How Do We Fix It?

Tyson talks about the possibility of intelligent life on other planets, tackles science deniers on the right and left, and explains why we should invest more in pure science. Tyson also discusses his book, "Astrophysics for People in a Hurry.”"What's curious to me is you have the liberal community claiming the (moral) high road ...against the science deniers of the right with regard to global warming and evolution in the classrooms... as though they are somehow untainted by non-scientific thinking,” Tyson tells us. "There is a whole portfolio of science denying that also happens in the liberal left."Investments in pure science led to many remarkable breakthroughs in medicine, technology and physics - often decades after the research began. Following the discovery of quantum physics in the 1920's, "it would take forty to fifty years before we would see the rise of information technology," says Tyson. "There is no information technology without an understanding of quantum physics."Tyson also discusses his sense

Neil deGrasse Tyson, America’s most prominent spokesman for science and Director of New York City’s Hayden Planetarium, talks about the benefits of a cosmic perspective, the case for manned space flight and much more in this first part of our wide-ranging conversation. We also discussed Tyson's book, "Astrophysics for People in a Hurry."Richard and Jim met Tyson at his offices at The American Museum of Natural History. While insisting he is not an advocate for manned space flight, Tyson says "history tells us" space exploration "is one of the most potent forces to operate on the scientific ambitions of a citizenry." At the height of the Apollo program in the 1960's, "you didn't need special programs to get people interested in science," Tyson explains. "There were weekly headlines about our journeys into space and you knew you needed the best of the best to breech the frontier of space."  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

The national suicide rate rose 28% from 1999 to 2016, according to The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. In 2016, alone, 45,000 people took their own lives.This year's suicides of celebrity chef Anthony Bourdain and fashion designer, Kate Spade, focused new attention on the crisis.Why is the U.S. suicide rate as high as it was one hundred years ago? What are proven ways to save lives and reduce depression and chronic anxiety?Our guest is Dr. Richard Friedman, a professor of clinical psychiatry and Director of the psychopharmacology Clinic at Weill Cornell Medical College, New York. "We should declare war on suicide," he tells us. "The federal government spends more money researching dietary supplements and headache remedies than it does suicide."More here from Dr. Friedman's recent New York Times article.  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Was Donald Trump's election a one-off event, or did it represent a fundamental realignment of American politics?Washington-based political experts wrongly called the 2016 election, and our guest, Salena Zito, author of "The Great Revolt", argues that they keep blowing it today. Democrats who ignore the concerns of those who went for Obama in 2012, but then backed Trump four years later, do so at their peril.We examine the spread of populism that is reshaping American politics on the right and the left, and why it may have much more staying power than critics would like to admit.Despite President Trump's weak approval ratings, the coalition that brought him to the White House is largely holding together. Salena drove many thousands of miles on back roads, speaking with hundreds of Trump voters in ten Great Lake swing counties while reporting for the New York Post, the Washington Examiner, and contributing to The Atlantic. She takes them seriously. From "red-blo

From ancient times to the present day, women and men have brought meaning to their lives through storytelling.Before the invention of the printing press, ancient societies passed on the knowledge and wisdom of one generation to the next through oral history. Today, no other medium is as intimate and personal as podcasting. We are the town criers of our time.In this "Quick Fix" episode, Richard and Jim discuss the future of podcasting-- an industry that faces both opportunities and challenges. More than 550,000 podcasts are on iTunes-- and the number is growing every week. So is the audience. But while two-thirds of Americans have heard of the term "podcast," fewer than one-in-five are regular listeners. Last week in Philadelphia at Podcast Movement-- the annual trade show, rally and conference-- Tom Webster of Edison Research said: "The key to moving from 48 million weekly podcast listeners to the 100 million mark is understanding why those people familiar with the term “podcasti

Free speech on campus is under assault at many colleges and universities. From disinviting commencement speakers to shouting down professors and others they disagree with, some students demand "safe spaces" from controversial remarks and what they call micro-aggressions.So far, 1800 professors from the right, left, center and other political leanings have joined the effort to bridge the ideological divide. Heterodox Academy is part of a growing number of attempts to encourage greater civility and respect for different points of view.Deb Mashek is the first Executive Director of Heterodox Academy. For 13 years, she was a professor of psychology at Harvey Mudd College. "My learning is improved when I get to engage with you, because you see things differently, Deb tells us. It's not just about tolerating other viewpoints. "If we're serious about solving the world's biggest problems, we need to be open to the best ideas, regardless of where they come from.""A willingness to evaluate

President Trump has withdrawn from international agreements, criticized NATO, The European Union, and attacked the policies of Canada, Mexico, Britain, France and Germany-- all traditional allies. He praised President Putin, and continues to sow chaos in the international trading system, reportedly threatening to pull the U.S. out of the World Trade Organization-- W.T.O.This last step, above all, could have the most serious impact on the American economy, damaging businesses, destroying jobs, and weakening U.S. influence around the world.In this episode, we look at solutions for climate change, sustainable growth, the need for smarter international co-operation, and the reason why the W.T.O. is so crucial to the future of the global trading system. Our guest is former Florida Congressman James Bacchus, Director of the Center for Global Economic and Environmental Opportunity at the University of Central Florida. He was twice the chief judge of the highest court of world trade at the W.T.O. in Geneva,

America's landscape of towns and cities is ever-changing. Countless Main Streets and small downtowns were eviscerated by big box stores, globalization, online commerce and poor planning.But today, many resilient communities are fighting back. Called "one of America's very best singer-songwriters" by The New Yorker, our guest, Dar Williams, tells us how towns and cities can turn themselves around. "What I Found in a Thousand Towns: A Traveling Musician's Guide to Rebuilding America's Communities" is an impassioned account of the fall and rise of small American towns she cherishes. Dar chronicles practical success stories and challenges, delivering her message with hope and love."The opposite of division is not unity. It is collaboration," says Dar.We discuss the power of positive proximity and how working on local projects together can bring different parts of a community together. Dar speaks of the strength of weak ties and why they help build networks of people who act as stewards fo

We discuss the American Revolution and the meaning of freedom with acclaimed historian and journalist, Russell Shorto, author of the 2018 book, "Revolution Song: A Story of American Freedom."Russell Shorto is also the writer of a fine new podcast series, "American History Tellers."As the nation struggles with a political crisis and national discord, this episode-- released during the week of the July 4th vacation-- has special resonance. We look at fundamental ideas of democracy and founding principles developed before and during the American War of Independence.As he did with "The Island at the Center of the World," which looked at the Dutch impact on New York, Russell's latest book examines American values, drawing deeply on personal diaries, letters and autobiographies to flesh out six important lives. They include an African-American man who freed himself and his family from slavery, a Seneca tribal warrior who became a wise and respected political leader, and George Washington himself. Whe

Do a Google search of drones, and scary headlines pop up instantly. "Dangerous Drones Invade Protected Airspace Daily," says one. While others talk about "spooky, scary" drones that invade privacy; get in the way of firefighters, or lead to new types of warfare.These concerns are real, but there are also many constructive use for drones that save lives, make cities safer and boost the economy."Wherever there's a problem, I'm pretty sure you can find a use to overcome that problem utilizing drones," says our guest, Mehdi Salehi of the Parsons School of Design. His company, Drone Labs, specializes in drone design, R&D, data collection and analysis.Mehdi draws on his own experience as a refugee "leaving Afghanistan, going to Europe and then coming to New York" to build on a lifelong fascination with flight. "I've always believed that you can utilize this technology for good," he tells us in this episode.Drone technology is rapidly improving. Artificial Intell

A trade war with China has dangerous implications for the global economy. What began more than a year ago with President Trump’s decision to impose tariffs has become an unpleasant economic reality for many businesses. Recently, the U.S. labeled China a “currency manipulator.” But an even larger long-term threat comes from China’s aggressive espionage offensive that is playing out in behind-the-scenes as of the U.S. and China struggle for global dominance.Our guest is Elizabeth Economy, a senior fellow and director of Asia studies at the Council on Foreign Relations in New York. Her most recent book, “The Third Revolution: Xi Jinpeng and the New Chinese State”, explains the background to recent dramatic changes inside China.She is among a distinguished group of China specialists who once favored engagement with Beijing, but are now calling for the United States to take a more forceful approach as China attempts to undermine democratic values. We discuss the best wa

Despite bitter partisanship and political paralysis in Washington, local democracy is alive in well in many towns and cities across the country.That's the surprising finding in "Our Towns: A 100,000-Mile Journey Into the Heart of America," by journalist James Fallows of The Atlantic magazine and his wife, writer and linguist Deborah Fallows. In this episode, part two of our conversation with James, we look at the ways many local business owners, city planners, educators and citizens have worked in pragmatic and inventive ways to improve life in their communities.We discuss public/private partnerships, the enormous value provided by community colleges in the changing jobs market, infrastructure projects, and innovative ways downtown districts have been revived. “The good news is the solutions to our civic problems already exist,” said opinion writer David Brooks in a recent column, praising “Our Towns.” “We just need to take these civic programs and this governing p

Congress sank to a dismal 10% approval rating in a new poll. Most Americans believe the nation is heading in the wrong direction. But ask people about their own lives and local communities, and you are likely to get a very different answer.According to a Gallup poll, well over 80% of Americans are satisfied in general with the way their personal lives are going.Despite negative media coverage of "fly-over country" and the "rust belt", exciting things are happening in towns and cities across the country."This still can be the country people would like to think it is," says well-known journalist James Fallows of The Atlantic magazine and co-author of "Our Towns: A 100,000-Mile Journey Into the Heart of America." He says that most people don't realize how fast the country is moving toward becoming a better version of itself.The book and our interview offer a surprising portrait of the civic and economic reinvention taking place. James and his wife Deborah Fallows wrote the

"The debt will be as large as our entire economy by the end of the decade", says Maya MacGuineas, President of the bipartisan Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget. "Every indicator that you could look for in terms of the numbers is on flashing red alert."The U.S. federal government debt is nearly $20 trillion and rising each year. Interest payments are the single fastest growing part of the federal budget, and higher interest rates in the near future will add to the enormous burden.A recent report from the International Monetary Fund predicts that the U.S. will be the only advanced economy in the world to see its debt burden grow significantly over the next five years.As seen recently with Italy's debt, a full-blown bond crisis can erupt at any time. But President Trump and both parties in Congress are barely focusing on the problem. Media coverage is usually confined to the business press.This episode looks at why the 2018 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act expands projected annual def

Far too often, politics and policy are portrayed as a battle between liberals and conservatives, or socialists vs. capitalists. But one of the most profound divides of modern times is between optimists and pessimists-- especially over how they view the environment.This episode looks at the debate between environmental optimists (wizards), who believe we can invent our way to a better, healthier future, and pessimists (prophets), who say we must impose limits on pollution, over-crowding other impacts of humans on the planet.Our guest, journalist, Charles C. Mann, author of new book, "The Wizard and The Prophet", is a correspondent for The Atlantic, Science and Wired. Two of his previous books, 1491 and 1493, were widely-acclaimed best sellers.We consider the dueling visions of two remarkable scientists. Norman Borlaug's research led to the Green Revolution, which saved hundreds of millions of lives, and boosted agricultural production. He was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize for his work. William Vogt, who s

From the streets of Chicago and Los Angeles, to indictments this month targeting criminal networks in Savannah, Georgia and white supremacists in Grand Prairie, Texas, tens of thousands of gangs are responsible for drug crimes, brutal killings and other forms of violence. According to one recent estimate, nearly one-and-a-half million people are members of gangs in the United States.In this episode, we look at the lessons learned from the successful police and federal crackdown against Sex Money Murder (SMM), New York City's most violent drug gang in the early 1990's. The Bronx had one the highest murder rates in the country. The notorious SMM was the most violent gang in the city.Our guest, Jonathan Green, is the author of the new book, "Sex Money Murder: A Story of Crack, Blood and Betrayal." He tells the hair-raising story of how SMM brutally dealt with rivals and anyone else who got in their way, as well as the economics of the crack epidemic, which brough

President Trump's rejection of the Iran nuclear agreement and Israeli military attacks on Iranian sites in Syria are among the latest signs of rising tensions in the Middle East. The threat of war is ever-present.Twenty five years after the signing of the Oslo Accords, relations between the Israeli government and Palestinian Authority are at a low point. There has been no significant peace process in many years.We speak with Israeli public opinion analyst, strategic consultant and peace researcher, Dahlia Scheindlin, who is hopeful that a new peace agreement will emerge. In addition to her work with Israelis and Palestinian, she has expertise conflict resolution in Eastern Europe and the Balkans. Dahlia is co-host of the podcast, The Tel Aviv Review.In this episode, we discuss the proposal for a confederation between Israel and Palestine. Unlike the hard borders in a traditional two-state solution, a two-state confederation would allow for greater movement of

The growing #MeToo movement has exposed many cases of sexual harassment and retaliation in the workplace.Among the latest examples is an upheaval at Nike. Female employees, fed up with years of gender discrimination, insensitive behavior and crude comments by male colleagues, took action. Covertly, they surveyed female peers, asking about their experiences. The findings led to changes, with at least six top male executives resigning or announcing plans to leave the company.Despite widespread media coverage and outrage over cases of sexual harassment and abuse, little focus has been given to what happens next. We look at specific steps employers can take to improve the workplace environment.In this repeat episode, New York Times journalist Claire Cain Miller, who writes about gender, families and the future of work for The Upshot, explains the challenges ahead in the fight for equality and respect. A recent survey found that nearly half of women said they had experienced

When we focus on the future, we usually look at the big things: Will the current crisis with North Korea be resolved peacefully? Is President Trump likely to face a big setback in the midterm elections? When will the next recession hit?Our guest, political consultant Mark Penn, argues that the future is not shaped by broad forces, but by quiet changes-- Microtrends-- within narrow slices of the population.We hear about "Techno-Luddites", the rise of internet marriages, the huge increase in the number of Americans living into their nineties, and why these and many other trends will have a profound impact on the future of jobs, society and politics.Ten years ago, Mark showed how the behavior of one small group can exert a surprisingly large influence over the whole country. Now, in his latest book, Microtrends Squared, there are more fascinating  Mark Penn is a pollster and political consultant. He worked for Bill and Hillary Clinton, as well as for Microsoft. In the ‘90s he identified the r

The National Week of Conversation is a bold attempt to reduce the yawning gap between Republicans and Democrats. More than 100 groups across the country are involved in online and in-person events from April 20th to April 28th. We look at how the project works and why it can make a difference. With American politics increasingly dominated by personal insults, name calling and dogma, a growing movement for greater civility is emerging. "The ever-widening gulf..is one of the most significant trends to emerge in U.S. society in the past two decades," says a Gallup polling analysis. Our guests in this episode, John Gable and Joan Blades, are leaders of a growing project to bring Americans together to talk it out, mending the bitter partisan divide "one conversation at a time." #ListenfFirst and #NWOC are the hashtags they use on social media. "When you only talk to people just like yourself, and we only get information that confirms what we already think