Aspen Ideas To Go

Most people think that happiness has four sources: the sensory pleasures, material wealth, romantic relationships, and children. But recent research suggests that much of what people think about happiness is wrong. Daniel Gilbert, author of "Stumbling on Happiness," hosts this symposium in which experts discuss what science has discovered about each of these sources. The featured speakers are Paul Bloom, author of "How Pleasure Works"; Tim Kasser, author of "The High Price of Materialism"; Eli Finkel, author of "The All-Or-Nothing Marriage"; and Jennifer Senior, author of "All Joy and No Fun." (Original broadcast date: November 30, 2015)

When Amazon launched, it employed just ten people. Now it’s one of the largest retailers in the world. CEO Jeff Bezos describes what companies need in today’s fast-paced, high tech business environment. He explains how Alexa is different from Siri and why he decided to invest in the Washington Post and an aerospace company. AOL Cofounder Steve Case, Columbia Business School Dean Glenn Hubbard, and Aspen Institute CEO Walter Isaacson are also featured. The discussions were part of Vanity Fair’s New Establishment Summit.

The countdown to Election Day is on, and political analysts are giving their predictions. In this bonus episode, Charlie Cook and Amy Walter of the Cook Political Report weigh in on the outcome for the presidential race and contests in the US House and Senate. They spoke on Wednesday, October 26th as part of the Aspen Institute’s Washington Ideas Roundtable Series.

Today, more than 200 known types of cancer exist, and it is the second leading cause of death in the US. In January 2016, President Obama announced a new effort to fight the disease: the Cancer Moonshot. Led by Vice President Joe Biden, the initiative is meant to accelerate research, broaden the number of therapies for patients, and find ways to prevent and detect cancer earlier. In this episode, Biden gets personal about his connection to cancer and why he’s fighting to break down the barriers preventing progress in battling the disease.

The economy is a key issue for American voters. In July, more than 80 percent of registered voters polled by the Pew Research Center said the economy was the number one issue, right after terrorism. This episode examines the country's workforce and what's influencing job creation and job loss. Featured speakers include General Electric CEO Jeff Immelt, US Secretary of Labor Thomas Perez, US Senator Mark Warner, and others.

Once the realm of science fiction, smart machines are rapidly becoming part of our world—and these technologies offer amazing potential to improve the way we live. Imagine intelligent, autonomous vehicles that reduce crashes and robots that can help your aged grandma move around safely. In this episode, Gill Pratt, CEO of the Toyota Research Institute, talks with John Markoff of The New York Times about how scientists are pushing the boundaries of human knowledge in autonomous vehicles and robotics.

It’s difficult to ignore anger in the United States right now—talking heads battle on cable news, protesters get violent at campaign rallies, and families can’t talk politics around the dinner table. What’s fueling the anger? And how can it be managed? In this episode, panelists Mickey Edwards, Anne-Marie Slaughter, Stephen Carter, and Arthur Brooks explore the variables contributing to an angry America. Edwards blames rhetoric from the presidential candidates, the media, and an education system that increasingly offers fewer lessons on civics and the humanities. “What are the bedrock things that our democracy rests upon that are failing?” he asks.

Author Jeff Chang says America has slid back toward segregation in our neighborhoods, schools, colleges and universities, and in our culture. In his new book “We Gon’ Be Alright: Notes on Race and Resegregation” he examines recent tragedies and protests. One chapter chronicles Chang’s visit to Ferguson, Missouri one year after Michael Brown was shot and killed by police. In this episode, Chang talks about the Black Lives Matter movement, respectability politics, and the power of Beyoncé’s Lemonade album. He’s interviewed by Jonathan Capehart of the Washington Post. The discussion was part of the Aspen Institute’s Washington Ideas Roundtable Series. (Photo Credit: Steve Johnson) dywqq2rp

The average American spends a third of his or her life working. What is the secret to achieving happiness because of our work and not in spite of it? How can we make a job into a vocation? David Brooks and Arthur Brooks have both studied and written about these questions. They say, no matter what the job is, the answer is to find meaning in it. In this episode, the thought leaders discuss the elements of meaningful work, the ways to achieve it, and how we can use these insights to improve culture and policy.

The civil war in Syria has raged for five years and killed half a million people. Eleven million refugees have either fled to other countries or are displaced within Syria. In this episode, three survivors share their personal stories of strength and determination under intense and difficult circumstances. Syrian violinist Mariela Shaker says she “ran under bombs and mortars” to send applications to colleges in the United States. Experts in Middle East policy also examine solutions to the war. Who is most effectively helping, and how are they doing it? What should the world do beyond looking on in horrified disbelief?

In a rare interview, the director of the Central Intelligence Agency weighs in on the global security scene and explains the current risks to the United States. John Brennan is interviewed by Dina Temple-Raston, counterterrorism correspondent for NPR, at the Aspen Security Forum. Even though the Islamic State, or ISIL, has lost territory in the Middle East, it continues to be a “global menace,” according to Brennan. He discusses what’s needed in the fight against the brutal terror group. He also discusses Russia, China, and cybercrime, and explains why Syria is the most complex issue he’s dealt with in his career.

Is America turning its back on the humanities? The declining enrollment in disciplines including history, literature, language, philosophy and the arts, at colleges and universities across the country, signals a significant cultural shift. In this episode, Leon Wieseltier, contributing editor for The Atlantic, and Harvard President Drew Gilpin Faust unpack why the diminished appeal of the humanities has huge cultural implications. Can this trend be reversed in a challenging age, when technology and quantification are highly revered?

High-profile episodes of violence have highlighted excessive force and mistreatment of people of color by police. And this summer, police have become targets of violence with attacks in cities like Dallas and Baton Rouge. This episode examines the way forward for law enforcement and the communities they are duty-bound to “serve and protect.” We hear from law enforcement officials, including Attorney General Loretta Lynch, and activists. How will the frayed relationship between police and citizens be repaired? How has the Black Lives Matter movement changed the conversation?

Helen Fisher knows a thing or two about relationships. The Kinsey Institute research fellow and Match.com’s lead scientific advisor has spent her career studying couples and romantic behavior. The author of six books, her writing traces human family life from its origins in Africa over 20 million years ago to the internet dating sites and bedrooms of today. Her cutting-edge research, using brain imaging, examines what love and romantic partnership does to our gray matter. In this episode, she explains why humans fall in love and form pair-bonds when the odds are against them.

The world doesn’t lack for creative ideas—it lacks people to champion them. Once you have an idea, how do you communicate it? In this episode, Adam Grant, Wharton’s top-rated professor and a New York Times bestselling author of Originals, shares insights on how to speak up without getting silenced, and how to find allies in unexpected places.

Vladimir Putin continues to taunt the US and Europe at every turn by testing NATO’s resolve, propping up Assad, provoking Ukraine, and even doing what he can to further complicate the migrant crisis. Domestically, Russia’s involvement in hacking the Democratic National Convention is in question. Heather Conley, Senior Vice President for Europe, Eurasia, and the Arctic; Director, Europe Program, Center for Strategic and International Studies discusses the current state with Elissa Slotkin, Assistant Secretary of Defense for International Security Affairs. Their discussion, which takes place at the Aspen Security Forum, is moderated by Massimo Calabresi, Deputy Washington Bureau Chief and Senior Correspondent, Time Magazine.

With the historic candidacy of Hillary Clinton, feminism is front and center this election. Be it wage inequality, women’s health, or paid family leave, many issues important to women at both ends of the economic divide are hotly contested. Dinner table wars rage, as boomer women and their millennial daughters disagree on Clinton, Sanders, and what being a feminist means when it comes to the vote. In this episode we hear from women involved in modern feminism as well as politically-active millennials.

What do today’s Republicans believe America’s role in the world should be? This week’s episode features US Sen. Tom Cotton, R-AR, discussing his support for presumptive presidential nominee Donald Trump. Trump has some very different ideas than the Republican foreign policy establishment about the global alliance system, free trade, and the current nuclear order. Cotton, a leading figure in Republican defense and foreign policy circles, explains the Republican worldview, Trump’s worldview, the Obama foreign policy doctrine, and what he thinks America’s role should be in these tumultuous times.

Are we witnessing a new era in American politics? Two former Republican presidential candidates weigh in on the 2016 election. Newt Gingrich, former House Speaker, says the presidential race is unlike any he’s ever witnessed, characterized by rebellion against establishment politics in both parties. He predicts presumed Republican nominee Donald Trump will redefine the electoral map. Gingrich is being considered as a potential vice president by Trump. Former Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney is also featured in this episode. He explains why he plans to vote for neither Trump nor democrat Hillary Clinton. Take part in an upcoming podcast about policing and communities of color. What questions do you have around the issue? Email us your written question or a recorded voice memo. We’ll pose it to an expert on the topic, who spoke at the Aspen Ideas Festival. Send questions to aspenideastogo@gmail.com.

On June 23, voters in the UK chose to leave the European Union. Three days after the vote, managing director of the International Monetary Fund, Christine Lagarde spoke at the Aspen Ideas Festival in Aspen, Colorado. She calls the decision to leave the EU “heartbreaking.” In this episode, Lagarde is interviewed by Jane Harman, president of the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars and trustee of the Aspen Institute.