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.

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.

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]

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

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.

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.