Josh: The Podcast

In the fourth of a four-part series on empathy — which will be a recurring theme throughout the podcast — we take a look at empathy's shortcomings, what we really utilize in creating a moral code and the possibility that morality evolved through natural selection. Links: • Against Empathy by Paul Bloom • The Psychopath Inside by James Fallon • Enlightenment Now by Steven Pinker • Ordinary Grace by Kathleen Brehony • Practical Wisdom by Barry Schwartz • The Coddling of the American Mind by Greg Lukianoff and Jonathan Haidt • The Moral Arc by Michael Shermer • Chicago crime statistics • Sandy Hook shooting • Wisdom of crowds • Team Human by Douglas Rushkoff • JoshShear.com: From empathy to compassion and kindness Subscribe: • iTunes • Spotify • Stitcher • Player.fm • Google Play • TuneIn • LibSyn (RSS) • Subscribe on Android

In the third of a four-part series on empathy — which will be a recurring theme throughout the podcast — we take a look at what free will and how religions and governments remove our empathy by creating an us-versus-them environment Links: • The Moral Arc by Michael Shermer • The Science of Evil by Simon Baron-Cohen • The Age of Anger by Pankaj Mishra • How to be more interesting • Enlightenment Now by Steven Pinker • Episode 9 of the podcast • JoshShear.com: Empathy, religion, politics and free will Subscribe: • iTunes • Spotify • Stitcher • Player.fm • Google Play • TuneIn • LibSyn (RSS) • Subscribe on Android

In the second of a four-part series on empathy — which will be a recurring theme throughout the podcast — we take a look at how to systematize if not empathy, a moral code. We also talk about the trolley problem, the drowning child, and killing baby Hitler. Links: • Against Empathy by Paul Bloom • The Science of Evil by Simon Baron-Cohen • Andrew Yang • Steven Kotler on Duncan Trussell's podcast • Peter Diamandis • Kroger makes grocery deliveries in autonomous vehicles • Peter Singer's drowning child • Stephen King's 11/22/63 • Trolley problem variations • Vox on the time travel problems with killing baby Hitler: • Tesla driver dies when car misses tractor trailer • Self-driving Uber kills a pedestrian • Simon Baron-Cohen's Empathy Quotient exam • JoshShear.com: Systematizing empathy Subscribe: • iTunes • Spotify • Stitcher • Player.fm • Google Play • TuneIn • LibSyn (RSS) • Subscribe on Android

In the first of a four-part series on empathy — which will be a recurring theme throughout the podcast — we take a look at what empathy is, how it appears in the brain, and what happens when it's missing. Links: • Against Empathy by Paul Bloom • The Science of Evil by Simon Baron-Cohen • Empathy: Why It Matters and How To Get It by Roman Krznaric • The Empathy Exams by Leslie Jamison • As the brain spins • Mirroring People by Marco Iacoboni • Phineas Gage • The Psychopath Inside by James Fallon • Simon Baron-Cohen's Empathy Quotient exam • JoshShear.com: Introduction to empathy Subscribe: • iTunes • Spotify • Stitcher • Player.fm • Google Play • TuneIn • LibSyn (RSS) • Subscribe on Android

We recorded Episode 9 before the Mueller report was released, and before Attorney General William Barr wrote a letter to Congress summarizing it. We do a quick episode on how to talk about it honestly and objectively. Links: • I Side With • Joe Rogan's podcast with Renee Diresta Subscribe: • iTunes • Spotify • Stitcher • Player.fm • Google Play • TuneIn • LibSyn (RSS) • Subscribe on Android

We talk about how to talk to people about politics, how to listen to people about politics, and how to be on Team People and Team America, rather than Team D or Team R or Team L or Team G or whatever. We also discuss: The role of government in our lives The role of responsible news media in elections Voting with your head first, then your heart Why it's good for political parties to have rifts Links: • I Side With • Andrew Yang

We are back, with purpose, and a weekly show. Better Humanhood is for you if you are, want to be, or wish for others to be: Smarter More curious More creative Happier Healthier More disciplined More productive Kinder and more empathetic We're all making life up as we go along, and we're sharing our work. In this episode, we restate our purpose, make some promises, and ask for some promises from you. Links: • PostSecret • Humans of New York • JKWD Podcast • Better Human Project • Team Human | Douglas Rushkoff • Should This Exist?  

We do a quick recap of the 2018 U.S. election and aftermath, talk flu shots and start laying some groundwork for the future. Show notes and such at JoshShear.com.

It's coming up on Election Day here in the United States. Don't miss out on your chance to vote. It's important. And you could lose it. We also play a little catch up. Pop on over to JoshShear.com for show notes and such.  

I talk with solo bassist singer-songwriter Seth Horan about that procedure I had, about being a musician on Patreon and about the value of art. No video for this one but we'll have a few links over at http://joshshear.com 

We talk about my varicocele embolization, the ease with which we get drugs in America and upcoming opportunities to hang in Savannah and Syracuse. More at http://joshshear.com/2018/05/better-humanhood-podcast-episode-4-recovery-hanging/ 

We talk about an upcoming procedure to help correct an infertility issue, the Waffle House shooting in Nashville and the van driver who killed pedestrians in Toronto, along with our ongoing theme of walking in others' shoes and being a little kinder. The best things you can do to help support the podcast would be to rate and review it in your podcast app of choice -- that will help more people find it -- and if you know someone who needs the knowledge, please share it with them. More at http://joshshear.com/2018/04/better-humanhood-podcast-episode-3-impending/ 

We talk a little bit about being kinder, a little bit about how to approach people you disagree with and a bit about male infertility. As always, watch http://joshshear.com/ for more.

We talk Shep Gordon and the late Brian Palefsky.  The best things you can do to help support the podcast would be to rate and review it in your podcast app of choice — that will help more people find it — and if you know someone who needs the knowledge, please share it with them.

Welcome to the Better Humanhood Podcast, formerly Josh: The Podcast. We're relaunching under a new name with a new purpose. For now, the best place to catch up is at http://JoshShear.com, but more to come over the next year. See you soon!

Hey, y'all. Thanks so much for being here the past 18 months! It's so awesome that you've stuck with me. Josh: The Podcast is getting a major overhaul. Listen to find out what you can expect and when you can expect it. Also...who knows? It might come with a new name... Keep up with the back episodes at http://joshshear.com/podcasts and keep your subscribed button on so the next episode will download automatically!

Lesson from this week's podcast: Just don't be an asshole, eh? Yeah, we're talking about guns again, I feel like I'm kinda talking to myself on it, but at least I make for good company... Show notes at http://joshshear.com/2017/10/josh-the-podcast-episode-78-vegas-shooting-self-love-and-racquetball/ 

We talk about stuff, because that's what we do. Yay! Full show notes at http://joshshear.com/2017/09/josh-the-podcast-episode-77/

We talk about discussion points instead of shouting matches and changing your habits. Full show notes at http://joshshear.com/2017/09/josh-the-podcast-episode-76-culture-vs-politics-and-a-new-year-refresh/ 

We talk about hurricane recovery, racism in sports and where to get some free bananas in Savannah. Full show notes at http://joshshear.com/2017/09/josh-the-podcast-episode-75-gratitude-racism-and-free-bananas/