How Do We Fix It?

Lenore Skenazy of Free Range Kids makes the case for carefree summer activities and unstructured play time-- arguing against those who put safety fears ahead of a child's need to explore, be curious and grow. "If You're a Kid, the Experts Want You to Have a Fun-Free Summer" is the title of a recent article by Lenore. Summer is a time to "dig in the sand, gulp from the hose, play at the park, and leap with joy," writes Lenore. "Unless you're a kid-- in which case, find yourself a comfy sofa in a dark, quiet room and settle in." Parents are bombarded with safety messages from the American Academy of Pediatrics, Parenting Magazine and other well-intentioned sites, which give urgent warnings about the hazards of summer. Their advice, says Lenore, is "don't have fun, it's too dangerous." Find out why being safety obsessed comes at a heavy price. Worried parents risk robbing their children of curiosity about the world and pride in their own achievements.  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out

Are you too attached to your stuff? Do you have a big move coming up? Long-haul trucker, Finn Murphy has covered more than a million miles of packing, loading and hauling people's material possessions all across the country. In this episode he shares his insights into the moving business, truckers, his many customers and how American households have changed in recent years. Finn is the author of "The Long Haul: A Trucker's Tales of Life on the Road," a wise, vivid and charming account of his years in the business. His book gives a penetrating look into the lives of big-rig drivers and the people they move. More than 35 million Americans move house every year.  Finn has intelligent advice on how to avoid moving scams, the best way to pick a mover and when finding a new place to live might not bad a smart move.   See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

In our age of big data Liberal Arts smarts are undervalued. Our guest, Scott Hartley, argues that the most valuable jobs skills in the future will belong to people who can think creatively, using emotional intelligence and adaptability.   Scott is a venture capitalist and author of "The Fuzzy and the Techie: Why the Liberal Arts Will Rule the Digital World." At Stanford University, where he studied political science, fuzzies majored in the humanities or social sciences. Techies took computer science or STEM courses. Many in the business world still believe that it's the techies who drive innovation.   In his contrarian book (we love contrarians!) Scott reveals the counterintuitive reality today: it's actually the fuzzies - not the techies - who are playing key roles developing the most successful new business ideas. Corporate leaders, educators and thinkers are starting to realize that to tackle some of the world's biggest technological challenges, we need people who understand human emotions and... &nb

Journalism is in crisis. Our trust in the news media has fallen to an all-time low. One recent poll found that two thirds of Americans believe mainstream news organizations often publish fake news.   The business model at many newspapers, magazines, radio stations and websites is failing. Declining revenues have forced layoffs and other cutbacks at news organizations across the country.   Professor Aron Pilhofer of Temple University, one of the world's most respected experts in digital innovation for journalists, is our guest. Before joining Temple, Aron was Executive Editor of Digital journalism at the Guardian in London and was a former senior executive at the New York Times. "It's impossible to overemphasize what a vast change there is now in the way people get their information," Aron tells us. For his young students at Temple, the news "finds them" through their feeds at Facebook, Twitter and other social sites. The news is not handed down from high. Instead, it's part of a conversation.   Aron says...

Today, about 2.2 million Americans are behind bars. "The incarceration rate is about five times the rate of 1970 and our crime rate is the same as in 1970,"John Pfaff, our guest, tells us. Our guest, John Pfaff of Fordham University is both a law professor and an economist. Author of "Locked In: The True Causes of Mass Incarceration—and How to Achieve Real Reform," he says state and local policies matter far more than changes in the federal system. Do you want to know more? Check out our website: http://www.howdowefixit.me/  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

It isn't just the crime. It's also the cover-up. Volkswagen's multi-year conspiracy to evade pollution rules may be the biggest scandal in auto industry history. The world's second largest car manufacturer misled regulators, consumers, and motorists. Our guest is New York Times Germany correspondent, Jack Ewing, author of "Faster, Higher, Farther: The Volkswagen Scandal." The book tells the remarkable story of a very dysfunctional company and how the scandal unfolded. Do you want to know more? Check out our website: http://www.howdowefixit.me/  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Are credit cards evil?  Do you need to restructure debt or were refused a loan?  If so, this episode is for you. If you're a parent looking for smart money advice to pass onto young adults as they enter the workforce, our podcast has a checklist of do's and don'ts. Respected credit card expert and consumer advocate Beverly Harzog is our guest. Beverly hasn't just talked the talk about maxing out on debt, she's walked the walk. In her best-selling book, “Confessions of a Credit Junkie", she tells her personal comeback story. Look for solutions and links to useful sites at our website, howdowefixit.me.  Please rate and review our shows at iTunes.  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

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 new 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... &

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 new 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.

For Jim and Richard "How Do We Fix It? has been a great big learning experience.  From how to switch careers to the search for meaning and the importance of speaking to strangers, our guests have proposed many smart, practical solutions. And they've also challenged conventional wisdom. Our podcast invites listeners to get into their discomfort zone as a way of being more receptive to change.   Jim starts this show revealing what he learned from David McRaney, host of "You Are Not So Smart," - a podcast about psychology.  David told us about our deep attachment to confirmation bias - where most of us try to confirm our views, rather than challenging ourselves with an opposing hypothesis.   As someone who admits he knows little about science, Richard says he has learned about the scientific method from several guests, including Ainissa Ramirez and Michael Shermer. In the lab, scientists routinely test and try to disprove a theory before they embrace it as fact. Some Fix It episodes were ahead of the...

Our guest is Louis Hyman, author of the provocative New York Times editorial, "The Myth of Main Street." Louis is a Cornell University History Professor and the Director of the Institute for Workplace Studies. Nostalgia for the economy's "good old days" has great appeal for many Americans. For the right, past decades bring back memories of Ronald Reagan, traditional cultural values and U.S. dominance in global affairs. For the left, post-war America was a time of stronger unions and less income inequality. But "Make America Great Again" and other appeals to nostalgia come at a high price. Going back to a past with trade barriers, price controls and lower productivity would damage the living standards of many households they're designed to protect. Want to hear what solutions Louis Hyman suggested? Visit out website: howdowefixit.me  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Have you ever felt a surge of adrenaline after a bike ride, working in the back yard or going to the gym? Salivated at the sight of a sour lemon? Felt turned on by your partner’s voice? If so, says scientific journalist Jo Marchant, you’ve experienced how the workings of the mind can affect your body. In this episode we look at the mind's potential to ease pain, reduce anxiety and even cut the risk of infection, heart disease and other serious medical ailments. Jo discusses how the latest findings in mind-body research: How hypnotherapy, mindfulness techniques, Virtual Reality and social connections can play important roles in healing and prevention. More than one in three Americans have turned to alternative medicine. But do homeopathy, acupuncture and other therapies actually work? What does science say about the use of placebos in medicine? "I believe very strongly in an evidence- based approach that we have to investigate things in a scientific way," Jo tells us in this episode. "On the other...

If you're disillusioned, depressed or downright furious at the state of politics today, this episode is for you. Eric Liu, founder and CEO of Citizen University, says that you're more powerful than you think. We discuss the stories, strategies and ideas raised in his timely new book. The key to fighting back successfully is to have a strategy and know how to read and write power,” but most people have no understanding of power and how to use it.   Political illiteracy is one reason we feel so powerless. “I think the reality of American life, right now, is that so many people have neither the motivation nor the ability to read or write power,” Eric tells us. “They lapse into this “House of Cards” or dark conspiratorial vision that all politics are like "Scandal,” and out of that are born people like Donald Trump as President.” Look for solutions and links to useful sites at our website, howdowefixit.me. Please rate and review our shows at iTunes.  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out in

This episode highlights four key productivity fixes from New York Times Pulitzer Prize winner Charles Duhigg. His most recent book is "Smarter, Faster, Better: The Secrets of Being Productive in Life and In Business." Charles is also the author of "The Power of Habit." Using cutting-edge science, reporting and real-life stories, Charles explains why being productive isn't just about daily habits, routines and lists.   "Keeping your eye on that thing that matters most to you is the secret to success," Charles tells us. "We need a mental model: a story we tell ourselves about how we expect our day to unfold." Look for solutions and links to useful sites at our website, howdowefixit.me. Please rate and review our shows at iTunes.  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

How can we save good jobs? In part one (Episode #95); we talked to Peter Cappelli, of the Wharton School, about the threat of robots and automation to our workforce. In part 2 Peter explained why this threat is misplaced and he had suggested solutions for the US workforce. Look for solutions and links to useful sites at our website, howdowefixit.me. Please rate and review our shows at iTunes.  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Here's one less thing to worry about: robots are not going to take your job. Despite the dire predictions of analysts, workplace experts and the government, the impact of robotics and automation on employment may be hugely overstated. Professor Peter Cappelli, the Director of the Center for Human Resources at the Wharton School is our guest. He has written for The Atlantic, The New Yorker Magazine, The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal and Forbes Magazine. Peter was recently named one of the “Most Influential Thinkers of the Decade,” by HR Magazine. In this episode Peter explains why we should challenge conventional wisdom about the impact of automation. For more information visit our website http://www.howdowefixit.me/  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

The news media is under fierce attack from President Trump; White House Strategist, Steve Bannon; and many other critics.While many claims against the press are overblown, now is a good time to look at arguments for constructive change. We decided to re-air our interview with New York Times journalist David Bornstein, co-founder of SolutionsJournalismNetwork.org David says that solutions journalism focuses on what works now as potential solutions. Using the best available evidence, solutions journalism delves deep into the how-to’s of problem solving, often structuring stories as puzzles or mysteries that investigate problems. One recent example: Initiatives that show success in reducing the dropout rate in public schools. Reporters looked at how these programs work. What are successful school systems doing differently that result in better outcomes?  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Are you happy?  If not, perhaps you’re asking yourself the wrong question. Our culture is obsessed with happiness - a right that’s enshrined in the U.S. Constitution.  But living a life of meaning, instead of the pursuit of happiness, may bring much deeper, longer-lasting satisfaction, says our guest, Emily Esfahani Smith, author of "The Power of Meaning Crafting a Life That Matters.  In 2013, comedian Louis C.K. struck a nerve when he spoke of the human condition on the Conan O’Brian show. “Underneath everything there’s that thing - that empty forever.”   The video clip from the “Conan” show went viral with more than 12 million views on You Tube.   We look at solutions for that “empty forever life.” For more information: solutions and links to useful sites go to our website, howdowefixit.me. Please rate and review our shows at iTunes.  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

When did the arguments for free trade and the benefits of immigration go out of fashion? Why is the case for scaling back the power of the financial industry under attack by the Trump administration? Richard and Jim spoke to three experts for this episode of “Fix It Shorts.” Rana Foroohar, explains why the power of Wall Street distorts the economy. “The key lessons of the crisis of 2008 still remain unlearned,” she says. “Our financial system is just as vulnerable as ever.” Rana is the author of "Makers and Takers: The Rise of Finance and the Fall of American Business," She is also the Associated Editor and the Global Business Columnist for the Financial Times. "One of the prizes, one of the treasures of democracy is freedom of thought, freedom of action, freedom of movement," says Peter Coy, Economics Editor of Bloomberg Businessweek. He argues that immigration, especially legal immigration of skilled workers, is a plus for the economy. Economist Ruchir Sharma, author of the book “The Rise and...

Do you know where your information is coming from? Shadowy forces are at work to influence what we think, how we behave, and where we spend our money. They're part of the explosion in pay-to-play. From bots and branded content to political-influence peddlers’, advertisers and even sports programs in public schools, pay-to-play is a growing influence in our lives. Critics of pay-to-play say that instead of "We the people,” the online world is controlled by "We the wealthiest people.” Geoffrey Colon, an expert on marketing, tech and how to get people's attention, is our guest. A communications designer at Microsoft, Geoffrey is the author of "Disruptive Marketing - What Growth Hackers, Data Punks and Other Hybrid Thinkers Can Teach Us About Navigating the New Normal." He's the co-host with Cheryl Metzger of the popular podcast, Disruptive FM. We learn more about the threat from fake news and hate sites alt-right bots to our democracy. Geoffrey guides through some of the recent dizzying changes in the...