KERA's Think

With all the disagreement about how to interpret the Constitution, maybe we need to consider that the problem is the Constitution itself. Erwin Chemerinsky, dean of the University of California, Berkeley, School of Law, joins host Krys Boyd to make the case that this document – written for a low population, rural society 200-years ago – has trouble incorporating modern life into its scope, and why it might need to be rethought. His book is “No Democracy Lasts Forever: How the Constitution Threatens the United States.”

If you’re someone who always thinks the sky is falling, chances are you’re not very happy. Jamil Zaki, professor of psychology at Stanford University and the director of the Stanford Social Neuroscience Lab, joins host Krys Boyd to discuss why cynicism leads to not only a more dismal outlook on life, but deleterious health effects. Plus we’ll hear why a little dose of hope can inject joy into everyday living. Zaki’s book is “Hope for Cynics: The Surprising Science of Human Goodness.”

If one partner in a relationship holds the purse strings tightly, and the other wants to spend freely, can they co-exist? Scott Rick, marketing professor at the University of Michigan’s Ross School of Business, joins host Krys Boyd to discuss how money affects relationships, what happens when being frugal goes up against spending beyond one’s means, and how two people can get on the same page when it comes to money. His book is “Tightwads and Spendthrifts: Navigating the Money Minefield in Real Relationships.”

Our favorite songs may move us deeply, but do they also benefit us in other ways? Daniel Levitin is a neuroscientist, musician and visiting professor at UCLA. He joins host Krys Boyd to discuss the many ways the brain responds to music —from warding off disease to helping those who stutter to releasing oxytocin — and what science is uncovering about this phenomenon. His book is “I Heard There Was a Secret Chord: Music as Medicine.”

From Donald Trump’s “Make America Great Again” to Kamala Harris’ walkout song “Freedom” by Beyoncé, both presidential campaigns are trying to solidify their brands for larger audiences. Basil Smikle is a political strategist, policy advisor and professor of practice and director of the nonprofit management program in the school of professional studies at Columbia University. He joins host Krys Boyd to discuss how campaigns brand themselves, how they attempt to label each other, and what voters actually respond to in the end.

In pursuit of a distinguished career, are we missing out on a good life? Christopher Wong Michaelson is Opus Distinguished Professor and academic director of the Melrose and The Toro Company Center for Principled Leadership at the University of St. Thomas and on the Business and Society faculty at NYU’s Stern School of Business. He joins host Krys Boyd to discuss the differences between career and calling and how we assign meaning to our vocation. His book, written with Jennifer Tosti-Kharas, is called “Is Your Work Worth It?: How to Think About Meaningful Work.” This episode originally aired on May 27th, 2024.

From hand-churned butter for the children to a full face of makeup in the kitchen, the role of the traditional wife is taking off online. Megan Agnew, senior features writer for The Times, joins guest host Courtney Collins to discuss the “trad wife” movement, its retro look at wifedom and motherhood, and one woman in particular with a huge following on Instagram who’s caught the curious attention of tens of millions. Her article is, “My day with the trad wife queen and what it taught me.“

Dolphins call each other by name, wolves have accents — researchers are discovering all sorts of fascinating facts about animal communication. Arik Kershenbaum is a zoologist, college lecturer and fellow at Girton College, University of Cambridge. He joins host Krys Boyd to discuss what we’re learning about how animals talk to one another, how that understanding also sheds light on human language, and how we might come to better understand animal identities and emotions. His book is “Why Animals Talk: The New Science of Animal Communication.”

Eel smuggling is one of the most lucrative wildlife crimes — so what makes these slimy creatures so coveted? Ellen Ruppel Shell, professor emeritus of science journalism at Boston University, joins host Krys Boyd to discuss an animal that’s one of the most trafficked on Earth, a brief history of the significance of eels, and why they’re still somewhat mysterious. Her book is “Slippery Beast: A True Crime Natural History, with Eels.”

One of the most dangerous parts of a migrant’s journey to the U.S. border is a dense jungle region known as the Darién Gap. Caitlin Dickerson, staff writer at The Atlantic, joins host Krys Boyd to discuss her journey to the Darién Gap – a stretch of land connecting South and North America – and the 800,000 migrants who will put their lives in danger this year to try to cross it. Her story is “Seventy Miles in the Darién Gap.”

We love our pets so much it can be tempting to keep them alive with harsh treatments even as they’re deathly ill. Madeline Leung Coleman, a features writer for New York magazine, joins host Krys Boyd to discuss the expensive and sometimes brutal treatments pets can be subjected to in order to extend their lives – and how to know when it’s time to say goodbye. Her article is “Are We Forcing Our Pets to Live Too Long?” was published by The Cut.

Type in a couple of prompts and A.I. programs can spit out an original song based on your parameters. So should composers quit their jobs? Matteo Wong, staff writer at The Atlantic, joins host Krys Boyd to discuss the changing face of the music industry now that A.I. music is on the scene and what separates music made by people from music made by algorithms. His article is “AI Can’t Make Music.”

To win a high-stakes poker game, the ability to calculate risk is essential – and it’s a skill that can carry over to everyday life. Nate Silver is a statistician and founder of The New York Times political blog FiveThirtyEight.com and writer of the Substack “Silver Bulletin.” He joins host Krys Boyd to discuss how risk-takers win big, how to calculate pros and cons of major decisions, and to weigh in on what to expect in this year’s presidential election. His book is “On the Edge: The Art of Risking Everything.”

Some people can get others to do what they want through the sheer strength of their charm – a quality many candidates running for office try to use to their advantage. Julia Sonnevend, associate professor of sociology and communications at The New School for Social Research, joins host Krys Boyd to discuss how politicians tap into their own personal magnetism to earn your vote – and sometimes lead nations down the wrong path. Her book is “Charm: How Magnetic Personalities Shape Global Politics.”

If your company’s data is hacked, there’s a person to have on speed dial — a ransomware negotiator. Journalist Amanda Chicago Lewis joins host Krys Boyd to discuss this brand-new profession that is both an art and a science, how they negotiate with hackers and how to avoid falling victim to your own data being breached. Her article “Secrets of a ransomware negotiator” was published in The Economist.

Kids may never think you’re cool – but it is possible to at least earn their respect. David Yeager is a professor of psychology at the University of Texas at Austin and the cofounder of the Texas Behavioral Science and Policy Institute. He joins host Krys Boyd to discuss how to be a supportive mentor for youth age 10-25 – when their brains are still taking shape. His book is “10 to 25: The Science of Motivating Young People: A Groundbreaking Approach to Leading the Next Generation―And Making Your Own Life Easier.”

Regional tensions in the South China Sea are in danger of spilling over into a global conflict between the U.S. and China. Craig Singleton is a senior China fellow at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies and a former U.S. diplomat. He joins guest host John McCaa to discuss the ways China has made end runs around the policies of the Biden, Trump and Obama presidencies and the troubling clashes we’re now seeing around Taiwan and the Philippines. His article “China and the U.S. Are Careening Toward a South China Sea Crisis” was published in Foreign Policy.

America has endured eras of political violence before. But after the assassination attempt on former president Donald Trump, is political violence now part of our current reality? Adrienne LaFrance, executive editor of The Atlantic, joins host Krys Boyd to discuss why feelings of powerlessness can lead to violence and the disturbing historical patterns that seem to be repeating today. Her article is “American Fury.”

For an underprivileged student to succeed in college, it takes much more than financial aid. Anthony Jack is inaugural faculty director of the Boston University Newbury Center and associate professor of higher education leadership at the Boston University Wheelock College of Education & Human Development. He joins host Krys Boyd to discuss why, even as colleges and universities have moved to make their campuses more diverse, they are leaving economically disadvantaged students behind. His book is “Class Dismissed: When Colleges Ignore Inequality and Students Pay the Price.”

When Kamala Harris announced her presidential bid after President Biden dropped out, a record $81million poured in in 24 hours. So what role will cash play in her race against Donald Trump? Theodore Schleifer covers campaign finance for The New York Times. He joins host Krys Boyd to give us an overview of the immense amount of money the campaigns are raising, a refresher on how PACs work, and how all this money from mega donors to average Joes will affect the race to the White House.