logo
episode-header-image
Oct 2024
1h 5m

Susan Cain on Bittersweet and the Happin...

RUSS ROBERTS
About this episode

Why do we like sad music or that poignant feeling that comes from attending a funeral? Author Susan Cain talks with EconTalk host Russ Roberts about her book Bittersweet and the seductive and sometimes deeply satisfying power of melancholy.

Up next
Oct 6
The Invisible Hierarchies that Rule Our World (with Toby Stuart)
Status isn't fixed; it's transferred and "bestowed," shaping who gets resources, attention, and opportunity. So argues author Toby Stuart of UC Berkeley in his book, Anointed. He and EconTalk's Russ Roberts explore why hierarchies persist--reducing conflict, allocating scarce res ... Show More
1h 13m
Sep 29
Eating with Intelligence (with Julia Belluz)
Losing weight should be simple: eat less, exercise more. But according to author and health journalist Julia Belluz, it's complicated. Listen as Belluz talks with EconTalk's Russ Roberts about her new book, Food Intelligence. Belluz argues that a calorie is pretty much a calorie ... Show More
1h 5m
Sep 22
Steven Pinker on Common Knowledge
Why are Super Bowl ads so good for launching certain kinds of new products? Why do we all drive on the same side of the road? And why, despite laughing and crying together, do we often misread what others think? According to bestselling author and Harvard psychologist Steven Pink ... Show More
1h 23m
Recommended Episodes
Apr 2022
Susan Cain | The Power of Bittersweetness
Ever wonder why a certain sad song or even a few bars of just the right melancholy music will stop you in your tracks and maybe even move you to tears? Turns out, you’re not alone. My guest today, Susan Cain, has spent years researching why certain experiences - ones that connect ... Show More
53m 23s
Dec 2024
909 | Susan Cain: "We Need Introverts."
Speaker: Former Lawyer turned NYT Bestselling author, speaker, and introvert advocate  Message: Rejoice and embrace introverts  Source: Susan Cain - THE POWER OF INTROVERTS.  Connect with Susan Cain:  Website: https://susancain.net  Instagram: susancainauthor Book: Bittersweet (O ... Show More
11m 58s
Aug 2024
64: Grief, Loss, and Love feat. Sarah Jaffe
Abby and Patrick welcome labor journalist Sarah Jaffe – author of Necessary Trouble and Work Won’t Love You Back – for her first interview about her forthcoming book, From the Ashes: Grief and Revolution in a World on Fire. From the Ashes is at once a deeply personal narrative an ... Show More
1h 44m
Jan 2024
Michael Rosen
How do you find joy in the aftermath of tragedy or immense adversity? Celebrated poet, author, professor and broadcaster, Michael Rosen has had to learn to do just that after his son passed away suddenly from meningitis aged 18. Michael himself also came close to losing his own l ... Show More
45m 27s
Sep 2024
Beri Marusic on Grief and other Expiring Emotions (Katie Elliott, JP)
Why is that when a loved one dies, grief seems inescapable--and then diminishes? The brilliant Edinburgh philosopher Berislav Marusic's "Do Reasons Expire? An Essay on Grief" begins with his grief for the unexpected and early loss of his mother: "I stopped grieving or at least th ... Show More
1h 5m
Oct 2024
The Courage to Say Yes - A Conversation with Tara and poet, Rosemerry Wahtola Trommer
I ran across acclaimed poet, Rosemerry Trommer, several years ago in a volume where she shares about the loss of her son, Finn, who took his life at age 16. I had never read anything on grieving that touched me so deeply, that held so much wisdom, such a deep affirmation of love. ... Show More
1h 2m
Dec 2024
What to do with your sadness, pain, and grief
How can we find happiness? That's an old question. Since the beginning of philosophy people have been wondering what makes us happy and how to get more of it. But if you're a real person living in the real world, you know already that it's not possible to be happy all the time. S ... Show More
1 h
Oct 2024
Microjoys: Finding Joy When Life’s Not Okay | Cyndie Spiegel
In the face of unimaginable grief and loss, author Cyndie Spiegel discovered the transformative power of "microjoys" - fleeting moments of lightness, delight, and hope that helped sustain her during life's darkest times. In her book Microjoys: Finding Hope (Especially) When Life ... Show More
1 h
Aug 31
Sunday Pick: How to stop devoting yourself to your job (w/ Sarah Jaffe) | How to Be a Better Human
Sarah Jaffe is the author of Work Won’t Love You Back: How Devotion to Our Jobs Keep Us Exploited, Exhausted, and Alone. She and Chris discuss the emotional toll of modern work culture and the importance of community. They also dive into Sarah’s newest book, From the Ashes: Grief ... Show More
41m 24s