The Next Big Idea Daily

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S24 E3: "How to Prepare for Climate Change" by David Pogue Jul 12, 2023

Show notes

When David Pogue (CBS Sunday Morning) realized that we are already living through the beginnings of climate chaos, he decided to write a book full of action plans for riding out every climate catastrophe that Mother Nature might throw at us.

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S24 E2: “Ice: From Mixed Drinks to Skating Rinks—a Cool History of a Hot Commodity” by Amy Brady Jul 11, 2023

Show notes

Ice ice baby! Today, journalist and historian Amy Brady shares the astonishing 200-year history of ice in America, from ice rinks to ice cream to modern-day miracles like cryotherapy breast-cancer treatments.

S24 E1: “Raw Dog: The Naked Truth About Hot Dogs” by Jamie Loftus Jul 10, 2023

Show notes

We're trying something different this week. Instead of hearing from one author, you'll hear from five. Together, they'll help you figure out how to have the perfect summer. Up first: comedian and podcaster Jamie Loftus shares a few tasty insights from her New York Times bestseller "Raw Dog: The Naked Truth About Hot Dogs."

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S23 E5: The Prosperity Trap (Ben Ansell) Jul 07, 2023

Show notes

What can the global response to climate change tell us about the health of modern democratic states?

• Ben Ansell is professor of comparative democratic institutions at Oxford and author of “Why Politics Fail”

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• To hear more interviews, audio e-courses, and hundreds of author-read book summaries, download the Next Big Idea app

S23 E4: The Security Trap (Ben Ansell) Jul 06, 2023

Show notes

Today, Ben explains why democracy and security are such uneasy bedfellows.

• Ben Ansell is professor of comparative democratic institutions at Oxford and author of “Why Politics Fail”

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• To hear more interviews, audio e-courses, and hundreds of author-read book summaries, download the Next Big Idea app

S23 E3: The Solidarity Trap (Ben Ansell) Jul 05, 2023

Show notes

Why is it so hard to create a sense of national unity and civic responsibility here in the Divided States of America?

• Ben Ansell is professor of comparative democratic institutions at Oxford and author of “Why Politics Fail”

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• To hear more interviews, audio e-courses, and hundreds of author-read book summaries, download the Next Big Idea app

S23 E2: The Equality Trap (Ben Ansell) Jul 04, 2023

Show notes

Why has the American political system failed to arrest accelerating inequality, and is there anything we can do about it?

• Ben Ansell is professor of comparative democratic institutions at Oxford and author of “Why Politics Fail”

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• To hear more interviews, audio e-courses, and hundreds of author-read book summaries, download the Next Big Idea app

S23 E1: The Democracy Trap (Ben Ansell) Jul 03, 2023

Show notes

As you may have noticed, modern democracies aren’t doing so hot. In country after country, income inequality soars while solidarity plummets. Resentment simmers while national unity cools. In places like the US and the UK, beacons of liberal democracy, words like “autocracy” and “anarchy” are thrown around with alarming regularity. Meanwhile, our ability to take action on existential threats like AI and climate change is stymied by sniping politicians who are obsessed with point-scoring and eerily disinclined to agree on a shared set of facts.

Given all this, it’s not unreasonable to wonder: Are we doomed?

This week, on the 247th anniversary of America’s birthday — and the dawn of the modern democratic experiment — we’ll get to the bottom of that unsettling question with Ben Ansell, professor of comparative democratic institutions at Oxford and author of “Why Politics Fail.”

S22 E5: Take the Scenic Route and Give Yourself Grace at the Finish Line (Shelby Stanger) Jun 30, 2023

Show notes

In her final mini masterclass, Shelby warns you not to be so focused on reaching the finish line that you may miss the epic views along the way.

• Shelby Stanger is the host of REI’s “Wild Ideas Worth Living” podcast and the author of “Will to Wild: Adventures Great and Small to Change Your Life”

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• To hear more interviews, audio e-courses, and hundreds of author-read book summaries, download the Next Big Idea app

S22 E4: Use Humor to Deflate Fear (Shelby Stanger) Jun 29, 2023

Show notes

When scaling a steep rock wall or surfing gnarly waves, it’s easy to let fear get the better of you, but today, Shelby explains how you can use humor to stay loose.

• Shelby Stanger is the host of REI’s “Wild Ideas Worth Living” podcast and the author of “Will to Wild: Adventures Great and Small to Change Your Life”

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• To hear more interviews, audio e-courses, and hundreds of author-read book summaries, download the Next Big Idea app

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