295. When Helping Hurts

Bjørn Andersen has killed hundreds of minke whales. He tells us how he does it, why he does it, and what he thinks would happen if whale-hunting ever stopped. (This bonus episode is a follow-up to our series “Everything You Never Knew About Whaling.”) SOURCES:Bjørn Andersen, Norw ... Show More

In the final episode of our whale series, we learn about fecal plumes, shipping noise, and why Moby-Dick is still worth reading. (Part 3 of "Everything You Never Knew About Whaling.") SOURCES:Michele Baggio, professor of economics at the University of Connecticut.Mary K. Bercaw-E ... Show More

For years, whale oil was used as lighting fuel, industrial lubricant, and the main ingredient in (yum!) margarine. Whale meat was also on a few menus. But today, demand for whale products is at a historic low. And yet some countries still have a whaling industry. We find out why. ... Show More

Why your intention is so important - Your intention will shape the results of your actions if you have good intentions you'll behave in another way as if you would have bad intentions. Keep watching this video if you want to know more about your intentions. 

Most of us want to be good people–but what even makes a person “good?” And is our fixation on whether or not we ARE good holding us back from becoming even better? Dolly Chugh is an author and social psychologist who studies the psychology of good people. In this episode, she exp ... Show More

Bazı anne babalar der ya sen iyi olursan herkes iyi olur? Bizim de aklımızda böyle kalmıştır. Biz iyi şeyler yaparsak iyi şeyler hep bizi bulur. Ya kötü şeyler bizi bulursa? Bu da bizim kötü olduğumuz anlamına mı gelir? 

It's not too hard to go out of your way to give the best version of yourself to others. And you'll be surprised how quickly those good intentions return. 

Also: how is social media like a knife? 

Is it more important to help society or to help yourself? Does the self-improvement movement do any good for the world? And which podcast episode does Stephen cling to as proof that he’s doing something valuable?  

How can we get people to do more good: to go to the polls, give to charity, conserve resources or just generally act better towards others? MIT research scientist Erez Yoeli shares a simple checklist for harnessing the power of reputations -- or our collective desire to be seen a ... Show More

Why are women unhappier than men? What can we do to move the needle? And is it better to be happy or to be good? 

Are Good Intentions Enough?Do you get out of bed every day, plant your feet on the ground, and start getting things done? Do you do it with intention?If you take a minute, you’ll notice the happiest, most successful, and content people live a life of intention. But having an inte ... Show More

As children, many of us were taught to think positively. According to research, however, this isn't always good advice.