This episode is with filmmaker Kevin Ford about his documentary The Pushback. It chronicles a diverse group of progressive voices across Texas as they fight decades of institutional racism and policies of discrimination along the border. The battle over immigrant rights, land seizures to build the border wall, and the troubled racial history of the state form the backdrop to a film that explores how a place once known for its reactionary politics is becoming more liberal, more diverse — and more...
Oct 07, 2020•54 min
In this episode I talk with Amos Klausner about his letterpress art work, the value of deconstructing language, the nature of truth, and when word become image.
Jan 09, 2020•1 hr 5 min
Why is China such a fascinating and important country to learn about? Crystal Chang Cohen, lecturer in the Global Studies Program at UC Berkeley, provides a nuanced and captivating response to this question and more in this episode.
Jan 04, 2020•1 hr 12 min
What is artificial intelligence? How is it currently being applied? How will it shape our social and economic futures? I talk about these question and more with Van Cline. Van is a senior at San Domenico School. This podcast is a project for his Project Wayfinder class. Project Wayfinder is a purpose learning curriculum. Purpose can be defined as goals that are meaningful to the self and consequential to the world. Van does a great job of explaining AI and how it will reconfigure what it means t...
Dec 12, 2019•50 min
Aran talks with Torsor Kotee, Lecturer at UC Berkeley's Haas School of Business and Founder and CEO of Market Games, about the power of simulations and games for engaging and accelerating learning. You can learn more about Market Games at www.marketgames.io
Oct 16, 2019•48 min
Aran talks with Sasha Nagler, one of his former millennial students, about the phenomena of irony poisoning pervading her generation. Irony poisoning develops when heavy social media users become too ensconced in the ironic detachment that defines much of online discourse. This can come to influence one's offline worldview as well. In extreme cases, ironic jokes can morph into sincerely held beliefs. Aran and Sasha talk about examples of irony poisoning, what factors lead to this kind of unhealt...
Oct 02, 2019•51 min
What does it mean to be wise at work? In this conversation Aran talk with Iris Krause, Chief Finance and Operations Officer at Wisdom Labs, an organization that delivers science-based wellbeing solutions that drive productivity, thoughtful leadership, and meaningful success in the workplace.
Jun 20, 2019•48 min
Aran talks with filmmaker, Kevin Ford, about his latest documentary, Kind of Blue. Kind of Blue explores the political tide changes in Texas and how they might effect the 2020 elections. For decades Texas has been a reliable Conservative stronghold, the ultimate red state. But with massive changes in the state’s demographics and 38 electoral votes at stake — the second largest number in the U.S. — even the slightest shift in the political climate could turn Texas into a blue state and could chan...
Jun 13, 2019•1 hr 13 min
How does one philosophize with a hammer? This conversation with philosophy and world religions professor, Philip Novak, explores the critical philosophy of Friedrich Nietzsche.
May 23, 2019•1 hr 16 min
Does religion matter in the modern world? Philip Novak, professor of philosophy and world religion, says that religion has always mattered throughout human history and will continue to play an integral role in the human story. Some of the topics we explore in this illuminating conversation include: the difference between mythos and logos, stories and facts, ought and is, science and religion.
Mar 11, 2019•1 hr 21 min
How should one live? What is the meaning and purpose of my life? If you've ever asked these questions then you'll enjoy this thought provoking conversation with Claudia Bicen, a visual artist and designer whose work explores the nature of mind and the construction of meaning. Claudia is the Creative Director of Project Wayfinder and an adjunct lecturer at Stanford University. She holds a BA in Philosophy & Psychology from the University of Oxford and an MSc in Social Anthropology from Univer...
Feb 05, 2019•45 min
The future of learning will be highly personalized. This is one of the aims of the Khan Lab School. In this episode Aran talks with Rachel Skiffer, the Head of School of the Khan Lab School, about personalized learning, the power of projects, and why curiosity and passion are so vital in the quest to learn.
Jan 04, 2019•44 min
Today’s episode is truly unique. I interviewed my two senior philosophy classes about what they found most meaningful about our course this semester: The Wisdom of Chaos - which uses chaos science as a metaphor for self-cultivation. When most of us think of chaos, words like randomness, disorder, disruptions, and uncertainty come to mind - which we try to avoid like a zombie apocalypse. So it’s hard to imagine that anything good or wise can come from it. Yet Chaos theory has demonstrated that na...
Dec 14, 2018•2 hr 25 min
Have you or someone you know ever thought about publishing a book but don't know how to bring it to fruition? In this podcast I talk with Guy Vincent, Founder and CEO of the crowdfunding literary agency Publishizer. Publishizer uses the crowdfunding model to connect authors with publishers. In this episode we talk about what it takes to launch a successful crowdfunding campaign, 1000 true fans, the long tail of the market economy, and the emerging genre of Amish crime thrillers!
Dec 04, 2018•47 min
Aran Levasseur talks with Conrad Levasseur about getting charged by a Silverback Gorilla, staring a deadly Mamba in the face, climbing an active volcano, and other travel stories. Conrad has conducted travel groups through over a hundred and twenty countries and worked as a wild river rafting guide in the western states. He created a 49 mile scenic walk for the San Francisco Ecology Center and directed Lodestar International Student Center for the University of California's "International House....
Nov 25, 2018•1 hr 23 min
Aran Levasseur talks with Lynne Twist about true prosperity, the soul of money, empowering indigenous people of Amazon, and Lynne shares the prophecy of the eagle and the condor.
Nov 09, 2018•46 min
Aran talk with Rehema Allen about the beauty, hidden gems, and hard realities of Oakland, California. If this conversation stimulates your interest about The Town, get the local experience by taking one of Rehema's bikes tours: https://www.thisisoaklandbiketours.com/
Oct 18, 2018•51 min
Aran and Mike Berry talk about the virtues of a hungry mind on a lazy Sunday afternoon. Perennial questions emerged: Do we truly have free will? What kind of evidence should we require for assertions? KRS-One was invoked, "The truth can always be questioned."
Oct 13, 2018•6 min
Aran talks with filmmaker, Kevin Ford, about his latest documentaries: The Bomb and American Chaos. While these films address challenging issues, i.e. nuclear weapons and political polarization, Kevin's perspective is ultimately hopefully. His films capture the spirit of James Baldwin, "Not everything faced can be changed but nothing can be changed until it is faced."
Sep 17, 2018•59 min
Aran explores improv fundaments with actor and transformational coach, Josh Lenn. Josh brings what he's learned as an actor and improviser into organizational settings to improve team communication, collaboration, and culture. Some of the topics discussed include: Yes, and..., failing gloriously, the power of open listening, and make your partner look good.
Sep 12, 2018•57 min
