Podcast appearances and mentions of Paul Bloom

We have been dying to discuss an article called  “Why Aren't Professors Braver?” since it was first published in The Chronicle of Higher Education back in September. It's by the psychologist Paul Bloom and it starts with an ode to the professoriate:We tend to be pretty smart. We are sometimes socially inept, but in a sweet way. We are genuinely excited about ideas…We are often generous... mentoring students in ways that don't lead to any tangible rewards.  And we are a peaceable lot. If you're sitting at a bar, minding your own business, and some drunk takes a swing at you, the drunk is unlikely to be a professor.In spite of our many praiseworthy traits, Bloom says that professors aren't particularly courageous. When controversial or sensitive topics arise, he claims that we tend to be “too censorious and too self-censoring.”  “Why,” Bloom asks, “are even tenured professors, people with the most secure jobs on Earth, so unwilling to speak their minds?”We have posed this question many times since we both became faculty members--and we could think of no better person to hash it out with than our friend, UPenn professor Jonathan Zimmerman.Jon is a historian of education who has had a long and illustrious career, first at West Chester University, then at New York University and now at the University of Pennsylvania. He is the author of many books, including Whose America: Culture Wars in the Public Schools, Too Hot to Handle: A Global History of Sex Education, and The Amateur Hour: A History of College Teaching in America. We were thrilled to have him join us on Banished.Show Notes* Here is the article that inspired this episode: Paul Bloom, “Why Aren't Professors Braver?”, Chronicle Review, September 24, 2025* The term “excellent sheep” comes from William Deresiewicz's 2014 book, Excellent Sheep: The Miseducation of the American Elite and the Way to a Meaningful Life* See Jon Zimmerman's official UPenn bio here* The *circling the wagons* article Jon references is available here This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit banished.substack.com/subscribe

Amazing Bob-Paul discount deal! ... The Bari Weiss trivia test ... Lasting peace in Gaza? ... Why did Trump finally get tough on Bibi? ... MAGA free speech debates ... Is the AI bubble about to burst? ... If anyone builds it, will everyone die? ... Heading into Overtime: Ian McEwan, George Harrison, OpenAI, One Battle After Another ...

AI therapists and caregivers. Digital tutors and advisors and friends. Artificial lovers. Griefbots trained to imitate dead loved ones. Welcome, to the bustling world of AI-powered chatbots. This was once the stuff of science fiction, but it's becoming just the stuff of everyday life. What will these systems do to our society, to our relationships, to our social skills and motivations? Are these bots destined to leave us hollowed out, socially stunted, screen-addicted, and wary of good-old-fashioned, in-the-flesh human interaction? Or could they actually be harnessed for good? My guest today is Dr. Henry Shevlin. Henry is a philosopher and AI ethicist at the Leverhulme Centre for the Future of Intelligence (CFI) at Cambridge University. In a series of recent papers, Henry has been exploring this brave new world of "social AI" and its philosophical, ethical, and psychological dimensions. Here, Henry and I sketch the current landscape of social AI—from dedicated platforms like Replika and CharacterAI to the more subtly social uses of ChatGPT and Claude. We consider several tragic cases that have recently rocketed these kinds of services into public awareness. We talk about what's changed about AI systems—quite recently—that's now made them capable of sustained relationships. We linger on the possible risks of social AI and, perhaps less obviously, on the possible benefits. And we consider the prospects for regulation. Along the way, Henry and I also talk about his 81-year-old father, his teenage self, and, of course, the kids these days; we consider whether social AI, in its potential harms, is more like social media or more like violent video games; we talk about "deskilling" and it's opposite "upskilling"; and we of course take stock of a certain elephant in the room. Alright friends, this is a fun one. We've been wanting to explore this dawning age of social AI for some time. And we finally found, in Henry, the right person to do it with. Enjoy!   Notes 3:00 – The piece in The Guardian—'It's time to prepare for AI personhood'—by Jacy Reece Anthis. 5:00 – The Replika subreddit.  9:30 – News coverage of recent research on the bedside manner of AI systems. 10:30 – For a recent paper on AI by the philosopher Ophelia Deroy, see here. 11:30 – For some of Dr. Shevlin's recent writing about "social AI", see here and here. 13:30 – OpenAI's recent report, 'How People Use ChatGPT'. 16:30 – For examples of popular media coverage of recent (tragic) cases involving chatbots, see here, here, here, and here. 21:00 – The paper by Rose Guingrich and Michael Graziano on how users describe their relationships with chatbots. 24:00 – The precise quote by Mark Twain is: “Nothing so needs reforming as other people's habits.” 25:30 – The classic paper on Mary's room by Frank Jackson. 27:00 – Dr. Shevlin has also worked on questions about animal minds (e.g., here), as well as a number of issues in AI beyond “social AI” (e.g., here, here). 30:00 – The classic essay by Isaiah Berlin on hedgehogs and foxes. 32:00 – The classic paper on ELIZA, introduced by Joseph Weizenbaum in 1966. A version of ELIZA that you can interact with. For work by Sherry Turkle, see here. 34:00 – Dr. Shevlin's recent paper about the “anthropomimetic turn” in contemporary AI. 41:00 – For recent work on whether current chatbots pass a version of the Turing test, see here.  45:00 – Ted Chiang's story, ‘The Lifecycle of Software Objects,' was re-published as part his collection of short fiction, Exhalation. 46:00 – For Dr. Shevlin's recent writing on machine consciousness, see here. 48:00 – For more on the possibility of consciousness in borderline cases (like AI systems), see our past episodes here and here. 52:00 – The study on whether people attribute consciousness to LLMs. 54:30 – A recent paper on griefbots by scholars at the University of Cambridge. A popular article about the phenomenon. 55:30 – A blogpost describing the so-called DigiDan experiment. 1:00:00 – Some of the potentially positive social qualities of AIs are discussed in this essay by Paul Bloom.  1:19:30 – For more on Iain Banks' culture series, see here. 1:20:30 – A popular article on the phenomenon of hikikomori.   Recommendations The Oxford Intersections: AI in Society collection The new podcast, Our Lives with Bots   Many Minds is a project of the Diverse Intelligences Summer Institute, which is made possible by a generous grant from the John Templeton Foundation to Indiana University. The show is hosted and produced by Kensy Cooperrider, with help from Assistant Producer Urte Laukaityte and with creative support from DISI Directors Erica Cartmill and Jacob Foster. Our artwork is by Ben Oldroyd. Subscribe to Many Minds on Apple, Stitcher, Spotify, Pocket Casts, Google Play, or wherever you listen to podcasts. You can also now subscribe to the Many Minds newsletter here! We welcome your comments, questions, and suggestions. Feel free to email us at: manymindspodcast@gmail.com. For updates about the show, visit our website or follow us on Bluesky (@manymindspod.bsky.social).

On the one hand, AI companions are (increasingly) amazing at rectifying isolation. But on the other hand, loneliness is a biological signal that pushes us toward improving ourselves socially. So what's the right balance here? And does everyone have the same need to cure loneliness? In other words, might AI relationships mess up our young even while providing a critical lifeline to our seniors? Join this week as we dive deep with psychologist Paul Bloom.

Free speech after Charlie Kirk ... Tyler Robinson's strange messages ... How influential was Kirk? ... Do violent video games encourage violence? ... What Gary Marcus gets right—and (very) wrong—about AI ... Overtime topics: Paul's debate triumph, Redford's legacy, etc. ... Heading into Overtime ...

The Bob-Paul secret sauce—spilled! ... Mickey Kaus's latest contribution to Epsteinology ... Paul fact-checks Mickey, gets fact-checked ... What's better: AI or indoor plumbing? ... What Gary Marcus gets right—and (very) wrong—about AI ... Has TV made us smarter? ... The pros of the Google antitrust ruling ... Putin's paleo-transhumanism ... Heading to Overtime ...

Ако това, което правим, ви харесва, можете да ни подкрепите тук: https://www.patreon.com/c/ratiobg В новия епизод на Ratio Talks гост е Пол Блум – психолог, бестселъров автор и един от участниците в тазгодишното Ratio Forum - пролет. Блум е професор в Йейл и Университета в Торонто. Неговите изследвания се фокусират върху необичайните пътища, по които умът ни нарушава собствените си правила – защо понякога съзнателно търсим дискомфорт, защо ни привлича пакостта и какво прави девиацията толкова удовлетворяваща. Той е автор на редица влиятелни книги, сред които Against Empathy, How Pleasure Works и най-новата му – Psych: The Story of the Human Mind, в която разглежда човешкото поведение в цялата му противоречивост. Разговорът е неформален, но засяга теми като утилитаризма, културните препратки в True Detective, както и странните навици, които ни правят хора. Видео към епизода тук: https://youtu.be/OA9qhpIYnUc #english In the new episode of Ratio Talks, our guest is Paul Bloom – psychologist, bestselling author, and participant in this year's Ratio Forum Spring. Bloom teaches at both Yale and the University of Toronto. His research explores why we sometimes seek out discomfort, what draws us to mischief, and why breaking norms can feel so rewarding. His books include Against Empathy, How Pleasure Works, and his latest, Psych: The Story of the Human Mind. In this episode, we talk about utilitarianism, the cultural layers of True Detective, and the quirks that make us human – all in a slightly informal but highly engaging conversation. Video here: https://youtu.be/OA9qhpIYnUc

Bob defends the Unabomber (kind of) ... Paul nurses his Mickey-inflicted wounds ... Bob deflates the GPT-5 deflation ... How big a deal are LLM hallucinations? ... AI's coming social and economic disruptions ... How Bob and Paul use AI ... The ideas of Hanno Sauer ... Heading to Overtime ...

Why do people like to watch scary movies or listen to sad songs? Why do we run marathons and raise children, even though both of those pursuits come with struggle and pain? Paul Bloom, PhD,  discusses why suffering is linked to meaning in life, the connection between pleasure and pain, and the difference between chosen and unchosen suffering. Please take our listener survey at http://at.apa.org/SoPSurvey Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Substack glory and livestream anxiety ... Reading eugenics into a dopey jeans ad ... Does Sydney Sweeney spell the end of “inclusive marketing”? ... Bob vs. Paul on IQ and “general intelligence” ... Paul reviews the new Billy Joel documentary ... The Epstein prison video snafu: a Bayesian take ... Ghislaine gets a free upgrade ...

Substack glory and livestream anxiety ... Reading eugenics into a dopey jeans ad ... Does Sydney Sweeney spell the end of “inclusive marketing”? ... Bob vs. Paul on IQ and “general intelligence” ... Paul reviews the new Billy Joel documentary ... The Epstein prison video snafu: a Bayesian take ... Ghislaine gets a free upgrade ...

Sam Harris speaks with Paul Bloom about AI and current events. They discuss the state of LLMs, the risks and benefits of AI companionship, what it means to attribute consciousness to AI, relationships with AI as a form of psychosis, Trump's attacks on science and academia, what Trump may be trying to hide in the Epstein files, how damaging Trump's connections to Epstein might be, MAGA's obsession with conspiracy theories, questions surrounding Epstein's death, Paul's research on revenge, Sam's falling out with Elon Musk, where things went wrong for Elon, and other topics. If the Making Sense podcast logo in your player is BLACK, you can SUBSCRIBE to gain access to all full-length episodes at samharris.org/subscribe.

The full reason for Bob's absence—revealed ... What's the real story with Trump and Epstein? ... A peek down the Epstein rabbit hole ... Grok goes full Nazi-pornbot ... The promise and perils of AI companions ... Bob on dealing with cancer in the age of AI ... Heading to Overtime ...

The full reason for Bob's absence—revealed ... What's the real story with Trump and Epstein? ... A peek down the Epstein rabbit hole ... Grok goes full Nazi-pornbot ... The promise and perils of AI companions ... Bob on dealing with cancer in the age of AI ... Heading to Overtime ...

Human nature and the possibility of utopiaThe idea of utopia - of a perfect society devoid of suffering and inequality - is planted firmly in the human imagination and psyche. From pre-biblical times to Thomas More and communism and beyond, widely disparate groups have attempted to plan or create a utopia. But is it achievable? And if not, why not?Join unconventional psychologist Paul Bloom as he makes the case for the impossibility of utopia given certain key features of human nature. We are not meant, he argues, for perfect harmony and equality. Paul Bloom is a researcher of perversion and suffering, so his perspective brings interesting insights on the question. But what do you think? Can we ever achieve utopia? Email us at podcast@iai.tv with your thoughts or questions on the episode!To witness such topics discussed live buy tickets for our upcoming festival: https://howthelightgetsin.org/festivals/And visit our website for many more articles, videos, and podcasts like this one: https://iai.tv/You can find everything we referenced here: https://linktr.ee/philosophyforourtimesSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Celebrated psychologist Paul Bloom shares five key insights from his book The Sweet Spot.

Read the full transcript here. In light of the replication crisis, should social scientists try to replicate every major finding in the field's history? Why is human memory so faulty? And since human memory is so faulty, why do we take eyewitness testimony in legal contexts so seriously? How different are people's experiences of the world? What are the various failure modes in social science research? How much progress have the social sciences made implementing reforms and applying more rigorous standards? Why does peer review seem so susceptible to importance hacking? When is observation more important than interpretation, and vice versa? Do the top journals contain the least replicable papers? What value do Freud's ideas still provide today? How useful are neo-Freudian therapeutic methods? Should social scientists run studies on LLMs? Which of Paul's books does ChatGPT like the least?Paul Bloom is Professor of Psychology at the University of Toronto, and Brooks and Suzanne Ragen Professor Emeritus of Psychology at Yale University. Paul Bloom studies how children and adults make sense of the world, with special focus on pleasure, morality, religion, fiction, and art. He has won numerous awards for his research and teaching. He is past-president of the Society for Philosophy and Psychology, and co-editor of Behavioral and Brain Sciences. He has written for scientific journals such as Nature and Science, and for popular outlets such as The New York Times, The Guardian, The New Yorker, and The Atlantic Monthly. He is the author of seven books, including his most recent, Psych: The Story of the Human Mind. Find more about him at paulbloom.net, or follow his Substack. StaffSpencer Greenberg — Host / DirectorJosh Castle — ProducerRyan Kessler — Audio EngineerUri Bram — FactotumWeAmplify — TranscriptionistsIgor Scaldini — Marketing ConsultantMusicBroke for FreeJosh WoodwardLee RosevereQuiet Music for Tiny Robotswowamusiczapsplat.comAffiliatesClearer ThinkingGuidedTrackMind EasePositlyUpLift[Read more]

At first this episode was titled “There Is No Rigor In Perfection, There Is Rigor In Your Play”. In a recent episode of one of my favorite podcasts Hidden Brain, psychologist Paul Bloom describes why play is an essential choreography of aliveness for most human and non-human species. He says it's essential because it's a container for “safe practice”. I keep thinking about this phrase, “safe practice”. Oftentimes perfectionism is mistaken for rigor. These two are NOT the same. Perfectionism stops us from starting, rigor invites us to try. The fear rooted in perfectionism is an indication of feeling unsafe inside our practice. My intention inside this episode is to offer spells for cultivating a felt sense of safety inside our practice through rigorous play. ResourcesLet's Work Together 1:1 On Launching Your Newsletter in 8 Weeks: https://www.seedaschool.com/coachingSubscribe to the Seeda School Substack: ⁠https://seedaschool.substack.com/⁠Follow Ayana on Instagram: ⁠⁠@ayzaco⁠⁠Follow Ayana on Threads: ⁠⁠@ayzaco⁠⁠Follow Seeda School on Instagram: ⁠⁠@seedaschool⁠Citations“God Owes Me A Favor: Let's Collectively Call It In” by Ayana Zaire Cotton“Ouch! That Feels Great”, Hidden Brain Podcast Episode with psychologist Paul Bloom and Shankar VedantamAlexis Pauline Gumbs on Finding CeremonyZora Neale Hurston, “The Dream is the Truth” in Their Eyes Were Watching Godnènè myriam konaté's Substack, Instagram and Manifest(o) RetreatOcean Vuong on being "summoned, despite yourself"Cover Art: Lorna Simpson, did time elapse (2024) Materials: Acrylic and screenprint on gessoed fiberglass Dimensions: 259.1 x 365.8 x 3.5 cm / 102 x 144 x 1 3/8 in. "Together, Simpson's incandescent paintings draw attention to the danger hidden in beauty and, conversely, the beauty hidden in danger. Bringing us face to face with phenomena rarely witnessed by the human eye, they ask us to locate ourselves in the context of the cosmos." (Source: Hauser & Wirth)

We venture into the darker corners of the gurusphere and marvel at some very, very brave individuals, their valiant efforts to play devil's advocate, and some world-class discourse surfing skills. Join us, won't you?Supplementary Material 31: Aquatic Nightmares, Strategic Obliviousness, & Race Realists00:00 Introduction & Ol Squeaky Cameo02:57 Matt's Aquarium Trauma & Stress Dreams09:45 RFK Jr's war on science continues11:17 Robert Malone & other 'Covid Contrarians' rewarded under Trump14:35 The LA Protests, Riots, and Anti-Immigrant Narratives20:12 Flint Dibble calls out Joe Rogan25:24 Joe Rogan is a polemical ideologue and anti-vaccine advocate27:34 Cassandra Kavanagh?32:37 If Books Could Kill on Lab Leak35:10 Popular Perceptions of the Covid Pandemic vs Reality38:38 Debating COVID-19 Measures38:59 Clarifying the Role of Sam's Manager42:56 Discussing Trump, Musk, and DOGE's Political Impact47:12 The Meaning Crisis and the Comfort of Religion50:35 The Effects of Social Media53:15 Matt and Chris Friendly Shadowboxing56:19 The horror of directly stating your opinions58:14 Sam Harris' Preparation for Conversations01:05:02 Strategic Obliviousness01:12:26 A little bit of TRT Discourse01:16:17 Lex's Insufferable Tweet:  Celebrating Humanity and Responding to Critics01:18:46 The Bravery of the All In Podcast Besties01:20:33 Elon Musk and Donald Trump: A Complex Relationship01:23:42 Mike from PA and Dunking Safely Online01:26:10 Scientific Racism and Controversial Podcasts01:34:02 Paul Bloom and Subjective Redlines01:41:10 The Neo-Nazi Smoke in the Race Realism World01:48:36 Daniël Lakens on Bryan Johnson on Mortality Salience01:50:16 Matt's Foodie Corner01:52:21 OutroThe full episode is available for Patreon subscribers (1hr 54 mins).Join us at: https://www.patreon.com/DecodingTheGurusSourcesBBC- RFK Jr appoints new US vaccine advisers after sacking committeeFlint Dibble's New Video: Joe Rogan's Cult of Fake ArchaeologyLex Fridman's Insufferable TweetSam Harris EPISODE 419 "More From Sam": Elon vs. Trump, Religion, Jordan Peterson, & Rapid Fire QuestionsThe All In Besties being cowardsThe Guardian: Harvard author Steven Pinker appears on podcast linked to scientific racismSteven Pinker on AporiaHope Not Hate's investigation into Aporia and related race science networksIf Books Could Kill: The Lab Leak Goes Mainstream

The Trump-Musk blowup, reconciliation, and fallout ... Trump vs Elon: a psycho-analysis ... Where do Trump and Elon go from here? ... Remembering Brian Wilson and Sly Stone ... Will AI turn us all into narcissists? ... Heading to Overtime ...

The Trump-Musk blowup, reconciliation, and fallout ... Trump vs Elon: a psycho-analysis ... Where do Trump and Elon go from here? ... Remembering Brian Wilson and Sly Stone ... Will AI turn us all into narcissists? ... Heading to Overtime ...

We generally think of pain as something to be avoided. But psychologist Paul Bloom says that as much as we're wired to avoid suffering, we also seek it out. This week, we begin a two-part mini series about the curious pleasure we take in certain forms of pain.Hidden Brain is about to go on tour! Join Shankar in a city near you as he shares key insights from the first decade of the show. For more info and tickets, go to https://hiddenbrain.org/tour/. 

It's time to address the age-old question: Do children make us happy? Backed by powerful research and personal stories, Kylie and Justin explore the paradox of parenting—how our kids can simultaneously be our greatest joy and our biggest challenge. Featuring insights from happiness researchers like Daniel Kahneman, Paul Bloom, and Roy Baumeister, the conversation moves from exhaustion and conflict to purpose, meaning, and unconditional love. KEY POINTS: Research shows that parenting often decreases happiness and marital satisfaction, especially in the early years. Daniel Kahneman's study revealed mothers find time with kids less enjoyable than activities like watching TV or shopping—particularly during stressful mornings and evenings. Despite the challenges, most parents say they don't regret having children—why? Cultural and policy differences influence parental happiness across countries. Parenting isn’t primarily about happiness—it's about purpose, meaning, and deep emotional connection. The hardest parts of parenting often give rise to the most profound moments of growth and joy. QUOTE OF THE EPISODE: "If the loss of a child would be total annihilation, then having a child—healthy, happy, and sound—must be annihilation’s opposite, which sounds pretty terrific." – Paul Bloom RESOURCES MENTIONED: The Parenting Revolution by Dr. Justin Coulson All Joy and No Fun by Jennifer Senior The Sweet Spot by Paul Bloom Meanings of Life by Roy Baumeister Daniel Kahneman’s research on parental enjoyment Columbia University studies by Sara McLanahan ACTION STEPS FOR PARENTS: Redefine Happiness: Shift your focus from momentary happiness to long-term meaning and connection. Embrace the Mess: Recognise that hard days are part of the growth—yours and your child’s. Prioritise Connection: In the chaos, seek small moments of intimacy and presence. Protect Your Partnership: Align as a couple around shared parenting values; the child isn’t the problem—misalignment often is. Find Support: Advocate for better policy and community support—or build your village where you can. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A note about this podcast ... Paul aces Bob's worthwhile Canadian pop-quiz ... Trump's corruption: Illegal or just unprecedentedly gross? ... Elon bows out ... Trump's crusade against elite colleges continues ... Is JD Vance more dangerous than Trump? ... Are AI doomers walking their talk? ... Trump makes Canada a golden offer ... Heading to Overtime ...

A note about this podcast ... Paul aces Bob's worthwhile Canadian pop-quiz ... Trump's corruption: Illegal or just unprecedentedly gross? ... Elon bows out ... Trump's crusade against elite colleges continues ... Is JD Vance more dangerous than Trump? ... Are AI doomers walking their talk? ... Trump makes Canada a golden offer ... Heading to Overtime ...

How much of our success or failure is written in our genes? How much is under our control? Is it nature or nurture or is that dichotomy too simplistic? Hear EconTalk's Russ Roberts and psychologist Paul Bloom discuss why the nature vs. nurture question is actually worth taking seriously and how by understanding it we can help ourselves and others.

Is Kanye's new song really pro-Hitler? ... How free should free speech be? ... Substack economics ... Welcome to Sam Altman's orb ... Can higher education survive AI? ... Did Carney tame Trump? ... Good and bad signs from Trump 2.0 ... Heading to Overtime ...

Is Kanye's new song really pro-Hitler? ... How free should free speech be? ... Substack economics ... Welcome to Sam Altman's orb ... Can higher education survive AI? ... Did Carney tame Trump? ... Good and bad signs from Trump 2.0 ... Heading to Overtime ...

Something for nothingDo rewards and incentives damage our humanity?In much of our personal and professional lives, we receive rewards for good behaviour and carrying out our responsibilities. But, evidence now suggests there are risks to this approach. Studies show rewards can damage wellbeing, fostering dependence and undermining our own sense of control. And neuroscientists have shown those more prone to seeking reward have a 70% higher risk of addiction, with addictive behaviour now present in almost half of the U.S. population. So, should we move away from rewards-based systems, and instead learn to value doing the right thing simply for the sake of, well, doing the right thing?Paul Bloom is a Canadian-American psychologist, bestselling author, and celebrated speaker. Bloom has written widely on human nature, and he won the Klaus J. Jacobs Research Prize for his investigations into how children develop a sense of morality.Dan Ariely is a Professor of Psychology and Behavioural Economics at Duke University and best-selling author. Ariely is a scholar of irrationality and decision-making, explaining how we repeatedly and predictably make the wrong decisions in many aspects of our lives.Nancy Sherman is a Professor of Philosophy at Georgetown University who has conducted research in general ethics, moral psychology, and the history of philosophy with focus on the Stoic tradition. A New York Times Notable Author and sought-after speaker, her views on military ethics have been influential. Don't hesitate to email us at podcast@iai.tv with your thoughts or questions on the episode!To witness such debates live buy tickets for our upcoming festival: https://howthelightgetsin.org/festivals/And visit our website for many more articles, videos, and podcasts like this one: https://iai.tv/You can find everything we referenced here: https://linktr.ee/philosophyforourtimesSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Pop star Chappell Roan recently claimed that all her friends with kids are “in hell” and have “no light in their eyes.” But is parenthood really as bleak as she makes it out to be? In this thought-provoking episode, Justin and Kylie Coulson unpack this viral comment with equal parts data, personal reflection, and heartfelt perspective. Together, they explore the complex relationship between parenting and happiness—and why the hard parts often make family life more meaningful, not less. KEY POINTS: Chapel Roan’s viral claim about the misery of parenthood sparked a deeper conversation about happiness and raising kids. Research shows that while parenting is hard, it can also lead to greater meaning and long-term satisfaction. Married parents report higher happiness than unmarried or childless individuals, despite the challenges. Our culture often values ease and independence—but meaning and deep connection are built through effort. Parenthood brings emotional richness, not just “happiness” in the moment. Blanket statements about parenting overlook the light, joy, and depth it brings to many lives. QUOTE OF THE EPISODE:“I’m so rich—life is so rich—because every time I look at one of my kids, I think: this is what it’s all about.” — Kylie Coulson RESOURCES MENTIONED: Happiness research from the U.S. on parents vs. non-parents Paul Bloom & Roy Baumeister’s work on meaning and parenthood Instagram post from @tessapitter: “Dear Chapel Roan, I’ve never had more light in my eyes.” happyfamilies.com.au – Parenting resources for a happier family life ACTION STEPS FOR PARENTS: Reframe your expectations – Hard doesn’t mean bad. Meaning often grows through challenge. Celebrate small joys – Whether it’s tying a shoelace or a shared laugh, these moments matter. Resist comparison culture – Social media snapshots don’t reflect the richness of your lived experience. Share your light – Let your kids see your joy, even in the chaos. They’re watching—and it shapes them. Choose presence over perfection – Fulfilment in parenthood isn’t about getting it “right,” but being there with love and intention. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Manic and frazzled, Jonah Goldberg turned for help from in-house Remnant psychologist Paul Bloom. They explore intellectual esoterica, check what Noam Chomsky got wrong, explore Large Language Models, and fret over the age of artificial consciousness and AI girlfriends. Show Notes:—Paul's Substack—Paul on Substack "Is it nature or is it nurture?" is a damn good question” The Remnant is a production of The Dispatch, a digital media company covering politics, policy, and culture from a non-partisan, conservative perspective. To access all of The Dispatch's offerings—including Jonah's G-File newsletter, regular livestreams, and other members-only content—click here. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Trump and Elon's bad week = good news for Bob… ... …but bad news for Canada's prime minister? ... Trump's crackdown on speech expands ... Debating embryo-screening ethics ... Heading to Overtime ...

Trump and Elon's bad week = good news for Bob… ... …but bad news for Canada's prime minister? ... Trump's crackdown on speech expands ... Debating embryo-screening ethics ... Heading to Overtime ...

What if your empathy is hurting your clarity? In this powerful episode, we dismantle the myth that "feeling everything" makes you more perceptive — and show you how to think like Sherlock Holmes instead.We dive into the neuroscience of emotional regulation, the Stoic approach to calibrated concern, and Paul Bloom's provocative insights from Against Empathy. You'll discover the difference between empathy, compassion, and detached concern, and why mastering that difference is essential for detectives, decision-makers, leaders, and anyone seeking truth in a noisy world.

What if your empathy is hurting your clarity? In this powerful episode, we dismantle the myth that "feeling everything" makes you more perceptive — and show you how to think like Sherlock Holmes instead.We dive into the neuroscience of emotional regulation, the Stoic approach to calibrated concern, and Paul Bloom's provocative insights from Against Empathy. You'll discover the difference between empathy, compassion, and detached concern, and why mastering that difference is essential for detectives, decision-makers, leaders, and anyone seeking truth in a noisy world.

Paul is Bob's worthwhile Canadian initiative ... The psycho-logic of Trump's tariff strategy ... Has Trump exposed structural flaws in America? ... Is Musk saying Navarro is dumber than Ivanka? ... On incest ... Heading to Overtime ...

Paul is Bob's worthwhile Canadian initiative ... The psycho-logic of Trump's tariff strategy ... Has Trump exposed structural flaws in America? ... Is Musk saying Navarro is dumber than Ivanka? ... On incest ... Heading to Overtime ...

Bob and Paul duel over their sleep deficits ... Trump's Tesla-friendly tariffs ... Who's favo(u)red to win the Canadian election? ... Tufts and Columbia as authoritarian bellwethers ... Did Bob predict MAGA in 1999? ... God vs Hitler ... Heading to Overtime ...

Bob and Paul duel over their sleep deficits ... Trump's Tesla-friendly tariffs ... Who's favo(u)red to win the Canadian election? ... Tufts and Columbia as authoritarian bellwethers ... Did Bob predict MAGA in 1999? ... God vs Hitler ... Heading to Overtime ...

This month's Deep Dive series is all about how much fun we are—or aren't—having while raising our kids. Listen to the whole playlist on Spotify. The world wants us to believe that having kids will bring us untold happiness. It's a love you've never known! Your life will never be the same! The reality is a little more complicated, and that can be quite confusing. As psychologist Jean Twenge points out, "Parents might believe that it's their fault when the transition to parenthood is difficult, rather than seeing it as something that everyone experiences." So: does having kids make us happy? Is that even the right question? Is it supposed to? Are the benefits that come from parenting different, and perhaps larger, than happiness? Here are links to some writing and studies on the topic that we discuss in this episode:  Paul Bloom for The Atlantic: What Becoming a Parent Really Does to Your Happiness Dan Kahneman et al: A survey method for characterizing daily life experience: the day reconstruction method Roudi Nazarina Roy et al: Effects of Expected and Perceived Division of Childcare and Household Labor on Mother's Relationship Satisfaction during Their Transition to Parenthood E.E. LeMasters: Parenthood as Crisis M. Luhmann et al: Subjective well-being and adaptation to life events: A meta-analysis.  Jay Belsky et al: Patterns of Marital Change across the Transition to Parenthood: Pregnancy to Three Years Postpartum Jean M. Twenge et al: Parenthood and Marital Satisfaction: A Meta-Analytic Review Rainer Maria Rilke: “Go To The Limits of Your Longing” We love the sponsors that make this show possible! You can always find all the special deals and codes for all our current sponsors on our website: https://www.whatfreshhellpodcast.com/p/promo-codes/ What Fresh Hell is co-hosted by Margaret Ables and Amy Wilson. mom friends, funny moms, parenting advice, parenting experts, parenting tips, mothers, families, parenting skills, parenting strategies, parenting styles, busy moms, self-help for moms, manage kid's behavior, teenager, tween, child development, family activities, family fun, parent child relationship, decluttering, kid-friendly, invisible workload, default parent, parental stress, emotions, kids emotions, parent emotions, uncertainty, fun with kids, fun parenting

Does Paul have CDS (Chaos Desensitization Syndrome)? ... Worthwhile Canadian backlash ... Elon's Tesla problem ... Trump 2.0's free speech crackdown ... The primal psychology of Trump and Elon ... Bezos and university presidents bow to Trump ... Heading to Overtime ...

Does Paul have CDS (Chaos Desensitization Syndrome)? ... Worthwhile Canadian backlash ... Elon's Tesla problem ... Trump 2.0's free speech crackdown ... The primal psychology of Trump and Elon ... Bezos and university presidents bow to Trump ... Heading to Overtime ...

The letters Rx are somehow related to drug stores. But why? What do those letters actually mean? You probably think they have to do with medication or prescriptions or something. But why Rx? What do those letters stand for. This episode begins with an explanation. https://www.todayifoundout.com/index.php/2014/06/rx-mean-come/ You are SO not the person you once were. Nor are you the person you will one day be. That's according to Paul Bloom, professor of psychology at the University of Toronto and Professor Emeritus of Psychology at Yale. Listen as he discusses what are most likely the happiest years of your life, why you are different from everyone else on the planet and other fascinating intel into how your mind makes you the person you are. Paul is author of the book Psych: The Story of the Human Mind (https://amzn.to/3k524d5). Your future is uncertain. And people generally don't like uncertainty. That because the future may be full of opportunity, but it can also be full of danger and disappointment – and you don't know which one is around the corner. However, there is another way to look at uncertainty which my guest Nathan Furr is here to reveal. Nathan is a professor and author of the book The Upside of Uncertainty (https://amzn.to/3SbJBZ6). Listen as he offers a different way to face the unknown that will minimize risk and amplify opportunity. Dio you know the difference between a road a street an avenue and a boulevard? For one thing, all streets are roads but not all roads are streets. Sound confusing? Listen and as I sort it all out. https://www.rd.com/article/difference-between-streets-roads-avenues/ PLEASE SUPPORT OUR SPONSORS!!! FACTOR: Eat smart with Factor! Get 50% off at https://FactorMeals.com/something50off DELL: Anniversary savings await you for a limited time only at https://Dell.com/deals SHOPIFY:  Nobody does selling better than Shopify! Sign up for a $1 per-month trial period at https://Shopify.com/sysk and upgrade your selling today! HERS: Hers is changing women's healthcare by providing access to GLP-1 weekly injections with the same active ingredient as Ozempic and Wegovy, as well as oral medication kits. Start your free online visit today at https://forhers.com/sysk INDEED: Get a $75 sponsored job credit to get your jobs more visibility at https://Indeed.com/SOMETHING right now! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Paul's cold take on US-Canada relations ... How representative is representative government, really? ... Bob's plan to end hockey fights ... A worthwhile Canadian initiative to dump Musk ... What makes James Bond James Bond? ... Bob's reign as TV analysis king continues (claims Bob) ... Heading to Overtime ...

Paul's cold take on US-Canada relations ... How representative is representative government, really? ... Bob's plan to end hockey fights ... A worthwhile Canadian initiative to dump Musk ... What makes James Bond James Bond? ... Bob's reign as TV analysis king continues (claims Bob) ... Heading to Overtime ...

The newly united state of Canada ... What's Elon's endgame? ... Ross Douthat gives doubting Paul pause ... Which AI ad won the Super Bowl? ... The real stakes of Elon's OpenAI bid ... Trump 2.0's free speech hypocrisy ... Heading to Overtime ...

The newly united state of Canada ... What's Elon's endgame? ... Ross Douthat gives doubting Paul pause ... Which AI ad won the Super Bowl? ... The real stakes of Elon's OpenAI bid ... Trump 2.0's free speech hypocrisy ... Heading to Overtime ...

Two theories of Musk's “salute” ... DeepSeek-R1: Salvo or olive branch? ... The misappropriation of Musk's AI doomerism ... Is the AI avatar era already upon us? ... Paul fills Bob in on his “empty threat” theory ... Heading to Overtime ...

As our centennial series continues, Paul Bloom, professor emeritus of psychology and cognitive science at Yale University and professor of psychology at the University of Toronto and the author of several books, including Psych: The Story of the Human Mind (Ecco, 2023), reviews a century of developments in psychology, psychoanalysis and psychotherapy.   

Being jolted out of the everyday can be a good thing. From an elaborate farce, to benign naughtiness, to a life-altering event—this hour, TED speakers explain the productive side of the provocative. Guests include bird truther Peter McIndoe, psychologist Paul Bloom and cognitive scientist Maya Shankar. Original broadcast date: December 8, 2023TED Radio Hour+ subscribers now get access to bonus episodes, with more ideas from TED speakers and a behind the scenes look with our producers. A Plus subscription also lets you listen to regular episodes (like this one!) without sponsors. Sign-up at plus.npr.org/ted.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy