About this episode
Michael Roth of Wesleyan University doesn’t hang out with other university presidents. He also thinks some of them have failed a basic test of good sense and decency. It’s time for a conversation about college, and courage.
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Nov 2023
119. Higher Education Is Broken. Can It Be Fixed?
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Mar 2024
188. Why Do Kids Today Get So Many A’s?
41m 41s
Dec 2023
174. What’s the Point of I.Q. Testing?
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184. Are You Doing Too Much?
40m 51s
Apr 2024
Should You Get Out of Your Comfort Zone?
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186. Do You Need a Routine?
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Feb 2024
124. Daron Acemoglu on Economics, Politics, and Power
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Dec 2023
175. Why Is Astrology So Popular?
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A radical plan to save education | Michael Hrebeniak, Isabelle McNeill
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Jun 2024
198. What Does It Mean to Be “Cool”?
40m 10s
<p>Economist Michael D. Smith says universities are scrambling to protect a status quo that deserves to die. He tells Steve why the current system is unsustainable, and what’s at stake if nothing changes.</p><p> </p><p>RESOURCES:</p><ul><li><a href="https://amzn.to/3sK5t5r"><i>Th ... Show More
<p>Is grade inflation on the rise? How much does your G.P.A. matter in the long run? And when did M.I.T., of all places, become “the cool university”?</p><p> </p><ul><li><strong>SOURCES:</strong><ul><li><a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/scotthugo/">Scott Hugo</a>, housing just ... Show More
<p>Are gifted and talented programs discriminatory? Why do so many adults still remember their SAT scores? And how did Angela transform from a party girl to an Ivy League psychologist?</p><p> </p><ul><li><strong>SOURCES:</strong><ul><li><a href="https://www.britannica.com/biograp ... Show More
<p>How can you strive for excellence without overworking yourself? Why is perfectionism on the rise? And is Angela part of the problem?</p><p> </p><ul><li><strong>SOURCES:</strong><ul><li><a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/kristin-andrus-426734223/">Kristin Andrus</a>, philanth ... Show More
<p>What do the most creative people have in common? How open-minded are you, really? And what’s wrong with ordering eggs Benedict? </p><p>Take the Big Five inventory: </p><p><a href="http://freakonomics.com/bigfive">freakonomics.com/bigfive</a></p><p> </p><ul><li><strong>SOURCES ... Show More
<p>Would you be more adventurous if you had more structure? Do you multitask while brushing your teeth? And what would Mike’s perfect brother Peter do? </p><p> </p><ul><li><strong>SOURCES:</strong><ul><li><a href="https://www.nytimes.com/column/david-brooks">David Brooks</a>, opi ... Show More
<p>Economist Daron Acemoglu likes to tackle big questions. He tells Steve how colonialism still affects us today, who benefits from new technology, and why democracy wasn’t always a sure thing.</p><p> </p><ul><li><strong>SOURCE:</strong><ul><li><a href="https://economics.mit.edu/ ... Show More
<p>Why does your horoscope seem so accurate? Is it possible to believe and not believe in something at the same time? And is Mike a classic Gemini?</p><p> </p><ul><li><strong>SOURCES:</strong><ul><li><a href="https://www.smithsonianmag.com/history/true-story-pt-barnum-greatest-hu ... Show More
<p>There is hope for academia after all.</p><p>Looking for a link we mentioned? It's here: <a href="https://linktr.ee/philosophyforourtimes" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">https://linktr.ee/philosophyforourtimes</a></p><p>We need a revolution. Universities are tur ... Show More
<p>What’s the difference between being popular and being cool? How has social media changed the trend cycle? And what do Taylor Swift and Walmart have in common?</p><p> </p><ul><li><strong>SOURCES:</strong><ul><li><a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/anette-asp-b138103/">Anette A ... Show More