We live in a society dominated by the aspiration to greatness, where the ancient ethical ideal of "the good life" is often framed in terms of wealth, fame and power. The notion that we might settle for a "good-enough life" seems oddly countercultural - but this week we're exploring the virtues of modest ambition, and ... Show More
Jun 2022
Edmund Burke, revolution and reform
The 18th century British parliamentarian and philosopher Edmund Burke is routinely referred to as "the founder of modern conservatism", and at a glance it's not hard to see why. He believed in the authority of tradition and inherited values, staunchly opposed the French Revolutio ... Show More
35m 27s
Jun 2023
Little Things That Create a Big, Beautiful Life
Sometimes, the only way to figure out what truly makes a life worthwhile is to get out there and “do it”. Yale student Cooper Newsom wrote an essay,“The Great Human Road Race; Or, the Lost Virtue of Corniness” as his final paper in Yale’s Life Worth Living class and it’s a comedi ... Show More
11m 37s
Oct 2020
How to be a good ancestor | Roman Krznaric
Our descendants own the future, but the decisions and actions we make now will tremendously impact generations to come, says philosopher Roman Krznaric. From a global campaign to grant legal personhood to nature to a groundbreaking lawsuit by a coalition of young activists, Krzna ... Show More
7m 31s
Mar 2022
3 reasons for optimism in difficult times | Kevin Kelly
"Every great and difficult thing has required a strong sense of optimism," says editor and author Kevin Kelly, who believes that we have a moral obligation to be optimistic. Tracing humanity's progress throughout history, he's observed that a positive outlook helps us solve probl ... Show More
10m 25s