Alan Lightman is a physicist, novelist, and essayist who believes we are losing ourselves in the digital network and builds a case that the overload of Information and distraction from technology is making us less productive. The MIT professor joined Roxanne to discuss his latest book In Praise of Wasting Time. Lightman believes we need a mental attitude tha ... Show More
May 2024
The Emotional Legacy of the Holocaust with Judy Batalion
In this episode of Just the Right Book, Judy Batalion joins Roxanne to discuss her book, The Light of Days, out now from William Morrow & Company.
Buy the book from RJ Julia:The Light of Days - Judy BatalionSign up for our podcast newsletterJust The Right Book SubscriptionPromo C ... Show More
56m 33s
Sep 2024
Are you focused on something useful? (Meditations 2.7)
In this episode, I discuss Meditation 7 from Book 2 of Meditations, where Marcus Aurelius advises us to give ourselves moments of quiet to focus on learning something good, while also warning against aimlessness. I explore how modern distractions—whether from media, politics, or ... Show More
13m 3s
Mar 2024
Stoic Strategies For Dealing With Procrastination
In today's episode, I delve into the pervasive issue of procrastination, a mental health symptom that seems to afflict us all in various degrees. From the stress of not being able to afford housing to the pressures of societal expectations, procrastination can manifest in many fo ... Show More
23m 51s
Apr 2023
Do we need technological progress? | Kenneth Cukier, Nolen Gertz, Caitjan Gainty
Is technology holding us back?Looking for a link we mentioned? It's here: https://linktr.ee/philosophyforourtimesFrom work to entertainment, communication to travel, technology has shaped every aspect of our lives. We think technological progress is relentless and inevitable. But ... Show More
47m 52s
Nov 2016
Being Bored: The Importance of Doing Nothing
Is boredom under threat? There are more TV channels than we can count, Smartphones keep us engaged around the clock, and the constant white noise of social media coerces us to always 'interact'. In fact, there is so much to stimulate our everyday lives in this digital age that we ... Show More
58m 45s
Oct 2024
How to Beat Distraction and Still Enjoy Life (ft. Nir Eyal)
Why can’t we just do the things we know we should do? It’s a simple question with a very complex answer.
To help us answer it, I sat down with my old friend, Nir Eyal, a behavioral design expert and author of the best-selling book, Indistractable: How to Control Your Attention an ... Show More
1h 6m
Aug 2024
The nature of evil PART TWO | Mike Figgis, Robert Eaglestone, Joanna Kavenna
Can art vanquish evil?In a largely secular culture what are we to make of evil? In a rational and relativistic climate without superstitutions, have we lost a cultural space in which to engage with evil? Should we abandon the notion altogether as anachronistic or is it essential ... Show More
17m 16s
Nov 13
The Intelligence of People Who Choose to Be Alone
Are you afraid of being alone? What if solitude isn’t a weakness but your greatest source of power? In this episode, I share how to rewire your brain and nervous system to find peace, purpose, and strength in stillness. Feeling stuck? It's time to take back control. If you're rea ... Show More
16m 58s
Nov 2024
#392 — Technology & Culture
<p>Sam Harris speaks with Christine Rosen about how technology is changing our culture. They discuss the courage of Ayaan Hirsi Ali, lost practices like handwriting, tradeoffs in our use of technology, social media, conspiracy thinking, X as a platform for breaking news, the futu ... Show More
52m 59s