Stride & Saunter

Especially around and after Valentine's Day, it's worth reexamining our cultural definitions of love, how we express it and how we relate to it. In particular, the phrase "I love you" has various connotations and contexts tied to its utterance. It seems to represent gentle, almost habitual moments but also the dramatic, life-or-death circumstances depicted in romantic cinema and literature. It can be said in platonic, romantic and even euphoric circumstances. So this week, we welcome Anna Gomez to talk about how we use this phrase, what we might reduce or obscure in the process and what its cultural functions are. Do we overuse or misuse the phrase in any way? Has it become an emotional substitute for more complicated feelings? We would also like to thank Mark Ashin, Richard Pera, Charlotte Graham and Megan Carr for their written contributions to this episode.

In our respective attempts to understand the world and societies in which we live, many of us turn to journalism and the narratives it helps convey. Some stories illuminate hidden details about our communities while others clarify obscurities surrounding our leaders and icons. But when looking for stories and journalists we find reliable, objectivity becomes key. Can we trust that a story is "fair" if it involves sensitive information and arguments? Does fairness mean equal representation or the acknowledgment of a biased perspective? This week we welcome Gabe Brison-Trezise to discuss his thoughts on the subject. How are journalists required to balance objectivity and gripping stories? How do economic concerns regarding journalism factor in?

A few weeks ago, the Hollywood Foreign Press Association (HFPA) awarded the 74th Golden Globes. As art reflects life and the societies in which we live, the films, shows and their stars and creators were given particular attention in these times of great social and governmental change. We are pleased to welcome Olivia Sanabria to help dissect some of the awards given, the status they confer and the atmosphere of awards season as a statement on our culture. How might recognition through awards actually delay meaningful conversation? What do the winners and nominees suggest about our preferences in the arts? What do their creations indicate about the stories which are and are not told and the tone with which we expect stories to be addressed?

In our daily lives, routines and schedules often demand that we streamline our thoughts and behavior. Especially surrounded by colleagues, friends and peers, we do not always have the chance to spend time alone with our thoughts. But at night, many of us have the freedom to think more openly and with greater freedom to explore our deepest ruminations. This week, we are joined by CJ Clinkscales to discuss our experiences with late night thoughts. How do they help separate us from society in order to think with more clarity? How can they help us to confront buried or layered thoughts in new ways? And how can late-night thoughts translate into more intimate and socially-bonding conversations with those around us?

Though we might have the tendency to overlook them as mundane or commonplace, gift cards play an interesting role in our gift-giving practices. Increasingly, they are more popular than tangible gifts and present a comfortable middle ground between the effort of finding a gift and the impersonal association we have with giving cash. We are grateful to have Leland Holcomb return this week to discuss these and other ideas about gift cards. And though their convenience is undeniable, how does it affect our gift-giving culture and by extension, our relationships? Does convenience stifle our otherwise creative and arduous journeys to find perfect gifts? Do we distance ourselves further from in-person shopping experiences? What might gift cards suggest about our knowledge of the recipient?

In the 21st century, many content creation tools are increasingly accessible and user-friendly. As a result, platforms like YouTube have become especially popular as means of distributing music, news commentary and other video content. Fans of video games have gravitated towards "Let's Plays" which feature extensive playthroughs of games that are popular, fascinating or under the radar altogether. This week, Phoebe Lewis returns to help us examine the gray area surrounding Let's Plays. They represent content created by video game developers but altered by gameplay and additional commentary and information. Why do we judge those who watch gamers and not those who watch sports or other reproducible events? Do creators have a right to claim revenue and ownership of this new multimedia product? Is it an authentic means of advertising an interesting product? How can our understanding of video games as non-linear media be applied to creations like films and books which often have a straightforward means of consumption?

In a country that has and continues to struggle with issues of race in our society, the topic is all at once heavily debated and rarely discussed in patient, honest forums. It is simultaneously sensitive and necessary to talk about so we thoroughly appreciate Conor Tazewell for joining us to speak about his experience being raised in a biracial family. What do the circumstances of biracial identity permit or prohibit in our culture? How can a biracial perspective illuminate thinking of those who identify with a single race? How might discomfort surrounding discussions of race perpetuate misunderstanding and generalization?

This week, we give a third reading of Don't Sweat the Small Stuff and further discuss some chapters in the book, focusing on minding one's own business, paying attention to the snowball effect of our thoughts and embracing the problems in our lives rather than avoiding them outright. If you enjoyed this episode, you can listen to our first or second reading from the book. As before, if you are interested in getting the book for yourself, we've included some links below.

Every week, we share our thoughts and feelings with you in the form of this podcast. But why do we rely upon this medium? What sets it apart and what do we find most appealing about it? Edison Research indicates that 21% of Americans listen to at least one podcast a month, reflecting a positive trend (up from 9% in 2008 and 12% in 2013). Big players like the Wall Street Journal, The New York Times and others are entering the young market which also contains podcast-focused groups like Gimlet Media and Radiotopia. This week Kendall Theroux joins us to share some of her thoughts as an avid podcast listener. But how should the medium expand and what are its current limitations as a means of human and artistic expression?

We often choose our words because of their meanings, whether personal or mutually agreed upon. But in language, we also elect to use certain terms or phrases to directly oppose arguments, ideas or speakers themselves. This week, Spencer Huffman joins us to examine and recreate a poetry class assignment which confronted opposites as they relate to the poetry of Emily Dickinson. How does the concept of "opposites" become more complex and cumbersome as words become phrases and systemic ideas? How might our adherence to black-and-white opposing structures of thought lead us to reduce larger ideas and erase nuance? Does the concept have the power to create opposition within otherwise similar and cooperative groups of people?

Although we often refer to respect as a vital concept in our society, it often becomes an umbrella term, a placeholder. We presume that respect, in a general sense, includes any behavior which treats another person in a kind, morally correct way. But what do our beliefs about respect say about us? This week Milad Momeni joins us to discuss the roots of our respect for ourselves, our environments and others. We also examine what actions and attitudes we employ in demonstrating our respect for the aforementioned groups. How do our languages of respect affect what we interpret as respectful or disrespectful? Why do we hold respect for those we do and are our signals of respect mutual?

As we enter adulthood, we naturally leave behind many of the vestiges of childhood. We outgrow old clothing, our interests evolve and our social circles expand and adapt. But in this process, as adulthood often prepares us to work, we often lose the time and apatite for play. This week, Evan Rasch joins us to discuss the role that playing has in childhood and what it could offer in an adult perspective. Do we close ourselves off to new perspectives and creative problem solving when we abandon play as a lens through which to see the world? Do we limit our own abilities to appreciate the world when we limit play to the youngest members of our culture? At what point do most of us stop playing and what does this signify about our larger beliefs and values?

Especially in recent weeks, many of us have been confronted by the realities which operate in spite of, beneath and because of our beliefs. We have been forced to engage in dialogue with those who do not share our perspectives and the clash of numerous systems of belief has been prominent in our discourse as a society. But even under less confrontational circumstances, many of us do not share our beliefs. This week we welcome Mark Ashin to examine why beliefs represent such vulnerability in us and what we might gain in more honest, respectful discussion of what we believe and why we believe it. How could more open discussion promote more empathy? Are some of our most strongly-held perspectives so deeply woven in our subconscious that we cannot articulate them clearly? Is there a judgment inherent in the crossroads of beliefs that do not align with one another?

Especially in times of shared confusion, disagreement and public unrest, it is worth considering the communities we all belong to. We may be aware of some of their traits, but do we appreciate how communities function as disparate groups? This week we welcome Qossay Alsattari to discuss ideas surrounding entry into a community. As we settle into our respective roles, we do not always appreciate the strange times associated with changing or joining a community. How can we be more welcoming to newcomers and what should we observe and respect in the communities we join? Are we able to enact change after joining a new community?

Though our modern era is filled with sleeplessness and poorly-rested citizens, not all of us suffer from the condition of insomnia, which heavily impedes one's ability to sleep. Because sleep is so essential to our bodily and mental health, it plays a clear role in our survival and success as people. As a result, insomnia presents a curious case of the unnatural - holding us just out of reach of one layer of human behavior and habit. This week, we welcome C.J. Clinkscales, who has chronically dealt with insomnia, to discuss his thoughts. In what ways does insomnia create an element of artificiality? Why might it make us feel unnatural or monstrous? What do we learn about our thought patterns when we're left alone with them for hours in this vulnerable state? And how can we incorporate it into our unproductive views of "heroic" sleep deprivation?