Now I Get It, with Dr. Andy

Andrew Winkler
  • 5.0 (7)
  • MATHEMATICS

I’m Andrew Winkler, a former Stanford and Columbia math professor. We’ll explore the most interesting insights I’ve come across, ranging across the mental landscape: math, science, personality, how we think and feel, and how we love or feel unloved. We’ll give answers to all the most confusing questions everyone has, have new books and authors, and reach new understandings. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

  1. 1D AGO

    Why Police Accountability Protects Every Officer: Understanding Brandishing and the Danger of Normalizing Violence

    Today, I tackle one of the most critical and challenging conversations we need to have in America right now—the intersection of law enforcement heroism and accountability. While there are truly heroic police officers who risk their lives to protect and serve and deserve our deepest gratitude, recent events have forced us to confront systemic issues that threaten the safety of everyone, including the good officers themselves. Welcome to this important episode of Now I Get It with Dr. Andy. I'm exploring the legal concept of brandishing weapons, examining why the official response to questionable shootings is so dangerous, and explaining how normalizing violence by officers in uniform puts every single law enforcement officer at greater risk. I'll also discuss why systemic cover-ups exist, how senators are responding, and why we must maintain perspective while demanding full accountability. This isn't about being anti-police—it's about protecting the integrity of law enforcement and ensuring the safety of both officers and citizens. In this episode, you will learn: (00:00) Why there are truly heroic cops who deserve our deepest gratitude and support  (01:30) How systemic cover-ups work, including medical examiners answering to sheriffs (03:11) What brandishing means legally and why it's both illegal and dangerous (04:20) Why we don't fear for our lives when police brandish weapons—and why that presumption is now threatened (06:06) The details of what happened in Minnesota and why it was clearly murder (06:45) How normalizing police violence creates deadly danger for every officer (08:30) Why senators holding up ICE funding is an important accountability measure (09:02) How to maintain perspective: these incidents are still rarities among thousands of honorable officers Let’s connect! linktr.ee/drprandy Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    11 min

  2. FEB 5

    Uncovering Border Patrol Shooting Patterns: What a 2012 Government Report Reveals About Deadly Force

    In this episode of Now I Get It, I'm diving into a 2012 government report that's been sitting on the Customs and Border Patrol website, and what it reveals is deeply disturbing. This report examines patterns in border shooting incidents, particularly those involving motor vehicles, and uncovers a troubling practice where agents may be intentionally positioning themselves in the path of vehicles to create justification for using deadly force. The findings suggest that rather than employing defensive tactics like getting out of the way, some agents are shooting at drivers of non-violent suspects who pose no threat beyond a moving vehicle. What makes this particularly relevant right now is how these patterns mirror what we've witnessed in recent high-profile incidents. I walk you through the specific language in the report that describes how agents create pretexts for shootings, the ineffectiveness of shooting at moving vehicles, and the policy violations that continue to occur. This episode challenges us to pay closer attention to law enforcement practices, recognize dangerous patterns, and demand greater accountability when deadly force is used under questionable circumstances. In this episode, you will learn: (00:00) The context behind disturbing border patrol shooting patterns and why I'm examining this government report now  (01:19) What the 2012 Customs and Border Patrol report reveals about shootings at motor vehicles  (02:46) The pattern of agents positioning themselves in vehicle exit paths to justify deadly force  (02:46) Why shooting at a moving vehicle is ineffective and creates greater danger  (03:18) The actual CBP policy on discharging firearms at moving vehicles and how it's being violated  (04:36) How conflicting commands can create pretexts for non-compliance and justify lethal action  (05:35) Frame-by-frame analysis findings from a recent incident and the denial of medical aid Let’s connect! linktr.ee/drprandy Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    7 min

  3. JAN 15

    Love Lost — and Found Again: How to Stop the Relationship Death Spiral Before It’s Too Late

    In this episode of Now I Get It, I take a hard, compassionate look at one of the most tragic patterns I see in relationships: what I call the death spiral. It’s the painful process where two people genuinely love each other, yet slowly drift apart—not because love is gone, but because it’s never truly felt. I explain how our personalities shape the way we give and receive love, and why so many couples unknowingly miss each other despite constant effort. I walk through how this spiral begins with good intentions, escalates through frustration and withdrawal, and often ends quietly—when the fighting stops and hope fades. But this episode isn’t about blame or despair. It’s about awareness and repair. By understanding personality-driven love expressions and learning to recognize what truly resonates with your partner, it’s possible to reverse the cycle, rebuild connection, and restore the mutual affection that brought you together in the first place. In this episode, you will learn: (00:00) Why loving someone deeply isn’t enough to sustain a relationship (01:10) How personality shapes the way we give and receive love (02:17) Why both partners often feel they’re giving more than they get (03:15) How “trying harder” can accelerate relational breakdown (04:00) The stages of the relationship death spiral—from criticism to silence (05:11) How understanding love languages tied to personality can reverse the spiral (05:45) How mutual appreciation and attraction can be restored over time Let’s connect! linktr.ee/drprandy Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    7 min

  4. JAN 1

    When Military Power Crosses a Line: What “Harm’s Way” Really Means in Modern Warfare

    Welcome back to Now I Get It. In this episode, I break down a term we hear all the time in national security conversations but rarely slow down to understand: harm’s way. I explore how this concept is traditionally defined in U.S. military policy, why it matters, and how it’s being challenged by the current use of remote warfare. Using the recent drone-led attacks in the Caribbean as a backdrop, I look at what happens when technology distances human operators from physical danger—yet still places the country itself in profound geopolitical risk. I also dig into the overlooked consequences of attacking vessels on the open sea, why the flag a boat flies carries legal and military implications, and how these actions can provoke entirely justified responses from nation-states. From asymmetric warfare to murky acts of sabotage and drone incursions, I explore how conflicts escalate without ever being formally declared—and how decisions made far from the battlefield ripple out to place the entire U.S. military, and even the country, in harm’s way. In this episode, you will learn: (00:00) Why “harm’s way” matters in today’s military decisions (00:23) How drone warfare challenges the War Powers Act (01:03) Why attacking a flagged vessel is an act of war (01:45) How asymmetric warfare enables covert retaliation (02:28) Why murky attacks blur responsibility in global conflict (03:14) How U.S. drone strikes put the entire military at risk Let’s connect! linktr.ee/drprandy Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    5 min

  5. 12/18/2025

    How a Government Shutdown Reveals the Dark Reality of U.S. Healthcare Politics

    In this episode, I break down what really happened during the recent government shutdown—and why it matters far beyond the headlines. I walk you through how the standoff between Republicans and Democrats over healthcare funding put millions at risk, and how the political maneuvering behind closed doors quietly determined the fate of those lives. From the targeted removal of Obamacare subsidies to deep cuts in Medicaid, I unpack how these policy choices translate into real-world consequences, including tens of thousands of preventable deaths. I also shed light on the lesser-known tactics lawmakers use to avoid accountability—like strategically assigning votes to retiring politicians or those far from reelection. And I grapple with the moral dilemma at the heart of this crisis: When one side is willing to let children go hungry or deny medical care to exert political pressure, how does a functioning democracy respond? It’s a conversation about power, ethics, and the cost of political gamesmanship on human lives. In this episode, you will learn: (00:34) How the shutdown exposed the realities of U.S. healthcare politics (01:10) Why cutting Obamacare subsidies put millions at risk (02:00) How both parties pushed competing plans to reopen the government (02:55) Why eight Democrats crossed party lines at the decisive moment (03:40) How lawmakers hide behind “just enough votes” (04:05) How political timing shields certain legislators from backlash (05:15) The moral dilemma behind letting 50,000 people die vs. starving children (06:30) Why negotiating with political extremism mirrors dealing with a psychopath (07:45) How this same dynamic shows up in war and global conflict (08:20) What the end of the shutdown really means for public health Let’s connect! linktr.ee/drprandy Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    9 min

  6. 12/04/2025

    The Hidden Power of “Paltry”: How Half-Truths Shape What We Believe

    In this episode of Now I Get It, I take you into the subtle—but dangerous—world of paltry: the art of lying by telling nothing but the truth. Through stories pulled from literature, current events, and political reporting, I show how selective truth-telling can create powerful false impressions without ever crossing the line into an outright lie. It’s a communication tactic hiding in plain sight, and once you see it, you start noticing it everywhere. I share examples from Pride and Prejudice, the Ghislaine Maxwell/Jeffrey Epstein media coverage, and recent reporting on healthcare legislation and government shutdowns. Together, we unpack how missing context can distort public understanding, why accountability in storytelling matters, and how we as consumers of information can learn to recognize when we're being told “the truth”—but not the whole truth. In this episode, you will learn: (00:30) How “paltry” allows someone to lie while saying only true things (01:05) How Wickham misleads Elizabeth in Pride and Prejudice (02:30) How media reporting on Epstein and Maxwell omitted essential context (03:45) Why “repeal and replace Obamacare” was always a misleading claim (05:30) How government shutdown coverage distorted both parties’ roles (07:20) How to spot selective truth-telling in everyday news Let’s connect! linktr.ee/drprandy Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    9 min

  7. 11/20/2025

    Beyond the Binary: How Language and Biology Shape Our Understanding of Gender

    In this episode of Now I Get It, I explore the fascinating intersection of language, culture, and gender identity—and how our words shape the way we perceive human difference. I dive into how languages like Chinese, English, and German handle gender differently, showing that grammatical gender often has nothing to do with biological sex. What started as simple sound harmonies and linguistic structures in ancient languages evolved into the gender categories we use today, even though the roots were never about “male” or “female” at all. From there, I take a closer look at the biological complexity of sex differentiation—and why the tidy binary of “male” and “female” doesn’t capture the real diversity of human biology. Through examples like androgen insensitivity syndrome and variations in the SRY gene, I show how genetics and hormones don’t always align neatly with societal definitions of gender or sex. The result? A compelling case for rethinking how we talk about identity and embracing the spectrum that actually exists. In this episode, you will learn: (00:45) How language structures gender—and why some languages don’t even have it(02:30) The origins of grammatical gender and how it accidentally became tied to sex(03:50) Why English mostly lost grammatical gender (and what remains of it today)(04:20) What the SRY gene is and how it determines sex differentiation(05:10) The role of androgen insensitivity and how it challenges binary assumptions(06:30) Real-world examples of chromosomal diversity beyond XX and XY(07:40) Why our cultural obsession with binaries doesn’t match biological or linguistic reality Let’s connect! linktr.ee/drprandy Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    9 min

  8. 11/06/2025

    From Inequality to Identity: Understanding America’s Cultural Tug-of-War

    In this episode of Now I Get It, I dive deep into how cultural differences shape the United States—past and present. Drawing from Geert Hofstede’s groundbreaking IBM studies, I explore how nations differ across dimensions like inequality, gender roles, religion, and individuality. Through that lens, I connect these global cultural frameworks to America’s own fragmented identity—how early immigrant roots, regional histories, and moral certainties have divided and defined the country’s political landscape. I also unpack how gender distinctions, religion, and attitudes toward uncertainty influence everything from politics to personality. From Appalachian independence to New England collectivism, from authoritarian comfort to improvisational freedom, these cultural currents still ripple through every debate we have today. Understanding them, I argue, is the first step toward finding balance amid the chaos. In this episode, you will learn: (00:00) How IBM’s cultural research helps explain America’s divided identity(03:10) Why early immigrant settlements still shape regional attitudes centuries later(04:46) The political fault line between equality and inequality in U.S. ideology(08:51) How gender, religion, and cultural “masculinity” define national outlooks(11:57) The psychology of authoritarianism and the comfort of conformity(15:40) Why improvisers crave freedom while stabilizers seek safety(17:49) How time orientation—past, present, or future—shapes cultural behavior(21:30) The historical tug-of-war between Boston and Charleston—and what it still means today Let’s connect! linktr.ee/drprandy Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    28 min
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About

I’m Andrew Winkler, a former Stanford and Columbia math professor. We’ll explore the most interesting insights I’ve come across, ranging across the mental landscape: math, science, personality, how we think and feel, and how we love or feel unloved. We’ll give answers to all the most confusing questions everyone has, have new books and authors, and reach new understandings. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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