Post-Nomad Russell Max Simon

On this episode I talk with Gena Gorlin. Gena is an assistant professor of psychology at Yeshiva University in the Bronx, but she came to my attention via an excellent blog post on meaning and self-actualization during coronavirus (link below). We discuss Maslow’s hierarchy, self-deception, imbuing meaning to primal activities, the problems with evolutionary psychology, the difference between what you want and what’s expected of you, and the importance of studying Classical philosophy.
Note: you can listen and subscribe to this podcast on most major podcast platforms by searching “Russell Max Simon” or “What Really Matters.”
Show notes include:
* COVID-19 and the Meaning of Life, Gena’s post on self-actualization during crisis
* All for Alice, Gena’s post on motherhood and why she started writing for a general audience
* Gena’s personal website


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On this episode I talk with Devon Reehl, and old friend from when we worked together at a Christian Science Summer camp in Maine.
Devon and I talk a little about that shared, unique experience, but we also go deep on Devon’s fairly extraordinary life since then, in which he made his living as a professional musician for 10 years, founded a successful marketing agency with his wife, and moved his family to Costa Rica. We talk about how he made that decision to move, what life is like in Costa Rica during coronavirus, what it was like to leave music after 10 years, and much more.
Show notes include:
* Enginate (Devon’s marketing agency)
* Revision on Spotify (the band Devon was a member of for 10 years)
* Camp Owatonna (the Summer camp we worked at together)


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Hi folks -
This episode serves as a sort of companion piece to an episode I recorded in December, incidentally just before coronavirus burst into the public consciousness. It’s not absolutely necessary, but if you haven’t listened to that one (Episode #6 - Go North), I encourage you to do so, either now or after you listen to this one.
Best from New Hampshire,
- Russell


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On this episode I talk with Lynne Bundesen. She is the author of several books on women and spirituality, including the memoir So the Woman Went Her Way and most recently The Feminine Spirit at the Heart of the Bible. Across her storied, extraordinary life, she, among other things: unknowingly married into the Chicago mafia; became a correspondent for Time, the Wall Street Journal, and numerous other newspapers; wrote speeches for the Congressional Black Caucus in California; was a staff member on the judiciary committee during the impeachment of Richard Nixon; traveled the world, and much more.
Lynne is also, incidentally, my grandmother. It was a pleasure to interview her, and I even learned some new things about her I didn’t know. We talk feminism, spirituality, her first marriage, and her legacy as a journalist, mother and grandparent. As I say: we should all spend much, more more time interviewing our grandparents.
Show notes include:
* The Feminine Spirit at the Heart of the Bible (Lynne’s recently re-published book)
* So the Woman Went Her Way (Lynne’s excellent memoir)
* Lynne’s person author website


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On this solo episode I talk about two great challenges facing society right now: the first is climate change, and the second is the disintegration of tight-knit communities and the support we’ve historically received from having close relationships. Put these two challenges together, and there’s only one choice: go north. I mean that literally.
I explain further in the episode. Have a listen, and let me know what you think.


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On this episode I talk with Paul Millerd. Paul went to grad school at MIT before embarking on a traditional high prestige, high earning career path. He worked for global management consulting firms like BCG and McKinsey - and then it all changed. I’ll let him tell the story, but the short of it is that Paul got off the traditional career track and reassessed what he truly wanted from life.
That’s not easy to do, but I think Paul has done it with uncommon thoughtfulness, so I was very pleased he found time from his home in Taiwan to talk it through with me.
Show links include:
* Navigating life without a map
* Think Boundless (Paul’s career coaching site)
* Paul Millerd on Twitter


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