Keep Talking

Dan Riley
  • 4.7 (34)
  • SOCIETY & CULTURE
  • UPDATED WEEKLY
Keep Talking Podcast

"Keep Talking" exists to have conversations that might help to make a better society and a better culture. I believe that each guest has important information and stories to make public. And it's something that I want to share.

  1. Episode 119: Stephen Kinzer - The Secret Truths of MK-Ultra

    1 DAY AGO

    Episode 119: Stephen Kinzer - The Secret Truths of MK-Ultra

    Stephen Kinzer is a historian, a Senior Fellow in International and Public Affairs at Brown University, and the author of various books including, "Poisoner in Chief: Sidney Gottlieb and the CIA Search for Mind Control." ------------ Book a meeting with Dan ------------ Keep Talking Substack Spotify Apple Podcasts Social media and all episodes ------------ Support via Venmo Support on Substack Support on Patreon ------------ (00:00) Intro (01:00) What was MK-Ultra? Who was Sidney Gottlieb? (08:55) The U.S.'s collaboration with Nazi and Japanese torturers (14:43) The historical context that justified MK-Ultra (24:25) Examples of torture from the MK-Ultra program (30:53) LSD and MK-Ultra (39:14) The eventual conclusion from the MK-Ultra program (43:21) Speculating on the full scope and details of the MK-Ultra program (49:13) Stephen's ethical judgments on Gottlieb (53:25) Has Stephen received pushback for his revelations? (57:04) Is something like MK-Ultra happening now? (59:47) Why do so few Americans know about MK-Ultra?

    1h 3m
  2. Episode 118: Helen Fisher - Understanding Why We Love

    AUG 30

    Episode 118: Helen Fisher - Understanding Why We Love

    Helen Fisher was an anthropologist, a professor, an author, and was one of the world's experts on the science of love. This is the final summer rebroadcast of 2024, episode 47 of "Keep Talking," the most-downloaded audio episode from this show. Helen sadly died on Saturday, August 17, 2024. She was charming, brilliant, and a gem of a human being, and I wanted to honor her by reposting her episode as the final summer rebroadcast of this year. During our conversation, Helen talks about her background interest in love, the role that love plays in human existence, the evolutionary purpose of love, how the subconscious influences who we fall in love with, how to know if you aren't in love, and wisdom she would provide to improve one's probability for healthy romance and a compatible mate choice. ------------ Book a meeting with Dan ------------ Keep Talking Substack Rate on Spotify Rate on Apple Podcasts Social media and all episodes ------------ Support via Venmo Support on Substack Support on Patreon ------------ (00:00) Intro (01:05) How Helen got interested in studying love (05:18) Trailblazing the academic study of love (06:22) What is love? (11:01) Love and love decisions are life's most important choices (12:46) Understanding "love maps" and the unconscious as it relates to love (22:15) Millennials and "slow love" (27:56) When are you not in love? When is it time to end a relationship? (37:58) Identifying great compatibility matches (41:53) Mitigating the risks of neuroticism from torpedoing a relationship (48:30) Attachment styles and compatibility (54:46) Identifying the root cause of depression (56:46) Ending a relationship when indifference is present (01:08:00) Designing a lifestyle that makes you a better and authentic partner (01:11:27) The role of marriage in human life (01:15:30) Helen getting married in her mid-70's

    1h 18m
  3. Episode 117: Richard Reeves - Understanding the Suffering of Modern Men

    AUG 23

    Episode 117: Richard Reeves - Understanding the Suffering of Modern Men

    Richard Reeves is a writer, a Senior Fellow at the Brookings Institution and the author of "Of Boys and Men." This is a rebroadcast of episode 67 of "Keep Talking," one of the most important conversations from this show. Richard presents data detailing how boys and men are falling behind in education and employment, that men represent three out every four "deaths of despair," and the confusion over what is good about being a man and what it means to be a man as gender roles have significantly changed. ------------ Book a meeting with Dan ------------ Keep Talking Substack Rate on Spotify Rate on Apple Podcasts Social media and all episodes ------------ Support via Venmo Support on Substack Support on Patreon ------------ (00:00) Intro (01:06) How Richard realized men are falling behind (04:42) The data re: men falling behind in education (08:02) The structure of education helps women's natural abilities (12:26) A response to the indifference of male decline (17:06) Stories of suffering of modern men (20:30) Men are "opting out" not "acting out" (25:42) What would men be doing without porn and video games? (27:19) Big stats and small stats that reveal the decline of men (30:56) A sense of agency is crucial for men who are struggling (37:31) Jim Hollis' work for men (38:46) Jordan Peterson is a gigantic listening ear for men (44:06) The Andrew Tate phenomenon (51:31) Jordan Peterson's rage and empathy (57:09) Divorce and its effect on men (01:02:44) What is the evolutionary purpose of men? (01:06:46) Children need positive relationships with their fathers; married parents less so (01:15:39) Solutions to increase male flourishing

    1h 22m
  4. Episode 116: Kevin Kelly - Ideas To Live A Wise Life

    AUG 16

    Episode 116: Kevin Kelly - Ideas To Live A Wise Life

    Kevin Kelly is a photographer, a futurist, an editor, and the author of multiple books, including "Excellent Advice for Living: Wisdom I Wish I'd Known Earlier," the subject of our conversation. This is a rebroadcast of episode 75 of "Keep Talking," one of my favorite episodes. On his 68th birthday, Kevin wrote "68 Bits of Unsolicited Advice" for his children - an essay that went viral. He wrote two more birthday advice essays for years 69 and 70. Now, after cleaning those nuggets up and adding 150 more, he has written a treasure-trove of wisdom, created and given to the world by one of America's most perceptive thinkers. This is my favorite kind of book, and Kevin has created a masterpiece that I will consult for the rest of my life. I highly recommend it for anyone looking to become just a little bit wiser, a little bit better, a little bit more thoughtful. ------------ Book a meeting with Dan ------------ Keep Talking Substack Rate on Spotify Rate on Apple Podcasts Social media and all episodes ------------ Support via Venmo Support on Substack Support on Patreon ------------ (00:00) Intro (00:55) Why Kevin began sharing advice (03:21) "68 Bits of Unsolicited Advice" popularity (05:27) 10 pieces of advice (07:42) You are what you do (12:00) Character is about how you deal with power (18:55) Look back 25 years from today to decide (22:20) The three things you need (36:15) Cultivate 12 people who love you (40:35) Money is to allow you to do great work (41:51) A perfect day to Kevin Kelly (44:15) Success and wealth (45:46) What's the point of obtaining wisdom?

    51 min
  5. Episode 115: Traver Boehm - How To Become A Better Man

    AUG 9

    Episode 115: Traver Boehm - How To Become A Better Man

    Traver Boehm is an entrepreneur, a speaker, the author of "Today I Rise" and "Man UNcivilized," and the founder of the UNcivilized Movement, "dedicated to ending the unnecessary suffering in men to end the suffering caused by men." ------------ Book a meeting with Dan ------------ Keep Talking Substack Rate on Spotify Rate on Apple Podcasts Social media and all episodes ------------ Support via Venmo Support on Substack Support on Patreon ------------ 00:00 Intro 00:31 How Traver got into men's work 05:40 Living as an unconscious man for 40 years 10:53 Integrity and the book "How To Be A Man" by Robert Masters 16:26 Advice for men who feel out of integrity 28:04 Asking men: what do you want? 39:32 Shame, and how men can ask for what they need 55:22 Selecting women and the importance of male tribe 01:06:52 Male isolation and how to find good men 01:13:18 Vulnerability and how much Traver has changed

    1h 27m
  6. Episode 114: Orna Donath - Regretting Motherhood, Part 2

    AUG 2

    Episode 114: Orna Donath - Regretting Motherhood, Part 2

    Orna Donath is a professor at Tel Aviv University and is the author of the landmark book "Regretting Motherhood." During our conversation, Orna talks about the lessons from her research, her own "silent knowing" that she didn't want to be a mom, the importance of knowing oneself, and her new research of elderly, childless women in Israel. Orna also talks about the role of fear in pressuring women to become a mom, her yearly dialogue with a dozen women who are trying to decide whether to have kids, healthy models for childless women, and her interviews with childless men. ------------ Book a meeting with Dan ------------ Keep Talking Substack Rate on Spotify Rate on Apple Podcasts Social media and all episodes ------------ Support via Venmo Support on Substack Support on Patreon ------------ 00:00 Intro 00:36 Stories of women who have regretted having kids 05:08 What has been traumatic to women about becoming mothers? 10:04 The role of fear in pressuring women to have kids 16:41 The lack of healthy models for women without kids 23:31 Lessons from elderly, childless women 28:51 Lessons from women who are wrestling with whether to have kids 35:57 Meaning and purpose in life without kids 42:27 Quotes in praise or Orna and her work 44:18 Men who don't want to have kids 54:46 Addressing questions Orna wants to answer

    58 min

  7. JUL 26

    Episode 113: Roy Baumeister - Taboo Truths About Men And Women

    Roy Baumeister is a professor and a prolific author of many books, including "Willpower" and "Is There Anything Good About Men?" During our conversation, Roy talks about men as nature's "play things," his thinking on how homosexuality persevered through evolution, the truth about men in society, lessons from the book "Self-Made Man" by Norah Vincent, the importance of male cooperation in creating civilization, free will, how he's changed his mind, and more. ------------ Book a meeting with Dan ------------ Keep Talking Substack Rate on Spotify Rate on Apple Podcasts Social media and all episodes ------------ Support via Venmo Support on Substack Support on Patreon ------------ 00:00 Intro 00:32 Men are nature's "play-things" 05:04 There are more men at the extremes 07:23 How do gay people exist? 11:29 Lessons from "Self-Made Man" by Norah Vincent 15:48 Men and women were "designed" with different skills 21:01 What is good about men? 31:02 Why are men wired for cooperation? 37:12 Quotes from "Is There Anything Good About Men?" 38:37 The tragedy of the male sex drive 46:24 What is interesting to Roy right now? 54:26 In what ways has Roy changed his mind? 01.01:52 Who does Roy go to for information and truth?

    1h 4m
  8. Episode 112: Ian Marcus Corbin - Our Loneliness Epidemic

    JUL 19

    Episode 112: Ian Marcus Corbin - Our Loneliness Epidemic

    Ian Marcus Corbin is an essayist and a philosopher at Harvard Medical School who works on loneliness in society. During our conversation, Ian defines loneliness, discusses Robert Putnam's book Bowling Alone, the importance of close social relationships, the decline in civic participation in America, the risk of isolation to human beings and society, and the recent assassination attempt of Donald Trump. ------------ Book a meeting with Dan ------------ Keep Talking Substack Rate on Spotify Rate on Apple Podcasts Social media and all episodes ------------ Support via Venmo Support on Substack Support on Patreon ------------ 00:00 Intro 00:21 Defining loneliness 05:12 Growing evidence of modern loneliness 07:12 Robert Putnam's work in "Bowling Alone" 19:00 Advice for combating loneliness 22:31 What causes loneliness? 27:13 The Harvard study on happiness - good relationships are most important 31:20 How to prioritize a wise, flourishing life 38:19 Trade-offs between working for money and having meaningful work 44:05 Loneliness and the threat of totalitarianism 46:00 The assassination attempt of Donald Trump 51:35 Loneliness and modern men 58:05 The lack of a script for men today 1:00:14 What communities or societies are flourishing today?

    1h 12m
See All (119)

4.7
out of 5
34 Ratings

About

"Keep Talking" exists to have conversations that might help to make a better society and a better culture. I believe that each guest has important information and stories to make public. And it's something that I want to share.

Information

  • Creator
    Dan Riley
  • Years Active
    2020 - 2024
  • Episodes
    119
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © Dan Riley
  • Show Website
    Keep Talking

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