15: Sum

Summary

Radiolab Episode 15: "Sum" (August 14, 2009)

Episode Overview

This episode of Radiolab, hosted by Jad Abumrad and Robert Krulwich, centers on a profound and imaginative meditation on the afterlife, inspired by David Eagleman’s piece “Sum.” The focus is a dramatic reading of the titular story by actor Jeffrey Tambor, which reframes the afterlife as a reshuffling of earthly moments, grouping them by experience rather than chronology. The episode is introspective, playful, and laden with existential curiosity—a hallmark of Radiolab’s distinctive style.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

Introduction to the Story

• [01:06-01:28] Jad and Robert introduce "Some" as the story that originally inspired them to create an entire episode about the afterlife.
  • "It's so summery, actually, in the S-U-M-M-A-R-Y sense." — Robert Krulwich [01:28]
• Jeffrey Tambor, known for his deep and resonant delivery, performs the reading.

"Sum": The Afterlife as a Rearranged Life

• [01:38-04:57] Jeffrey Tambor reads Eagleman’s story, which imagines an afterlife where all the moments of one's life are repackaged by category rather than chronological sequence:
  • Discrete experiences are grouped, leading to extended, continuous episodes of common or mundane activities:
    • "You spend two months driving the street in front of your house. Seven months having sex. You sleep for 30 years without opening your eyes. For five months straight, you flip through magazines while sitting on a toilet." — Jeffrey Tambor [01:45-02:12]
  • Physical and emotional sufferings are consolidated into intense, brief stretches:
    • "You take all your pain at once. All 27 intense hours of it. Bones break, cars crash, skin is cut, babies are born. But once you make it through, it's agony free for the rest of your afterlife." — Jeffrey Tambor [02:22-02:37]
  • The afterlife experience extends to the trivial and awkward:
    • "You spend six days clipping your nails. 15 months looking for lost items. 18 months waiting in line." [02:38-02:50]
  • Reflection and mundane activities are highlighted:
    • "2 weeks wondering what happens when you die. 77 hours of confusion. 1 hour realizing you've forgotten someone's name. 2 days lying. 14 minutes experiencing pure joy." [03:05-03:30]
    • The story captures the essence of a life summed up by its routines and fleeting pleasures.
  • The afterlife, as recounted, sometimes feels monotonous—even when pain is gone:
    • "4 weeks sitting in thought, wondering if there's something better I could be doing with my time." [03:52]
  • The meta-moment:
    • "Four minutes wondering what your life would be like if you reshuffled the order of events." [04:21]
  • Concludes with the notion that, amid the monotony, the earthly way of living—where moments are mixed and unpredictable—becomes a source of blissful nostalgia:
    • "A life where episodes are split into tiny swallowable pieces. Moments do not endure, where one experiences the joy of jumping from one event to the next, like a child hopping from spot to spot on the burning sand." [04:40-04:57]

Immediate Reactions & Closing Reflection

• [04:57-05:10] Jad and Robert pause after the reading, reflecting on the impact and gravity of the story.
• They share that “Some” was pivotal in shaping their broader series on the afterlife:
  • "That was actor Jeffrey Tambor reading a story from David Eagleman's book Some. And the story was called Some." — Jad Abumrad [04:57]
• The hosts tease the next, more life-affirming episode in the series, which will be presented in video form, and momentarily contrast the week’s “celebration of death” with an upcoming “celebration of life.”
  • "We're going to talk about the gorgeous, gorgeous, gorgeous business of being alive." — Robert Krulwich [05:20]
• With warmth and excitement, they recommend a video project by Will Hoffman for the following day.

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Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On the structure of the afterlife:
  • "In the afterlife, you relive all your experiences. But this time, with the events reshuffled into a new order, you see all the moments that share a quality are grouped together." — Jeffrey Tambor [01:38]
• On the nature of suffering:
  • "You take all your pain at once...But once you make it through, it's agony free for the rest of your afterlife. That doesn't always mean it's pleasant." — Jeffrey Tambor [02:22-02:37]
• On reflection and longing:
  • "4 weeks sitting in thought, wondering if there's something better I could be doing with my time." — Jeffrey Tambor [03:52]
• On the beauty of life’s sequence:
  • "A life where episodes are split into tiny swallowable pieces. Moments do not endure...like a child hopping from spot to spot on the burning sand." — Jeffrey Tambor [04:40-04:57]

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Important Timestamps

• [01:38-04:57] — Jeffrey Tambor’s reading of "Some"
• [04:57-05:10] — Jad and Robert reflect on the story and its impact
• [05:20-05:40] — Preview of the next episode and a pivot to the theme of life

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Tone and Style

The tone of the episode is contemplative yet playful, blending philosophical musings with Radiolab’s signature curiosity and sound design. Jeffrey Tambor’s reading is calm, matter-of-fact, and gently humorous even as it probes profound questions about the substance of life and the nature of memory.

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Summary

"Sum" explores the evocative question: What if the afterlife is simply our earthly life, but reordered and reorganized? This playful yet philosophical narrative, delivered by Tambor and framed by the hosts, invites listeners to consider the value of the linear, unpredictable messiness of real life. The episode stands as both a meditation on mortality and a gentle celebration of the ordinary moments that, together, form a life.

Transcript

[Radio Announcer]

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[Radiolab Producer]

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[Radio Announcer]

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[Jad Abumrad]

Oh, wait, you're listening. Okay. All right. Okay. All right.

[Radio Announcer]

You're listening to Radiolab.

[Radiolab Producer]

Radiolab, Sharks from WNYC.

[Radio Announcer]

And npr.

[Jad Abumrad]

Hey, I'm Jad Abumrad.

[Robert Krulwich]

And I'm Robert Krulwich.

[Jad Abumrad]

This is Radiolab, the podcast. We're up to number 15 now. As you can tell, the last few days we've been extending our afterlife show.

[Robert Krulwich]

Just the apres or the after afterlife. Exactly.

[Jad Abumrad]

And for number 15, we have a reading from David Eagleman's book Some, A story called Some, which is in fact the story that got us interested in doing the entire afterlife show to begin with.

[Robert Krulwich]

Yeah, because it is so. It's so summery, actually, in the S u m m a r y sense.

[Jad Abumrad]

Right? And it's read for us again by actor Jeffrey Tambor.

[Radiolab Producer]

Alright, Ty, take two. In the afterlife, you relive all your experiences. But this time, with the events reshuffled into a new order, you see all the moments that share equality are grouped together. For instance, you spend two months driving the street in front of your house. Seven months having sex. You sleep for 30 years without opening your eyes. For five months straight, you flip through magazines while sitting on a toilet. You take all your pain at once. All 27 intense hours of it. Bones break, cars crash, skin is cut, babies are born. But once you make it through, it's agony free for the rest of your afterlife. That doesn't always mean it's pleasant. I mean, you spend six days clipping your nails. 15 months looking for lost items. 18 months waiting in line. Two years of boredom staring out a bus window, sitting in an airport terminal, waiting online. One year reading books. Your eyes hurt, though. And you itch because you can't take a shower until it your Time to take your marathon 200 day shower. 2 weeks wondering what happens when you die. 1 minute realizing your body's falling. 77 hours of confusion. 1 hour realizing you've forgotten someone's name. 3 weeks realizing you're wrong. 2 days lying. 6 weeks waiting for a green light. 7 hours vomiting. 14 minutes experiencing pure joy. 3 months doing laundry. 15 hours writing your signature. 2 days tying cheap shoelaces. 67 days of heartbreak. 5 weeks driving loss. 3 days calculating restaurant tips. 51 days deciding what to wear. 9 days pretending you know what is being talked about. 2 weeks counting money. 18 hours staring into the refrigerator. 34 days longing. 6 months watching commercials. 4 weeks sitting in thought, wondering if there's something better I could be doing with my time. Three years swallowing food. Five days working buttons and zippers. Four minutes wondering what your life would be like if you reshuffled the order of events. In this part of the afterlife. You imagine something analogous to your earthly life. And the thought is blissful. A life where episodes are split into tiny swallowable pieces. Moments do not endure where one experiences the joy of jumping from one event to the next, like a child hopping from spot to spot on the burning sand.

[Jad Abumrad]

That was actor Jeffrey Tambor reading a story from David Eagleman's book Some. And the story was called Some.

[Robert Krulwich]

Yeah, so before we. We have some time left.

[Jad Abumrad]

Some.

[Robert Krulwich]

I just want to mention what's coming up tomorrow because this is like a little sort of spectacular celebration of death that we've been doing all week, but now we're gonna switch on Friday. That is the fif of this sequence.

[Jad Abumrad]

Number 16.

[Robert Krulwich]

Number 16. We are going to go the other direction. We're going to celebrate the things that death ends. We're going to talk about the gorgeous, gorgeous, gorgeous business of being alive.

[Jad Abumrad]

Actually, there's no talking in this one.

[Robert Krulwich]

No, we're not. Yes, we're gonna ask you to look at something.

[Jad Abumrad]

A video by a guy named Will Hoffman. Really talented, dude.

[Robert Krulwich]

We are so proud of it.

[Jad Abumrad]

Yeah, so that's coming up tomorrow, I guess. For the moment, though, we have to go. I'm Jad Abumrad.

[Robert Krulwich]

And I'm Robert Krulwich.

[Jad Abumrad]

Radiolab is funded in part by the Sloan foundation, the Corporation for Broadcasting, and the National Science Foundation.

[Radio Announcer]

Since WNYC's first broadcast in 1924, we've been dedicated to creating the kind of content we know the world needs. Since then, New York Public Radio's rigorous journalism has gone on to win a Peabody Award and a Dupont Columbia Award, among others. In addition to this award winning reporting. Your sponsorship also supports inspiring storytelling and extraordinary music that is free and accessible to all. To get in touch and find out more, visit sponsorship.wnyc.org.