logo
episode-header-image
Nov 2017
21m 29s

An American Secret

Hidden Brain, Shankar Vedantam
About this episode
All countries have national myths. The story of the first Thanksgiving, for example, evokes the warm glow of intercultural contact: European settlers, struggling to survive in the New World, and Native American tribes eager to help. As many of us learned in history class, this story leaves a lot out. This week on Hidden Brain, we explore a national secret: t ... Show More
Up next
Oct 5
When Bad Things Happen to Good People
When historian Kate Bowler was diagnosed with Stage IV cancer, she became fascinated by the ways people try to impose order on events they can't control. She joins us to explore what it means to live fully when life offers no satisfying explanation for the tragedies we may face. ... Show More
1h 32m
Sep 28
How to Make a Difference: Part 2
Think about the last time you had a discouraging thought. Maybe you told yourself, "This won't work. I'm not cut out for this." Did you take that thought as fact? Last week, we talked with psychologist Martin Seligman about why some people come to believe that their actions don’t ... Show More
49m 9s
Sep 21
How to Make a Difference: Part 1
Why do some people act on the possibilities before them, while others come to believe that nothing they do will make a difference? Psychologist Martin Seligman describes his groundbreaking research on learned helplessness, and explains how the stories we tell ourselves about setb ... Show More
48m 10s
Recommended Episodes
Jul 2020
We Aren't Who We Think We Are
Every family has a myth about who they are and where they came from. And there are a lot of reasons people tell these stories. Sometimes it's to make your family seem like they were part of an important historical event. Other times, it's to hide something that is too painful to ... Show More
41m 13s
Nov 2019
Lab 018: Truth Pie
With Thanksgiving right around the corner, Titi and Zakiya discuss the huge impact of European colonialism in North America, not only from the severe depopulation of Indigenous peoples, but also the relationships they cultivated with the plants, animals, and the environment aroun ... Show More
31m 37s
Nov 2021
The myth of Thanksgiving
<p>This year marks the 400th anniversary of the “first Thanksgiving” between English pilgrims and Wampanoags in Massachusetts. But historians say the true story of what happened bears little resemblance to the myth that many Americans learn in grade school.</p><p><br></p><p>Read ... Show More
21m 21s
Nov 2023
Thanksgiving: everything you wanted to know
Rachel Herrmann charts the long history of America’s famous holiday – from modern parades and celebrations to the first feast From the fabled first feast between the Pilgrims and Native Americans to the darker side of the holiday's history, the American tradition of Thanksgiving ... Show More
22m 17s
Oct 2023
Atlantis & Indigenous Tribes of America with Sarah Breskman Cosme
tail spinning
43m 51s
Sep 2021
A Song For Peace
tail spinning
9m 36s
Jul 2025
Across Oceans
The thousands of interviews in the StoryCorps archive reflect the American experience— and the United States is, as the saying goes, a nation of immigrants. This week: Stories about people who found their way in the USA. Leave us a voicemail at 702-706-TALK, or email us at podcas ... Show More
15m 55s
Nov 2025
The Moonshaft
Throughout history, humankind has turned its gaze towards the heavens in search of mystery. Yet time and again, it is beneath the ground where the most enduring enigmas are found. Across every continent lie tales of ancient tunnels, lost chambers, and sealed structures that preda ... Show More
32m 23s