curtain - but that is exactly what we must to do make a better, happier world. Instagram: http://instagram.com/stefani.ruper Twitter: http://twitter.com/stefaniruper Facebook: http://facebook.com/stefaniruper Website: http://stefaniruper.com *Subscribe on a podcasting app: iTunes: https://apple.co/2JJM4Is Spotify: https://spoti.fi/2Ye2b9x Google Play: http://bit.ly/2Y1vXig  

Why do we believe what we believe? What happens when our beliefs are tested? In this fascinating episode, Stefani chats with cognitive neuroscience Jonas Kaplan about the brain and how it steers our experience of the world. They discuss the fact that when presented with alternative evidence people will often become more entrenched in their beliefs, the importance of stories  in how we make sense of things, how much the story we tell about our identity influences our behavior, and why meditation might be our only hope to save us from ourselves. ------   To enter the weekly giveaway for a FREE book, write a review of the podcast on iTunes (http://stefaniruper.com/listen), take a screen shot of your review, then email it to stefani@nakedhumanity.org. Then you'll be PERMANENTLY entered into the drawing! Check out the list of books you can get @ http://stefaniruper.com/bookgiveaway. Guests for this show are carefully curated and vetted by a team of content experts to bring you nothing less than the most interesting, most intellectually rigorous, and most exciting insights into human nature the world has to offer. The host of Naked Humanity is Oxford PhD candidate and theorist of the human condition Stefani Ruper. Stefani has worked as a scientist studying life on Mars, as a scholar of religion, and is now a specialist on the human condition in the modern world. Her genius is in showing you that everything deserves a deeper look, and when you do it, not only do you become a better person, but your world explodes in beauty and wonder. *Subscribe on Youtube: http://bit.ly/2Y8fkfV Instagram: http://instagram.com/stefani.ruper Twitter: http://twitter.com/stefaniruper Facebook: http://facebook.com/stefaniruper Website: http://stefaniruper.com *Subscribe on a podcasting app: iTunes: https://apple.co/2JJM4Is Spotify: https://spoti.fi/2Ye2b9x   Google Play: http://bit.ly/2Y1vXig

Stefani argues that the modern West is--in some ways--the most lonely society to ever have existed. This means contrasting it with ancestral hunter-gatherers and telling the story of how we moved from there, to nuclear families, to Greek city states, to capitalistic trade and the arts, to a modern world in which our narratives and identities--once forces for unity--have become stressful choose-your-own adventure stories.   To enter the weekly giveaway for a FREE book, write a review of the podcast on iTunes (http://stefaniruper.com/listen), take a screen shot of your review, then email it to stefani@nakedhumanity.org. Then you'll be PERMANENTLY entered into the drawing! Check out the list of books you can get @ http://stefaniruper.com/bookgiveaway. Guests for this show are carefully curated and vetted by a team of content experts to bring you nothing less than the most interesting, most intellectually rigorous, and most exciting insights into human nature the world has to offer. The host of Naked Humanity is Oxford PhD candidate and theorist of the human condition Stefani Ruper. Stefani has worked as a scientist studying life on Mars, as a scholar of religion, and is now a specialist on the human condition in the modern world. Her genius is in showing you that everything deserves a deeper look, and when you do it, not only do you become a better person, but your world explodes in beauty and wonder. *Subscribe on Youtube: http://bit.ly/2Y8fkfV Instagram: http://instagram.com/stefani.ruper Twitter: http://twitter.com/stefaniruper Facebook: http://facebook.com/stefaniruper Website: http://stefaniruper.com *Subscribe on a podcasting app: iTunes: https://apple.co/2JJM4Is Spotify: https://spoti.fi/2Ye2b9x   Google Play: http://bit.ly/2Y1vXig

Loneliness: Mother Teresa once said that it was the great disease of the West. Was she right? Today experimental psychologist Dr. Eiluned Pearce discusses the one pain we all know: the pain of being lonely. Dr  Pearce and Stefani discuss the origins of loneliness, why and how singing became an important antidote to loneliness, the unique loneliness of the modern world, and what we might be able to do to fix it all.   --------------------- To enter the weekly giveaway for a FREE book, write a review of the podcast on iTunes (http://stefaniruper.com/listen), take a screen shot of your review, then email it to stefani@nakedhumanity.org. Then you'll be PERMANENTLY entered into the drawing! Check out the list of books you can get @ http://stefaniruper.com/bookgiveaway. Guests for this show are carefully curated and vetted by a team of content experts to bring you nothing less than the most interesting, most intellectually rigorous, and most exciting insights into human nature the world has to offer. The host of Naked Humanity is Oxford PhD candidate and theorist of the human condition Stefani Ruper. Stefani has worked as a scientist studying life on Mars, as a scholar of religion, and is now a specialist on the human condition in the modern world. Her genius is in showing you that everything deserves a deeper look, and when you do it, not only do you become a better person, but your world explodes in beauty and wonder. *Subscribe on Youtube: http://bit.ly/2Y8fkfV Instagram: http://instagram.com/stefani.ruper Twitter: http://twitter.com/stefaniruper Facebook: http://facebook.com/stefaniruper Website: http://stefaniruper.com   *Subscribe on a podcasting app: iTunes: https://apple.co/2JJM4Is Spotify: https://spoti.fi/2Ye2b9x Google Play: http://bit.ly/2Y1vXig

Three common myths about capitalism are that it’s racist, that it’s the cause of a wide variety of problems in the world including depression, and that its libertarian proponents hate all government and hate all organizing and are basically just selfish misers. Stefani talks through the reasoning of each of these myths and describes why they’re wrong in this podcast, which is important because if you’re going to be for or against something, you need to understand it thoroughly.

Americans are obsessed with working hard, but why? And how deep does this run? Today’s guest, Dr. James Dennis LoRusso, is a specialist in the ways in which Americans intertwine religion (and spirituality) with work. Stefani and Dr. LoRusso chat about the religious qualities of work and also Google, Hobby Lobby, homophobic bakeries, and why when your boss offers yoga classes it might be kind of a problem.

If there’s one thing we get wrong today, it’s religion. In today’s episode, Stefani discusses five common myths concerning religion, disproving things you might assume like that religion helps people feel better about dying.