logo
episode-header-image
Aug 2025
33m 1s

The myth of genius with Helen Lewis

TED
About this episode
tail spinning
Up next
Sep 15
Rethinking your career identity with Oscar winner Ke Huy Quan
You probably know Ke Huy Quan as the Academy Award-winning actor who played Waymond Wang in the 2022 film Everything Everywhere All at Once, and Short Round in Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom when he was just 12 years old. But for a long stretch of his career, Ke wasn’t acti ... Show More
48m 38s
Sep 8
The difference between joy and relief with Allison Sweet Grant
If you or a loved one has suffered from severe illness, you know that recovery isn’t always as joyful as it sounds. In this episode, Adam’s wife Allison Sweet Grant is back to talk about her new memoir “Lump,” a collection of poetry and prose about her experience with breast canc ... Show More
58m 16s
Sep 1
How leaders build a collective identity with Vanessa Beasley
The way leaders communicate can have a big impact on how we see ourselves. Vanessa Beasley is an expert on presidential rhetoric—and the president of Trinity University in San Antonio. In this episode, Adam and Vanessa take a closer look at how rhetoric used by past US presidents ... Show More
39m 56s
Recommended Episodes
Aug 2025
ReThinking: The myth of genius with Helen Lewis
What does it mean to be a genius? Journalist Helen Lewis is the author of the new book The Genius Myth, which offers a provocative analysis of how we put brainiacs on a pedestal. In this episode, Helen and Adam unpack our cultural myths about geniuses and explore the dangers of t ... Show More
33m 1s
Jul 2025
Debunking the Genius Myth w/ Helen Lewis
This week, Scott sits down with acclaimed journalist and Atlantic staff writer Helen Lewis to explore her latest book, The Genius Myth: A Curious History of a Dangerous Idea. Together, they examine how society defines—and often distorts—the concept of genius. Helen argues that th ... Show More
1h 7m
Jun 2024
The Mind of A Mastermind
<p>The girlies talk genius. Is it a magical trait only available to a lucky few? Is it a practiced skill that can be honed by anyone? They use two geniuses from history — Temple Grandin and Leonardo DaVinci — as case studies to talk about what makes up the most ingenious among us ... Show More
1h 13m
May 2024
What Does it Mean to Be Gifted? w/ Ellen Winner
This week Scott is joined by developmental psychologist Ellen Winner. Scott and Ellen discuss Ellen's views on IQ and giftedness, the myth that gifted children are gifted in all subject areas, and the importance of artistic giftedness. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy info ... Show More
1 h
Oct 2018
Your elusive creative genius | Elizabeth Gilbert
Elizabeth Gilbert muses on the impossible things we expect from artists and geniuses -- and shares the radical idea that, instead of the rare person "being" a genius, all of us "have" a genius. It's a funny, personal and surprisingly moving talk. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/pr ... Show More
19m 56s
Dec 2022
Investigating The World Of Modern Gurus - Helen Lewis - #570
Helen Lewis is a journalist at The Atlantic and an author Humanity has become much less religious and in the ruins of this fresh, listless world, bereft of traditional insight, a cadre of new gurus have risen to take the high priests' place of dispensing insights about how to liv ... Show More
1h 34m
Oct 2023
Unlocking Hidden Potential with Adam Grant
Malcolm Gladwell hosts a rollicking live discussion about Adam Grant’s new book, “Hidden Potential: The Science of Achieving Greater Things,” which is available now. They explore why we overemphasize innate talent, how Adam grappled with impostor syndrome as a writer and perfecti ... Show More
43m 44s
Nov 2023
Adam Grant on Your Potential, Gen Z and — oops — Elon
Are tech bros successful because of some innate talent, or could any of us be like them? Organizational psychologist and Wharton School professor Adam Grant takes on the myth of innate talent and the reality of growth in his latest book, Hidden Potential: The Science of Achieving ... Show More
59m 20s
Sep 2021
214 - Exploring Genius
<p>Over the course of this audio documentary series, David McRaney explores the history and science of intelligence, IQ, and remarkable talent through interviews with dozens of intelligence experts and actual "geniuses" (a 5-year-old prodigy, the man with the highest IQ ever reco ... Show More
35m 3s
Listen to millions of songs and podcasts on Anghami