Tipping is so engrained in our cultural framework that we rarely take a step back to question how this custom developed and why we continue to practice it. Dr. William Michael Lynn is a professor in Hospitality department at Cornell University and is a world-renowned expert for his research on tipping. How did tipping come to be? Does better service actually lead to better tips? What are tipping preferences amongst servers, customers and restaurateurs? And ultimately, is our current system of ti...
Jan 05, 2021•46 min
Does age really matter ? Is life so simple that it can be broken down into milestones typically associated with specific ages ? Zale breaks down the preconceptions of aging with his mother Robin Mednick, who has taken many twists and turns in her life, starting with an extensive education in law, economics and politics, but ultimately veering in completely different career paths. Robin challenges the notions that "younger is better" and urges us to continue to "Jump in" to new facets of life. Ho...
Dec 29, 2020•42 min
Amit Gupta was a successful entrepreneur by all accounts, having started several very innovative and successful companies. But when he was suddenly diagnosed with leukemia at a young age, his whole life changed immediately. At one point being given less than 25% chance of surviving, Amit's story is a phenomenal recount of resilience, friendship and reflection. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Dec 24, 2020•44 min
One of the most unthinkable nightmares for a parent is that their child encounters danger, whether a serious injury, abducted by a stranger, or god forbid, dies. But does the incidence of these events warrant the degree of caution that many parents exercise when raising their kids? How common is it for tragedy to strike a child? And perhaps just as important, what detriment is being done to kids when they are overly supervised, monitored and coddled? Psychologist Dr. Marianna Brussoni joins the ...
Dec 22, 2020•38 min
Substance abuse and addiction are common yet often misunderstood. Many of us have an image in our heads when we think about about an alcoholic, yet that image often reflects only a narrow group of those who are suffering. So how do we reshape our view of addiction? What drives someone towards substance abuse? What are the fundamental principles of treatment recovery? is it possible for someone suffering from alcoholism to get back to a point where they can casually drink? Stuart joins the podcas...
Dec 15, 2020•44 min
Mike Holding is a wildlife cinematographer who makes wildlife films in the heart of Africa’s wilderness. Based out of Botswana, he has collaborated on many wildlife documentaries including the critically acclaimed series Planet Earth. Mike joins the podcast to discuss common preconceptions regarding the wildlife filmmaking process, what he has learned from his time living amongst animals and how humans can become more connected to our natural environment. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy f...
Dec 10, 2020•56 min
It is not hard to put a case together that Jesus Christ has been the most influential figure over the past two thousand years. And as the holiday season approaches, we are frequently reminded of the ever-present impact he has had on the world. But what do we actually know about the life of Jesus Christ? Why is he, and how did he become, such an influential figure? What was at the core of Jesus's message, and how did that diverge, if at all, from prior religious teachings? Archaeologist and Duke ...
Dec 08, 2020•39 min
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Dec 04, 2020•6 min
The "pro-life" vs. "pro-choice" dilemma regarding abortion is the centre of much heated debate in the United States. On a previous episode of the podcast, we spoke with an obstetrician regarding abortion in Canada and the United States and examined the concept of reproductive justice and why it is important for a woman to have the right to choose. On this episode, we are joined by Annette Lancaster, who identifies as pro-life. She describes her experience working at Planned Parenthood and sheds ...
Dec 01, 2020•31 min
The universe is so vast that it is quite literally impossible to comprehend. Yet with so much unknown, there is also so much room for hypothesizing and pontificating. What is the likelihood that other earth-like planets exist? What are the chances of extraterrestrial life? What is the practical purpose of studying the universe? Dr. John Johnson, a Harvard Professor of Astrophysics, has discovered over one hundred planets. He joins the podcast to share what we do know, what we don't know, and wha...
Nov 24, 2020•57 min
In "A Preconceived Moment", Zale shares some brief reflections on the preconceptions that shape our every day thoughts. In the first episode of this mini-series, Zale reflects on the idealization of "moments" and how our romanticization over the past can be both beautiful and dangerous. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Nov 19, 2020•7 min
During the COVID pandemic, it has become even more imperative to examine how we treat our elder generations. In this episode, Zale is joined by geriatrician Dr. Samir Sinha, who sheds light on Western society's general treatment of our elderly and how our system has perhaps failed in many regards. What is the ideal living situation for people as they age? Retirement homes? Independent living with home care? Moving in with kids and grandkids? In the latter part of this episode, CEO of Parachute, ...
Nov 17, 2020•46 min
One of the most basic frameworks of society includes the traditionally binary approach to gender - male and female. But as more people have opened up about their transgender experiences, many of our preconceptions have come into question and greater consideration. Jeremy Wallace is an author and speaker who joins the podcast to discuss his transgender experience and to dissect some of the broader questions regarding gender and identity and how a new paradigm can be embraced by society. Hosted on...
Nov 10, 2020•58 min
The conversation surrounding infertility is often shrouded in secrecy. Many prefer to keep their personal struggles quiet, to the point that they may not even share with family and close friends. Dr. Kimberly Liu is an Infertility Physician who joins the podcast to answer some of the questions that many might be too uncomfortable to ask. She explains recent trends in infertility and reviews the latest research into treatments such as in-vitro fertilization (IVF) and egg freezing. Hosted on Acast...
Nov 03, 2020•57 min
This episode from mid 2019 was a listener favourite. Have you ever sat down at a restaurant and felt out of sorts pretending to know which wine to order? What stories and backgrounds can be told in one bottle of wine? Sommelier Svetlana Atcheva of Pearl Morissette winery breaks down wine in a way that can help the novice appreciate it without feeling intimidated, while discussing new trends and perspectives in the global wine market. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information....
Oct 29, 2020•45 min
After one of the most controversial murder trials in Canadian history, Rick Sauve was ultimately convicted of first degree murder. What followed for him was over seventeen years spent in prison, including one of Canada's most notorious prisons, Millhaven. In this second of two episodes with Rick, he opens up about his time in prison, the harsh realities of violence in the prison system, and how he has devoted much of his life to prison reform since his release over twenty years ago. Hosted on Ac...
Oct 27, 2020•40 min
A person's life can change in the blink of a eye. And for Rick Sauve, that life changing moment came on October 18, 1978, when a member of another bike club was shot and killed right in front of him. Rick, along with seven other members of the Satan's Choice biker club, was charged and put on trial for first degree murder. Now widely believed to have been innocent, Rick was nonetheless convicted of first degree murder and spent over seventeen years in high security prisons. In this first of two ...
Oct 20, 2020•45 min
As election season in the United States is upon us, I am reposting this episode with the wise Mayor Crombie which sheds an honest and candid look on what it is like to be a politician. Former Toronto Mayor David Crombie was known as "The Tiny Perfect Mayor", and as the name reflects, he is one of Toronto's most beloved political figures from the last many decades. Mayor Crombie joins the podcast to share some thoughts on politics and to impart some wisdom on life. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/...
Oct 15, 2020•50 min
The personalization of medical treatments and preventions based on one's unique DNA will likely emerge as a mainstay in the field of medicine. In this episode, geneticist Dr. Mansoor Mohammed reveals Zale's DNA results. As a follow-up to a prior episode on functional genomics, Dr. Mohammed uses Zale's DNA results to exemplify what types of practical information can be derived from understanding one's own DNA. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information....
Oct 13, 2020•55 min
Mark King was diagnosed with HIV in 1985. Before a treatment was developed in the nineties, he saw many close friends succumb to the disease, all the while struggling with the reality of his own diagnosis and that it could take his life at any time. So what is it like at the beginning of the HIV pandemic, when little was known of the disease other than its devastating effects? What kind of social division did HIV lead to, both within the gay community and society at large? And how does the HIV s...
Oct 06, 2020•46 min
This episode from over a year ago was one of our most popular, helping people navigate one of the most important decisions in their lives - whether or not to have kids! How does one make this ever important decision? And do enough people really approach this milestone as a conscious decision, or do their preconceptions of what a normal life entails get in the way? Merle Bombardieri, author of The Baby Decision, joins the podcast to offer her insights on the choice of having kids versus having a ...
Oct 01, 2020•44 min
How would you cope if you suddenly found out that your parents were not who you thought they were? This was the scenario in which many Germans found themselves at the end of World War II, when news surfaced of the crimes against humanity that occurred during the Holocaust. Tania Crasnianski published "Children of Nazis", a book that takes an extensive look at the children of some of the most infamous Nazis and examines how they responded to the uncovering of the truth about their fathers. Hosted...
Sep 29, 2020•40 min
Ari Nagel is perhaps the most famous sperm donor in the world. He has fathered seventy children through sperm donation and has more children on the way. Unlike traditional sperm donation, Ari does not charge any money for his sperm and is involved in varying degrees in the lives of his kids. So what prompted Ari to devote his life to this cause? How does he keep track of seventy kids? What problems does he foresee in the future, and how does he respond to some of the negative criticism he has go...
Sep 22, 2020•47 min
Harvard Professor and psychologist Dr. Deirdre Barrett is one of the most well-renowned dream experts in the world. She joins Zale to discuss all things dreams-related. What exactly is a dream? How, if at all, should we interpret our dreams? Is there a way to control the content of our dreams, and even use our dreams to solve problems in our waking lives? What is lucid dreaming, and why is there so much surrounding them? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information....
Sep 15, 2020•44 min
Gene Steinberg was born and raised in a Jewish Hasidic community in New York. At age 28, he made the difficult decision to leave orthodox-Judaism to live a life more aligned with his personal values. Gene explains what it is like to live in an isolationist Hasidic community, how he came to leave this way of life and the challenges that he and many others face when they do so. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Sep 08, 2020•51 min
On July 7th, Harper's Magazine published "A Letter on Justice and Open Debate", which was signed by world-renowned public figures and thought leaders including Malcolm Gladwell, Noam Chomsky and J.K. Rowling. The letter warned of the dangers of cancel culture. Nadine Strossen, one of the co-authours of the letter, and a distinguished professor of New York Law School, joins the podcast to explore the messages of this letter. She expresses what prompted her to sign the letter (11:00) and explains ...
Sep 01, 2020•51 min
What exactly is magic? Is it simply a series of tricks rehearsed to perfection, or is there a more fantastical element to it? How do mentalism, precision and "deception" play into the world of magic? In a time when information is more accessible than ever, how do magicians feel about amateurs entering their world and performing tricks that took others years to study and master? Jonah Babins, co-founder of the Toronto Magic Company and host of the Discourse in Magic Podcast, joins Preconceived. H...
Aug 25, 2020•46 min
When many people think about psychedelic drugs, they think about hippies and counterculture in the 1960s. But research into the medical uses of LSD, psilocybin, ketamine and other psychedelics was well under way before the 1960s and actually became derailed by its association with counterculture. Only over the last couple of decades, has research resumed and subsequent legalization of some of these substances has come on the horizon. Why are these substances so important, both for treating menta...
Aug 17, 2020•41 min
We all know that we are going to die. But even with this knowledge, many of us still do not have last wills and testaments. So why is it so crucial that one does have a will, regardless of age and degree of assets? What are the consequences of not having a will, in terms of who gets your assets and who makes important decisions when you are gone? What are the implications for your children? What happens to your social media pages when you die? Daniel Goldgut, co-founder of Epilogue, joins the po...
Aug 11, 2020•35 min
When examining ancient history, it can be hard to decipher myth from reality. Julius Caesar and Alexander the Great have gained legendary status as some of history's most renowned figures; yet they also committed some of the most devastating war crimes and atrocities to date. The Roman version of sport was gladiators fighting to the death; but does that really mean they valued life so little? Why have some ancient civilizations become so celebrated, while others have all but vanished in the hist...
Aug 04, 2020•47 min
