Stride & Saunter

It's a familiar question to many podcasters, but this ask often strikes a particularly vulnerable chord in our comparative and competitive culture. Implied within it is a number worth caring about, a baseline of significance. Unfortunately, this is a belief we typically level at our fellow human beings.

In the many decades since the advent of television, TV shows have prompted all sorts of commentary and critique. Some audiences rave over shows that others never quite get into. Parents perpetually worry about their children's TV consumption and generational, once-in-a-lifetime events glue many to the silver screen. But, perhaps because of their relative recency in human history, TV shows are rarely discussed or lauded to the same degree as literature, cinema and other narrative forms. How do we juxtapose our private consumption with our public dismissal? What thoughts and feelings do TV shows elicit in us as viewers? How is television a unique medium for stories and other communication?

This week, we return to "Between These Eyes of Ink," a series which dissects and considers quotations and the insights they contain. For our seventh episode, we welcome Sam Whipple to help explore the idea that “Maturity: the confidence to have no opinions on many things”. What are the implications of this idea in a modern, highly-opinionated world? What is the difference between having opinions and sharing them? Can we engage without opinion?

In spite of the unexpected shifts in recent years, this week nonetheless marks the seventh anniversary of the podcast. It's a strange time but also quite hopeful. While this is formally Kathleen's final episode as a co-host, I remain optimistic about how future conversations will further illuminate our grand map of what it means to be a human being. My thanks to those who provide the space, compassion and curiosity to listen. It is a real honor to produce this show for you and I look forward to bringing you more thought-provoking and introspective conversations.Yours, in shared humanity, Kip

When tragedy befalls us or our communities, we’re rarely equipped to handle the sorrow, confusion or emotional gravity of the circumstances. In the modern era, this difficulty meeting the most agonizing moments has been illuminated by the utterances of “thoughts and prayers”. Often in response to great losses and acts of violence, the phrase has come to seem hollow and politically-polarized to many. Are there words that can properly carry the appropriate emotions attendant to these circumstances? For those that say so with sincerity, are there other, more convincing words they could say? Do some use these words in lieu of action?

What impact does birth order have on your personality, your life and your abilities? According to some, a great deal. In particular, middle children of history are regarded for their innovation, their shrewd diplomacy and their creativity. But with changing attitudes and preferences in America, families are having fewer children and this demographic is going extinct. This is described in an article from The Cut, which we discuss this week. What could be the long-term impact on our society? Are their skills and experiences endemic to the existence of middle-children from which we all benefit?

Making sense of our world is a profoundly human experience. Some default to artistic pursuits while others take up fulfilling hobbies and yet others still defer to the sciences. When it comes to data, however, those of us without solid understanding can be easily misled or confused. This issue was the subject of an article from Aeon, which we discuss this week with Leland Holcomb. How does the confident certainty of numbers allow for misunderstanding? How are larger figures used to distort our perception of scale?

Six years ago today, in a radically different world needing very much the same things, Hector and I embarked on a discursive journey to explore the human experience and our relationship(s) to it. Though I write this in a challenging moment, I’m optimistic about learning to be done and am grateful to have made the journey with Hector, Caroline, Kathleen and so many others. My sincere gratitude to those who listen, especially in these inconsistent times. I remain of the conviction that this show will continue to improve as its voices and listeners do and I’m humbled to hold such a rewarding relationship with so many. Love, Kip

In a period where so much has slowed down or ground to a halt, previous definitions and metrics feel strange and irrelevant. Beyond the application of our past perspectives, it seems only natural to conclude that where there was once something, so radical a series of losses must leave nothing. Where there once was someone, doing a series of tasks and pursuing a variety of lives, there must now be no one. This is, however tempting the thought, not the truth - which is something far more encouraging.

How would we each respond to a call for help? Some might say they’d leap to the aid of their fellow person, while others would request more information about the hypothetical. In the era of the internet, given vast distances and anonymity, these circumstances are more complicated than ever before. And over the 2019 holiday season, and elder woman named Carrie from Tulsa, Oklahoma learned precisely how blunt the response can be. Lonely and seeking a family to share the spirit of the season with, her Craigslist ad was primarily met with hostility, suspicion and ridicule. How should we evaluate our social norms and dynamics given the prevalence of vehemence here? What can we learn about the sensitive dynamic between compassion and caution? What might this event indicate about an increasingly digital world?

Straightforward as it is, human silence (especially between or among others) carries a great deal of meaning. Or, perhaps more precisely, a great many possible meanings. Could those of us that are choosing not to voice or express our sentiments prevent or minimize confusion by explaining our silence? Is it always possible? These have been recent musings of mine.-Kip

It’s often said that history is written by the victors. I would at that it is remembered and offered to future readers by those present and observing. And where victorious parties have a necessarily skewed vision, the most powerful and accurate histories will incorporate every possible perspective and story. To that end, I implore you to start writing and allow a history for our successors. Whoever they may be and however they may see us, let’s give them the light to do so.-Kip

While music has been consumed since time immemorial, video games are a much less popular medium by comparison. In this entry of an ongoing series meant for non-gamers, we wanted to explore how music is used in video games to great effect. And - in the circumstances of a global pandemic - what insights we might find within the music of video games. How do their soundtracks ward of the monotony of repetitive tasks? How does music help clarify the tone of a given moment or encounter?

Reflections on how we speak when conversation is necessary, but not all that we need.

Even in the information-rich twenty-first century, the many mechanisms of the mind remain shrouded in mystery. Our abilities of recollection, creativity and intuition continue to astound and intrigue researchers and civilians alike. Perhaps most curious of all are the origins of our thoughts and ideas. When questioned by others about the seeds of our thoughts, are they asking sincerely? How does our curiosity about the thinking worlds of others impact their own relationships to internal thoughts and feelings?

Some earn the admiration of their peers and followers while others become the subjects of scorn, envy and resentment. This week, we're joined by Jason Cerf to explore this distinction in the comparison of bosses and leaders. What associations - influenced by the working world - do we have with bosses that we don't ascribe to leaders? Is one position more idealized or less realistic than the other? When are these roles necessary, cumbersome or over-complicated?

Anyone with even a cursory experience of language can attest to its power. Words wield the capacity to lift us out of lingering darkness and to drive us into great acts of courage, love and beauty. Most immediately in our lives, we have experiences with names and their personal, varied meanings. New York Times columnist Sarah Miller captures this idea well in her piece satirizing her experience with the name “Karen” and the various behaviors she associates with it. How do we collectively come to associate a single name with such a wide swath of attitudes and beliefs? Do we give a name meaning or does that process flow the other way?

Relationships of all sorts bring up complex emotions tied to esteem, perspective, individual needs and loss. And just like these interpersonal circumstances, our responses to the relationships of others are just as varied and nuanced. In particular, the phrase “their loss,” has become a common refrain to console those after a pitfall or difficult experience. What do these words suggest about our views on relationships? Do we ever use the opposite language to speak in terms of a “gain”? And how does this frame the recipient of these words in an infallible light or as a prize?

For many of us, life is a journey of discovering, tracing or defending the truths we perceive. Truth is a precious commodity and one that seems all at once secure, transient and elusive. Shared truths are especially powerful and often revealed by prominent figures around us. Helen Rosner of The New Yorker shared one such example in her 2018 article on famed chef, Anthony Bourdain. This week, we discuss her ideas about the intersection of fame, food and sincerity that Bourdain represented and continues to represent.

Though people in the professional world lament the stress, energy-drain and overall toll of their jobs on their lives, most adults acknowledge work as a component of their lives. How would the world differ if work dominated every waking moment? What would culture look like and how would we structure our lives? This week, we welcome Leland Holcomb to explore an Aeon article that grapples with these questions. It references the idea of "total work” and examines how this trend would erode our playful moments.

When those around us are grappling with difficult circumstances, our responses can be very revelatory. Do we give them hope in attempts to lift them up, do we hunker down with them in the trenches? Ultimately, what is the distinction between pity and compassion as two reactions to the struggles of others? Is one approach more humanizing and holistic towards the recipient?

“How are you?” is a common refrain in our social lives. It’s the way many of us open conversation and whether we’re seeking earnest answers or simply offering verbal acknowledgement, its familiarity is safe. But how do we adjust when that safety disintegrates? In a brief and compelling article, Dr. Adam P. Stern addresses his struggle with the question during a cancer diagnosis process. So this week, we welcome Bruce Kohl to explore the phenomena underlying the question and its application. What do we really mean when we ask it? Does it reflect some truth in our society and the depth with which we’re comfortable seeing in one another or ourselves?

In the 21st century, digital technology is a core element in the lives of billions. For most, the devices with which we work, play and consume media illustrate this fact. Though we make do with the tools we’re given, the software we employ is designed, curated and eventually abandoned. Yesterday, Windows 7 became one such example. Microsoft formally ceased its support of the decade-old operating system still used on over 446 million machines around the world. This week, a brief and personal tribute from one of its many users.

For all our prognosticating, artificial intelligence is already present and widespread in the modern world. From the online algorithms suggesting news stories or the next songs in our playlists to autofill text, the seeds of this powerful technology have already been planted. As it develops and reaches further into our lives, what will be the human impact? That question was central to an article from Aeon, which we discuss this week with Matt DiBiase. How will the speed of adoption affect our understanding or lack thereof of this technology? What will its applications reflect about human desires, fears and abilities? Will it enhance our best and worst tendencies? Will it guide us down an unexpected path?

What would you send into outer space to commemorate Earth and humanity, to a potential audience of alien life? This week, we continue an interview series to tackle that question. In each entry, we’ll interview someone about the five objects - with a stipulation - they would place in a space capsule to launch into the starry beyond. For our third episode, we spoke with Charles Clark about the five objects that he would launch - all of which had to fall under a weight limit of 17.2 pounds.

Our communicative access to one another has expanded considerably in the digital era. Along with it, so has our ability to reach into the lives of others and influence them with compassion, inquiry, solidarity and unfortunately, animosity, cruelty and distrust. In 2007, Özlem Cekic became the first female Muslim to win a seat in Danish Parliament and experienced this venom firsthand. After a friend encouraged her to reach out to the authors of her hate mail, she took on the project of sharing “dialogue coffee” and coming to share conversational space with these previously-faceless aggressors. In September of 2018 she shared her experience on the TED stage and this week we welcome Lee Ann Song to unpack Özlem’s insights. How does the act of conversation disarm initial charges of rancor? Why do many shift with palpable discomfort when considering said aggressors as equal or as human? Can others help us overcome internal flames of hatred?

In our posturing and jockeying to project an image of ourselves to others, are facades and efforts are sometimes clearly perceived. In these moments, our authenticity is questioned and social conflicts can emerge. But what does this idea, captured in the remark “I can see right through you,” reflect about our nature? Are we so used to falsehoods that even truths unintentionally-revealed become a source of clashes? Are personal truths as meaningful, powerful or valuable when they’re brought to light involuntarily by others?

With the advent of modern plumbing, many depictions of bathrooms now feature standing showers. At a bare minimum, it’s common to have a bathtub with an added shower nozzle. Could the distinction between bathing and showering offer a practical metaphor for different approaches to the dirt and disorder of existence? What associations do we have with bathing - the luxurious imagery of some baths and the concerns of “stewing” in others - that we don’t find in showers? Ultimately, what do rapid and convenient methods of waste-disposal do for our understanding of the waste we produce as individuals and societies?

Curiosity has long been a defining trait of our show and of the human species. Probing questions and persistent explorations are crucial in every field from astronomy to history. But between individuals, the trait isn’t always so welcome. This week, we welcome Dan Farina to explore the questions our culture tends (or tends not) to permit. Why are some topics off the table? What do we gain or lose in disregarding them for discussion? How does it impact our society when we shut off expressions of interpersonal curiosity?

As mobile technologies have proliferated in the 21st century, our technological toolkits have expanded in kind. Specifically speaking, apps like Venmo have allowed for quick and easy transfers of money electronically. But as writers and researchers at Harvard Business School asked in an April 2019 article, “Is the Digital Age Making Us Petty?” This week, we tackle this question in a consideration of how money operates between friends. One interesting find of the research: It’s more preferable in relationships to reimburse with rounded numbers than with specific amounts.

As long as we’ve told stories and communicated with one another, humanity has employed comedy to great and widespread effect, to the delight of many audiences. But what about the perspectives and viewpoints that they offer? How do comedians approach ideas and thought in ways that the everyday person might not naturally? This week, we welcome Vally D to explore this relationship between improv and stand-up comedy. Are they distinct in their methodologies and philosophies?

According to a 2018 report by the EPA, the average American spends 90% of their time indoors. Belonging just as much to the natural, unkempt world as any other species, what does this statistic/idea say about our culture and its relationship to the indoors? What do indoor spaces lack or sacrifice when compared to the vast and unconquered outdoors? How do we idealize indoor spaces? And what might this sequestration say about our human future?

What would you send into outer space to commemorate Earth and humanity, to a potential audience of alien life? This week, we continue an interview series to tackle that question. In each entry, we’ll interview someone about the five objects - with a stipulation - they would place in a space capsule to launch into the starry beyond. For our second episode, we spoke with Wade Roush about the five objects that he would launch - all of which had to contain wood.

While speech and discussion are central pillars in our species’ history and evolution, not all conversations are created equal. This week, Kathleen shares a compliment she once gave a friend who made her “excited to talk”. Examining the phrase, what does it reveal about the relationship between closeness and what we share or say? What would its opposite be? How do we benefit from/respond to this type of influence?

As communication technologies have evolved over the millennia of human history, we’ve adopted new methods of communicating with one another. And with the emergence of the new, we see older approaches reserved for more traditional or antiquated practices. So how do we approach letter-writing, a method which was once the only means of long-distance communication? What role does it play in our modern society and as email, texting and other means increase in popularity, what does the relative decline in letter-writing mean for our ways of connecting with one another?

This week, we return to "Between These Eyes of Ink," a series which dissects and considers quotations and the insights they contain. For our sixth episode, we welcome Sam Whipple to help explore the idea that “Forgiveness means letting go of the hope for a better past”. How does this quotation distort typical perceptions of forgiveness and time? In what was does forgiveness repair, heal or change our memory? Are we able to pursue different “futures” because of “pasts” we’ve come to forgive?

This week, we return to the tradition of reacting to a book of insights entitled "Don't Sweat the Small Stuff". In particular, we look at chapters encouraging us to become less aggressive drivers, to tell others that we love them, to develop our compassion and to surrender to the fact that life isn’t fair. How do these chapters and their particular insights help us to focus on what truly matters? Are some of these insights more compelling or useful than others? Are some more challenging to implement?

Can we ever quantify the innate curiosity so many of us share? Perhaps unintentionally, the company Thinko did just this in October 2018 when they launched WhoPaid99Cents.com. The function of the site, in beautiful clarity, is simply to record and display who chose to pay 99 cents for access to a list of others who had done the same. Several articles take shots at the site for being useless, wasteful and unnecessary. But what about a different perspective? How might a space like this illuminate the strange tug many of us feel to peek at the activities of others? With its entry point of 99 cents, how might it help us measure (a certain type of) human curiosity?

Five years ago, Hector and I set out to have sincere conversations about the human experience and the countless avenues of curiosity. Week after week, various folks and myself have done our best to make you reflect, challenge conventional thinking and invite discussion. Across various co-hosts and guests, I hope we’ve done something to illuminate even a fraction of the human mosaic. Today, that journey continues with a new co-host, Kathleen Duffy. I’m excited to welcome one of the kindest, most thoughtful and well-informed people I know to be a partner in this endeavor. I’ve long enjoyed learning from her in our friendship and I know that her influence will help craft the show as a space of compassion and earnest, at times challenging, introspection. We’re eager to release the conversations we’ve already prepared and look forward to engaging with you all. Love, Kip Clark

***The following episode deals with issues of sexual violence.*** Over twenty years ago, Thordis Elva of Iceland shared a teenage romance with Tom Stranger, an exchange student visiting from Australia. After a school dance in 1996, when she was 16 and he was 18, he raped her. After parting ways and independently examining their own feelings and responses to the traumatic event, Thordis got in touch with Tom. The two would go on to correspond for years and later meet in South Africa to navigate the pain surrounding Tom’s actions together. In October 2016, they recorded a controversial joint TED Talk exploring this journey. This week, we’re joined by Nari Malkhasyan to discuss the talk and its implications regarding shame, trauma and humanity. As we felt the original talk pursued, we hope we also touch on the uncomfortable nuance and difficult questions in our conversation. Lastly, like any episode, this conversation is about reflection and inquiry, not conclusion and declaration. What we discuss may clash with your perspectives and similarly, what Thordis and Tom explored (and acknowledged) is not a prescription for all survivors and perpetrators.

As our lives grow more complex and our social ties accommodate different schedules, timezones and obligations, a common refrain for friends (especially in adulthood) is to find the time to “catch up”. This week we welcome Leland Holcomb to explore the phrase and the ideas behind it. In what ways does it acknowledge the sometimes chaotic pace of social life? How does this approach to friendship sculpt a particular lane within which to call someone a friend? Do we limit ourselves to recollection rather than deeper inspection of our experiences? Do these friendships tend towards image over substance?

Creative individuals have been supported in many ways across humanity’s storied history. They’re relied upon generous benefactors, municipal commissions and in modern times, crowd-funding such as Patreon. Some might argue about the value of creative work in our society, but in the belief that they should be supported, how do we nourish that creativity? This week, we welcome Matt DiBiase, a musical artist, to explore the idea. How do friends, family and thoughtful gifts nudge those with the creative spark to make something of their passions and perspectives?

As many of us are encouraged to purchase, acquire and own items and objects around them, how do our possessions affect us? What is our relationship to them and what rationale do we give to keep them around? This week, we welcome Ayelet Ronen to discuss the ways in which our ownership of things may actually work in the reverse: that to an extent, they own us. We create space for them, take out insurance policies, polish, guard and at times personify them. But how do possessions prevent or limit certain actions and lifestyles? Are we at our happiest, best or healthiest because of our belongings?

Of the many great, palpable fears that connect us as human beings, the fear of rejection is high among them. But how often do we have the strange experience of learning why we were rejected? This week, we welcome Ian Cooper to explore and review these ideas as their described by popular YouTuber, Hank Green. Do we ultimately want to know these humbling reasons? Do they help us to grow? How does rejection change when it’s done anonymously?

I’ve missed the show since February and these months since have been invaluable in reflecting and recalibrating how I approach it. Here are my thoughts, coming out of that period.

Today marks a unique day for the podcast. With a few exceptions, the show has been weekly for the last four and a half years and I’ve decided to take a break for a few months. The choice was a difficult one to make, because I’ve taken great pride in putting out a consistent and thoroughly-edited show. But as with anything we pour time and effort into, that energy and dedicated moments have to come from somewhere. And as I try to produce a clean, polished and thought-provoking product, I’ve found myself more taxed by the process in recent months. I hope to use these next few months to relax, reflect and recenter my relationship to every aspect of the podcast. Regardless, I know I will miss various elements of the creative process and I hope you’ll all be patient during this period. -Kip

This week, we return to "Between These Eyes of Ink," a series which dissects and considers quotations and the insights they contain. For our fifth episode, we welcome Sam Whipple to help explore Plato’s thoughts on how politicians rely upon good guesswork. Do societies expect complete understanding from our leaders? Do we foist it onto them so that we need not pursue the truth? Are leaders who are honest about their ignorance more trustworthy and relatable?

Truth represents a foundational element in human life. Whether religious, personal, psychological or scientific, many of us live our lives in pursuit of or relationship to truths around us. We try to define, contain and create them. But what does it mean to live in a truthful way? Is it as simple as expressing truthful thoughts to others? This week, we’re joined by Dan Farina to reflect upon what it means to be truthful. What do truthful actions look and feel like? Is our society structured in a “truthful” way?

We are each motivated by a bevy of ideas, instincts and influences around us. Some of us have dreams of changing the world while others want to attempt the impossible and still others hope for happiness and humility first and foremost. But what about the downfalls that we avoid in both thought and action? This week, we welcome Eric Cunningham to examine the fear of failure. How does it prevent us from reaching further? Why does it persist? How do others instill it within us?

Recent years have illuminated many of the divides and differences within American society and culture. In particular, as citizens around the world are predicted to congregate in cities in coming decades, rural populations are worthy of consideration and conversation. This week, we welcome Gabe Brison-Trezise to discuss some of the difficulties facing the inhabitants of rural America. From occupational challenges and shifts in cultural attitudes to birth rates and economic pitfalls, there are numerous struggles to contend with. How do literal distances complicate empathy for those living in vastly different ways? What steps can be taken to limit social differences?

In our youth (and often in adulthood), we're asked what we want to be when we grow up. How crucial might "what" be in that framing of our futures and the approach we encourage young people to take? Does it focus primarily on an occupation as a destination rather than a lifestyle or set of values to uphold? This week, we welcome Matt DiBiase to help explore the concept. Do we see this question as a comfortable form of simplicity, easily digestible for young minds? How might these early conceptions of life influence someone’s future experiences?