In a vast and complicated universe, our ability to perceive and interpret our place within it is especially valuable. Some of us passionately seek answers to questions big and small while others prefer to marvel at the deep and unfolding mysteries of our world. This week, we speak to Logan Bialik about her views on wonder and knowledge. How might the two correlate to youth and old age? What are the benefits and drawbacks to each as a set of skills and lenses? When might one be better applied than the other?
Episode 164: Our Third Anniversary
Three years ago, on September 24, 2014, we launched Stride & Saunter. I look back with a deep fondness on all that I've learned and everything I've been fortunate to share with the listening world. I feel the show's aim of exploring and describing humanity is as useful and relevant as ever and I am just as excited for the road ahead as I am nostalgic for our previous explorations. I believe humanity to be incredible, and I hope the show can capture even a fraction of that beautiful wonder to share with all of you.
In gratitude,
Kip
We'd also like to welcome Pallavi Kottamasu and Morgan Jaffe as fellow hosts of the podcast.
Further Reading:
Our New Patreon Page
Episode 163: The Great American Eclipse
On August 21st, 2017, millions of Americans flocked to see a total solar eclipse as it ventured across the continental U.S. Beyond the visual and scientific marvel, the event came at a time of great division in our country. The path forward is unclear, and rife with political disagreements, shame and fear for our future. But the eclipse obscured all of that for a while, creating unity and a sense of perspective and place in the universe. This week, we speak with technology journalist Wade Roush about his thoughts and experiences on the eclipse. How might it serve as a metaphor for our current political climate? What is its value as a natural phenomenon?
Further Reading:
Wade's podcast, Soonish
The New York Times, "A Total Solar Eclipse
Leaves a Nation in Awe"
The Washington Post, "‘We are all just mind-boggled:’ scenes from the total solar eclipse of 2017"
Forbes, "The Great American Eclipse And Its Effect On Retail Traffic"
The New York Times, "Pictures From the Great American Eclipse"
The Telegraph, "Great American eclipse, in pictures"
Fox News, "The Great American Eclipse -- what did we learn?"
Episode 162: The Friendly Bonds Among
In various settings, people consider friendship to be a marker of personal success and completion. Friends attend our proudest moments and comfort us in troubled times. But what are the functions and roles of friendships and how do they impact the way we look at friends? This week, we're joined by Jack Quigley to explore some of these questions. Are there specific roles and relationships we allow our friends to take on? How might we limit our perspectives of our friends because of friendship?
Episode 161: The Silhouettes of Affection
Although love represents an ideal that many of us strive for in our personal, romantic and ongoing relationships, it manifests in many forms. Between various cultures, art forms and perceptions, the ways we express love are nearly infinite. But what do we make of the love we feel but do not express? This week, we welcome Sam Whipple to discuss the phenomenon of unexpressed love. How might expressions of platonic love alter our presumptions of romantic love? What might we miss in our relationships when we do not receive expressions of love from those around us?
