Seize the Moment Podcast

Alen D. Ulman, Leon Garber

Seize the Moment Podcast, hosted by Leon Garber and Alen Ulman, is a project centered around making the most important and useful ideas in psychology, philosophy, and personal development mainstream. We feature guests from all walks of life whether they be artists, musicians, comedians, entrepreneurs, philosophers, psychologists and many more. There is a saying, "the most essential knowledge is not yet made widely accessible." We want to make that information accessible and change as many lives for the better as possible. Leon Garber is a philosophical writer, contemplating and elucidating the deep recesses of man's soul. He is a Licensed Mental Health Counselor/Psychotherapist — specializing in Existential Psychotherapy, Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy, and Trauma Therapy — and manages a blog exploring issues of death, self-esteem, love, freedom, life-meaning, and mental health/mental illness, from both empirical and personal viewpoints. Alen Ulman is a content creator and life long auto-didact. Alen manages the page Ego Ends Now which is a growing community for expanding consciousness with vital information about science, medicine, self actualization, philosophy, psychology and methods to overcome identification with compulsive thought. The purpose of Ego Ends Now is to make sure to give everyone in it's community every tool available to add levity in their own lives, making it a very real possibility for them to create a life of their own design, and help impact the world and our global community positively.

  1. 2d ago

    Saul Levmore & Ward Farnsworth - Why Smart People Make Bad Everyday Decisions | STM Podcast #267

    On episode 267, we welcome Saul Levmore and Ward Farnsworth to discuss how we make everyday decisions, the complexities of tipping, deciding who should pay for a first date, competing values and loyalties as sometimes expressed by a love/hate relationship with one's country, social norms and how they're created, disingenuous praise as a potential good, enthusiasm as a potential expression of genuine admiration, and the general joys of thinking. Saul Levmore is the William B. Graham Distinguished Service Professor at the University of Chicago Law School. He is a member of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, and a past president of the American Law Deans Association and of the American Law and Economics Association.  Ward Farnsworth is Professor and W. Page Keeton Chair at the University of Texas School of Law. He is author of The Latin Tamer, The Socratic Method, The Practicing Stoic, and the Farnsworth Classical English series which includes Argument, Rhetoric, Metaphor, and Style—all published by Godine.  Their new book, available October 27, 2026, is called Should You Tip for Takeout?: Solving the Puzzles of Everyday Life. | Saul Levmore & Ward Farnsworth | ► Website | https://www.law.uchicago.edu/faculty/levmorehttps://philpeople.org/profiles/benjamin-mccraw  ► Website 2 | https://www.wardfarnsworth.com ► Should You Tip for Takeout? Book | https://amzn.to/4zscWTu Where you can find us: | Seize The Moment Podcast | ► Facebook | https://www.facebook.com/SeizeTheMomentpodcast ► Twitter | https://twitter.com/seize_podcast ► Instagram | https://www.instagram.com/seizethemomentpodcast ► TikTok | https://www.tiktok.com/@seizethemomentpodcast ► Patreon |  patreon.com/user?u=32208666

  2. Oct 4

    Mark Schroeder - Why Small Arguments Become Personal | STM Podcast #266

    On episode 266, we welcome Mark Schroeder to discuss why we tend to misunderstand each other so much when arguing, the difference between signal and noise, the fundamental attribution error and what philosophers mean by attribution, what addiction is, taking responsibility as a means of improving mental health, whether others know us better than we know ourselves, overestimating ill-will from others, and what it means to be a person. Mark Schroeder is professor of philosophy at the University of Southern California, where he is founding director of the Conceptual Foundations of Conflict Project. His books include Reasons First, Being For, and Slaves of the Passions. His new book, available October 27, 2026, is called When Things Get Personal: A Philosophical Guide to Conflict. | Mark Schroeder | ► Website | https://markschroeder.net/bio ► Substack | https://substack.com/@philosophymark ► Bluesky | https://bsky.app/profile/philosophymark.bsky.social ► Facebook | https://www.facebook.com/mark.a.schroeder ► When Things Get Personal Book | https://bit.ly/WhenThingsGetPersonal Where you can find us: | Seize The Moment Podcast | ► Facebook | https://www.facebook.com/SeizeTheMomentPodcast ► Twitter | https://twitter.com/seize_podcast ► Instagram | https://www.instagram.com/seizethemomentpodcast ► TikTok | https://www.tiktok.com/@seizethemomentpodcast ► Patreon |  patreon.com/user?u=32208666

  3. Sep 27

    Colin Marshall - How to Change Someone's Mind Without Manipulating Them | STM Podcast #265

    On episode 265, we welcome Colin Marshall to discuss ethical persuasion, how it differs from debating, the importance of respecting others' life choices and taking them seriously, Colin's experience phone-banking during the last US presidential election, virtue signaling and bullying as barriers to persuasion, Daryl Davis and persuading people away from white supremacist beliefs, staying true to yourself when in conflict, whether podcasting is a good space for reasoning with others, why Fred Rogers epitomizes moral persuasion, the importance of keeping an open mind when trying to prove a point, and teamwork as the foundation for changing minds. Colin Marshall is professor of philosophy at the University of Washington, Seattle. He is the author of Compassionate Moral Realism. His new book, available now, Just Hear Me Out: How to Change Minds Without Lies, B******t, or Moral Compromise, explores how we can change minds on difficult issues without lying, manipulation, or sacrificing respect and compassion. It brings together philosophy, psychology, and real-world stories of persuasion.  | Colin Marshall | ► Website | https://phil.washington.edu/people/colin-marshall ► Instagram | https://www.instagram.com/prof.c.marshall ► Bluesky | https://bsky.app/profile/profcolin.bsky.social ► Just Hear Me Out Book | https://bit.ly/JustHearMeOutUCP Where you can find us: | Seize The Moment Podcast | ► Facebook | https://www.facebook.com/SeizeTheMomentPodcast ► Twitter | https://twitter.com/seize_podcast ► Instagram | https://www.instagram.com/seizethemomentpodcast ► TikTok | https://www.tiktok.com/@seizethemomentpodcast ► Patreon |  patreon.com/user?u=32208666

  4. Sep 20

    Arlie Russell Hochschild - How Trump Turned Shame and Fear Into Political Power | STM Podcast #264

    On episode 264, we welcome Arlie Russell Hochschild to discuss Trump's appeal in rural America, 'the pride paradox' and shame being the natural result of believing you're completely in charge of your own destiny, how Pikeville, Kentucky addressed a white supremacist march, navigating political polarization and learning how to humanize each other, shame and blame as irrelevant to real but complex understandings of the world, the different ways of navigating the emotional distress of a changing economy, and the predispositions fascists take advantage of. Arlie Russell Hochschild is the author of many groundbreaking books, including The Second Shift, The Managed Heart, and The Time Bind as well as Strangers in Their Own Land, which became an instant bestseller and was a finalist for a National Book Award, and Stolen Pride: Loss, Shame, and the Rise of the Right (both from The New Press). Hochschild is professor emerita of sociology at the University of California, Berkeley. | Arlie Russell Hochschild | ► Website | https://sociology.berkeley.edu/professor-emeritus/arlie-r-hochschild ► X | https://x.com/hochschild_r ► Stolen Pride Book | https://amzn.to/46AHOon Where you can find us: | Seize The Moment Podcast | ► Facebook | https://www.facebook.com/SeizeTheMomentPodcast ► Twitter | https://twitter.com/seize_podcast ► Instagram | https://www.instagram.com/seizethemomentpodcast ► TikTok | https://www.tiktok.com/@seizethemomentpodcast ► Patreon |  patreon.com/user?u=32208666

  5. Aug 2

    J. Aaron Simmons & Benjamin W. McCraw - The Hidden Philosophy of Heavy Metal | STM Podcast #263

    On episode 263, we welcome J. Aaron Simmons and Benjamin McGraw to discuss the philosophy of heavy metal, the satanic panic and the Judas Priest trial, metal as an expression of liberty and individuality, the intellectual diversity in metal, challenging racist and misogynistic ideologies in the sphere, music as an expression of rebellion and critical thinking, the battle between reactionary and progressive beliefs and how it manifests in the war against the devil, the paradox of Christian metal, and transcending the need to transgress as an authentic expression of metal fandom. J. Aaron Simmons is a Professor of Philosophy who has published over a dozen books, the most recent is Camping with Kierkegaard. Simmons is the former President of the Søren Kierkegaard Society (USA) and writes regularly for his Substack, Philosophy in the Wild. Benjamin W. McCraw is Instructor of Philosophy at the University of South Carolina Upstate and Research Associate at the African Centre for Epistemology and Philosophy of Science (ACEPS), University of Johannesburg. He works in epistemology and philosophy of religion and has published in journals including Social Epistemology, Faith and Philosophy, Acta Analytica, and Religious Studies. Their new book, available now, is called The Heaviest Ideas in the Universe: A Philosophy of Heavy Metal. | J. Aaron Simmons & Benjamin W. McCraw| ► Website | https://jaaronsimmons.com, https://philpeople.org/profiles/benjamin-mccraw  ► Youtube | https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCtktPVW5IrLx0772vl8znWQ ► Substack | https://jaaronsimmons.substack.com ► Twitter |  https://twitter.com/jaaronsimmons ► Facebook | https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100090093484022 ► Instagram | https://www.instagram.com/simmonsphilosopher ► Google Scholar | https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=kUbkQ8EAAAAJ&hl=en ► The Heaviest Ideas in the Universe | https://amzn.to/4hI1IED Where you can find us: | Seize The Moment Podcast | ► Facebook | https://www.facebook.com/SeizeTheMomentPodcast ► Twitter | https://twitter.com/seize_podcast ► Instagram | https://www.instagram.com/seizethemomentPodcast ► TikTok | https://www.tiktok.com/@seizethemomentpodcast ► Patreon |  patreon.com/user?u=32208666

  6. Jul 12

    Mike McIntire - Why America Can't Escape Gun Violence | STM Podcast #262

    On episode 262, we welcome Mike McIntire to discuss American gun ownership, the Supreme Court's misinterpretation of the second amendment of the bill of rights, the proliferation of guns for both defense and conquest throughout American history, gun ownership as a symbol of responsibility and masculinity, the NRA's existential fear of gun reforms, the philosophical divide at the heart of the debate around gun ownership, how the founding fathers may have reacted to the current political climate, and the importance of popular messaging in alleviating gun violence. Mike McIntire is an investigative reporter, author, and editor. As a member of the investigations unit at The New York Times, he shared Pulitzer Prizes in 2022 for reporting on the hidden financial incentives behind police traffic stops, and in 2017 for reporting on covert Russian interference in the US presidential election. His new book, available July 21, 2026, is called Ricochet: Guns, Greed, and the American Way of Violence.  | Mike McIntire | ► Website | https://www.mikemcintire.com ► The New York Times | https://nyti.ms/3TffsfU ► Ricochet Book | https://bit.ly/read-ricochet-book Where you can find us: | Seize The Moment Podcast | ► Facebook | https://www.facebook.com/SeizeTheMomentPodcast ► Twitter | https://twitter.com/seize_podcast ► Instagram | https://www.instagram.com/seizethemomentpodcast ► TikTok | https://www.tiktok.com/@seizethemomentpodcast

  7. Jun 28

    Ilan Stavans - Why Americans Can't Stop Arguing About God | STM Podcast #261

    On episode 261, we welcome Ilan Stavans to discuss the historical incarnations of god, god as a symbol of both oppression and liberty, Moses's rebellion against god and how it symbolizes modern faith, god as an ineffable experience, why we continue to create god, militant atheism as a response to deep-seated hope for the existence of god, Jesus dying for the sins of Yahweh, morality without religion, and god in the age of AI. Ilan Stavans is the publisher of Restless Books and the Lewis-Sebring Professor of Humanities and Latin American and Latino Culture at Amherst College. His books include On Borrowed Words, Spanglish, Dictionary Days, The Disappearance, and A Critic's Journey. He is the recipient of numerous awards and honors, including a Guggenheim Fellowship, Chile's Presidential Medal, the International Latino Book Award, and the Jewish Book Award. Stavans's work, translated into twenty languages, has been adapted to the stage and screen. Ilan is also the host of the NPR-affiliated podcast "In Contrast." His new book, available on June 30, 2026, is called A Nation Wrestles With God: American Prophets, Philosophers, and Firebrands. | Ilan Stavans | ► Website | https://restlessbooks.org/our-team ► Podcast | https://www.nepm.org/in-contrast-a-podcast-on-culture-in-the-making ► A Nation Wrestles With God Book | https://bit.ly/ANationWrestlesWithGod Where you can find us: | Seize The Moment Podcast | ► Facebook | https://www.facebook.com/SeizeTheMomentPodcast ► Twitter | https://twitter.com/seize_podcast ► Instagram | https://www.instagram.com/seizethemomentpodcast ► TikTok | https://www.tiktok.com/@seizethemomentpodcast

  8. Jun 14

    David Ost - The Hidden Connection Between Fascism and Modern Populism | STM Podcast #260

    On episode 260, we welcome David Ost to discuss the philosophy of the red pill movement, the similarities and differences between red pill and fascism, why people are drawn to authoritarian figures, the rise of Trump, populism as an ideological framework for fascism, Soviet communism as the extreme end of the left's failures to improve lives, sports and worker's rights, and the New York Knicks as a symbol of class struggle. David Ost is an emeritus professor of politics at Hobart and William Smith Colleges, who has written widely on eastern Europe, left and right politics, and labor and democracy. He is the author of Solidarity and the Politics of Anti-Politics, The Defeat of Solidarity: Anger and Politics in Postcommunist Europe, as well as editor/author of Class After Communism, and co-editor/author of Workers After Workers' States. He has written for a wide variety of scholarly and popular publications. His new book, available now, is called Red Pill Politics: Demystifying the Far Right from Fascism to Right-Wing Populism. | David Ost | ► Website | https://annlarsonwrites.com, https://economichardship.org/author/annlarson  ► Facebook | https://www.facebook.com/david.ost.10 ► Red Pill Politics Book | https://amzn.to/3S5ZWm9 Where you can find us: | Seize The Moment Podcast | ► Facebook | https://www.facebook.com/SeizeTheMomentPodcast ► Twitter | https://twitter.com/seize_podcast ► Instagram | https://www.instagram.com/seizethemomentpodcast ► TikTok | https://www.tiktok.com/@seizethemomentpodcast

5
out of 5
17 Ratings

About

Seize the Moment Podcast, hosted by Leon Garber and Alen Ulman, is a project centered around making the most important and useful ideas in psychology, philosophy, and personal development mainstream. We feature guests from all walks of life whether they be artists, musicians, comedians, entrepreneurs, philosophers, psychologists and many more. There is a saying, "the most essential knowledge is not yet made widely accessible." We want to make that information accessible and change as many lives for the better as possible. Leon Garber is a philosophical writer, contemplating and elucidating the deep recesses of man's soul. He is a Licensed Mental Health Counselor/Psychotherapist — specializing in Existential Psychotherapy, Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy, and Trauma Therapy — and manages a blog exploring issues of death, self-esteem, love, freedom, life-meaning, and mental health/mental illness, from both empirical and personal viewpoints. Alen Ulman is a content creator and life long auto-didact. Alen manages the page Ego Ends Now which is a growing community for expanding consciousness with vital information about science, medicine, self actualization, philosophy, psychology and methods to overcome identification with compulsive thought. The purpose of Ego Ends Now is to make sure to give everyone in it's community every tool available to add levity in their own lives, making it a very real possibility for them to create a life of their own design, and help impact the world and our global community positively.

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