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More Americans use cannabis every day, or almost every day, than use alcohol on a daily basis. That's in large part because marijuana is a lot more accessible than it used to be. More than half of us …

More Americans use c…

More Americans use cannabis every day, or almost every day, than use alcohol on a daily basis. That's in large part because marijuana is a lot more accessible than it used to be. More than half of us live in a state where marijuana is recreationally legal.  Nearly 8 in 10 live in a county with a marijuana dispensary.But marijuana is still illegal in the eyes of the federal government, which means legalization is being managed almost entirely by a patchwork of state policies. Doctors and scientists are starting to worry about what that means for public health. Is marijuana legalization wo…

They started off as ideological enemies.Mark Rosenberg pioneered the public health approach to preventing gun violence and opened a branch of the CDC to fund that research. Jay Dickey, the "NRA's …

They started off as …

They started off as ideological enemies.Mark Rosenberg pioneered the public health approach to preventing gun violence and opened a branch of the CDC to fund that research. Jay Dickey, the "NRA's point man in Congress", pushed a ban on CDC funding for gun violence research that lasted 20 years – and got Rosenberg fired. On this episode of Top of Mind, we tell the unlikely story of their friendship and what it can teach us about reducing gun violence in America.Americans are split right down the middle on whether it's more important to control gun ownership or protect the right to own…

It’s been about two years since the public got a taste of ChatGPT for the first time. Now, Artificial Intelligence has seeped into nearly every aspect of our lives. You can use AI to check your gram…

It’s been about tw…

It’s been about two years since the public got a taste of ChatGPT for the first time. Now, artificial intelligence has seeped into nearly every aspect of our lives. You can use AI to check your grammar or to generate content for social media. Students use it to write essays. AI can also generate artwork, music or audio in seconds. We’re relying more and more on generative AI tools like MidJourney, DALL-E, Claude, Perplexity, and Copilot—and the more we use it, the better it gets. But can AI really be creative? What does it even mean to be creative in the age of AI?Guests: Kate Bruno…

A 2024 Knight Foundation report found one in four college students think schools need to protect students by banning speech they may find offensive or biased, the largest share of students to answer t…

A 2024 Knight Founda…

A 2024 Knight Foundation report found one in four college students think schools need to protect students by banning speech they may find offensive or biased, the largest share of students to answer that way since the survey first asked the question in 2016. 2024 also set a record for the number of attempts to disrupt or disinvite speaker, cancel performances, take down art exhibits and prevent the screening of films on US college campuses, according to the Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression (FIRE). What do these competing interests--to encourage student wellbeing and protect�…

In his parting prescription for the country, outgoing US Surgeon General, Doctor Vivek Murthy writes that he is worried about how exhausted and alone Americans are. Public health experts say lonelines…

In his parting presc…

In his parting prescription for the country, outgoing US Surgeon General, Doctor Vivek Murthy writes that he is worried about how exhausted and alone Americans are. Public health experts say loneliness has become an epidemic. Research shows social disconnection is about as bad for your health as smoking 15 cigarettes a day, and more harmful than obesity.But loneliness in America is hardly new. Sociologists like Robert Putnam, author of the groundbreaking book Bowling Alone, have been sounding the alarm for nearly 25 years. In that time, loneliness has only accelerated, with online interacti…

Why is insulting someone’s intelligence such a potent put down? It’s more than saying someone lacks knowledge or book learning. It’s a statement of a person’s worth – of their potential to b…

Why is insulting som…

Why is insulting someone’s intelligence such a potent put down? It’s more than saying someone lacks knowledge or book learning. It’s a statement of a person’s worth – of their potential to be successful. And for that, we can thank the IQ test. In this podcast episode, we explore how the IQ test was created and continues to shape our collective understanding of intelligence and disability. We hear from a mother struggling with the pros and cons of having her daughter with Down Syndrome routinely IQ tested at school. A school psychologist tackles common misconceptions about the nature …

More than a quarter of Americans are estranged from at least one family member. Parent/child estrangement is the most common – especially between dads and their kids. There’s a lot about modern Am…

More than a quarter …

More than a quarter of Americans are estranged from at least one family member. Parent/child estrangement is the most common – especially between dads and their kids. There’s a lot about modern American life that has made family estrangement more common, and younger generations are more willing to talk about it on social media. But reconciliation happens more than you might think. On this episode of Top of Mind, we explore the reality of estrangement from both the parent and the child's perspective. And we hear what it takes to reconcile.Guests: Charlotte Gill, author of Almost Brown: A …

Can America guarantee free expression of religion in public as an officially secular, but culturally Christian nation? Expressing religious faith in public is both protected by law and socially accept…

Can America guarante…

Can America guarantee free expression of religion in public as an officially secular, but culturally Christian nation? Expressing religious faith in public is both protected by law and socially acceptable. As a secular nation, the US has no official religion, but since two-thirds of American are Christian, most of the displays of religion in public places we see represent one faith. For example, Christmas is the only religious holiday observed by the that’s also a federal holiday when all government services and most private businesses are closed. And some argue that, because of our history …

The pandemic shook America’s trust, especially in vaccines. But it also taught us something about building trust in institutions. During the pandemic, Americans lost trust across the board. Today, t…

The pandemic shook A…

The pandemic shook America’s trust, especially in vaccines. But it also taught us something about building trust in institutions. During the pandemic, Americans lost trust across the board. Today, trust in institutions like the media, the medical system, public schools, and all branches of government is at an all-time low.Before the pandemic, three in four Americans said science had mostly positive effects on society. Today, that's down to barely half. When it comes to vaccines specifically, fewer than half of Americans think childhood vaccines are "extremely important." That's the lowest…

Care work is the labor essential to life. But two-thirds of Caregiving goes uncompensated. What do we miss when we don’t value care work and how does this affect care workers? If we multiplied all t…

Care work is the lab…

Care work is the labor essential to life. But two-thirds of caregiving goes uncompensated. What do we miss when we don’t value care work and how does this affect care workers? If we multiplied all the hours spent in a year on unpaid caregiving in America by the local minimum wage, it would be worth one trillion dollars. Yet none of it is accounted for in the official measures of the nation's economic health or productivity. And the vast majority is done by women. Meanwhile, the paid care sector has a critical shortage of daycare staff, home health aides and certified Nursing assistants. Amer…

There are more than 100,000 people on the waitlist for an organ transplant. Every day 17 of them die. Most organs for transplant come from deceased donors. But the organs in highest demand for transpl…

There are more than …

There are more than 100,000 people on the waitlist for an organ transplant. Every day 17 of them die. Most organs for transplant come from deceased donors. But the organs in highest demand for transplantation are kidneys and livers – both of which can be donated while a person is still alive. So, we could save thousands of lives each year if more people were willing make a living organ donation. Some advocates say giving donors Money would increase organ donations enough to eliminate the entire waitlist. But federal law makes it illegal to buy or sell organs. Ethicists have real concerns abo…

Meet the teams behind Top of Mind and Uncomfy in this special crossover episode, where we share stories of sticking with a challenging perspective while working on the shows. We are exposed to a lot o…

Meet the teams behin…

Meet the teams behind Top of Mind and Uncomfy in this special crossover episode, where we share stories of sticking with a challenging perspective while working on the shows. We are exposed to a lot of nuanced viewpoints as we put podcast episodes together, which gives us the perfect opportunity to practice what we preach: choosing to lean into discomfort instead of lashing out or shying away. We’ve found Clarity about our own beliefs, empathy for the people around us, and also developed the skills to tackle tough conversations. Tune in to Top of Mind to practice engaging with important, com…

Only 44% of Americans say they have a "great deal" or "quite a bit of confidence" that the results of the 2024 election will be accurate. But party affiliation is a big part of the story. If you break…

Only 44% of American…

Only 44% of Americans say they have a "great deal" or "quite a bit of confidence" that the results of the 2024 election will be accurate. But party affiliation is a big part of the story. If you break down that 44%, only 1 in 4 Republicans have high confidence, compared to nearly 3 out of 4 Democrats. The reasons that so many Americans currently lack trust in elections differ on the political left and right, but a representative democracy like ours relies on all voters having a high level of confidence in the results of an election no matter who wins. Without it, people stop voting, losing can…

Presidential elections in the US are twice as expensive as they were just a decade ago, and so are the most competitive Congressional races. Even state and local elections now routinely see record spe…

Presidential electio…

Presidential elections in the US are twice as expensive as they were just a decade ago, and so are the most competitive Congressional races. Even state and local elections now routinely see record spending – typically from “outside groups” that have no restrictions on what they can raise or spend.The current state of money in politics is a rare point of bipartisan agreement in America. Overwhelming majorities of Republicans and Democrats think the cost of campaigns makes it hard for good people to run for office and that big donors and special interest groups have too much influence o…

A trial by jury is an important American right, enshrined in the 6th and 7th amendments of the constitution. But do jury trials work the way we want them to? Not all countries use citizen juries in t…

A trial by jury is a…

A trial by jury is an important American right, enshrined in the 6th and 7th amendments of the constitution. But do jury trials work the way we want them to? Not all countries use citizen juries in their justice systems, and the ones that do generally don't give them quite as much power as America does. But juries are also becoming rare in the United States. Only 2% of criminal trials ever make it in front of a jury because prosecutors pressure defendants to take plea deals as a faster, cheaper alternative to trial. And most of us dread getting called to serve on a jury. Should America contin…

Why is it so hard to draw the line between what’s funny or offensive? We love to laugh and we prize a good sense of humor in ourselves and others. But the ancient Greeks – Aristotle and Plato – …

Why is it so hard to…

Why is it so hard to draw the line between what’s funny or offensive? We love to laugh and we prize a good sense of humor in ourselves and others. But the ancient Greeks – Aristotle and Plato – said humor was bad for society: they thought of it mainly as mockery and laughing was a loss of self-control. When you consider how quickly humor can go wrong in the hands of a bully or an edgy standup routine, you have to wonder - were the Greek philosophers right? In this podcast episode we meet a biracial standup comic who jokes often about race and thinks comedians should be able to joke about…

For a century, the ACT and SAT played a central role in filtering college applicants. Most colleges and universities stopped requiring standardized test scores during the pandemic; that change has tur…

For a century, the A…

For a century, the ACT and SAT played a central role in filtering college applicants. Most colleges and universities stopped requiring standardized test scores during the pandemic; that change has turned into a permanent shift across higher Education. A lot of people think that's for the better, particularly since the tests have long been shown to disadvantage students of color and those with fewer economic resources. But now a growing number of elite schools - including Harvard, MIT and Dartmouth - are reinstating the test requirement. Why are they struggling to make up their minds? Meanwh…

Most Americans are anxious about when – or even if – they’ll be able to retire. And we’re not wrong. Social Security is on shaky footing. Half of Americans on the cusp of Retirement have no mo…

Most Americans are a…

Most Americans are anxious about when – or even if – they’ll be able to retire. And we’re not wrong. Social Security is on shaky footing. Half of Americans on the cusp of retirement have no money saved for it. This isn’t how retirement in America was supposed to work. But 40 years ago, Congress shifted the US away from employer pensions and toward a do-it-yourself system based on 401K retirement saving plans. It’s not going well. In this episode we get to the bottom of why so many Americans are unable to retire comfortably and end up, instead, living in poverty or working well past…

Compared to other wealthy nations, America has twice as many traffic deaths per capita. And in recent years, pedestrian and cyclist deaths have spiked. Experts say road design plays a big part in this…

Compared to other we…

Compared to other wealthy nations, America has twice as many traffic deaths per capita. And in recent years, pedestrian and cyclist deaths have spiked. Experts say road design plays a big part in this. The most dangerous roads are “suburban arteries” that are often 5 or 6 lanes wide, with long distances between traffic lights where pedestrians can cross. On this episode of the podcast, we explore why American roads are designed almost exclusively for vehicles and what it would take to make them safer for people on foot and bicycle. Can streets allow good flow for vehicles, but still have b…

What does it mean to be a father in 2024? In most U.S. households today, the role of fathers is changing. The “primary breadwinner dad” is increasingly rare, while the "primary caregiver dad” is…

What does it mean to…

What does it mean to be a father in 2024? In most U.S. households today, the role of fathers is changing. The “primary breadwinner dad” is increasingly rare, while the "primary caregiver dad” is becoming more common. One-in-five stay at home parents in the US is a father. And dads are generally doing a lot more childcare and housework than their fathers and grandfathers did. But women still do twice as much housework as their husbands, so it’s not uncommon to see tempers flare online when fathers get praised for parenting while mothers don’t. How are American families navigating thes…

More than two-thirds of children under the age of 6 in the U.S. live in a household where all available parents work. But in most communities, there’s a shortage of slots in childcare centers and ho…

More than two-thirds…

More than two-thirds of children under the age of 6 in the U.S. live in a household where all available parents work. But in most communities, there’s a shortage of slots in childcare centers and home-based providers. Because of unreliable childcare, as many as 100,000 Americans are forced to stay home from work at least once a month, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. That's not to mention the cost, which eats up about 13 percent of an American family's income on average, sometimes rivaling what they pay for food, utilities, or even rent.If there's so much demand for child…

Americans have a perplexing perception of crime. One in three Americans report watching, listening, or reading true crime on a weekly basis. But our fixation on crime goes deeper than Entertainment. B…

Americans have a per…

Americans have a perplexing perception of crime. One in three Americans report watching, listening, or reading true crime on a weekly basis. But our fixation on crime goes deeper than entertainment. Both Republicans and Democrats consider violent crime an increasing problem. But most of us are safer today than we’ve ever been. Violent crime in America is down 50% since the 1990s. What’s driving the disconnect in our perception of crime? And what consequences does it have for our communities? Where might be a better place to direct our attention?On this podcast episode, we talk to a devot…

These days anything that's widespread might be called an "epidemic." Violence, obesity, opioids, even loneliness. But in the public health space, the label "epidemic" carries special significance beyo…

These days anything …

These days anything that's widespread might be called an "epidemic." Violence, obesity, opioids, even loneliness. But in the public health space, the label "epidemic" carries special significance beyond that - it's a disease that's widespread - and usually contagious, too. How does thinking about social issues as epidemics change the way we approach them? We'll explore the pros and cons with first responders on the front line of each of those epidemics: What changes if we think of opioid addiction as a disease rather than a crime or character flaw? In what ways is loneliness like a disease - …

Since 2020 — when George Floyd's murder was seen around the world and protests for racial justice swept the country — many Americans with white skin have begun to think explicitly about race and i…

Since 2020 — when …

Since 2020 — when George Floyd's murder was seen around the world and protests for racial justice swept the country — many Americans with white skin have begun to think explicitly about race and its consequences. What does it mean to be white in America? What’s it like to be not-white-enough? Or to not have your racial identity reflected on official government forms? How did white become the default against which all other skin colors are measured?In this podcast episode, we explore the nuance of what it means to be white in America with guests who fall along the spectrum of whitenes…

We’re in between episodes this week on Top of Mind. In the meantime, we’ve got a story for you from a podcast we think you’re really going to like. It’s called When the People Decide, a podcas…

We’re in between e…

We’re in between episodes this week on Top of Mind. In the meantime, we’ve got a story for you from a podcast we think you’re really going to like. It’s called When the People Decide, a podcast from the McCourtney Institute for Democracy at Penn State. The podcast traces the stories of Americans who are getting their hands dirty doing the hard work of democracy.In this episode, host Jenna Spinelle dives deep into an innovative budgeting practice where citizens decide how to spend a portion of their city’s budget. Imagine if you could be more directly involved in deciding how your …

In this podcast episode, Julie and the other members of the Top of Mind team reflect on moments from previous episodes that challenged them to stay curious and stick with uncomfortable perspectives in…

In this podcast epis…

In this podcast episode, Julie and the other members of the Top of Mind team reflect on moments from previous episodes that challenged them to stay curious and stick with uncomfortable perspectives instead of dismissing them or putting up defenses. As we put podcast episodes together, we have these “Stick With It” moments all the time – and we hope you do, too, because they’ve led us to new empathy, deeper Relationships, and clarity about our own views. One of our producers grapples with the grading system she grew up with. Another reconsiders her thinking on the impact of social media…

Our “Stick With It” series on the Top of Mind podcast continues with a story from David Beckemeyer, host of the podcast “Outrage Overload.” Beckemeyer used to spend his time engaging in social…

Our “Stick With It…

Our “Stick With It” series on the Top of Mind podcast continues with a story from David Beckemeyer, host of the podcast “Outrage Overload.” Beckemeyer used to spend his time engaging in social media fights. When his son, who also often indulged in heated online discussions, decided to step away from social media, Beckemeyer was prompted to closely examine his own behavior, leading him to make a significant change and delve into why so many of us fall into the outrage trap.The Top of Mind podcast would love to hear your Stick With It story. Can you think of a time when you felt your p…

Floods are the most common of all weather-related disasters in America. They cause more damage and kill more people than any other type of severe weather. Flood risk is rising all over the country—r…

Floods are the most …

Floods are the most common of all weather-related disasters in America. They cause more damage and kill more people than any other type of severe weather. Flood risk is rising all over the country—rainstorms are more intense and flash floods are happening more frequently. The communities facing the greatest risk in the coming decades are disproportionately poor and Black. But here’s the thing: damage from flooding is the most preventable of all natural disasters: moving to higher ground is a proven solution to flood damage. But a lot of factors, like money, history and human nature, make r…

There are more people homeless in America today than at any other time in the last 17 years. Those numbers might have gotten a lot worse during the pandemic were it not for millions of dollars in fede…

There are more peopl…

There are more people homeless in America today than at any other time in the last 17 years. Those numbers might have gotten a lot worse during the pandemic were it not for millions of dollars in federal funds for emergency housing. That money’s all dried up now. In the early 2000s, many of these cities adopted “10-year plans to end homelessness,” buoyed by a push from the White House. But that hasn’t happened. Ending homelessness in America feels impossible. Is It?In this podcast episode, we talk to someone who experienced homelessness in Denver and now works to solve it. We also t…

Nearly a dozen states have active campaigns to move away from partisan or closed primaries, motivated by a frustration among many voters that the way parties choose nominees in high-stakes elections i…

Nearly a dozen state…

Nearly a dozen states have active campaigns to move away from partisan or closed primaries, motivated by a frustration among many voters that the way parties choose nominees in high-stakes elections is broken. By the time most of us cast a ballot in a Presidential Primary, it feels like a pointless Exercise: earlier states have already winnowed the field to a clear front-runner. No wonder turnout for primary elections is so low!But here’s the thing: In 2020, the majority of Congressional and state legislative seats in the US were decided in the primary; because voting districts have been …

Overall Mental Health among Americans - young and old - took a nose-dive during the pandemic. But the trend among teens has been worrisome for at least a decade now. Starting around 2012, suicide over…

Overall mental healt…

Overall mental health among Americans - young and old - took a nose-dive during the pandemic. But the trend among teens has been worrisome for at least a decade now. Starting around 2012, suicide overtook homicide as a leading cause of death among 15-19 year-olds. In the most recent big survey of high schoolers the CDC does every few years, a quarter of students said they'd seriously considered suicide. Nearly half reported feeling persistently sad or hopeless. One thing is clear: Teen mental health in America is getting worse. What can we do about it? Let's look at three areas for possible in…

Our “Stick With It” series on the Top of Mind podcast continues with Karin Freeland, host of the podcast “Rock Your Reinvention” and author of the book “Grab Life By the Dreams.” Before Fr…

Our “Stick With It…

Our “Stick With It” series on the Top of Mind podcast continues with Karin Freeland, host of the podcast “Rock Your Reinvention” and author of the book “Grab Life By the Dreams.” Before Freeland was a life reinvention coach, she was a successful sales executive climbing the corporate ladder, buying designer bags and driving a Benz. And she was miserable. But she couldn’t bring herself to look at the real reasons why, until a series of deaths in the family. While in mourning, she was finally willing to openly and humbly consider why she was so unhappy with a life that included all…

Our “Stick With It” series on the Top of Mind podcast continues with a story from health coach Carolyn Cohen, host of the podcast “Wellness While Walking.” Cohen grew up with strict dietary ru…

Our “Stick With It…

Our “Stick With It” series on the Top of Mind podcast continues with a story from health coach Carolyn Cohen, host of the podcast “Wellness While Walking.” Cohen grew up with strict dietary rules that she eagerly rejected when she left home. In time, she and her children experienced health problems that caused Cohen to reconsider her approach to food and wellness. She embraced a healthier Lifestyle and became a certified health coach to help others make small choices to improve their wellness. After all her hard work and careful attention to wellness, Cohen was shocked and demoralized…

We’re being asked to tip more – and in more places – than ever before in America. And surveys show we’re annoyed and confused by “tipflation” and “tipcreep.” What are the rules in this…

We’re being asked …

We’re being asked to tip more – and in more places – than ever before in America. And surveys show we’re annoyed and confused by “tipflation” and “tipcreep.” What are the rules in this new tipping culture? How much is expected when you’re ordering food at the counter and that screen pops up asking for a tip? What’s that money for? And is it okay not to tip in those cases?In this episode of Top of Mind, we’ll explain why tipping culture is changing in America and what it suggests about us, as a society. Because it’s not just about the money. It’s about how we value …

The US is experiencing an unusual spike in union activity. Younger workers are organizing in workplaces that have not traditionally been unionized. Established unions are staging historic strikes and …

The US is experienci…

The US is experiencing an unusual spike in union activity. Younger workers are organizing in workplaces that have not traditionally been unionized. Established unions are staging historic strikes and securing significant concessions from employers – including items beyond the traditional scope of labor negotiations. Public support for unions is at its highest level in nearly 60 years. So, organized labor is having a moment. Why? And what might it mean for the future of labor in America?In this podcast episode, we look at the role of income inequality, inflation, the pandemic and GenZ atti…

Our “Stick With It” series on the Top of Mind podcast continues with a story from one of our listeners, Heidi Thorpe. In 2022, she set out to better understand views that differ from her own on ab…

Our “Stick With It…

Our “Stick With It” series on the Top of Mind podcast continues with a story from one of our listeners, Heidi Thorpe. In 2022, she set out to better understand views that differ from her own on abortion and began reading the stories of women who’d chosen to end a pregnancy. Those stories took on new meaning when Thorpe found herself unintentionally pregnant and overwhelmed at the prospect of a fourth child. Finding empathy with those women was uncomfortable for Thorpe, but also led to a profound shift in how she thinks about the issue of abortion and what communities can do to support wo…

Government transparency is a basic tenet of American democracy. But the US Constitution was drafted in total secrecy and the founders believed they couldn’t have done the job otherwise. When is open…

Government transpare…

Government transparency is a basic tenet of American democracy. But the US Constitution was drafted in total secrecy and the founders believed they couldn’t have done the job otherwise. When is openness best in a democracy, and when does the cost outweigh the benefit? In this podcast episode we hear the case for more openness from a citizen who used public records law to hold a state university accountable. A political historian explains how the founding fathers justified drafting the Constitution in secret and how that shaped the form of democracy the US has today. We also speak with electe…

In the US, women and girls now outperform men and boys at every level of education. Boys are less likely to graduate from high school, enroll in college or finish college. Men are more likely to die b…

In the US, women and…

In the US, women and girls now outperform men and boys at every level of education. Boys are less likely to graduate from high school, enroll in college or finish college. Men are more likely to die by suicide, and they aren't participating in the labor market as much as they used to either. In the last forty years, American society has made concerted efforts to boost opportunities for women and girls. That job is not finished, so when we talk about gender inequality in America, it makes sense that the conversations tend to be about women. But American boys and men are falling behind. Have we …

America’s students are struggling. Chronic absenteeism has doubled from pre-pandemic numbers. Districts are implementing grading floors to soften the sting of failure. Grade inflation is widespread.…

America’s students…

America’s students are struggling. Chronic absenteeism has doubled from pre-pandemic numbers. Districts are implementing grading floors to soften the sting of failure. Grade inflation is widespread. Many students seem to have lost the motivation to learn, and traditional systems of grading and ranking aren’t helping. What’s wrong with the A-F grading system? Should school just do away with grades entirely? What interventions work to get kids back in classrooms more consistently? In this podcast episode, a high school teacher shares how she changed grading in her classroom to better engag…

Our “Stick With It” series on the Top of Mind podcast continues with journalist Isaac Saul, founder of the daily political newsletter Tangle. He talks about why it’s so hard to find unbiased pol…

Our “Stick With It…

Our “Stick With It” series on the Top of Mind podcast continues with journalist Isaac Saul, founder of the daily political newsletter Tangle. He talks about why it’s so hard to find unbiased political news and what news consumers can do about it. He also shares a “Stick With It” story about moderating a conversation between two guests with opposing views on the Israel/Hamas conflict that got so heated one of the guests demanded Tangle not release the interview. What happened next strengthened Saul’s belief in the power of tough conversations. Tangle, started by Saul in 2019 to tack…

Why is it so hard to see things from a perspective other than our own? Our perspectives are shaped by our life experiences and our biology – some people are color-blind, for example. As a result of …

Why is it so hard to…

Why is it so hard to see things from a perspective other than our own? Our perspectives are shaped by our life experiences and our biology – some people are color-blind, for example. As a result of these differences, no two people see the world in exactly the same way. And yet, when it comes to differences of opinion on issues that we really care about, we are quick to demand that everyone else see things the way we do. Psychologists call the ability to see from a different vantage point “perspective taking.” Is perspective-taking the key to overcoming polarization in society? In this po…

We’ve spent the last several months on Top of Mind assessing the assumptions that drive our decisions. And we hope you’ve had a few “Stick With It Moments” as you’ve heard a perspective that…

We’ve spent the la…

We’ve spent the last several months on Top of Mind assessing the assumptions that drive our decisions. And we hope you’ve had a few “Stick With It Moments” as you’ve heard a perspective that challenged you, but you chose to stay open and curious – and keep listening! And hopefully that’s been good practice for “sticking with it” when you encounter challenging perspectives in your daily life. Because leaning into that discomfort leads to new empathy, more clarity on complicated issues, and a better ability to advocate for the things you really care about. While we’re produci…

More than three-quarters of Americans say they know little to nothing about Native Americans. Nearly the same percentage also say they rarely or never encounter any kind of information about Native pe…

More than three-quar…

More than three-quarters of Americans say they know little to nothing about Native Americans. Nearly the same percentage also say they rarely or never encounter any kind of information about Native peoples. What Americans DO know about Native Americans likely comes from inaccurate history lessons that keep tribes situated in the past. Or maybe from the antiquated characterizations in Hollywood films and TV shows. But a new wave of research, activism, and representation is changing the conversation; Native Americans are reclaiming their narrative. So today, what assumptions do non-Native people…

America is Aging and many industries say they need more immigrant workers to do lower-skilled jobs Americans don’t want. Are they right? If so, how should we be looking at immigration and America’…

America is aging and…

America is aging and many industries say they need more immigrant workers to do lower-skilled jobs Americans don’t want. Are they right? If so, how should we be looking at immigration and America’s labor shortage to find those solutions? And if immigration is not the answer, how will we fill the growing number of open positions in industries like healthcare and construction? In this episode of the podcast, we’re reframing the debate about immigration, with a closer look at short-term migration. We tend to think of immigration as being exclusively a permanent thing, but development econom…

Fines and fees have become the default way we punish people in America; deterrence is the ultimate goal, but do fines actually deter bad behavior? Often the consequences of fines and fees are not felt…

Fines and fees have …

Fines and fees have become the default way we punish people in America; deterrence is the ultimate goal, but do fines actually deter bad behavior? Often the consequences of fines and fees are not felt equally, because what’s expensive to you might be pocket change to me. Still, the overdue book or speeding ticket costs the same for both of us. In this podcast episode, we interview a library advocate and former library director who successfully eliminated fines at his library. We also share the story of a man who struggled with traffic fines which led to 15 years of license suspensions. A for…

Our “Stick With It” series on the Top of Mind podcast continues with Monica Guzman, senior fellow at Braver Angels, host of A Braver Way podcast and author of “I Never Thought of It That Way: Ho…

Our “Stick With It…

Our “Stick With It” series on the Top of Mind podcast continues with Monica Guzman, senior fellow at Braver Angels, host of A Braver Way podcast and author of “I Never Thought of It That Way: How to Have Fearlessly Curious Conversations in Dangerously Divided Times.” Guzman (a liberal) describes how countless political conversations with her parents (who voted for Trump twice) helped her understand the power of curiosity to bridge differences and reduce polarization. In this podcast conversation, Monica Guzman shares practical tips, starting with asking ourselves “What am I missing?�…

Our “Stick With It” series on the Top of Mind podcast continues with Monica Packer, a personal Growth coach and host of the popular About Progress podcast and Instagram community @aboutprogress. P…

Our “Stick With It…

Our “Stick With It” series on the Top of Mind podcast continues with Monica Packer, a personal growth coach and host of the popular About Progress podcast and Instagram community @aboutprogress. Packer’s professional and personal focus is choosing progress over the paralysis of perfectionism. Starting a blog and podcast were part of Packer’s personal commitment to trying new things. But it also opened her up to criticism that felt personal. She talks about choosing to lean into the opportunity to better understand a rejection from someone she respected. Over the course of many emails a…

Americans struggle to agree on even the most basic parts of America’s founding story. Some say it was divine intervention. Others, a scheme to profit off slavery, or simply a pursuit of freedom. Can…

Americans struggle t…

Americans struggle to agree on even the most basic parts of America’s founding story. Some say it was divine intervention. Others, a scheme to profit off slavery, or simply a pursuit of freedom. Can we ever really agree on national narrative? Do we even need to? People are complicated and so is history. But when it comes to national narratives and founding stories, we tend to assume only one story can be right - and it's the version that most aligns with our own feelings about America. Simplicity might not be necessary, though. Can a founding story be complicated and contradictory and still …

Who should decide how the stories and artifacts of a cultural heritage are shared with the world? For a long time, the assumption has been that as long as culture’s stories are told, it doesn’t ma…

Who should decide ho…

Who should decide how the stories and artifacts of a cultural heritage are shared with the world? For a long time, the assumption has been that as long as culture’s stories are told, it doesn’t matter who’s telling them. But who would you trust to tell your story? Museums of human civilization and culture are at the center of this conversation. Some are returning antiquities taken by colonial force. Others are consulting with indigenous communities to reframe the stories exhibits tell. But what’s lost when museum’s make the question “Who owns this cultural artifact?” their primar…

What's that one thing about how people speak English that gets on your nerves? When people say “like” a lot? Or say “literally” when they mean “figuratively”? We all have language pet peev…

What's that one thin…

What's that one thing about how people speak English that gets on your nerves? When people say “like” a lot? Or say “literally” when they mean “figuratively”? We all have language pet peeves, and we may even be willing to admit that we judge people who break the rules. After all, how we talk matters. Why do we insist on proper English — and what does that say about us?In this episode of the podcast, we speak with an English professor and College Writing Center director about the experience of code-switching and how she learned to respect "Black language" as something much more …