It’s hard to stay hopeful these days. Stanford professor Jamil Zaki has been studying the incredible depth of human kindness for decades, but even he gives in to cynicism when he doubts our ability to be civil and cooperative.  That’s a shame - because shedding cynicism and grasping hope will make you happier and healthier. Jamil and Dr Laurie Santos look at the scientific evidence showing that we should be more trusting of other people and optimistic about our facility to work together.  ...

Holding yourself to impossibly high standards is self-defeating and makes for a miserable life. Can Dr Laurie Santos find ways to tackle her constant perfectionism so she can perform better and have more fun?  She hears from researcher Thomas Curran about a worrying growth in perfectionism in society, and asks "recovering perfectionist" Jordana Confino how to tackle the nagging voice in your head telling you to always push yourself and work harder.   See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy...

Prepare to be schooled in the art of conversation by dynamic duo Casey Wilson and Jessica St. Clair. Dismissing the notion that small talk is a painful social obligation, these self-proclaimed small talk maestros share their gift of gab in this laugh-out-loud and instructive audiobook. With their help you might find yourself excitedly asking your barista about the weather…and maybe you’ll get a free coffee. Who knows! Enjoy Chapter 11: How to Use Small Talk in Love, and if you’re interested...

The Happiness Lab’s Dr. Laurie Santos brings together other Pushkin hosts to mark the International Day of Happiness. Revisionist History’s Malcolm Gladwell talks about the benefits of the misery of running in a Canadian winter. Dr. Maya Shankar from A Slight Change of Plans talks about quieting her mental chatter. And Cautionary Tales host Tim Harford surprises everyone with the happiness lessons to be learned from a colonoscopy. Hear more of The Happiness Lab HERE. See...

Listen to this special episode from another podcast we think you'll love called Embodied from WUNC. When human romance isn't working out, can an AI chatbot successfully take its place? Host Anita Rao hears varied perspectives on that question. She meets a journalist who got dumped by her AI crush and talks with a woman whose AI companion turned her life around. Plus, psychologist Melissa McCool, the clinical product consultant for AI tech company Luka, takes Anita behind the scenes of making...

Fairy tales and Hollywood rom coms have taught us to expect perfection from a soul mate, but sex and relationships therapist Todd Baratz says we need to be more comfortable with the idea that a "good enough" partner will do.  Todd once bought into this perfection myth - wanting a boyfriend to meet all his needs without even being told. These expectations helped end the relationship. Now Todd (author of How to Love Someone Without Losing Your Mind) says we need to accept that our loved ones...

Some people ask searching questions and then really listen to the replies. These so-called supercommunicators make great romantic partners, so can anyone learn to be more like them?   Journalist Charles Duhigg (author of Supercommunicators: How to Unlock the Secret Language of Connection) was unhappy with how he and his wife were talking, so he studied his mistakes and adopted the habits of supercommunicators. He explains to Dr Laurie Santos how we can all make small changes that will...

No matter how much you love your partner, your relationship will never be totally free from disagreement. And nor should it be, say researchers Dr John Gottman and Dr Julie Schwartz Gottman. We actually just need to learn to argue better. The Gottmans join Dr Laurie Santos to talk us through how to raise complaints with our partners and how to react when they complain about us.  Further reading: Fight Right: How Successful Couples Turn Conflict into Connection by Dr John Gottman and Dr...

Science writer Florence Williams felt blindsided when her twenty-five-year marriage unexpectedly fell apart. Trained as a journalist, Florence set out on an expedition to understand the science of heartbreak and game her way back to health. Enjoy this special excerpt from Florence's audiobook, "Heartbreak: A Personal and Scientific Journey", and if you’re interested in hearing more of her story, download the complete audiobook at pushkin.fm/heartbreak.  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy...

Some people are just good at building and maintaining healthy partnerships. In their "Love Lab", the married researchers Dr John Gottman and Dr Julie Schwartz Gottman have seen how certain couples interact in ways that mean they'll happily stick together for decades. Enjoy this special episode of The Happiness Lab with Dr Laurie Santos. The Gottmans join Dr Santos to explain what we can learn from these "Masters of Relationships" - so that the stresses and strains of life don't destroy our...

Many observers have tried to pinpoint the specific events that lead to Lennon-McCartney, the formidable songwriting partnership, transitioning to Lennon v. McCartney. But the fact is there is no single truth regarding why the beloved duo split. So instead of investigating the why, we look at the aftermath: legal battles, hurtful accusations in song and, ultimately, a sense of resolution. “Too Many People” opens Paul and Linda McCartney’s 1971 album, “RAM” and serves as an opening to explore...

Listen to this special episode from another podcast you'll love called McCartney: A Life in Lyrics from iHeart Media, MPL and Pushkin Industries. Face cream, a Bristol liquor business, and a lifelong reverence for the elderly are just a few of the rather ordinary and disparate inspirations Paul McCartney brought together in the creation of a masterpiece: “Eleanor Rigby.” In this episode, McCartney and Paul Muldoon tease out the song's lyrical inspirations and discuss the influence a Bernard...

Major breakthroughs in artificial intelligence research often reshape the design and utility of AI in both business and society. In this episode of Smart Talks with IBM, Malcolm Gladwell and Jacob Goldstein explore the conceptual underpinnings of modern AI with Dr. David Cox, VP of AI Models at IBM Research. They talk foundation models, self-supervised machine learning, and the practical applications of AI and data platforms like watsonx in business and technology. Visit us at:...

Listen to this special episode from another podcast you'll love called The Happiness Lab! It's never too early or too late to learn how to be happier. Whether you're aged 3, 23 or 103, we've teamed up with our furry friends from Sesame Street to bring you fun and fact-based tips to improve the wellbeing of you and the people around you.   We begin with Abby Cadabby - a fairy who isn't having such a great day. Her usual spells can't rid her of her "grumpies", so Dr Laurie teaches her the...

Listen to this special episode from another podcast you'll love called Talk Easy! Actor Tom Hanks joins host Sam Fragoso for an in-depth conversation about his debut novel, his film career, the transformative, eight-year process of making "Cast Away," and his formative friendships with actor Holland Taylor and the late Nora Ephron. Hear more episode: https://apple.co/talkeasy Take the Pushkin Audience Survey and receive a code to redeem a free audiobook: https://bit.ly/3pAAQxZ See...

Raised by Ricki is a show from our friends at Lemonada Media featuring Ricki Lake and Kalen Allen. If you like Double Date then we think you’ll love Raised by Ricki. In the 1990s, a generation of kids, teens, and young adults got home, kicked off their sneakers, and settled down in front of the TV to watch Ricki Lake. Hosted by Ricki herself alongside TV personality and digital creator Kalen Allen, Raised By Ricki revisits the 90s iconic talk show, The Ricki Lake Show, and the era to which it...

We’re sharing a bonus episode from another Pushkin podcast, Revisionist History. Revisionist History is Malcolm Gladwell’s podcast about things misunderstood and overlooked. This season, Malcolm’s obsessed with experiments – natural experiments, scientific experiments, thought experiments. In this preview, Revisionist History does a deep dive into the 90s sitcom, Will and Grace. Will and Grace was quietly revolutionary in changing our collective beliefs around gay marriage. Malcolm explores...

This week, we're sharing a new audiobook from Pushkin, the company behind The Last Archive. It’s called Heartbreak and it’s written and read by Florence Williams. Florence is a science journalist, but when her husband of 25 years broke up with her, she became her own subject. Florence set out to understand what was happening to her, emotionally and physically, after the divorce. The result is a courageous and intimate audiobook filled with interviews, conversations with friends and audio...

Pushkin is thrilled to announce that A Slight Change of Plans was named Apple Podcasts' Best Show of the Year! This week, we're sharing an episode with Double Date listeners. A Slight Change of Plans is all about understanding the science of change. That understanding, mixed with a healthy dose of compassion, has made the show a perfect antidote for the times we’re living in. Dr. Maya Shankar has interviewed celebrities like Tiffany Haddish and Kacey Musgraves. But she’s interviewed real-life...

Presenting: An Excerpt from Miracle And Wonder: Conversations With Paul Simon by Malcolm Gladwell and Bruce Headlam. Download the audiobook today at miracleaudiobook.com and receive an exclusive listener's guide pdf featuring additional commentary from Bruce, the producers and editors of Miracle and Wonder. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com

Sharing an episode of Pushkin’s newest show, Backstage Pass. Eric Vetro is the voice coach to the stars. From Camila Cabello to Shawn Mendes, to John Legend, Eric Vetro has guided your favorite singers during some of the most iconic moments of their musical lives. On Backstage Pass, Eric’s celebrity students retrace their vocal journeys, from the very first song they ever sang, through notable challenges in their careers. Listen to Ariana Grande talk about the blessing and curse of perfect...

This week, we're presenting an episode of The Happiness Lab. On the show, Yale professor Dr. Laurie Santos shares surprising research and inspiring stories that change the way we think about happiness.  In this episode, Laurie talks to actor Rob Lowe about why nostalgia isn't always so rosy. Rob says that, as much as he loves the '80s, he's careful not to wallow too much in nostalgia for the music, fashions and events of his youth. Laurie explains that happiness science backs him up on this:...