Podcast
How to Be a Better Human
Hosted by TED · EN
How To Be A Better Human isn’t your average self improvement podcast. Each week join Chris Duffy in conversation with guests and past speakers as they uncover sharp insights and give clear takeaways on how YOU can be a better human. From your work to your home and your head to your heart, How To Be a Better Human looks in unexpected places for new ways to improve and show up for one another. Inspired by the popular series of the same name on TED’s Ideas blog, How to Be a Better Human will help you become a better person from the comfort of your own headphones.
Follow Chris on Instagram and TikTok at @chrisiduffy. Buy his book Humor Me at https://t.ted.com/ZGuYfcL
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106episodes
Episodes
Newest firstAll episodes
Information Inoculation: Defending Against Medical Myths: Why we need to fight misinformation about vaccines | from TED Health
Jun 12, 202500:45:03Summary readyEthan Lindenberger never got vaccinated as a kid. So one day, he went on Reddit and asked a simple question: "Where do I go to get vaccinated?" The post went viral, landing Lindenberger in the middle of a heated debate about vaccination and, ultimately, in front of a US Senate committee. Less than a year later, the high school senior reports back on his unexpected time in the spotlight and a new movement he's leading to fight misinformation and advocate for scientific truth.After the talk, Shoshana interviews Dr. Jennifer Reich, a sociologist, and asks the question, “Where has vaccine mistrust come from?” -- and how transparency in clinical trials and federal advisory boards are key in gaining community trust.For the full text transcript, visit go.ted.com/BHTranscriptsWant to help shape TED’s shows going forward? Fill out our survey here!Learn more about TED Next at ted.com/futureyou Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Summary“Your best self is the same as your worst self” (w/ Heather Havrilesky)
Jun 9, 202500:38:51Summary readyHeather Havrilesky is the author of the book Foreverland: On the Divine Tedium of Marriage. She’s also the writer behind the advice columns “Ask Polly,” and “Ask Molly,” which is written by Polly’s mischievous alterego. In this episode, Heather and Chris navigate how to showcase your whole self – even if it means embracing the messy parts – and how leaning into contradictions can make you happier and healthier. They also discuss how most people’s twenties are a disaster, how to write in a way that feels true, and why it’s necessary to laugh at your own ridiculousness.FollowHost: Chris Duffy (Instagram: @chrisiduffy | chrisduffycomedy.com)Guest: Heather Havrilesky (Instagram: @heatherhav) Linksask-polly.comForeverland: On the Divine Tedium of MarriageSubscribe to TED Instagram: @tedYouTube: @TEDTikTok: @tedtoksLinkedIn: @ted-conferencesWebsite: ted.comPodcasts: ted.com/podcastsFor the full text transcript, visit go.ted.com/BHTranscriptsWant to help shape TED’s shows going forward? Fill out our survey here! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
SummaryHow to change careers and reinvent yourself (w/ Dawn Burrell)
Jun 2, 202500:39:42Summary readyDawn Burrell is a celebrated long jumper, an Olympic athlete, and a chef’s whose cooking made her a semifinalist for a James Beard Award — and these are just a sampling of her many accolades. In this episode, Dawn talks about how she navigated the career shift from athlete to chef, redefining success for herself, and finding joy and fulfillment in the kitchen cooking for others. She and Chris also discuss ways to grow from failure, build confidence, and the creative process of starting something new – whether it’s a career or a recipe.FollowHost: Chris Duffy (Instagram: @chrisiduffy | chrisduffycomedy.com)Guest: Dawn Burrell (Instagram: @chefdawnburrell | Facebook: @chefdawnburrell | LinkedIn: @dawnburrell) Linkschefdawnburrell.com/Subscribe to TED Instagram: @tedYouTube: @TEDTikTok: @tedtoksLinkedIn: @ted-conferencesWebsite: ted.comPodcasts: ted.com/podcastsFor the full text transcript, visit go.ted.com/BHTranscriptsWant to help shape TED’s shows going forward? Fill out our survey here! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
SummaryRe-release: How peace can persevere (w/ Aziz Abu Sarah)
May 26, 202500:43:25Summary readyIt’s extremely difficult to move past anger and hurt driving you towards revenge. War, violence, and suffering are driven by that cycle of emotions. Palestinian author, peacemaker, and entrepreneur Aziz Abu Sarah knows the feelings well, but from his own life experiences, he shares his belief that peace is achievable and another way forward is possible. In this episode, Aziz tells his story and explains his work to bring even the most seemingly intractable conflicts to a resolution that allows for justice, reconciliation, and safety for all.This episode originally aired September 9, 2024.For the full text transcript, visit go.ted.com/BHTranscriptsWant to help shape TED’s shows going forward? Fill out our survey here! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
SummaryHow to value friendship (w/ Rhaina Cohen)
May 19, 202500:38:12Summary readyWhat would it look like if we took friendship as seriously as we take romance? Rhaina Cohen, author of the book The Other Significant Others: Reimagine Life with Friendship at the Center, talks to Chris about the value of platonic relationships. They get into everything from offloading expectations from a romantic partner onto a friend can help improve relationships to how to cope with the loss of a friend to what to do when politics divide friendships. If you want to develop your friendships, Rhaina has tons of practical tips and advice.FollowHost: Chris Duffy (Instagram: @chrisiduffy | chrisduffycomedy.com)Guest: Rhaina Cohen (Instagram: @rhainacohen | LinkedIn: @rhainacohen | Website: rhainacohen.com/) LinksBookshop.org: The Other Significant Others Subscribe to TED Instagram: @tedYouTube: @TEDTikTok: @tedtoksLinkedIn: @ted-conferencesWebsite: ted.comPodcasts: ted.com/podcastsFor the full text transcript, visit go.ted.com/BHTranscripts For the full text transcript, visit go.ted.com/BHTranscriptsWant to help shape TED’s shows going forward? Fill out our survey here! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
SummaryPsychopathy versus altruism: the neuroscience of caring about others (w/ Abigail Marsh)
May 12, 202500:43:15Summary readyWhy is American culture so fascinated with psychopathic people and true crime stories? Why don’t billionaires give more? What makes some people so generous that they’d undergo surgery to donate an organ to a complete stranger? These are the kinds of questions that Abigail Marsh, a professor of psychology and neuroscience at Georgetown University, studies. Chris and Abigail discuss the brain differences between extreme altruists and psychopathic individuals, why psychopathic traits do not necessarily correlate with aggression, how parents can support children with behavioral issues, and what we can all do to train ourselves to be more altruistic.FollowHost: Chris Duffy (Instagram: @chrisiduffy | chrisduffycomedy.com)Guest: Abigail Marsh PhD (LinkedIn: @abigail-marsh) Linksabigailmarsh.com/disordersofaggression.orgBookshop.org: The Fear FactorTED Talk: Why some people are more altruistic than othersSubscribe to TED Instagram: @tedYouTube: @TEDTikTok: @tedtoksLinkedIn: @ted-conferencesWebsite: ted.comPodcasts: ted.com/podcastsFor the full text transcript, visit go.ted.com/BHTranscriptsWant to help shape TED’s shows going forward? Fill out our survey here! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
SummaryHow to have a better romantic relationship (w/ Stephanie Yates-Anyabwile)
May 5, 202500:39:07Summary readyWhat is a romantic relationship “supposed” to look like? How do you feel when your relationship doesn’t check all the boxes? In this episode, licensed marriage and family therapist Stephanie Yates-Anyabwile talks about everything from how to get into couples counseling to navigating hard conversations to understanding the difference between relationship dynamics in reality and on reality TV (which she actually loves and thinks there’s a lot to learn from watching). FollowHost: Chris Duffy (@chrisiduffy | chrisduffycomedy.com)Guest: Stephanie Yates-Anyabwile (Instagram: @_steph.anya | Youtube: @stephanya) Linkswhatsanyamind.com/Subscribe to TED Instagram: @tedYouTube: @TEDTikTok: @tedtoksLinkedIn: @ted-conferencesWebsite: ted.comPodcasts: ted.com/podcastsFor the full text transcript, visit go.ted.com/BHTranscripts Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
SummaryHow to take a long walk (w/ Craig Mod)
Apr 28, 202500:39:38Summary readyWhat do we gain from a long walk? Craig Mod is a photographer and writer who has done treks and pilgrimages around the world. From the Camino de Santiago to the Old Tōkaidō Road, Craig Mod transforms the simple act of walking into a meditative journey and creative practice. In his new book, Things Become Other Things, Craig chronicles a long distance journey on foot in Japan where he lives. In this conversation, Craig talks about the presence, mindset, and meditation of walking. He talks about the role that boredom plays in sparking creativity and the social conditions that allow for people to have the time, space, and flexibility to pursue their best selves.FollowHost: Chris Duffy (@chrisiduffy | chrisduffycomedy.com)Guest: Craig Mod (Instagram: @craigmod | LinkedIn: @craigmod | Website: craigmod.com) LinksBooks by Craig Mod (craigmod.com/books)Subscribe to TED Instagram: @tedYouTube: @TEDTikTok: @tedtoksLinkedIn: @ted-conferencesWebsite: ted.comPodcasts: ted.com/podcastsFor the full text transcript, visit go.ted.com/BHTranscripts Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
SummaryWhat if we get climate solutions right? (w/ Ayana Elizabeth Johnson)
Apr 21, 202500:36:08Summary readyThe future could be amazing, if we get it right. That’s so rarely how we think about it though. Ayana Elizabeth Johnson, marine biologist and author of the anthology What If We Get it Right?, is constantly collecting visions of the future and of climate solutions that are worth working towards together. Chris and Ayana talk about how to find your unique role in climate activism, the media’s responsibility in reporting climate-solution-focused news, and how to emphasize climate solutions rather than only catastrophizing the crisis. This is an episode all about what needs to be done, what you can do, and the world we could build together.FollowHost: Chris Duffy (@chrisiduffy | chrisduffycomedy.com)Guest: Ayana Elizabeth Johnson (Instagram: @ayanaeliza | LinkedIn: @ayanaelizabeth | ayanaelizabeth.com) Linksayanaelizabeth.substack.comGetitright.earthBookshop.org What If We Get It Right? urbanoceanlab.orgSubscribe to TED Instagram: @tedYouTube: @TEDTikTok: @tedtoksLinkedIn: @ted-conferencesWebsite: ted.comPodcasts: ted.com/podcastsFor the full text transcript, visit go.ted.com/BHTranscripts Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
SummaryHow to enrich your everyday life with poetry (w/ Sarah Kay) (Rerun)
Apr 14, 202500:31:28Summary readyRoses are red, violets are blue, has poetry ever been intimidating for you? For many people, this art form can feel unapproachable, but poet and educator Sarah Kay, suggests that people who don’t like poetry just maybe haven’t found a poem that really speaks to them. Sarah proposes a fresh approach to this ancient art, talks about why playing with language can help you get in touch with yourself, and discusses the ways that writing and art help us form deeper, meaningful connections with others. This episode was originally recorded on November 29, 2021. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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